The Lariat - Who Did It Best?

#2 Kenta Kobashi

With arms like those, Kobashi's lariats must've been unimaginably painful

Kenta Kobashi is widely considered to be one of the greatest and most dynamic wrestlers ever. He could pull off virtually any move perfectly and had a big move for almost any situation. For many years, his main finisher was his lariat.

However, Kobashi had two different versions of this same move. The first was a typical running Lariat that looked as powerful as any. But it’s his second version that’s the more badass and devastating.

This move – called the Burning Lariat – involves Kobashi holding his opponent by the hair/head with one arm, pulling his lariat arm back like he’s building up power, and then swinging his arm in short range with enough force to decapitate a lesser man. Kobashi’s Burning Lariat is a monstrous move and must be a nightmare to take for his opponents.

This must be especially true considering Kobashi was one of the strongest and most muscular wrestlers in AJPW and NOAH, and he had built himself a reputation for dishing out as much punishment as he himself absorbed.