EL DANDY~! Tape Review-All Japan Excite Series 2000

-I continue my pimping of GOLDEN BOY TAPES because they absolutely rule. Go buy tapes from them. They got great tapes at great prices and it’s worth it because they’ll get the stuff to you pronto. Tell them I sent you, please. Or Scott or Mike or Bob. Whichever. Also, I’m reverting back to the star format. It’s cliche, but it gets the point across better than, “go see this match” because most of the people don’t understand, I guess. I don’t know.

-Just so you know, I am now going to focus on being a reviewer. I’m not really into being a columnist as there really isn’t something to write about every week to interest me, which Widro warned me about. So now I’m gonna stick to reviewing. I’ve got a ton of stuff to work with, also, so expect good things from me in this regard.

-I’d like to thank Mike for doing the October Giant Series, which is the precursor to this tour, which pretty much sets up most of the major matches on this tour. There is the 2000 New Years Giant Series, but chances are Mikey will get to that, too. Plus, I always let him have the sucky tapes so I can do the good ones! Yeah, right. He’s got more tapes with awesome matches than I can count. So let’s get started with a match that is a number one contender’s match for the All Japan Double Tag Titles, held by Kenta Kobashi and Jun Akiyama, collectively known as The Burning.

Vader and “Dr. Death” Steve Williams vs. Team No Fear (Takao Omori and Yoshihiro Takayama)-For those of you at home, Omori is in World Japan right now and Takayama is a Double Crown champion, holding both of NJPW’s major titles. Williams was given a tryout match in WWE-land a month ago and methinks he’s doing some road agent type doings over there now. Vader is doing World Japan right now and is supposedly dead. No Fear jumps the bell and knock down Williams to go after Vader, and now it’s a Pier-Six, with Vader and Williams taking over with a double tackle on Takayama. Now a double corner splash on Omori, and Vader backdrops Omori, and they both drop a splash before Takayama saves. Williams tosses him as they give Omori a Vader Attack, and now it’s a regular tag. We hit the chinlock to settle things down. Omori trades shots with Vader…yeah. Tag Williams, and he hits a powerslam for 2. Front chancery as I’m wondering about restholds right now…Takyama breaks it up and Williams goes to the Camel Clutch. Takayama breaks it up again, but this time, Vader comes in and takes him outside. Omori tries to fight out of the gaijin corner, but they stop that fast. Vader takes over, hitting a BRUTAL lariat for 2. Fujiwara Amrbar into the Crossface, and then back to the armbar again. Short lariat gets 2. Tag Williams, and he comes off the top with a tackle, hits a lariat, and goes for the Doctorbomb, but Takayama stops that, so Williams tackles him. He goes for the Oklahoma Stampede, but Omori counters to a neckbreaker drop. Tag Takayama, and they kick Vader off, and hit the SWANK No Fear Backdrop/Neckbreaker Drop double team, and then the double lariat. And now No Fear looks to finish with the No Fear Double Bomb, but Vader tosses Omori. Takayama drops a leg for 2, while on the outside, Vader powerbombs Omori. OUCH. Takayama wanted his Everest German, but Vader stops it. Williams whips Takayama into a Vader Attack and Williams lariats Takayama down. Vader with a big splash, and then he rolls out to hold Omori back as Williams hits the Homicidal Backdrop for the win at 8:02. That was a fun little brawl right there. **1/2. Vader, who is already the Triple Crown Champ, now goes on to face the Burning with Williams for the Double Belts.

