#104: Kenta Kobashi, Kensuke Sasaki, Jun Akiyama & Keiji Muto vs. KENTA, Go Shiozaki, Yoshinobu Kanemaru & Maybach Taniguchi, Pro Wrestling NOAH: Final Burning in Budokan (5/11/2013).
This is the retirement match of Kenta Kobashi.
Few people have the track record and the connection with the Japanese audience in the way that Kenta Kobashi had in his career.
A man revered by many as a true wrestling God, Kobashi overcame so many physical issues during his time in All Japan Pro Wrestling and Pro Wrestling NOAH to forge a career that can only be described as legendary.
However, 12 knee surgeries, kidney cancer and severe nerve damage can really take a toll on a man's Wrestling career, if you can believe it. So, by 2013, it was time for Kobashi to say goodbye to in ring action.
In this event, held at the legendary Nippon Budokan, an all star line up of Japanese royalty assembled to see Kobashi off into the sunset. That's fitting for a man who has literally, perhaps more than 99% of the wrestlers who've occupied the space, given his body for the sport of wrestling.
The Ring floods with streamers on the announcement for Kobashi. The love the Japanese crowd has for this man is nothing short of legendary.
Kobashi will start things out with his protege, KENTA. The bell sounds, and Budokan is hot! They lock up, with Kobashi having the clear strength advantage. They lock up again, and KENTA forces Kobashi into the ropes and slaps him.
Kobashi seems taken aback by this, as KENTA stares a hole through him. KENTA with forearms to Kobashi, who eats them for supper. He chops KENTA hard in the chest repeatedly. KENTA with a forearm, and this exchange repeats.
Back chops by Kobashi, followed by a spinning back chop that drops KENTA. Akiyama tags in, and then KENTA tags Shiozaki in. Shiozaki gets Akiyama against the ropes, then chops him. Akiyama walks it off like nothing.
They lock up, and they exchange control of the arm. Akiyama blocks a chop, and tags in Sasaki. Lock up, and Shiozaki takes the side headlock. They shoulder tackle into a stalemate, and exchange hard chops. Sasaki isn't intimidated.
They go for a test of strength next, with Sasaki taking the edge. Taniguchi tags in, and stomps Sasaki in the corner. Sasaki fights back with hard chops. Here comes Muto in, with a snap mare and a snap elbow to the chest.
He stretches the leg around, then locks in an STF, Chono style. KENTA comes in and kicks at Muto's head to break it up. Muto tags Kobashi back in, and he chops Taniguchi in the chest repeatedly. And yeah, they look stiff.
He runs Taniguchi into the ropes, drives his knee into the midsection twice, then connects with a side Russian leg sweep. He transitions into a stretch submission, until Shiozaki comes in to break it up. Kobashi chops Taniguchi in the chest, then hits a falling chop for a 2 count.
Sasaki tags in, and continues the chop onslaught. He and Kobashi take turns chopping the chest and back of poor Taniguchi. These two can go on for at least 4 minutes, history says. Taniguchi finally drops to the mat.
Sasaki connects with a Suplex, and Taniguchi kicks out. Akiyama tags in, and delivers a back elbow to the head. He tries for a Suplex, but Taniguchi reverses with one of his own. Kanemaru tags in, and dropkicks Akiyama for a 1 count.
Akiyama regains control, as he drives his knee into the spine and hammerlocks the arm. Muto tags in, and he hammerlocks the arm as well, and he tries for a Kimura Lock. Kobashi tags in, and chops Kanemaru right on the head.
Kanemaru hits a terrible dropkick that drops Kobashi, then tags Shiozaki in. They exchange chops, and you can see the sweat fly off of them. Kobashi looks for a half nelson suplex, and then an abdominal stretch.
They roll around the Ring in that position - I don't remember what it's called. The pin attempt is broken up by KENTA. Sasaki tags in, and hits a stiff clothesline to Shiozaki in the corner. Sasaki with more chops to the chest, and Shiozaki returns them in kind.
With every shot Shiozaki gives, Sasaki gives it back harder. He finishes the exchange with a lariat, then tags Akiyama in, who hits a running knee, and an exploder Suplex for 2. He headbutts Shiozaki, who responds with a series of chops, the last one drops Akiyama.
Akiyama drags Shiozaki to his corner and tags Kobashi in. KENTA visibly looks annoyed by this. Kobashi chops Shiozaki, who is trying to handle the pain as best as possible. Another chop exchange, and Kobashi seems to have the edge. He took 4 minutes of chops from Sasaki, you know.
Shiozaki won't relent. The exchange continues, as neither man will back down. Shiozaki pops off a German Suplex, which gets a 2 count. Kanemaru brings Kobashi to the floor and sends him into the steel barricade. A leg drop onto his neck follows.
