Joshi Spotlight: ARSION in Late 2001

ARSION IN LATE 2001:
* I’ve managed to find assorted ARSION clips from the second half of 2001. With some actual GOOD MATCHES for once- Lioness Asuka & Mariko Yoshida challenge for the Twin Star of ARSION Titles from Las Cachorras Orientales! Then it’s Asuka/Yoshida vs. the champs of two promotions, Ayako Hamada & Azumi Hyuga! The final appearance of the VIP stable as they take on GAMI’s Re*Drag! A dream Interpromotional Match between Manami Toyota & Mariko Yoshida! With Toyota TRYING for once! And finally Ayako has to defend the Queen of ARSION Title against Lioness Asuka in the match they’ve been building for months.

TWIN STAR OF ARSION TITLES:
LAS CACHORRAS ORIENTALES (Etsuko Mita & Mima Shimoda) vs. LIONESS ASUKA & MARIKO YOSHIDA:
(June 29th 2001)
* So with Lioness Asuka entering the company, it makes sense that she’d pair up with the person most identified with the promotion, even if she hasn’t had a push in a while. Gives a sense of contintuity and “she belongs here”. And of course the heel LCO are still dominating the Title scene. I actually forgot they were still Champions, haha. Shimoda swats Asuka in the face with her belt as soon as she gets into the ring, because she’s my hero. New theme song for LCO, too- very “Spaghetti Western”. There’s a LOT of empty seats visible, but it’s a big building and still has hundreds of people, so hopefully won’t be as deathly silent as most ARSION shows are. It seems INCREDIBLY hot there, with tons of fans fanning themselves all match long. Commentary manages to perfectly roll their “R” for “Cachorras” in the Spanish manner- this guy got lucha experience or what?

We’re JIP with Asuka accidentally clotheslining her partner from the top, then a brief comeback sees her TOPE Yoshida, too. Mita piledrives Yoshida on the concrete floor while Shimoda empties a bottle of water over Asuka’s head, but eats a backdrop suplex on the mats, only to dodge a lariat so Asuka nails the post. Crowd brawl! LCO wins as they are takin’ it EASY tonight- they’re going long, so they’re working a very slow pace for all of this despite the “big moves”. Yoshida is seen bleeding as her team is rolled into the ring and chairs are piled up on them for the Guardrail Drop spot, then they bite & piledrive Yoshida for two. Yoshida scrambles out of the DVD with a sleeper but gets stunnered immediately, but slugs Mita, ROARS to life with blood all over her face… and whips her off the ropes and gets SPLATTED by a huge Blazing Chop. See the fans would be louder but I think the pace (and Yoshida generally lacking a connection with the audience) is killing it. Shimoda tries to finish but can’t get the Tiger Suplex, and Asuka cheats to turn the tide…. but Shimoda avoids her piledriver and chairs her. Yoshida is fading, avoiding an electric chair drop but gets thrown into Shimoda’s missile kick, but Asuka pulls Mita out and Yoshida locks on a dramatic sleeper, right into the modified sleeper, now called the Spider Nest! Shimoda sells it well, rolling around but handily makes the ropes. Mita adds a banana-yellow chairshot (“Yoshida is being baptized into hell one after another with the chair”- EPIC commentary), but Shimoda takes one and Yoshida pounces- Air Raid Crash! Two!

The fans give the first big reaction of the match, then Yoshida tries for another Spider Nest- Mita steadies a perfect chairshot to stop it and Shimoda immediately snags the Tiger Suplex for two. Yoshida’s dazed but hits La Majistral for two and tags out- Asuka & Shimoda do a multi-step counter routine, Shimoda getting her head kicked off but avoiding a suplex with a drop-down, countering a counter-kick and dropkicking Asuka, but Asuka counters another counter and boots her, leading to Yoshida just hitting mounted punches to cheat. But Asuka sets up her black table and goes into it herself, then LCO set up Shimoda DROPKICKING it into her (“As expected, when it comes to insanity, she has the top skills”). But Asuka escapes the DVD with a Blue Thunder Bomb for two while Yoshida Air Raids Shimoda, and NOW Asuka throws Shimoda into the table and hits the Stomp To The Table on her! Massive Ligerbomb with a last-second springup from Shimoda at 2.9. She counters the next one and runs off (making sure to swiftly kick Yoshida in the ass on the way by, lol- she is so good for shit like that). Mita/Asuka go, Mita hitting a Blazing Chop and then the yellow chair off the top when Shimoda helps her. Asuka kicks her way out of LCO’s finisher, cleverly breaking Mita’s NEW Chop attempt with one and wiping her out for two, but Shimoda missile kicks her to set up Mita FINALLY getting the DVD for two. Asuka moves so Shimoda somersaults ONTO Mita trying the DVD/Ax Kick, and Yoshida PULLS OUT THE RUN-UP PLANCHA for the first time in like five years! Amazing! But time is running out… and the challengers don’t realize it, hitting a HUGE Flying Stomp through a table to Mita on floor at (12:58 of 30:00 shown)! Time Limit Expired!!

