It is hard to summarize how important Manami Toyota was and always will be to Joshi Wrestling. That’s another column for another day, but from her career in AJW to her continued role in wrestling she has left a mark that will never be forgotten. This retirement show does a match style that isn’t uncommon at anniversaries or retirements, nor is it the first gauntlet match of Manami Toyota’s career. The idea behind the match is Manami Toyota will have a long series of singles matches, the vast majority of which have a one minute time limit (except the first and last few matches). The list of wrestlers she will be against includes old friends, current enemies, and everyone between. Some pairings will be serious, some will be playful, but its really about giving the wrestlers a chance to say goodbye in their own way. Of course, it is filmed for our enjoyment as well. This will be the longest match list of any show I will ever review, here is what we have in store for us:

• Manami Toyota vs. Mayumi Ozaki, Yumi Ohka, Maya Yukihi, and Alex Lee
• Manami Toyota vs. Tequila Saya
• Manami Toyota vs. Mochi Miyagi and Hamuko Hoshi
• Manami Toyota vs. Meiko Satomura
• Manami Toyota vs. Emi Sakura
• Manami Toyota vs. Rina Yamashita
• Manami Toyota vs. Tsubasa Kuragaki
• Manami Toyota vs. AKINO
• Manami Toyota vs. Risa Sera
• Manami Toyota vs. Drake Morimatsu
• Manami Toyota vs. Cherry
• Manami Toyota vs. Aoi Kizuki
• Manami Toyota vs. Yuki Miyazaki
• Manami Toyota vs. Bolshoi Kid
• Manami Toyota vs. Sakura Hirota and GAMI
• Manami Toyota vs. Kaori Yoneyama
• Manami Toyota vs. Sonoko Kato
• Manami Toyota vs. Leon
• Manami Toyota vs. Yuu Yamagata
• Manami Toyota vs. ASUKA
• Manami Toyota vs. Kaho Kobayashi
• Manami Toyota vs. Hikaru Shida
• Manami Toyota vs. Hiroyo Matsumoto
• Manami Toyota vs. Ayako Hamada
• Manami Toyota vs. Chikayo Nagashima
• Manami Toyota vs. Ikuto Hidaka
• Manami Toyota vs.  Papillon Akemi
• Manami Toyota vs. Gabai-jichan
• Manami Toyota vs. Kanjyouro Matsuyama
• Manami Toyota vs. KID
• Manami Toyota vs. Small Antonio Inoki
• Manami Toyota vs. Otoko Sakari
• Manami Toyota vs. Isami Kodaka
• Manami Toyota vs. Ryuji Ito
• Manami Toyota vs. Carlos Amano
• Manami Toyota vs. Mima Shimoda
• Manami Toyota vs. Itsuki Yamazaki
• Manami Toyota vs. Bull Nakano
• Manami Toyota vs. Chigusa Nagayo
• Manami Toyota vs. Jaguar Yokota
• Manami Toyota vs. Mariko Yoshida
• Manami Toyota vs. Nanae Takahashi
• Manami Toyota vs. KAORU
• Manami Toyota vs. Kaoru Ito
• Manami Toyota vs. Tomoko Watanabe
• Manami Toyota vs. Takako Inoue
• Manami Toyota vs. Yumiko Hotta
• Manami Toyota vs. Kyoko Inoue
• Manami Toyota vs. Tsukasa Fujimoto
• Manami Toyota vs. Tsukasa Fujimoto
• Manami Toyota Retirement Match: Manami Toyota vs. Tsukasa Fujimoto

There also will be a retirement ceremony, which I won’t “review” but I will still discuss at the end of the article. As I mentioned, the vast majority of these matches have a one minute time limit, except for the opener and the final series of matches against Tsukasa Fujimoto. There is a method to the madness, as for some sections the string of wrestlers in a row is promotion-based, then with the older veterans from Toyota’s heyday going last.

The event starts with by far the least fair match of the night, as Manami Toyota faces off against all four members of Ozaki Army. Mayumi Ozaki and Manami Toyota have been battling since the early 90s in AJW and never stopped, as they had matches in GAEA Japan and of course OZ Academy as well. The other members have less of a connection, but they still happily join in as Toyota is beaten by all four of them (plus of course Police). The match goes better once Toyota isolates Ozaki, but it doesn’t last long as Toyota is quadruple teamed and tosses out of the ring. Ozaki Army takes the fight into the crowd and pummel Toyota, Ozaki returns to the ring as the referee counts and Toyota is counted out! Ozaki Army win the match.

So on a night that Manami Toyota has over 50 matches, she starts out getting beaten with chairs and whatever other weapons they can find. Toyota eventually does make it back into the ring, at first Ozaki throws the flowers at her but eventually does pick them up and nicely hands them to her. The other members of Ozaki Army follow suit, except for Police, who throws a chair at her instead. Police was always an asshole.

Tequila Saya is next. Saya is an Ice Ribbon wrestler with limited interactions with Toyota over the years, with only a few tag matches between them. Toyota doesn’t seem to take Saya too seriously  as she sends her flying with a missile dropkick, moonsault by Toyota and she gets the three count! Manami Toyota defeats Tequila Saya. Toyota doesn’t get much of a chance to relax as its back to a handicap match, with Toyota facing off against the Lovely Butchers. They bring Manami a hat and instead of fighting, they all dance together. They even get Toyota do do their signature pose but they jump her while she is doing it and give her the double body block for the double pin three count! Manami Toyota falls for the second time tonight, but they still all pose together and no hard feelings are had.

Next down the ramp is the woman that has no chill – Meiko Satomura. Satomura and Toyota first wrestled in GAEA in the late 90s and had many encounters in the promotion of the years. Since GAEA Japan closed their paths have crossed a few times in Satomura’s Sendai Girls’ promotion. Satomura and Toyota have such a high level of respect for each other that it took time for them to lock up, Satomura eventually hits a DDT and cartwheel kneedrop but the minute has already expired and the match is a Draw. Gatoh Move wrestler and owner Emi Sakura enters the ring, Sakura immediately goes in with chops and delivers the low crossbody in the corner. Toyota slaps Emi Sakura, Riho runs in and with Toyota they pose over Sakura. Toyota puts Sakura in a camel clutch, and she submits! Manami Toyota gets her second win of the night.

Young WAVE wrestler Rina Yamashita is Toyota’s next challenger, Toyota boots her but Rina kicks out of her continuous covers. Rina connects with a hard shoulderblock but she is so excited she never covers Toyota and the time expires. They hug before Rina exits the ring and Tsubasa Kuragaki takes her turn. Kuragaki and Toyota began their battles in JWP back in 2006 and haven’t stopped, as they frequently were paired up in OZ Academy. Kuragaki gets Toyota in the corner and lariats her, she gets Toyota on her back in a backbreaker before she drops her to the mat. Kuragaki goes up top and nails a moonsault, but Toyota bridges out of the cover. Kuragaki picks up Toyota and lariats her, but the bell rings as the match is a Draw. Another hug, and fellow OZ Academy wrestler AKINO takes her spot.

