Kobashi Kenta
You may be asking yourself, "Why would someone so American as Mr. Truth choose to throw support behind someone so foreign?"
The answer is simple. Wrestling transcends continents. Also, I like rooting for the underdog, but not someone like Rey Mysterio. That guy is just obnoxious.
Anyway, Kobashi is what wrestling is about. His life has been wrestling. He debuts in 1988 and lost his first 63 matches. Talk about a way to break into the business. He worked his way up until he became part of the late great Mitsuharu Misawa's faction. He earned his first title teaming with Misawa (in his Tiger Mask II persona), the AJPW All Asia Tag Team Championship.
Fast forward to 1996. Kobashi won his first AJPW Triple Crown Championship against Akira Taue. He would then go on to feud with Misawa, who some consider the the opposite side of the same coin. He went on to the Triple Crown two more times. He also won NOAH's GHC Heavyweight Championship once.
The man is also extremely durable, rarely taking time off until recent years. His first major time off came just after the inception of Pro Wrestling NOAH. He was having knee problems but toughed it, but eventually took 13 months off because he was unable to work through the pain. Keep in mind up to this point, he went about 12 years without any major time off. Unfortunately, even all those surgeries weren't enough, since his knees gave out on him in the middle of his return match. Five months later, he's back in action. Four more straight years without any real time off and then he's forced out of action due to cancer. A year and a half later, he's back in action again. Let me repeat that, in a year and a half's time, he beat cancer, recovered, and got back in ring shape. Few wrestlers on this planet could pull of such a feat. Since that return, he's had various arm issues forcing him out of action various times, most recently since December 2009 due to nerve damage to his right arm.
I provide for you two of his NOAH matches, one against KENTA and another against Misawa. Also, his best entrance theme, Grand Sword.
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Championships and accomplishments
All Japan Pro Wrestling
AJPW All Asia Tag Team Championship (4 times) with Tiger Mask II / Mitsuharu Misawa (1), Johnny Ace (2) and Tsuyoshi Kikuchi (1)
AJPW Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship (3 times)
AJPW Unified World Tag Team Championship (6 times) with Mitsuharu Misawa (2), Johnny Ace (2) and Jun Akiyama (2)
Champion's Carnival (2000)
World's Strongest Tag Team League (19931995) with Mitsuharu Misawa
World's Strongest Tag Team League (1998, 1999) with Jun Akiyama
One Night Six Man Tag Team Tournament Winner (1999) - with Jun Akiyama & Kentaro Shiga
January 2nd Korakuen Hall Heavyweight Battle Royal Winner (1993)
Pro Wrestling Illustrated
PWI ranked him #4 of the 500 best singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 1996, 2000, and 2004
PWI ranked him #33 of the top 500 singles wrestlers of the "PWI Years" in 2003
Pro Wrestling Noah
GHC Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
GHC Openweight Hardcore Championship (1 time, Current)
GHC Tag Team Championship (2 times) with Tamon Honda
One Day Six Man Tag Team Tournament Winner (2002) - with KENTA and Kentaro Shiga
Tokyo Sports Grand Prix
Comeback Award (2007)
Match of the Year (1995)- with Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Akira Taue and Toshiaki Kawada on June 9, 1995[14]
Match of the Year (1997)- vs. Mitsuharu Misawa on October 21, 1997
Match of the Year (1998)- vs. Mitsuharu Misawa on October 31, 1998
Match of the Year (2003)- vs. Mitsuharu Misawa on March 1, 2003
Match of the Year (2004)- vs. Jun Akiyama on July 10, 2004
Match of the Year (2005)- vs. Kensuke Sasaki on July 18, 2005
Match of the Year (2007)- with Yoshihiro Takayama vs. Mitsuharu Misawa and Jun Akiyama on December 2, 2007
Rookie of the Year (1989)
Tag Team of the Year (1993, 1994)- with Mitsuharu Misawa
Tag Team of the Year (1999)- with Jun Akiyama
