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Post by fxnj on Mar 12, 2019 5:06:50 GMT -5
A worthy follow-up to their classic earlier in the year. Taue tries to wrestle smart by targeting Misawa's leg, but he can't quite hit his bombs as good as he'd need to put the champ away. Some really nice near falls and the usual great Misawa comeback.
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Post by nintendologic on Jun 19, 2020 13:21:23 GMT -5
Second.
This is a bit of an oddity, as it’s a Triple Crown match that wouldn’t look out of place on a WWE PPV card. It goes just short of 21 minutes and is worked at the pace of a sprint, and the super high-impact moves are mostly teased rather than delivered. Misawa decides that playtime is over and throws everything he can think of at Taue to put him away early, but he leaves his leg exposed in the process, and Taue capitalizes. As in most Misawa matches, the body part work is intended to open him up for big moves that will turn the lights out rather than a direct means to victory. At one point, Taue pulls back the floor mat and threatens to chokeslam Misawa from the apron to the exposed concrete. He goes after Misawa’s leg to prevent him from blocking the move, but he ends up being too aggressive and Misawa collapses from the apron to the floor. Taue gets him back up, but Misawa throws a vicious elbow and returns to the ring. It’s amazing how even less ambitious Triple Crown matches have such brilliant nuanced psychology. It seemed like Misawa wanted the leg work to play a bigger role down the stretch (when Taue did briefly target it, Misawa went down like he’d been shot), but Taue didn’t take the bait and mostly stuck to throwing bombs. It’s a clear example of Taue not being on the level of the other three Pillars from a storytelling standpoint. Even so, there’s some fantastic struggle from both men over the big suplexes, so it’s more than just a mindless bombfest. This isn’t as epic as the Champion Carnival final, but it’s a worthy sequel.
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Post by superstarsleeze on Aug 8, 2020 20:42:33 GMT -5
Misawa vs Taue has always been a model of efficiency look at their great, lean & mean 2001 match. Taue's bearhug drop eye first on the turnbuckles is awesome. I love how much struggle there is in the control segment especially on the apron spots which he never really negotiates it how he wants. They peak perfectly with the Dynamic Bomb~! and then five minutes later Misawa is on cruise control. It has no shot at making my ballot but it is a super fun way to spend 21 minutes.
AJPW Triple Crown Champion Mitsuharu Misawa vs Akira Taue - AJPW 9/10/95
Based on the first 15 minutes, this is on pace to be better than their Carny Final, jk, jk, just messing around after saying 7/24/95 > 6/3/94. This has definitely been really great thus far...dare I say excellent...I really like how they are changing up the format of King's Road. In the previous Kobashi/Taue match from 7/24/95, it was Taue that went on a tear and nearly ended the match in 5 minutes with a Dynamic Bomb. Here instead it is Misawa. This match actually serves to point out the greatness of the previous Kawada match. In the previous Kawada match, Misawa didnt have time to check his boxes, there were no Tiger Drivers, no Elbow Suicidas, no Sentons or Frogsplashes, he was in a fight for his life so it was all Elbows and Head Drops. In this match, this is Misawa in a groove on Cruise Control. Hitting his Diving Elbow and Spinning Lariat, and the senton. He climaxes with a Tiger Driver. It was a beautiful shine from the Ace who didnt need to shine and usually avoids the shine. A great wrinkle.
I expected him to wipe out on a second Elbow Suicida since he landed the first but instead he misses a slingshot plancha and Taue kicks him in the knee. This leads to a lot of controversy in the match because Taue ends up going back to the eye later on. God Forbid, you work two body parts. The eye was a pre-existing injury (though he worked the wrong eye) whereas the knee is what was given to him and sometimes you have to take what was given to you.
I like how Taue has to earn this control. He attacks the knee but Misawa is still powerful and on a Roaring Elbow attempt he catches him with a NODOWA for two.
In the best moment of the match, Taue bearhugs Misawa twice and drops him eye-first on the top turnbuckle. More proof why Taue is awesome and I am surprised this was not talked about more. Great selling by Misawa and very innovative attack on the eye. Taue hits Air Taue and looks in command. He wants the NODOWA OF DEATH off the apron, but Misawa blocks so Taue just shoves him off into the railing...OWWWWW! Taue hits a normal Powerbomb for two. Nodowa off Apron + Dynamic Bomb > Shove off Apron + Normal Powerbomb, got it. Misawa hits a Roaring Elbow and a German Suplex to start a comeback but his knee gives out and it is back to square one with Taue swiping at the knee and Misawa rolling to the floor. It is high drama as they walk the tight rope again. Taue has lifted up the mats. The crowd heat for this is red hot. Misawa DECKS Taue with an Elbow and rolls back in, but get this...Taue covers Misawa off that! Now that's depressing as hell. That's how bad Misawa has it. Scorpion Deathlock to work on the knee and then DYNAMIC BOMB~! Great nearfall. So far loved the shine, loved the transition to Taue, loved Taue on top, and thought the two apron sequences have been very dramatic. They peaked perfectly with a Dynamic Bomb nearfall. Unless this totally falls off the rails, this will be a classic.
Oh wow! This match was not long at all, only six minutes after the Dynamic Bomb, which I love. Taue shot his wad there was no point to dawdle.
I liked the transition back to Misawa. Misawa is the king of the Extended Comeback and he puts on a great one here. He is not landing everything at the beginning. Taue is still evading, but Misawa starts landing those Elbows and German Suplexes, it really takes a toll on Taue. I love Misawa new style of going head-hunting with both Elbows and Headdrop Suplexes. Taue gets one more Nodowa, a Kick to the Knee and some Headbutts to the injured eye to keep him looking like have a chance but resistance is futile in the face of Misawa's relentless barrage of Elbows. Misawa eating a German Suplex only to come up Swinging with a Roaring Elbow is very All Japan for better or worse. It is a fist-pumping moment but undercuts the German. I can see it either way. Misawa starts throwing brutal back elbows and then BLOWS TAUE AWAY WITH A ROARING ELBOW! Taue's bump was excellent on the finish.
Underrated match not quite as good Kobashi/Taue from the Carny or even 7/24/95 but this is a great groove match. Misawa and Taue hit their stock spots with vigor, struggle and a great layout. I thought everything up to the Dynamic Bomb was fabulous. Misawa's Extended Comeback was great but a bit by the numbers. No single spot stands out...really liked Taue's last bump. ****1/4
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Post by elliott on Sept 15, 2023 0:58:11 GMT -5
Good one but I don't think it's close to the Carnival match and I actually prefer their 91, 92, 93, 96 and 2001 matches in addition to the Carny Final.
These guys have awesome chemistry.
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