Six matches down, lots more to go! AKINO is another common enemy and foe from OZ Academy, which was Toyota’s primary home the last several years. AKINO gets Toyota in the corner and bootscrapes her, but doesn’t go for the pin as time expires for the Draw. AKINO helps her up before Ice Ribbon wrestler Risa Sera charges the ring to take her shot at the retiring legend. A slew of Ice Ribbon wrestlers jump into the ring with Risa Sera and they all attack Toyota in the corner, Sera goes up top and she nails the diving kneedrop, she hits a second one but the bell rings before she can cover her so the match is a Draw. Almost all retirement matches at some point have a string where the retiring wrestler is attacked by tons of wrestlers in rapid succession, and it may not be the last time. But Toyota gets a special gift from the Ice Ribbon wrestlers after Sera’s match, and everyone poses for the camera.

Drake Morimatsu is next! You may not be familar with Drake, she current wrestles in GUTS WORLD, she started her career in FMW and is definitely an ‘old school’ veteran. She comes into the ring with a baseball bat and hits Toyota with it a few times, lariat by Drake and she covers Toyota, but pulls her up before the three count. Another lariat but she does the same thing, she hits a Samoan Driver but Toyota kicks out of the cover. Drake gets the bat again and hits Toyota with it, but the bell rings which saves Toyota from more carnage. I really enjoyed the feel of this one, very different as Drake showed her old FMW side with the weapon-based offense.

Cherry bops down to the ring, she repeatedly steps on Toyota’s toes and chops her in the face, but Toyota chops her back. Toyota wins the strike exchange but the bell rings, signifying the match is a Draw. Aoi Kizuki is next, Aoi is a young popular Freelancer that wrestles in a variety of promotions. Aoi immediately dropkicks Toyota and hits a jumping lariat, double wrist-clutch suplex by Aoi and she goes for the swivel body press, but Toyota gets her feet up. Japanese Ocean Queen Bee Bomb by Toyota and she gets the three count! Toyota has won her third match of the evening. Aoi is laughing and smiling even as getting pinned, which is accepted in these situations as I am sure she was thrilled to be part of Toyota’s retirement show.

Next is Yuki Miyazaki, she charges Toyota but Toyota boots her. She goes up top but Yuki joins her and gives her a big ‘ol kiss. Superplex by Yuki and she puts Manami in a Compromising Position, where she stays until the bell rings for the One Minute Draw. Poor Toyota, that’s what happens when you wrestle Yuki. Bolshoi Kid comes down, this is I am assuming Command Bolshoi wrestling in her old gimmick, which is a more playful clown. Bolshoi Kid gives Toyota a little bag and they both throw things into the crowd, but Bolshoi Kid schoolboys her from behind for the three count! A rare loss for the gullible Manami Toyota, hopefully she learned something from this experience.

On paper, Manami Toyota vs. GAMI and Sakura Hirota looks normal, but it isn’t….. since both are dressed as Manami Toyota. So this is Manami Toyota vs. her two clones. The real Toyota is double teamed and imitated by the two impostors, Oil Check by Sakura and GAMI hits Toyota with her horn. Luckily for Toyota the bell rings and the match is a Draw. Up next is Kaori Yoneyama, she is affiliated with YMZ but wrestles in a bunch of promotions including OZ Academy and Stardom. Yoneyama wants Toyota to wave a flag she brought down to the ring, which she does, but Yoneyama schoolboys her from behind for a two count. Yoneyama goes for a roll-up but Toyota reverses it, getting the three count! Manami Toyota gets her fourth win of the night. OZ Academy wrestler Sonoko Kato takes her turn, lots of kicks by Kato as she is taking this one minute match very seriously. Cannonball by Kato and she nails the diving leg drop, but the bell rings as she makes the cover so the match is a Draw. Manami gives Kato a rolling cradle just for fun before Kato leaves the ring and the next wrestler enters.

Leon throws Toyota into the corner and spears her, another spear by Leon and she hits the Frog Splash, but Toyota kicks out of the cover. Heel drop by Toyota and she nails the Japanese Ocean Queen Bee Bomb, but Leon barely kicks out of the cover and the bell rings, as time has expired. Leon barely survives and other Pure Dream wrestlers get into the ring as they all give Manami Toyota their final goodbyes. Yuu Yamagata is next, these two have had very limited interactions over the years even though they are seasoned veterans, as Toyota rarely wrestled in Pro Wrestling WAVE. Enzuigiri by Yuu but Toyota hits a snap vertical suplex and a second one The bell rings soon thereafter as the time has expired, making the match a draw!

WAVE wrestler ASUKA comes down and she hits Toyota with a springboard moonsault, dropkick by ASUKA and Toyota falls out of the ring. ASUKA dives out onto her with a tope con hilo, she then goes back up top and hits a missile dropkick down to the floor, in an homage to Toyota. Everyone is hurt outside the ring as the bell rings, as time has expired. ASUKA seems more hurt than Toyota as she likely regrets that spot, Toyota returns to the ring as my personal favorite Kaho Kobayashi enters. Kaho dropkicks Toyota and goes up top to hit a missile dropkick, elbows by Kaho and she covers Toyota for a two count. Boots by Toyota and she nails the Japanese Ocean Cyclone Suplex, and she picks up the three count! Manami Toyota defeats her fifth wrestler so far today.

Hikaru Shida takes the next shot (this is the 21st match for Manami Toyota so far), while her friend Syuri watches from ringside. Shida goes for hip attacks, at first Toyota blocks them with her own hip but she finally connects with one. Syuri comes in the ring and with Shida they both kick Toyota, but Toyota breaks out of the cover. Falcon Arrow by Shida, but the bell rings before she can make a cover so the match is a Draw. Syuri returns and both present Toyota with flowers, once she is able to get back up. Hiroyo Matsumoto and her Godzilla mask is next, she shakes Toyota’s hand but kicks her before putting the Godzilla mask onto Toyota. Body avalanche by Hiroyo, she takes the mask off Toyota and hits a missile dropkick. Toyota slowly gets up, Hiroyo allows her to go up top and she hits a missile dropkick as the bell rings, giving Toyota another Draw.

Ayako Hamada is the next challenger, Hamada immediately dropkicks Toyota but she misses the heel kick. Enzuigiri by Hamada and she hits a DDT, superkick by Hamada but Toyota kicks out of the pinfall. Samoan Driver by Hamada, but the bell rings before she can finish the cover, as Toyota escapes another match with a Draw. The rest of the WAVE wrestlers get in the ring and they pose with Toyota for a photo-op, signifying the end of the WAVE string of challengers.

Veteran Freelancer Chikayo Nagashima is Toyota’s next opponent, she has a long history with Toyota as they fought in both GAEA and OZ Academy over the years. Chikayo hits Toyota repeatedly with her jacket and puts her in the rolling cradle, this takes literally the entire match until Chikayo stops just in time to get the three count pinfall! Chikayo Nagashima defeats Manami Toyota! Never know what is going to happen in these matches. Ikuto Hidaka is next, Hidaka is a ZERO1 wrestler with limited interactions with Toyota over the years. Toyota dropkicks Hidaka as soon as the match starts but Hidaka strikes her back, snap German by Toyota and she hits a heel drop for a two count. Boots by Toyota but the bell rings before anything else of note happens, and the match is a Draw.

