Kenta Kobashi
Encyclopedia
Not to be confused with his protégé
Kenta Kobayashi
(known as KENTA)
is a Japanese
professional wrestler currently under contract to Pro Wrestling Noah
. He worked for All Japan Pro Wrestling
from 1988–2000, where he became one of the promotion's top stars.
and rugby union
during high school in Fukuchiyama. He practised body building after his graduation while working "regular" jobs. He applied and was accepted to All Japan Pro Wrestling
's dojo on June 20, 1987. He was trained there by Giant Baba
, Dory Funk, Jr.
, Masanobu Fuchi
, and Kazuharu Sonoda
. Kobashi debuted as a professional wrestler in Ryuo, Shiga
on February 26, 1988. He was booked by Shohei "Giant" Baba to lose his first 63 matches (all singles bouts). It was all part of Baba's master plan: even in defeat, the fiery, charismatic Kobashi shined, and his gutsy, never-say-die efforts earned him the Rookie of the Year award from the Japanese press. Kobashi won his first match in May 1989 (against Jim Crockett Promotions
jobber Mitch Snow). During 1989, when the Road Warriors
were in AJPW, they taught Kobashi the "Road Warrior Workout". He first gained some prominence as member of Mitsuharu Misawa
's faction during Misawa's feud with Jumbo Tsuruta
.
Kobashi during this period played dual roles according to who his partners and opponents were. When teamed with the higher ranking Misawa or Toshiaki Kawada
, Kobashi would play the gutsy underdog. At the same time, when teamed with the much smaller Tsuyoshi Kikuchi
, he would play a "big brother" role, coming in to try to save the day after Kikuchi had been worked on for a while by the opponents. Eleven months later he won his first title, the AJPW All Asia Tag Team Championship
with Tiger Mask II (Misawa); however, shortly after removing the mask, Misawa and Kobashi would vacate the titles. Over the next two years, Kobashi held the All Asia belts with Johnny Ace
twice and with Kikuchi once. The title win with Kikuchi over Dan Kroffat and Doug Furnas
took place before a rabid crowd in Kikuchi's hometown of Sendai on May 25, 1992; the match quickly gained legendary status among tape-traders, and was voted 1992's Match of the Year by the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.
In 1993 he became Misawa's main tag partner in the middle of the year when Kawada became Misawa's main rival. He gained his first singles victory over a former Triple Crown Champion when he defeated Terry Gordy
in May of that year. On December 3, 1993 Kobashi gained his first pin over Kawada, won his first Real World Tag League, and won his first AJPW World Tag Team Championship. Kobashi received his first shot at the AJPW Triple Crown Championship against then-champion Steve Williams on September 3, 1994, but lost at Nippon Budokan
, Tokyo
. Kobashi's singles matches around this time with Stan Hansen
, Misawa, and Kawada are amongst his most highly regarded. In tag competition he had strong efforts with opponents as diverse as rookie Jun Akiyama to elderly legend and promotion owner Giant Baba. Over the next few years Kobashi continued to gain more honors, but his position in the company did not truly change. In the 1994 Champion's Carnival
he gained his first singles victory over Hansen. In September 1994 he lost his first Triple Crown challenge against Steve Williams. His next title challenge was against Kawada in January 1995. This led to a 60-minute time limit draw, and is regarded as the greatest 60 minute bout in wrestling history by the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. On June 9, 1995 Misawa and Kobashi lost the tag titles to Kawada and Akira Taue
. The match is also notable because it won the best match of the year award from Tokyo Sports. He suffered the first of many knee injuries in mid 1995, but worked through it. In the early part of 1996 the company elevated Jun Akiyama by making him Misawa's main tag partner. While this was good for Akiyama and lead to some fresh tag matches, it left Kobashi without a real tag partner for most of the year.
Kobashi defeated Akira Taue
on July 24, 1996 to capture his first Triple Crown. He lost the championship to Misawa on January 20, 1997, in a very highly regarded match. In March 1997 in the Champion's Carnival
he gained his first pinfall victory over Misawa. At the end of the Carnival, Kobashi qualified for the finals for the first time. However, instead of the traditional one on one contest to settle the carnival, a one night 3 way round robin was held due to Kobashi, Kawada, and Misawa all having finished the Carnival round robin with the same score. In the first match Kobashi went to a 30 minute draw with Misawa. However, this match left both men greatly weakened and Kawada was able to quickly gain his first singles pin over Misawa in the next match that gave Kobashi little time to rest. In the final match Kawada defeated Kobashi to gain his second Carnival title. In October 1997 Kobashi won his first tag title without Misawa when he and Johnny Ace
defeated Williams and Gary Albright
. In the same month he challenged Misawa for the Triple Crown in another memorable match, but again Misawa defeated him. While Kawada would finally end his quest to defeat Misawa for the Triple Crown at AJPW's May Tokyo Dome show, in 1998, Kobashi would replace Kawada as Misawa's top rival. On June 12, 1998 Kobashi defeated Kawada to begin his second Triple Crown reign. Shortly before his victory he again suffered a major knee injury which he would not give time to heal, which nearly ended his career. He lost the championship again to Misawa.
1998 would end with Kobashi gaining another career milestone as he with Akiyama captured his first Real World Tag League championship. As January began Kobashi was kicking off a new rivalry against Vader. He won the Real World Tag League again with Akiyama in December 1999. In February 2000 he defeated Vader to earn his third Triple Crown reign. Then in April 2000 he won his first Champion's Carnival while in the course of the tournament gaining his first televised singles victory over Misawa. In mid-2000 Misawa left the company to form Pro Wrestling Noah
; Kobashi, along with all but three All Japan native workers, followed Misawa. He was the reigning Triple Crown champion at the time, and the championship was thus vacated. Despite Kobashi's injuries, it was at around this time that many Japanese wrestling magazines began calling Kobashi "the perfect wrestler," standing at an impressive 6-2 and 280 lbs., Kobashi possessed the strength to out-power most wrestlers, yet he was also able to perform a moonsault with the skill of a lightweight. These traits combined with his amazing endurance and unmatched toughness made Kobashi a difficult opponent to overcome.
of the promotion's first show, and then lost to Akiyama on the second show the next day (Kobashi legitimately passed out while being captured in Akiyama's "King Crab Lock" submission and was unable to finish the match). Noah struggled to organize itself without any titles during this period. At the biggest Noah show of the year on December 23, 2000 Kobashi defeated Akiyama, avenging his loss earlier that year. Unfortunately for Kobashi the next month his knees finally deteriorated to the point he could no longer work through the pain and he was forced to take 13 months off for healing. He went through multiple knee surgeries during this time.
