#277: Steve Williams vs. Toshiaki Kawada, AJPW Giant Series (10/22/1994).
This is for Williams’ AJPW Triple Crown Championship.
This is Williams’ second defense of the championship. He previously won the title from Mitsuharu Misawa (#147), and then defended it against Kenta Kobashi (#249) in the best hoss style match I’ve ever seen. Now he looks to continue his dominance against Toshiaki Kawada, who himself is looking for his first reign as the holder of All Japan’s top championship.
The bell sounds, and we are under way. The crowd are fired up for Kawada already. Kawada looks for a single leg takedown on Williams, who counters with a brief arm bar attempt. Williams takes Kawada to the mat, and holds him against the ropes. He breaks off, letting Kawada think about it for a moment. They lock up again, and Kawada manages a double leg takeover of Williams. They get in each other’s face, and Kawada shoves Williams away.
Kawada connects with a hard kick to the leg, but Williams just shoves him hard to the mat. They lock up once again, and Williams takes Kawada down. Dangerous K is quick to take ahold of the head to slow Dr. Death down. Kawada takes the side headlock next. Williams slips free momentarily to apply a head scissors as a counter. He transitions to a body lock, while also grabbing at the arm. Kawada switches into the guard, and grinds into Williams’ face. They get up, and Kawada dropkicks Williams to the outside. The champion is clutching at his knee.
Williams returns to the ring, and Kawada immediately kicks at the injured leg. He grabs at it, and pulls Williams into a Half Crab submission attempt. The champion gets to the ropes to break the hold, but Kawada stays on him. More kicks to the bad leg, and Williams is struggling. Kawada grabs the leg and sends the knee straight into the mat, and then he does it again, and now Williams goes to the floor for a breather. He pulls his knee pad down, as he tries to give it circulation. Kawada waits like a shark.
Williams returns to the ring, and he’s in so much pain, that he briefly turns his back to Kawada while checking it out. That was a great touch of realism. Drop toe hold by Kawada, right into the STF submission. Williams gets to his feet, and tries for a back suplex, and then hits his own drop toe hold. He ties the legs up, and then grabs Kawada’s arms. He pulls them behind his back, and steps on his spine at the same time. What is the name of that move? I should know it.
Kawada gets back to his feet, and tries to fight his way free of this lock. He does, and he reverses the pressure as well! Williams fights his way back into position, and then hits a Tiger Suplex. Kawada quickly returns to his feet, but just as quickly collapses to the floor. While Kawada recovers, Williams checks on his knee once again. It seems to be surviving. Kawada returns to the ring, only for Williams to attack him with clubbing blows to the back.
Kawada avoids a clothesline in the corner, but he falls down again, which leads to Williams locking in a neck crank. Kawada comes back with a stiff kick to the bad leg, which drops Dr. Death to one knee. Williams is quick to get back in the lead, unleashing several kicks to the spine and some punches to the body. He lifts Kawada up for a press slam, and just launches him at the ropes. That was a rough landing for the challenger.
Williams with several irish whips and clotheslines into opposing corners. He follows up by putting all his body weight on Kawada’s chest. After more chops to the chest, Williams squashes Kawada in the corner, then drops him with a brainbuster. He can’t capitalize on it due to his bad knee. He eventually makes the cover, but Kawada is able to kick out. Williams applies a head scissors to Kawada next. Kawada blocks a back suplex with a spinning heel kick to the mush. He lands some stiff chops to Williams’ chest, who gets to his feet and takes the pain. Elbow to the face by Williams, followed by a slap. Kawada slaps him back, then lands several boots right to the face. Williams explodes out of the corner with a shoulder tackle, and a few dropkicks.
Williams lifts Kawada up and slams him back first into the turnbuckle, then hits a powerslam. Again, he can’t capitalize, due to the knee. Kawada is back up and hits a step up enziguri, sending the champion to the floor. Kawada cuts him off on the apron with forearms, but Williams sends him packing with a single shoulder thrust into the ribs. Williams goes to the top rope for a dive, and Kawada catches him on the way down with a kick to the midsection.
The camera zooms in on Kawada, who is literally dripping with sweat. No AC in the Budokan? He hits a lariat to Williams, who kicks out at 1. Kawada Kicks land, and now he looks for the Folding Powerbomb. Williams fights it off, and now they engage in a stand off of strikes. Kawada wins out after hitting a vicious kick to the leg, which drops Williams to the mat. Kawada connects with a nice back suplex that folds Williams up. He covers, but he only gets a 2 count.
Stretch Plum submission is on for a moment, and Kawada gets a 2 count off of it. He applies it again, and his forearm is digging into Williams’ nose, which is nasty to see. Williams wisely rolls to the floor, and here’s Kawada to follow him. In the ring, Kawada hits a powerslam and a middle rope knee. He grabs Williams, who quickly responds with elbows to the head. He runs the ropes, and runs into Kawada, who traps him in a sleeper hold.
He tries again for the Folding Powerbomb, but Williams lifts him in the air and throws him to the mat, back first. He rushes Kawada and hits a Tiger Suplex again. Next, he hits a gut wrench sit out powerbomb, which gets him a close nearfall. Williams hits a stiff back suplex that drops Kawada on his head, but the challenger uses the ropes to pull himself up. Williams headbutts him out of the ring. He lifts Kawada up and places him back in, as he zeroes in on his prey. He covers, and Kawada kicks out.
Kawada rolls to the floor, hoping to find some kind of break from this monster of a man from Oklahoma. Williams goes to the outside, and gives Kawada a back suplex into the barricade! Back in the ring, Williams hits a scoop slam for 2. Kawada quickly recovers, and hits a kick to Williams’ head, dropping the champion. He tries for the Folding Powerbomb again, but Williams is fighting it as best as he can! Kawada finally hits it, but Williams is able to get his shoulders up. Barely.
Kawada tries again, but Williams gives him a back body drop. Kawada recovers, and gives the champion a stomp to the face. Williams with some quick jabs to the face, and some punches against the ropes. Kawada with a spinning back fist, and a kick to the bad leg! Step up enziguri follows, and Kawada lands another! Williams blocks a rolling kick, but can’t block the enziguri two more times! Williams goes down, and Kawada makes the cover! He gets the 3, and is the Triple Crown Champion for the first time ever! He becomes the 2nd of the Four Pillars to hold the crown.
It’s not my favorite match from either man, but this was still a really good battle that saw Kawada overcome the big monster of Williams to finally take the Triple Crown. I thought Williams sold the knee injury well throughout this, and I thought Kawada did a tremendous job selling the effort it took him to get the job done. That said, I did think this was slow at times, and a bit repetitive. Overall, not a bad match, though. You can definitely find better matches from both men, though.