Super Generation Army (Mitsuharu Misawa & Jun Akiyama) vs Kenta Kobashi & The Patriot
Real World Tag League 1996 Match
11/22/1996
Okayama Budokan, Okayama, Japan
(reviewed 05/16/2024) Mitsuharu Misawa finally gets his hands on race traitor Kenta Kobashi in what is actually a rather high stakes match. While Kobashi’s makeshift tag with new friend Del Wilkes has been busy so far in the tournament, racking up five wins across as many shows, the Super Generation Army guys are in a perilous spot; they’re winless after drawing with Steve Williams and Johnny Ace on opening night, having lost to the Holy Demon Army in an untelevised bout as well as slipping on a banana peel against Giant Kimala II and Jun Izumida. Dead last in the standings, they need a win fast. That gives this match some much-needed urgency, something I’d say you feel even when they’re not flying through things at 100 mph. For example I think there are subtle differences in way these two teams wrestle, with SGA trying to wear their opponents down with quick tags and deliberate holds while Patriot and Kobashi are making direct cutoffs in order to slow things down with much sleepier submissions. That might just be some fanwank but I’m willing to give them this benefit of the doubt. In any case the future G.E.T. feel like natural heels and that helps a lot; it’s no surprise that the Patriot’s gruff demeanor and aggressive power offense would come across that way and, for me at least, Kobashi’s malevolent toddler act is a whole lot less sympathetic than this team of guys fighting to make up a deficit. For example Kobashi’s weepy reactions, isolated here to Misawa’s kickout after a nasty half-and-half suplex, are much better-suited to a crybaby heel not getting his way than someone I’m meant to be rooting for. That clear-cut—if not entirely intended—divide helps give this, among the freshest matchups SGA will see throughout this tournament, an easy appeal I wish we got more with Misawa. See, having guys lose for a while can work great! It actually makes me want to see them win! There’s nothing to fear! These undefeated muscle men racing to contain their opponents who are desperately scrambling for any advantage results in a pretty heated match, certainly more than you’d expect given this pair of teams facing off in this venue. It makes me wish the Patriot stuck around longer and didn’t get hurt bad enough to retire barely a year after this. This feels like the sort of small show banger NOAH will start specializing in, giving their midcard guys big showings in minor matches, and I think he’d have done well in that setting if this match is any indication. Patriot manages to survive a few of Jun Akiyama’s Exploder suplexes but can’t fight forever, finally giving Super Generation Army a critical win.
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