AS I SEE IT 9/26: Kobashi comes to America

AS I SEE IT
Bob Magee
Pro Wrestling: Between the Sheets
PWBTS.com

This coming weekend will feature the east coast/United States debut of a man who many view as the most talented wrestler in our generation, Kenta Kobashi, on Saturday, October 1 in New York and Sunday, October 2 in Philadelphia (Kobashi made his overall American debut this past weekend Harley Race's World League Wrestling show in Eldon, MO).

Kenta Kobashi was trained by Giant Baba, Dory Funk, Jr., Masanobu Fuchi, and Kazuharu "Magic Dragon" Sonoda and debuted in 1998. In the Japanese tradition of moving up the proverbial ladder, Kobashi lost his first 63 matches before he was permitted to begin the career most associate with him.

He is a 3 time All Japan Triple Crown Heavyweight Champion (1996 ,1998, 2000), 6 time co-All Japan Tag Team Champion (twice with Jun Akiyama in 1999, twice with Johnny Ace in 1997, and twice with Mitsuhara Misawa in 1993 and 1994) 4 time co-All Japan All Asian Tag Team Champion (once in 1992 with Tsuyoshi Kikuchi, twice with Johnny Ace in 1990 and 1991, and once with Tiger Mask [Mitsuharu Misawa] in 1990) , 5 time winner of the All Japan Real World League (1993, 1994, 1995, 1998, and 1999), the 2000 Champion Carnival Tournament Winner; and has won the Pro Wrestling NOAH GHC Heavyweight Championship (2003) and Pro Wrestling NOAH GHC Tag Team Championships (2003 with Tamon Honda).

Kobashi has won numerous major fan awards, earning 3 times Wrestling Observer Wrestler of the Year (1996, 2003, 2004), 4 times Match of the Year (1998, 1999, 2003, 2004) , Most Outstanding (1994), Best Box Office Draw (2004) and Best Tag Team (1999, with Jun Akiyama). He was voted into the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame in 2002 with the largest percentage of votes in history (98%).

Kobashi won a number of the prestigious Tokyo Sports Awards: 3 times Match of the Year (1998 and 2003 with Mitsuharu Misawa, 2004 with Jun Akiyama), twice Wrestler of the Year (1996, 1998), once co-Tag Team of the Year (with Jun Akiyama, 1999), and 1999 Tokyo Sports Rookie of the Year.

In terms of the coming weekend, Ring of Honor returns to New York Saturday with a 7:30 pm belltime at New Yorker Hotel on 34th Street and 8th Avenue in midtown Manhattan. Tickets for this show are almost sold out.

A promotional video for the Manhattan show is available (must have Windows Media Viewer) at this link.

Matches scheduled:

  • Kenta Kobashi vs. Samoa Joe

  • Nigel McGuinness defends the Pure Title vs. Jay Lethal

  • James Gibson vs. Jimmy Yang

  • Jimmy Rave with Prince Nana vs. Roderick Strong

  • Homicide vs. Jack Evans

  • Colt Cabana vs. Claudio Castagnoli

  • ROH Tag Team Champions BJ Whitmer and Jimmy Jacobs have an open challenge for a title shot

    More to be announced later in the week with Christopher Daniels, Matt Sydal, Ricky Reyes, Azrieal and more.

    Tickets

    Tickets are available at Ticketmaster.com or at ROHwrestling.com, or by calling (215) 781-2500.

    Directions

    By Car: The New Yorker Hotel is conveniently located in Midtown Manhattan on 34th Street and the corner of 8th Avenue, just across from Madison Square Garden and Penn Station and is the closest hotel to the Javits Convention Center.

    By subway:
    The New Yorker is easily accessible by New Yorkers via the the A, C and E trains (34th Street/Penn Station stop).

    The New Yorker is 2 blocks from the N, R, Q, B, F, and D trains (34th Street-Herald Square stop) and a one block walk from the 1, 2, 3, 9 trains (34th Street-Penn Station/7th Avenue stop).

    New Jersey Mass Transit

    The New Yorker is accessible directly via ALL NJ Transit commuter train lines (with the exception of the Bergen County and Raritan Valley lines, on which riders can transfer at via the Secaucus Transfer or Newark Penn Station). Go to NJ Transit.com for information.

    The New Yorker is also accessible via PATH trains at Journal Square Station in Newark. Go to this link for information.

    Tickets

    Tickets are available at Ticketmaster.com and Ticketmaster outlets or at ROHwrestling.com, or by calling (215) 781-2500.

    Then, on Sunday, October 2, Ring of Honor returns to Philadelphia at the Pennsylvania National Guard Armory, located at 2700 Southampton Rd, Philadelphia, PA with a special 6:30 pm start time.