BUT WAIT!! Shimoda, ever the arrogant dumbass, gets on the mic and is like “I WANT A REAL FINISH!” So she petitions things for an overtime period, Yoshida & Asuka agree, and Bridge Troll Ogawa comes out as President and goes with it! Asuka immediately pounces as the bell rings, trying the Towerhacker Bomb (inverted fireman’s ligerbomb) but settling for the Rolling Kick for two, then nails the Towerhacker… for two, Mita springing out and screaming like a wild animal in defiance! But that looks like the last bit of her energy… only for her to spring in with the Death Valley Driver for two. Asuka hits another Rolling Kick, which Mita sells with a brilliant forward roll that just so happens to put her within a fingertips’ reach of the ropes to break, haha. lmao Asuka goes for the wrong ropes and Mita “throws” her to the correct corner for a tag. Yoshida tosses Shimoda away and hits the Air Raid Crash, but Mita KICKS OUT AT ONE (still?)- “Mita may not know where she is or what she’s doing, but her instincts as a wrestler make her raise her shoulders” as Mita can barely move and has to be hauled up by Yoshida, but she snaps on a sneaky rollup that has Asuka charging in. She scrunches up to avoid Yoshida’s kneebar and Shimoda runs in so they can try a Superbomb, but hilariously Shimoda just rolls backwards before Asuka can counter it- she hits an Iconoclasm on Mita to set up the Air Raid Crash, but Shimoda saves! Mita tries the DVD, openly lets Yoshida down to set up the next spot (they’re legit tired so it’s more “open helping” now), ducks Asuka’s lariat so Yoshida takes it and the DVD/Ax Kick looks to finish… Asuka saves! Asuka accidentally kicks Yoshida- another DVD- same result. Shimoda chairshots Asuka to finally stop the breaks, but Asuka still rushes in and slide-kicks Mita forward… setting up Yoshida’s La Majistral for the pin (4:41)- NEW CHAMPIONS!! Yoshida & Asuka win!! Asuka gets the mic and calls out GAMI, but it’s all laughs, but LCO’s VIP partners Bionic J and Michiko Omukai have WORDS for her.

Started out really slow and sparing to conserve cardio (probably), then turned into a pretty good “LCO Template” match with lots of big moves and some creative spots, unexpected counters, and a mix of kickouts and cheating to keep people guessing. Great flop-selling from LCO, particularly against Asuka’s kicks, though they do keep doing heroic “spring up and hit a move” things repeatedly. Then by the end they’re almost openly help each other move around because they’re so wiped out, haha. The finish was incredibly unpredictable- LCO were doing a lot of their “LCO Wins Again” spots and making every one look like a finish, so it was good to keep people guessing- dusting off Asuka with a chair was a great way to “set up” the obvious win, which surprises the fans as she instead ignores it and hits a move anyways. It’s entertaining enough to be in the ***1/2+ zone but I’m SOMEWHAT hesitant to put it further… but the match length justifies the exhaustion they were having by the end, even if the front half of the match was pretty boring as a result (the fans can ALWAYS tell when it’s half-effort and their attitude is reserved as a result).

Rating: ***3/4 (either the best 3.5 match ever or the worst 3.75 match ever- a pretty good use of the LCO Template and keeping fans guessing)

SEPT. 11th, 2001:
* A show from Korakuen Hall! With only 1,050 attending (and you KNOW that’s inflated). Japan is apparently significantly ahead of US time, so the fans won’t be distracted by… current events on this day.

VIP (Etsuko Mita, Mima Shimoda & Michiko Omukai, w/ Bionic J & Yumi Fukawa) vs. RE*DRAG (GAMI, Rie Tamada & Reina Takase, w/ PIKO, PIKA & POKO):
* VIP vs. RE*DRAG! With all three clowns on the floor. Re*Drag is in their red gear, but GAMI’s now mostly in orange tassels. Omukai’s in black, Shimoda pink & Mita white.