Things are going off the rails a bit, as Papillon Akemi is next. He wrestles in smaller promotions such as GUTS World and I have no idea how he got into this match. Kick and a snapmare by Akemi, but Toyota puts him in the rolling cradle, but the bell rings before she can finish the move for a cover. The match is a Draw. Gabai-jichan very very slowly comes down to the ring (he has an ‘old man’ gimmick so he can’t walk very fast), with Toyota getting impatient in the ring for him to hurry up. The referee starts the match and the 20 count, Toyota goes out to help Gabai-jichan get into the ring while they pose for pictures. Toyota helps roll Gabai-jichan into the ring but he knocks her back to the floor with his cane, and Toyota is counted out! Gabai-jichan wins by dubious means, but the crowd enjoyed it.

The series continues going down the wrong path as creepy wrestler Kanjyouro Matsuyama is the next one down. Matsuyama tries to attack Toyota with his fan, but she avoids it and hits him with it instead. They trade slaps until Matsuyama is thrown into the corner, she gets Toyota’s wrist and walks the ropes, but he falls off of them before he can finish the move. The bell rings, and the match is declared a Draw. KID is next, I can’t find anything online on who KID is, but Toyota promptly boots him in the face and gets the three count pinfall! Toyota gets her sixth win of the gauntlet. Small Antonio Inoki is next, we still have a few more goofy challengers, punches to the head by Small Inoki and he applies a Cobra Twist. He goes up top and hits the diving kneedrop, more kneedrops by Small Inoki and he hits an enzuigiri. He goes to put Toyota in an Octopus Hold but the bell rings, the match is a Draw!

Otoko Sakari (Alexander Otsuka) is the next opponent, as Toyota faces her second man of the night that is only wearing a thong. Strikes by Toyota, she goes for a sunset flip but Sakari blocks it. Sakari tries to get away but Toyota grabs him by the thong, pulling it down to expose Sakari. The referee finds this offensive so he rings for the bell, disqualifying Sakari, giving Toyota her seventh win so far! Isami Kodaka is next, he throws streamers at Toyota to distract her before kicking Toyota out of the ring and sailing out onto her with a tope suicida. Back in the ring, Kodaka grabs Toyota’s hair but Toyota kicks him low and delivers the Japanese Ocean Cyclone Suplex Hold for the three count! Toyota gets her eighth win of the evening. Big Japan wrestler Ryuji Ito is the final male challenger in this intergender run of opponents, he comes down to the ring with a barbed wire board. He sets up the board in the corner but Toyota jumps him and tries to throw him into it. He blocks it and goes for a suplex, but Toyota reverses the suplex and puts the barbed wire board on the mat. Ito scoop slams Toyota onto the barbed wire board, but Toyota kicks out of the pin. Ito keeps her on the board, he goes up top and he nails the Dragon Splash for the three count! Manami Toyota is defeated by the Big Japan star.

Now we have reached a run of challengers from Toyota’s past. Retired wrestler Carlos Amano is first, Amano and Toyota held tag team championships together in both GAEA Japan and OZ Academy. They don’t want to wrestle, so they set up chairs in the ring and talk to each other instead. I can’t understand what they are saying, but they seem to be having a good time. Amano gives Toyota a letter, which she reads as the bell rings. The match is, obviously, a Draw. Mima Shimoda is next, with her friend and long time tag partner Etsuko Mita joining her at ringside. But Toyota won’t go at it alone, as old teammate and friend Toshiyo Yamada joins her at ringside as well to make everything fair. These four were friends and foes back in the mid-90s in AJW. Shimoda charges Toyota and hits a jumping neck drop, Mita runs in and chops Toyota in the chest as they both double team Toyota i the ropes. Yamada trips Shimoda from the floor, she gets in the ring as Toyota puts Shimoda in a camel clutch, kicking Shimoda in the chest. Around this time the bell rings, and the match is a Draw. Mita brings in a big present for Toyota and all four pose together in the ring.

Itsuki Yamazaki is next, she may be the least-known wrestler to casual fans as she retired back in 1991. You may know her better as part of the Jumping Bomb Angels, a popular Joshi tag team in the late 80s. She and Toyota also wrestled at Toyota’s 25th Anniversary Show, so the two made a strong bond during their brief time in AJW together. Yamazaki gets Toyota to the mat and starts working over her arm, Irish whip by Yamazaki and she hits a running elbow in the corner. Yamazaki pulls Toyota out of the ring and poses her for a picture, they get back in but the bell rings before she can do anything else, as the match is a Draw. Up next is Bull Nakano, yes THE LEGENDARY BULL NAKANO which obviously is exciting for me as I love Bull Nakano and this is her first televised match of any sort in over five years. Nakano looks great, and comes down to the ring with her nunchucks. Once the bell rings, she hits Toyota in the stomach with the nunchucks, but Toyota avoids the next shot and schoolboys Nakano for the three count! Manami Toyota wins and picks up her ninth victory so far.

Very few wrestlers could follow Nakano and not be a drop down in status, but Chigusa Nagayo is next. Nagayo is still a fairly active wrestler, she currently owns and promotes the wrestling promotion Marvelous. Nagayo and Toyota worked together quite a bit in GAEA Japan, and Nagayo already is tearing up before she even gets into the ring. They tie-up as both are getting emotional, but Toyota hits a scoop slam and covers Nagayo for the three count! They hug on the mat, as Manami Toyota wins her 10th match. Equally legendary Jaguar Yokota is next, as we reach a big string of wrestlers. Nakano, Nagayo, and Yokota are three of the biggest names in Joshi over the last 30 years and it feels really special seeing them all here to help send Toyota into retirement. Yokota is more stone-faced as they lock-up, Yokota kicks Toyota in the head and hits a somersault kick but the bell rings before she can further capitalize. The match is a Draw.

Mariko Yoshida is the next challenger, she also has had a great career and is best known for her work in ARSION. She’s also already crying before the match starts, Yoshida throws Toyota in the corner and boots her in the face. Toyota ducks the next boot but Yoshida puts her in the Spider Twist, luckily for Toyota the bell rings before she can submit, so the match is a Draw. Nanae Takahashi is next, she and Toyota both were in AJW together in the late 90s. Nanae charges Toyota and knocks her to the mat, Natsuki Taiyo comes in and dropkicks Toyota in the corner. Nanae grabs Toyota but Toyota drops her with the Japanese Ocean Queen Bee Bomb, Nanae returns to her feet however and hits a Japanese Ocean Queen Bee Bomb of her own for the three count! Nanae Takahashi wins the match!

