5 Best Wrestling Matches of 2003

1. Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Kenta Kobashi – NOAH, March 01, 2003

This phenomenal contest was voted Match of the Year for 2003 by both the Wrestling Observer and Tokyo Sports, is the best match in Pro Wrestling NOAH’s history, the best match in all of wrestling in 2003, the best singles match between Misawa and Kobashi, and in my opinion, the Singles Match of the Decade of the 2000s.

Even though both Misawa and Kobashi were long past their primes (owing to years of brutal wrestling in All Japan and NOAH), they still put on such a phenomenal match. Moreover, this was the final singles match these two would ever have together, and marked the culmination of a legendary series of matches that had begun back in 1990.

Misawa and Kobashi had faced each other in singles competition fifteen times prior to this one, five of which were world title matches, and Misawa had won in all of those title bouts. This time, Kobashi was looking to finally break that losing streak and surpass Misawa as the better wrestler…which he did.

Everything about this wrestling match was out of this world. The psychology was consistent and logical, especially as Misawa tried to destroy Kobashi’s lariat arm and Kobashi kept hitting neck-targeting moves to weaken Misawa bit by bit.

They showed some impressive chain-wrestling and a greater focus on submission holds, which gave the match more drama and unpredictability.

Of course, this being Misawa and Kobashi, so there were some absolutely brutal moments that would make you think neither man should even be moving, much less wrestling.

Not only did both of them get dropped on their respective heads/neck about a dozen times each (including an absolutely vicious Burning Hammer by Kobashi), but Kobashi showed just how inhumanly tough/crazy he is by TAKING A TIGER SUPLEX FROM THE APRON TO THE FLOOR!

This match has everything you could ever ask for in a pro wrestling match. Chain wrestling and flawless reversals? Check. Stiff strikes? Check. Fantastic pacing and dramatic near-falls and submission holds? Check. Dramatic come-back sequences and momentum shifts?

Check. Sickening head-drop moves that’ll make you question whether these wrestlers are even human or not? Check. A raucous crowd and commentators that go nuts for all the big moves? There’s that too.

What more could you ask for out of a match?