[1992-04-06-AJPW-Championship Carnival] Stan Hansen vs Toshiaki Kawada

[Loss]

Talk about it here.

[Loss]

Love the stuff where Kawada has Hansen in a leg grapevine and Hansen tries to get out of it by kicking him in the face with his good leg, and Kawada responds in kind. Kawada crashes into the announcers table and sends their monitor for a ride at one point. But the big takeaway is how much Hansen sells when he's the top guy. He does in the '93 matches too, but in the '92 stuff, he really lets them kick his ass -- Kawada not quite as much as Misawa, but Kawada gives him a beating. Hansen makes a late rally and they're more even, but Hansen finally levels him with a lariat. There is that part of me that wants to see some upsets now and again, but at the same time, I expect Hansen dropping the Triple Crown to be way more significant as a result. Patience. And a hell of a match, just as you'd expect.

[Ditch]

I had this in the top 50 for the AJ '90s a few years back. Good in the same ways as the 2/28/93 battle.

[jdw]

This was 04/06/92.

[Tim Evans]

Hansen's powerbomb to the outside looked brutal. As did Kawada doing the cactus Jack elbow drop. Good match.

[shoe]

This is pretty great. I liked how Kawada chopped Hansen down like a tree with those leg kicks. Hansen's comebacks with the power bomb and slams on the outside yo Hansen using the crab on Kawada. Their was plenty of other tight work here.

[DocSarpolis]

Holy crap this was great.

[Kevin Ridge]

Kawada really took it to Hansen with the kicks. They also had some big forearm exchanges with one another. Hansen gets all pissed off though. He hits some bodyslams to the outside and a powerbomb. Kawada hits the ropes and gets nailed with the Lariat. Love how Kawada sells the Lariat.

[Zenjo]

More red hot All Japan action from the first half of 1992. A knock down, drag out slobberknocker. Right from the start they were laying into each other and continued to do so throughout this bruising battle. Some really exciting exchanges and high end work. At one stage it looked like it could go on to be a real classic. I would've liked Dangerous K to go a bit closer to victory. In my top 20 for the year.

[MikeCampbell]

Their 2/93 match was better, but this was still excellent stuff. Hansen is always ready, willing, and able to sell his ass off. Kawada looks like the heir to the throne for taking it to the man the way he does, and Hansen proves why he's the man by knowing how to beat Kawada. But, Tosh's time would come soon enough.

[WingedEagle]

Who says All Japan didn't feature great brawling? Just awesome, wild strikes from both here throughout the match. Hansen sold his knee like a champ and on the comeback delivers a sick power bomb to Kawada on floor. Interesting how they each used missed elbows as transitions in succession. Kawada slams Hansen on the floor and gives a diving elbow off the apron to the outside, after which point the crowd treats all of Kawada's offense as a potential finish. Kawada eats another bump on the floor, taking a bodyslam this time. After countering two attempted lariats, Kawada eats the third for the finish. This stuff does not age. Its just awesome.

 

****1/4

[PeteF3]

Kawada really takes it to Hansen with the kicks, and Hansen's big moves like the power bomb on the floor all feel like desperation moves to buy time. Great way to get Hansen over as an offensive force but get Kawada over at the same time. Love, love, LOVE Kawada's forearm shot (and flop on top) for a near-fall--that's a spot he should have kept around and used more. Despite going undefeated through the Block Stage, they've done a terrific job of making Hansen look vulnerable to a loss in the finals to either Misawa or Jumbo.

[garretta]

One of the stiffest brawls so far this year. These two just pound the hell out of each other with strikes and high impact moves almost nonstop. Kawada tries to work over Stan's knee early in the bout, but that's largely forgotten in favor of an all-out slobberknocker. Stan hits powerbombs both on the floor and in the ring, not to mention applying a lengthy Boston crab, while Kawada slams Stan on the floor and hits a tremendous flying elbow off the apron. In the end, Stan misses one lariat attempt, but connects on the second to get the win.

 

As usual, even in non-title bouts Stan is pushed to the limit by all sorts of challengers but manages to find a lariat in his back pocket just when he needs it to come out on top. Meanwhile, Kawada joins Misawa on the list of those who could take the Triple Crown at any time. I might have liked a Kawada victory in order to set up a title program, but I know they meet quite a bit over the next few years, so I'm willing to be patient.

[superkix]

Stiff as hell right from the bat, with Kawada coming at Hansen with machine gun slaps and Hansen kneeing him and tossing him out of the ring to cool off. Hansen always sells so great for Kawada's kicks, and his selling of the legwork was top notch here. Kawada chops out Hansen's legs with kicks and uses a single leg crab to wear him down. I love that even when Hansen is falling from the bum leg, he still manages to strike Kawada. Awesome leglock spot with Hansen kicking at Kawada's face to get out of the submission hold. Of course, the big desperation powerbomb on the outside was big turning point in the match but the scoop slam onto the guardrail looked even more painful. Loved Hansen's back bodydrop into the elbow drop spot. Kawada's kicks are pretty hellacious as he catches Hansen with a shot to the chin, staggering the bull and turning the tide in his favor. During the finishing stretch, Hansen calls for the lariat but Kawada counters with a jumping high kick. This only pisses Hansen off so he powerbombs him and puts him the Brazos Valley Backbreaker. In frustration, Hansen refuses to break the hold, and you can tell he's ready to end this. Great elbow by Kawada and collapse into the pin but Hansen ultimately hits the lariat for the win. Another fun, stiff brawl, with a little more substance and structure.

[dawho5]

My two favorite wrestlers in one place!  Did Stone Cold steal his vest from Hansen?  I was shocked they got the full intros done before Hansen attacked Kawada.  One thing I always love about these 2 wrestling is every small thing is earned.  Hansen and Kawada fight everything all the way to the finish and that adds a lot to the match.  They even fight back (usually ineffectively) when they are on their back under the ropes trying to avoid what comes next.  I LOVE that.  A small thing I noticed was the official sitting next to the bell noticed Hansen eyeing it and moved it to a safer location.  Hansen's powerbomb on the outside is an emphatic admission that Kawada's offense is worrying him and he needs to start putting him away NOW.  That apron elbow was so great by Kawada.  Loved when the crowd started to believe Kawada had a chance.  Hansen's facial expression when he starts making his big push towards the end is incredible.  Kawada kicking out of that powerbomb was absolutely huge.  Great match that puts Kawada over as a contender.