Post by superstarsleeze on Sept 22, 2018 20:03:03 GMT -5
Maybe the best comeback of all time as Kobashi responds to Takayama's desperation punches with punches of his own with his bad arm dangling at his side. Until he says Fuck It...LARIATOOOOOOO!
All Japan Triple Crown Champion Kenta Kobashi vs Yoshihiro Takayama - 05/26/00
All Hail Yoshihiro Takayama! Black hair Takayama is just as much of bad ass muthafucka as bleach blond Takayama in heeling it up. It is such a great change of pace from the typical King's Road style to have a native play a heel so convincingly. I have not re-watched the '04 Kobashi/Takayama (which is a favorite going into the poll), but I really dug this match a whole lot and would put it up there with Mutoh/Tenryu and Misawa/Akiyama as the best match so far.
During the pre-match rules and bullshit, Takayama just kicks Kobashi in the head with a big boot and pounces. What a prick. That's the story of this match Kobashi has to overcome the fact that he has an opponent that is not above taking shortcuts and has his partner, Omori outside ready to assist. Kobashi fires up and lights up Takayama. If Kobashi ever worked America for a sustained time in the 90s, he would have been excellent at babyface shines. As he was great at beating Takayama from pillar to post outside the ring. Kobashi looks to finish it early or at least take a commanding lead with a back body drop driver. Takayama knows that could spell the end and dead weights him. He gets a double leg takedown and just will not let go of that cross-armbreaker. Takayama will constantly use arm attack cutoffs for the rest of the match now that he was able to debilitate a body part of Kobashi. Takayama does not relent in being a heel he uses the railing, he steps on his throat and does a cocky cover. Takayama just plain gets it. At some point, Kobashi's eye has swollen shut and I have neglected to mention how friggin' hard they are hitting each other. Kobashi fires up again and gets a flurry of chops in the corner, but Omori gets up on the apron and Kobashi hits him with a spinning back hand chop to teach him a lesson. However that distraction is enough time for Takayama to kick the arm. Takayama follows up with great arm work, but Kobashi chops out of the armbreaker and actually powders to put over how much damage was done to the arm. Now, Kobashi starts to string together a combination with suplexes and DDTs, but cant put Takayama away yet. Takayama is always cutting him off at the arm it is an incredibly focused performance. Kobashi is just in his element fighting from underneath. Kobashi hits a monster Fuck You Burning Lariat, but with the bad arm. Takayama gets his Everest German only for 2. Takayama frustrated begins to hit Kobashi with closed fists so Kobashi rallies with closed fists of his own, but with his bad arm just dangling at his side. It is an awesome visual. Takayama out of nowhere hits a German for two. This time Kobashi revved up hits Burning Lariat with the bad arm and wins!
Kobashi battling through the pain to finally hit his Lariat bad arm and all is just the perfect finish to an incredible match. I loved the pacing of the match with Kobashi early on pissed off at Takayama's blindside followed by Takayama grabbing a hold of an appendage and ripping it to shreds. Everything followed from that hook. Takayama was the consummate heel and Kobashi consummate babyface. Just when you think Kobashi is making his comback, Omori distracts him. Just when you think he will do it again, Takayama kicks him in the arm. Just when you think Takayama will win with his German Suplex, Kobashi fires up with fists of fury bad arm just dangling. For him to actually win with the bad arm Lariat was perfect because he did not no-sell it. He battled through pain. Takayama would never be able to inflict the amount of pain to break Kobashi's fighting spirit. I LOVED THIS MATCH! *****
All Japan Triple Crown Champion Kenta Kobashi vs Yoshihiro Takayama - 05/26/00
All Hail Yoshihiro Takayama! Black hair Takayama is just as much of bad ass muthafucka as bleach blond Takayama in heeling it up. It is such a great change of pace from the typical King's Road style to have a native play a heel so convincingly. I have not re-watched the '04 Kobashi/Takayama (which is a favorite going into the poll), but I really dug this match a whole lot and would put it up there with Mutoh/Tenryu and Misawa/Akiyama as the best match so far.
During the pre-match rules and bullshit, Takayama just kicks Kobashi in the head with a big boot and pounces. What a prick. That's the story of this match Kobashi has to overcome the fact that he has an opponent that is not above taking shortcuts and has his partner, Omori outside ready to assist. Kobashi fires up and lights up Takayama. If Kobashi ever worked America for a sustained time in the 90s, he would have been excellent at babyface shines. As he was great at beating Takayama from pillar to post outside the ring. Kobashi looks to finish it early or at least take a commanding lead with a back body drop driver. Takayama knows that could spell the end and dead weights him. He gets a double leg takedown and just will not let go of that cross-armbreaker. Takayama will constantly use arm attack cutoffs for the rest of the match now that he was able to debilitate a body part of Kobashi. Takayama does not relent in being a heel he uses the railing, he steps on his throat and does a cocky cover. Takayama just plain gets it. At some point, Kobashi's eye has swollen shut and I have neglected to mention how friggin' hard they are hitting each other. Kobashi fires up again and gets a flurry of chops in the corner, but Omori gets up on the apron and Kobashi hits him with a spinning back hand chop to teach him a lesson. However that distraction is enough time for Takayama to kick the arm. Takayama follows up with great arm work, but Kobashi chops out of the armbreaker and actually powders to put over how much damage was done to the arm. Now, Kobashi starts to string together a combination with suplexes and DDTs, but cant put Takayama away yet. Takayama is always cutting him off at the arm it is an incredibly focused performance. Kobashi is just in his element fighting from underneath. Kobashi hits a monster Fuck You Burning Lariat, but with the bad arm. Takayama gets his Everest German only for 2. Takayama frustrated begins to hit Kobashi with closed fists so Kobashi rallies with closed fists of his own, but with his bad arm just dangling at his side. It is an awesome visual. Takayama out of nowhere hits a German for two. This time Kobashi revved up hits Burning Lariat with the bad arm and wins!
Kobashi battling through the pain to finally hit his Lariat bad arm and all is just the perfect finish to an incredible match. I loved the pacing of the match with Kobashi early on pissed off at Takayama's blindside followed by Takayama grabbing a hold of an appendage and ripping it to shreds. Everything followed from that hook. Takayama was the consummate heel and Kobashi consummate babyface. Just when you think Kobashi is making his comback, Omori distracts him. Just when you think he will do it again, Takayama kicks him in the arm. Just when you think Takayama will win with his German Suplex, Kobashi fires up with fists of fury bad arm just dangling. For him to actually win with the bad arm Lariat was perfect because he did not no-sell it. He battled through pain. Takayama would never be able to inflict the amount of pain to break Kobashi's fighting spirit. I LOVED THIS MATCH! *****
