Kenta Kobashi, one of the most influential wrestlers of the '90s, retired Saturday under the All-Japan Pro Wrestling banner, one where he became a legend across continents with his colleagues all those years ago. I don't usually cover puroresu on the blog, but there are some names that are too big to ignore. Kobashi is one of them. He won three AJPW Triple Crown Championships, one Pro Wrestling NOAH GHC Championship, and several tag team titles across his illustrious career. However, no combination of leather and precious metal compares to his no-sell of cancer. Sure, people will say his cancer went into remission through traditional means, but I suspect he gave it a couple of Orange Crushes and a Burning Lariat for good measure, beating it into submission.
Kobashi will remain around the wrestling business as the chairman of the Pacific Wrestling Federation (an arm of AJPW), replacing Hiroshi Hase, who will be headed off to be a politician. All-Japan couldn't have asked for a better ambassador for their company than the man Harley Race himself bestowed the nickname "Mr. Puroresu" upon. You would find it very hard for me to argue the deservedness of that nickname. Happy trails to Kenta Kobashi, because he's earned a nice happy retirement for all he's given to the art of professional wrestling.
