Toshiaki Kawada v Naoya Ogawa (Zero-One, 12/14/03)

Kawada is so great at these violent hatefests, and this is one of the best violent hatefests of the decade. The feeling out at the start is really cool with both guys trying to scramble away as soon as there's any sense of danger. They get to the smashing the shit out of each other right from the start as well, so the feeling out process in this is more brutal than most matches, period. Bit where they're in the corner and Kawada is throwing palms, but that leaves him exposed to a straight right to the chin and his sell of it is off the charts amazing. Kawada is just going after Ogawa like a fiend at a few points, and there's a bit where Ogawa is on the deck so Kawada full force jumps on his face. Ogawa goes for the STO, but Kawada is close to the ropes and manages to block it, then he starts kneeing Ogawa in the thigh to get free, which was pretty great. He goes after that leg the rest of the match, and really, you watch Ogawa limping around and you think, "Yeah, I can totally buy him not being able to stand after the shit Kawada's thrown his way." Some of the leg work is just brutal. Kawada jumping on Ogawa's face was nasty enough, but the way he jumps right on his kneecap looks even more disgusting. Match goes to a double countout after Ogawa hits an STO on the floor, so Kawada gets on the mic and wants a restart. And post-restart they pick up where they left off. Kawada is probably even more feral going after the knee, in fact. As far as double KO finishes go, I'm drawing a blank on any that are as believable as this one. Because maaaaaan do they hit each other hard. This was great.