The 31st anniversary of the GOAT match

[Jmare007]

The split red hot crowd

The stiffness

The sick spots

The fukking STRUGGLE for control

Kawada finally kicking out of the Tiger Suplex (the move that had beat him in their previous title matches)

Misawa being fukking desperate and FINALLY working Kawada's leg...and the crowd getting the meaning of the move and reacting to it

That finish

The layers and call backs of previous singles and tag matches I'm not one of those "you have to watch 20 previous matches to 'get' 90's All Japan" people but this match is the only one I can say you can enjoy it so much more if you know the story between the Misawa and Kawada.

The 95 and 96 RWTL matches may be better and 1/20/97 may give this match a run for their money, but I just had to make an appreciation thread for this classic.

Puro gang @TrueEpic08 @Beautiful Bobby Eatin @Honga Ciganesta @Miracle Violence @Don Rhymus come pay your respects

 

[MushroomX]

Two OG's in a Turf War

 

[Miracle Violence]

Kawada will forever and always be the GOAT to me.

 

[Beautiful Bobby Eatin]

The split red hot crowd

The stiffness

The sick spots

The fukking STRUGGLE for control

Kawada finally kicking out of the Tiger Suplex (the move that had beat him in their previous title matches)

Misawa being fukking desperate and FINALLY working Kawada's leg...and the crowd getting the meaning of the move and reacting to it

That finish

The layers and call backs of previous singles and tag matches I'm not one of those "you have to watch 20 previous matches to 'get' 90's All Japan" people but this match is the only one I can say you can enjoy it so much more if you know the story between the Misawa and Kawada.

The 95 and 96 RWTL matches may be better and 1/20/97 may give this match a run for their money, but I just had to make an appreciation thread for this classic.

Puro gang @TrueEpic08 @Beautiful Bobby Eatin @Honga Ciganesta @Miracle Violence @Don Rhymus come pay your respects

This is that match that got me into Puroresu. Words cannot describe how hard these dudes went in the early 90's.

Hard Luck Kawada took a fukking BEATING here. And those themes...

"Holy War"
"Spartan X"

Goddamn I miss King's Road Strong Style

 

[Swiggy]

Subs

 

[TheGreatShowtime]

RIP Misawa

 

[MushroomX]

This is that match that got me into Puroresu. Words cannot describe how hard these dudes went in the early 90's.

Hard Luck Kawada took a fukking BEATING here. And those themes...

"Holy War"
"Spartan X"

Goddamn I miss King's Road Strong Style

I imagine Misawa's neck didn't

 

[Jmare007]

I imagine Misawa's neck didn't

That's my sacho.

 

[patscorpio]

great fukking match...RIP Misawa

 

[TrueEpic08]

I was gonna make a snarky comment because I thought this was going to be something that WASN'T from AJPW....

...but, happily, I was not disappointed . Unlike @Beautiful Bobby Eatin, I can't say that I miss old school AJPW King's Road style like that (The Tiger Driver '91 will forever be a move for me. I like my wrestlers alive and walking as well as possible), but damned if it didn't produce some of the greatest matches ever produced in the mid-90s. Props.

 

[Riley Escobar]

One of my favourite matches of all time, even though I just can't get into puro

 

[Honga Ciganesta]

The pinnacle of pro wrestling

I love that you can just mention the date and certain people know what's up.

 

[ML29]

Thanks for this post. I haven't seen this match in years.

 

[Berniewood Hogan]

THAT'S A FINE MATCH, BUT ME AND ANTONIO INOKI HAD A TWO HOUR, FIVE STAR CLASSIC IN 1980 THAT GOT SO MUCH HEAT, ALL THE TAPES CAUGHT FIRE, BROTHER!

 

[Jmare007]

24 years brehs. My yearly viewing of the match still has it as the GOAT singles encounter I've ever seen, it just never stops being amazing