A NOAH fan's Top 10 Match List of Promotion's History

[GlobalHonored]

TOP 10 Matches in NOAH History (8/5/00 – 5/2/03)

•12/23/00 “Grand Voyage” Kenta Kobashi vs. Jun Akiyama: Kenta Kobashi beat Jun Akiyama (35:58) with the Burning Hammer. In Kobashi’s “final” match where his career was in jeopardy before his record setting string of knee surgeries and year plus absence from the ring, he put on a show of epic proportions and his body through so much pain that it is simply beyond comprehension how he was able to pull this off. Following the match Kobashi’s knees were so bad that he could not make it out of his house to get to his doctor’s appointments on his own power, yet he shows no signs of weakness in this heroic effort revenging his defeat from NOAH’s second show just four months prior to the man he helped groom to lead the future, Jun Akiyama. Akiyama was in top form as well and this brings back late 90s All Japan magic. This would have been a great conclusion, like MJ’s game winning jumper to win his 6th Title for the Bulls, to Kobashi’s career. Thankfully he was able to return to the ring, similar to Jordan’s first return, Kobashi’s comeback has been legendary, but this match still stands out as one of his very best, especially due to the circumstances. The very 1st Classic NOAH match.

•3/1/03 Kenta Kobashi vs. Mitsuharu Misawa XVI from Nippon Budokan: Kenta Kobashi beat Mitsuharu Misawa (c) (33:28) with the Burning Hammer to become the 6th champion. The New “Best Match in NOAH history” reunited Career Rivals in what is likely their final and arguably greatest match up, at least since the ’97 classic, which was one of those All Japan “Best Ever” confrontations. This ’03 version was simply magical with the best work from Misawa in years and Kobashi in top form. What made this one so special, besides the insane crowd heat, was that it was the official pasing of the torch from Misawa to Kobashi after all the years and the first time that Kobashi got the win with the title on the line which not only revitalized the battered new champ who had to be hospitalized after the stiff match, but also put new life in the promotion as a whole. A must see and Match of the Decade Candidate for sure.

•2/9/03 “Differ Cup Tag Scramble 3rd Place Match” KENTA & Kotaro Suzuki vs. MIKAMI & KUDO: NOAH team wins when KENTA used a Busaiku knee kick on KUDO (24:52). The sleeper MOTY candidate was the best of the terrific Differ Cup matches and brought a new type of excitement to the promotion as Suzuki & KENTA held of the DDT duo in a fast paced style of match that made these lesser known youngsters outshine anything that the New Japan JR legends have put out in a ling while. The Junior scene got a huge lift from this tournament and this match best exemplified the athleticism, excitement and mixture of styles that was the trademark of the tourney and it’s greatest asset. Check it out if you get a chance.

•1/10/03 “Great Voyage 2003” Mitsuharu Misawa & Masahiro Chono vs. Kenta Kobashi & Akira Taue: Kobashi & Taue win (22:19) when Kobashi used a brainbuster on Misawa. New Japan icon Masa Chono makes his NOAH debut sharing the ring with 3 of the 4 corners of Heaven in one of those fantasy match-ups that no one would have ever imagined could have been put together. The match is superb with Kobashi and Chono’s work really highlighted the action and drawing crazy heat from the emotional crowd. This match turned out to be instrumental for NOAH in 2003 not only b/c of the fantastic in ring action but also for helping to set up both the 3/1 title match with Kobashi’s pin on the champ and later the 5/2 Tokyo Dome sell out where Chono challenged for the GHC belt.

•2/17/02 Jun Akiyama & Yuji Nagata vs. Mitsuharu Misawa & Kenta Kobashi: Akiyama & Nagata beat Misawa & Kobashi (26:49) when Akiyama used a wrist-clutch Exploder on Kobashi. This was Kobashi’s First Comeback attempt as he and fellow “Old Guard Legend” Misawa battled the “New Gen” team of NOAH ace Akiyama and New Japan’s top guy in Nagata. Kobashi would not be able to fully retuen as he had Akiyama “test” his knees, keeping him out for an additional 6 months only to return against all odds again. That’s beside the point here, as Kobashi shows no ring rust in his attempt to once again defeat Akiyama in the very ring where they met last (Dec. ’00). This was not to happen as the New Gen Ace got the better of him. Nagata looked a bit timid at first but showed the potential to mesh well with the NOAH style, especially with Misawa in the ring. A terrific match with that “Dream Match” feel along the same lines as 1/10/03.

•9/23/02 “NOAH Great Voyage 2002” Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Yoshihiro Takayama: Mitsuharu Misawa beat Yoshihiro Takayama (c) (23:50) with a running elbow smash to become the 5th champion. This match is for those who like their wrestling with a splash of stiffness. Actually there is an entire wave of stiff hitting here, no pun intended, as Misawa reclaims his title against the newly crowned champ. It was a way to move the belt off Ogawa and put on a hard hitting match that best fit Takayama’s style and he definitely impressed here going 20+ minutes with the master in what was just a prelude to the tremendous year he was about to have in ’03.