    Here is the current lineup:

  • Kenta Kobashi and Homicide vs. Samoa Joe and Low Ki

  • James Gibson in his final ROH match vs. Roderick Strong

  • Christopher Daniels vs. Jimmy Yang

  • Colt Cabana vs. Jack Evans

  • Jimmy Rave vs. Matt Sydal

  • Nigel McGuinness vs. Jay Lethal vs. Claudio Castagnoli vs. Davey Andrews

  • More to be signed later this week with ROH Tag Team Champions BJ Whitmer and Jimmy Jacobs, Tony Mamaluke, Sal Rinauro, and Lacey's Angels including the return of Izzy and Deranged.

    Kenta Kobashi will also be available post-show for a meet and greet to sign autographs.

    A promotional video for this show is available through .this link.

    Tickets

    Tickets are available at Ticketmaster.com and Ticketmaster outlets or at ROHwrestling.com, or by calling (215) 781-2500.

    Directions:

    The Philadelphia National Guard Armory is easily accessible via I-95, US 1, and the Pennsylvania Turnpike, as the below map shows:

    For New York fans:

    1) Take Lincoln Tunnel to New Jersey Turnpike via Exit 10B or 7B on NJ 3. Take NJ Turnpike southbound to Exit 6 (Pennsylvania Turnpike/I-276). After crossing Delaware River, take Turnpike Exit 351 (US 1 Expressway) which becomes US 1/Roosevelt Boulevard. The Armory is on Roosevelt Boulevard and Southampton Road as shown in the above map.

    2) Take Veranzano Narrows Bridge and continue on I-278 through Staten Island to New Jersey and Exit 13 of New Jersey Turnpike.

    Take New Jersey Turnpike southbound to Exit 6 (Pennsylvania Turnpike/I-276). After crossing Delaware River, take Turnpike Exit 351 (US 1 Expressway) which becomes US 1/Roosevelt Boulevard. The Armory is on Roosevelt Boulevard and Southampton Road as shown in the above map.

    Bus trips

    Wrestlingbustrips.com will run a bus trip to the October 2 Philadelphia, PA show.

    The price for this trip will be $50 and will include round trip transportation to the event, your ticket to the show, VIP admission before anyone else, and more to be announced. You can reserve and pay for seats now by emailing AGENTCLPT@aol.com.

    Wrestlingbustrips.com will pick up:

    2:00 pm - Modell's behind the Queens Center Mall (90-15 Queens Boulevard)

    3:00 pm - Manhattan Center in NYC (311 West 43rd Street & 8th Ave.)

    3:30 PM - Former Rexplex in Elizabeth, NJ

    For South Jersey fans:

    Take Route 73 until you reach the exit for Route 90 (the approach road for the Betsy Ross Bridge). Take the Betsy Ross Bridge to Philadelphia and take the first exit immediately off of the Bridge onto I-95 northbound.

    Take I-95 northbound to the Woodhaven Road exit. Take Woodhaven Road to Roosevelt Boulevard (US 1) and turn right. The Armory will be on your right.

    For fans from Delaware/points south:

    The directions are fairly simple. Go to I-95 northbound from wherever you are. Continue on I-95 through Delaware and Pennsylvania, through center city Philadelphia, until you reach northeast Philadelphia and the Woodhaven Road exit. Take Woodhaven Road to Roosevelt Boulevard (US 1) and turn right. The Armory will be on your right.

    For Philadelphia fans using SEPTA:

    It should be noted that the Armory IS accessible via SEPTA from center city and south Philadelphia, taking the Frankford El to the Frankford Transportation Center, then transferring to the Route 14 bus (which goes right out Roosevelt Boulevard).

    The bus ride takes about 20 minutes from the Frankford Transportation Center. Inbound buses to the Frankford Transportation Center run past midnight, so people will be easily be able to get back into town after the shows.

    To check how you can make connections via SEPTA to this show, go to this link.

    Finally, I'd like my readers, wherever they may live, to take some time and consider how they might help the victims of Hurricane Katrina. The various charities listed below can receive donations online through the Network for Good portal.

    To donate cash by telephone:

  • American Red Cross (800) HELP NOW/(800) 435-7669 English; (800) 257-7575 Spanish
  • America's Second Harvest (800) 344-8070

    To donate cash or volunteer:

  • Adventist Community Services -- (800) 381-7171
  • Catholic Charities, USA -- (703) 549-1390
  • Christian Disaster Response -- (941) 956-5183/(941) 551-9554
  • Christian Reformed World Relief Committee -- (800) 848-5818
  • Church World Service -- (800) 297-1516
  • Convoy of Hope -- (417) 823-8998
  • Lutheran Disaster Response -- (800) 638-3522
  • Mennonite Disaster Service -- (717) 859-2210
  • Nazarene Disaster Response -- (888) 256-5886
  • Presbyterian Disaster Assistance -- (800) 872-3283
  • Salvation Army -- (800) SAL-ARMY/(800) 725-2769
  • Southern Baptist Convention -- Disaster Relief (800) 462-8657, ext. 6440
  • United Methodist Committee on Relief -- (800) 554-8583

    Until next time....

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    If you have comments/questions, or if you'd like to add the AS I SEE IT column to your website, I can be reached by e-mail at bobmagee1@hotmail.com)