All Japan Pro Wrestling 1/1/9/95 Osaka Commercial Tape

Running Time: 1 hour 45 minutes

Make no mistake about it, this is a one match tape in terms of appeal. The undercard matches, while not bad, are entirely forgettable. However, the main event is worth the price of the tape on its own. It was the first of two Kawada-Kobashi 60 minute classics (the second of which was on 10/18/96) and the first of three memorable 60 minute matches All Japan put on in 1995. The tape presentation itself was pretty straight forward, with little covered besides the entrances and matches themselves. A highly recommended tape, exclusively for the main event, if you are a fan of the All Japan psychological style.

1. Tommy Dreamer vs Akira Taue

Dreamer dropkicked Taue out of the ring and off the apron. Dreamer whipped Taue into the apron. Taue dropped Dreamer neck-first on the top rope. Dreamer gained a near fall with a back suplex and another with a top rope splash. Dreamer ran into a boot and Taue gave him a lariat. Taue gained a near fall with a powerslam and gave him a nodowa for the pin at 4:24. A pretty pointless match. *

2. Steve Williams, Johnny Ace & Johnny Smith vs Stan Hansen, Doug Furnas & Dan Kroffat

Williams whipped Hansen into the barricade early. Furnas hit a great dropkick but Williams tackled him with great intensity. Furnas powerslammed Ace for a near fall. Kroffat had good exchanges of offense with Ace and Smith. Hansen attempted to piledrive Smith on the floor but Smith backdropped him. Hansen suplexed Smith for a near fall. Williams dominated Kroffat, even with Hansen interfering. Ace and Smith also got the better of Kroffat, and Williams rammed his head into the ringpost. Smith gained a near fall on Kroffat with a piledriver. Williams gained a near fall on Kroffat with a spinebuster. Ace gained a couple near falls on Kroffat but Kroffat fought back with an inverted DDT. Hansen tagged in and gained a couple near falls on Ace. Smith missed a top rope dropkick and Hansen DDTd him. Smith rolled up Hansen for a near fall but Hansen quickly fought back. Williams gave Hansen a lariat and Smith gained a near fall. Hansen gave Smith a lariat and pinned him at 12:12. A good, heated match in which everyone was used well. ***

3. Mitsuharu Misawa, Jumbo Tsuruta & Giant Baba vs Tamon Honda, Takao Omori & Jun Akiyama

Misawa and Akiyama had a fast-paced exchange of offense to start. Misawa gave Honda a stiff elbow strike and tagged Baba. Baba mainly dominated Honda. Tsuruta dominated Honda with moves such as a jumping knee and a sleeper. Omori briefly got the better of Misawa with moves such as a neckbreaker and two power elbows. Tsuruta and Baba gave Omori a double boot. Omori and Akiyama got some blows in on Baba, but Baba quickly asserted himself. Akiyama knocked Baba down with a series of elbows in a nice exchange that generated good heat. Omori gained a near fall on Baba with a top rope dropkick. Omori and Tsuruta had an exchange of blows after which Tsuruta applied an abdominal stretch. Omori held his own against Baba but Baba fought back and gave him a Russian legsweep for a near fall. Baba fought off a flurry from Akiyama and tagged Misawa. Akiyama gained a near fall on Misawa with a northern lights suplex and another with a powerslam. Tsuruta missed a boot but gave a running Akiyama a knee to the gut. Tsuruta applied a half crab on Akiyama. Tsuruta gained a near fall on Omori with a lariat. Omori and Akiyama gave Tsuruta a double dropkick. Akiyama suplexed Baba and Omori gave him a top rope elbow for a near fall. Misawa back suplexed Omori for a near fall. Misawa pinned Omori at 13:57 with a tiger driver. Not great in terms of action (especially with Baba and a broken down Tsuruta in there) but everyone was used well. Baba made sure everyone knew he was the icon, but at the same time did a very good job putting over the youngsters Omori and Akiyama. Akiyama was arguably the star of the match while Misawa carried his team well action-wise.**1/2

4. All Japan Triple Crown Championship: Toshiaki Kawada (c) vs Kenta Kobashi

This was the expected world class match with really good heat, although it was just a notch below their sequel on 10/18/96. The pacing here was definitely slower and the move set less spectacular. Both men did a good job of selling the grueling nature of the match, especially Kawada. The first several minutes were slow with neither man getting a sustained advantage. Kawada German suplexed Kobashi at 10:11. He then dropkicked Kobashi's knee and further worked on his leg. Kobashi gave Kawada a cross between a legdrop and an axe kick. Kobashi dominated the next few minutes, although he did sell the damage to his knee exceptionally well. Both men stiffed each other with their chops. Kobashi chopped Kawada several times in the neck before knocking him down. Kawada powerbombed Kobashi at 26:00 but came up limping slightly. He managed to give Kobashi a backdrop driver. The two briefly fought outside the ring. Kobashi came off the top rope but ran into a kick to the stomach. Kawada also hurt his leg doing that move. Kobashi then focused his attack on Kawada's damaged leg over the next several minutes. Kobashi used a sharpshooter to attempt a submission. Kawada dropkicked Kobashi's weakened leg and so both men were hobbled. Kawada stiffed Kobashi with a series of kicks and chops. The action picked up soon after that as Kobashi gave Kawada a backdrop driver. Kobashi missed a moonsault. Kawada floored Kobashi with his trademark kick and gained a dramatic near fall with a powerbomb. Kawada gave Kobashi a backdrop driver and applied the stretch plum. Kobashi used a rolling cradle for a near fall. He gained more near falls with a powerbomb, lariat and a moonsault. Kawada gave Kobashi a vicious dragon suplex for a great near fall. Kobashi gained a near fall with a German suplex. Kawada went to powerbomb Kobashi when time ran out at 60:00. Super psychology oriented match that was better on a second viewing. *****

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