20 AJPW Matches you must see before you die

9. Kenta Kobashi vs. Toshiaki Kawada – January 19, 1995

This is the longest match on this list, lasting 60 minutes in length. It was also called the greatest 60-minute match of all time by the Wrestling Observer when it came out, which was an honor that took 22 years to beat.

This match combined classic Ric Flair-style old school wrestling and conditioning with stiff Japanese strikes and dangerous suplexes. Although Kawada was something of a heel in this match – he kept pushing and taunting Kobashi – you cannot help but cheer for him throughout the match.

He showed pure babyface fire by taking a painful chop to the chest and reacting by flexing no-selling it, and he showed excellent ring psychology by having the perfect counters to Kobashi’s signature moves. Later, as he was being worn down, Kawada began selling like he was being rag-dolled, making Kobashi look far more dangerous in the process.

It’s definitely a slower-paced match than most, but both Kawada and Misawa still manage to keep the audience excited and engaged as the match develops. Whether you like traditional grappling, tests of strength, smart storytelling, stiff strikes or crazy suplexes Brock Lesnar-style, this match has all of that and then some.