Worst. Kawada Match. Ever.

Toshiaki Kawada VS Yoshihiro Takayama - AJPW 10/21/1997

JJZ: This match is fascinating to me. It was nothing that I expected to be honest. I mean it is stiff and I did expect that. This is the earliest Takayma that I can remember watching. They work this like a UWF match and to my memory I don't remember AJPW ever doing this before or after. I'm sure after watching this they must have done this at least a few times but I dunno. I realized half way through I need to adjust my expectations of what this match is. I could tell they wanted to get Takayama over. He really manhandled Kawada at times. The crowd erupted when Kawada was getting his shit in. I found this to be a true hidden gem and a great watch.

CJD: I said last week's fancam was a fascinating watch and I'd agree with your assessment this match was too. Want to know something funny about this match? Meltzer was a Tak hater at the time and called this the worst Kawada singles match he'd ever seen! This was a match that definitely messed with expectations and made you reconsider what you were going to see, and I can see opinions being all over the place because of it. I thought it was very entertaining although not especially good, if that makes sense? That probably sounds harsh but I did love it at times. I just thought they were building a promise they never fully delivered. You could see Kawada putting together a strategy to try to take down this monster. Is he trying to rope a dope him?? Bring him down to his size on the mat?? A flash KO or submission? I kept asking myself these questions but in the end I don't think we ever really got the answer. Still it was fun to watch them tell a different kind of story for this time in AJPW even if the execution was short of what someone like Tak's cornerman Gary Albright was able to do as a similar dance partner for Kawada. I think the more we watch it was safe to say Takayama was great by 1999. He's well on his way here, and I like watching him develop while watching Dangerous K work outside of his wheelhouse. I can see why you were chomping at the bit to get me to watch this one, there's a lot to unpack!

Japanese Bulldog

Can-Am Express VS Toshiaki Kawada/Tsuyoshi Kikuchi - AJPW 8/27/1992

CJD: What a joy to watch a match like this from the fan's perspective, really capturing that live atmosphere and giving you an idea what it was like to be there for a smaller AJPW show in 1992. This was uncovered by the guys over at Segunda Caida for their New Footage Friday feature which is something I will gladly plug that everyone should be checking in on from time to time. This match was fascinating, it had some moments that soured me on it a little here and there, but overall what a fantastic performance from Kikuchi and Kroffat. The camera work isn't perfect but can you imagine the camera that this guy had to sneak in and discretely function to pull this off in Japan in 1992?! I loved Kikuchi's physical energy and body language, he looked like he was about to burst the entire match. His timing and sense of how to build the finish gave me a whole knew respect for him. I'm debating if he makes my Greatest Wrestler Ever ballot and I need to figure out where he disappeared to on the card from 1995-2000 because early 90s and early 2000s Kikuchi is an open and shut case. And Kroffat's greatness here is self explanatory, he just gets it, he's so on every moment he's involved. I thought Furnas and Kawada were more along for the ride honestly but they both had their moments and overall I loved getting the chance to be a fly on the wall for this previously heavily clipped match.

JJZ: Well, Kikuchi has had his ass handed to him for two straight weeks now. That was a beat down to say the least. They made you want that hot tag so bad just so Kikuchi could get a breather! This jawn was stiff baby cakes, man did I find myself saying "ssssshitttt." Everyone does their job well in this match but let's cut the shit, Kikuchi was the star. Ricky Morton level selling. The fan cam aspect added a lot because I felt like I wasn't supposed to be seeing this assault. The Doug and Dan are a great time. I honestly forget about them a lot, they bring so much physicality and edge to their matches. It's crazy to think that Kawada was the smallest part of the match. But he is Kawada and watching him kick the shit out of people is always fun too.

Best Friends, Stiffer Enemies

https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x7ret52

Stan Hansen/Dan Spivey (c) VS Mitsuharu Misawa/Toshiaki Kawada - AJPW Tag Team Championship 7/6/1991

CJD: This match is bonkers. You have three of the best wrestlers in the world at the time doing what they do best... and Dan Spivey. It's very fitting that Misawa is the first of the Four Pillars to hold the Mason Dixon Tri-State Outercontinental WWKD Championship. Will his former best friend turned bitter rival be the next in line?? Contemplate that question while you go on the journey this match will take you on. You once mentioned how AJPW is a vault of greatness that never ends. This is a perfect example, a match I would never look twice at normally, but I was very happy I made time for.

JJZ: You know me so you know how excited I would be for this. The way Hansen comes in and cleans house right away, followed by Kawada throwing the belts at him is such a tone setter. Nothing gets me as excited while watching wrestling as 90s AJPW. The story in this match is Kawada and Hansen trying to kill each other. The hate they are wrestling with I feel through the screen. Bonkers is a fantastic word for this match. It's a ride that I hope never ends but we both know it will. Shout out to my son Joey for watching this match with me and learning all about the 4 pillars and "The Lariat" Stan Hansen!