On this page, you find the full wrestling profile of Kenta Kobashi, with his Career History, real name, age, height and weight, the Promotions he worked for, all the Face/Heel turns, the Championship Titles he won, his Finishers, Theme Songs, Tag Teams and Stables, his appearance changes through the years, and more.
Kenta Kobashi (小橋 建太) was born in Fukuchiyama, Kyoto, Japan on March 27, 1967, and he is currently 57 years old.
He is currently a Commentator and Promoter.
As a wrestler, Kobashi is considered to have some of the greatest knife edge chops of all time, and is known for being one of AJPW's Four Heavenly Pillars in the 1990s, which had tremendous influence on indie wrestlers abroad in the Anglosphere for years after.
Profile Info
- Gender Male
- Real Name Kenta Kobashi (小橋 建太)
- Ring Names
- Kenta Kobashi ( February 26, 1988 - Present)
- Born March 27, 1967 (age 57)
- Nationality
Japan - Birth Place Fukuchiyama, Kyoto, Japan
- Billed From
- Japan ( February 26, 1988 - May 11, 2013)
- Height 6 ft 1 in (186 cm)
- Weight
- 254 lbs (115 kg)
- Nicknames Absolute Champion; Iron Man; Mr. Pro Wrestling; Orange Crush; The Perfect Wrestler
- Notes As a wrestler, Kobashi is considered to have some of the greatest knife edge chops of all time, and is known for being one of AJPW's Four Heavenly Pillars in the 1990s, which had tremendous influence on indie wrestlers abroad in the Anglosphere for years after.
JapanCareer History
- Roles
- Commentator ( July 10, 2010 - Present)
- Promoter ( June 8, 2014 - Present)
- Coach ( January 1, 1992 - December 31, 2005)
- Wrestler ( April 2, 1988 - May 11, 2013)
- Promotions / Brands
Promotion from to Promotion 
DDTFebruary 14, 2021 December 26, 2021 Promotion NOAHAugust 5, 2000 May 11, 2013 Promotion AJPWApril 2, 1988 July 20, 2000 - Face / Heel Turns
Alignment from to Face April 2, 1988 May 11, 2013 - Images
May 2013Jul 2002Jan 2002Jun 1999May 1992Aug 1989Apr 1988
DDT
NOAH
AJPW
- Finishers
- Burning Lariat - High-impact short-range lariat ( January 1, 1998 - May 11, 2013)
- Orange Crush - Vertical suplex powerbomb ( April 2, 1988 - May 11, 2013)
- Diving Moonsault ( April 2, 1988 - May 11, 2013)
- Burning Hammer - Inverted Death Valley driver ( October 24, 1998 - March 5, 2006)
- Theme Songs
- Theme Song "Grand Sword" by Osami Suzuki - Single ( December 2, 2007 - May 11, 2013)
- Theme Song "Blazin'" by K.A.Z. - Single ( April 13, 2003 - December 1, 2007)
- Theme Song “Sniper (w/ Grand Sword (Slow Version) + Breaking Glass Intro)" by Masaki Matsubara - Single ( July 26, 2002 - April 12, 2003)
- Theme Song “The Theme Of 'Pro-Wrestling NOAH'” by Yutaka Tominaga - Single ( July 27, 2001 - July 25, 2002)
- Theme Song “Grand Sword (NOAH Version)" by Osamu Suzuki - Single ( August 5, 2000 - July 26, 2001)
- Theme Song "Grand Sword (V3)" by Osami Suzuki - Single ( August 25, 1998 - July 20, 2000)
- Theme Song "Grand Sword ~Big Match Version~" by Osami Suzuki - Single ( January 1, 1999 - December 31, 1999)
- Theme Song "Grand Sword (V1)" by Osami Suzuki - Single ( January 1, 1998 - August 24, 1998)
- Theme Song "Sniper" by Masaki Katsubara - Single ( January 14, 1990 - December 31, 1997)
- Theme Song "Sniper (with Color of Your Smile intro)" by Masaki Katsubara - Single ( January 1, 1989 - January 13, 1990)
- Theme Song “Color of Your Smile” (Combined) by Night Ranger & Masaki Matsubara - Single ( April 2, 1988 - December 31, 1988)
Titles & Accomplishments
- Titles Won
All Japan Pro Wrestling
- 4 All Asia Tag Team Championship (1 with Tiger Mask II/Mitsuharu Misawa, 2 with Johnny Ace, 1 with Tsuyoshi Kikuchi)
- 3 Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship
- 6 World Tag Team Championship (2 with Mitsuharu Misawa, 2 with Johnny Ace, 2 with Jun Akiyama)
Pro Wrestling Noah
- 1 GHC Heavyweight Championship
- 1 GHC Openweight Hardcore Championship
