On October 2nd, 2005, legendary wrestler and one of Japan’s pillars in pro wrestling, Kenta Kobashi, stepped in the ring for Ring of Honor for a second time & with Homicide. In his second matchup, Kenta Kobashi would team with Homicide to face Samoa Joe & Low Ki. Each of these men would go on to achieve success wherever they had competed. As the bell rang, chants of KOBASHI KOBASHI would ring through the arena during ROH’s Unforgettable 2005. After the customary code of honor between Joe and Kobashi, the two men would stare at one another.
Kobashi insists on going first and wants Samoa Joe to start off the match. As the bell rang, the two men began to feel each other out. Joe teased Kobashi with a slap and breaks from the ropes clean. Kobashi does the same as he backs Joe into a turnbuckle and releases him. After a couple of attempted shoulder tackles, Joe takes down Kobashi and follows with a tope through the ropes to the floor! Joe chops Kobashi and then whips him into the ring. This begins a chop fest between both men. Kobashi absorbs them all, hitting Joe time and time again. Joe then makes the tag to Low Ki, who chops Kobashi immediately but does virtually no damage.
Ring of Honor Unforgettable 2005
Both men pace around the ring resulting in Low Ki locking in a tarantula-like grip on Kobashi in the corner. Kobashi then fights off kicks from Low Ki as he tries to take him down with an armbar takedown. Homicide is finally tagged in. He and Low Ki begin to measure each other out. Low Ki and Homicide jockey for position again, leaving both on their feet. They then attempt a test of strength. After having the advantage, Low Ki reverses it and attempts a bridge. Commentary reminds viewers that Homicide is nursing an injured shoulder in this match.
Joe is then tagged in and tattoo’s Homicide with strong kicks while he is sat in the corner. Homicide gets to his feet, and finger pokes Joe in the eyes. Kenta Kobashi is then tagged by Homicide once again. His next chop takes Joe down off his feet. Kobashi systematically breaks down Joe. He is stretching him out in the process as well. Homicide is then tagged in. However, before he leaves, Kobashi hits Joe with one last chop. Joe eventually pops up and hits Homicide with another strong kick before tagging out. Low Ki and Homicide bring the fight to one another. Once Low Ki is thrown out, Kobashi drives a couple of the meanest chops anyone has seen on him. Kobashi then DDT’s Low Ki at the top of the entranceway.
Another chop by Kobashi knocks the smaller man over the barricade to the floor. Homicide locks in a camel clutch on Low Ki, who is then thrown in the ring. With the referee distracted, Kobashi chops Low Ki, who can’t defend himself. Ki is nursing those chops. As Homicide attempts a tope, Ki blocks it. Surprisingly, Low Ki didn’t go for the tag. Instead, he gets some offense in of his own. As Low Ki attempts to make a tag out, Kobashi comes charging in from the other end of the ring. This brings in Joe, who hits Kobashi with fast strikes in the corner turnbuckle.
Homicide & Kenta Kobashi vs. Samoa Joe & Low-Ki
Joe tags in and continues to work over the battered Homicide. Homicide attempts to recover, but he is caught with a Death Valley Driver. As he attempts to make the pin, Kobashi rushes and stops the three count attempt. With Homicide in the corner, both Low Ki and Samoa Joe drive kick after kick onto Homicide. But Homicide recovers and hits a DDT on Low Ki. He then follows up with a running forearm on Ki in the corner. With Low Ki up on the top turnbuckle, Homicide attempts a superplex, but he gets caught, and it’s blocked as Ki comes down with a double foot stomp! The referee makes the count, but Homicide kicks out at two.
Joe is then tagged in once again and continues to work on the Notorious 187. But Homicide then counters Joe’s attack with a jumping DDT off the middle rope. Homicide makes the tag to Kenta Kobashi, who then hits machine gun-like chops on both Joe and then Low Ki. After momentarily throwing Ki off Joe, Kobashi hits a series of chops once again on Joe. The commentator then states that 71 chops were hit by Kobashi on Joe in the corner. He then slaps on a sleeper and turns it into a suplex. Joe attempts to fight back, but Kobashi strikes him. However, Joe then manages to lock in a cross-arm breaker until Homicide stops him. Joe then hits a powerbomb followed by an STF on Kobashi.
Joe changes it mid-move and clutches Kobashi’s arm. Samoa Joe then picks up Kobashi and hits a Belly-to-Back Side Suplex on his head! Fans are chanting in unison that THIS IS AWESOME! Joe gets Kobashi up for a Muscle Buster and goes for the pin. But Kobashi kicks out! Low Ki is tagged in and attempts a double stomp, but Kenta moves out of the way. After avoiding a Shining Wizard, Low Ki hits a back kick to the head of Kobashi. Low Ki attempts a Ki-Krusher, but Kobashi blocks it. He is then hit with a shotgun dropkick! Kobashi fights off Low Ki’s attempts to whip him out. He then attempts a Black Widow, but Homicide comes in and breaks it up. Ki accidentally hits Joe instead of Homicide. Homicide hits a tope on Joe to the floor.
In the ring, Low Ki is hit with a chop and then a powerbomb by Kobashi. He then floats over and folds him up for the pin. But Ki kicks out at two! Kobashi then attempts the Orange Crush powerbomb on Low Ki, but the count is stopped. Kenta Kobashi then hits a MASSIVE clothesline on Low Ki, knocking him out. Kobashi then makes the pinfall for the three count and the win.
This brutal showcase was certainly a battle of Ring of Honor’s best with one of Japanese wrestling’s best. However, this thirty-minute encounter told the story of how valiant their efforts would be even against a legend such as Kenta Kobashi.
