Jump to content
Pro Wrestling Only

[2003-06-13-AJPW-Super Power Series] Shinya Hashimoto vs Satoshi Kojima


Loss

Recommended Posts

  • 3 months later...

Going in, I expected a lot of Hashimoto offense with Kojima making fiery comebacks. Instead I got Kojima controlling with Hashimoto making...tepid comebacks until about 5 minutes left. Way too much Kojima, not enough Hashimoto asskickery.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...

I'm far from a Kojima fan but this is the best Kojima's ever looked. I thought Hashimoto did a great job of making him look tough. I love Hashimoto's offense in this era because it's mostly basic stuff but everything looks so brutal. This is a step below other AJPW stuff from this decade but I'm still happy I watched it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

AJPW Triple Crown Champion Shinya Hashimoto vs Satoshi Kojima - AJPW 6/13/03

 

I don't know if I am so burnt out on the NOAH style or because I got a wicked hot chick's number last night (toot! toot!), but this was damn entertaining. That was one of the most exciting finish stretches I have seen in some time. I was hanging on every move as Hashimoto The Destroyer looked to put down Crowd Favorite Kojima. The "STOP HITTING ME WITH THAT LARIAT" punches had me going bezerk and you did not know when Kojima was going to strike next with his lariat.

 

The beginning was so refreshing with two wrestlers just struggling over basic holds and working a classic championship style build. A spot like the early cross armbreaker, which Kojima sold well by immediately getting to the ropes and powdering, gives the crowd a quick highspot and demonstrates how important is not to make a mistake. From a kayfabe perspective, I feel like Hashimoto was not really trying to win the match just sort of playing defense then he dropkicked Kojima to the outside and the match really picked up. Hashimoto starts to kick ass on the outside with a DDT on the outside. Kojima hits a desperation lariat to the knees. Hashimoto hits a Fuck You knee lift and then a HUGE double stomp from the top rope. SWEET! Kojima hits a bad bad looking back drop driver. Then PRO WRESTLING LOVE Shining Wizard, but kick out! Kojima gets the figure-4 and signals for the LARIATO! HASHIMOTO THE DESTROYER CHOPS AWAY THE LARIAT ARM! KICKS TO THE ARM! Hammerlock DDT, STO and Inverse triangle choke, but Kojima makes it to the ropes. HASHIMOTO IS PISSED AND IS GOING TO DRILL KOJIMA WITH A BRAINBUSTER! Kojima slips out and LARIAT! Kojima has his lariat, but Hashimoto knows it is coming so you get these great Hashimoto destroys arm, but Kojima just sucks it up and nails lariats because he nothing else. Then Hashimoto just starts punching the fuck out of his arm to set up THE BRAINBUSTER~! Hashimoto The Destroyer wins, but Kojima shows he can compete with the big boys.

 

A more interesting thread or hook earlier in the match would make this a MOTYC, but it falls just short. I need to rewatch the Tenryu matches, but as it stands this is my favorite Kojima match. He unquestionably always brings the crowd to his matches, but here he was focused and worked hard as an underdog.. This was Hashimoto's best pure singles performance from the 00s where he just looked like a world beater, but still gave Kojima enough to make the match competitive. Most importantly, they peaked with a super hot finish. ****1/4

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • GSR changed the title to [2003-06-13-AJPW-Super Power Series] Shinya Hashimoto vs Satoshi Kojima
  • 3 years later...

Finally, a kickass Hashimoto match from the 2000s! And it only took three years. We'll overlook the fact that it's basically two New Japan guys having a New Japan match in an All Japan ring since All Japan didn't mean much at this point. What a great match. Vintage Hashimoto. I would put it on par with just about any match he had in New Japan. Man, if you had told me that Satoshi Kojima would emerge as a key guy in early 00s wrestling, I would have clicked x on the browser as fast as my chubby little fingers can carry me. But the dude has emerged. A lot of guys ride high on the wave when business is good, but to flourish in a crappy puro scene like this takes a special type of commitment. I don't know how long this run of his lasts, but my opinion of him has skyrocketed. This might actually be one of my favorite matches of the decade thus far simply because it delivered the type of performance I've been looking for from Hashimoto ever since the Ogawa debacle. The fact that he hasn't been having these types of matches in Zero-1 tells me Kojima played a big part in igniting a performance like this from Hashimoto. And that's left me feeling like one happy camper.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 year later...

Setting aside the weirdness of this being presented as homegrown guy trying to take back the belt from an invader when they were both established NJPW main eventers just a few years before this and the match being structured more like an IWPG title match than a TC one, this was great. I wasn't really into the initial feeling out holds, but it worked retroactively as a calm before the storm and to foreshadow the arm vs leg story that the rest of the match followed. I really got into it when they did the back-and-forth neck chop exchange. It's cliche, but I wish it was more common for guys to work strike exchanges with a fraction of the energy and charisma these guys showed there. I felt like Kojima really brought his A-game here with the arm selling and some exciting offensive moments. Hashimoto was right there with a performance that's right up there with his best, bringing the stiff and weighty strikes, awesome selling, cool visuals, and epic cut-offs that I love him from.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...