AJPW on Nippon TV – February 2000

Previously in AJPW…

In a publicity stunt, Masaaki Satake, coming off being destroyed by Mark Coleman in the Pride Tokyo Dome show, on 2/3 asked Mitsuharu Misawa to help train him for future matches. That’s sort of a funny cultural difference between the two countries as could you imagine Evander Holyfield after losing to Lennox Lewis, doing a publicity stunt and asking The Rock to train him for the rematch?

Couldn’t find any footage but I imagine Misawa told him “I’ve no idea mate, go ask Yuji Nagata” before winking at the camera.

2000/02/06

We get footage of the Baba Memorial Show at Korakuen Hall. In an event only attended by the roster (and The Destroyer), everyone places flowers in the ring before bowing. It’s very respectful but fairly grim after we started last month’s shows with a wake for Gary Albright.

Stan Hansen, Akira Taue and Takao Omori vs. Mitsuharu Misawa, Kenta Kobashi and Jun Akiyama 01/31/00

JIP to Hansen tagging in to absorb Kobashi’s chops. He’s showing his age but he still isn’t taking shit from anyone. Kobashi still has his goatee because he vowed to not shave until he beat Vader.

Omori and Taue work over Misawa while the camera keeps showing the portrait of Baba watching on. Someone should apply a submission hold and see if he frowns. Hansen side-steps Misawa’s dropkick to land an elbow, leading to Kobashi to come in to double suplex the Texan. Akiyama’s shoulder tackle attempt simply bounces Hansen off the ropes and back into Jun. Taue’s big boot and Omori’s dropkick connect with Kobashi’s bumfluff but a German suplex pin attempt is broken up as the match falls apart. Omori’s lariat is countered into a brutal German suplex but he somehow kicks out. Akiyama lands the Exploder, Misawa follows with the Tiger Driver and then Kobashi lariats Omori to end it at 19:10.

There wasn’t much to this, it was simply a feel-good house show main event for Baba and that was it. Crowd loudly appreciated seeing the Super Generation Army together again so it wasn’t terrible or anything.

Junji Izumida vs. Toshiaki Kawada 01/31/00

JIP. Junji has wrapped up ribs so I’m expecting Diamond Cutters. Kawada alternates between kicking the obvious target as well as Junji’s big dumb head. Junji somehow gets the ropes after a Stretch Plumb so Kawada lariats him for two. Kawada casually soccer kicks a downed Junji for the pin at 10:12.

Nothing here, just Kawada kicking an already-injured guy for longer than necessary.

12 Man Battle Royal 01/31/00

Haruka Eigen vs. Kentaro Shiga vs. Makoto Hashi vs. Masanobu Fuchi vs. Maunakea Mossman vs. Mitsuo Momota vs. Naomichi Marufuji vs. Rusher Kimura vs. Takeshi Morishima vs. Tsuyoshi Kikuchi vs. Yoshinari Ogawa vs. Yoshinobu Kanemaru

Highlights only of this Rumble style battle royal with Destroyer as the guest ref as it’s pinfall eliminations. It’s all comedy and the early eliminations involve everyone piling on and the loser looking sad. Mossman wins after 29:38 of something that was hard to recap but easy to understand the fan’s adoring reaction.

Boy that was a hell of an episode to start the month. In fairness, it was based around Baba’s anniversary so it’s tradition to have a mid show. AJPW should have had someone behind Baba’s portrait pretending to talk like him like those old Conan O’Brien Clutch Cargo bits.

There are major rumors regarding the future of this promotion. It’s been reported that Mitsuharu Misawa, the company President, and Motoko Baba, the owner, aren’t getting along and this may split into two groups with NTV going with Misawa, since the name Japanese wrestlers have all backed him in previous power struggles against the Baba family. Insiders are saying very little about this

There were rumours about a “split” this early in the year? Huh how about that.

2000/02/13

All Japan held a ten count ceremony for Bobby Duncum Jr. on the 2/12 Tokyo show

You can tell it’s the 2000s because there’s a new dead wrestler every week.

Bobby had been making tours of AJPW since 1995 so it’s nice they paid tribute to him.

#1-Contender Match (AJPW World Tag Team Titles)

Vader & Steve Williams vs. Takao Omori and Yoshihiro Takayama 02/12/00

Despite forming as a team a month ago, this is Vader & Williams’ first televised match.

