Yoshihiro Takayama vs. Kenta Kobashi for the GHC Heavyweight Championship, from Pro Wrestling NOAH Encountering Navigation 2004 Night Fourteen

This match is at its most fun when the two engage with the vicious sides of their characters, Kobashi being the hearty champion that needs to be killed to stay down and Takayama the hysterical, gigantic coward who opts for armbars and charley horse Kobashi’s leg when he realizes Kobashi can probably survive getting dropped on his head a million times. Were that this was all the match was, but the first ten minutes of boring chinlocks and other assorted holds exists and brings down the overall grade considerably. Still better than how I remember the subsequent Akiyama title defense.

7