Report Last Updated - 12/07 (Winter)
Real Name - Kenta Kobashi
Birthdate - 3/27/67
6'2" 282 lbs. - Fukuchiyama, Kyoto, Japan

Aliases - none

Athletic background - Judo, Rugby (High School)

Teachers - Giant Baba, Dory Funk Jr., Masanobu Fuchi, Kazuharu Sonoda, Road Warriors

Professional background - All Japan(`87-`00), NOAH(`00-)

Groups - BURNING

Career Highlights -
- Teams with Mitsuharu Misawa to win the International Tag titles in the Real World Tag Team League
- Defeats Akira Taue for his first of three Triple Crowns
- Beats Vader to win his third Triple Crown, which he vacates when he leaves AJPW
- Returns to NOAH after over a year out in a great tag math with Misawa against Jun Akiyama & Yuji Nagata
- Defeats Misawa at NOAH's first Tokyo Dome show to win the GHC title in a tremendous dramatic battle
- Makes another huge return in a tag match with Yoshihiro Takayama battling Misawa & Akiyama

Finisher(s) -
- Burning Lariat
- Diamondhead (Dangerous Powerbomb)
- Burning Hammer
- Moonsault
- Burning Sword (Pullback Overhead Chop)
- Sleeper Suplex
x Black Crush (Vertical Suplex into Ace Crusher)
x Orange Bomb

Favorites -
- Half Nelson Suplex
- Vertical Suplex
- Running Knees Strikes on the ropes
- Machine Gun Chops
- Kesagiri Chop (Neckchop)

Ringwork Rating -
move set - 8
science - 3
aerial - 1
power - 7
strikes - 10

Intangible Rating -
entertainment - 10
selling - 10
bumping - 7
heat - 10
carrying - 7
push - 9
potential - 3

Serious Injuries - Knee (Required Several Surgeries); Kidney cancer (Required treatment)

Outlook - Kenta Kobashi will be remembered by many as the greatest Japanese pro-wrestler of all-time with a claim as the greatest pro-wrestler period. His modest athletic background prevented him from coming into All Japan with much fanfare, but within a few years his gifts were being noticed. In the 1990s, only Mitsuharu Misawa can declare greater success in All Japan when it was perhaps the greatest wrestling company ever in terms of workrate. Kobashi’s powerhouse style which was complimented with many chops and moonsaults was popular and he was often put opposite the toughest foreigners as he was the biggest and strongest native star. His success made him the youngest Triple Crown winner of the day and he was arguably the best in the company if not the world between 1993 and 1998. When Giant Baba died and All Japan began disintegrating, Kobashi was still on top, but politics would lead to an unprecedented talent exodus and Kobashi was their kingpin. This new company enjoyed Kobashi’s presence for a short time as nagging knee injuries forced him out for a year and a half. His comeback was legend as he worked hard to climb back to the top and win the company’s GHC title. While he eventually lost the title, Kobashi was still seen as the strongest pro-wrestler in Japan (not only NOAH). He was still having great matches when he was forced to leave for two years to battle cancer. He won this battle and will again enjoy a momentous comeback. Now forty, Kenta Kobashi is thoroughly banged up. However, he has changed with the times. He sustains less overall damage and appears to be trying to lengthen his career. While not as broken down as Misawa, he does not have the capacity to run hard for many more years. Kobashi needs to either slow down or work less, otherwise he will end up on the shelf again and maybe permanently this time.