#226: Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Jun Akiyama, AJPW Excite Series (2/27/2000).
With the All Japan Exodus to Pro Wrestling NOAH just months away, this match is considered by many to be the final great match in this period of the promotion.
Akiyama, like so many before him, was looking for his first big singles win over Misawa here. An advantage he has here, however, is that he is much more fresh that Misawa, who’s starting to show the wear and tear that King’s Road wrestling has put on him in the previous decade.
The bell sounds, and Akiyama shoots on Misawa right away. They both look to lock hands, and find the first advantage. They back off and we have a clean break. They lock up, and Misawa forces Akiyama into the ropes. They exchange elbows, and Misawa blocks the Akiyama knee and hits a dropkick that sends the youngster to the floor. Misawa comes off the apron with a diving elbow. Back in the ring, Misawa hits a shotgun dropkick from the top rope.
Corkscrew clothesline from Misawa, and a standing senton get him a 2 count. Misawa blocks the knee in the corner again, and drops Akiyama with an elbow to the head. He takes the chin lock next. Misawa brings Akiyama to the turnbuckle and explodes with hard elbows. Akiyama gives them back to the Emerald Warrior. Back elbow to the head by Misawa, and Akiyama avoids a middle rope crossbody. Running knee to the head by Akiyama sends Misawa to the floor.
Misawa whips Akiyama into the steel guardrail, and Akiyama comes back with a drop toe hold that drops Misawa throat first into the top of the steel. Ouch. He lifts Misawa up and flapjacks him on the steel next, then comes off the apron with a flying boot to the back. He brings Misawa to the apron, and elbows the back of his head. He stands on the apron, and jumps down with a diving knee to the head. Akiyama brings Misawa back to the floor, and spikes him with a piledriver.
Back on the apron, Akiyama looks for an Exploder Suplex, but Misawa holds onto the ropes. Akiyama fights it, and hits the Suplex onto the apron, destroying Misawa in the process. Back in the ring, both men elbow each other, until Akiyama hits a DDT for a 2 count. Akiyama uses his legs to push down on Misawa’s neck. The Emerald King gets to the ropes to break the hold. In the corner, Akiyama hits several elbows to the side of the head, followed by one of the sliding variety.
Snap mare by Akiyama, followed by a dropkick to the back of the head. Akiyama applies a Crovat next. He drills his knee into Misawa’s face a few times. Akiyama with a chin lock, and an elbow to the top of the head. He transitions to a sleeper hold next. He goes from that to a head scissors. Akiyama’s transitions in this match are smart and wise. Misawa is back to his feet, and he forces Akiyama into the turnbuckle, before hitting a middle rope single leg dropkick right to the kisser.
Running elbow by Misawa, and he applies the Front Facelock Submission. Elbow to the head of Akiyama, and one to the face. Misawa kicks Akiyama out of the corner, but Akiyama responds by dropkicking Misawa off the turnbuckle and to the outside. Akiyama goes to the apron, and hits a jumping knee right to the face! Akiyama then grabs Misawa’s head, and hits a knee to him that sends him face first into the guardrail.
Back in the ring, Akiyama drives his knee into Misawa’s head again, and that gets him a nearfall. Akiyama connects with the Tombstone, and then goes to the top rope. Jumping elbow to the back connects, and then the Exploder Suplex! He covers, and Misawa kicks out. Akiyama goes right into an arm breaker submission. Misawa gets his foot on the ropes. Misawa blocks the brainbuster with a spin kick to the face. Now Misawa drops the knee on Akiyama’s face. He goes to the top rope, and connects with the frog splash. Akiyama kicks out. Misawa goes for the Tiger Driver, but it’s blocked by Akiyama. Misawa hits a bridging German Suplex for 2. Running back elbow in the corner by Misawa, followed by some more to the jaw. Tiger Driver connects, and Akiyama is able to kick out. Misawa’s Emerald Flowsion is blocked, but not his back suplex.
Misawa hits the Tiger Driver again, and once again, Akiyama kicks out. Misawa eats a big boot to the face, but continues to elbow. Akiyama hits two back to back Exploder Suplexes, and Misawa collapses after trying to get up! Akiyama is up, and he’s fired up! Running knee in the corner, followed by another Exploder Suplex! He covers, but Misawa somehow kicks out! Akiyama lifts him up, and hits the Brainbuster! He covers, and Misawa again kicks out! Okay, I bit on that one. Akiyama hits a Wrist Clutch Exploder Suplex that spikes Misawa, and that’s enough for him to take the win! Huge moment for Akiyama.
Awesome match between these two that had some genuinely dramatic nearfalls down the stretch. Akiyama played a cocky role here, but in a rare instance, his cockiness was proven to be correct. He came in here with an obvious chip on his shoulder, as he looked to finally do away with the blemishes on his record against Misawa, and he did so by taking the fight to him in a way not many had done before. He played dirty heel, and he wasn’t afraid to, either.
Misawa fought valiantly, however, as he refused to back down from this cocky upstart. He brought the fight to him, and he made him earn this victory. Once Akiyama started popping off the Exploders, there was simply no way that Misawa was going to survive. It took many of them, and a brainbuster, but Akiyama finally defeated Misawa in singles competition, and firmly put his name in the minds of those who only saw him as a second player in the main event scene.