AJPW
Kobashi was an accomplished athlete well before entering the wrestling world, as he was a successful rugby player and judoka in high school, as well as being a competitive bodybuilder after graduating.
He was accepted into the AJPW Dojo in June 1987, where he was trained by Giant Baba, Dory Funk, Jr., Masanobu Fuchi, and Kazuharu Sonada, who died in the crash of South African Airways Flight 295 before Kobashi was done training.
Baba, in his infinite wisdom, booked Kobashi to lose all of his first 63 matches, but also building a never say die fiery underdog that maybe just maybe could pull it out. Basically what Tomoaki Honma is in today’s New Japan.
After over a year of losing, Kobashi picked up his first win in May 1989 against JCP job guy Mitch Snow. He soon joined Misawa’s army against Jumbo Tsurata. While in the stable, if he were to team with Toshiaki Kowada or Misawa, both higher on the pecking order than he, he’d play his regular underdog full of Fighting Spirit, as he called it. When he was partnered with Tsuyoshi Kikuchi, a small, Japanese version of the Dynamite Kid, he’d be the one to get the hot tag after Kikuchi got kicked around for a while. He’d gain the All Asia Tag titles with Misawa, who was still Tiger Mask II, but the two had to vacate when Misawa took the mask off. However, he’d form a team with Johnny Ace and win the All Asia Tag titles twice, and another reign with Kikuchi began with his fourth 5 star match in Sendai, Kikuchi’s hometown; winning the titles from the terribly underrated team of of Doug Furnas and Phil Lafon. Tapes of the match made their way around the world, and were just as well received in the US as it was in Japan, leading the readership of the WON to vote it as the 1992 Match of The Year.
Let me take a brief pause to acknowledge Kobashi’s 23 five star matches, a number second only to Mitsuharu Misawa. As a matter of fact, 14 of those five star matches included both Misawa and Kobashi, either teaming together or facing each other. Kobashi was also voted Wrestler of The Year four times (once more than Misawa), had six of his matches voted match of the year (three with Misawa), was named best box office draw in 2004 and 2006, won Tag Team of the Year twice (once with Misawa and once with Jun Akiyama), Most Improved in1990, and Most Outstanding Wrestler in 1993 and 1994.
I’ll say this about every of the Four Pillars, but what a fucking resume.
Kobashi is also known for innovating a number of maneuvers, but rarely using them. The Burning Hammer was not innovated by him, but was only used seven times when he was in the most dire situations. It was likely a mix of creating an aura around the moves (seven uses, seven pins) and because the version he used was extremely dangerous, as the wrestler receiving the move cannot rotate their body over and must take the entire impact on their shoulders, or more often their neck and head. There is a version where the giver throws the recipient rather than drops them, allowing the recipient to rotate and land on their stomach, but to hell with that, Japan is nuts.
He also innovated the Orange Crush, a suplex dropped into a powerbomb, but barely ever used it, probably because there is too much room for error on both Kobashi and the recipient of the move. He also innovated the Black Crush, a suplex dropped into a cutter, probably because giving cutters hurts like a bitch.
He also invented the Double Arm DDT, move that’s won at least 4 WWE titles.
Finally, he invented the Diamond Head, a powerbomb lift that drops into a DDT. He only used it once, again likely because there’s too much room for error on both parties, with a mistake possibly ending in a broken neck.
Anyway, back to All Japan.
In 1993, he became Misawa’s main tag partner when Kawada turned on Misawa and became his bitter rival. They’d win the Strongest Determination Tag League in 1993, 94, and 95, and the World Tag Team titles twice.
He’d kind of linger in the lower to mid rung of the main event scene for the next few years, reverting to stronger version of his underdog character, as it took him a full year to defeat Stan Hansen, and another two years to defeat Steve Williams. He’d constantly challenge for the Triple Crown, but could never do it, despite putting on barn burners almost every time, including a 60 minute time limit draw with Kawada that the Observer calls the greatest time limit draw of all time. In 1995, he suffered the first of what would become a parade of knee injuries, but continued to work through it. That aversion to showing injury in Japan cut short a lot of careers.
