Posted November 27, 200519 yr comment_4013985 I got this from goodhelmet today and was eager to watch the match that everyone is clamoring over. Did it live up to the hype? Honestly, I'd have to say no, only because it had that new-Star-Wars-movie level of hype that no match could have lived up to. I think a lot of the hype was from ROH fans having a collective orgasm over seeing one of their Japanese heroes live in person. Match of the year? Most likely. I heard some people talking as if it was the greatest match ever, which I'd argue was a bit of overhype. Having said that, it was certianly one of the better matches I've seen in a long time. You know how sometimes discussions here end up comparing wrestling to boxing or MMA? This was one of those matches where it would be an apt comparison. They'd trade blows like madmen to the point where you'd almost forget it was a worked match. You know how Flair can hit those chops that sound like gunshots? Kobashi makes those look like pussy shots here. Your chest will hurt watching Kenta turn Joe's upper body into an abstract art piece. The people who think Joe's a "spot monkey" based on his TNA work need to watch this match too, just for the sequence of submission moves he uses to keep Kobashi from reaching the ropes. He held his own against one of the world's best and showed why he deserves to be considered one of them. In all it was a great strong style match, great crowd heat, just great work all around. It comes down to two guys beating the piss out of each other, no sportz entertainment, no run ins, no soap opera. Just two guys trying to do what it takes to keep the other man down. Sometimes that's all wrestling needs to be.
November 27, 200519 yr comment_4014065 Hey sek, did you see Kobashi vs. Sasaki from the NOAH Dome show this past summer? It was a serious chop fest too. I wouldn't say it was a MOTYC, but the atmosphere reminded me of Rock/Hogan, and it wasn't boring to watch, that's for sure. I read somewhere that Kobashi got one of his teeth broken in half during the match with Joe...any sign of that happening?
November 27, 200519 yr Author comment_4014120 There were a couple of segments where they went back and forth hitting each other with some stiff-ass shots to the head and chest so there was definately opportunity to bust some teeth.
November 27, 200519 yr comment_4016339 I just saw Kobashi vs. Joe the other day, and oh my God, what a fight. That's the best way to say it, a fight. Not the greatest match ever (and why the crowd chants "This is awesome" barely a minute in I'll never know), but North American Match of the Year by far.
