All Japan Triple Crown Title: Steve Williams (champion) vs Kenta Kobashi (challenger) 9/3/94
A fantastic match, arguably the best singles performance of Williams's career. This was also Kobashi's first shot at the triple crown, and he really showed his greatness in carrying Williams to a super 40+ minute match that never dragged. The match started out slow and simple with the early highlight being Kobashi doing a rolling cradle on Williams. The opening minutes saw mainly tests of strength and stature with neither man holding a sustained advantage. Kobashi DDTd Williams on the floor at 7:00 and followed up with a plancha moments later. Kobashi continued to dominate Williams until Williams sidestepped a top rope tackle and gave him a brainbuster. At 15:47 Williams gained a heated near fall with another brainbuster. He gained another near fall with a spinebuster before locking Kobashi in a lengthy bearhug. In an impressive spot, Williams turned the bearhug into an overhead belly to belly suplex for a near fall. Williams attempted a tackle but Kobashi responded with a lariat. Kobashi gained a near fall on Williams at 20:10 after a couple high angle DDTs. The two traded hard punches and then Kobashi scored a great near fall with a sudden lariat. Kobashi gained another near fall after three legdrops, including one with Williams's neck draped on the middle rope. Williams caught a charging Kobashi and suplexed him overhead, and Kobashi nearly landed on his neck. Williams then press-slammed Kobashi clear out of the ring. At 27:13 Williams belly to belly superplexed Kobashi off the top rope in an impressive spot and followed up with a doctor bomb for a great near fall. He then attempted an Oklahoma stampede but Kobashi blocked it and actually gained a near fall of his own. Kobashi German suplexed Williams for a heated near fall at 31:30. He then gained a more dramatic near fall after his trademark moonsault. Kobashi missed a second moonsault but maintained the advantage including sending Williams out of the ring with a dropkick to his knee. Kobashi gave Williams several legdrops, including one off the top rope for a near fall. Kobashi gained another near fall on Williams with a powerbomb. Williams belly to belly suplexed Kobashi for a near fall. Williams then dropped Kobashi on his head with a backdrop driver for another near fall. At 40:50 Williams gave Kobashi a backdrop driver in the corner causing Kobashi's head to bounce off the turnbuckle. Williams scored the pin at 41:27 after another backdrop driver. Super match with a 5 star second half. Both men were at the top of their game. ****3/4
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