Kenta Kobashi vs. Kensuke Sasaki (July 18th, 2005)

😆

Dport

Oh guess what, Josh. Someone with no life DID count, and the chop battle contained 181 chops. Totally, definitely, wasn’t me.

Big Ell

This is always a go to match for just plain fun. I didn’t get into this stuff until well after 10 years watching WWF as a lad, so don’t worry if it’s too much right now. In due time it will all make sense. Maybe.

Big Ell

Dude. Meltzer introduced a lot of us into these 90s All Japan Matches. Kobashi, Misawa, etc from 98-05 were IT! We should do a whole thing on tape trading at some point.

Big Ell

I think the best way to explain the psychology of this match is if Gunther was the Rock och Stone Cold level of star in WWE. And then a heel Gunther from the #2 promotion challenges Gunther to a match at wrestlemania. That's why they had that spot where they just chop each other way too long. Because they're used to their opponents only being able to take a couple, so they get pissed and just keep going. 😂

.

Very fun reaction! To answer some of your questions/clear things up: This indeed wasn’t for any title, in fact this wasn’t even the main event of the show surprisingly enough (the main event wasn’t a title match either.) In fact, the GHC heavyweight title, which is Pro Wrestling NOAH’s main belt, was only fourth from the top on this show. Their background for this match is that both wrestlers were among the biggest wrestling stars in the late 90s-early 2000s in Japan and this was their first time ever sharing a ring together. They never worked in any company at the same time that I’m aware of prior to this meeting and this was the first time Kensuke Sasaki ever wrestled in NOAH. For all of those reasons, this match was a big deal as I’m sure you figured out lol. Pro Wrestling Noah’s primary color was and is still green so that’s why the ring is green here. At this point they were the biggest pro-wrestling company in Japan, as the previous two largest companies, All Japan & New Japan, were going through their troubles in the mid 2000s. The people outside the ring who aren’t camera/production guys are other wrestlers, it’s common for them to be around the ring when they are aligned with a wrestler in the match. It’s also customary for the trainees of a company's dojo to be ringside, as they are the ones who are the ring crew. As for the crowd noise, Japanese crowds can be just as loud, if not louder than American crowds, but it’s not uncommon to see a Japanese crowd be fairly quiet like how you mentioned the previous Japanese match you watched was. In that match’s case, Stardom crowd’s are known to often be pretty quiet.

Lucas Biersack

Lucas Biersack

What an amazing spectacle

Diruroru

Really enjoyed the match. I have very limited experience with non US wrestling, fun to see something new

Karen

Love this. Pro Wrestling NOAH was my main promotion for several years at that era.

Jennifer Lindgren

I was DYING at that part lmao

''Watch Me Whip Watch Me'' Nanae Takahashi

Fun fact: Kenta Kobashi is one of Gunther's biggest influences as a wrestler

''Watch Me Whip Watch Me'' Nanae Takahashi

Just saw the Tally Tier list. Lots of great matches. Plenty of non-wwe matches as well that should totally scratch that non-wwe itch for the lack of a better term.

Chad

Kobashi's praises come from the fact that he was a great professional wrestler and one of the biggest attractions in the hottest period of AJPW and NOAH. Not just because Meltzer said so. You have MDS (Meltzer derangement syndrome).

Dagur Hall

Definitely. Can't stand how he breaks the 5 star rating just because Kenny Omega is in a match. How the hell does Kurt Angle, The Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin not have a single 5 star match and someone like Shawn Michaels only has one or two five star matches yet Kenny Omega has like four or five "seven star" matches? It's clear that Meltzer is more biased towards a different style of pro wrestling that's clearly not WWE's style. All I'm saying on that.

Chad

But, Kobashi's hype in the west goes back way before the star ratings meant what it did today. Thats a very recent thing. Dude has been an international icon since the tape trading days in the 90s. It's why Kobashi vs Joe in ROH in 2005 was so surreal even for the time.

''Watch Me Whip Watch Me'' Nanae Takahashi

It is, in terms of history and cultural cache. In terms of scale, it’s more like a wrestlemania venue - this match being attended by (a reported) 62,000 people, for example. I have to mention Korakuen Hall, which is a much smaller venue, ran more regularly. Big promotions have their small shows there, and small promotions have their big shows there. That’s also a very important venue in its own right.

Will Humphries

Makes sense.

Steamed Ham Champion Dillon Haggett

I'm just gonna do them in order for organization purposes. Way easier to not accidentally miss one on my end.

Dport

Ah okay. Did you see in the chat I suggested maybe using a randomizer so someone that comments on the post late may not have to wait until the end of the month?

Steamed Ham Champion Dillon Haggett

First comment and onward

Dport

So are you still doing the reactions from the latest comment and going backwards Josh?

Steamed Ham Champion Dillon Haggett

To my knowledge the Tokyo Dome is to Japanese wrestling what MSG is to American wrestling.

Steamed Ham Champion Dillon Haggett

Although a lot of praise for Kobashi comes from Meltzer star ratings so not the most reliable source.

Steamed Ham Champion Dillon Haggett

That was a fun match. I've never watched a Kenta Kobashi match before but I've always heard he's really good based off that match I would have to agree

Drew Or Die

I learned my lesson lol

Dport

Oh no, don't use Youtube's auto-translate for Japanese, it's total nonsense. At the end on the mic, Sasaki says "Thank you Kobashi" and then "Thank you very much NOAH fans" to the crowd.

prototype27

This match looks stiff as fuck

prototype27

This is the first match you would've seen from the Tokyo Dome - THE Japanese venue, and home to many, many, famous matches. I imagine over the course of the Patreon you'll get to know it well. Thanks for the reaction (and I really hope someone requests Okada/Omega soon lol).

Will Humphries

holy shit no way lol

🙇🏾‍♂️

what an amazing notification to get kobashi is literally the goat. we need and i mean NEED a kobashi vs misawa or kobashi vs samoa joe watch along !!!

Dre Mercy