- 2 GHC Tag Team Championship (with Tamon Honda)
- Other Accomplishments
- 4° in PWI 500 (1996, 2000, 2004)
- 33° in PWI Years Top 500 (2003)
- 6° in PWI Years Tag Teams (2003 with Mitsuharu Misawa)
- AJPW Champion Carnival (2000)
- AJPW January 2 Korakuen Hall Heavyweight Battle Royal (1993)
- AJPW One Night Six Man Tag Team Tournament (1999 with Jun Akiyama and Kentaro Shiga)
- AJPW World's Strongest Tag Determination League (1993–1995 with Mitsuharu Misawa, 1998 and 1999 with Jun Akiyama)
- AJPW World's Strongest Tag Determination League Fresh Award (1991) – with Tsuyoshi Kikuchi
- Nikkan Sports Match of the Year (1997 - vs. Mitsuharu Misawa on 10/21)
- Nikkan Sports Match of the Year (1998 - vs. Mitsuharu Misawa on 10/31)
- Nikkan Sports Match of the Year (2003 - vs. Mitsuharu Misawa on 03/01)
- Nikkan Sports Match of the Year (2004 - vs. Jun Akiyama on 07/10)
- Nikkan Sports Match of the Year (2005 - vs. Kensuke Sasaki on 07/18)
- Nikkan Sports Match of the Year (2007 - with Yoshihiro Takiyama vs. Mitsuharu Misawa and Jun Akiyama on 12/02)
- Nikkan Sports Outstanding Performance Award (1996)
- Nikkan Sports Fighting Spirit Award (1997, 2007, 2008)
- Nikkan Sports Wrestler of the Year (1996, 1998, 2004, 2005)
- NOAH One Day Six Man Tag Team Tournament (2002 with Kenta and Kentaro Shiga)
- Tokyo Sports Comeback Award (2007)
- Tokyo Sports Lifetime Achievement Award (2013)
- Tokyo Sports Match of the Year (1995 - with Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Akira Taue and Toshiaki Kawada on 06/09)
- Tokyo Sports Match of the Year (1997 - vs. Mitsuharu Misawa on 10/21)
- Tokyo Sports Match of the Year (1998 - vs. Mitsuharu Misawa on 10/31)
- Tokyo Sports Match of the Year (2003 - vs. Mitsuharu Misawa on 03/01)
- Tokyo Sports Match of the Year (2004 - vs. Jun Akiyama on 07/10)
- Tokyo Sports Match of the Year (2005 - vs. Kensuke Sasaki on 07/18)
- Tokyo Sports Match of the Year (2007 - with Yoshihiro Takiyama vs. Mitsuharu Misawa and Jun Akiyama on 12/02)
- Tokyo Sports Match of the Year (2011 - with Keiji Mutoh vs. Takashi Iizuka and Toru Yano on 08/27)
- Tokyo Sports Rookie of the Year (1989)
- Tokyo Sports Tag Team of the Year (1993 and 1994 with Mitsuharu Misawa, 1999 with Jun Akiyama)
- Tokyo Sports Wrestler of the Year (1996, 1998)
- WON Best Box Office Draw (2004, 2005)
- WON Best Wrestling Maneuver (1998 - Burning Hammer)
- WON Match of the Year (1992 - with Tsuyoshi Kikuchi vs. Doug Furnas and Phil Lafon on 05/25)
- WON Match of the Year (1998 - vs. Mitsuharu Misawa on 10/31)
- WON Match of the Year (1999 - vs. Mitsuharu Misawa on 06/11)
- WON Match of the Year (2003 - vs. Mitsuharu Misawa on 03/01)
- WON Match of the Year (2004 - vs. Jun Akiyama on 07/10)
- WON Match of the Year (2005 - vs. Samoa Joe on 10/01)
- WON Most Improved Wrestler (1990)
- WON Most Outstanding Wrestler (1993, 1994)
- WON Tag Team of the Year (1995 with Mitsuharu Misawa, 1999 with Jun Akiyama)
- WON Wrestler of the Year (1996, 2003-2005)
- Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame (class of 2002)
Relations
- Tag Teams & Stables
- BURNING - KENTA / Hideo Itami, Takeshi Rikio, Tamon Honda, Go Shiozaki, Tsuyoshi Kikuchi ( August 6, 2000 - December 31, 2012)
- Kenta Kobashi & Tamon Honda - Tamon Honda ( February 16, 2003 - December 6, 2009)
- BURNING - Jun Akiyama, Yoshinobu Kanemaru ( January 2, 1998 - February 26, 2000)
- Super Generation Army - Akira Taue, Jun Akiyama, Mitsuharu Misawa, Toshiaki Kawada, Tsuyoshi Kikuchi, Satoru Asako ( July 7, 1990 - September 8, 1998)
- G.E.T. - John Laurinaitis / Johnny Ace, The Patriot ( May 18, 1997 - August 22, 1998)
- Kenta Kobashi & Mitsuharu Misawa - Mitsuharu Misawa ( January 5, 1990 - May 31, 1997)
- Kenta Kobashi & Johnny Ace - John Laurinaitis / Johnny Ace ( July 26, 1990 - October 24, 1991)
