#81: Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Kenta Kobashi, Pro Wrestling NOAH Navigate for Evolution (3/1/2003).
The GHC Heavyweight Championship reign of Kenta Kobashi from 2003 to 2005 is widely considered to be one of, if not the greatest, title runs in professional wrestling history. The level of work and quality that Kobashi brought with his title defenses, along with the amount of money made and tickets sold for Pro Wrestling NOAH during this time, is simply the stuff of legend.
His run as one of the Four Pillars of All Japan in the 1990s already cemented him as a legend in the eyes of Japanese wrestling fans. This title run in NOAH cemented him as a literal wrestling God. That great run with NOAH's top title started right here in March of 2003.
Long term storytelling is the best kind of storytelling in wrestling. When a promotion has you hooked, and drags you through the unbelievable highs and the unbearable lows of a wrestlerâs journey, that means they have done their job well. It makes investing in someone that much easier, as you feel like youâve been there from the start, and youâve seen their growth into the person they are today. So, hereâs one that was so detailed, that it started in one promotion, and ended in another.
The rivalry between Mitsuharu Misawa and Kenta Kobashi was a story steeped in respect and admiration. Both men had known each other since the early 1990s, when Kobashi was a young up and comer selected to join Misawa and Toshiaki Kawada in their war with Jumbo Tsuruta over the future of All Japan Pro Wrestling. Dubbed the Super Generation Army, the battles between the old guard and the new led to some of the most exciting six man tag team matches in the history of professional wrestling.
Once Kawada turned on Misawa to form the Holy Demon Army with Akira Taue, Kobashi became Misawaâs new tag team partner, and those four men â the Four Pillars of Heaven â rewrote the structure of a wrestling match, and delivered banger after banger. In particular, their June 9th, 1995 tag team match is often cited as the single greatest tag team match to ever take place. As the decade wore on, Kobashiâs performances â featuring incredible effort and grit even in defeat â earned him the love and admiration of the fans, and soon, he shot up the card as a major singles player.
He held the Triple Crown Championship three times, and was responsible for some of the best singles matches of the decade, often against his partner Misawa. However, the win/loss ratio wasnât on the side of the Iron Man. In the legendary 90s run of All Japan, Misawa and Kobashi faced off 16 times in singles competition, and Kobashi was only victorious in one match â during the Champion Carnival Tournament. The other was a 30 minute draw in 1997. As it stood, Kobashi could never defeat Misawa when it counted, when the Triple Crown was at stake.
Between 1997 and 1999, the two had a trilogy of matches that is still highly regarded today, and they all have one thing in common: Misawa walked away as the winner. Kobashiâs time was certainly on the horizon, but it would soon not happen in All Japan. In 2000, due to issues with the widow of founder Giant Baba, Misawa led the infamous âAll Japan Exodus,â where 24 of the 26 contracted wrestlers in the company walked out. This would led to a new promotion founded by Misawa, called Pro Wrestling NOAH. The idea was to retain the Kingâs Road style that was perfected in All Japan, but to also allow wrestlers from different promotions to compete more often, as well as an emphasis on the Junior Heavyweight division, which led to the rise of stars like KENTA and Naomichi Marufuji.
Misawaâs idea from the start was to build the promotion around Kobashi, who to say was massively popular in Japan would be putting it lightly. Fans adored this man, and would soon come to refer to him as a literal wrestling God. However, the first of Kobashiâs many health issues would come to light, as he would have to take time off at the end of NOAHâs first year to have knee surgery. After an astonishing 12 knee surgeries â no, Iâm not kidding â Kobashi made his return to the ring in 2002, but was a completely different wrestler than before.
His style had to change to go with his terrible knees, but the plan remained the same: Kobashi was to become the Ace of NOAH. But to do so, heâd have to win the GHC Heavyweight Championship from Misawa. And as history has taught us, Kobashi canât win the big one against the Emerald Warrior. On this night, in front of a rabid Budokan crowd, would things be in favor of Kobashi?
For the first time since 2000, Kenta Kobashi enters to face Mitsuharu Misawa. The Budokan is red hot for this match already. Kobashi is more determined than at any point in his career to walk away with championship gold.
Mitsuharu Miswa makes his way to the ring, along with the trademark stoicism and confidence. Heâs been the Ace of NOAH since the beginning, and he is in no mood to give that role up tonight.