It is now KAORU’s turn, KAORU is still an active wrestler and has battled with Toyota in a number of promotions over the years, ranging from AJW in the early 90s up to Marvelous and Diana just a few years ago. KAORU immediately hits Toyota repeatedly with her wooden panel, she picks up Toyota and suplexes her onto it but the referee won’t count the cover since she used the weapon. KAORU drags Toyota to the corner and tries to top the wood piece onto Toyota, but Toyota rolls out of the way as the bell rings. The match is a Draw as Kaoru Ito comes down, Ito and Toyota wrestled with and against each other many many times in the 1990s while wrestling AJW and also won the JWP Tag Team Championship together. Ito isn’t feeling the love as she immediately slams Toyota, Yoshida and another wrestler get in the ring and hit a double facecrusher. Diving footstomp by Ito, and she covers Toyota for the three count! Manami Toyota falls to Ito in painful fashion, but she gets a nice bouquet of flowers for her troubles.

The next challenger is Tomoko Watanabe, like Ito she wrestled with and against Toyota during much of their run in AJW in the 90s. The match starts but Watanabe wants a selfie with Toyota so they do that first. Lariat by Watanabe and she hits another one, a third lariat by Watanabe and a fourth, but as she goes for the cover the bell rings, and the match is a Draw. Former AJW wrestler Takako Inoue is next, they were usually on opposing teams in the tag division and kept wrestling after AJW folded in LLPW, OZ Academy, and Diana. Takako shakes hands but then grabs her baton, Toyota ducks the shot but Takako hits a DDT instead. Takako goes up top as Toyota joins her, but Takako hits an avalanche chokeslam for two. DDT by Takako and she goes up top again, but Toyota ducks the Takako Panic as the bell rings. The match is a Draw as they end the match with an embrace.

Veteran wrestler Yumiko Hotta is next, she has her chain with her of course. Hotta was one of Toyota’s main foes in their AJW years, and they had multiple title matches in their heyday. Hotta gets right to kicking Toyota but Toyota pushes her against the ropes, she charges Hotta but Hotta nails her with a heel kick. Cover by Hotta, but Toyota barely kicks out. Hotta picks up Toyota but Toyota sneaks in a cradle, she goes off the ropes but Hotta delivers another heel kick for the three count! Yumiko Hotta is the winner, as I think all these matches is starting to wear on Toyota a bit. Takako Inoue’s long time tag partner Kyoko Inoue is next (no relation), as we have seen with this set of wrestlers these two used to be common enemies in AJW. They eventually tie-up and Kyoko flings Toyota to the mat, Pyramid Driver by Kyoko Inoue but the bell rings as time expires, the match being declared a Draw. Some of the veteran wrestlers return to the ring again and give Toyota more flowers, as she prepares for Tsukasa Fujimoto.

The one minute time limit is out the window now, as Manami Toyota faces her last opponent, Tsukasa Fujimoto. While Manami Toyota didn’t train Fujimoto, their careers crossed several times as far back as 2011. Toyota was impressed with Fujimoto’s abilities, and in 2015 it was Tsukasa Fujimoto that Manami Toyota endorsed as her ‘successor’ and gave her permission to use all of the Japanese Ocean moves. So this is a fitting final opponent, as Toyota has her last match against the wrestler she believes will best continue her legacy. Before the match starts, Aja Kong gives Toyota some flowers – Kong and Toyota had a long match in late October which is likely why she wasn’t in the Gauntlet. Shinobu Kandori then comes down and gives Toyota flowers as well, she had a ‘final’ match with Toyota on October 22nd.

Tsukasa Fujimoto finally arrives and the match begins, Fujimoto immediately dropkicks Toyota and tries to get Toyota on her shoulders, but Toyota blocks it. Dropkick by Fujimoto as they reach a stalemate, Toyota twists up Fujimoto in the ropes and dropkicks her in the back. Fujimoto falls out of the ring, Toyota goes up top but Fujimoto recovers before Toyota can jump off and knocks Toyota to the floor. Fujimoto then gets on the top turnbuckle and dives down onto Toyota, Toyota returns to the ring but Fujimoto connects with a missile dropkick. Toyota recovers and puts Fujimoto in the rolling cradle, Toyota lets go and goes up top, delivering a missile dropkick. She goes up top again and hits another missile dropkick, but Fujimoto springs back to her feet and hits a dropkick of her own. Fujimoto sits Toyota in the corner and dropkicks her in the chest, she goes for the Japanese Ocean Cyclone Suplex but Toyota blocks it and hits a heel drop. Cover by Toyota, but it gets a two count. Toyota gets up on the top turnbuckle and she nails the moonsault, but Fujimoto bridges out of the pin. Fujimoto gets up near the ropes but Toyota grabs her and goes for the Japanese Ocean Cyclone Suplex. Fujimoto wiggles out of the hold and cradles Toyota for two, kicks to the back by Fujimoto and she hits a PK for a two count. Fujimoto goes up top but Toyota hits her she can jump off and joins her, Fujimoto goes over her back and hits an avalanche sunset flip powerbomb for two. Fujimoto goes for the Venus Shoot, but Toyota grabs her from behind and delivers the Japanese Ocean Cyclone Suplex for the three count! Manami Toyota wins!

The match immediately starts again, elbows by Fujimoto and she goes up top, but again Toyota joins her. Fujimoto knocks Toyota into the Tree of Woe and hits the diving footstomp, cover by Fujimoto but Toyota kicks out. Venus Shoot attempt again by Fujimoto but Toyota blocks it the same way, Fujimoto slides off Toyota’s back this time and hits a series of jumping footstomps for two counts. Fujimoto gets Toyota on her shoulders and hits the Japanese Ocean Cyclone Suplex, but Toyota gets a shoulder up. Heel drop by Toyota, she grabs Fujimoto and decapitates her with a Japanese Ocean Queen Bee Bomb. Both are slow to recover, Fujimoto picks up Toyota but Toyota snaps off a suplex. Toyota picks up Fujimoto and hits another Japanese Ocean Queen Bee Bomb, and she picks up the three count! Manami Toyota wins for the second time against Fujimoto.

Fujimoto quickly gets back up as the final match begins, kicks to the back by Fujimoto and she goes up top, but Toyota boots her off the top turnbuckle to the floor. Toyota goes up top and dives down onto Fujimoto (and a slew of other wrestlers that wanted to be part of the last dive of Toyota’s career), she slides Fujimoto back in and goes up top, hitting a missile dropkick. Cover by Toyota, but it gets two. Toyota picks up Fujimoto and hits the Japanese Ocean Cyclone Suplex, but Fujimoto gets a shoulder up. Toyota goes back up top but Fujimoto gets her feet up on the moonsault attempt, Fujimoto kips up and hits the Tsukka-chan☆Bomb, but Toyota kicks out. Fujimoto picks up Toyota and hits the PK, dropkick by Fujimoto and she hits a second one followed by a third. Fujimoto goes up top and delivers a missile dropkick, which she follows with two more. Another missile dropkick by Fujimoto, she covers Toyota but it only gets a two count. Venus Shoot by Fujimoto, she grabs Toyota and delivers the Japanese Ocean Cyclone Suplex for the three count! Tsukasa Fujimoto wins the final match in Manami Toyota’s career.

