Kenta Kobashi vs Akira Taue (AJPW - 3/21/1995)
Jul 5, 2020 9:00:07 GMT -5
Post by superstarsleeze on Jul 5, 2020 9:00:07 GMT -5
I love Kobashi vs Taue, they are such a natural fit for one another. I couldnt find room for their 1998 and 2004 classics on my list, but this match is EVEN BETTER than those and I think I will find a way to get this into my Top 100 (code: Second this if you have seen it!). The 1995 Champions Carnival is the best Tournament ever and this is its second best match.
Akira Taue vs Kenta Kobashi - AJPW Champions Carnival 3/21/95
The 1995 edition of the Champions Carnival is my favorite Carnival of all time (even though 1994 has made a serious play for number one when I just watched it a month ago). To me this is when the Four Corners were all peaking together, Taue was a bit of a laggard, but in 1995 he took a big step forward and was every bit their peer and it all starts with this Carnival run. Dr. Death is to 1994 what Taue is to 1995. The most important thing to note is Kobashi has never beaten Taue, BUT he does hold a time limit draw against then Champion Kawada and several big Tag pins. If you were setting odds, this was a push 'em, but I'd say whoever does win this match was getting the big push for 1995. I reviewed all these matches in 2012 and actually wrote one of my very first blogs on the 1995 Carnival. I will throw in some editorial notes from 2020 as I watch the match.
The first match is a contest between the two junior partners in their respective teams. It really feels like both these men are out there with something to prove (2020 Martin: Effort level is very high). This gives this match a real sense of struggle as both men are making each other work for their moves (2020 Martin: Damn straight). Everytime, Kobashi looks like he is putting something together, Taue will throw him down (2020 Martin: Noticed this theme of Taue being very reactionary. Kobashi was fire up and Taue would have to just defend himself from being overwhelmed). There is a theme among most Kobashi matches of his macho posturing costing him matches as he gets too involved in one up manship that he loses sight of winning the match. Taue, for his part, avoids getting sucked into this like Kawada sometimes will by avoiding the test of strength and going for shortcuts like eye-rakes and throwdowns. Taue is going his best to disrupt Kobashi’s offensive flow. For his part, Taue looked his best on offense that I has seen up to that point. His Jumbo high knee and enziguri combo looked fantastic. He delivered some stiff blows a particularly vicious lariat comes to mind. (2020 Martin: I know the exact lariat that I am talking about. I marked out for that again and I would add the Taue elbow drop from the top was a great highspot). 2020 Martin: I would add that there is a fist fight that breaks out mid-match that Kobashi actually starts when they scrap to the ground. Then Taue comes up swinging. You can tell how badly each man wants it. There is a desperation to win in this match unlike almost any other I have seen. It makes for very engaging viewing.
Kobashi continues this theme of struggle by doing his best to cut off Taue during his offense. Kobashi comes off like a warrior with dogged determination to press on even in bleak circumstance. My favorite spot of the match is when Taue does a throwdown to stop a Kobashi flurry into the corner only for Kobashi to rebound off and lariat him to a great pop. (2020 Martin: I would no longer say thats my favorite spot of the match, but it is a great spot. Noticed how Kobashi needed a Spinning Back Hand Chop, this lariat, and a DDT to just level the playing field.) Eventually string together two pinning combinations off of a bridging german suplex and a powerbomb, but then misses his put-away: the moonsault. This gives the feeling that Kobashi was one move away from his getting his big victory. (2020 Martin: Always smart booking. I am an advocate for missing the finisher. The finisher-kick out is one of the most damaging trends in pro wrestling).
As part two of my favorite spot of the match, Taue Irish whipped Kobashi into the guardrail and Kobashi went to do a rebound lariat only for Taue to catch him this time and throw him back into the guardrail. That was sweet! (2020 Martin: This is my favorite spot. 2012 Martin seems like a good dude.
) Taue follows this up with a HUGE Nodowa off the apron onto the floor! (2020 Martin: This would become a theme throughout the '95 Carnival and a signal that end is nigh. This being the first match we didnt know the pattern yet). Kobashi sells it like death. (2020 Martin: Kobashi's selling from here on is sublime). Taue has to bring him back in to get the pinfall, but Kobashi kicks out. Kobashi is working under the “lights are on, but no one is home” guise just trying to extend Taue to a 30 minute draw by rolling to outside. Taue obliges him by POWERBOMBING him on the floor. There is no safe haven! Taue is such a prick and the fans love it oddly enough as they cheer his name. Kobashi desperately trying to avoid the NODOWA~! EPIC! Taue polishes him off with the DYNAMIC BOMB~! This is Taue’s new and improved finisher to add a bomb to his arsenal.
