Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Kenta Kobashi for the AJPW Triple Crown, from All Japan New Year Giant Series 1997 Night Fourteen

The current highest rated match on Cagematch would get the full boat from me if it weren’t for one flaw: it goes too long. The story here, of Misawa literally overextending himself early and Kobashi milking a bad wing for all it is worth, is fantastic, and of course both guys do an excellent job in their roles, but at over forty minutes, it is begging to be cut down. Consider that the early feeling-out process goes, like, fifteen minutes while there are some late false-finishes that no one bites on. The match was great besides that massive, measurable flaw.

9