Kenta Kobashi & Johnny Ace vs. Toshiaki Kawada & Akira Taue-champs

for the Double Tag Titles from AJ TV 6/1 taped 5/27 Sapporo Nakajima Sports Center

This was one of those great tag matches that only AJ can present. I don't think it needs any further introduction. The last 12 minutes or so of the 28:40 match aired. Kawada whipped Ace to Taue so Taue could use his nodowa, but Ace threw Taue down so Kawada high kicked Ace. Kawada & Taue used their backdrop/nodowa combination on Ace for a near fall. Kawada applied his stretch plum on Ace, but Ace made it to the ropes. Kawada put Ace back in the stretch plum, but Kobashi broke it up. Kawada tried to kick Kobashi, but Kobashi Dragon screwed. Kobashi hit two of his discus chops then German suplexed Kawada for a near fall. Kobashi tried his powerbomb, but Kawada blocked it, so Kobashi kneed Kawada then powerbombed him. Rather than go into the jackknife, Kobashi picked Kawada up and tried for another powerbomb, but Kawada kicked him on the way up. Kobashi tried his lariat, but Kawada high kicked him. Kawada made his comeback with an enzui lariat and his jumping high kick. Taue tried to nodowa Kobashi, but Kenta got to the ropes. Taue used his jumping high kick on Kobashi. Taue nodowa'd Kobashi. Rather than cover, Taue tried for a 2nd nodowa (he wanted to do his nodowa's in rapid succession), but Kobashi blocked it. Taue tried his Dynamic bomb (Liger bomb), but Kobashi shifted his weight and landed on top. Both sold. The spot was better on paper then it looked in actuallity, but still served it's purpose. Ace used his diving lariat for a near fall on Taue. Ace tried the Doctor bomb, but Taue blocked so Ace used his guillotine facecrusher for a near fall. Ace tried for his Ace Crusher (Diamond Cutter), but Taue punched him in the stomach. Ace tried his Cobra suplex on Taue, but Kawada came in and enzuiguried Ace. Taue then nodowa'd Ace, but Kobashi made the save. Taue used his Dynamic bomb for a near fall on Ace. Taue tried for his nodowa, but Ace elbowed him in the face and immediately Ace Crushered Taue. Ace had been getting pounded, so he had to tag rather than try for the pin. Kobashi came in, but before he could do anything to Taue, Kawada came in and started kicking him. Kawada high kicked Kobashi then Taue gave Kobashi a released German suplex. Taue tried his nodowa on Kobashi, but Ace broke it up with his diving lariat. Kobashi then DDT'd Taue. Kobashi used his powerbomb & jackknife on Taue, but Kawada made the save. Ace took Kawada out with his Cobra suplex. Kobashi lariated Taue, but all 4 workers were down in the ring selling. Kobashi finally made it over to Taue for the cover, but by then Taue had recovered enough to kick out. Kobashi tried for his powerbomb, but Taue high kicked him. Kobashi charged at Taue hoping to lariat him, but Taue got Kobashi in nodowa position. Kobashi used chops to block the nodowa, so Taue tripped Kobashi with a foot sweep. Kobashi popped up and hit Taue with a running lariat for the win. Kobashi & Ace won the Double tag titles. An exhibition on how to build a great match around the workers signature spots. Kobashi was really good and was the star of the match. Ace & Taue more than served their purpose, especially Taue as he worked most of the portion that was shown. Taue's conditioning seems on the decline though, which could prove to be a bad sign. A riveting match with great ebb and flow. It went back & forth, but not in the quick comeback way. This back and forth was with counters and saves in a way that the finish could come at any time if one of the workers could get their big move off, be "healthy" enough to immediately make the cover, and be lucky enough to have their partner hold their opponents partner off so he couldn't make the save. Great psychology and work. Pacing was neither fast nor slow, but was just right within the context of the match. Real stiff, of course. It's hard to give a match a super rating when you've seen less than half of it, but this is one of those matches where the exception has to be made as this might be the best tag match thusfar in 1997. I definitely need to see this in unedited form. 28:40. ****3/4