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*Official* Pro-Wrestling Thread II

Red_Ink_Squid

Red_Ink_Squid

Global Moderator
15. Kenta Kobashi vs Yoshihiro Takayama, NOAH April 2004

This is from Kobahi's famous GHC title run in 03/04 which was loaded with great matches, of which this is my favourite. I mentioned previously that he's one of my favourite wrestlers and this match is a good example as to why: his sympathetic selling and the fire and emotion in his comebacks make him the perfect babyface.

The first half of this is all about establishing Takayama as an unstoppable monster. Fortunately, he's a 6'6" badass MMA fighter and former champion so it doesn't take much suspension of disbelief. He throws mean strikes, works over Kobashi's limbs for submissions and makes him constantly fight to get any run of offense. The second half is Kobashi battling valiantly in an uphill struggle against the man mountain. This has a super hot crowd, big moves, believable near-falls and two charismatic performers. I'd expect almost any wrestling fan to love this.

(Sidenote: these two also had an awesome match together in AJPW in 2000 which I also considered for this list and is worth checking out. In that one Takayama is more junior and not established as such a monster, but compensates by shamelessly cheating a bunch instead.)

20. Genichiro Tenryu vs. Nobutaka Araya, WAR Jan '98
19. Ric Flair vs Ted DiBiase, Mid South Nov '85
18. Shinya Hashimoto vs Genichiro Tenryu, NJPW Feb '94
17. Kerry Von Erich vs Jumbo Tsuruta, AJPW May '84
16. Andre the Giant vs Stan Hansen, NJPW Sep '81
15. Kenta Kobashi vs Yoshihiro Takayama, NOAH Apr '04
 
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Athlai

Athlai

Not Terrible
Them having the libraries is the hugest news. But yeah the prospect of a proper second brand is really interesting too.

Also lots of rumours they've got a deal with HBO Max
 
Red_Ink_Squid

Red_Ink_Squid

Global Moderator
14. Nobuhiko Takada vs Vader, UWFi August 1994

UWFi was a 'shoot style' promotion, which is to say the matches were worked to look (kinda) like legitimate MMA fights. So Irish whips, climbing turnbuckles and Canadian destroyers are out; movesets are almost entirely strikes and submissions, with the odd snap suplex. No pins; victory by submission or knockout only. I've tried a few times to get into the style but mostly found it too dry for my tastes, unless there was a more traditional pro wrestling hook.

Enter: Vader. He had a few forays into shoot style and he changes the dynamics of how the matches work, by virtue of him being, well, Vader. He can't compete with the UWFi guys in technical mat work exchanges but he can be Really Big and hit hard. This gives an obvious skill & speed vs raw power dynamic to work around. His opponent here, Takada, was a huge star in Japan and the ace of the promotion. His strategy is to keep Vader at bay with kicks and look for openings to lock on submissions ...while trying not to get brutally mauled to death. Vader wants to suffocate Takada for space and apply such a mauling.

A super tense, cat and mouse affair with another hot crowd lapping it up.

20. Genichiro Tenryu vs. Nobutaka Araya, WAR Jan '98
19. Ric Flair vs Ted DiBiase, Mid South Nov '85
18. Shinya Hashimoto vs Genichiro Tenryu, NJPW Feb '94
17. Kerry Von Erich vs Jumbo Tsuruta, AJPW May '84
16. Andre the Giant vs Stan Hansen, NJPW Sep '81
15. Kenta Kobashi vs Yoshihiro Takayama, NOAH Apr '04
14. Takada vs Vader, UWFi Aug '94
 
Red_Ink_Squid

Red_Ink_Squid

Global Moderator
13. Combat Toyoda vs. Megumi Kudo, No ropes exploding barbed wire match, FMW May 1996

I'm not a death match fan (in fact, I usually actively try and avoid them. If Mrs RIS ever asked me 'Have you watched Japanese ladies wrestling in barbed wire?' I'm sure I'd reflexively deny it). But of the death matches I have seen this is by far the best, and a great match by any standard ...if not for the faint of heart.

This is Toyoda's retirement match and she decided she wanted to finish her career with the sort of big time spectacle match that FMW, and particularly top star Atsushi Onita, was famous for. She has chosen her tag team partner, Kudo, as her opponent and both cut earnest promos before the match about how much they respect the other and bear no ill will. When they get in the ring however their survival instincts kick in as they realise the gravity of their (chosen) predicament.

Crucially, this isn't just a procession of senseless violence. The big spots are teased, and teased, and the wrestlers (and the crowd with them) get chance to react to every near miss and reflect upon the danger they are in. It's kinda like watching a horror film which carefully keeps the monster out of sight until the final act, but you know that all hell is gonna break loose at some stage. Sure enough, when the crazy explosions come (and they do come), they feel huge, and the wrestlers sell them accordingly. They aren't used for a quick near fall and then move on like any other spot, each one changes the complexion of the match from thenceforth.

Even watching on YouTube 25 years later you can feel the tension in the crowd and see how invested they are. The camera repeatedly cuts to Onita at ringside and he looks on the verge of bursting into tears at any given moment. More so than the violence the big selling points for this match are the emotion, drama and atmosphere, which are all ramped up to 11.

20. Genichiro Tenryu vs. Nobutaka Araya, WAR Jan '98
19. Ric Flair vs Ted DiBiase, Mid South Nov '85
18. Shinya Hashimoto vs Genichiro Tenryu, NJPW Feb '94
17. Kerry Von Erich vs Jumbo Tsuruta, AJPW May '84
16. Andre the Giant vs Stan Hansen, NJPW Sep '81
15. Kenta Kobashi vs Yoshihiro Takayama, NOAH Apr '04
14. Takada vs Vader, UWFi Aug '94
13. Combat Toyoda vs Megumi Kudo, FMW May '96
 
GotSpin

GotSpin

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
I just watched some of that. While I can definitely feel the tension in the crowd...its umm not for me
 
sledger

sledger

Spanish_Vicente
Haha yeah from the description alone I'm pretty confident this wouldn't be for me either. Sounds like the kind of thing I'd definitely be happier not watching.
 
Red_Ink_Squid

Red_Ink_Squid

Global Moderator
Haha that's fair enough. Definitely not gonna be for everyone. I've seen a couple of other matches with the same ring set up where they use the explosion spots more as a stunt show, like taking a big bump off a lader. But this one definitely leans into the melodrama and scariness of it.

AEW ran one of these not too long back with Moxley and Omega, but I've not seen it, so not sure how that one would compare.
 
sledger

sledger

Spanish_Vicente
Red_Ink_Squid said:
Haha that's fair enough. Definitely not gonna be for everyone. I've seen a couple of other matches with the same ring set up where they use the explosion spots more as a stunt show, like taking a big bump off a lader. But this one definitely leans into the melodrama and scariness of it.

AEW ran one of these not too long back with Moxley and Omega, but I've not seen it, so not sure how that one would compare.
Click to expand...
It was ok. It wasn't my thing and made me feel a little uncomfortable watching it, but it doesn't sound as brutal as the one you just mentioned.
 
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