THE MOSS COVERED THREE HANDLED FAMILY CREDENZA
ARTICLE #5
SEPTEMBER 17, 2001
Honorable Mention Part 2
All Japan Triple Crown Title: Mitsuharu Misawa (c) vs Jun Akiyama 1/23/98
Akiyama scored early against Misawa with a jumping knee. He dropkicked Misawa off the top rope and out of the ring. Akiyama came off the top rope but Misawa met him with an elbow. Akiyama gave Misawa an exploder that popped the crowd. He then tombstoned Misawa on the floor and gained a near fall back in the ring. Akiyama gained another near fall with an elbow before slowing the pace down. Akiyama gained a one count with a tiger driver of his own. Misawa fought back with a series of elbows and a flying lariat for a near fall. Misawa dominated the match for the next few minutes until Akiyama fought back with a unique twisting back suplex. Akiyama gained a near fall with a northern lights suplex and hit a pedigree. He gave Misawa two German suplexes and his blue thunder powerbomb for a great near fall. Misawa backdropped Akiyama out of the ring and hit an elbow suicida. Misawa gave Akiyama a senton on the floor and then hit a slingshot splash over the top rope to the floor in a cool spot. Misawa gained a near fall with a belly to belly suplex and another with a German suplex. Akiyama lifted Misawa in a powerbomb position but flipped him overhead and Misawa landed face first on the top turnbuckle. Akiyama hit a released German suplex, a jumping knee and an exploder for a super near fall. He gained another near fall with a second exploder. Akiyama gave Misawa a belly to belly superplex and a brainbuster for a near fall at 20:00. Misawa fought back with a roaring elbow and gained a near fall after a back suplex. Misawa then gave Akiyama a tiger driver for a heated near fall. Akiyama surprised Misawa with a belly to belly suplex but Misawa flattened him with an elbow for a near fall. Misawa then debuted his emerald erosion and pinned Akiyama at 23:09 to retain the triple crown. A super match that told the great story of Akiyama pushing Misawa to the limit. ****1/2
All Japan Triple Crown Title: Kenta Kobashi (c) vs Jun Akiyama 7/24/98
Akiyama dropkicked Kobashi�s injured knee early in the match and gave him a dragon screw as heat picked up. Kobashi went for a roundhouse chop but Akiyama gave him an exploder. However, Kobashi immediately gave Akiyama a half nelson released German suplex in return. Akiyama again dropkicked Kobashi�s knee. He gave Kobashi a dragon screw off the apron to the floor. Akiyama assaulted Kobashi�s knee, including use of the ringside barricade as a prop. He even gave Kobashi a dragon screw off the second rope. Akiyama applied a figure 4 leglock as heat picked up again and then applied a sharpshooter on Kobashi. Kobashi hit a desperation lariat and nailed Akiyama with a series of chops. Kobashi attempted a half nelson German suplex but Akiyama kicked his injured knee. Akiyama continued to attack Kobashi�s knee and hit a double arm DDT. Akiyama hit a diving elbow off the top rope for a heated near fall. He gave Kobashi an exploder, dropkicked his knee, and hit a second exploder for a great near fall. Akiyama applied another figure 4 leglock on Kobashi and gained a near fall. Akiyama gave Kobashi a brainbuster for a heated near fall. Kobashi countered an exploder and gave Akiyama an enzu-lariat. Akiyama gave Kobashi another exploder but Kobashi came back with a lariat. Kobashi applied a sleeper and turned it into a brutal half nelson German suplex. Kobashi then hit a lariat for a dramatic near fall. Kobashi gave Akiyama a standing lariat and scored the pin at 32:50. A fantastic mix of old-school work with Akiyama working on Kobashi�s knee and modern AJ action and psychology. ****1/2
Japan Grand Prix �97 match: Manami Toyota vs Kaoru Ito 8/9/97
They started quickly and Ito went for a Fujiwara armbar. Toyota hit a springboard cross bodyblock but Ito quickly regained the advantage with a half crab. Toyota gave Ito her rolling cradle for an early near fall. Toyota hit a top rope dropkick but Ito quickly applied an armbar. Ito gave Toyota two hip attacks for a near fall and gained another near fall with her corkscrew senton. Ito applied a half crab and then used a camel clutch. Toyota hit her Toyota roll on Ito for a near fall. Toyota actually went after Ito�s untaped arm but Ito caught Toyota with an armbar of her own. Ito applied a figure 4 leglock but Toyota escaped and applied a figure 4 leglock of her own. Toyota