Wrestler of the Year (1996, 1998)
Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards
5 Star Match (1990) with Toshiaki Kawada and Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Jumbo Tsuruta, Akira Taue and Masanobu Fuchi on October 19
5 Star Match (1991) with Toshiaki Kawada and Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Jumbo Tsuruta, Akira Taue and Masanobu Fuchi on April 20
5 Star Match (1992) with Mitsuharu Misawa and Toshiaki Kawada vs. Jumbo Tsuruta, Akira Taue and Masanobu Fuchi on May 22
5 Star Match (1992) with Tsuyoshi Kikuchi vs. Doug Furnas and Phil Lafon on May 25
5 Star Match (1992) with Tsuyoshi Kikuchi vs. Masanobu Fuchi and Yoshinari Ogawa on July 5
5 Star Match (1993) vs. Toshiaki Kawada on April 14
5 Star Match (1993) with Mitsuharu Misawa and Jun Akiyama vs. Toshiaki Kawada, Akira Taue and Yoshinari Ogawa on July 2
5 Star Match (1993) vs. Stan Hansen on July 29
5 Star Match (1993) vs. Steve Williams on August 31
5 Star Match (1993) with Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Toshiaki Kawada and Akira Taue on December 3
5 Star Match (1994) with Mitsuharu Misawa and Giant Baba vs. Masanobu Fuchi, Toshiaki Kawada and Akira Taue on February 13
5 Star Match (1994) with Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Toshiaki Kawada and Akira Taue on May 21
5 Star Match (1995) vs. Toshiaki Kawada on January 19
5 Star Match (1995) with Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Toshiaki Kawada and Akira Taue on January 24
5 Star Match (1995) with Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Steve Williams and Johnny Ace on May 4
5 Star Match (1995) with Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Toshiaki Kawada and Akira Taue on June 9
5 Star Match (1995) with Mitsuharu Misawa and Satoru Asako vs. Toshiaki Kawada, Tamon Honda, and Akira Taue on June 30
5 Star Match (1998) vs. Mitsuharu Misawa on October 31
5 Star Match (1999) vs. Mitsuharu Misawa on June 11
5 Star Match (1999) with Jun Akiyama vs. Mitsuharu Misawa and Yoshinari Ogawa on October 23
5 Star Match (2003) vs. Mitsuharu Misawa on March 1
5 Star Match (2004) vs. Jun Akiyama on July 10
5 Star Match (2005) vs. Samoa Joe on October 1 at Joe vs. Kobashi
Best Box Office Draw (2004, 2005)
Best Wrestling Maneuver (1998) Burning Hammer
Match of the Year (1992) with Tsuyoshi Kikuchi vs. Doug Furnas and Phil Lafon on May 25
Match of the Year (1998) vs. Mitsuharu Misawa on October 31
Match of the Year (1999) vs Mitsuharu Misawa on June 11
Match of the Year (2003) vs. Mitsuharu Misawa on March 1
Match of the Year (2004) vs. Jun Akiyama on July 10
Match of the Year (2005) vs. Samoa Joe on October 1 at Joe vs. Kobashi
Most Improved Wrestler (1990)
Most Outstanding Wrestler (1993, 1994)
Tag Team of the Year (1995) with Mitsuharu Misawa
Tag Team of the Year (1999) with Jun Akiyama
Wrestler of the Year (1996, 20032005)
Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame (Class of 2002)
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Championships and accomplishments
All Japan Pro Wrestling
AJPW All Asia Tag Team Championship (4 times) with Tiger Mask II / Mitsuharu Misawa (1), Johnny Ace (2) and Tsuyoshi Kikuchi (1)
AJPW Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship (3 times)
AJPW Unified World Tag Team Championship (6 times) with Mitsuharu Misawa (2), Johnny Ace (2) and Jun Akiyama (2)
Champion's Carnival (2000)
World's Strongest Tag Team League (19931995) with Mitsuharu Misawa
World's Strongest Tag Team League (1998, 1999) with Jun Akiyama
One Night Six Man Tag Team Tournament Winner (1999) - with Jun Akiyama & Kentaro Shiga
January 2nd Korakuen Hall Heavyweight Battle Royal Winner (1993)
Pro Wrestling Illustrated
PWI ranked him #4 of the 500 best singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 1996, 2000, and 2004
PWI ranked him #33 of the top 500 singles wrestlers of the "PWI Years" in 2003
Pro Wrestling Noah
GHC Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
GHC Openweight Hardcore Championship (1 time, Current)