“Dr. Death” Steve Williams vs. Kenta Kobashi-You think these guys have faced each other before? Kenta holds the GHC Heavyweight title in Mitsuharu Misawa’s NOAH promotion and is still able to put on neck-breaking match after neck-breaking match with paper-mache knees. This is a prelim to the tag match later in the tape. They take it to the mat for a while, with no man getting an advantage. Now, the knucklelock, and Williams suplexes out of it. To the corner, where Williams no sells chops and turnbuckle shots. And now they slap, and Williams gets a right in there, methinks, and then takes him down. Headlock, and Kobashi whips him in and tackles him, into the Oklahoma Rolling Cradle for 2. That’s always a fun move. Williams takes a sabbatical outside. Kobashi kicks him coming in, and then hits the delayed vertical suplex for 2. We hit the chinlock. Kobashi knees and chops the back, but now Williams nosells his chops, and now we have a chop fest, until Williams breaks the fest up with that right cross. I loves those stiff rights. Kobashi comes back with some shots and some shoulders to the gut, and then some chops to the neck, and now corner whips him. Following him in with a jumping knee that barely grazes him. Williams no-sells some knees to the head, and some chops. OK. It’s getting ridiculous right here. Chopfest again, and Williams ends it with a right hand, again. I like the right hands, I hate the no-selling. Corner whip lariat, and then a brainbuster. Kobashi rolls out. Williams follows with an elbow suicida!!! WHOA! I didn’t know he had that in him. Williams press drops him across the guardrail and I’ll be damned if Kobashi didn’t cushion the blow with his FACE. Williams comes back out and stomps away, and tries for a backdrop, but Kobashi kicks off the pole to counter. They head back in and Williams covers for 2. Williams stomps away and pulls some hair, and I’ll be damned if he didn’t look like Masa Fuchi with his face like that. Williams tries a pin off a bodyscissors many times, but Kobashi is having none of it. Williams with a double axe to the back, but Kobashi comes back, so Williams hits a couple right hands to stop it and goes to the Camel Clutch. Kobashi comes back, but Williams hits a right hand again to stop it. These rights are stiff, too. Williams goes to an Octopus Hold and Kobashi falls out into the ropes. Kobashi comes back with chops and Williams opts to that right hand again, and then whips him in for the Powerslam for 2. Williams looks for the Dragon Suplex, but Kobashi tosses him off, and Williams comes back with a forearm to the face. Williams wants a backdrop off the apron, which would be pretty sweet, but Kobashi counters and kicks him off. Both men take a breather, with Williams going to the top and hitting the Diving Shoulderblock. Williams is PUMPED and whips Kobashi in, meeting his boot, and getting a facecrusher. Kobashi with the chops in the corner, and then the fast chops, and whips him in, reversed by Williams, but Kobashi catches a sleeper on the charge, and Williams throws him off. Kobashi comes back with a neckbreaker drop for 2. Kobashi goes up, but Williams stops that and hits an Avalanche Belly to Belly that almost looked like an Avalanche Northern Lights. Oklahoma Stampede is stopped in the corner, but he gets a splash and a released Northern Lights. Oklahoma Stampede gets 2. Williams calls for the end and it’s Doctorbomb time, but Kobashi back body drops out, hits his spinkick to the stomach, and eats a body attack from Williams. Kobashi with a NASTY Urican (rolling back chop) and then a German Suplex for 2. Kobashi sets up for a powerbomb, but Williams blocks, but Kobashi gets it for 2. Kobashi drops the leg and heads up top for the Moonsault, and he hits it for 2. Kobashi looks for the Half-Nelson Suplex, but Williams reverses into a released Dragon Suplex. He eventually gets Kobashi up, and looks for the Homicidal Backdrop, but Kobashi blocks. He tries again, and Kobashi lands on top for 2, and then he NUKES Williams with a lariat. He tries for the Burning Lariat, but Williams hits an Ippon Seionage (over the shoulder throw). Williams hits a high kick, but Kobashi NAILS the Burning Lariat for the win at 24:37. Started slow and picked up, but nowhere near the matches they’ve had in the past. ***.

Vader vs. Toshiaki Kawada-HELL YEAH. Kawada is the man. He is currently trying to carry the faltering All Japan promotion on his back. Vader…well, he’s the man, too. It’s ON. A little bit of stalling to start, and Kawada backs off. Vader gets pissed when Kawada ain’t wrasslin’ and Vader looks to trap Kawada in the corner, but Kawada kicks him back and he UNLOADS on Vader for a good solid minute with kicks, and then backdrops him before getting into the mount and clobbering him! Uh, this isn’t the Kawada I know, but I LOVE IT! Kawada tries a cross-armbreaker, but Vader locks the hands. He eventually gets it, but Vader locks the hands again into a break. Kawada starts hitting VADER with his own clobbering shots and takes him down with some knees. He does it again! THIS IS INSANE! Vader breaks…by going to the eye. I love it. Vader looks for a short lariat, but Kawada ducks and hits a lariat of his own for 2. This is ALL KAWADA. He’s down two bones and he’s whooping that ass. Vader takes a powder, and Kawada follows him out to whoop some more ass with those kicks, chops and elbows. Kawada charges, but eats a Vader Attack. He drops Kawada across the railing and then knocks him into the front row. He then goes right after those ribs. Back in, he goes for the Big Van Crush (Vader Bomb) and hits it, followed by an elbow to the ribs. I love the psychology in this match. Another Vader Attack, but Kawada stands right up, and goes right down again. Another try at the Crush, but Kawada stops him, so Vader nails him with shots to the head. Another slam and another try at the Crush, but Kawada rolls away. Kawada fires off the high kick, and then two Gamengiris to get a CLOSE 2 count. Stretch Plum follows. And then he switches sides. He releases for 2 and goes back to the cross-armbreaker, but Vader gets to the ropes. Kawada unloads with kicks and Vader Hammers! Kawada then eats a lariat and eats the REAL Vader Hammers in the corner. Crowd wants Kawada to come back, and Vader follows with a High Angle Powerbomb for 2. Backdrop gets 2. Chokeslam a comin’, but Kawada fires off some kicks and knees, and hits a roundhouse to wobble the big man. More knees, and then Vader hits ONE Hammer and Kawada goes down. Kawada blocks a Hammer and then gets some slaps, but Vader hits one to stagger Kawada, and then absolutely DESTROYS Kawada with a lariat to get the win at 13:44. Stiff, brutal, and good psychology. I love it. ***Ѕ.