Following the match, many of the wrestlers Toyota faced tonight surround the ring, while Toyota says her final words. She gives Fujimoto her final blessings, and Fujimoto speaks for a moment as well. After that, per her wishes, a chair is brought into the ring and Toyota has her hair cut shorter, with her hair being donated to use for wigs for people that lost their hair due to medical issues. A photo and video slideshow then appears on the big screen, highlighting Toyota throughout her career, which continues for several minutes.

 

The post Manami Toyota Retirement Show on 11/3/17 Review appeared first on Joshi City.

Welcome to another review of All Japan Women’s Pro-Wrestling Classics! AJW Classics is a television program that airs on SAMURAI TV in Japan. There are several different series within the AJW Classics name, I will be reviewing the series starting with the “Retro Hour” AJW Classics that first aired on August 7th, 2007.  They are still airing to this day.

AJW Retro Hour Classics #7 features Chigusa Nagayo and Lioness Asuka both going for singles gold! I know it has been awhile, so feel free to go back and read Classics #6 to catch-up. Much of the shows I have reviewed thus far have focused on the Crush Gals as a team, however here we will see them in singles action as they both aspire for their own championships as well. Don’t worry, we still have Gokuaku Domei matches also, as Bull Nakano and Dump Matsumoto team up. All four of these matches took place on August 22nd, 1985 at Tokyo Nippon Budokan. Here is the full listing:

• Monster Ripper vs. Yukari Omori
• Dump Matsumoto and Bull Nakano vs. Itsuki Yamazaki and Noriyo Tateno
• All Pacific Championship: Devil Masami vs. Chigusa Nagayo
• WWWA World Singles Championship: Jaguar Yokota vs. Lioness Asuka

There is a ton of potential here so I hope the bigger matches aren’t too clipped. Let’s see how it goes.

 
Monster Ripper vs. Yukari Omori

Omori attacks Monster Ripper off the start but Monster Ripper immediately regains the advantage and throws down Omori by her hair. Omori gets Monster Ripper to the mat but Monster Ripper hits her in the throat and hits a scoop slam for a two count. Omori trips Monster Ripper and applies a crab hold, but Monster Ripper gets to the ropes to force a break. Monster Ripper takes down Omori and hits her in the throat again, lariat by Monster Ripper and she hits a second one, she goes for a third but Omori ducks it and hits a crossbody. Bodyscissors by Omori but Monster Ripper slams out of it and hits a jumping senton, body press by Ripper and she holds down Omori for the three count! Monster Ripper wins.

This was pretty basic, Monster Ripper was still young in her career and adapting to the style, and Omori alone isn’t skilled enough to carry a match by herself. I imagine it was probably clipped also but that wouldn’t have really mattered since it would have been more of the same. For ranking purposes this helped put over Monster Ripper as a dominate force, but not a very good match.

Dump Matsumoto and Bull Nakano vs. Itsuki Yamazaki and Noriyo Tateno

If you thought this would be a calm and slow paced match, you must not watch much Gokuaku Domei much as they immediately took the action to the floor as they hit the Jumping Bomb Angels with anything they could find. Back in the ring, Matsomoto throws Tateno around by her chair. Yamazaki then gets her turn as Matsumoto chokes her with a chain, Matsumoto then throws down Yamazaki with the chain just so she can keep choking her. As if she needed it, Matsumoto gets help from other Gokuaku Domei members before they go back to the floor again so Matsumoto can find new things to choke Yamazaki with. A table is brought into the ring, but the Jumping Bomb Angels kick the table into Matsumoto and Nakano. They roll out of the ring and briefly Yamazaki and Tateno get the advantage, but again Matsumoto and Nakano take back over. They get back in the ring and Matsumoto lariats Yamazaki, she slams her in front of the corner but Yamazaki avoids Nakano’s diving leg drop. Crossbody by Yamazaki to Nakano, but it only gets a two. Matsumoto gets back in the ring with her paint can and hits Yamazaki in the head with it, body block by Matsumoto and she hits a body press. Matsumoto hits a Samoan Drop on Yamazaki and she then hits a backdrop suplex, but Yamazaki bridges out of the pin. Nakano gets on the top rope to help Matsumoto hit a spike piledriver, and finally Yamazaki stays down for the three count. Gokuaku Domei win!

It seems odd looking back, seeing The Jumping Bomb Angels basically squashed here (at least what they decided to air). At the time though, Gokuaku Domei was just running through everyone so no disrespect was intended, Yamazaki and Tateno just weren’t on their level. I liked the carnage but it was too clipped to get too excited about, even though young Nakano is always a sight to see.

(c) Devil Masami vs. Chigusa Nagayo

The crowd is so amped for this match, even during the initial lock-up they are cheering loudly for Nagayo. Nagayo hits the first big move of the match with a quick German suplex, she picks up Masami and she hits a dragon suplex hold for a two count. Irish whip by Nagayo and she hits a heel kick, Scorpion Deathlock by Nagayo but Masami crawls to the ropes and gets the break. Masami rolls out of the ring but Nagayo sizes up the situation and sails out onto Masami with a tope suicida. Masami returns to the ring after a moment but brings a metal pole with her, she drops it before using it however, hard punch by Masami and Nagayo crumbles in the ropes. Jumping back kick by Nagayo and she hits a tombstone piledriver, but Masami bridges out of the pin. Masami recovers and gets Nagayo on her shoulders before hitting an electric chair slam, rolling senton by Masami and she covers Nagayo for two. Nagayo avoids Masami’s next charge and hits a high kick, single arm suplex with a bridge by Nagayo but Masami kicks out. Hard punches by Masami, she just brutally punches Nagayo right in the face repeatedly, Nagayo then connects with three high kicks which sends Masami to the mat. Exhausted, Nagayo collapses as well and tries to use the ropes to get back on her feet, but neither wrestler can make the referee’s 10 Count. The match is a Draw and Masami retains the championship.

I have to give a disclaimer – this match went over 30 minutes and the full match is available, but this Classics series only showed the match in clipped form. So they suddenly went from trading shots to being really exhausted, which is what happens when 25 minutes of a match is cut out. Anyway, even in condensed form this was so much fun. The crowd is just beyond electric for Nagayo, I know the “Japanese fans are quiet” myth has been well debunked but the cheers for Nagayo went beyond what even I expected. Masami is so vicious here, her punches are extremely snug (to put it lightly) and nothing was held back. As it was shown it is still worth watching, but I do need to track down the full match as it may have been one of the best of the year.  Mildly Recommended (strictly due to the clipping)

(c) Jaguar Yokota vs. Lioness Asuka

They get right into it with a fast sequence with snapmares and bridges until Asuka plants Yokota with a back kick. Asuka rolls up Yokota with no luck and after both try to get an advantage they square off face to face again. They go to the mat with Yokota working over Asuka’s leg, but Asuka gets out of the hold and hits a hurricanrana. Chop by Asuka and she hits a high kick before slamming Yokota to the mat. Yokota gets back and control and returns to targeting Asuka’s leg, Asuka gets into the ropes to temporarily get a break but Yokota puts her in a kneelock. Hip attack by Yokota and she puts Asuka in an Octopus Hold, but Asuka gets out of it. Yokota puts Asuka in the figure four leglock, but Asuka reverses it and puts the pressure onto Yokota’s leg. They end up in the ropes, Asuka stomps on Yokota’s leg and drops a few knees on it as Yokota writhes in pain. High kick by Asuka and she puts Yokota in a kneelock until Yokota inches to the ropes to force a break.

