Discuss Here.

In the spirit of giving everyone a chance I watched 5 Abdullah Kobayashi matches. This is not for me.

I watched a 2006 match with Takashi Sasaki that I actually enjoyed. It was structured like a 2010s indie main event but instead of increasingly spectacular bombs/athletic shit, it was increasingly ludicrous use of plunder. 

The next deathmatches I watched were a lot worse. A 2012 Ryuji Ito match that was like a worse version of the Sasaki match but once Abdullah got a syringe stuck through his cheek it was too much gore for me and I was covering my eyes. I was similarly grossed out by a Shuji Ishikawa match from 2010 where Abdullah’s back was so bloody I was praying for the match to just end so he could get medical help.

In the non-deathmatch category I watched an okay walk-n-brawl against Daisuke Sekimoto in korakuen hall with some cool spots. And Abdullah teaming with Seikimoto  against Kento Miyahara & Yuma Aoyagi from last years AJPW tag league in what is without a doubt the worst All Japan main event I’ve ever seen. Unfunny comedy from Abdullah, Sekimoto & Miyahara totally taking a night off, true garbage.

 

Barring stuff like CZW bumps off buildings, shouldn't it be a plus for these deathmatch guys that they're creative in finding ways to conjure up disturbing and violent imagery within the confines of a relatively sustainable style? Making something that looks like it's really damaging without actually leading to lasting injury is a fundamental skill in wrestling after all.

Kind of shocked to see Abdullah Kobayashi didn't even get any discussion at all last time around, actually. Definitely thinking deathmatch guys got shafted.

It's possible that the words "death match" act as modifiers for some fans (me). Like urinal, motor and techno change the meanings of cake, sport and music, respectively. Plus it's a niche within a niche within another niche, so it's an uphill battle to get some broader love for gentlemen like Abby Jr.

a lot of the most active folks here seem not to like the outright gore; i've seen people praise Onita specifically *because* he didn't often deliver the level of violence that was promised.  from that perspective it makes sense that a lot of deathmatch wrestling wouldn't get much play here

Abby Jr has a good shot at my list, his highs put him among the best deathmatch wrestlers all-time. However I feel like I'm often a bit disappointed when I dig past his greatest hits, so I'm really hoping to discover some new favorite performances when I start focusing on him.

Don't think I'll be a voter on him, or he will even be a guy I look into, mainly just out of a lack of interest overall in his style, but in watching through 2006, I stumbled upon the Takashi Sasaki match mentioned earlier in this thread, along with a tag where he and Sekimoto take on a couple other deathmatch guys, and I have to say, I find him incredibly endearing. He's got a special connection with the Big Japan crowd in those matches where they are eating up everything that he does, and it feels really heart-warming for a guy who's only there to spill blood and eat light tubes. The best wrestlers are those who portray emotion really well and while Abby Jr's style doesn't allow him the most time to shine in terms of selling or anything, he's a very captivating and lovable babyface whenever he's on screen, in my experience with him.