His return match was on February 24, 2002, and featured Kobashi reforming his pairing with Misawa to face Akiyama and New Japan Pro Wrestling
's Yuji Nagata
. His knees again gave out on him during the match. After taking another 5 months to recuperate he returned and Noah began to slowly build towards him winning their top prize, the GHC Heavyweight Championship
.
On March 1, 2003 Kobashi defeated his rival Mitsuharu Misawa in a match for the GHC Heavyweight Championship. Kobashi's reign spanned for over two years and included 13 successful defenses. Notable defences included: against Masahiro Chono
at New Japan's May 2, 2003 Tokyo Dome event, against Yuji Nagata on September 12, 2003, against Yoshihiro Takayama on April 25, 2004, and against Jun Akiyama in the main event of Noah's first Tokyo Dome show on July 10, 2004. During his reign he won the Wrestling Observer Newsletter's Wrestler of the Year award in both 2003 and 2004. In March 2005 he finally lost the championship to Takeshi Rikio
. Despite the loss of his title Kobashi remained Noah's top wrestler, the rest of the year was highlighted by matches with outsiders such as Genichiro Tenryu
and Kensuke Sasaki
(the latter on July 18, 2005 in the Tokyo Dome), and in the following year he had praised matches against junior heavyweights such as KENTA
(March 5, 2006) and Naomichi Marufuji
(April 23, 2006). Kobashi has the distinction of competing in arguably the 3 best matches in Noah's history, those being against Misawa on March 1, 2003 Akiyama on July 10, 2004 and Sasaki on July 18, 2005. The matches with Misawa and Akiyama garnered 5 star ratings from Dave Meltzer
from the Wrestling Observer. Kobashi holds the distinction of having competed in a total of 23 5-Star Matches as rated by the Wrestling Observer, second only to his long-time rival, Misawa.
In late 2005, Kobashi made his first appearance in North America with Harley Race
's World League Wrestling promotion, defeating then WLW champion Wild Wade Chism. His second and third North American appearances were for Ring of Honor
, where he defeated Samoa Joe in a memorable singles match (given a full 5-stars by the Wrestling Observer as well as their Match of the Year award for 2005), and teamed with Homicide to defeat the tag team of Samoa Joe and Low Ki. Kobashi also traveled to Europe
where he had matches in Germany
, and at Universal Uproar in England
, in November 2005. After winning the GHC Tag Team Championship
on June 4, 2006, Kobashi became inactive in the sport due to cancer. Partner Tamon Honda
returned the belts on 26 September 2006 (Mohammed Yone and Takeshi Morishima
, the same men that Kobashi and Honda had beaten for the GHC Tag Team Championship regained the belts by defeating Yoshihiro Takayama
and Takuma Sano in a tournament final on December 2 in Yokohama). On December 10, at the Budoukan
, Kobashi appeared before the fans and announced that he would return "without fail".
On September 8, 2007, news broke that Kobashi would make his return on the December 2, 2007 Budokan Hall event where he would team up with Takayama to face Misawa and Akiyama. On the card, Misawa would pin Kobashi with an Avalanche Emerald Frosion, but the fans still gave Kobashi a rousing ovation.
In September 2008, Kobashi underwent emergency surgery on both of his arms. The surgery was successful, and Kobashi was expected to make a full recovery. Kobashi was expected to be out of action for up to a year, but he would return to the ring less than six months later. Prior to returning to the ring, Kobashi stated that he wanted to start in opening matches, and rebuild himself to a main event player.
Kenta Kobashi made his return to wrestling on March 1, 2009 at Nippon Budokan
with Pro Wrestling NOAH, defeated Masao Inoue in the opening match of the card with his signature lariat. Kobashi won the GHC Openweight Hardcore Championship
from Makoto Hashi
on June 8, 2009 in Hachiōji
, Japan during NOAH's Southern Navigation tour.
On December 23, 2009, Kobashi was seriously injured in a three-way match against Honda and Kikuchi. He was sidelined for 19 months with nerve damage in his right arm. Kobashi made his return on July 23, 2011, teaming with Go Shiozaki
in a tag team match, where they were defeated by Akitoshi Saito
and Jun Akiyama. On August 27, 2011, he debuted new ring gear, mixing black and orange, at the NJPW/AJPW/NOAH GET TOGETHER show at Budokan Hall, teaming up with AJPW's Keiji Mutoh
, defeating NJPW's Takashi Iizuka
and Toru Yano
.
Mentorship
Mentorship refers to a personal developmental relationship in which a more experienced or more knowledgeable person helps a less experienced or less knowledgeable person....
Kenta Kobayashi
Kenta Kobayashi
, also known by his ring name KENTA, is a Japanese professional wrestler currently signed to Pro Wrestling Noah, where he is a former three-time Global Honored Crown Junior Heavyweight Champion...
(known as KENTA)
is a Japanese
Japanese people
The are an ethnic group originating in the Japanese archipelago and are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan. People of Japanese ancestry who live in other countries...
professional wrestler currently under contract to Pro Wrestling Noah
Pro Wrestling Noah
is a major Japanese professional wrestling promotion, founded in 2000 by former All Japan Pro Wrestling ace Mitsuharu Misawa. NOAH is broadcast weekly in Japan...
. He worked for All Japan Pro Wrestling
All Japan Pro Wrestling
is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion established in 1972. All Japan Pro Wrestling still remains one of the most popular puroresu promotions still in operation.-The Giant Baba Era :...
from 1988–2000, where he became one of the promotion's top stars.
All Japan Pro Wrestling (1988–2000)
Kobashi practiced judoJudo
is a modern martial art and combat sport created in Japan in 1882 by Jigoro Kano. Its most prominent feature is its competitive element, where the object is to either throw or takedown one's opponent to the ground, immobilize or otherwise subdue one's opponent with a grappling maneuver, or force an...
and rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
during high school in Fukuchiyama. He practised body building after his graduation while working "regular" jobs. He applied and was accepted to All Japan Pro Wrestling
All Japan Pro Wrestling
is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion established in 1972. All Japan Pro Wrestling still remains one of the most popular puroresu promotions still in operation.-The Giant Baba Era :...
's dojo on June 20, 1987. He was trained there by Giant Baba
Shohei Baba
was a professional wrestler and co-founder of All Japan Pro Wrestling. He was also known as Giant Baba. Baba, along with Antonio Inoki, became one of the most famous Japanese wrestlers of his era, with a popularity in Japan comparable to Hulk Hogan's in the United States of America...
, Dory Funk, Jr.
Dory Funk, Jr.
Dory Ernest Funk Jr. known professionally as Dory Funk, Jr. is a professional wrestler and wrestling trainer. He is the son of Dory Funk Sr. and brother of Terry Funk. He is credited with the invention of the Texas cloverleaf submission hold and runs the Funking Conservatory, a professional...