Asuka picks up Yokota and hits a delayed vertical suplex, but Yokota eventually has enough and gives Asuka a hard dropkick. Double underhook piledriver by Yokota, but Asuka bridges out of the pin. She goes for a tombstone but Asuka reverses it into a sit-down tombstone piledriver of her own. Kicks by Asuka, she gets Yokota on her shoulders and hits the airplane spin before tossing Yokota to the mat. Giant Swing by Asuka, she picks up Yokota in a suplex position but then dumps her over the top rope to the floor. Asuka goes for a tope suicida, but Yokota sidesteps her and Asuka crashes to the mat. Asuka still recovers first and hits a slingshot suplex, she picks up Yokota and hits a German suplex hold for a two count. Yokota ducks Asuka’s chop and hits a cross-arm suplex hold, picking up her own two. Yokota puts Asuka on the top turnbuckle, she picks her up in a suplex position and flings her to the mat. Asuka then dives off but Yokota moves, leg trap backdrop suplex hold by Yokota and she gets the three count! Yokota retains the WWWA World Singles Championship!

I am really glad they showed us this in full as it gave a much better picture than if they had just skipped to the high spots. Some would argue the leg work meant nothing but as I watched it, it more felt like it just wasn’t effective. Just as Yokota was getting good in Asuka’s leg, Asuka reversed the tide and worked on Yokota’s leg, so neither really worked on the leg long enough for it to be a major factor. Some of the the moves were just brutal, Asuka threw Yokota out of the ring with no semblance of concern for her health, and she tried to kill Yokota with a running K-Driller. Still though, the Ace of AJW found a way to win by capitalizing on one of Asuka’s few mistakes. Just a great match that would be exciting if it was held today, which is something you can’t say about a lot of wrestling from the mid-1980s. A must see.  Highly Recommended

The post AJW Classics #7: Jaguar Yokota vs. Lioness Asuka! appeared first on Joshi City.

Welcome to another review of All Japan Women’s Pro-Wrestling Classics! AJW Classics is a television program that airs on SAMURAI TV in Japan. There are several different series within the AJW Classics name, I will be reviewing the series starting with the “Retro Hour” AJW Classics that first aired on August 7th, 2007.  They are still airing to this day.

AJW Retro Hour Classics #4 features more Crush Gals, Bull Nakano going for the All Japan Women Championship, and more! All three matches come from the same date, on February 25th, 1985. Here is the full listing:

• All Japan Women’s Championship: Itsuki Yamazaki vs. Bull Nakano
• Jaguar Yokota and Devil Masami vs. Dynamite Girls (Jumbo Hori and Yukari Omori)
• WWWA World Tag Team Championship: Crush Gals (Lioness Asuka and Chigusa Nagayo) vs. Dump Matsumoto and Crane Yu

Only three matches on this one, so I hope they can deliver!

(c) Itsuki Yamazaki vs. Bull Nakano

They get right into it with the champion dropkicking and slamming the challenger before armdragging Nakano around the ring. Nakano takes over and they roll out of the ring, with Nakano throwing Yamazaki into chairs at ringside. Back in, Nakano bounces Yamazaki around the ring as her friend Matsumoto and Yu come in to help. Which she didn’t need, since Nakano was winning at the time anyway. Nakano bites Yamazaki and she is triple teamed in the corner, Yamazaki goes up top and dropkicks Nakano but she dropkicks the referee too on accident. Chaos briefly ensues but is restored rather quickly, Irish whip by Nakano and she knees Yamazaki in the leg. Yamazaki is thrown out of the ring and assaulted by Matsumoto, she gets back in as Nakano goes for a big slash, but Yamazaki rolls out of the way. Nakano knocks Yamazaki back out of the ring where more cheating commences, and Nakano hits a body block. Vertical suplex by Nakano and she covers Yamazaki for two.  Yamazaki fires back with a crossbody, but soon Gokuaku Domei runs in the ring and stomps on Yamazaki. The heel referee Shiro Abe actually has enough and he calls for the bell much to my surprise. Yamazaki is your winner by DQ.

This wasn’t as good as it could have been. It was nice of the referee to actually DQ someone for a change while normally he just watches, but the match finally felt like it was getting going when it was suddenly over. Nakano was pretty green here but was only 17, it would take her a few years to really get the evil brawling technique down pat. Yamazaki ended up forfeiting the title after the match, so why Nakano couldn’t go ahead and win it I am not sure as DQ endings in title matches is never ideal (even if it was better than the referee continuing to allow the group attack). Some good parts here and there and it is interesting to see a young Nakano, but it just never fully clicked.

Jaguar Yokota and Devil Masami vs. Dynamite Girls (Jumbo Hori and Yukari Omori)

Yokota goes after Hori to start the match and hits a jumping elbow followed by a dropkick. Masami comes in with Omori and they struggle for position on the mat, Masami elbows Omori but she tags in Hori. Masami gets Hori to the mat and tags in Yokota, dropkicks by Yokota but Hori gets to her corner and tags in Omori. Omori tosses Yokota to the mat and she hits a gutbuster for a two count. Yokota gets back in control and hip attacks Omori before hitting a Jackhammer. I guess it is true that all moves originated in AJW. She tags in Masami, the action spills out of the ring as Yokota and Masami stay in control. Omori and Masami get back in the ring and Omori hits a tilt-a-whirl slam, she gets Masami on her shoulders and Hori dives off the top turnbuckle with a diving crossbody. Alabama Slam by Hori to Masami but Masami comes back with a backdrop suplex. She tags in Yokota and Yokota puts Hori in an Octopus Hold. Hori gets out of it and slams Yokota in front of the corner, reverse splash by Omori and she covers Yokota for two. Dropkicks by Yokota, Masami goes up top and she hits a diving lariat. Omori lands close enough to her corner to tag Hori, but Masami levels her with a lariat. Hori picks up Masami and drops her with a powerbomb, but Masami gets a foot on the ropes. Masami gets Hori on her shoulders and hits an Electric Chair, they both pick up their respective opponents and hit tombstone piledrivers. Yokota gets on Masami’s shoulders and drops down onto Hori, picking up the three count pinfall! Yokota and Masami win the match!

