ALL JAPAN PRO WRESTLING 30 TV
October 18, 1998
1) Mitsuharu Misawa vs Jinsei Shinzaki
Misawa dominated Shinzaki on the mat as footage began amidst zero heat. Shinzaki held his own but the work was very dull early. They briefly picked up the pace but the match slowed again as Misawa applied an armbar. Misawa scored with an elbow strike that knocked Shinzaki out of the ring. Hakushi went for a Vader bomb but Misawa lifted his knees. Misawa gained an early near fall with a standing senton. Misawa continued to dominate Shinzaki with almost shockingly dull offense. Shinzaki fought back with some chops and even used a bronco buster. Misawa fought back with a bunch of elbows. Shinzaki caught Misawa and back suplexed him. Shinzaki went for his cross-arm choke but Misawa blocked it. Misawa hit an elbow suicida and hit a top rope elbow strike for a near fall. Misawa gained a near fall with a flying lariat. Shinzaki fought back with his inverted dragon screw and hit a tope on Misawa. Shinzaki whipped Misawa into the barricade and knocked him into the front row with a superkick. Shinzaki hit a great springboard plancha onto Misawa over the barricade into the crowd. Shinzaki did a Vader bomb into a foot stomp. Shinzaki jumped off the top rope but Misawa hit him with an elbow for a near fall. Shinzaki blocked a tiger driver attempt and hit an enzuguiri. Shinzaki gained a near fall with a springboard dropkick. Shinzaki went for a prayer powerbomb, Misawa responded with an elbow but Shinzaki then gave him a backflip dropkick. Shinzaki applied his cross-arm choke on Misawa. Shinzaki hit something of a backflip ax kick and a prayer powerbomb for a heated near fall. Shinzaki gained a near fall with a unique double arm suplex. Misawa fought back with an elbow and won an exchange of strikes for a near fall. Misawa hit a somersault legdrop for a near fall. Shinzaki superkicked Misawa but Misawa responded with an elbow for a near fall. Misawa pinned Shinzaki at 21:32 with a tiger driver (19:39 aired). The first 5 minutes were terrible, the second 5 lackluster, and the second half great. A good, but weird match. ***