Match Point: Kento Miyahara vs. Abdullah Kobayashi, EXCITE SERIES 2022 (2/23/22)

Match Point is an ongoing series at Last Word on Pro Wrestling, where we look at intriguing matchups in indie wrestling and beyond. They may be dream matches, first-time matchups, or hotly anticipated rematches. Today, we take a look at the Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship match between Kento Miyahara and Abdullah Kobayashi.

All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW) is starting a new era, with the recent crowning of Kento Miyahara as Triple Crown Heavyweight Champion. In this Match Point, we will cover the upcoming title match with Kento Miyahara battling Abdullah Kobayashi towards the end of the Excite Series Tour.

【2.5大阪大会】

「2022 EXCITE SERIES
～ARROW presents～」
🗓2月5日(土) 17:00開始
エディオンアリーナ大阪(第2競技場)

🔷世界ジュニアヘビー級選手権試合

🔷世界タッグ選手権試合前哨戦

🔻大会詳細はこちら🔻https://t.co/E5DfCla4W3#ajpw #ajpwtv #ajpw50th pic.twitter.com/1UXqM5m0we

— 全日本プロレス/alljapan (@alljapan_pw) January 31, 2022

Kento Miyahara and Abdullah Kobayashi – EXCITE SERIES 2022

In The Beginning

We start all the way back in 2020. Kento Miyahara is not the Triple Crown Champion and is in an increasingly popular tag team with Yuma Aoyagi. This tag-team would remain heavy favorites to win The Real World Tag League. Abdullah Kobayashi is someone with who many fans would be familiar if they watched BJW (Big Japan Pro-Wrestling). A primarily deathmatch-based wrestler, Kobayashi would take part in the 2020 Real World Tag League with Daisuke Sekimoto.

In the opening round of the tournament, Kobayashi would pin Miyahara. In what could be considered a major upset at the time. This upset wouldn’t matter, however, as Miyahara and Aoyagi would win that tournament and proceed to capture the World Tag Team Championships. With their first challengers being Sekimoto and Kobayashi. In the weeks going into this match, Kento Miyahara and Kobayashi would have a singles match end in a no contest. But the result would be Miyahara and Aoyagi retaining their championships.

Real World Tag League 2021 – Jake Lee vs. Abdullah Kobayashi

Unlike previous years, Abdullah Kobayashi started making more on and off appearances for AJPW. Most notably during their Royal Road Tournament and Real World Tag League. Kobayashi would team with Drew Parker, once again representing Big Japan Pro Wrestling. In the opening round of their block, Kobayashi would achieve another major upset by defeating Jake Lee, who was the Triple Crown Heavyweight Champion at the time. They would have a rematch at the end of the tour in a hardcore match, with Kobayashi and Parker winning.

This would lead to Kobayashi challenging for the Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship during the New Year Wars tour. But this match would never happen due to the championship getting vacated because of the unfortunate facial injury from Jake Lee. A few weeks later, Kento Miyahara would capture the Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship in a mini-tournament. This led to Abdullah Kobayashi challenging the current champion in his first title defense.

Big Japan Pro Wrestling vs. All Japan Pro Wrestling.

Since the start of the build for this match, Kobayashi earned a tag victory over Miyahara once more. This match marks their second singles match together. In a match that brings many eyes to the AJPW vs. BJW storyline that was started here. Kento Miyahara is the ace of All Japan Pro Wrestling, while Kobayashi is a remarkably accomplished deathmatch wrestler, being a five-time holder of the BJW Death Match Heavyweight Championship. Abdullah doesn’t mind utilizing weapons like forks to ruin the heads of his opponents. even if it is an illegal tactic for a company like AJPW.

While Miyahara does have a history with him, him potentially defeating Kobayashi wouldn’t be completely out of ordinary. Kento Miyahara is the ace of All Japan Pro Wrestling. If Kobayashi wins this match would be one of the biggest upsets in All Japan Pro Wrestling history. Even if it’s highly unlikely, Kento Miyahara vs. Abdullah Kobayashi will sure be an interesting match. If Kobayashi wins, it will be the first time he’s held championship gold in AJPW and for Miyahara, it’s his first championship defense.

Kento Miyahara vs. Abdullah Kobayashi – In Closing

When it comes to title matches for AJPW, this one while might be major in the name could be a good title defense for Miyahara. If we were to call this match, Kento Miyahara would retain his Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship here. It seems incredibly unlikely Kento Miyahara would lose his championship right before such a prominent event like Champions Night 3 in mid-March. Even possibly during the start of the Dream Power Series. But stranger things have happened for AJPW as of late.

Will Kento Miyahara retain the Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship, or will Abdullah Kobayashi cause the upset of the century? I guess we’ll figure out the answer to that question at Excite Series on February 23rd.