I knew going in that Yokota and Masami were of a higher stature, but I wasn’t expecting them to handle the Dynamite Girls like this. Of course it was clipped so I do not know what was clipped out, but Yokota and Masami controlled the action for sure. The action was very smooth though, I wasn’t expecting Yokota to bust out a Jackhammer (it was a move she did from time to time but I hadn’t seen it yet) but everything here clicked. And it was nice to have a match that was clean and didn’t have crazy interference every five seconds. A solid tag match, only really hurt due to the clipping as I would have liked to have seen more. Mildly Recommended

(c) Crush Gals (Lioness Asuka and Chigusa Nagayo) vs. Dump Matsumoto and Crane Yu

Nagayo is bleeding before the match even started, which is never a good sign. A few minutes of the recording was black so I do not know if they aired what happened to her, but I assume there was a pre-match brawl considering the participants. The first few minutes of this match were carnage, as you’d expect, but Nagayo manages to lock the Scorpion Deathlock on Matsumoto. It gets broken up, Asuka comes in but she is double teamed in the corner. Nagayo is tagged back in and she kicks Yu against the ropes, she applies a submission but Matsumoto breaks it up and drags Nagayo out of the ring. Matsumoto chokes Nagayo on the apron before dragging her back into the ring but Nagayo hits a sunset flip and tags Asuka. Heel kick by Asuka to Matsumoto, but all of Gokuaku Domei jump in the ring to help. Yu stays in the ring and Asuka slams her to the mat, Asuka applies a front headlock, but Yu gets out of it and Matsumoto hits a Banzai Drop. Matsumoto throws Asuka down by her hair, but she gets close enough to the corner to tag Nagayo. Nagayo kicks Matsumoto to the mat and applies a sleeper, but Matsumoto punches her way out of it. Matsumoto bites Nagayo’s already bloody head and stabs her repeatedly with a pair of scissors. Yu gets in the ring with Nagayo slowly following and Yu bites her head before hitting a body block. Another body block by Yu and she tags in Matsumoto. Nagayo avoids Yu’s diving leg drop, but Asuka accidentally lariats Nagayo.

They end up out of the ring again as Nagayo is thrown into the ring post and attacked more with scissors. Yu gets in the ring as Nagayo is counted out, and Gokuaku Domei wins the first fall. It is now 1-0 for Matsumoto and Yu. A even more bloody Nagayo gets back in the ring and she hits a quick German suplex on Yu, a equally bloody Asuka gets up top and hits a missile dropkick. Double kicks by Asuka and Nagayo, and they drop Yu with a spike piledriver for the three count cover! The match is now tied at 1-1. After a moment to re-group, Nagayo kicks Yu in the leg and applies the Scorpion Deathlock with Asuka keeping watch, but Matsumoto comes in with a trash can and hits everyone with it. Asuka knocks her down and puts her in a Scorpion Deathlock, but Bull Nakano and company run in the ring help Matsumoto take back over. Piledriver by Matsumoto to Nagayo, but Nagayo gets a shoulder up. Spike piledriver to Nagayo, but Nagayo bridges out of it. Next she is hit with an assisted leg drop and a Samoan Drop, but Nagayo fires back with a heel kick to Yu. Asuka comes in and hits an avalanche backdrop suplex, but Matsumoto breaks up the cover and the rest of Gokuaku Domei comes in again. Matsumoto gets some scissors and starts cutting Nagayo’s hair (the crowd is going ballistic during this), and Matsumoto lariats Nagayo repeatedly to the mat as referee Shiro Abe gets in the ring (not the original referee but the heel referee). Another lariat by Matsumoto, she covers Nagayo and picks up the three count! Matsumoto and Yu are the new champions!

First the good – I love a good heated bloody brawl and this was certainly that. The crowd was at a fever pitch for much of the match as it just never slowed down, every time it looked like the match was going to turn down a few notches suddenly someone would be stabbed with scissors or dragged out of the ring. Nagayo is beyond amazing, she is such a sympathetic wrestler and has tons of charisma that draws you into everything she does. As for the bad, Shiro Abe was basically Gokuaku Domei’s referee, and I don’t like big title matches ending with these kind of shenanigans. It is just a cop-out to have a different referee come down and count, its not an uncommon one but it is just a tactic that I grew tied of after it was over-used in the 90s. I realize this match came well before that but it still makes the ending feel a bit cheap. Still, that is my only real complaint as it was certainly an exciting and emotional match, definitely worth a watch.  Recommended

The post AJW Classics #4: A Bloody Brawl and Nakano goes for Gold! appeared first on Joshi City.

Welcome to another review of All Japan Women’s Pro-Wrestling Classics! AJW Classics is a television program that airs on SAMURAI TV in Japan. There are several different series within the AJW Classics name, I will be reviewing the series starting with the “Retro Hour” AJW Classics that first aired on August 7th, 2007.  They are still airing to this day.

AJW Retro Hour Classics #3 features lots of Crush Gals goodness and two matches for the WWWA Tag Team Championship. Here is the full listing:

10/6/84 – WWWA World Tag Team Championship: Lioness Asuka and Chigusa Nagayo (Crush Gals) vs La Galactica and Lola Gonzalez
10/6/84 – All Japan Women’s Championship: Itsuki Yamazaki vs Yumi Ogura
1/5/85 – Lioness Asuka and Chigusa Nagayo (Crush Gals) vs Dump Matsumoto and Rosy Moreno
1/6/85 – WWWA World Tag Team Championship: Lioness Asuka and Chigusa Nagayo (Crush Gals) vs. Noriyo Tateno and Itsuki Yamazaki (Jumping Bomb Angels)

Let’s get rocking.

Lioness Asuka and Chigusa Nagayo (Crush Gals) vs La Galactica and Lola Gonzalez

The Luchadoras attack as soon as the bell rings, and Gonzalez stays in the ring with Nagayo. This clipped ahead a bit as Nagayo is already getting beaten around the ring by both Galactica and Gonzalez, diving leg drop by Galactica and she applies a headscissors until Nagayo gets into the ropes. Dump and Yu are at ringside and help attack the Crush Gals, as the match breaks down to a significant degree. Asuka helps turn the tide, they return to the ring and Galactica is double teamed. Asuka suplexes Galactica, Nagayo is tagged in and after fighting through Gonzalez she suplexes Galactica, covering her for a three count! The Crush Gals lead the match 1-0. Nagayo goes right back at Galactica but Galactica claws her in the eyes before bringing her to the ropes so that Yu and Dump can help again. Dump ends up coming in the ring to beat Nagayo with a metal rod as the referee has lost control in typical fashion, but Nagayo gets Gonzalez up and hits a tombstone piledriver for a two count. Nagayo tags in Asuka and Asuka hits a diving elbow drop. Scorpion Deathlock by Asuka while Nagayo puts Galactica in a crab hold, but Dump and Yu run in the ring to cause carnage.

Nagayo is dumped out of the ring, Galactica picks up Asuka but Asuka fights off everyone while Nagayo recovers. Asuka goes for a diving lariat but hits Nagayo by accident, the Luchadoras slam Nagayo to the mat and hit a double vertical suplex. Avalanche belly to back slam, cover by Galactica and she gets the three count! The match is tied 1-1. Nagayo and Galactica stay in, but Nagayo gets away and tags Asuka. Piledriver by Asuka, Nagayo goes up top and hits a diving headbutt. Asuka is attacked by both her opponents and the ringside wrestlers while Nagayo is isolated in the ring, the Luchadoras put Nagayo in a submission hold but Nagayo doesn’t submit, so they go and get Asuka. Asuka is bleeding everywhere after being hit with scissors repeatedly, objects are being thrown in the ring as the match further breaks down. Other AJW wrestlers try to help and the ring somehow clears, Asuka tags in Nagayo and they take Gonzalez out of the ring so they can throw her into the ring post. They return to the ring with Gonzalez, punches by Nagayo and she applies the Scorpion Deathlock. Gonzalez gets out of it and goes for a move off the top, but Nagayo rolls out of the way and hits the heel kick. Another heel kick by Nagayo and Asuka runs in to give Gonzalez the giant swing. Full rotation backdrop suplex by Asuka, she covers Gonzalez and she gets the three count! The Crush Gals are still your champions.