dropkicked Ito in the ropes and gained a near fall. Ito executed two foot stomps on Toyota. She missed a top rope foot stomp but hit a nodowa. Toyota kicked Ito to the floor and hit her top rope dropkick to the floor. Toyota missed a moonsault and Ito gave her a top rope foot stomp for a near fall. Toyota backdropped Ito out of the ring and hit a springboard plancha. Toyota then went to splash Ito through a table but Ito lifted her feet and Toyota crashed onto them. Ito then hit a top rope foot stomp to the floor on Toyota. Toyota went for her Toyota roll but Ito countered with a powerbomb for a heated near fall. Toyota gave Ito a great top rope missile dropkick to the back of her head for a near fall. Toyota gained a near fall with a cross-arm German suplex and another with her ocean cyclone suplex. Toyota moonsaulted Ito but met Ito�s knees on a second moonsault attempt. Ito hit two top rope foot stomps on Toyota for a near fall. Toyota went for an ocean cyclone suplex out of the corner but Ito applied an armlock in a neat counter. Ito hit a second rope fisherman buster for a near fall. Toyota gave Ito a released German suplex. Toyota gained a near fall with a top rope sunset flip and pinned Ito at 18:09 with a German suplex. This was a great match because Toyota did everything in her arsenal and her execution was flawless. Ito was also at her best. ****1/2
V-Top Tournament Semifinal Match: Aja Kong vs Dynamite Kansai 11/20/94
Kong immediately hit Kansai with an uraken at the start of the match. Both women clotheslined each other. Kong kicked the crap out of Kansai but Kansai fought back with a kick of her own and a lariat for an early near fall. Kansai applied a half crab on Kong and gave her several stiff kicks before applying a leglock. Kansai continued to dominate Kong on the ground. Kong kicked at Kansai but Kansai maintained the advantage. Kansai piledrove Kong for a near fall. Kong fought back and applied a Fujiwara armbar. Kong gave Kansai two stiff kicks and a second rope splash for a near fall. Kong used a crossface chicken wing and dropped Kansai upside down in the corner. Kong charged the corner but Kansai met her with an elbow. Kansai attempted a top rope splash but met Kong�s feet. Kong back suplexed Kansai for a near fall and hit a more brutal back suplex for another near fall. Kong missed a top rope elbow and Kansai gave her two stiff kicks. Kansai gave Kong two more kicks and nearly scored a knockout win. She gave Kong a splash mountain for a heated near fall. Kansai went for a lariat but Kong gave her an uraken and nearly scored a knockout win. Kong gave Kansai another uraken for a near-knockout. Kansai fought back and gained a near fall. Kong caught Kansai as she climbed the ropes and gave her an uraken and a second rope dangerous backdrop for a near fall. Kong gained another near fall after a second rope elbow and one after a top rope foot stomp. Kansai stiffed Kong with a ton of kicks and blocked a couple uraken attempts. However, Kong ended up connecting with two urakens for a super near fall. Kong gave Kansai a third uraken and scored the pin at 12:24. A super-stiff, flawlessly laid out, dramatic match. Long enough to tell a story but short enough to compensate for their lack of stamina due to their grueling first round matches. ****1/2
Tag Team Elimination Match: Aja Kong & Akira Hokuto vs Dynamite Kansai (JWP) & Yumiko Hotta 8/24/94
This was one of the matches in Hokuto's final countdown, an aborted retirement series. A great match with all the moves, heat and drama you could expect. Kansai and Kong began with the expected stiff exchange. Hotta kicked the stuffing out of Hokuto early on. Kong pounded Hotta with a multitude of slaps, headbutts and kicks. Hotta was briefly dominated by both opponents. Kansai's kicks on Kong looked sharp. Hotta came off the top rope with a spin kick on Kong. Hokuto saw little action in the first several minutes except for brief cameos, but the other three carried the action very well. Hotta piledrove Kong for a near fall. Hokuto came in and was back suplexed by Kansai. Kong piledrove Hotta for a near fall and gained another with a powerslam. Kong gave Hotta a second rope splash for a near fall that the fans popped for. Kong missed a top rope elbow but came back and back suplexed Kansai twice for a near fall. Hokuto powerbombed Kansai for a near fall. With Kong's help, she gave both Hotta and Kansai a flip plancha off the top rope. Kong