GHC Tag Team Championship (2 times) with Tamon Honda
One Day Six Man Tag Team Tournament Winner (2002) - with KENTA and Kentaro Shiga
Tokyo Sports Grand Prix
Comeback Award (2007)
Match of the Year (1995)- with Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Akira Taue and Toshiaki Kawada on June 9, 1995[14]
Match of the Year (1997)- vs. Mitsuharu Misawa on October 21, 1997
Match of the Year (1998)- vs. Mitsuharu Misawa on October 31, 1998
Match of the Year (2003)- vs. Mitsuharu Misawa on March 1, 2003
Match of the Year (2004)- vs. Jun Akiyama on July 10, 2004
Match of the Year (2005)- vs. Kensuke Sasaki on July 18, 2005
Match of the Year (2007)- with Yoshihiro Takayama vs. Mitsuharu Misawa and Jun Akiyama on December 2, 2007
Rookie of the Year (1989)
Tag Team of the Year (1993, 1994)- with Mitsuharu Misawa
Tag Team of the Year (1999)- with Jun Akiyama
Wrestler of the Year (1996, 1998)
Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards
5 Star Match (1990) with Toshiaki Kawada and Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Jumbo Tsuruta, Akira Taue and Masanobu Fuchi on October 19
5 Star Match (1991) with Toshiaki Kawada and Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Jumbo Tsuruta, Akira Taue and Masanobu Fuchi on April 20
5 Star Match (1992) with Mitsuharu Misawa and Toshiaki Kawada vs. Jumbo Tsuruta, Akira Taue and Masanobu Fuchi on May 22
5 Star Match (1992) with Tsuyoshi Kikuchi vs. Doug Furnas and Phil Lafon on May 25
5 Star Match (1992) with Tsuyoshi Kikuchi vs. Masanobu Fuchi and Yoshinari Ogawa on July 5
5 Star Match (1993) vs. Toshiaki Kawada on April 14
5 Star Match (1993) with Mitsuharu Misawa and Jun Akiyama vs. Toshiaki Kawada, Akira Taue and Yoshinari Ogawa on July 2
5 Star Match (1993) vs. Stan Hansen on July 29
5 Star Match (1993) vs. Steve Williams on August 31
5 Star Match (1993) with Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Toshiaki Kawada and Akira Taue on December 3
5 Star Match (1994) with Mitsuharu Misawa and Giant Baba vs. Masanobu Fuchi, Toshiaki Kawada and Akira Taue on February 13
5 Star Match (1994) with Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Toshiaki Kawada and Akira Taue on May 21
5 Star Match (1995) vs. Toshiaki Kawada on January 19
5 Star Match (1995) with Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Toshiaki Kawada and Akira Taue on January 24
5 Star Match (1995) with Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Steve Williams and Johnny Ace on May 4
5 Star Match (1995) with Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Toshiaki Kawada and Akira Taue on June 9
5 Star Match (1995) with Mitsuharu Misawa and Satoru Asako vs. Toshiaki Kawada, Tamon Honda, and Akira Taue on June 30
5 Star Match (1998) vs. Mitsuharu Misawa on October 31
5 Star Match (1999) vs. Mitsuharu Misawa on June 11
5 Star Match (1999) with Jun Akiyama vs. Mitsuharu Misawa and Yoshinari Ogawa on October 23
5 Star Match (2003) vs. Mitsuharu Misawa on March 1
5 Star Match (2004) vs. Jun Akiyama on July 10
5 Star Match (2005) vs. Samoa Joe on October 1 at Joe vs. Kobashi
Best Box Office Draw (2004, 2005)
Best Wrestling Maneuver (1998) Burning Hammer
Match of the Year (1992) with Tsuyoshi Kikuchi vs. Doug Furnas and Phil Lafon on May 25
Match of the Year (1998) vs. Mitsuharu Misawa on October 31
Match of the Year (1999) vs Mitsuharu Misawa on June 11
Match of the Year (2003) vs. Mitsuharu Misawa on March 1
Match of the Year (2004) vs. Jun Akiyama on July 10
Match of the Year (2005) vs. Samoa Joe on October 1 at Joe vs. Kobashi
Most Improved Wrestler (1990)
Most Outstanding Wrestler (1993, 1994)
Tag Team of the Year (1995) with Mitsuharu Misawa
Tag Team of the Year (1999) with Jun Akiyama
Wrestler of the Year (1996, 20032005)
Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame (Class of 2002)
Throw your support behind 絶対王者, The Absolute Champion. Let's all make a statement. Just because he's a 32 seed doesn't mean he doesn't deserve to be mentioned in an argument of who could win this.