Both men get proper ring introductions, as well as the streamers from the appreciative Japanese fans. Nothing but respect between these two absolute legends, but respect wonât keep either from destroying the other.
The bell sounds, and this match gets going. They lock up, and Kobashi pushes Misawa into the ropes. Misawa ducks away from a chop. Kobashi hits a shoulder tackle, and Misawa is back up with a forearm. He blocks a back suplex attempt into a pin attempt. Kobashi pops a hip toss off, and now both men are back up in a stalemate. They lock up again, and Misawa flips Kobashi over into an arm lock. He transitions into a hammerlock, and Kobashi slips out for a hammerlock of his own. Misawa regains control, and he gets Kobashi on the mat.
Kobashi gets up and attempts to break Misawaâs grip on his wrist, and he finally does. He goes for a half nelson suplex, but Misawa counters and catches Kobashi in a brutal back suplex that drops him right on his fucking head! Have these two nuts learned nothing since All Japan? Misawa goes to the top rope, and flies to the outside with a dive onto Kobashi. Misawa heads to the apron and comes down with a diving senton onto Kobashi next.
Back in the ring, Misawa comes off the top rope with a shotgun dropkick, and follows with a frog splash onto Kobashi for a 2 count. He wraps his legs around Kobashiâs arm and torques it all around. After some struggle, Kobashi is able to get to the bottom rope to break the hold. Misawa twists the arm and sends his elbow into the shoulder. He ties up the wrist, and uses it to control Kobashi right to the mat. Kobashi stands up and sends Misawa into the corner, then unleashes a signature chop. Misawa is quick with one of his own that drops the Iron Man.
Kobashi hits several back chops to the side of the head, and dives at Misawa off the ropes, but Misawa is able to counter with a nice forearm to the jaw. On the mat again, Misawa bends Kobashiâs wrists in all the wrong directions. He hits several uppercuts to hyper extend the arm, and then irish whips him out of the corner. Kobashi is able to turn it around and go for a rear naked choke, but Misawa fights him off and sends him to the outside. He hits a nice baseball slide, then fakes a dive onto Kobashi. On the apron, Misawa goes for a dive, but Kobashi moves and Misawa hits the steel ringside barricade! Looks like Misawaâs jaw is busted open from that. Kobashi places him across the barricade and comes down with several scissor kicks to the back of the head. Kobashi attempts a half nelson suplex on the outside, but Misawa fights it off. Kobashi responds with several chops to the head, then he hits the suplex, dropping Misawa on his head on the floor!
Kobashi brings Misawa up to the apron from the ring, and elbows the back of his head. He brings the champion in, and flapjacks him with a suplex for a 2 count. Kobashi traps Misawa in the Cravat, turning and twisting the head in terrible directions. Next, he chops at Misawaâs neck, and stomps on his back. He chops the champion, who responds with forearms. Kobashi hits a standing leg drop onto the back of Misawaâs head for a 2 count.
Kobashi locks Misawa in a neck crank next, as he continues to injure the neck of the Emerald Warrior. He sends Misawa to the outside, onto the ramp connecting the ring and the stage. He hits a DDT, dropping Misawa on his head again. Kobashi tosses him back into the ring, and gets a nearfall. In the corner, Kobashi hits more chops to the side of Misawaâs head. Misawa gets back in the lead and looks to monkey flip Kobashi out of the corner, but Kobashi counters by dropping him face first on the turnbuckle. Two half nelson suplexes drop Misawa on his head again, and then Kobashi traps him in a Full Nelson Stretch submission.
More chops to the neck of Misawa, and Kobashi is unleashing his fury now! Now he hits chops to the back of the head! Misawa looks at him in defiance, as if he can take these shots and so much more. Misawa with a hard series of forearms, and Kobashi gives him a back suplex for a 2 count. Misawa with more forarms, and now elbows to the back of the head. A huge German Suplex, followed by a Tiger Suplex, has Kobashi landing hard on his neck! Heâs back up with a spinning back chop, and Misawa drops him with a huge forearm!
Back up, both men are throwing bombs once again, and now Misawa attempts the Tiger Suplex for the first time. Kobashi holds off, and Misawa responds with a jumping leg drop to the back of the head. He hits the Tiger Driver, and Kobashi kicks out. Tiger Suplex into a pin, and Kobashi kicks out again. Misawa goes for a neck crank, and transitions into a stretch that traps Kobashiâs arm and torques the shoulder. He crawls, and gets his foot on the rope to break the hold.