In July 1996, he’d defeat Akira Taue for his first Triple Crown, which he’d lose to Misawa in early 1997, when Toshiaki Kawada defeated a weakened Kobashi in the finals of the Champion Carnival, winning the tournament and the title. Later in the year, after losing to him once but winning the Tag titles with Johnny Ace, he’d defeat Misawa at the Tokyo Dome. Later in the year, he’d defeat Kawada for his second Triple Crown, which he’d lose to Misawa. He was suffering from another knee injury at the time, which compounded with the first one to nearly end his career, as he refused to take time to let them heal.
In 2000, he’d start a new rivalry with Vader, pin Misawa for the first time on TV, win his fifth Tag League (his second with Jun Akiyama) and win his only Champion Carnival. When Misawa left AJPW in the middle of the year, Kobashi went with him, like most of the roster, the only difference being that the was the reigning Triple Crown champion.
NOAH
Kobashi was booked on the first two NOAH shows, despite desperately needing time off for knee surgery. However, he was the second biggest star in NOAH, so he worked through the pain to establish NOAH as a top promotion. He and Akiyama defeat Misawa and Taue in the main event of the first show, and was defeated by Akiyama in the second show when pain and a misplaced arm made Kobashi legitimately pass out in a guillotine choke. He’d come back during the last tour of the year in December, where he’d defeat Akiyama to event the series.
However, his knees were so shot at this point, he finally had to take time off. He underwent multiple surgeries that left him out of action for 13 months.
At his first match back in February 2002, he teamed with Misawa to face Akiyama and Yuji Nagata, but his knees weren’t up to the rigors of the ring yet, and they gave out during the match. He was given five more months off to recuperate and rehab his knees.
Once he returned, he was put into a storyline against Misawa for the GHC Heavyweight title, which he won in yet another five star match. He reigned as champion for over two years, during which he seemed to go through a career ressurection, during which he defended against Masahiro Chono at the NJPW Tokyo Dome show, Yuji Nagata, and all of NOAH’s top talent, until he lost it in 2005 to Takeshi Rikio. He’d remain as the top dog, wrestling big name outsiders like Genichiro Tenryu, as well as putting the young junior division stars through great matches, with notable bouts against KENTA (Kobayashi, not Kobashi) and Naomichi Marufuji.
In late 2005 and early 2006, he made a world tour, wrestling in Europe, the UK, and notably in the US, where he defeated Samoa Joe in a five star match.
However, in mid June 2006, Kobashi announced that he had to step away due to the discovery of cancer, resulting in he and his partner Tamon Honda surrendering the GHC Tag titles.
He returned in 2007, being pinned by Misawa in a tag match, though he received a standing ovation after the match.
In September 2008, he had to undergo emergency surgery on both arms, but was back in the ring in six months, where he’d win the GHC Heavyweight title again.
In 2012, he stepped down as Vice President of NOAH, and was soon after released, as the injuries were keeping him out of the ring most of the time, and seriously limited whenever he could wrestle. A large group of wrestlers were outraged, and did not re-sign with NOAH when their contracts expired as a sign of protest.
However, NOAH announced a deal to let him retire in January rather than cutting him in December, though the protesting wrestlers still left. His retirement match was an eight man tag, where he teamed with Keiji Mutoh, Jun Akiyama, and Kensuke Sasaki to defeat Go Shiozaki, KENTA, Maybach Taniguchi, and Yoshinobu Kanemaru. Kobashi got the win over Kanemaru with his final moonsault. The event sold out the Nippon Budokan, was broadcast live across Japan, and was even attended by the then Prime Minister of Japan Yoshihiko Noda.
Kobashi has made appearances for various Japanese promotions since his retirement, including as a color commentator for Wrestle-1, and as a special enforcer in NOAH to prevent Suzuki-gun from aiding GHC Heavyweight champion Minoru Suzuki.
