All Japan Double Tag Team title: Toshiaki Kawada & Akira Taue (champions) vs Mitsuharu Misawa & Kenta Kobashi 10/15/95
This was the big rematch from their epic four months earlier where Kawada pinned Misawa for the first time. Not at the same level of that match, but close. In terms of pacing and how the match was laid out, the work was flawless. Misawa folded Kawada up with a tiger suplex early on. Taue hit a tope suicida on Kobashi and then gave Misawa a nodowa off the apron to the floor. Misawa sold the nodowa like he was dead. Kobashi dominated Taue for a stretch but Kawada got the best of him on the mat. As Misawa came to and stood up on the floor, Taue attacked him and gave him a DDT on the floor. Taue dominated Kobashi, giving him a stun gun on the ropes and gaining a couple near falls. The champions continued to dominate Kobashi for several minutes. Misawa tried to intervene, but Kawada flattened him with a lariat for his efforts. Taue gained a near fall on Kobashi with a powerbomb at 21:38. Kawada gave Kobashi a backdrop driver for a near fall. After one aborted comeback after another, Kobashi finally tagged in Misawa. Misawa lit into both champions with a flurry of offense and gained a near fall on Taue with a tiger driver. Kawada attempted a comeback, but Misawa elbowed him in the knee, which Kawada sold huge. Misawa locked Taue in a facelock while Kobashi locked Kawada in a sleeper. Kobashi DDTd Taue on the exposed wooden floor using the ringside barricade as a launch pad. Kobashi powerbombed Taue for a dramatic near fall at 30:07. As Misawa was dominating Taue, Kawada locked an armbar on Kobashi for a brief time. Kobashi sold as if his arm had been injured. Misawa and Kawada then had their signature world class exchange, including Kawada gaining a heated near fall with a powerbomb. Kawada locked a cross-armbreaker on Kobashi in a dramatic submission attempt, and Taue also focused his attack on Kobashi's arm. The champions continued to work on Kobashi's damaged left arm until Misawa tagged in. Taue attempted to chokeslam Misawa off the apron again but Misawa blocked the attempt. Taue hit a released German suplex and a nodowa on Misawa for a super near fall. Kawada locked Misawa in a stretch plum for a long time. He went for a powerbomb but Misawa countered with a huracanrana. Kawada tried to attack Kobashi's injured arm but Kobashi countered with a dragon screw, revisiting the storyline of Kawada's injured knee from earlier in the match. Misawa hit an elbow suicida on Taue at 47:00. Kawada German suplexed Kobashi but hurt his knee in the process. Kobashi moonsaulted Kawada for a dramatic near fall. Misawa German suplexed Kawada twice for a near fall. Taue tagged in and got the better of Misawa, giving him a nodowa for a near fall. Misawa countered a Taue dynamic bomb with a huracanrana and gave Taue a tiger driver for a near fall. Misawa also gained a near fall on Taue with a tiger suplex. Kobashi gained a near fall on Taue after a powerbomb and a German suplex. Kawada hit a released German suplex on Misawa for a near fall. Kawada gained a near fall on Kobashi after a koppo kick. Taue gave Kobashi a nodowa on the floor at 56:45 in a desperation move. Kobashi fought back and dragon suplexed Kawada for a near fall. Misawa gave Taue almost a cobra clutch-like German suplex for a great near fall at 59:00. Misawa gained another near fall but time expired at the 60 minute mark. One of the two best 60 minute matches in All Japan history due to its flawless layout. The psychology involving everyone's "injuries" worked like a charm and all four took the audience on a great emotional ride. Kawada and Kobashi were arguably the stars, but Misawa and Taue also made significant contributions. *****
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