Brawl kicks off before the bell rings and they be clubbering. Omori and Takayama are slammed and bounced around with the greatest of ease by the meaty Yanks until the match slows down so the Gaijin can get their breaths back from hitting so hard. Takayama attempts to kick Williams out of a camel clutch but Vader paint brushes him out of the ring. Omori continues to take all the pounding until Takayama is somehow able to slow Williams down for a few seconds so they can finally get something resembling offence with a double lariat. For daring to make the match competitive, Vader powerbombs Omori on the outside before a running body block gives Takayama whiplash. Backdrop driver finally ends a crazily one-sided beatdown at 8:02.

I enjoyed the lopsided nature of this. Vader/Hansen are getting a mega push so it makes sense to completely destroy a team like this.

Stan Hansen and Johnny Smith vs. Kenta Kobashi and Jun Akiyama 02/12/00

JIP to Hansen landing a snap suplex to Kobashi on the outside. Smith can’t pin him and I want to mention how lame his gear is. Baby blue long tights and a rough haircut: Smith is your dad forced to become a wrestler to save his local sports hall. Hairy Kobashi and Hansen trade chops and blows before both no-sell and growl at one another. This display of manliness is won by Hansen who eats cigarettes for breakfast. Smith attempts a cravat which Kobashi can’t be arsed with and casually tags out. Akiyama impresses no-one so Kobashi tags back in to see how long he can keep Smith in the air for via suplex. Smith ducks a spinning chop to enziguri Kobashi long enough for Hansen to tag back in. That’s the match-up the fans care about, they sound awake when Hansen charges his elbow but Akiyama interrupts to land a flying shoulder tackle. Hansen gets whipped into the corner but Akiyama’s follow-up charge meets a miserable Hansen who simply walks forward to block. That ruled. Smith locks a sleeper on Akiyama to mild cheers. Kobashi tries to break it up but gets booed?? These fans do NOT like Akiyama. Spike piledriver on Akiyama teases the fans into thinking it could be over, but Akiyama’s release Northern Lights suplex brings in Kobashi. Smith don’t care and tries to fly off the top but that randy rudo Akiyama pulls him off. Suplerplex can’t end Smith so Kobashi charges up the lariat and…despite Hansen grabbing him, still manages the lariat at 20:40.

This was nicely competitive and heated but only when Hansen and Kobashi were going at it. The rest was baby blue window dressing.

There remains more talk about the potential split of All Japan which could come as soon as next month. The timing if it does happen would be in March or probably not at all because that’s when All Japan’s TV contract with NTV expires. Weekly Fight reported that Toshiaki Kawada would become the new President and stay with the company but other sources indicate Akira Taue as the likely new President. Misawa, Kenta Kobashi and Jun Akiyama would be spearhead the new company if this does happen. This would in reality create two independent level companies. Most of the foreign wrestlers are more loyal to Mrs. Baba than to Misawa, but whoever gets the TV contract if there is a split is the probable winning side.

I’m sure this is all purely speculation.

2000/02/20

Toshiaki Kawada vs. Vader 02/17/00

Their first ever singles match. Vader is the Triple Crown champion but this is non-title, presumably because Kawada lost to Kobashi in his return match.

Because of his weight, Vader couldn’t work the pace he’s done in the past, and was almost physically reminiscent of former British star Big Daddy. Obviously his work was 1,000 times better.

Thanks Dave, you’re making it very hard to concentrate on this match now as I try to not picture Vader yelling “EASY EASY EASY” and drinking brown sauce. Both men are hesitant to engage to put over how deadly each man’s offence is. Vader blinks first and walks right into Kawada boots to the face and back of thigh. Vader swings wildly but Kawada is able to duck and then splat Big Daddy with a back suplex. That was a thoroughly lovely way to start a fight. Kawada can’t quite lock in the cross armbar so he allows Vader to stand so he can send him on his arse via wild elbow strikes. Vader is so discombobulated that he tries to escape to the floor but Kawada won’t let him and lariats him into the middle of the ring. Kawada is kicking seven shades of shite out of Vader. Vader manages to crawl outside so Kawada follows and kicks him around some more until he gets too cocky and runs right into a body block. Vader follows up by shoving Kawada into the front row and scaring salarymen and Yakuza. Vader Bomb connects but Vader hasn’t beaten up Kawada enough yet so he’s able to stand up and rock Big Vaddy so he can lock in his Stretch Plumb. Vader looks like a stretched plumb in 2000 alright. Vader wriggles out so Kawada goes to the armbar again. Kawada flurries yet again, with Vader holding the ropes to prevent himself from falling over so he can lariat a charging Kawada who hasn’t learned anything. Vader gives Kawada his own flurries in the corner and they look like a bear sparring to relief the stress of a long day at work.

