All Japan Double Tag Team Championship: Mitsuharu Misawa & Kenta Kobashi (champions) vs Toshiaki Kawada & Akira Taue (challengers) 1/24/95
Another world class match from these four, although just a notch or two below their all time classics, in part because they were going so long. Also, the dramatic near falls did not begin until fairly late in the match, so fans knew quickly that they were going long. They did do a good job of getting heat early. While the match was generally slow and simple early on, they mixed in enough spots and exchanges that generated a decent crowd reaction. Misawa gave Kawada his elbow suicida at 12:41 in the first big spot and then a spinning tope on Taue. The match continued at generally a slow pace, although big spots and drama became slightly more prevalent as the match progressed. Misawa was dominated for a lengthy stretch until Kobashi came in. Kobashi and Kawada had a heated exchange halfway into the match. Kawada kicked at Kobashi's knee and Taue then did further damage to that knee. The challengers worked on Kobashi's leg for several minutes until Misawa tagged in. However, Kawada knocked Misawa out of commision for a while with his trademark jumping kick at 40:30. The challengers then had their way with Kobashi for a sizeable period of time. Kawada powerbombed Kobashi in the ring and then Misawa on the arena floor. Kawada then gained a dramatic near fall on Kobashi. Taue gave Kobashi a nodowa and then one off the turnbuckle for a near fall. Kawada powerbombed Kobashi for a near fall and applied the stretch plum. Misawa came in and got the better of Kawada. Misawa tagged in and dominated the challengers including a tope on Kawada. Kobashi missed a moonsault. Misawa gave Kawada a tiger driver and then Kobashi moonsaulted Taue for a near fall. Kobashi used a rolling cradle on Kawada for a near fall. Misawa German suplexed Kawada for a near fall, and gained another with a tiger splash. Time then ran out at the 60 minute mark. Great match with a super final 15 minutes, but the first 30 minutes could have had more meaning. Still an outstanding match, though. ****3/4