, Masanobu Fuchi
Masanobu Fuchi
is a Japanese professional wrestler currently working for All Japan Pro Wrestling as a full-time wrestler, as well as a director. Fuchi holds the record for the longest AJPW World Junior Heavyweight Championship reign and has competed in All Japan Pro Wrestling longer than any wrestler on the...
, and Kazuharu Sonoda
Kazuharu Sonoda
, also known as and , was a Japanese professional wrestler.Sonoda died on the crash of South African Airways Flight 295 with his wife, , as they were on their honeymoon.-References:...
. Kobashi debuted as a professional wrestler in Ryuo, Shiga
Ryuo, Shiga
is a town located in Gamō District, Shiga, Japan.As of 2003, the town has an estimated population of 13,403 and a density of 301.06 persons per km². The total area is 44.52 km².- Geography :Ryūō is located in the center of Shiga...
on February 26, 1988. He was booked by Shohei "Giant" Baba to lose his first 63 matches (all singles bouts). It was all part of Baba's master plan: even in defeat, the fiery, charismatic Kobashi shined, and his gutsy, never-say-die efforts earned him the Rookie of the Year award from the Japanese press. Kobashi won his first match in May 1989 (against Jim Crockett Promotions
Jim Crockett Promotions
Jim Crockett Promotions was a professional wrestling promotion owned by Jim Crockett, Jr. until the late 1980s. It was a member of the National Wrestling Alliance and was the forerunner to World Championship Wrestling .-Early history:...
jobber Mitch Snow). During 1989, when the Road Warriors
Road Warriors
The Road Warriors were a professional wrestling tag team composed of Michael "Hawk" Hegstrand and Joseph "Animal" Laurinaitis. They performed under the name "Road Warriors" in the American Wrestling Association, the National Wrestling Alliance, and World Championship Wrestling, and the name Legion...
were in AJPW, they taught Kobashi the "Road Warrior Workout". He first gained some prominence as member of Mitsuharu Misawa
Mitsuharu Misawa
was a Japanese professional wrestler. He made his professional debut on August 21, 1981 for All Japan Pro Wrestling . From 1984 until 1990, Misawa wrestled as the second generation Tiger Mask, as All Japan Pro Wrestling had purchased the rights of the Tiger Mask gimmick from New Japan Pro Wrestling...
's faction during Misawa's feud with Jumbo Tsuruta
Jumbo Tsuruta
, better known by his ring name Jumbo Tsuruta, was a professional wrestler who wrestled for All Japan Pro Wrestling for most of his career, and is well-known for being the first ever AJPW Triple Crown Heavyweight Champion, having won the PWF Heavyweight Championship, the NWA United National...
.
Kobashi during this period played dual roles according to who his partners and opponents were. When teamed with the higher ranking Misawa or Toshiaki Kawada
Toshiaki Kawada
is a Japanese professional wrestler who is most known for his work in All Japan Pro Wrestling. In 2005, he started freelancing in other promotions....
, Kobashi would play the gutsy underdog. At the same time, when teamed with the much smaller Tsuyoshi Kikuchi
Tsuyoshi Kikuchi
is a professional wrestler currently working as a freelancer. He has previously worked for All Japan Pro Wrestling and Pro Wrestling NOAH. Kikuchi idolized and patterned his style after the Dynamite Kid....
, he would play a "big brother" role, coming in to try to save the day after Kikuchi had been worked on for a while by the opponents. Eleven months later he won his first title, the AJPW All Asia Tag Team Championship
AJPW All Asia Tag Team Championship
The All Japan Pro Wrestling All Asia Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling tag team title in Japanese promotion All Japan Pro Wrestling . It was created on November 16, 1955 in the Japan Wrestling Association when King Kong Czaya & Tiger Jokinder defeated JWA founder Rikidōzan &...
with Tiger Mask II (Misawa); however, shortly after removing the mask, Misawa and Kobashi would vacate the titles. Over the next two years, Kobashi held the All Asia belts with Johnny Ace
John Laurinaitis
John Joseph Laurinaitis is the Executive Vice President of Talent Relations for WWE and appears on WWE's Raw Brand as interim General Manager. He was previously a professional wrestler under the ring name Johnny Ace, and wrestled for such promotions as the National Wrestling Alliance and All...
twice and with Kikuchi once. The title win with Kikuchi over Dan Kroffat and Doug Furnas
Doug Furnas
Doug Furnas is a former American professional wrestler and powerlifter. Furnas briefly worked for World Championship Wrestling in the early 1990s...
took place before a rabid crowd in Kikuchi's hometown of Sendai on May 25, 1992; the match quickly gained legendary status among tape-traders, and was voted 1992's Match of the Year by the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.
In 1993 he became Misawa's main tag partner in the middle of the year when Kawada became Misawa's main rival. He gained his first singles victory over a former Triple Crown Champion when he defeated Terry Gordy
Terry Gordy
Terry Ray 'Bam Bam' Gordy, Sr. was a professional wrestler who was best known in North America for being a member of the Fabulous Freebirds.-Career:...
in May of that year. On December 3, 1993 Kobashi gained his first pin over Kawada, won his first Real World Tag League, and won his first AJPW World Tag Team Championship. Kobashi received his first shot at the AJPW Triple Crown Championship against then-champion Steve Williams on September 3, 1994, but lost at Nippon Budokan
Nippon Budokan
The , often shortened to simply Budokan, is an indoor arena in central Tokyo, Japan.This is the location where many "Live at the Budokan" albums were recorded...
, Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
. Kobashi's singles matches around this time with Stan Hansen
Stan Hansen
John Stanley Hansen, Jr. is an American former professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Stan Hansen. As a wrestler, Hansen was well known for his stiff wrestling style, which he attributes to poor eyesight, as he is nearly blind without glasses...
, Misawa, and Kawada are amongst his most highly regarded. In tag competition he had strong efforts with opponents as diverse as rookie Jun Akiyama to elderly legend and promotion owner Giant Baba. Over the next few years Kobashi continued to gain more honors, but his position in the company did not truly change. In the 1994 Champion's Carnival
Champion's Carnival
The Champion's Carnival is an annual professional wrestling tournament held by All Japan Pro Wrestling, established in 1973. Originally a single-elimination tournament, the Champion's Carnival is currently held as a round-robin, with a victory worth 2 points, a time limit draw worth 1 and a loss,...
he gained his first singles victory over Hansen. In September 1994 he lost his first Triple Crown challenge against Steve Williams. His next title challenge was against Kawada in January 1995. This led to a 60-minute time limit draw, and is regarded as the greatest 60 minute bout in wrestling history by the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. On June 9, 1995 Misawa and Kobashi lost the tag titles to Kawada and Akira Taue
The Holy Demon Army
The Holy Demon Army is a professional wrestling tag team that competed in All Japan Pro Wrestling during the 1990s. The team consisted of Toshiaki Kawada and Akira Taue...