Back up, Misawa hits the Tiger Driver again, and Kobashi is able to kick out. Kobashi counters a powerslam, and hits a half nelson to Misawa, who is up immediately. He walks into a sleeper suplex from the Iron Man next! Misawa elbows Kobashi and heads to the middle rope. He comes down for a dive, but Kobashi catches him with a lariat to the back of the head! Kobashi runs into a series of forearms, but heâs still able to hit the Lariat, and Misawa kicks out!
Kobashi attempts a suplex, and Misawa is able to fight it off. Heâs sent to the ramp, and he brings Kobashi over the ropes with a suplex onto the ramp! Misawa returns to the ring, then dives to the outside, nailing a flying forearm to the face of Kobashi! Misawa now goes for the Tiger Driver on the ramp, but Kobashi is able to use his immense strength to prevent it. Misawa is quick to adapt, and he hits a brutal looking Tiger Suplex off the ramp, to the ringside floor! The crowd is absolutely stunned at the ferocity on display!
Despite the pain, both men are able to return to the ring, and Kobashi is somehow able to kick out! Misawa looks on in disbelief, as the fans furiously chant for Kobashi. A jumping knee connects flush for Misawa, but Kobashi is able to kick out again! Back up, Kobashi connects with a nice chop, and Misawa connects with several spinning back elbows to the head. Misawa lifts Kobashi up for the Emerald Flowsion and hits it right in the middle of the ring, and Misawa somehow kicks out at 2!
Misawa goes to lift Kobashi for the Tiger Driver again, and Kobashi uses his weight to counter it. Misawa with knees to the face, but Kobashi finally flips him over. They rush to the middle with hard clotheslines, and Kobashi connects with a nice Lariat, and it only gets 2! Kobashi lifts Misawa up and hits the Brainbuster, but Misawa kicks out again! The fans are on edge, and theyâre stomping their feet in unison! Kobashi grabs Misawa and lifts him up for his nuclear finisher, the Burning Hammer! He connects and makes the cover! The referee counts the 3, and Kobashi has finally done it! Heâs the new GHC Heavyweight Champion, and for the first time, Kobashi has defeated Misawa in a big time main event! Post match, Kobashi takes a moment to get to his feet, but he eventually does and heâs officially crowned with the championship. Misawa makes the long walk to the back, defeated by his long time rival.
Thereâs a reason this is one of the most popular Japanese wrestling matches of all time. While not as technically perfect as their previous two matches that youâve read about on this list, the overall package presented here makes a case for this match being one of the best Iâve ever seen. Despite being past their primes, smoke and mirrors helps Mitsuharu Misawa and Kenta Kobashi turn back the clock one last time and they gave us a picture perfect example of Kingâs Road wrestling.
Misawaâs gameplan here was genius. He worked over the arm so much because he knew Kobashi had the Lariat in his back pocket. It slowed the Iron Man down, but it didnât keep him down. Kobashi had more will here than perhaps he ever did in All Japan, as he could see that this couldâve been the last chance he ever had in defeating Misawa in a meaningful match. He battered Misawa from pillar to post, but he never lost focus. He kept his target squarely on the head of the champion, and it paid off in the end.
Like in the final days of the golden era of All Japan, these two busted out some incredible spots that made me cringe â the biggest of which being the Tiger Suplex that Misawa did to Kobashi off the ramp! How either man continued after that is unknown to me. But Misawaâs risks didnât have reward, as there was simply no stopping Kobashi on this night. He was so hell bent on victory that he busted out the Burning Hammer â his ultimate finisher that no one ever kicked out. In fact, the move was only used by Kobashi a total of seven times â the third time, being in this match. It was a last resort, but hitting it was a guarantee of victory.
From here, Kobashi would go to hold the GHC Heavyweight Championship until 2005, making it the longest heavyweight title reign in the history of Japanese wrestling at 735 days. His reign is often cited as the greatest in wrestling history, with Kobashiâs matches bringing an unprecedented amount of quality that only further NOAHâs claim to being the best promotion in the world at the time. And it all started here, in one of the most exciting and breathtaking matches in Japanese wrestling history. Kobashi finally reached the end of the Kingâs Road, dethroning his longtime friend when it mattered.