[2000-12-15-NOAH-The Final Navigation] Jun Akiyama & Kentaro Shiga & Yoshinobu Kanemaru vs Kenta Kobashi & Tsuyoshi Kikuchi & Kenta Kobayashi

[Edwin]

Talk about it here.

[ohtani's jacket]

If you like the NOAH cast you'll like this. Personally, I think Kobashi has taken a step back in NOAH from the best wrestler in the world to an also-ran. and I don't think that Akiyama has really found himself as a heel yet. If you look at guys like Jumbo, Tenryu, and Kawada, they were all heels but all different in their own way. Akiyama pinches most of his heel spots from Kawada but can't summon the same sort of attitude. He doesn't have the rage that fueled Kawada. He's still the same punk ass kid that he ever was.  And for that reason, I'm not feeling Kobashi vs. Akiyama. It should be an intense, personal rivalry but it doesn't come across that way. Tenryu vs. Kawada blows it away, if you ask me. 

This match did have a fabulous finish, however, centered around Shiga vs. Kikuchi. They produced exciting action all match long and it culminated in a cracking finishing stretch that was probably the most fun I've had watching NOAH thus far. 

[soup23]

An excellent six man. This whole Akiyama vs Kobashi feud is reminiscent of the 90’s Jumbo vs Misawa feuds in that it is mostly very good at a baseline. Now Jumbo vs Misawa did throw out some MOTYC in 90-92 and with Shiga, Kanemaru, etc there is a ceiling but I just love all of the interaction and the hatred and progression. This added some new wrinkles like Kobashi trying to go for a burning hammer and Kobashi/Akiyama starting off hot but then slowing things down more and more. KENTA also is raising his status and starting to get some spunky offense in. The finish was fun with Shiga being Akiyama’s #2 dude and putting on a nasty arm submission on Kikuchi until Kikuchi is forced to tap out. I’m really looking forward to 12/23 after watching these matches. I don’t know when Akiyama vs Kobashi will feel old this decade as they feud for most of it but sadly the Kobashi injury may keep things fresh when he returns and Im really enjoying the ride so far. **** (8.2)