. The match is also notable because it won the best match of the year award from Tokyo Sports. He suffered the first of many knee injuries in mid 1995, but worked through it. In the early part of 1996 the company elevated Jun Akiyama by making him Misawa's main tag partner. While this was good for Akiyama and lead to some fresh tag matches, it left Kobashi without a real tag partner for most of the year.
Kobashi defeated Akira Taue
Akira Taue
is a Japanese professional wrestler, and the current President of Pro Wrestling Noah. He is also a former AJPW Triple Crown champion, a former GHC Heavyweight Champion and has had 14 5 Star Matches as awarded by the Wrestling Observer Newsletter....
on July 24, 1996 to capture his first Triple Crown. He lost the championship to Misawa on January 20, 1997, in a very highly regarded match. In March 1997 in the Champion's Carnival
Champion's Carnival
The Champion's Carnival is an annual professional wrestling tournament held by All Japan Pro Wrestling, established in 1973. Originally a single-elimination tournament, the Champion's Carnival is currently held as a round-robin, with a victory worth 2 points, a time limit draw worth 1 and a loss,...
he gained his first pinfall victory over Misawa. At the end of the Carnival, Kobashi qualified for the finals for the first time. However, instead of the traditional one on one contest to settle the carnival, a one night 3 way round robin was held due to Kobashi, Kawada, and Misawa all having finished the Carnival round robin with the same score. In the first match Kobashi went to a 30 minute draw with Misawa. However, this match left both men greatly weakened and Kawada was able to quickly gain his first singles pin over Misawa in the next match that gave Kobashi little time to rest. In the final match Kawada defeated Kobashi to gain his second Carnival title. In October 1997 Kobashi won his first tag title without Misawa when he and Johnny Ace
John Laurinaitis
John Joseph Laurinaitis is the Executive Vice President of Talent Relations for WWE and appears on WWE's Raw Brand as interim General Manager. He was previously a professional wrestler under the ring name Johnny Ace, and wrestled for such promotions as the National Wrestling Alliance and All...
defeated Williams and Gary Albright
Gary Albright
Gary Albright was an American professional wrestler who performed mainly in Stampede Wrestling in Canada and with UWF International and All Japan Pro Wrestling in Japan. Albright was a member through marriage of the famous Anoa'i wrestling family, including Afa and Sika, Yokozuna, Rikishi, and The...
. In the same month he challenged Misawa for the Triple Crown in another memorable match, but again Misawa defeated him. While Kawada would finally end his quest to defeat Misawa for the Triple Crown at AJPW's May Tokyo Dome show, in 1998, Kobashi would replace Kawada as Misawa's top rival. On June 12, 1998 Kobashi defeated Kawada to begin his second Triple Crown reign. Shortly before his victory he again suffered a major knee injury which he would not give time to heal, which nearly ended his career. He lost the championship again to Misawa.
1998 would end with Kobashi gaining another career milestone as he with Akiyama captured his first Real World Tag League championship. As January began Kobashi was kicking off a new rivalry against Vader. He won the Real World Tag League again with Akiyama in December 1999. In February 2000 he defeated Vader to earn his third Triple Crown reign. Then in April 2000 he won his first Champion's Carnival while in the course of the tournament gaining his first televised singles victory over Misawa. In mid-2000 Misawa left the company to form Pro Wrestling Noah
Pro Wrestling Noah
is a major Japanese professional wrestling promotion, founded in 2000 by former All Japan Pro Wrestling ace Mitsuharu Misawa. NOAH is broadcast weekly in Japan...
; Kobashi, along with all but three All Japan native workers, followed Misawa. He was the reigning Triple Crown champion at the time, and the championship was thus vacated. Despite Kobashi's injuries, it was at around this time that many Japanese wrestling magazines began calling Kobashi "the perfect wrestler," standing at an impressive 6-2 and 280 lbs., Kobashi possessed the strength to out-power most wrestlers, yet he was also able to perform a moonsault with the skill of a lightweight. These traits combined with his amazing endurance and unmatched toughness made Kobashi a difficult opponent to overcome.
Pro Wrestling Noah (2000–present)
During this period Kobashi's knee injuries were beginning to worsen to the point that he desperately needed time off to heal. However, he was needed to establish Noah as a viable promotion, and was given a marquee position on the first two shows. On August 5, 2000, he teamed with Akiyama to defeat Taue and Misawa in a two out of three falls match in the main eventMain Event
Main Event is Australia's only pay-per-view channel. It transmits through Foxtel, Optus Television and Austar, which jointly own the channel...
of the promotion's first show, and then lost to Akiyama on the second show the next day (Kobashi legitimately passed out while being captured in Akiyama's "King Crab Lock" submission and was unable to finish the match). Noah struggled to organize itself without any titles during this period. At the biggest Noah show of the year on December 23, 2000 Kobashi defeated Akiyama, avenging his loss earlier that year. Unfortunately for Kobashi the next month his knees finally deteriorated to the point he could no longer work through the pain and he was forced to take 13 months off for healing. He went through multiple knee surgeries during this time.
His return match was on February 24, 2002, and featured Kobashi reforming his pairing with Misawa to face Akiyama and New Japan Pro Wrestling
New Japan Pro Wrestling
is a major professional wrestling promotion in Japan, founded by Antonio Inoki in June 1972 and owned by Yuke's since 2005, when Inoki sold the promotion. Naoki Sugabayashi is the current President of the promotion and has held that position from 2007. Owing to its TV program aired on TV Asahi, it...
's Yuji Nagata
Yuji Nagata
is a Japanese professional wrestler. He was known for his perennial tweener status, currently a solid fan favorite, and his stiff, shoot style wrestling technique....
. His knees again gave out on him during the match. After taking another 5 months to recuperate he returned and Noah began to slowly build towards him winning their top prize, the GHC Heavyweight Championship
GHC Heavyweight Championship
The Global Honored Crown Heavyweight Championship is the top professional wrestling title in Japanese promotion Pro Wrestling Noah. It was created on April 15, 2001 when Mitsuharu Misawa defeated Yoshihiro Takayama in a 16-man tournament final...
.
