1001 MATCHES: Akira Taue

Posted on January 8, 2019 3:03 PM by Phil

(by PHIL RIPPA)

Akira Taue is clearly the most underappreciated of the All Japan Big 4. Heck – the Big 5 if you expanded to include Jun Akiyama. Lord – it would take awhile before you went through the 90s AJ roster before you found someone that Taue was overappreciated (yes – I am making that a word) than. It is fitting then that 875 matches in and Taue has shown up one time. Granted it is the greatest tag match of all time but still.

Here we bring Grumpy Grandpa to the forefront and also probably put a wraps on peak All Japan for this project.

876) AKIRA TAUE/JUMBO TSURUTA vs. MITSUHARA MISAWA/TOSHIAKI KAWADA – ALL JAPAN (12/07/90 – 90 Tag League)

https://youtu.be/Akmmud1dmuQ

Final match of the 1990 Tag League. 1990 for all intents and purposes was Taue’s coming out party and this is probably his first great straight tag match. For the record – these four had an equally awesome match at next year’s Tag League too.

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877) AKIRA TAUE/TOSHIAKI KAWADA/JUN AKIYAMA vs. MITSUHARA MISAWA/KENTA KOBASHI/YOSHINARI OGAWA – ALL JAPAN (07/02/93)

One of the greatest All Japan 6 mans that no one talks about. The random team AJ generator spit out another different combination for us to enjoy. Bonus is more Ogawa in our lives.

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878) AKIRA TAUE vs. BIG BUBBA – ALL JAPAN (07/29/93)

Bossman signing with WCW is one of the more distressing decisions in hindsight. Imagine him staying with All Japan, being Dr. Death’s partner instead of Johnny Ace and then having the mega singles run. Stupid WCW. Anyway, this is a small tease in a very forgotten match because it took place on the same card as Hansen/Kobashi and a Misawa/Kawada Triple Crown match.

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879) AKIRA TAUE vs. TOMMY DREAMER – ALL JAPAN (01/19/95)

Until you fuckers upload Taue vs. Prince Iaukea, this will serve as the standard bearer goofy Taue match. Reviewed by DEAN in DVDVR #5 (which was part of declaring that Dreamer was the American Masato Tanaka.). Pete also reviewed it in DVDVR #111.

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880) AKIRA TAUE vs. TOSHIAKI KAWADA – ALL JAPAN CHAMPION CARNIVAL ’95 (04/08/95)

THE HOLY DEMON ARMY EXPLODES~! Yeah… that joke will always entertain me.

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881) AKIRA TAUE vs. MITSUHARU MISAWA – ALL JAPAN CHAMPION CARNIVAL ’95 (04/15/95 – Finals)

We are going with this one for the Taue/Misawa singles match to watch mainly due to it being the CC Finals. Oh and it is fucking awesome.

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882) AKIRA TAUE vs. STEVE WILLIAMS – ALL JAPAN CHAMPION CARNIVAL ’96 (04/20/96 – Finals)

https://dai.ly/x4hc2k0

Taue gets his Champion Carnival win.

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883) AKIRA TAUE/TOSHIAKI KAWADA vs. MITSUHARU MISAWA/JUN AKIYAMA – ALL JAPAN REAL WORLD TAG LEAGUE ’96 (12/06/96 – Finals)

https://dai.ly/x286aqk

The Holy Demon Army is coming for the Tag League that escaped them the year before. I am sure you are surprised these four kept having good matches.

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884) AKIRA TAUE vs. YUJI NAGATA – NOAH (06/06/03)

The last great Akira Taue match.

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885) AKIRA TAUE vs. TAKESHI RIKIO – NOAH (11/05/05 – GHC Heavyweight Title)

https://dai.ly/xspnay

Okay, THIS is the last great Akira Taue match.

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