All Japan Double Tag Team title: Toshiaki Kawada & Akira Taue (champions) vs Mitsuharu Misawa & Jun Akiyama 5/23/96
This was by far Akiyama's buggest match yet in his career. He was up to the task, and looked exceptional given his level of experience. An exceptional match overall with strong action throughout. Akiyama gave Taue an exploder early on and Misawa then gave Taue an elbow suicida. Misawa gained an early near fall on Taue after a tiger driver. Kawada turned the tables and dropped Misawa on his head with a backdrop driver. Misawa was dominated by both champions for a few minutes, including Kawada using a stretch plum. Akiyama hit a jumping knee on Kawada. Those two had a great exchange with kiyama playing the underdog, although he ended up getting the better of Kawada. Akiyama held his own against Taue including using a northern lights suplex. Misawa gained near falls on Taue after a tiger splash and a tiger suplex. Taue gave Akiyama a backdrop driver and gave Misawa a nodowa. Kawada and Taue then dominated Akiyama for several minutes, especially Kawada, who beat the crap out of him with a variety of kicks. Taue gained a near fall on Akiyama after a powerbomb. Taue was about to give Akiyama a nodowa off the apron to the floor when Misawa elbowed Taue, after which Misawa tagged in. He gave Taue a released German suplex for a near fall. Kawada kneed and kicked the crap out of Misawa in the corner. He powerbombed Misawa for a near fall and gained another after he and Taue gave Misawa a nodowa/back suplex combo. Misawa countered a Kawada powerbomb with a huracanrana. Akiyama gained a near fall on Kawada with a northern lights suplex. Akiyama and Kawada had a great exchange ending when Kawada hit two of his signature kicks but hurt his leg in the process. Misawa held Taue at bay with a 360 twist tope. Kawada then gained a near fall on Akiyama at 25:00. Akiyama gave Kawada a dragon screw, doing further damage to his leg. He German suplexed Kawada for a near fall. Misawa gave Kawada a released German suplex after which Akiyama gave Kawada a German suplex for a super near fall. Akiyama then gave Kawada two exploders, a jumping knee and a third exploder and pinned him at 27:25 to win the titles. Although Misawa's frequent interventions played a big part in Akiyama's success story-wise, his first pin of Kawada still established him as a superstar because of his own great work. A super match missing maybe a few epic near falls to make it perfect. ****3/4