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Post by bossrock on Jan 15, 2018 10:42:10 GMT -5
Jun Akiyama vs. Kenta Kobashi (AJPW-07/24/1998)
Probably the best match of 1998 that isn't Misawa-Kobashi on Halloween. Excellent story of Jun trying to step up to Kobashi's level, realizing he can't, and resorting to attacking Kobashi's injured knee. Kobashi's selling is fantastic and he gives a pretty damn inspiring babyface performance while Jun plays a good "heel". Prone to some excess as most late-90's AJPW matches were wont to do, but still an awesome offense match with fantastic selling and storytelling.
Could be a top 50 lock.
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Post by joeg on Jan 15, 2018 20:50:14 GMT -5
I really love this one. Akiyama is great working over Kobashi's knee and Kobashi sells it like he just got shot. I'll second this. It would probably make my list.
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Post by fxnj on Jan 16, 2018 1:17:07 GMT -5
Thirded. I still think it's blasphemy to rank this ahead of Kawada/Kobashi, but this is still going on my list. Even at this stage, Akiyama was one of the best offensive wrestlers on the planet and Kobashi as a babyface selling his knee is always gold. There is big move no selling and excessive head dropping towards the end that foreshadows where the style was going, but in the context of the match they built it's fine. Maybe the best NOAH match ever.
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Post by fxnj on May 12, 2018 3:31:46 GMT -5
Rewatched this and it really is a fantastic match. The psychology around the knee and how the match plays off the Kawada match really is tremendous. You can say Akiyama is playing the heel, but that's way too simplified. Kobashi comes in trying to show off doing shit like delayed suplexes and running the ropes doing knee strikes as if he's confident Akiyama will be like Kawada from last month in ignoring the knee. Akiyama isn't Kawada, though. He has no aspirations about proving as the ace and simply wants to send a message. He knows he can't match Kobashi in a straight what with him not being as big, strong, or experienced in big matches so he takes a shortcut in the form of attacking the knee. Don't really have much else to add about the match after it gets going. As mentioned, amazing selling from Kobashi and offense from Akiyama. I stand by what I said about this being the best NOAH match ever. I can't say in good conscience that it's a good idea to have this many head drops and pop up spots in a match for how that stuff destroyed bodies and led to many failed imitators, but this was really as good as that style can get. Everything head drop has loads of meaning behind in getting across Kobashi's urgency to win and Akiyama sells them like a champ. Especially dig the thousand yard stare he has after eating the half nelson on the floor. Great, great detail work as well with stuff like Kobashi wrenching in on the neck during the facelock or Akiyama dropkicking the knee anticipating a pop-up from Kobashi. Both guys looked tougher coming out than they did going in, especially Akiyama who got put over here much better than he did in any of the Misawa matches. If this isn't *****, it's pretty damn close to it. What a crazy year for Kobashi that a match of this level might be only his 3rd best behind the Kawada and Misawa matches.
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Post by superstarsleeze on Jul 29, 2018 9:20:40 GMT -5
You keep saying best NOAH match ever do you mean stystically NOAH.
Amazing match but I preferred Misawa/Kobashi on Halloween, what a crazy awesome 98 Kobashi had!
AJPW Triple Crown Champion Kenta Kobashi vs Jun Akiyama - AJPW 7/24/98
I love that even something as well-defined as the All Japan canon can still be re-evaluated and hidden gems found. Before the release of the 98 yearbook in 2014, I had never heard this match discussed in the same breath as Kobashi/Kawada from this year or as an All Japan classic. Watching it now, I definitely it belongs in the same class as the other All Japan epics.
At the Champions Carnival 98 Akiyama developed a penchant for attacking the knees of his opponent and with Kobashi having one of his knees heavily taped, you know this will come into play as soon as the first dragon leg screw is attempted within the first five minutes. Akiyama is aggressive as fuck in this match. The beginning is pure intensity. He just elbowing through everything. Kobashi is fighting back, but Akiyama just keeps coming and coming with those vicious elbows. Kobashi tries his old tricks to slow it down like going to the test of strength, but even there Akiyama eventually gets back to the elbows. Akiyama hits a MONSTER HIGH KNEE to the side of Kobashi's head and Kobashi sells it like death. What is interesting about the beginning is that Akiyama fights so hard to get control, but then does not seem to know how to follow it up. Twice, he goes for chinlocks and both times Kobashi powers out and regains the control. The second time, Akiyama decides this is no time to fuck around and dropkicks the knee. I love the initial struggle to hit the second dragon leg screw attempt with Kobashi desperately chopping Akiyama's neck, but it is to no avail as Akiyama wrenches the knee. Kobashi's fire up after this is fucking so invigorating. I was tired going into this match from a day of hiking and swimming in Greece. Watching Kobashi fire up, fired me up! Kobashi knows his only chance to try to finish this match quickly so they trade big suplexes and then on the outside Kobashi kills Akiyama dead with a half nelson suplex. Akiyama is doing a great dead weight sell. Crisis averted. Kobashi nails a DDT, typically great Akiyama sell. Kobashi's bum wheel prevents the first powerbomb attempt, but he is fucking Kobashi so bites the bullet THROWS AKIYAMA DOWN! He cant capitalize and Akiyama rolls to the apron. Kobashi gives pursuit. Then in what appears to be the turning point of the match, Akiyama whips Kobashi off the apron by the knee. OW! Just like that Kobashi looks like dead meat. Akiyama is able to take his time stalking his prey delivering damage to the knee and while also regaining strength.