On March 1, 2003 Kobashi defeated his rival Mitsuharu Misawa in a match for the GHC Heavyweight Championship. Kobashi's reign spanned for over two years and included 13 successful defenses. Notable defences included: against Masahiro Chono
Masahiro Chono
, is a Japanese professional wrestler. He primarily wrestles for New Japan Pro Wrestling , but has also made appearances for the now defunct World Championship Wrestling, as a member of the New World Order. Chono was also known as Mister Black Jack when he first started as a villain. He is a...
at New Japan's May 2, 2003 Tokyo Dome event, against Yuji Nagata on September 12, 2003, against Yoshihiro Takayama on April 25, 2004, and against Jun Akiyama in the main event of Noah's first Tokyo Dome show on July 10, 2004. During his reign he won the Wrestling Observer Newsletter's Wrestler of the Year award in both 2003 and 2004. In March 2005 he finally lost the championship to Takeshi Rikio
Takeshi Rikio
Takeshi Inoue, known by his stage name , born December 20, 1972, is a Japanese professional wrestler, who works for Pro Wrestling Noah. He is also a former sumo wrestler.- Sumo career :...
. Despite the loss of his title Kobashi remained Noah's top wrestler, the rest of the year was highlighted by matches with outsiders such as Genichiro Tenryu
Genichiro Tenryu
Genichiro Tenryu , real name Genichiro Shimada , is a Japanese professional wrestler. At age 13, he entered sumo wrestling and stayed there for 13 years, after which he turned to Western-style professional wrestling...
and Kensuke Sasaki
Kensuke Sasaki
is a Japanese professional wrestler who currently wrestles for various promotions through his own agency, Kensuke Office. He is the first of two men ever to hold all 3 of puroresu's major heavyweight titles , the other being Yoshihiro Takayama.-Early years :Kensuke Sasaki...
(the latter on July 18, 2005 in the Tokyo Dome), and in the following year he had praised matches against junior heavyweights such as KENTA
Kenta Kobayashi
, also known by his ring name KENTA, is a Japanese professional wrestler currently signed to Pro Wrestling Noah, where he is a former three-time Global Honored Crown Junior Heavyweight Champion...
(March 5, 2006) and Naomichi Marufuji
Naomichi Marufuji
is a Japanese professional wrestler who competes for Pro Wrestling Noah, with occasional appearances in other professional wrestling promotions like Ring of Honor, All Japan Pro Wrestling and New Japan Pro Wrestling, among others. Marufuji is the first of only two Grand Slam Champion in Pro...
(April 23, 2006). Kobashi has the distinction of competing in arguably the 3 best matches in Noah's history, those being against Misawa on March 1, 2003 Akiyama on July 10, 2004 and Sasaki on July 18, 2005. The matches with Misawa and Akiyama garnered 5 star ratings from Dave Meltzer
Dave Meltzer
David A. Meltzer is the editor of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter . Sports Illustrated senior writer Frank Deford has praised Meltzer's work, saying that "Meltzer, I believe, is the most accomplished reporter in sports journalism." Meltzer has written for the Oakland Tribune, the Los Angeles...
from the Wrestling Observer. Kobashi holds the distinction of having competed in a total of 23 5-Star Matches as rated by the Wrestling Observer, second only to his long-time rival, Misawa.
In late 2005, Kobashi made his first appearance in North America with Harley Race
Harley Race
Harley Leland Race is a retired American professional wrestler and current promoter and trainer. During his career as a wrestler, he held the NWA World Heavyweight Championship 7 times...
's World League Wrestling promotion, defeating then WLW champion Wild Wade Chism. His second and third North American appearances were for Ring of Honor
Ring of Honor
Ring of Honor ' is an American professional wrestling promotion, founded in 2002 by Rob Feinstein and Gabe Sapolsky. From 2004 to 2011, the promotion was under the ownership of Cary Silkin before being sold to the Sinclair Broadcast Group in May 2011...
, where he defeated Samoa Joe in a memorable singles match (given a full 5-stars by the Wrestling Observer as well as their Match of the Year award for 2005), and teamed with Homicide to defeat the tag team of Samoa Joe and Low Ki. Kobashi also traveled to Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
where he had matches in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, and at Universal Uproar in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, in November 2005. After winning the GHC Tag Team Championship
GHC Tag Team Championship
The Global Honored Crown Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling tag team title in Japanese promotion Pro Wrestling Noah. It was created on October 19, 2001, when Scorpio & Vader defeated Jun Akiyama & Akitoshi Saito in a tournament final...
on June 4, 2006, Kobashi became inactive in the sport due to cancer. Partner Tamon Honda
Tamon Honda
is a Japanese professional wrestler who is currently a freelancer, he most recently worked for Pro Wrestling Noah.-1984, 1988, and 1992 Summer Olympics:Honda represented Japan in three Olympic Games in freestyle wrestling in 1984, 1988, and 1992...
returned the belts on 26 September 2006 (Mohammed Yone and Takeshi Morishima
Takeshi Morishima
is a Japanese professional wrestler. He is currently performing for Pro Wrestling Noah in Japan and has performed for Ring of Honor in the United States in the past. He is a former Ring of Honor World champion...
, the same men that Kobashi and Honda had beaten for the GHC Tag Team Championship regained the belts by defeating Yoshihiro Takayama
Yoshihiro Takayama
is a Japanese professional wrestler and mixed martial artist. Takayama is well known for his ability to endure massive amounts of punishment, especially after his fight at PRIDE 21 against Don Frye...
and Takuma Sano in a tournament final on December 2 in Yokohama). On December 10, at the Budoukan
Nippon Budokan
The , often shortened to simply Budokan, is an indoor arena in central Tokyo, Japan.This is the location where many "Live at the Budokan" albums were recorded...
, Kobashi appeared before the fans and announced that he would return "without fail".
On September 8, 2007, news broke that Kobashi would make his return on the December 2, 2007 Budokan Hall event where he would team up with Takayama to face Misawa and Akiyama. On the card, Misawa would pin Kobashi with an Avalanche Emerald Frosion, but the fans still gave Kobashi a rousing ovation.
In September 2008, Kobashi underwent emergency surgery on both of his arms. The surgery was successful, and Kobashi was expected to make a full recovery. Kobashi was expected to be out of action for up to a year, but he would return to the ring less than six months later. Prior to returning to the ring, Kobashi stated that he wanted to start in opening matches, and rebuild himself to a main event player.