I liked (2020 Martin: I believe the word you are looking for is "LOVED") this match a whole lot as Taue really blew me away with his performance. He reigned Kobashi in and made sure that Kobashi never ate him alive with all his offense. Taue worked hard to impress and deliver some great offense. The match did a great job to put over two moves: the Nodowa off the apron and the Dynamic Bomb. In addition, it really Taue over as a scrappy, ruthless competitor that would never let a match get too far out of control. Kobashi was able to work his moves in a logical fashion and his facial expressions added to put over how much of a struggle this match was. His most important role was selling like he dead after the Nodowa to the floor and really putting Taue over as a threat. It felt like he was one moonsault away from winning, but at the day he went for one too many rebound lariats and got caught. That was turning point because it allowed Taue to set up the Nodowa to the floor. A fantastic start to the tournament and I think one that places the bar very high for all the matches to follow. (2020 Martin: Wants to add the effort level was extraordinarily high, I loved Kobashi's dogged determination to keep charging & Taue's equally dogged determination to keep throwing him on his ass. I came in thinking we going to start with a kickass match, but this could be the second best match of the tournament). ****3/4
Akira Taue vs Kenta Kobashi - AJPW Champions Carnival 3/21/95
The 1995 edition of the Champions Carnival is my favorite Carnival of all time (even though 1994 has made a serious play for number one when I just watched it a month ago). To me this is when the Four Corners were all peaking together, Taue was a bit of a laggard, but in 1995 he took a big step forward and was every bit their peer and it all starts with this Carnival run. Dr. Death is to 1994 what Taue is to 1995. The most important thing to note is Kobashi has never beaten Taue, BUT he does hold a time limit draw against then Champion Kawada and several big Tag pins. If you were setting odds, this was a push 'em, but I'd say whoever does win this match was getting the big push for 1995. I reviewed all these matches in 2012 and actually wrote one of my very first blogs on the 1995 Carnival. I will throw in some editorial notes from 2020 as I watch the match.
The first match is a contest between the two junior partners in their respective teams. It really feels like both these men are out there with something to prove (2020 Martin: Effort level is very high). This gives this match a real sense of struggle as both men are making each other work for their moves (2020 Martin: Damn straight). Everytime, Kobashi looks like he is putting something together, Taue will throw him down (2020 Martin: Noticed this theme of Taue being very reactionary. Kobashi was fire up and Taue would have to just defend himself from being overwhelmed). There is a theme among most Kobashi matches of his macho posturing costing him matches as he gets too involved in one up manship that he loses sight of winning the match. Taue, for his part, avoids getting sucked into this like Kawada sometimes will by avoiding the test of strength and going for shortcuts like eye-rakes and throwdowns. Taue is going his best to disrupt Kobashi’s offensive flow. For his part, Taue looked his best on offense that I has seen up to that point. His Jumbo high knee and enziguri combo looked fantastic. He delivered some stiff blows a particularly vicious lariat comes to mind. (2020 Martin: I know the exact lariat that I am talking about. I marked out for that again and I would add the Taue elbow drop from the top was a great highspot). 2020 Martin: I would add that there is a fist fight that breaks out mid-match that Kobashi actually starts when they scrap to the ground. Then Taue comes up swinging. You can tell how badly each man wants it. There is a desperation to win in this match unlike almost any other I have seen. It makes for very engaging viewing.
Kobashi continues this theme of struggle by doing his best to cut off Taue during his offense. Kobashi comes off like a warrior with dogged determination to press on even in bleak circumstance. My favorite spot of the match is when Taue does a throwdown to stop a Kobashi flurry into the corner only for Kobashi to rebound off and lariat him to a great pop. (2020 Martin: I would no longer say thats my favorite spot of the match, but it is a great spot. Noticed how Kobashi needed a Spinning Back Hand Chop, this lariat, and a DDT to just level the playing field.) Eventually string together two pinning combinations off of a bridging german suplex and a powerbomb, but then misses his put-away: the moonsault. This gives the feeling that Kobashi was one move away from his getting his big victory. (2020 Martin: Always smart booking. I am an advocate for missing the finisher. The finisher-kick out is one of the most damaging trends in pro wrestling).
As part two of my favorite spot of the match, Taue Irish whipped Kobashi into the guardrail and Kobashi went to do a rebound lariat only for Taue to catch him this time and throw him back into the guardrail. That was sweet! (2020 Martin: This is my favorite spot. 2012 Martin seems like a good dude.
) Taue follows this up with a HUGE Nodowa off the apron onto the floor! (2020 Martin: This would become a theme throughout the '95 Carnival and a signal that end is nigh. This being the first match we didnt know the pattern yet). Kobashi sells it like death. (2020 Martin: Kobashi's selling from here on is sublime). Taue has to bring him back in to get the pinfall, but Kobashi kicks out. Kobashi is working under the “lights are on, but no one is home” guise just trying to extend Taue to a 30 minute draw by rolling to outside. Taue obliges him by POWERBOMBING him on the floor. There is no safe haven! Taue is such a prick and the fans love it oddly enough as they cheer his name. Kobashi desperately trying to avoid the NODOWA~! EPIC! Taue polishes him off with the DYNAMIC BOMB~! This is Taue’s new and improved finisher to add a bomb to his arsenal.I liked (2020 Martin: I believe the word you are looking for is "LOVED") this match a whole lot as Taue really blew me away with his performance. He reigned Kobashi in and made sure that Kobashi never ate him alive with all his offense. Taue worked hard to impress and deliver some great offense. The match did a great job to put over two moves: the Nodowa off the apron and the Dynamic Bomb. In addition, it really Taue over as a scrappy, ruthless competitor that would never let a match get too far out of control. Kobashi was able to work his moves in a logical fashion and his facial expressions added to put over how much of a struggle this match was. His most important role was selling like he dead after the Nodowa to the floor and really putting Taue over as a threat. It felt like he was one moonsault away from winning, but at the day he went for one too many rebound lariats and got caught. That was turning point because it allowed Taue to set up the Nodowa to the floor. A fantastic start to the tournament and I think one that places the bar very high for all the matches to follow. (2020 Martin: Wants to add the effort level was extraordinarily high, I loved Kobashi's dogged determination to keep charging & Taue's equally dogged determination to keep throwing him on his ass. I came in thinking we going to start with a kickass match, but this could be the second best match of the tournament). ****3/4
