[2002-02-17-NOAH-Navigation For Evolution] Mitsuharu Misawa & Kenta Kobashi vs Jun Akiyama & Yuji Nagata

[Loss]

Talk about it here.

[Superstar Sleeze]

Jun Akiyama & Yuji Nagata vs Mitsuharu Misawa & Kenta Kobashi - Budokan 2/17/02

The two combatants in New Japan's 01/04/02 Dome show team together to face Misawa & Kobashi in Kobashi's return match from knee injuries to draw a sell out at the Budokan. Not only is it Kobashi's return match, but was this the first time he had teamed with Misawa since 1995. NOAH played two pretty big drawing cards there to ensure a sell-out. There are big Kobashi chants to start and you know Akiyama's days as champion are numbered with such a big time reaction. Misawa and Nagata start with some decent chain wrestling. Nagata seems to get the best of Misawa on the mat and fights through Misawa's trademark elbows. They both tag out and there is a big pop for the Kobashi vs. Akiyama showdown. Kobashi looks pissed and is ready to light up some muthafuckas. That is the theme of the beginning of the match, the people want to see Kobashi kick some ass so he delivers. He chops the shit out of Akiyama and hits a delayed vertical suplex then brutalizes Nagata with high chops and then does his short knee lifts/ab stretch combo on him. Nagata kicks Kobashi knee during a struggle over a suplex to buy his team some time and Akiyama capitalizes with a jumping high knee. That is the risk Misawa and Kobashi took with having Kobashi take a bulk of the offense early. Akiyama applies a Boston Crab, but Kobashi makes it to the ropes. Kobashi starts to hulk-up and throws down Akiyama in the corner, but a drop toehold stymies him and Nagata applies the crossface. Nagata get back to the legs and drops down for his version of the figure-4 and Akiyama cuts off Misawa this time. Kobashi's selling including verbal selling has made this heat segment one of the better ones so far in my 00s puroresu watching. Kobashi is able to fire off a suplex to finally tag Misawa.

Misawa will not be denied and his elbow find its mark on Akiyama and Nagata. However after repeated attempts for the Tiger Driver, Akiyama nails him with an Exploder. Akiyama wisely tags out to Nagata who hits a Northern Lights Suplex and applies a crossface, but now Kobashi saves. Here comes the Misawa comeback with the Roaring Elbow and Tiger Driver, but only gets 2. Kobashi comes in to the joy of the crowd and delivers his string of crowd-pleasers: Spinning Back Chop, Half-Nelson Suplex, but powerbomb gets countered into a triangle choke by Nagata. Nagata aint holding down Kobashi, who gives him a sleeper suplex for his troubles. Nagata is able to kick Kobashi's leg one last time to give his team the advantage. Akiyama and Nagata are able to do a double submission spot with Nagata applying the STF and Akiyama his choke. Huge Kobashi Chants. Kobashi is still struggling, but to my surprise a wrist-clutch exploder does him in while Misawa is detained by Nagata.

I am so used to American psychology, I often forget it is customary for wrestlers to lose their return match to put over ring rust and build their comeback to a more satisfactory climax. This is a fun popcorn match. The beginning is just giving the fan what they want Kobashi killing bitches dead. Then they add the drama with Akiyama and Nagata targeting the injured knee. After that it just becomes a bomb fest with everyone hitting their best hits before Nagata gets one last ditch kick to knee and you see Kobashi putting over the new champion Akiyama. While this is yet another big win for Akiyama, soon after he would be shunted to the tag division and the process was begun to get the strap to Kobashi by getting it to Misawa first to set up a big money gate at the Budokan. ***1/2

[Ditch]

Big-match tag that delivers plenty of action while also having solid psychology. I had it #2 for 2002, and it seems a lock for the top 50. Everyone here brings something to the table, but it's primarily Kobashi who shines, balancing vulnerability and fighting spirit. Much more consistent than the 2007 Kobashi return (though 2007 has the better highlights).