Kenta Kobashi made his return to wrestling on March 1, 2009 at Nippon Budokan
Nippon Budokan
The , often shortened to simply Budokan, is an indoor arena in central Tokyo, Japan.This is the location where many "Live at the Budokan" albums were recorded...
with Pro Wrestling NOAH, defeated Masao Inoue in the opening match of the card with his signature lariat. Kobashi won the GHC Openweight Hardcore Championship
GHC Openweight Hardcore Championship
The Global Honored Crown Openweight Hardcore Championship is a semi-official professional wrestling championship contested in Pro Wrestling Noah. It was originally created in 2004 as a singles title known as the GHC Openweight Hardcore Championship; in 2007 it was announced that it would be...
from Makoto Hashi
Makoto Hashi
is a Japanese professional wrestler, best known for his appearances in Pro Wrestling Noah.-Career:Hashi's first championship reign in NOAH came after he defeated Naomichi Marufuji for the GHC Junior Heavyweight Championship via stoppage; however, unsatisfied with his victory, Hashi vacated the...
on June 8, 2009 in Hachiōji
Hachioji, Tokyo
is a city located in Tokyo, Japan, about 40 kilometers west of the center of the special wards of Tokyo.As of January 1, 2010, the city has an estimated population of 551,901 and a population density of 2,962.27/km². The total area is 186.31 km². It is the eighth largest city in the...
, Japan during NOAH's Southern Navigation tour.
On December 23, 2009, Kobashi was seriously injured in a three-way match against Honda and Kikuchi. He was sidelined for 19 months with nerve damage in his right arm. Kobashi made his return on July 23, 2011, teaming with Go Shiozaki
Go Shiozaki
is a Japanese professional wrestler currently working for Pro Wrestling Noah, where he is the current GHC Heavyweight Champion. In addition to Noah, he has previously worked in the American-based promotion Ring of Honor and its former sister promotion Full Impact Pro, where he won the latter's...
in a tag team match, where they were defeated by Akitoshi Saito
Akitoshi Saito
is a Japanese professional wrestler who currently works for Pro Wrestling Noah.-Before pro wrestling:Before pro wrestling, Akitoshi Saito was trained in karate by Masashi Aoyagi. Saito seconded Aoyagi in his matches against Atsushi Onita in Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling in 1989...
and Jun Akiyama. On August 27, 2011, he debuted new ring gear, mixing black and orange, at the NJPW/AJPW/NOAH GET TOGETHER show at Budokan Hall, teaming up with AJPW's Keiji Mutoh
Keiji Mutoh
is a Japanese professional wrestler who first gained international fame in the National Wrestling Alliance. He is mostly known for his work as The Great Muta in New Japan Pro Wrestling during the 1990s, but he has also competed in United States, Puerto Rico, Mexico, and Taiwan...
, defeating NJPW's Takashi Iizuka
Takayuki Iizuka
, better known by his stage name , is a Japanese professional wrestler, currently working for New Japan Pro Wrestling.-Early years :Takayuki Iizuka made his debut for New Japan Pro Wrestling in November 1986, wrestling against Akira Nogami. In June 1989, Iizuka and Hiroshi Hase went to the Soviet...
and Toru Yano
Toru Yano
, is a Japanese professional wrestler, trained by and currently signed to New Japan Pro Wrestling , where he is a former IWGP Tag Team Champion.-New Japan Pro Wrestling :...
.
In wrestling
- Finishing moves
- BrainbusterBrainbusterA brainbuster is a professional wrestling throw in which a wrestler puts his/her opponent in a front facelock, hooks his/her pants, and lifts him/her up as if he/she was executing a vertical suplex. The wrestler then falls onto his/her back so that the opponent lands on his/her head while remaining...
- Burning Hammer (Inverted Death Valley driver, sometimes while applying a wrist-clutch) – used only 7 times due to high risk nature - Innovated
- Burning Lariat (Running, short-range, or a short-arm lariat)
- MoonsaultMoonsaultA moonsault, moonsault press, or back flip splash is a professional wrestling aerial technique. Much of its popularity in American wrestling is attributed to The Great Muta, despite it being used in North America by "Leaping" Lanny Poffo years before Muta came from Japan.In a standard moonsault,...
- Orange CrushOrange CrushCrush is a carbonated soft drink brand, originally marketed as an orange soda, which was invented by California beverage and extract chemist Neil C. Ward. Most flavors of Crush are caffeine-free.-History:...
(Vertical suplex powerbomb) – innovated; used on rare occasions
- Brainbuster
- Signature moves
- Boston, or single leg Boston crab
- Diving leg drop – early 1990s
- Multiple bulldog variations:
- Diving, running, or standing leg drop
- Inverted
- Running
- Springboard
- Multiple chop variations
- Backhand
- Burning Sword (Kobashi bends the opponent backwards and hits an overhead chop to their chest, dropping them down to the mat back first)
- Discus
- Drop
- Kesagiri, sometimes performed multiple times in rapid succession
- Machine Gun Chop (Rapid knife-edged chops to a cornered opponent)
- Overhead
- Multiple DDTDDT (professional wrestling)In professional wrestling a DDT is any move in which the wrestler has the opponent in a front facelock, and falls down or backwards to drive the opponent's head into the mat...
variations- Diamond Head (Powerbomb lift into DDT) -- innovated, rarely used
- Double underhook – innovated; used in the early 1990s
- Elevated
- Standing, sometimes on the outside of the ring
- Multiple kick variations:
- Drop
- Jumping high
- Savate
- Spinning heel
- Multiple powerbombPowerbombA powerbomb is a professional wrestling throw in which an opponent is lifted up and then slammed back-first down to the mat. The standard powerbomb sees an opponent first placed in a standing headscissors position...
variations- Jackknife
- KentuckyKentuckyThe Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
Bomb (Pumphandle sitout) – 1991–1998 - Standing
- Turnbuckle
- Multiple suplexSuplexA suplex is an offensive move used in professional sport wrestling . The move consists of one wrestler picking up his or her opponent off the ground and then using a large portion of his or her own body weight to drive the opponent down on the mat. Nearly all suplexes have the attacker going down...
variations- Black Crush (Vertical suplex lift into Cutter) -- innovated, rarely used
- Belly to back
- Dragon
- Cradle – early 1990s
- German
- Half nelson, sometimes from the top rope or the apron
- Half nelson exploder
- High-angle belly-to-back
- Sleeper
- Tiger
- Running leg drop, sometimes to the back of the opponent's neck
- Russian Legsweep
- NicknameNicknameA nickname is "a usually familiar or humorous but sometimes pointed or cruel name given to a person or place, as a supposedly appropriate replacement for or addition to the proper name.", or a name similar in origin and pronunciation from the original name....
s- "Orange Crush" (In reference to his attire in AJPW; In NOAH, he adopted black trunks with dark designs until 2011, adopting black trunks with orange designs)
- "Zettai Ohja" (絶対王者, "The Absolute Champion")
- "Mr. Puroresu" (Bestowed upon by Harley RaceHarley RaceHarley Leland Race is a retired American professional wrestler and current promoter and trainer. During his career as a wrestler, he held the NWA World Heavyweight Championship 7 times...
