In a slugfest with Hansen, my left wrist was injured and required 22 stitches—an ultimate, heroic intensity (August 23, 1995, Ōdate, Akita).
Called into the locker room for my Lariat usage
Original source
On my journey in pursuit of the top, there were several foreign wrestlers who beat me down. But the one I remember most vividly, of course, is Stan Hansen.
When I was still a rookie, every time he stood in the corner and delivered a Lariat, I was his target. At the time, once Hansen got rough, he truly became uncontrollable—a terrifying presence. He would always aim for me, grab me by the hair, and slam me with a brutal Lariat. It was unbearable. But it was through those times of being beaten black and blue that I grew.
There was a wild brawl that I will never forget. It was at the Ōdate event in August 1995. I took the rope and started hitting wildly, and in anger, he struck back at me with a chair.
The joint of the chair seemed to catch on something and scraped the skin off my left arm—it even tore into the flesh, exposing the bone. Despite that, Hansen still took the rope and hit me with a heavy blow. My mind went completely blank.
As the closing bell rang, I was taken back to the locker room, but a loud “bang” echoed in my head. I had been attacked with a weapon, and I felt an overwhelming need to retaliate. Before I knew it, I was holding a chair and barged into Hansen’s locker room. Then it turned into a chaotic brawl. Even Misawa-senpai, who was set to appear in the main event, rushed over to stop me while his entrance music was playing. Everyone was thrown into confusion because of me.
Seeing the state of my injury, the flustered Mrs. Motoko called for an ambulance, but I really didn’t want to go to the hospital.
However, a senior told me, “Since they’ve already called the ambulance, just go and get checked out,” so I ended up riding the ambulance. That was the first and last time I’ve ever been in an ambulance. In the end, I received 22 stitches—it was a serious injury. Speaking of which, in the match the next day, Hansen even targeted my wound during the fight (laughs).
All that chaos happened the following year. At the time, my finishing move was the Moonsault Press, but I was searching for a possible alternative. During a match in Osaka, I had used a Lariat to defeat Patriot (my opponent), and I thought, "This might work." My arm was thicker than Hansen’s, so the impact area was larger. Plus, I had more speed. “Alright, I’ll go with the Lariat.”
Kobashi’s first and last ambulance ride (August 1995, Ōdate, Akita)
Then one day, referee Higuchi told me, “Kobashi, Hansen is looking for you.” Cautiously, I went to the locker room, and Hansen quietly said to me:
“Kobashi, nowadays the wrestlers often use the Lariat recklessly. But that’s not what a real Lariat is. If you’re going to use it, it has to be a one-hit kill. Don’t forget that feeling when you use it.”
I believe that was Hansen’s pride speaking. I was officially given permission by the original user to use the Lariat. Honestly, I was very happy.
When I used the Lariat to defeat Hansen and defended the Triple Crown title (September 5, 1996), I was filled with deep emotion. That match marked my first appearance on the front page of Tokyo Sports. My overall record was 5 wins, 10 losses, and 2 draws. But I believe I gained something more important than numbers. In some way, Hansen was like a “master” to me—don’t you think?
Steve Williams’ Dangerous Killing Backdrop (August 31, 1993, Toyohashi)
Steve Williams was a good guy until the very end
Just like Stan Hansen, even when being beaten down, Steve Williams (now deceased) would bravely charge forward. His killer Backdrop was truly devastating.
On May 21, 1993, in a match in Sapporo, I secured my first victory against Terry Gordy. From that match, I began being called one of the “Four Pillars,” and afterward, I participated in a match against Williams to determine the next Triple Crown challenger (August 31, 1993, Toyohashi). That match was described as “amazing” and remains an unforgettable battle for me. I was slammed multiple times with his Backdrop, dropped straight down on my head, and ultimately lost. But he was a rival I could face head-on. It's said that Williams once said, “The Triple Crown match with Kobashi (September 3, 1994, Budokan) was one of my best matches.”
Although he won the All-American Championship in the wrestling world, he was a bit clumsy—a slow-talking wrestler—but somehow, our match tempos matched well. Outside the ring, he was a gentle person. When he passed away from throat cancer, I was deeply shocked. I had already decided to bring flowers and attend his planned retirement ceremony with IWA Japan (President Kishuu Asano) in October 2009.
But his condition worsened, and the retirement match was postponed. He passed away in December that year, so I ultimately could not present the flowers or offer my condolences. I heard he was also concerned about me when I was diagnosed with kidney cancer. He was always a good person…
Kobashi and Ace reunited after nearly 5 years (September 2005, Eldon, Missouri)
Speaking of which, at my retirement match, Johnny Ace’s message was the first one played in the venue. He is now a high-ranking executive in WWE, but I heard that once news of my retirement was out, he immediately sent a message.
We were close in age, so it was easy to get along. To be honest, I wasn’t good at English. Johnny was also doing his best to learn Japanese. So we had something resembling conversations, like “Hi, Johnny.” “Yes, Kobashi.” That kind of thing. My team with Johnny was really like something out of a “youth manga.” We won the All Asia Tag Team Championship, and with Patriot joining our GET group, those memories are endless.
When we left All Japan to establish NOAH, he retired from active competition. After that, he gained Vince McMahon’s trust and assumed a key position in WWE. Well, he was a smart guy back then too, so it’s not surprising. When we went on tour to the U.S. (September 2005), we reunited after nearly five years in Eldon, Missouri. His expression seemed even more gentle. Now that I’ve retired, I really want to see him again—to see that brilliant smile once more. (To be continued)