ALL JAPAN PRO WRESTLING 30

April 30, 1995

1. Toshiaki Kawada, Johnny Ace & Takao Omori vs Kenta Kobashi, Stan Hansen & Jun Akiyama

Kobashi ducked a chop from Kawada early, and Kawada blocked a chop from Kobashi. They did a criss cross tackle exchange where neither man would budge. They had an intense exchange of chops and Kobashi tackled Kawada. Hansen gave Kawada a couple kneelifts and a chop. Kawada responded with a high kick in the corner but Hansen withstood it and took him down. Hansen missed an elbowsmash Kawada and Ace tackled Hansen and Ace whipped Hansen into the barricade. Hansen and Ace exchanged chops and elbows but Hansen won the exchange with headbutts. Akiyama missed a dropkick on Ace and Ace chopped him. Ace elbowed Akiyama and applied a chinlock. Ace suplexed Akiyama and tagged Omori. Omori gave Akiyama a European uppercut and applied a chinlock. Akiyama caught Omori off guard with a back suplex and Kobashi followed with a superkick. Kobashi chopped Omori and vertical suplexed him. Kobashi applied a Boston crab but Omori quickly reached the ropes. Hansen kneelifted Omori but Omori surprised him with a sunset flip, only getting a one count. Kawada gave Hansen several kicks including a sharp roundhouse kick to the head. Kawada gave Hansen a spinning kick and applied a chinlock. Kawada chopped Hansen twice. Ace kicked Hansen and gave him some elbows before applying the fourth chinlock of the match. Ace grabbed a headlock and punched Hansen. Hansen no-sold a couple European uppercuts from Omori and chopped him. Hansen kneelifted and elbowsmashed Omori. Hansen and Kobashi chopped Omori, and Kobashi gained a near fall. Kobashi back suplexed Omori for a near fall. Akiyama chopped Omori and gave him a running elbow for a near fall. Omori countered a suplex with a suplex of his own on Akiyama but Akiyama recovered and kicked him. Kobashi telegraphed a backdrop and Omori kicked him. Kobashi met Kawada as he entered the ring with several kneelifts but Kawada fired back with several knees to Kobashi's head. Kawada caught Kobashi with a spinning kick and gave him some chops. Kawada landed a couple roundhouse kicks but Kobashi grabbed his left leg and shoved him down. Kobashi gave Kawada a lariat and legdropped him with his neck across the second rope. Kobashi whipped Kawada into the barricade, blocked a high kick and gave Kawada a short lariat at ringside. Kawada delivered more kicks to Kobashi's head but Kobashi stood his ground. Kobashi and kawada exchanged chops but Kawada caught Kobashi on the apron with a high kick. Ace attacked Kobashi as he was tied up in the ropes. Kawada gave Kobashi some kicks to his left leg, which had been caught in the ropes, and slammed his left knee to the mat. Ace also attacked Kobashi's leg, including giving it a low dropkick. Ace applied a sharpshooter on Kobashi. Omori also attacked Kobashi's leg and applied a Boston crab but Hansen kicked Omori to break the hold. Ace dropkicked Kobashi's hip and applied a half crab on his left leg. Kawada started with a half crab, but then split Kobashi's legs apart while standing with one foot on Kobashi's head. Kawada went for a kneebreaker but Kobashi countered with elbows to his neck. Kobashi missed some spinning chops but scored with one and Kawada slumped down to the mat. Hansen tackled Kawada and knocked Ace and Omori off the apron. Hansen no-sold chops and kneelifts from Kawada and chopped him. Akiyama missed an elbow in the corner but Hasnen powerbombed Kawada for a near fall. Ace and Omori double suplexed Hansen and Ace hit a top rope lariat for a near fall. Ace chopped and kicked Hansen, and gave him a running clothesline in the corner. Ace dropkicked Hansen in the corner and slammed him. Ace went for a moonsault but Kobashi held on to him and Hansen back suplexed him out of the corner. Akiyama gave Ace a jumping knee for a near fall. Ace whipped Akiyama into the corner but ran into a boot and Akiyama hit a second rope jumping knee. Akiyama gave Ace a northern lights suplex for a near fall. Ace countered an exploder but Akiyama elbowed him. Ace went for an Irish whip and Akiyama knocked Omori off the apron with an elbow in the process. Ace kicked Akiyama and gave him a rocker dropper (refuse to use the other name). Akiyama elbowed Kawada and Kawada high kicked him in response. Akiyama caught Kawada with a German suplex for a near fall. Kawada blocked a dragon suplex and gave Kobashi a koppo kick of sorts. Kawada gave Kobashi a high kick and a lariat. Kawada went for a powerbomb but Hansen intervened with an elbow. Omori top rope dropkicked Kobashi and gave him a lariat for a near fall. Kobashi countered a German suplex with elbows but Omori spun him around and German suplexed him for a near fall. Omori slammed Kobashi, Kawada gave him a foot stomp and Ace followed with a legdrop. Omori then hit a top rope elbow on Kobashi for a heated near fall. Kobashi blocked a German suplex and gave Omori a savate kick. Kobashi gave Omori a modified rocker dropper and powerbombed him for a near fall. Kobashi gave Omori a lariat for a near fall as the others fought at ringside. Kobashi gave Omori somewhat of a screwdriver (suplex dropped into a powerbomb of sorts) for the pin at 25:00 (21:49 aired). A fine match, because most of the work was effective and made sense within the context of the heirarchal All Japan style. Omori looked the weakest in the ring, as his work didn't look sharp during the body of the match, although his work down the stretch was fine. Hansen was fired up when he was in, and it seemed like his stamina had declined but his mobility hadn't suffered yet. Akiyama seemed unfocused at times, but poised for the most part and seemed to merely suffer from his stagnated push, as his position hadn't changed much in two years. It was clear that he was ready to be pushed higher up in the rankings. Ace looked good and seemed ready to challenge for the top gaijin spot with Williams gone until early 1996. Of course Kobashi and Kawada were the stars, as each of their exchanges were a league better than anyone else's. Not a classic match with everyone working as hard as they could, but that was probably because the 1995 Carnival Tournament final was next on the card. Instead, this was the type of a match that would serve well as an intro of sorts to the six men and their 1995 work to newer fans. ***1/2

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