NOAH Navigation Over the Date Line
review by Suicidal Youth

The Date:  September 10th, 2004
Location:  Tokyo, Japan
Attendance:  15,800

Tamon Honda, KENTA, Kikuchi, and Kotaro Suzuki vs. Ikeda, Sugiura, Momota, and Ricky Marvin
An ok match to start out the event. Suzuki is all over the place, and hits an impressive Shining Rana. Kikuchi gets the win with a Sunset Flip on Momota. *3/4

Low Ki vs. Yoshinobu Kanemaru
A great match for the GHC Jr. Heavyweight Title. Ki hits a huge Plancha early on, but Kanemaru later with the Deep Impact off the apron to the floor. He works over Ki until he gets destroyed with the Tidal Wave, which is followed up by the Black Magic. From there, they go back and forth, with Ki stomping the hell out of Kanemaru, and Ki almost losing to a Satellite DDT. Kanemaru goes for a Brainbuster, but gets drilled with the Ki Krusher instead. Ki hits the Ki Splash, but it doesn't get the win. Kanemaru fires off a Brainbuster, and then gets the win with a Revolution-style Brainbuster. ****

Eigen vs. Kawabata
Ugh. Nothing to see here. Eigen is pinned with a rollup. *

Takuma Sano and Jun Izumida vs. Mohammed Yone and Trevor Rhodes
Another ok tag team match. Yone fires off a Backdrop to Sano, but Sano returns the favor with a sick German Suplex. In the end, Izumida pins Rhodes with the Mukado Domu. *3/4

Minoru Suzuki vs. Naomichi Marufuji
A decent singles match. Suzuki grounds Marufuji for the most part, and destroys him with a fast combination in the corner. Maru fights back, and even hits his Tree of Woe Van Terminator, but to no avail. In the end, Marufuji's Shiranui can't get the job done, and Suzuki chokes him out for the win. **1/2

Mitsuharu Misawa and Yoshinari Ogawa vs. Akitoshi Saito and Masao Inoue
Another decent match, but it could have been much shorter. Misawa and Saito exchange elbows early, but the champs soon lose the advantage. Ogawa gets nailed with a Spike Piledriver on the floor, and Saito uses the Green Mist. In the end, Ogawa wins with a Backdrop. **1/4

Takeshi Rikio and Makoto Hashi vs. Jun Akiyama and Go Shiozaki
This was better than the last tag match, but not by much. Akiyama and Hashi have an odd exchange, where Akiyama takes about twenty slaps from Hashi, and then unleashes about five himself. Not much else to say. Rikio wins with a
stiff Powerbomb to Shiozaki **1/2

Kenta Kobashi vs. Akira Taue
A great match for the GHC Heavyweight Title. Taue sends Kobashi to the floor, and nails a Plancha?! Now I've seen everything. Kobashi gets into the spirit as well, and nails a Plancha in response. Taue works over Kobashi's knees awhile, and then nails a Nowoda Otoshi on the ramp! Kobashi then takes a SICK German Suplex!! Taue then attempts to kill Kobashi with Ore Ga Taue off the apron!!! Kobashi manages to keep fighting, and Taue almost wins with a Dynamic Bomb. Kobashi is now going on instinct, and drills Taue with a stiff Powerbomb, but misses the Moonsault, and Taue hits a Nowoda Otoshi, and rolls it into Ore Ga Taue. Taue works over Kenta in the corner with punches, but Kobashi goes for a Powerbomb, and Taue counters with a Rana!! Now I've really seen it all. Taue picks up Kobashi, and nails Chichibu Cement, which somehow doesn't put Kobashi down for the three. Taue hits a
Splash, but that still doesn't get it done. Kobashi recovers, hits a few Burning Lariats, and a Half Nelson Suplex. Kobashi finally retains with Wrist Clutch Burning Hammer!!! ****1/4

Overall: A good show from NOAH, as the Jr. Heavyweight and Heavyweight Title defenses are both must see. Recommended.


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