All Japan Real World Tag League 1996 Finals

FIGHT
PUNCH
KICK
HURT
BLEED
SWEAT
REVIEW

***** Toshiaki Kawada/ Akira Taue v. Mitsuharu Misawa/ Jun Akiyama (Dec. 6)- 8

Going back and watching an All Japan match from this early 90's era never disappoints. There's a huge satisfaction when watching some of the masters at work in their prime and that's what you have here. The tag structure is real loose in this and is more like a fight, at every turn, no one stays down for long except for Jun's extended ass beating early on. Everyone snaps over fast on suplexes, as if a target was pained on the top of their heads. Misawa and Kawada, especially, show off that vicious streak that made both men such huge stars. Taue is easily the weakest of the four, but he takes some nasty blows and that's not a knock at all. Crowd heat is molten level here, wait till the faces seem to have it wrapped up and they go nuclear. After their devastating double German combo, Misawa looks like a lion dragging a fresh zebra back to the pack by his teeth trying to put Kawada back in. Akiyama can't quite knee like Race could but his enthusiasm is making up for it. Keep expecting Misawa to grow black feathers the way he gets pissed. Flying chokeslam from the apron after 20 minutes of action is fucking crazy. Story, ha, no story here, who's going to break first? Wow, how good is Taue v. Misawa around the 25 min. mark going singles and tearing it up. I'm just marking out all over this and I think i've ruined my sweatpants. Watching a Jim Cornette how to video earlier about how to make it in the biz reminds me when talking about drawing money he never mentioned "being complete badasses and killing people with feet and suplexes" works just as good. I will not die was just a catchphrase for Matt hardy but it was a way of life for Misawa at this point, the level beating he's absorbing is just sickening. God damn Kawada looked like Godzilla leveling Tokyo at the end against Misawa/ Akiyama. MY GOD! My tv just exploded. Good thing i've got a new one for Xmas in my sights. Jesus I'm spent.