AJPW Double Tag Titles-The Burning © vs. Vader and “Dr. Death” Steve Williams-The gaijin earned this shot after beating Team No Fear in the first match on the tape. Vader calmly walks up and says “Fuck you” to the champs after flipping both them off. Ah…Japan. Akiyama and Williams start. They wrestle around for about a minute with no man getting an advantage. Very amateurish start with a lot of quick counters and such. Williams grabs a waistlock and takes him down. Akiyama gets on top and looks for a crucifix or something before Williams gets to the ropes. Williams with a front waistlock as both men jockey for position again. Williams hits a deadlift Samoan Drop for 1. That was neat. It actually looked like a move Akiyama does now called Sterness Dust, except the man gets dropped on his head. Williams grabs an armbar, and then tags Vader, who comes in and grabs a hammerlock, and unloads with those hammers. Vader Attack, and then the Fujiwara Armbar into a Half Nelson pin for 2. Backdrop gets 2. Akiyama ducks a lariat, and hits a jumping elbow. He ducks a couple hammers and then hits a dropkick to the knee, and another jumping elbow puts him down. Kobashi now in, and he goes to the knee with kicks, and then tries to get a half crab, and does. Akiyama dropkicks the knee while in the hold, which makes for a cool visual, and then Williams breaks it up. Kobashi drops an elbow on the knee and grapevines it. He works the knee some more with a Spinning Toehold, and then Vader gets out. So Kobashi chops him to death. They start trading shots in the corner, and Vader goes down to a Urican. Williams breaks and flips Kobashi off. Kobashi tries a half crab again, but Vader gets to the ropes. Kobashi stomps away on it, then picks him up and chops away again. Vader comes back with some Hammers, but misses a lariat. He reaches the ropes on a German attempt, but eats another dropkick to the knee. Vader gets his shots in again and finishes with a lariat. He covers for 2. Tag Williams, and he hits that right cross he likes to use. To the corner, and then he whips Kobashi to the ropes, who reverses into a flying tackle, and then the Oklahoma Rolling Cradle, which is broken up and Williams gains advantage into an abdominal stretch. Kobashi reverses, and then he finally gets that rolling cradle for 2. Tag Akiyama, who comes in with shots to Williams ribs, and then fires off a jumping knee for 2. Williams with a right cross to put him down, and Vader comes in now. Vader Hammers, and then the lariat. Akiyama ducks another one, and tries a German, but Williams breaks. Kobashi comes in, and Vader takes him out. Williams powerbombs Akiyama, and Vader splashes for 2 as Kobashi saves. Williams splashes Kenta in the corner as Jun is whipped outside into a Vader Attack. Back in, Vader short lariats Jun three times and splashes him for 2. Vader with a Released German for 1. Big Van Crush and splash get 2. Tag Williams, who chops, splashes, and gets a released Northern Lights for 2. Williams hits the chinlock…for a while. Kobashi breaks and gets elbowed for his troubles. Williams gets 2 on Jun. Jun is getting his ass whooped, if you weeeel. Tag Vader, who eats a jumping knee and a jumping elbow, and HOT TAG KOBASHI. Chops in the corner for the Triple Crown champ, and he hits some backhand shots as well. Williams tries to break it up, but gets powerslammed for his troubles. Kobashi with a jumping knee and a suplex (!) on Vader for 2. More backfists, and he eats a splash and a lariat from Vader. Tag Williams, as he splashes and hits Kobashi with a super powerslam for 2 as Jun saves. He gets elbowed. Williams with a right cross and a lariat, and then some corner lariats. He looks for the Homicidal Backdrop, but Kobashi counters, so he eats a right cross. Akiyama saves another attempt, and the two trade elbows before Akiyama elbows Williams into a spin kick and a DDT. Tag Akiyama, who hits a Diving elbow, and then elbows Vader. Akiyama whip eats boot, and then he reverses the Oklahoma Stampede into a German for 2. Jumping Knee, and then the champs do a double team superbomb for 2 as Vader saves. Akiyama goes up top again, and hits the diving knee. EXPLOIDAH gets 2. He sees Vader coming on a second attempt, and dropkicks him in the knee and hits an EXPLOIDAH on him (!!). Williams powerslams Akiyama and everybody is down now. Tag Kobashi, but Vader isn’t in his corner, so Williams can’t tag, and he eats a Stuff Powerbomb for 2. Kobashi wants the Burning Lariat, but Vader stops him, and Kobashi gets a spinebuster from Williams before a spinebuster was a required move in WWE-land. Tag Vader, and he splashes Kobashi for 2. Avalanche, slam, and now the Big Van Crush, but Akiyama stops him. Williams takes Akiyama out, and Vader completes the move for 2. Williams powerbombs Akiyama on the outside, rendering him useless. Kobashi lariats Vader off a charge for 2 as Williams saves. Kobashi misses a Urican and Williams hits a NASTY Released Dragon Suplex. And now the gaijin just drop elbow after elbow on Kobashi’s ribs, and then some splashes. Jun can’t save his partner as Williams suplexes him into a sleeper/body scissors, and Kobashi eats the big Nodowa Otoshi (chokeslam) from Vader, giving the belts to the gaijin at 25:14. Didn’t really pick up for a while, but when it did, it certainly turned into a very good Double Titles match. ***1/4. With the win, Vader becomes the only gaijin to ever hold the Triple Crown AND the Double Tag Titles at the same time.

Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Jun Akiyama-The start of a big night for The Burning. Akiyama gets the chance to take out the ace of the company in Misawa, and Kobashi is getting a shot at Vader for the Triple Crown in the match after this. Akiyama is a top guy in NOAH right now, and he is currently preparing to fight in NJPW’s G-1 Climax. They feel each other out getting nowhere, and then they trade elbows. They trade some more shots, with Misawa getting a dropkick, and then doing his suicida fake, into his elbow off the apron. Back inside, Misawa hits a missile dropkick, and then his flying spinning lariat. Senton gets 2. Whip is reversed, but Misawa pushes off the jumping knee and elbows Jun down. The premise is simple. Akiyama is trying to jump the gun on Misawa, but the ace is too smart, and he’s absolutely showing it here. Misawa hits the chinlock and then elbows Akiyama, who absorbs them and fires one of his own, only to get beaten down by Misawa with more elbows. Akiyama reverses a whip, but eats elbow, so he sidesteps a Misawa crossbody attempt. He now has his opening. Jumping Knee sends Misawa outside. Misawa reverses a whip to the rail, but Akiyama drop toeholds him INTO THE GUARDRAIL. That is SICK and I am growing with my professional wrestling LOVE. Misawa gets beat against the rail some more, and then Akiyama elbows him against the apron, and then drops a knee on the back of his head on the apron. Eat your heart out, RVD. Akiyama piledrives Misawa on the apron. This match has totally taken a 180 with Akiyama in control. It’s almost comical. I don’t think anybody expected this from Akiyama. Akiyama hits a MUTHAFRIGGIN EXPLOIDER OFF THE APRON and Misawa is toe-tagged. Dead. Hasta la vista. Back in, they trade elbows, and then Akiyama gets some backhands and a DDT for 2. Strangle Hold Alpha follows, into Strangle Hold Gamma, and Misawa gets to the ropes. Good neck psychology here. Elbows to Misawa’s neck in the corner, and then a snapmare into a dropkick to the neck. Hangman follows. 2-count. Kneedrops and elbow to the neck, and then the chinlock. This is just sound psychology. Nothing too groundbreaking, but it’s nice to see a sound gameplan like this, instead of a bastardized version that we might see else ware. Now the rear headscissors. 2-count. He whips Misawa in for another chinlock, but Misawa breaks that with a STIFF elbow and then a springing dropkick in the corner. Akiyama is DOWN. Just like that, the ace can begin to take over the match again. Jumping elbow and then the Facelock Hold which has submitted so many great wrestlers, including Jumbo Tsuruta. Akiyama gets to the ropes, but Misawa snapmares him into another one. Now the Cobra Twist (ground abdominal stretch). Those get 2. Whip is reversed, but Akiyama eats boot, and he dropkicks Misawa off the turnbuckles to the outside. Akiyama with a diving knee off the apron. Calf Branding to the guardrail as he focuses on the neck some more. Kneedrop gets 2. CRADLE TOMBSTONE, and a diving elbow to the back of the neck. EXPLOIDAH! Only a 2-count. For those who don’t know, the Exploder is a T-bone Suplex. Akiyama locks in the Juji-Gatame but Misawa gets to the ropes. Misawa flips out of the brainbuster attempt, and then his spinning kick is caught, but not the second one. He then CAVES AKIYAMA’S FACE in with a kneedrop. That is DEFINITELY rewind material right there. Fit Finlay would be proud. Frog Splash gets 2. Tiger Driver blocked. Exploder blocked. Misawa gets a German for 2. Akiyama is busted at the nose from that kneedrop. Misawa with a back elbow in the corner, and then an elbow rush into the Tiger Driver, but Akiyama blocks it. Second attempt gets 2. Akiyama has to breathe out his mouth now after that kneedrop. Emeral Frosion blocked, and Akiyama eats a released German instead. A second Tiger Driver gets 2. Misawa now goes for the Running Elbow, but he eats a high kick. No-sell into an elbow. Akiyama then no-sells a Rolling Elbow and hits an EXPLOIDAH! EXPLOIDAH! Both men are now out of juice and down on the mat. Nice little sequence there, although the no-selling was a bit much. Akiyama is up, Jumping Knee, EXPLOIDAH! Only 2! Brainbuster gets 2. Akiyama now pulls out the trump card, and hits the EXPLOIDAH ‘98, a Wrist-Clutch Exploder, for the win at 23:40, the biggest singles win of his career to that point. Just a great match as Akiyama had to pull out all the stops to get a win over The Man, and from that point on, it was clear that Akiyama belonged with the big boys. ***3/4 Afterwards, Kobashi congratulates his tag partner as he readies himself for the main event of the entire tour.

