Kenta Kobashi vs Steve Williams (AJPW - 9/3/1994)

Second. Love this match and prefer it to their '93 match. Perfectly laid out with Kobashi getting in the majority of the offense and Williams selling all the way. They had the crowd in the palm of their hand for the entirety of the 40 minutes, and every hold and moment felt big - I've never seen a crowd react to a test of strength as they did here. One of All Japan's best.

I'll echo the above comments and say I greatly preferred this to the '93 version. This is what I wanted so badly out of the '93 version. Your mileage may vary but as someone who loves big, beefy power wrestling with a heaping side of macho posturing this is pretty damn great. Besides the cuteness of the Rolling Cradle, this match is made of Mighty, Mighty Man's Stuff. It has all the trappings of testosterone-addled, dumb jock wrestling: the staredowns, flexing through chops, a HUGE test of strength, the shouldertackles. It is all Manly Glory. They cap it off like any good, red-blooded MEN would do with a big, 'ol manly hug!

Triple Crown Champion Steve WIlliams vs Kenta Kobashi - AJPW 9/3/94

Well they picked a helluva night to go long because it looks like it is a hot one in the Budokan is fanning themselves.

Your mileage may vary but as someone who loves big, beefy power wrestling with a heaping side of macho posturing this is pretty damn great. Besides the cuteness of the Rolling Cradle, this match is made of Mighty, Mighty Man's Stuff. It has all the trappings of testosterone-addled, dumb jock wrestling: the staredowns, flexing through chops, a HUGE test of strength, the shouldertackles. It is all Manly Glory. Kobashi launches himself at Dr. Death and knocks Doc off his feet. DDT on the floor, legdrop on the railing and crossbody block to the floor. Doc comes back with a wicked Brainbuster and starts kicking ass on the outside. The first 15 minutes is very, very simple compared to the hyper-workrate culture of All Japan, but I think it delivers an engaging performance if you like the hoss, beefcake style.

I really love how they are pacing this match. They are not just throwing out 40 minutes worth of highspots. They are really building. Doc works a strong heat segment built around his power. Great spinebuster. Look at his ridiculous power chucking Kobashi overhead on a Bearhug that was insane. He gets caught charging out of a three point stance with a Baba-Style Lariat. I love how Doc takes this bump he really kicks his feet out. Lots of great manliness here. Loved Kobashi potatoing Doc right back after Doc used a closed fist. Lots of head shots from Kobashi with DDT and loved the immediate Lariat response after Doc takes him over with an explosive armdrag. It is not quite Burning yet but Kobashi's lariat is progressing nicely. There are a lot of good spontaneous blocks and Doc is really making Kobashi earn his offense. Then Doc just EXPLODES out of the blocks with a lunging tackle. Kobashi tries to come right back and meet fire with fire and fucking Doc just upends him and sends him ass over tea kettle in an insane spot that I am not sure how Kobashi does not have a broken neck. THEN DOC JUST FUCKING THROWS KOBASHI OUT OF THE RING VIA MILITARY PRESS! BATSHIT INSANITY~! Doc just starts flying around and it is awesome. He wipes Kobashi out with an out of nowhere shouldertackle from the apron and then there was the TOP ROPE BELLY TO BELLY SUPLEX! Kurt Angle eat your heart out. That just gave me a though imagine Barbarian in 90s All Japan. O my God, someone build a time machine pronto. SNATCH DOCTORBOMB~! 1-2-NO! Doc knows whats up! He wants the Back Drop Driver, big tease, then he goes for the Oklahoma Stampede and that gets blocked too. Kobashi hits an enziguiri and dropkick to the knee. Budokan pops huge! Doc did a great job his knee buckled convincingly and he really sold it. We get the first moonsault attempt, but Doc still has too much juice left. We are at the 30 minute mark and they plenty of gas left in the tank. I dont see them as going long just for the sake of going long. They are organically building a meathead's dream match.

Kobashi really pours it on to secure the chance to hit the Moonsault. He really earns the Back Drop Driver but Doc is a load and it is more of a normal back suplex. Doc does take a wicked German suplex for two. MOONSAULT~! Only gets two. Doc moves out of the second one and Kobashi crashes and burns. I thought for sure they would transition to Doc since Kobashi got his big nearfall. Williams sidesteps the first dropkick, but the second dropkick finds its mark on the injured knee. Doc powders and is doing a great job writhing in pain. Kobashi keeps pressing, he cant negotiate the brainbuster, but he does hit a Jackknife Powerbomb. Then is a great moment when Doc is too far away for Kobashi's Top Rope Legdrop. Doc rolls over one body width and is in perfect position. Doc is the Real MVP! Then in what is the story of this match when you least expect it DOC EXPLODES~! This time Kobashi turns his back on Doc and he just lunges at him steamrolls him. Great spot. Doc hits his big splash in the corner and IMMEDIATELY pops off a wicked Belly 2 Belly that almost wipes out the ref. Crazy power. 1-2-NO! Backdrop Driver time. Kobashi fights back. Kobashi has been using the Spinning Back Chop throughout the match. Doc ducks and DAAAAAAANNNNGGGGGERRRRRROUSSSSSSS BACK DROP DRIVER! That was wicked! Obviously that should have been the finish, but it is not. The match only goes two minutes longer so I cant complain too much. Kobashi dropkicks the knee again and Doc sells it well, but it is too little, too late. Doc hits the DANGEROUS Back Drop Driver on the TURNBUCKLES! Death Wish Kobashi! Doc hobbles over to the disoriented, crawling Kobashi to hit one last Back Drop Driver to win.

How do these two manly men cap off their glorious match? With what else but a big 'ol manly hug! I loved this! Could it have been shorter, yeah sure, but never did I feel they ran out of ideas or were they throwing out too much. The first 15 minutes is very rudimentary but it establishes the tone and narrative that this is a hoss fight. Doc was in such a zone offensively in 1994. He was popping off suplexes like it was nothing and coming with creative ways to shouldertackle. Kobashi was great at selling all this and firing up. They were both great at making one another earn it. The first nearfall wasnt until the DoctorBomb around the 25 minute mark and Kobashi's first moonsault attemtp was not until the 30 minute mark. It is like this was a 30 minute finish run. It was a 10-15 minute finish run which built really well and showed some innovation from Kobashi (Top Rope Legdrop, Spinning Back Chop) and his resiliency. I dont really feel they went long for the sake of going long, they had a story and the momentum to go this long. When people say "When Men were Men", they are referring to September 3, 1994 in Budokan Hall: when Dr. Death and Kenta Kobashi clashed! ****3/4