Author: Alex Podgorski

What does the perfect wrestler look like? If you were to ask the illustrious Tokyo Sports in 2000, then they would show you a photo of Kenta Kobashi. Standing at 6’1, weigh 250lbs. and possessing one of the most chiseled physiques ever seen in Japan, Kobashi was a sight to behold. But it wasn’t just his look that captivated audiences. Kenta Kobashi is, quite possibly, the greatest professional wrestler that ever lived. And this isn’t simply one person’s opinion; this is based on the successes, both critical and commercial, of the companies he has worked for during his stellar pro…

Kenta Kobashi vs Misuharu Misawa. There are some wrestling rivalries that are defined by how well each wrestler can insult one another. Others are defined by how vicious the brawls are or how personal each side makes it. This is not one of those rivalries. It’s one that’s based on excellence inside the ring. It forgoes the in-your-face obviousness that some wrestlers put into their matches and replaces it with subtleties added on over time. It’s a rivalry between two of the best pro wrestlers of all time: Kenta Kobashi vs Mitsuharu Misawa. __________________ Mitsuharu Misawa vs Kenta Kobashi -…

The first-ever Super J Cup is one of the greatest nights of pro wrestling in history. Not only was it packed to the brim with great matches. However, it had historical importance as well. Super J Cup 1994 created stars. This match made stars out of smaller wrestlers and forever changed the course of wrestling history. After this match, junior heavyweight wrestlers would no longer be relegated to being less important. In comparison to their heavyweight counterparts. ___________________ Instead, those smaller, more technically skilled grapplers would go on to become pioneers, revolutionaries, and otherwise critical figures in pro wrestling history.…

With Keiji Muto, a.k.a. The Great Muta, approaching his retirement match, it’s important to look what his contributions to pro-wrestling. Much has already been said and written of Muto/Muta’s in-ring influence, titles, accolades, and influence. So instead, today we’ll revisit something that wrestling fans created in his honor: The Muta Scale. In simple terms, the Muta Scale is an informal, fan-made way of measuring how much a wrestler bleeds during a match. Over the decades, it has been used to measure just how bloody some matches are. For some fans, a bloodier match is a more exciting or dramatic one.…

It was the Singles Match of the Decade. In early 2000, Tokyo Sports, one of the most prestigious sports magazines in Japan, held a poll to determine the best singles match of the 1990s. The match we’re looking at today was the top choice. It took place on October 31st, 1998, and was hailed as not only the best match of that (already-stacked) decade but also as one of the best of all time. Today we look back at another great singles match between Mitsuharu Misawa and Kenta Kobashi. A Storied Past Misawa and Kobashi were once tag team partners.…

Most wrestling fans have heard the name Jushin Thunder Liger. He’s a certified legend and Hall of Famer known the world over. His wrestling career spanned over 35 years and well over 3,000 recorded matches. But what might not be known is the story of Jushin Liger’s alter ego, Kishin Liger. And today, we revisit the day that the monster debuted. A bit of background The wrestler Jushin Liger is based on a 1990s anime of the same name. The word ‘Jushin’ roughly translates as ‘Beast God’, and ‘Thunder’ is his final form. The wrestling character Jushin Liger has had…

Eddie Kingston and Naomichi Marufuji, their journey to High Intensity on August 28th, 2022. Anyone who follows Eddie Kingston knows of his passion for puroresu. He loves Japanese wrestling, especially 1990s All Japan (the man has good taste). He has adopted the moves and mannerisms of several top King’s Road tars and has long wanted to face any of them still active. Well, he’ll finally be getting his hands on one. But it won’t be any of the Four Pillars or even Jun Akiyama. It’ll be Naomichi Marufuji, the protégé of Mitsuharu Misawa. This Sunday at House of Glory, Kingston…

Samoa Joe vs Mitsuharu Misawa – The Match That Really Happened Many fans remember Samoa Joe’s famous ROH match with Kenta Kobashi. That match has long been considered arguably the best ‘indy’ wrestling match ever. But that match was the start of something bigger. It started a long working relationship between ROH and Pro Wrestling NOAH that would lead to many more famous inter-company matches. Most of them achieved fame because they took place stateside. Matches like Joe vs. Kobashi, Danielson vs. KENTA, and Danielson vs. Morishima, are all still talked about among hardcore wrestling enthusiasts. But what many people…

Roman Reigns is in the midst of the best title run of his career as we look at Roman’s Reign. As of April 11th, 2022, he has held the WWE Universal Championship for 585 days. And considering how much time and effort WWE has put into making him a big star, Roman’s reign isn’t likely to end soon. But all reigns to come to an end eventually. And one of the biggest challenges any company faces is booking the next champion. WWE still has time right now before their next title change. This is especially true considering many rumors are…

David vs. Goliath, Kobashi and Takayama, the giant vs. the smaller underdog—it’s a time-tested trope in pro-wrestling. It has been done countless times across promotions around the world. Many wrestlers and wrestling promotions have tried to create the perfect version of this story only to come up short in one way or another. But today we look back at the one match that really did live up to that billing and set new standards for what it means. It took place on April 25th, 2004, in Pro Wrestling NOAH. And today we revisit that legendary encounter. Meet The Fighters David…