(NOAH): THIS IS NOAH! (Night 2: Main event, Kobashi vs Akiyama) ~ Tonight the one chosen for this new era is...

Weekly Pro

22nd August 2000 (Issue 991)

The long-awaited fight, full force....soft & hard vs hard & super hard

"I'll dye it in my own color"

After the previous day's match, Akiyama seemed to suggest that despite scoring victories over Misawa and Taue, he was not yet satisfied and spoke of his aspirations for the next days match against Kobashi. He also said that a win in the first match was no more than a passing grade.

A brave man!

 But, at the same time, I think it is precisely because Akiyama pushes himself with such harsh words, that he is able to remain the Akiyama he is. Normally, if you keep making such radical statements, you're bound to get a backlash, and he even managed to sneakily attack Kobashi with a back drop. But Akiyama doesn't seem to care about that. Well, maybe he does, but from the outside, Akiyama's attitude doesn't change. His attitude of being relentlessly cool and strict in his dealing with himself, others and the promotion, was expressed in the word "STERNESS", written on the back of the long pure white gown he had newly made for the launch. 

 Meanwhile, Kobashi, who like Akiyama has vowed to lead Noah forward, was extremely determined to perform at the inaugural match, but to be honest, both of his knees, which he underwent surgery on at the end of June, are not in perfect condition. Kobashi never complains, saying that as long as he steps into the ring he is 100%, but it is true that he is not fully healed. However, since Kobashi himself had no choice but to face Akiyama in what he considered to be a "fight that would determine the direction of the promotion," he was not wearing a jacket on the day, but on the back of his newly purchased jacket he had the words "BURNING HASN'T DISAPPEAR" inscribed to express his determination. It means, "The flame will never go out". This was a match that both men had been hoping to have for about a year and four months since their All Japan days. It was also the first time since Akiyama left Burning, and it was a match on such an important stage at Noah's inaugural event. This is the fight that Noah is fighting at this point in time.

 The showdown began with Akiyama's dropkick to Kobashi's knee. Kobashi's face twisted in pain several time, it was clear from his expression that his knee was not in perfect condition. But honestly, I was amazed at how quickly Kobashi recovered. He only started training in the ring a week ago. An average wrestler would never have been able to step into the ring, but he repeatedly showed off his strong physique to Akiyama. Scenes like when he countered a reverse shrimp with force, and the scene where he grabbed Akiyama, who was going for a Northern, and threw him back, made me wonder if he was really a wrestler who had had surgery on both knees just a month before. That is how much he put his hopes into this match, and the inaugural event. Kobashi gave the opening speech before the show that day, and in it he said the following: "I believe that the true essence of professional wrestling lies in the fight in the ring".

 A fight that lives up to the production! 

 From that perspective, Kobashi was just as strong as Akiyama, but Akiyama surpassed even Kobashi's determination. It is true that he attacked Kobashi's knee and looked for an opportunity to win, but Akiyama sometimes used "softness" and sometimes "hardness" to counter Kobashi's hard and super hard attacks. That adaptability is what makes Akiyama so appealing.

 Twenty minutes into the match, things were getting more and more heated, and the chances of victory were changing rapidly, but it was Akiyama who seemed to have grasped the victory as if he had grasped the era. He finished off with four consecutive Exploders, and a front neck lock, the same move that he had finished Misawa off with the night before, this time, knocking out Kobashi. Akiyama chose this move for his finisher for a very special reason, "Winning by aiming for a submission feels more like a real win". With this, Akiyama has beaten the top three wrestlers in three straight matches in the two shows since the inaugural event. It's a historic start that couldn't be better; "Kobashi-san is not in perfect condition, so I want to do it again. It was good that it went down in history as the inaugural match, but I don't think anything new will come out unless I win, and Kobashi needs to grow as well. If things stay the way they are now, I think it'll be the same as before." In contrast to Kobashi, who made no comment, Akiyama was eloquent. Even when the referee called a stoppage, he didn't let go, which led to him being stomped by Rikio*, but he said, "On the contrary, I'm happy to see the young guy assert himself," with the composure and dignity of an ace. 

 The word [STERNNESS] written on Akiyama's back is a part of which the original meaning is "The place where one takes the helm," a word that has a different meaning from [STERN]. Akiyama explains that this is the origin of STERNESS, but this does not seem like a coincidence. 

Let Akiyama set the course!

Yes, that is what he must be hinting at...after all, it's written on his back. 

Translated from an Article by Kei Sato

Picture credit: Weekly Pro

Picture blurb notes

- The second night of the inaugural event began with a greeting from Kobashi, "I believe that the true essence of professional wrestling lies in the fights in the ring. I hope to continue to put up passionate fights that live up to this performance, so please support me". 

- On the back of Akiyama's gown is the word "STERNESS", it means "strictness" or "cold discipline"

- Kobashi threw a Noah shirt into the audience

- Akiyama not happy about beating Kobashi, due to the condition that Kobashi was in. 

- Kobashi said he "thought my head was going to explode"

Notes

Rikio: Takeshi.