This is my first review / play-by-play.

"American Dragon" Bryan Danielson vs. KENTA 12/2/06 NOAH - Yokohoma Bunka Gymnasium - 3,800 Fans

Handshake of respect is given. Danielson works over the arm for the beginning of the match, a very lengthy feel out process. Danielson is so good at tearing down body parts, rendering them completely useless. Kenta tries to do some of his own arm work, but Danielson will have none of it using a back bridge and then a dropkick to get Kenta off of him. Danielson leg scissors Kenta's head, which Kenta gets out of and slaps Danielson in the face, heelish prick. Danielson doesn't take to it too kindly ripping into Kenta's arm again, and then slapping him in the face.

Kenta with elbows, Danielson with stiff european uppercuts. A very quick whip and drop sequence follows with Danielson pulling out a neat combo of hip toss followed directly with a sweet armbar, Kenta reaches the ropes. Danielson does the classic armbreaker over his shoulder, and then between his legs, and my favorite, putting his arm resting on his wrist on the mat and stomping it. Danielson gets a one count for his fantastic arm work so far. Kenta comes back with some swift, stiff kicks to Danielson's chest, and then his back for a one count. Kenta with a side headlock on the mat, for a while. Danielson gets to the ropes, no clean break for him as Kenta kicks him in the chest, and then hit him with a slow swinging neck breaker for a 2 count. Kenta now puts danielson in the head scissors, and in a funny spot, with Kenta on his stomach, they both start screaming and Danielson pops his head out between Kenta's leg. Wow. With Kenta on his stomach, Danielson goes for the surf board stretch, but Kenta refuses to give him his hands, so in an awesome spot, Danielson grinds his knuckles into Kenta's kidney area. Now that he has control of his arms he prepares to swing back with a "whoa...whoa" which is funny. As soon as he falls back he puts him in the dragon sleeper for a quick second, and then a one handed push back choke.

Danielson goes back for a surf board, but just jumps stomping both legs in the process. Danielson with another swank european uppercut, over the shoulder arm breakers. Kenta gets fired up and dishes out a quick couple elbow shots and knees to the midsection, and then tries to suplex Danielson who blocks it with a takedown armbar. Kenta cannot reach the ropes for a few seconds, Danielson holds on even though he's told to break, and then tells the ref he has until five. That was awesome. More over the shoulder arm breakers and then a back suplex for 2. Back to the dragon sleeper, with an added twist, putting Kenta's right arm inbetween his legs and sitting down. Kenta reaches the ropes. Danielson with another european uppercut, and a couple of Benoit style head butts. Danielson with a butterfly suplex into a armbar. That was cool. Damn, more over the shoulder arm breakers. Danielson whips Kenta into the corner, charges, gets the boot, Kenta runs off the ropes and get floored with a back elbow. Danielson goes for a suplex, but Kenta floats over and Danielson runs the ropes into a powerslam by Kenta, no cover.

Kenta with a running yakuze kick. Kenta with an elbow smash, charges d\Danielson gets a boot to the face, Danielson climbs the ropes and dives at Kenta, and eats a cutter (diamond cutter) for a 2 count. Kenta with strikes, spin kick, springboard dropkick for another 2 count. Backs Danielson into the corner and gives him some elbows. Whips Danielson into the other corner, and Danielson runs the turnbuckle does a backflip over Kenta landing behind him, Kenta charges and takes a nasty push down backbreaker. Danielson with the stalling diving head BUTT for a 2 count. A quick pin sequence follows, sunset flips, roll overs, etc, all for 2. Danielson tries to sunset flip Kenta, but gets slapped in the face yet again, and then gets a fisherman buster for his troubles for a 2 count. Kenta climbs the ropes and mocks Danielson, he'll soon regret that, Kenta dives and eats Danielson's boot. Danielson looks pissed. Kenta has rolled onto the apron, and Danielson tries to suplex him back into the ring, but Kenta counters and suplexs him out of the ring to the floor. Kenta tries to baseball slide, Danielson side steps and gives Kenta a LARIATOOOO~! knocking Kenta over the guardrail. Danielson gets back in the ring and shows his flying skills clearing the guardrail nailing Kenta with a springboard crossbody splash. Danielson landed badly, hurting his left knee. Kenta looks pretty shaken up as well. Danielson is having trouble standing at this point. Ref is counting. 9 - 10 - 11 - 12 - 13 - 14 - 15 - 16 - 17 - 18 Danielson is in 19 - Kenta is in.