Kobashi crawling away on all fours in the ring in desperation to get away from Akiyama only to be dropkicked in the knee is why I love pro wrestling!
Great figure-4 and then Scorpion Deathlock. The transition here is pretty weak. Others have lamented the half-nelson suplex transition (could be seen as pop-up, no sell) and even the dragon leg screw (overreliance on apron spots), but to me those totally fit in the match. The first one was all about crisis management and the second one was Kobashi giving pursuit and basically falling into a trap. This one is that Akiyama basically had Kobashi dead to rights, but the ref told Akiyama to get off Kobashi, BUT he did not submit. He just wanted to check on him, which is pretty bullshit. Kobashi is able to hit a wicked, desperation lariat that knocks the wind out of Akiyama. They both sell for like a minute. Love they milked that spot.
Kobashi using the ropes to stand and hobble over and then hold himself up while violently chopping Akiyama down is why I love pro wrestling.
Kobashi definitely gives an all-time selling performance. First it is the freak out about the attempted attack, then it is the selling of the attack and finally it is fighting through the pain. I am lapping this all up. This is a great reminder why I chose him as the greatest wrestler ever. He is teeing off on Akiyama with knife edge chops to the head.
Half nelson suplex...Akiyama back kicks the bad knee!!! Fuck yeah! Akiyama lunges and chop blocks the bad knee as Kobashi is trying to get up using the ropes. He hoists Kobashi on his shoulder and drive the knee into the top turnbuckle to set up the big elbow to back of the neck for two. He signals for an Exploder, gets the first, dropkick to knee and second is unsuccessful. The Budokan is RUMBLING! It is back to the figure-4 smart strategy. Akiyama is giving an all time great offensive performance in his laser focus on the knee. This reminds me a lot of his all-time great performance in the Misawa 2000 match where he was laser focused on the neck. He give sup on figure-4, not my favorite. BRAINBUSTER!!! Only two. Yep he is cooked. He goes for the cover again. Don't like his chances. Kobashi blocks Wrist-Clutch Exploder and as he is on his way down he clubs him in the back of the head. Kobashi needs a Hail Mary. Exploder->Pop Up Lariat. Ok, that was unnecessary and worthy of lamentation. Kobashi sells the knee like a champ and "KO-BASH-I" rings throughout the Budokan. He uses the ropes to hold himself up and applies the sleeper smart move for a man with a bum wheel OH SLEEPER SUPLEX!!! LARIAOTO! 1-2-KICKOUT! BURNING LARIAT MURDERS AKIYAMA WHERE HE STANDS!
I was not really much of a fan of the Kobashi/Akiyama pairing in NOAH. The matches were epics and were great just not my favorites. Hands down the best match they have ever had in my opinion. Loved the dragon leg screw and back kick on half nelson suplex as transitions. Akiyama's offense was killer. Kobashi's selling was sublime. The issue was getting Kobashi back on offense. The ref thing was bullshit and the pop-up Lariat was All Japan excess. Enough to keep from that upper echeleon of AJPW classics, but still one of the classics and superb performance from both wrestlers. ****3/4
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Post by fxnj on Jul 29, 2018 13:04:51 GMT -5
Yes, I am talking stylistically when I call this the best NOAH match. They make extensive usage of head drops and pop-up spots like people often associate with NOAH matches, except the psychology is just on a level far beyond the tired "Who can take more damage" deal that NOAH often went with. That, and Akiyama/Kobashi was the feud of for much of NOAH's prime years of 2000-2005 and this was the first big singles unless you count their earlier midcard stuff.
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Post by superstarsleeze on Jul 29, 2018 13:06:49 GMT -5
I can get behind that as Kobashi vs Takayama is not done in the house NOAH style. I actually don't care for Kobashi vs Akiyama in NOAH. They are too bloated for me.
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Post by cactus on Nov 19, 2021 5:17:36 GMT -5
This is probably the first time in his career that Kobashi has to take the veteran role in putting the young and fiery Akiyama to sleep. Akiyama is more than able to hold his own during the fantastic and fast-paced strike exchanges that open this title fight, but the mood in the venue changes when Akiyama lands a very effective strike to Kobashi's banged up knee. The crowd is in shock as Kobashi crumbles to the mat in agony. The head drops might be excessive, but they more than makeup for it by working in the brilliant leg psychology that is never forgotten about. Akiyama is a monster on control and he shows no remorse when he's taking apart Kobashi's knee. Kobashi is able to make a glorious comeback by landing some desperation lariats. I love the spot where Kobashi fakes out Akiyama, by setting him up for a Burning Lariat, but going to for a chop instead. A great way to show off your ring smarts! AJPW put out some of the best wrestling ever during the 1990's, and I could easily see this match cracking their top 20 matches of the decade. ★★★★½
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Post by TheDutifulWebmaster on Jun 29, 2023 1:06:49 GMT -5
5 stars from me. Arguably better than their dec 2000 match in my view.
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Post by fxnj on Jun 29, 2023 4:23:32 GMT -5
I think this being better than their NOAH stuff is pretty much the consensus at this point among people who've seen this, or at least a very common view. Sometimes I think about the matches they could have done if Kobashi's knees could have held out better without having to change his style and they kept Fuchi as the guy laying stuff out. This was their first TC effort and it blows away the first Misawa/Kawada, Misawa/Kobashi, and Kobashi/Kawada matches.
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Post by elliott on Sept 17, 2023 21:45:03 GMT -5
Nightmare of a match for me.
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