; Generally, Japanese fans use the title to refer to Genichiro TenryuGenichiro TenryuGenichiro Tenryu , real name Genichiro Shimada , is a Japanese professional wrestler. At age 13, he entered sumo wrestling and stayed there for 13 years, after which he turned to Western-style professional wrestling...
) - "The Maximum Innovator" (In reference to being the wrestler to have innovated more moves in wrestling history)
- Entrance themesMusic in professional wrestlingMusic in professional wrestling serves a variety of purposes. The most common uses of music in professional wrestling is that of the entrance theme, a song or piece of instrumental music which plays as a performer approaches the ring...
- Sniper (AJPW)
- Grand Sword (AJPW / NOAH)
- Blazin (NOAH)
Championships and accomplishments
- All Japan Pro WrestlingAll Japan Pro Wrestlingis a Japanese professional wrestling promotion established in 1972. All Japan Pro Wrestling still remains one of the most popular puroresu promotions still in operation.-The Giant Baba Era :...
- AJPW All Asia Tag Team ChampionshipAJPW All Asia Tag Team ChampionshipThe All Japan Pro Wrestling All Asia Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling tag team title in Japanese promotion All Japan Pro Wrestling . It was created on November 16, 1955 in the Japan Wrestling Association when King Kong Czaya & Tiger Jokinder defeated JWA founder Rikidōzan &...
(4 times) – with Tiger Mask II / Mitsuharu MisawaMitsuharu Misawawas a Japanese professional wrestler. He made his professional debut on August 21, 1981 for All Japan Pro Wrestling . From 1984 until 1990, Misawa wrestled as the second generation Tiger Mask, as All Japan Pro Wrestling had purchased the rights of the Tiger Mask gimmick from New Japan Pro Wrestling...
(1), Johnny AceJohn LaurinaitisJohn Joseph Laurinaitis is the Executive Vice President of Talent Relations for WWE and appears on WWE's Raw Brand as interim General Manager. He was previously a professional wrestler under the ring name Johnny Ace, and wrestled for such promotions as the National Wrestling Alliance and All...
(2) and Tsuyoshi KikuchiTsuyoshi Kikuchiis a professional wrestler currently working as a freelancer. He has previously worked for All Japan Pro Wrestling and Pro Wrestling NOAH. Kikuchi idolized and patterned his style after the Dynamite Kid....
(1) - AJPW Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship (3 times)
- AJPW Unified World Tag Team ChampionshipAJPW Unified World Tag Team ChampionshipThe All Japan Pro Wrestling Unified World Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling tag team title in Japanese promotion All Japan Pro Wrestling...
(6 times) – with Mitsuharu Misawa (2), Johnny Ace (2) and Jun AkiyamaJun Akiyamais a Japanese professional wrestler who currently works for Pro Wrestling Noah and All Japan Pro Wrestling, where he is the current AJPW Triple Crown Heavyweight Champion. Akiyama is known for his serious style and outstanding, time-tested work as a tag team wrestler...
(2) - Champion's CarnivalChampion's CarnivalThe Champion's Carnival is an annual professional wrestling tournament held by All Japan Pro Wrestling, established in 1973. Originally a single-elimination tournament, the Champion's Carnival is currently held as a round-robin, with a victory worth 2 points, a time limit draw worth 1 and a loss,...
(2000) - World's Strongest Tag Team LeagueWorld's Strongest Tag Team LeagueThe , more commonly known in the West as the Real World Tag League, is an annual professional wrestling tournament held by All Japan Pro Wrestling since 1977, usually run on the first weeks of December...
(1993–1995) – with Mitsuharu Misawa - World's Strongest Tag Team League (1998, 1999) – with Jun Akiyama
- One Night Six Man Tag Team Tournament Winner (1999) - with Jun AkiyamaJun Akiyamais a Japanese professional wrestler who currently works for Pro Wrestling Noah and All Japan Pro Wrestling, where he is the current AJPW Triple Crown Heavyweight Champion. Akiyama is known for his serious style and outstanding, time-tested work as a tag team wrestler...
& Kentaro ShigaKentaro Shigais a Japanese professional wrestler, currently working as a freelancer. He returned from a two-year hiatus due to injury in 2005.-All Japan Pro Wrestling :... - January 2nd Korakuen Hall Heavyweight Battle Royal Winner (1993)
- Pro Wrestling IllustratedPro Wrestling IllustratedPro Wrestling Illustrated is a professional wrestling magazine. PWI is currently based in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania and published by Kappa Publishing Group.-History:The first issue of Pro Wrestling Illustrated was released in 1979...
- PWI ranked him #4 of the 500 best singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 1996, 2000, and 2004
- PWI ranked him #33 of the top 500 singles wrestlers of the "PWI Years" in 2003
- Pro Wrestling NoahPro Wrestling Noahis a major Japanese professional wrestling promotion, founded in 2000 by former All Japan Pro Wrestling ace Mitsuharu Misawa. NOAH is broadcast weekly in Japan...
- GHC Heavyweight ChampionshipGHC Heavyweight ChampionshipThe Global Honored Crown Heavyweight Championship is the top professional wrestling title in Japanese promotion Pro Wrestling Noah. It was created on April 15, 2001 when Mitsuharu Misawa defeated Yoshihiro Takayama in a 16-man tournament final...
(1 time) - GHC Openweight Hardcore ChampionshipGHC Openweight Hardcore ChampionshipThe Global Honored Crown Openweight Hardcore Championship is a semi-official professional wrestling championship contested in Pro Wrestling Noah. It was originally created in 2004 as a singles title known as the GHC Openweight Hardcore Championship; in 2007 it was announced that it would be...
(1 time, Current) - GHC Tag Team ChampionshipGHC Tag Team ChampionshipThe Global Honored Crown Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling tag team title in Japanese promotion Pro Wrestling Noah. It was created on October 19, 2001, when Scorpio & Vader defeated Jun Akiyama & Akitoshi Saito in a tournament final...