[Superstar Sleeze]

I have some sort of hang-up with big match tags. They just feel like they are there to me. Almost like they are just exhibitions for the fans look at this cool dream match rather than titanic struggles. This is a perfectly good match, but much like the dream Hash/Misawa tag on the debut Zero-One show I felt underwhelmed.

[dawho5]

So Kobashi as senior guy in the ring AND Nagata all in the same match. But you know, this was pretty damn great. Misawa vs. Nagata right away and he actually puts Nagata over instead of shitting all over him like NJPW did with Akiyama. Class act that Misawa. Early on, Kobashi and Akiyama have one of those strike exchanges that made me love All Japan. Then Akiyama and Misawa trade nothing but elbows. Oh well, Nagata decides he's gonna slap Kobashi across the face twice during rope breaks. This works out for everyone not named Yuji Nagata. Kobashi uses the spirit wisely in this match, as well as his two common head drop suplexes (late match nearfalls, what a concept). Akiyama and Kobashi get kickouts at 1 off of big stuff, but they balance out, so I'll not make a big deal of it. Finish is really hot, and I found this to be a really good All Japan style tag.

[Graham Crackers]

This is a good big star tag and not much more than that. The hesitation at the start builds some tension, the work throughout the middle is pretty smart, and we get some good nearfalls without going overboard.

[Jetlag]

This took a loooong time to get going. Most of the early exchanges are built around your-turn my turn stuff and no selling, which was kind of tedious, and Misawa not doing much. The most interesting thing was Nagata going at it with the Kings Roadians, but Nagata is not the type of worker who can salvage a match. Finally we get a decent heat section on Kobashi leading into a big ol' ending run with all the big moves and cool counter work you want. Still it's hard not to look at this and point out things that went wrong with japanese wrestling in the 2000s. Big moves like Kobashi's sleeper suplex or orange crush are used as throwaway spots, and the story around Kobashi's leg is merely a side note.

[superkix]

This was the very first Pro Wrestling NOAH match I was exposed to when I was beginning my journey into Japanese wrestling in 2001-2002. On re-watch, this match is still a total blast of testosterone-fired aggression. Kobashi is especially lit, as is the crowd, and when he’s in there against Nagata, the fans really lap it up. Nagata keeps spurring him on with cheeky slaps to the face until Kobashi wrecks him with chops and smacks in the corner. Akiyama’s the consummate technician in there with his swank takedowns and counters, and of course, Misawa’s in there to throw elbows and tiger drive someone. The first tiger driver attempt on Akiyama is countered with an Exploder but he’s able to hit it on Nagata. This turns into quite the suplex party, with Kobashi throwing out the half nelson and sleeper varieties. Loved Kobashi’s selling off the one count Exploder as he’s hanging onto the ropes, trying to swat at Akiyama with chops before Akiyama hits him with another Exploder and puts him away with the wrist-clutch variation for the big win.

[Superstar Sleeze]

I dont know what was wrong with me in 2014 but man I didnt know how to rate matches back then. I feel like I should revisit this at some point. 

[ohtani's jacket]

I liked this a lot, and I usually hate NOAH matches. Kobashi's return match, and boy has Japanese wrestling missed him. He is clearly the best heavyweight wrestler in Japan at this time, and the ace of the entire industry the way that Jumbo and Misawa were before him. Every time he was in the ring with either Akiyama or Nagata it was compelling viewing. The match was booked perfectly with Akiyama and Nagata testing Kobashi's fitness, health and resolve, and Kobashi showing his fighting spirit and awesome ability. The result could have gone either way, but the champ deserved to go over after Kobashi's long absence, and Kobashi showed enough in the ring to remind the fans why they missed him so much. People mentioned that this was a big star tag, but I thought it was a heck of a lot better than the big name inter-promotional matches from this era, largely because of the dynamic between Kobashi and Akiyama. I was ready to roll my eyes at this one, but it was excellent. 

[Calvin]

Kobashi returns after being sidelined for 13 months due to knee injuries, and this match is a brilliantly structured as a test of his resolve and what he's willing to sacrifice to reclaim his title as ace.

****