Powerbomb gets two as does a backdrop suplex into a cradle. Crowd are relieved but don’t start cheering for Kawada until he manages another wild kick flurry that rocks Vader again. He appears to score a knock-out blow on the big lad but it took too much out of him to capitalise so by the time Kawada is able to stand up, he walks right into another 747 sized hammer fist. Kawada is so loopy he can’t stand straight so Vader lariats him into the shadow realm at 13:34.

I really enjoyed the segments with Vader taking Kawada’s offence and only managing to survive because it took more out of KAWADA to beat Vader that hard, it’s a shame the crowd weren’t caring more about the result which meant there wasn’t much heat for Vader’s comebacks.

Kenta Kobashi vs. Steve Williams 02/17/00

JIP to Steve busting out a tope because he’s getting his biggest push in forever so he’s extra motivated. Steve press slams Kobashi onto the guard rail before we clip ahead to Steve landing an Exploder suplex off the top rope. We clip to Steve landing the Oklahoma Stampede and an overhead belly to back because the edited, highlights only version of Dr. Death in 2000 rules. Kobashi finally manages a German Suplex but it gets two and no pop. A giant powerbomb gets 2.999 and a big “woah” before Kobashi charges up the moonsault for the 2.99999. Williams removes a few inches of Kobashi’s height by spiking him on the back of his head with a release German Suplex.

Kobashi looks to be down as he can’t fight off a backdrop driver, but Kobashi turns it into a crossbody for two and then folds Steve in two with a desperate lariat. Steve turns a follow-up lariat into a hip-toss but Kobashi gets up first and lands another lariat to end it at 24:37.

I’d decline politely to see the match in full but I appreciate them showing the very hot final minutes and let us imagine the rest. Kobashi’s desperate selling was the highlight here, he was excellent at making you believe he was about to lose while also being strong as an ox.

Because of his win in Brawl-for-All in WWF giving him a legit rep for Japan, The Rikidozan Old Boys committee tried to get Mike Barton in the main event tag team match for the 3/11 Yokohama Arena show as Genichiro Tenryu’s partner against Shinya Hashimoto & Naoya Ogawa but All Japan turned them down.

You would have thought given the popularity of shoot and shoot-style that Bart would have achieved more during this time with his rep. Luckily AJPW gave him plenty of matches this month like…oh never mind.

2000/02/27

AJPW Unified Triple Crown Heavyweight Title Match

Vader (c) vs. Kenta Kobashi 02/27/00

Kobashi is sporting a full beard. He’s also wearing bandages over his ribs so he’s been shaving somewhere else and presumably doing a bad job of it.

Bell rings and crowd breaks out in massive “KOBASHI” chants as both lads stare down one another. Kobashi gets close to Vader but ducks his bearclaw to retaliate with a slap to let Vader know he’s read his book. We get pre-taped comments from Kobashi as he looks and sounds far too casual while real-life Kobashi is absorbing strikes in the corner. Vader gets thrown into the guard rail before taking a DDT on the concrete. Kobashi keeps on offence, again making it looks easy as he casually slams Vader while taped up like DDP. Kobashi makes the mistake of letting his guard down so runs right into a Vader lariat. Kobashi is howling now as he landed on his shaving wound, not helped by Vader throwing him around like LIDL check out workers scanning your food. Vader suplexes Kobashi’s bad ribs onto the guard rails before tearing off his bandages. Kobashi tries to come back but a shoulder tackle off the second rope doesn’t even budge Vader and results in a small amount of laughter from the crowd. Wow. Vader Bomb connects but Vader ain’t fucking around so continues to land two more in succession while the crowd chants for the guy they were just laughing at. Kobashi kicks out.