Danielson with a top rope dropkick. He kips up and screams in agony hopping on one leg, yet charges at Kenta at full speed giving him a diving elbow. Danielson goes for a top rope move, but Kenta hits his leg and pushes him off, and Danielson charges back and gets a boot to the face, and then a spinning ddt over the ropes. Kenta spring boards at Danielson, who ducks, and botches a german suplex. Looked like he wanted to do a release, but Kenta doesn't do the necessary flip. so, Danielson quickly covers up the mistake and makes a bridge and gets a slow 2 count. Danielson runs the ropes and get a calf dropkick to the side of his head, Kenta follows up with a texas cloverleaf. Kenta must be watching Dean Malenko lately. Danielson reaches the ropes and takes a german suplex for two, still holding his knee. Kenta with some strikes, and goes for a spinning chop, Danielson ducks and gives Kenta a bridging back suplex while underhooking his left leg for a two count. Danielson ascends the turnbuckle, Kenta gives chase jumping right up to him, Danielson in yet another sweet spot slips through Kenta's leg and gets up behind him and gives him a top rope back suplex for 2 3/4. Danielson wastes no time and locks Kenta into the cattle multilation. Kenta is in the hold for about ten seconds before he reaches the ropes and Danielson releases the hold and immedaitely grabs his knee. Nice sequence of spots.

Slugfest time, Danielson's european uppercuts vs. Kenta's elbows. Danielson then does a running head BUTT, and Kenta with a running yakuze kick, Danielson with another running head BUTT, and then another. Those looked sick as hell, especially the last one.

Danielson now with the crossface chicken wing. Kenta with a leg takedown using his leg, which is cool. Kenta puts on the texas cloverleaf again, but small pakaged after a few seconds for a 2 count, and a round of aplouse. Slapping contest, and a kitchen sink by Danielson, followed up by 20 elbows strikes to Kenta's neck, yes, twenty. Danielson gets the cattle multilation on again, but doesn't like his positioning, so he releases, rolls Kenta over with a spinning headlock and reapplies the cattle multilation! That was incredible. Kenta reaches the ropes again, and is selling his neck. Danielson does the Benoit cut throat. Danielson goes for the tiger suplex, Kenta counters and goes for the go 2 sleep, Danielson counters and hits the tiger suplex for 2 3/4. Danielson goes for the cattle multilation again but Kenta rolls with him and pins Danielson for a 2 3/4 count. Wow. Double running yakuza kicks, Kenta with a flapjack lift into cutter again, Kenta with a combo of strikes and a Busaiku Knee Kick for 2 3/4. Kenta starts running the ropes going for it again, but Danielson moves and victory rolls with a bridge for 2, school boy for 2. Elbow strike fest, Danielson with a rolling elbow, Kenta goes for rolling elbow, but Danielson ducks and goes for the backslide, Kenta flips over and gives Danielson three Kawada style kicks to the head, and then hoists Danielson up on his shoulders, GO 2 SLEEP~! Danielson takes it to the chest, and is out on his feet, cover, 1 - 2 - 3! WINNER: KENTA in 25:21.

Wow. That was a great match. Felt like a AJPW 1990's heavyweight match, with the big moves, solid mat work, good heat, pretty decent selling at times, and them busting their asses for over 25 minutes. A very solid, re-watchable match. ****1/2

They (NOAH) should really consider having Danielson tour more often, well, once he returns from his injury. Danielson is easily in the top ten, possibly top five wrestlers in the world right now.