December 10, 2007 Observer Newsletter: Kenta Kobashi returns to wrestling, TNA Turning Point recap

Image: Pro Wrestling NOAH

For about a half hour this past weekend, Japanese pro wrestling was back like the old days, with a dream main event of superstars, and a hot, turnaway crowd.

However, the circumstances that led to the reprieve of a declining industry will hopefully never be duplicated. It would be great if it’s a sign that, maybe not that the glory days will ever be back, but perhaps at least a turnaround is coming.

But it could just be one of the final isolated moments.

Kenta Kobashi, one of the greatest in-ring performers in the history of the business made his long-awaited return on 12/2 at Tokyo Budokan Hall before the largest wrestling crowd in the history of the arena. Knocked out of the ring 18 months ago due to cancer which required the removal of one of his kidneys (that fact has been largely unpublicized), NOAH announced the attendance at 17,000 fans. In fact, there may have been more people than that.

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