superplexed Hokuto onto Kansai and gave Kansai a second rope elbow for a dramatic near fall. Kansai kicked Kong in the head and Kong went down for the 10 count to be eliminated. Hokuto was dominated, including Kansai back suplexing her for a near fall. Hotta German superplexed Hokuto for a great near fall. Hokuto doctor bombed Hotta for a near fall. After more near falls and exchanges, Hokuto gave Hotta her DQ bomb and pinned her to eliminate her, leaving herself and Kansai in the match. Hokuto briefly dominated the action until Kansai lariated her. Hokuto gained a near fall with a German suplex but Kansai then piledrove her. Hokuto top rope dropkicked Kansai for a great near fall. Kansai gave Hokuto a splash mountain for a dramatic near fall and scored the pin at 24:47 after a second one. Super match with all four showing their strengths. ****1/2
AJW All-Pacific Title: Akira Hokuto (c) vs Kyoko Inoue 11/26/92
Not as intense or as fast-paced as one would expect but otherwise a tremendous match. The match started slow until Hokuto hit a captured back suplex. Kyoko gave Hokuto an impressive 33 revolution giant swing. Kyoko then focused her attack on Hokuto�s back using moves such as a Romero special and a camel clutch. Hokuto piledrove Kyoko and gained an early near fall before applying a camel clutch. Hokuto then applied a sharpshooter on Kyoko at 9:00. Kyoko briefly broke the hold but Hokuto quickly reapplied it. Kyoko gave Hokuto a jumping dropkick off the second rope inside the ring. Kyoko dropkicked Hokuto and applied a unique backbreaker submission hold. Kyoko also briefly used a half crab. Hokuto countered a back suplex attempt and gave Kyoko several knees to the head followed by a spin kick as crowd heat picked up. Hokuto nailed a second spin kick for a near fall. Hokuto then locked Kyoko in a sleeper. Kyoko slammed Hokuto off the top rope but Hokuto fought back and knocked Kyoko to the floor. Hokuto gave Kyoko a plancha and dropkicked her off the apron into the barricade. She then hit her flip plancha off the top rope. Hokuto gained a near fall after a top rope dropkick. Kyoko attempted a German suplex but Hokuto countered and rolled up Kyoko for a near fall. Kyoko gained a near fall with a German suplex and another with her running top rope elbow. Hokuto went for her DQ bomb but Kyoko countered with a small package for a near fall. Hokuto finally gave Kyoko her DQ bomb and pinned her at 22:19. The last 8 minutes made the match a classic. ****1/2
King of Dragon Tournament Final: Great Sasuke vs Magnum Tokyo 2/18/99
Sasuke dominated Tokyo early on with matwork. Tokyo briefly worked on Sasuke�s leg but Sasuke continued to be dominant on the mat. Tokyo regained the advantage with a couple different kicks. Both men traded more offense on the mat. Nothing spectacular, but they were proficient and focused. Sasuke hit a version of the Michinoku driver for an early near fall and then applied a leglock. Tokyo countered with a leglock of his own. Sasuke fought back and applied a camel clutch. Sasuke also held an abdominal stretch on Tokyo for a lengthy period of time. The pace picked up at 12:00 and Tokyo hit a tope suicida. Tokyo then executed one of the highest and most spectacular superquebradas ever on Sasuke landing in the crowd. Sasuke fought back and brawled with Tokyo at ringside. He suplexed Tokyo from inside the ring onto a table on the floor. Sasuke placed Tokyo on the table and hit a crazy tope con hilo. As Tokyo stood on the table Sasuke jumped to the top rope and dropkicked him, nearly killing both men in the process. Back in the ring Sasuke hit a quebrada for a near fall and rolled up Tokyo for another near fall. Tokyo gave Sasuke a diamond cutter for a near fall. Tokyo gained a near fall after a second rope moonsault and another with la magistral. Tokyo gave Sasuke a top rope huracanrana for a heated near fall. Sasuke German suplexed Tokyo for a near fall. Tokyo hit a released dragon suplex and gave Sasuke a viagra driver. Tokyo then hit a shooting star press but hurt himself and could not attempt a pin. Sasuke gave Tokyo a swanton bomb to his injured back for a great near fall. Sasuke powerbombed Tokyo and pinned him at 21:51 to win the tournament. Very good mat wrestling in the first half and all the great moves you would expect down the stretch. ****1/2
NEXT ISSUE: The match that made me a wrestling fan for life�
BACK TO THE MOSS COVERED THREE HANDLED FAMILY CREDENZA MENU
HOME