Austin Region, Lexington Subregion, Second Round: (6) Misawa vs. (11) Kenta Kobashi

[klunderbunker]

This is a second round match in the Austin Region, Lexington Subregion. It is a standard one on one match. It will be held at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky.

#6. Mitsuharu Misawa

Vs.

#11. Kenta Kobashi

​

Polls will be open for three days following a one day period for discussion. Voting will be based on who you feel is the greater of the two competitors. Post your reasons for why your pick should win below. Remember that this is non-spam and the most votes in the poll win. Any ties will be broken by the amount of posts of support for each candidate, with one vote per poster. Assume that the wrestlers are coming in fresh after their first round match.

Also remember that this is a non-spam forum. If you post a response without giving a reason for your selection, it will be penalized for spam and deleted.

 

[Papa Pillman]

In an artform as subjective as pro wrestling, there are few truths that are borderline objective; but, with all due respect to Flair/Steamboat, Taker/HBK, Steen/Generico, Tanahashi/Okada, Rey/Psychosis, etc., Misawa versus Kobashi is the best in ring rivalry in the history of the sport. And it has now shown up to bless a loaded second round of the prestigious WZT.

Misawa wins for being the slightly bigger star/ace in their primes and having a hair more success.

Seriously though, for non-puro fans, use this match-up as an educational experience and get motivated to watch at least one match from this rivalry. Preferably from the AJPW era when they were younger and more mobile than the still spectacular NOAH additions of the showdown. You won't be disappointed.

 

[enviousdominous]

I'm going with Misawa.

Misawa seemed to be the Ric Flair to Kenta's Sting, the Shawn Michaels to Kenta's Bret Hart, and the Kevin Owens to Kenta's El Generico.

Kenta could obliterate every opponent he went up against, and few could withstand his limb-destroying onslaughts and pull out a win. Misawa could roll with a Kenta beating and still find the strength and motivation to put Kenta on the ropes.

Kenta was a consummate bruiser who made strong-style into a cultural phenomenon, and Misawa was an all around great wrestler. For all Kenta can muster, Misawa proves to have enough endurance to take the worst of it.

Vote Misawa.

 

[Bernkastel]

Also going with Misawa. He was All Japan's ace for a number of years, and was such an influential figure in the promotion that when he left to start NOAH after a falling out with Baba's wife, he took most of All Japan's talent with him. Kobashi included.

Kobashi was later the ace of NOAH, but Misawa was the one that he had to defeat to earn that role. Kobashi was a bigger international star, sure, but in Japan he was never on the same level of sustained popularity of Misawa.

 

[Tastycles]

I'm not going to pretend to be a big Japanese wrestling fan. Nor am I going to spend a long time looking up match results, but I will say that Misawa, to me at least, seems to have a much bigger reach and has inspired more people. Two local greats, no doubt. Misawa wins.