Holy Demon Army (Akira Taue, Toshiaki Kawada & Yoshinari Ogawa) vs. Super Generation Army (Jun Akiyama, Kenta Kobashi & Mitsuharu Misawa) - AJPW Summer Action Series I 1993 - Day 1 02/07/1993
They figured out the formula for HDA vs SGA trios matches in the last tour, only swapping out Kikuchi for Akiyama. This was a really great match. Hot action with the pacing going really fast and hard. Constant switching of the legal wrestlers, quick tags. There were some great key moments with Kawada and Misawa stiffing the heck out of each other with strikes. Kawada peppering Misawa up with brutal kicks to the neck and again when Wada tried to restrain him. Kobashi was great as a brief face in peril, as always. And Kobashi got another win, although it was against Ogawa. ****1/4
Toshiaki Kawada vs. Jun Akiyama - AJPW Summer Action Series I 1993 - Day 7 09/07/1993
Kawada baiting Jun to hit a pescado and then moving was great. That sums up these two at this stage perfectly. Kawada leans into his dickish ways, Akiyama is young and inexperienced so he falls for it. Akiyama worked hard and kept it basic which seemed to get some success but Kawada is a clear step above him and punishes Akiyama for ever thinking about joining All Japan (Ha!). ***1/2
Kenta Kobashi vs. Stan Hansen - AJPW Summer Action Series I 1993 - Day 22 29/07/1993
My second time watching this and only raised its stock with me. I loved the opening bit with Hansen attacking a young boy leading to Kobashi to attack Hansen and taking it to him. And Hansen making Kobashi pay going to the outside - his playground - with a brutal powerbomb on the mats was great. I’m really struggling to determine who was the better of the two in the match. Both put on pure clinics in this. Hansen was probably at his best in terms of selling his vulnerability. His defensive offence like his big boot to an incoming Kobashi in the corner, the little palm strikes he’d throw. Just a great defensive effort from Hansen. Kobashi in contrast was on the offence for most of the match, in the driving seat for 60% of the match, him beating Hansen in the strike exchanges, refusing to be belittled again, proving that he is on Hansen’s level now. Both Kobashi and Hansen delivered to the best of their capabilities by this point. The closing stretch with Kobashi using the leg drops, which Hansen had zero answer for, to slowly knock Hansen out was great. The amature wrestling pins being used to great incredible nearfalls with Hansen’s fatigue slowly dropping with each cardio busting pin. And the set up for the final Western Lariat was incredible. It was so last gasp with it practically being a wild swing to defend against Kobashi ramming Hansen’s face into his knee. What an encounter. ****3/4
Triple Crown Title Match: Mitsuharu Misawa (c) vs. Toshiaki Kawada - AJPW Summer Action Series I 1993 - Day 22 29/07/1993
This was a really good follow up to their Champions Carnival ‘93 match where Misawa knocked out Kawada with the elbow. Kawada gets rid of that loaded gun and attacks the arm for the first stretch of the match with hammerlocks and armbars. Misawa sold the arm through it not being a killer blow like it was for the Hansen and aforementioned Kawada match so it was a good touch to add to the match. Kawada threw some big closed fists to gain control several times which was awesome. He just didn’t have enough to put away Misawa. One thing I liked about this match is that the strikes early in the match put over the hatred for each other. A very good addition to the series but it was a step below their other matches up to this point. ****
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