•9/5/02 Captain’s Fall Elimination Match between STERNESS and BURNING at Korakuen Hall: Jun Akiyama (c), Akitoshi Saito, Yoshinobu Kanemaru & Makoto Hashi beat Kenta Kobashi (c), Kentaro Shiga, Tsuyoshi Kikuchi & KENTA (50:11) in a Captain's Fall Elimination Match. Saito used the Sickle of Death on Kikuchi (23:57). Shiga used the Shiga sleeper on Hashi (39:10). Kanemaru used a brainbuster on KENTA (41:22). Akiyama used a lariat on Kobashi (50:11). This is perhaps the most entertaining match NOAH has put out in their brief history. The rivalry was heating up and the story told here was classic. Hard to find in entirety, clipped version runs about 30 minutes but is still glorious. Like I said, it doesn’t get any more fun than this offering by some of NOAH’s elite talent.

•2/17/02 Juventud Guerrera vs. Naomichi Marufuji for the GHC Junior Title as part of the undercard to this wonderful offering at the Budokan: Naomichi Marufuji (c) beat Juventud Guerrera (24:57) with the Shiranui (1st defense). This one had to grow on me but it surely did. Never the Juvi fan, he absolutely pulls out pure rudo perfection here, impressing me like never before and inciting the crowd to near riot status and giving them a show with his work as well. Juvi actually outshines the young phenom Marufuji here but can’t seal the victory as Marufuji miraculously prevails in a truly entertaining Junior singles match.

•1/26/03 Tsuyoshi Kikuchi & Yoshinobu Kanemaru vs. Jushin Lyger & Koji Kanemoto for the IWGP JR Tag Titles: Lyger & Kanemoto beat Kanemaru & Kikuchi (c) (27:11) when Lyger used a shotei on Kikuchi to become the 10th champions. In another one of the great NOAH interpromotional matches of the last few years, the two best Juniors of their generations come to NOAH to reclaim a New Japan staple, the IWGP Junior tag belts which the surprising NOAH team “stole” for NOAH just months before. Kikuchi does some serious selling and Kanemaru shows that he can hang with the NJ masters. Lyger is his always exceptional self here as he draws heat like no other Junior in the world can, sorry Curry. A Stylistic masterpiece that one would expect from these four. The best Junior Tag Match that NOAH had produced til then, of course the Differ Cup would be only weeks away, but this one is not to be forgotten or overshadowed as it stands alone in importance and crowd heat from the often Junior Silent NOAH crowd that displayed their NOAH patriotism and respect for their fallen heroes.

•2/17/02 Again. This time it’s for the GHC Tag Titles with Team No Fear putting their belts on the line against the up and coming Wild II: Takeshi Morishima & Takeshi Rikio beat Takao Omori & Yoshihiro Takayama (c) (16:01) when Rikio used a powerbomb on Omori to become the 4th champions. This was the feel good match of the show as the youngsters pulled off the big upset and out brutalized the No Fear team with some super stiff action. Relatively short at 16 minutes, these guys really went at it and got the crowd into a frenzy as they celebrated along with the new champs. Who would’ve guessed that the Takeshi’s reign would last longer than Omori and Takayama’s?


So, there it is. My personal top 10 from NOAH thus far. 2002 was a great year for the promotion even though the main title was stuck on an undeserving fraud for a good portion of the year. Kobashi’s return as well as Takayama’s multi-promotional success has really carried NOAH to new heights in 2003. Of course Lyger, Chono and Nagata have helped as NOAH continues to excel with their promotional crossovers. Honda has elevated his game as his recent Tag Title match with Kobashi has received terrific reviews and his one on one with Kobashi has even been mentioned as a MOTY candidate. No one could have dreamed that. Akiyama & Saito have been surprisingly outstanding in their tag run and their match with Tanaka & Otani can’t go without mention. The Juniors continue to grow as well and with an upcoming JR tourney to crown JR Tag Champs with Lyger and Takaiwa invited , this is sure to be worth the watch. This is just 10 that I have enjoyed and recommend hoping that any newcomers to the promotion may benefit from the list.

Here it is again in simple form:
1- Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Kenta Kobashi (3/1/03)
2- Kobashi & Taue vs. Misawa & Chono (1/10/03)
3- BURNING vs. STERNESS (9/5/02)
4- Jun Akiyama vs. Kenta Kobashi (12/24/00)
5- Kikuchi & Kanemaru vs. Lyger & Kanemoto (1/26/03)
6- KENTA & Suzuki vs. MIKAMI & KUDO (2/9/03)
7- Akiyama & Nagata vs. Misawa & Kobashi (2/17/02)
8- Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Yoshihiro Takayama (9/23/02)
9- Naomichi Marufuji vs. Juventud Guerrera (2/17/02)
10- Takayama & Omori vs. Rikio & Morishima (2/17/02)

[Monsieur Puroresu]

Great Top but NOAH is too young to make a top 10 of matches. In ten years ?

[The Great Maijin]

I would love 2 buy that tape

[Macaframa]

Well, NOAH obviously isnt too young to make a top 10 list. You could say the same thing about feds like NWA-TNA, ROH, CZW, etc. but they've all had so many good matches, that you could possibly even make a top 20.

I agree, that tape would be awesome.

[edgehead1984]

I agree