(2 times) – with Tamon HondaTamon Hondais a Japanese professional wrestler who is currently a freelancer, he most recently worked for Pro Wrestling Noah.-1984, 1988, and 1992 Summer Olympics:Honda represented Japan in three Olympic Games in freestyle wrestling in 1984, 1988, and 1992... - One Day Six Man Tag Team Tournament Winner (2002) - with KENTAKentais a masculine Japanese given name, and may refer to:* Kenta, Swedish musician * KENTA, Japanese professional wrestler * Kenta Kobashi, Japanese professional wrestler...
and Kentaro Shiga
- Tokyo Sports Grand Prix
- Comeback Award (2007)
- Match of the Year (1995)- with Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Akira Taue and Toshiaki Kawada on June 9, 1995
- Match of the Year (1997)- vs. Mitsuharu Misawa on October 21, 1997
- Match of the Year (1998)- vs. Mitsuharu Misawa on October 31, 1998
- Match of the Year (2003)- vs. Mitsuharu Misawa on March 1, 2003
- Match of the Year (2004)- vs. Jun Akiyama on July 10, 2004
- Match of the Year (2005)- vs. Kensuke SasakiKensuke Sasakiis a Japanese professional wrestler who currently wrestles for various promotions through his own agency, Kensuke Office. He is the first of two men ever to hold all 3 of puroresu's major heavyweight titles , the other being Yoshihiro Takayama.-Early years :Kensuke Sasaki...
on July 18, 2005 - Match of the Year (2007)- with Yoshihiro Takayama vs. Mitsuharu Misawa and Jun Akiyama on December 2, 2007
- Rookie of the Year (1989)
- Tag Team of the Year (1993, 1994)- with Mitsuharu Misawa
- Tag Team of the Year (1999)- with Jun Akiyama
- Wrestler of the Year (1996, 1998)
- Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards
- 5 Star Match (1990) with Toshiaki KawadaToshiaki Kawadais a Japanese professional wrestler who is most known for his work in All Japan Pro Wrestling. In 2005, he started freelancing in other promotions....
and Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Jumbo TsurutaJumbo Tsuruta, better known by his ring name Jumbo Tsuruta, was a professional wrestler who wrestled for All Japan Pro Wrestling for most of his career, and is well-known for being the first ever AJPW Triple Crown Heavyweight Champion, having won the PWF Heavyweight Championship, the NWA United National...
, Akira TaueAkira Taueis a Japanese professional wrestler, and the current President of Pro Wrestling Noah. He is also a former AJPW Triple Crown champion, a former GHC Heavyweight Champion and has had 14 5 Star Matches as awarded by the Wrestling Observer Newsletter....
and Masanobu FuchiMasanobu Fuchiis a Japanese professional wrestler currently working for All Japan Pro Wrestling as a full-time wrestler, as well as a director. Fuchi holds the record for the longest AJPW World Junior Heavyweight Championship reign and has competed in All Japan Pro Wrestling longer than any wrestler on the...
on October 19 - 5 Star Match (1991) with Toshiaki Kawada and Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Jumbo Tsuruta, Akira Taue and Masanobu Fuchi on April 20
- 5 Star Match (1992) with Mitsuharu Misawa and Toshiaki Kawada vs. Jumbo Tsuruta, Akira Taue and Masanobu Fuchi on May 22
- 5 Star Match (1992) with Tsuyoshi Kikuchi vs. Doug FurnasDoug FurnasDoug Furnas is a former American professional wrestler and powerlifter. Furnas briefly worked for World Championship Wrestling in the early 1990s...
and Phil Lafon on May 25 - 5 Star Match (1992) with Tsuyoshi Kikuchi vs. Masanobu Fuchi and Yoshinari Ogawa on July 5
- 5 Star Match (1993) vs. Toshiaki Kawada on April 14
- 5 Star Match (1993) with Mitsuharu Misawa and Jun Akiyama vs. Toshiaki Kawada, Akira Taue and Yoshinari Ogawa on July 2
- 5 Star Match (1993) vs. Stan HansenStan HansenJohn Stanley Hansen, Jr. is an American former professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Stan Hansen. As a wrestler, Hansen was well known for his stiff wrestling style, which he attributes to poor eyesight, as he is nearly blind without glasses...
on July 29 - 5 Star Match (1993) vs. Steve Williams on August 31
- 5 Star Match (1993) with Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Toshiaki Kawada and Akira Taue on December 3
- 5 Star Match (1994) with Mitsuharu Misawa and Giant BabaShohei Babawas a professional wrestler and co-founder of All Japan Pro Wrestling. He was also known as Giant Baba. Baba, along with Antonio Inoki, became one of the most famous Japanese wrestlers of his era, with a popularity in Japan comparable to Hulk Hogan's in the United States of America...
vs. Masanobu Fuchi, Toshiaki Kawada and Akira Taue on February 13 - 5 Star Match (1994) with Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Toshiaki Kawada and Akira Taue on May 21
- 5 Star Match (1995) vs. Toshiaki Kawada on January 19
- 5 Star Match (1995) with Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Toshiaki Kawada and Akira Taue on January 24
- 5 Star Match (1995) with Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Steve Williams and Johnny Ace on May 4
- 5 Star Match (1995) with Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Toshiaki Kawada and Akira Taue on June 9
- 5 Star Match (1995) with Mitsuharu Misawa and Satoru Asako vs. Toshiaki Kawada, Tamon Honda, and Akira Taue on June 30
- 5 Star Match (1998) vs. Mitsuharu Misawa on October 31
- 5 Star Match (1999) vs. Mitsuharu Misawa on June 11
- 5 Star Match (1999) with Jun Akiyama vs. Mitsuharu Misawa and Yoshinari OgawaYoshinari OgawaYoshinari Ogawa is a Japanese professional wrestler who currently works for Pro Wrestling Noah. He has earned the nickname of "Rat Boy" due to his sneaky, clever in-ring tactics and baiting his opponents into quick pins.- Career :...
on October 23 - 5 Star Match (2003) vs. Mitsuharu Misawa on March 1
- 5 Star Match (2004) vs. Jun Akiyama on July 10
- 5 Star Match (2005) vs. Samoa JoeSamoa JoeNuufolau Joel "Joe" Seanoa is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Samoa Joe. He is currently under contract with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling....
on October 1 at Joe vs. Kobashi - Best Box Office Draw (2004, 2005)
- Best Wrestling Maneuver (1998) Burning Hammer
- Match of the Year (1992) with Tsuyoshi Kikuchi vs. Doug Furnas and Phil Lafon on May 25
- Match of the Year (1998) vs. Mitsuharu Misawa on October 31
- Match of the Year (1999) vs Mitsuharu Misawa on June 11
- Match of the Year (2003) vs. Mitsuharu Misawa on March 1
- Match of the Year (2004) vs. Jun Akiyama on July 10
- Match of the Year (2005) vs. Samoa Joe on October 1 at Joe vs. Kobashi
- Most Improved Wrestler (1990)
- Most Outstanding Wrestler (1993, 1994)
- Tag Team of the Year (1995) with Mitsuharu Misawa
- Tag Team of the Year (1999) with Jun Akiyama
- Wrestler of the Year (1996, 2003–2005)
- Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of FameWrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of FameThe Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame is a professional wrestling hall of fame that recognizes people who make significant contributions to the sport. It was founded in 1996 by Dave Meltzer, editor of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. The Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame is not...
(Class of 2002)