Vader takes too long getting Kobashi vertical (or maybe he’s too fat) so Kenta kicks him out the ring and sails with a crossbody off the top to the outside. Kobashi tries his machine gun chops but Vader shoves him away. Kobashi converts a Vader Bomb into a powerbomb but still only two. A German Suplex onto Vader gets two and zero pop because Vader clearly jumped before Kobashi did anything. These fans are tough to impress. Vader gives Kobashi a German Suplex so strong that Kenta’s chin ends up underneath the bottom rope. Crowd liked that so Vader delivers another, with the crowd very grateful when Kobashi kicked out. Both lads land lariats at the same time but Vader recovers first. A WILD chokeslam again only gets two. God damn, Vader dunked him like Vince Carter vs. that frenchman. Kobashi kicks out of a second attempt and manages a lariat that can’t put Vader away. Commentator is sounding desperate now. Kobashi lands the hairy moonsault but Vader even kicks out of THAT.

Fans cheering wildly for Kobashi who makes the same mistake everyone does and charges at Vader and directly into the body block…only to run backwards from the impact into the ropes so Kobashi can lariat Vader and pin the Mastadon at 19:49 for the title and a clean shave!

I actually enjoyed Vader’s lack of mobility because you could never tell if Vader was on the ropes or not due to him not moving much and looking old as standard in 2000. The Budokan crowd really got behind Kobashi as a result and the crowd reactions along with the giant bombs both men were throwing at one another made this one of the highlights of the month.

Mitsuharu Misawa vs Akira Taue 02/17/00

JIP to Misawa missile dropkicking Akira out of the ring followed by bouncing him off the guard rail with a tope. Misawa attempts a Tiger Driver but Taue is able to wriggle out and land a flying clothesline. Taue’s dropkick is fluid considering the size of him. Chokeslam only gets two. Interesting that Taue doesn’t get a lot of height on those, it’s more about the force he gets. Taue big boots Misawa over the guard rail as every big match in AJPW required the usage of guard rails. Akira lands a dangerous Sid-esque big boot of the top rope. Sit out powerbomb only gets two and officially gets the crowd into this. Akira tries to suplex Taue off the top rope but Misawa resists so Taue big boots him to the floor. And then Taue lands another flying big boot off the apron. I get worried every time he goes for one of them. It’s one of those spots you can’t not worry about. Taue attempts the chokeslam off the apron but Misawa tries a Tiger Driver instead, resulting in Misawa eating shit by taking a backdrop and bouncing off the apron. He’s OK though as seconds later Misawa lands a desperate Tiger Driver on the mats outside. Misawa lands a second in the ring but only gets two as I go back and check to see if I missed a spot or Misawa just went “my time on offence now”. It does seem that way. Rolling Elbow gets 2.999 on Taue with a running one putting Taue away at 15:18.

I enjoyed Taue on offence with the crowd gritting their teeth whenever Misawa took a big boot to the mush, but I didn’t appreciate Misawa’s comeback being *that* forced. No segue, just Misawa yelling “IT’S MISAWA TIME” and Misawa-ing everywhere. Not bad but not great either.

Regarding the potential split of this company into two groups, apparently there were talks as far back as one year ago because Motoko Baba, the owner, and Misawa, the top star and leader of the wrestlers, couldn’t get along. The talk of this split was really strong backstage at the 2/27 Budokan Hall show but there was no clear answer as to exactly what was going to go down. Apparently Nippon TV at that time, which was shortly after the death of Shohei Baba, told Misawa that they wouldn’t, due to the timing of being after Baba’s death, go against the company that Baba had formed and that had been on the network since its inception. The feeling now is that several Directors of NTV, now that the Baba death is more than one year old, would side with Misawa in the split. Kawada, and maybe Taue as well, along with the older wrestlers like Haruka Eigen, Masa Fuchi, Mitsuo Momota, etc. are expected to side with Mrs. Baba while Kobashi, Akiyama and the rest of the younger wrestlers are siding with Misawa

Overall: The Baba tribute episode was nothing but if you’re a fan of aging American wrestlers then this was a month for you. Williams looked credible for a guy that had been written off years ago, and Vader was able to use his size to make his matches about more than just moves. Johnny Smith was also here.

Highlight Of The Month: Kobashi vs. Vader. Got the most time, had the most heat and gave us a new champ and facial hair at the same time. Shame Kobashi would get to defend the title only once before the inevitable occurs but those are the breaks.

I’ve been Maffew.