My feelings like matches like these, watching them 30 years after they happened, are probably different from how they were viewed at the time. After watching years of nWo, whatever stable HHH is running, etc. I tend to not like matches as much that have constant outside interference. Within the context of this match it worked, the Crush Gals were fan favorites of an epic proportion and the cheating just made the crowd hate the gaijins even more, if that was possible. Then they won in the end so everyone went home happy. I enjoyed it, but just looking back at it from the current day I would have enjoyed it more with less blatant outside interference and constant interruptions in the action.  Mildly Recommended

 
(c) Itsuki Yamazaki vs Yumi Ogura

Yamazaki is not the hand shaking type and they get right to the point, Ogura goes for a roll-up but Yamazaki catches her arm and applies an armbar. Back up, hard elbows by Yamazaki and she applies a bodyscissors, but Ogura gets out of it and throws her to the mat. Jumping Knee by Yamazaki and she delivers a dropkick for a two count. Armdrags by Yamazaki but Ogura knees her in the midsection and hits a scoop slam. Ogura takes Yamazaki out of the ring and throws her into the chairs before returning to the ring. Yamazaki joins her and hits a dropkick followed by a scoop slam. Yamazaki gets on the second turnbuckle and hits a missile dropkick, double arm overhead suplex by Yamazaki and she gets the three count! Yamazaki is still the champion.

This match was basic, I mean really basic. Even Ogura taking Yamazaki outside of the ring felt forced and only lasted about 20 seconds before the match went back to dropkicks and scoop slams. Really not much to it, Yamazaki as a champion (and a three year pro) should have been capable of doing a bit more to make the match seem more like an important title match. Limited redeemable traits, besides that Yamazaki is extremely adorable.

 
Lioness Asuka and Chigusa Nagayo (Crush Gals) vs Dump Matsumoto and Rosy Moreno

As predicted just moments ago, this match is a brawl from the start as Matsumoto gets a kendo stick and starts whacking both Asuka and Nagayo with it. Asuka gets a strap and fights back with it, but the referee takes it away and Moreno knocks Asuka to the mat. Matsumoto comes in with the kendo stick and hits both Crush Gals with it, Crane Yu comes in the ring and helps Matsumoto with Nagayo. Nagayo hits a heel kick and covers Matsumoto, but the referee doesn’t count it and Nagayo is pulled out of the ring. This process continues as I am sitting here not amused. Nagayo does occasionally get in some moves as the crowd roars, but before long she is cut off by Matsumoto or another random wrestler from ringside.

Things suddenly turn normal for about a minute as Asuka hits Moreno with a diving elbow drop, diving headbutt by Nagayo and the referee counts to three! The Crush Gals are up 1-0. Matsumoto comes in with Nagayo, headbutts by Matsumoto and she hits a lariat followed by a piledriver. Another lariat by Matsumoto and she covers Nagayo for the three count! The score is now tied 1-1. Things get odd as they have a long discussion about something I am not aware of, but soon Matsumoto takes Asuka out of the ring with her and beats her on the floor. Back in the ring, Asuka drops Moreno with a giant swing and covers her for two. Nagayo comes in and dives out of the ring onto Matsumoto, where they grapple into the stands. Asuka goes out with Moreno too, the referee starts the count and counts out both teams, even though Asuka insists she made it back in time. I am guessing the match is a Double Countout.

So I didn’t like this. I don’t like heel referees, I don’t like lots of outside interference in matches, and I don’t like bullshit endings. I like the wrestlers, and the maybe two or three minutes of normal action was all fine as there was a lot of talent in the ring, but the constant stops and restarts just took me out of it. There would be many good Crush Gals vs. Gokuaku Domei matches, this wasn’t one of them.

(c) Asuka and Nagayo (Crush Gals) vs. Noriyo Tateno and Itsuki Yamazaki (Jumping Bomb Angels)

The crowd is hot for this match and appear to like both teams, although obviously they prefer the Crush Gals. Yamazaki and Nagayo start fast but don’t accomplish much before they both  tag out. We clip ahead to Asuka throwing Yamazaki around the ring before Nagayo hits a kneedrop off the top turnbuckle. Yamazaki fires back with a crossbody but Asuka hits a lariat off the top turnbuckle before slamming her in front of the corner. Yamazaki avoids the diving headbutt by Nagayo however, she kicks Nagayo out of the ring before sailing out onto her with a springboard plancha. Back in, Tateno catapults Yamazaki onto Nagayo, suplex by Yamazaki and she plants Nagayo with a piledriver for the three count! The Jumping Bomb Angels are up 1-0. We re-start with Nagayo and Yamazaki still in the ring, but Nagayo tags in Asuka who promptly suplexes Yamazaki. Tateno is tagged in and she hits a diving kneedrop, but Asuka drops her with a backdrop suplex as well. Club to the chest by Asuka and with Nagayo they hit an assisted diving elbow out of the corner. Heel kick by Nagayo on Tateno, she picks her up and nails a piledriver but Yamazaki breaks up the cover.

Missile dropkick by Asuka and she gives Tateno the giant swing for another two count. Asuka puts Tateno on the top turnbuckle and hits an avalanche backdrop suplex, and she picks up the three count! The score is tied 1-1. Time for the final fall, with both Crush Gals hitting suplexes on their opponents. The action spills to the floor, but the Crush Gals return to the ring and wait for their opponents. The Jumping Bomb Angels sneak in double sunset flips for a two count before throwing the Crush Gals into each other. Missile dropkick by Yamazaki to Asuka, but Asuka bridges out of the pin. Tateno goes up top but the missile dropkick misses, Asuka picks up Yamazaki and with Nagayo they hit a spike piledriver for a two count. Asuka tags Nagayo but Yamazaki throws her to the mat before hitting a suplex. Nagayo hits a quick enzuigiri, package German suplex by Nagayo to Yamazaki and she gets the three count! The Crush Gals retain the championship.

This unfortunately was not as good as I was hoping. The Jumping Bomb Angels had not completely gelled at this point as there were a few issues on that side of the ring, and the clipping didn’t do this match any favors as it made the already shady transitions seem even worse. When the Crush Gals were on offense the match was on point, as they were two of the better wrestlers in AJW at this point, but as a whole it was a step down from most of their ‘normal’ tag matches I have seen. Some good stuff sprinkled throughout, but too lacking in key areas to be a memorable encounter.  Mildly Recommended

The post AJW Classics #3: Crush Gals vs. Jumping Bomb Angels appeared first on Joshi City.