 |
AJPW Real World Tag League 1993
Real World Tag League 1993 Match: Super Generation Army (Kenta Kobashi & Mitsuharu Misawa) vs. Big Bubba & Steve Williams - AJPW Real World Tag League 1993 - Day 10 24/11/1993
This was good. The crowd was super hot for the match bellowing out chants for Misawa and Kobashi. Bubba looked great in this. His constant movements kept the match on edge, he was really over with the crowd. I loved him socking Misawa in the mouth with a punch and outmaneuvering Kobashi in their exchange. ****
Real World Tag League 1993 Match: Giant Baba & Stan Hansen vs. Holy Demon Army (Akira Taue & Toshiaki Kawada) - AJPW Real World Tag League 1993 - Day 10 24/11/1993
This was good for the most part. However there were some disinteresting bits where Hansen and Baba were working over Taue but that improved as it went on. I liked the aspect of the vets taking out Kawada’s knee to isolate Taue. Kawada chop Baba’s chest to bits near the end was great. The crowd really bit on that exchange. ***1/2
AJPW World Tag Team Title Real World Tag League 1993 Final Match (Vacant): Super Generation Army (Kenta Kobashi & Mitsuharu Misawa) vs Holy Demon Army (Akira Taue & Toshiaki Kawada) - AJPW Real World Tag League 1993 - Day 18 03/12/1993
This was unrelenting in pace, action and drama. It’s hard to point out who was the best out of Kawada or Kobashi in this match. Kawada brought some sublime selling to his knee which came after Kobashi did the unthinkable and attacked his knee, which he was slightly favouring upto that point. Kawada’s deadweight selling for the finish after being laid out with the rolling elbow (and two subsequent suplexes from Misawa and Kobashi) was incredible stuff. Kobashi was so great on offence whether it was on top or working from beneath. He was so compelling. Kawada and Kobashi’s exchanges were spectacular. Kawada being a dismissive prick to Kobashi, kicking him in the face in a petty way and then stepping on his face during the high angled single leg boston crab only for Kobashi to turn it around and doing the same was awesome. Taue and Kawada had some great double team work as well, working over Kobashi with their underhand tactics. Taue was quite great in this himself, as an individual. He sold the opening barrage from Kobashi and Misawa perfectly with his selling and defensive work. Later when he was snake eye-ing people, he brought some great malice in his facial expressions. Misawa worked as cover boy for Kobashi and did a great job at it. Him and Taue had their own little game in who can attack each other on the apron the most. Everyone played their roles perfectly. Easy watch that left me borderline breathless. *****
Year-End Awards
Match Of The Year: Akira Taue & Toshiaki Kawada vs. Kenta Kobashi & Mitsuharu Misawa - AJPW 3/12/1993
Talking about saving the best for last. This combined the best elements of the year. Misawa and Kawada were kept apart mostly since they’ve had a few matches up to this point so Kawada and Kobashi, the two best wrestlers of the year, were the focus and the match benefited a whole lot from their chemistry.
Wrestler Of The Year: Kenta Kobashi
I was leaning towards Kawada for a third year in a row but I think Kobashi made tremendous strides in progression up in the promotion to the point where he pins the #2 in the promotion in the last match of the year. His work was excellent in the Hansen match, and while I didn’t love the Williams match like most do, I thought he was tremendous in his performance.
Feud Of The Year: Toshiaki Kawada vs Mitsuharu Misawa
Of course, the feud kind of kicked off last year but this year was full of bitter dislike that showed off through their work and matches. I think the booking of their last match was perhaps a mistake and they should’ve held off on a second match or protected Kawada better if they were to do another title match but it can’t be all perfect.
Most Disappointing Match Of The Year: Mitsuharu Misawa vs Stan Hansen
I’m not sure if it was even disappointing but it missed me off the most. Misawa vs Hansen, two of the all time greats, having a total stinker. It’s pretty baffling.
Top Five Matches Of The Year:
Akira Taue & Toshiaki Kawada vs. Kenta Kobashi & Mitsuharu Misawa - AJPW 3/12/1993
Kenta Kobashi vs. Stan Hansen - AJPW 24/7/1993
Toshiaki Kawada vs. Stan Hansen - AJPW 28/2/1993
Toshiaki Kawada vs. Mitsuharu Misawa - AJPW 27/03/1993
Mitsuharu Misawa & Kenta Kobashi vs Toshiaki Kawada & Akira Taue - AJPW 1/6/1993
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G1 Climax 2002 Semi Final Match: Osamu Nishimura vs. Yoshihiro Takayama - NJPW G1 Climax 2002 - Day 6 10/08/2002
This was awesome. Osamu Nishimura’s time to shine and he takes it. Nishimura has a lot of old-timey moves - things that seem very basic on the surface - but the crowd pops for all of his signature offences, like his European Uppercuts, his Abdominal stretch into the Octopus Hold and his knee drops. Nishimura controls Takayama from the start. Takayama uses his MMA and shoot style background to good use but Nishimura counters him hold for holds which pisses off Takayama big time. Nishimura stays one step ahead of him the entire time, focusing his attacks on the leg of Takayama. I thought Takayama sold for him excellently. He was hot shit at the time with his PRIDE appearances and he made Nishimura look incredible working from beneath for him. I love how everything mattered too. Takayama had to make his moments on top last. If he spent too long on offence without putting Nishimura away, Nishimura dragged him back to the mat and worked his magic. Takayama essentially had to knock him out with 4 shots and it did just that. ****1/2
Comments
Post a Comment