KENTA tags in, and he kicks Kobashi repeatedly in the chest. With Kobashi on the mat, KENTA changes to punches to the head. Taniguchi tags in, and he stomps at Kobashi's chest. Kobashi stands up and headbutts him. Taniguchi responds with a boot to the face.
Kanemaru tags in, and hits a sliding dropkick to the side of the head. He and KENTA double team the Iron Man. They rub their boots across his face. Kobashi and KENTA exchange heavy shots to each other on the floor. Kobashi with a sick looking chop to the back of the head.
Kanemaru with a senton from the apron gets a 2 count. He gets a head scissors in and applies pressure. Shiozaki tags in and drops a knee across the head for a nearfall. He pulls back on the chin, while driving his knee into the spine of Kobashi. Taniguchi tags in, and stomps on his spine.
Kobashi is up and chops his way back into the fight. A double handed back chop drops Taniguchi, but as Kobashi looks for the Tag, the opposing team knocks everybody else off the apron. Taniguchi grabs a metal rod and attacks Kobashi, but he grabs it and tries to fight the attack off.
Taniguchi drives it into his throat, and the referee gets him to stop. Taniguchi chokeslams Kobashi, who is able to kick out. KENTA tags in, and lightly kicks at Kobashi's head. Muto is fired up on the apron. KENTA with hard kicks to the chest, followed by forearms. Kobashi responds with several chops.
Kobashi grabs KENTA and hits the half nelson, then tags in Akiyama. Forearm exchange ensues. KENTA avoids a running knee in the corner, then hits a Shotgun dropkick. A running boot in the corner, followed by a running dropkick to the face, Shibata style.
KENTA goes to the top rope, and Akiyama avoids the double stomp, and drops KENTA. Muto tags in, and dropkicks the knee several times, then hits the Dragon Screw Legwhip, Tanahashi style. He puts KENTA in the Figure Four Leglock, and the other members of both teams are now in a submission game with one another!
Shining Wizard in the corner by Muto, followed by a Dragon Screw. KENTA fights back, then tags Shiozaki in. Muto dropkicks him, then tags in Sasaki. He barrages Shiozaki in the corner, then hits a running bulldog. Alternating lariats to the back and chest follow, then he drives his knee into Shiozaki's gut. Nice Judo throw by Sasaki. That gets a 2 count.
Sasaki's arm submission is broken up by Taniguchi. Thrust kicks by Shiozaki, and now we get another chop exchange! These men will not have working chests after this. Sasaki blocks a chop with a lariat. Now we have a battle of the lariats! Shiozaki hits a German Suplex on Sasaki to slow things down.
Taniguchi tags in, and hits a running clothesline to Sasaki in the corner. He follows that with a spinebuster for 2. Sasaki pops off a huge lariat to Taniguchi, then tags in Kobashi. Machine Gun chops in the corner, and the crowd loses their fucking minds!
He follows with spinning back chops to the head. He tries for a powerbomb, but Taniguchi reverses it. Kanemaru tags in, and dropkicks the knee. He goes to the top, and hits a Shotgun dropkick. His team comes in and knocks everyone off the apron.
Chokeslam by Taniguchi, followed by a double stomp from KENTA and a frog splash from Kanemaru that gets 2. He forearms Kobashi, who responds with a chop. Shiozaki comes in and blasts Kobashi with a lariat. Kanemaru hits a brainbuster to Kobashi, and he somehow kicks out.
Kanemaru goes to the top, but is thwarted by Akiyama. Kobashi chops Kanemaru in the head, then goes to the top. He hits a top rope Suplex. Muto comes in and hits the Shining Wizard. Kobashi lifts Kanemaru and drills him with a Lariat. Kanemaru's team breaks up the pin.
Everyone is fighting now, as chaos ensues. Muto with a backbreaker to Kanemaru, then he hits a beautiful moonsault from the top. Kobashi with a powerslam, and now he's on the top rope! Amazing moonsault from Kobashi to Kanemaru, and that gets him the 3! Kobashi retires with one final victory!
This match is pure fan service, but it's so genuine that you can't even complain. It's 40 minutes of pure fun, and a match where everybody involved got a chance to shine.
Of course, at the end of the day, it's all about Kenta Kobashi, who got to be on offense and defense for one last time. And even at his age, and even with his physical prowess the way it was, he was awesome when chopping the shit out of people, and he sold well when he was getting his ass kicked.
The interactions worked, the crowd was hot, and in the end, Kobashi popped off a fucking moonsault like it was 1993. Fantastic. It's crazy to think, but Kobashi looked like he could've continued onward.
I mean sure, his body was totally fucked at this point, but he still kept great shape, and performed well in the Ring. If health problems hadn't slowed him down, I could see Kobashi continuing at least until the end of the decade.
Alas, you can't go wrong with a match like this, where everyone gave their all, and it created a sincere aura of brotherhood and fun. Long live the Iron Man!