AJPW Triple Crown: Vader © vs. Kenta Kobashi-Kobashi’s ribs are heavily taped following the numerous shots he received from the tag match. They lock up and the ref gets between them, but Kobashi ducks a couple shots and slaps Vader in the face. Cool. Kobashi’s tape job is very DDPish. They circle each other with Kobashi trying to take Vader down, but Vader’s weight is too great so he just takes Kobashi down himself. Kobashi breaks. Vader unloads but Kobashi blocks most of the shots. Kobashi ducks a lariat and hits the jumping tackle. Sidekick to the ribs knock Vader outside. Kobashi whips Vader to the rail and DDTs him on the floor. Kobashi with the Cobra Clutch and then a Russian Leg Sweep for 1. Kobashi then eats a lariat. And the elbowdrop to the ribs signals…it’s time for Kenta’s ribs to go bye-bye. He drops another one. Vader Hammer to the ribs. More shots to the ribs and the head. Belly-to-belly throw, and I do mean THROW, knocks Kobashi to the outside. Vader drops him ribs first on the guardrail and tosses him back in. Now the Cobra Twist and he REMOVES THE TAPE. Kobashi gets pounded some more and Vader gets 2. More Vader Hammers, and then a Vader Attack. Headbutss a plenty and then a Hammer. Kobashi gets a boot up, and hits a diving shoulder attack, but Vader elbows the ribs again. Slam, and it’s Big Van Crush time. And again. And again, and it gets 2. Short lariat, and again, but Kobashi doesn’t go down all the way. Third is blocked, and Vader eats a spinkick and a backdrop. Cue the comeback. Vader gets kicked outside and Kobashi hits a plancha, which is STUPID because of his ribs. Vader absorbs ten chops and then nails a Hammer. He goes for Big Van Crush again, but Kobashi powerbombs him off the turnbuckles for 2. Three Uricans, and then a German for 2. Three backfists, and then a Urican, but Vader ducks the lariat and hits his own German. And another. Two shots to the ribs and he completes the trifecta for 2. Hammers in the corner, and then they both eat a lariat. Vader is up first and the announcer is fearing for Kobashi’s life at this point. Nodowa Otoshi gets a close 2. Vader with some more Hammers, and a second Nodowa gets 2 AGAIN. Kenta has all that Fighting Spirit!!! Kenta comes back with a lariat for 2. He brings Vader over and hits the MOONSAULT for 2! Vader hits his Vader Attack, but Kobashi hits the Burning Lariat for the pin and the titles at 19:49. Kobashi did that weird-ass selling he’s notorious for in this match, and I think that it hurt the match a lot. **3/4.

Conclusion: This is a really great tape set for only six matches. None of the matches really suck, and I really enjoyed all six matches. It’s a solid recommendation, but there are obviously some better shows to get before this. Go on and get this if you see it cheap, like say…over at Golden Boy?