Everyone attacks before the bell and we’re off- Mita gets backdropped on the floor trying to piledrive GAMI while Rie disarms Omukai’s chair with a stick and bashes her. The clowns help GAMI cheat, so J helps out Mita and VIP does their “Sailor Salute” pose over GAMI. Takase tries with Mita but gets Blazing Chopped. Shimoda bounces around a bit for a somewhat clumsy, hesitant Takase, and this segment looks a bit rough, then they slap it out after Shimoda’s ax kick. Takase hits a “spear” for two (… still better than Edge’s) and GAMI adds a thrust kick. Shimoda gets her double-clothesline counter but can’t get the Tiger Suplex, and GAMI gets a GREAT slap sound on her Shotei for two. Shimoda waits up top forever as GAMI keeps countering Mita and accidentally dropkicks her partner, so GAMI Super Frankensteiners her, Rie missile kicks her, and a Pumphandle Powerbomb gets two.

Shimoda hits a lazy comeback and the Flying Ax Kick- GAMI escapes the DVD and tanks a Blazing Chop, then comes back from VIP cheating to hit a big running lariat for two. Rie adds a German & a Stunner, Mita gets her own, then they botch a powerbomb (I think Rie’s up too high/far back) & Mita calls spots so Rie victory rolls her out of the electric chair. Mita finally Chops out to and tags in Omukai at last- Rie dropkicks her & Shimoda, but they spam ax kicks until that gets two. Re*Drag interferes and GAMI dives onto Shimoda and an Assisted X-Factor plants Omukai for two, then Takase comes in. GAMI snags Omukai for a stunner in the ropes and Rie buggers up her Tornado DDT (having to reposition Omukai repeatedly like “oh yeah- over HERE”) into Takase’s German for two. Takase gets smacked from behind by Mita but hits a GREAT judo flip into a jujigatame attempt which eventually gets a bit dramatic, Omukai barely making the ropes. Omukai pulls out a single-arm hook bridging suplex to come back, then an arm & bodyscissors thing, then a Tiger Suplex for two. Takase tries to charge at her but gets caught, eventually tapping out to Omukai’s Triangle Choke after a good fight at (12:37). Post-match, VIP agrees to dissolve, saying they had fun but they’re done with it.

This was an ugly, very clumsy match, with a lot of flailiness and botched spots going on, even from people like Rie & Mita. They were obviously saving Omukai until the end and shockingly HER BITS were the best ones, as she gets fed the weakest of Re*Drag and gets the fall. Not the WORST thing to happen on this day, I suppose.

Rating: ** (kind of offensive at points but turned out okay)

TWIN STAR OF ARSION TITLES:
LIONESS ASUKA & AYAKO HAMADA vs. AYAKO HAMADA & AZUMI HYUGA:
* JWP’s Hyuga gets another big ARSION match, teaming with the Ace against the new boss and her partner, the Tag Champs. Ayako’s in pink & white, Hyuga’s in blue, Asuka’s in black & Yoshida’s in silver. Lioness is the only one who gets the REMOTEST reaction from the fans. Commentary puts over the expressions of joy on the champs, who look ultra-serious and wide-eyed, lol.

Asuka/Hamada start off with a knucklelock, Asuka winning but getting tripped up, but she catches Hyuga with an anklelock. Yoshida smothers Hyuga but can’t get a keylock, then manages to use her arms & legs to spread out Hyuga’s arms behind her in a good-looking hold. She uses boxing punches but eats Hyuga’s running corner knee & dropkick, then Hyuga pulls an old Manami Toyota submission out of the mothballs- the double-arm thing with her legs trapping Yoshida’s. Ayako goes 1980s with an armbar, headlock & dropkick, clapping and pumping her fist like Jim Powers. Yoshida eats twin dropkicks but stuffs a powerbomb & dodges a Lionsault, but Ayako gets it on the second try. They trade go-behinds & slug it out, Ayako winning with a spinning Octopus Hold. Yoshida gets her feet up on a Springboard Moonsault attempt and boots her a bunch, Ayako firing back with lariats but getting taken down in a crossface, seguing to a “deformed cloud, or a knot twist, or whatever” (lol commentary). Asuka/Ayako go, trading counters until the Shotei/Ayaconoclasm gets only one, and now Lioness does it to HER, getting 1.5. Ayako comes out of the corner with a spinning DDT, but Asuka dropkicks her legs out & giant swings her. Asuka gets her black table, ending up Flying Stomping it onto BOTH opponents, drawing very little reaction, then they slug it out until Asuka kicks her head off and hits a good Ligerbomb for two.

ARSION’s submission wrestling. Some of Yoshida’s stuff is crazy, haha. Also check out her “Deformed Cloud or whatever”.

Ayako escapes the Towerhacker Bomb and hits an Owenzuigiri & her own Ligerbomb for two, then Hyuga does some speed attacks but gets easily countered by kicks. Hyuga Germans out of a Blue Thunder Bomb, but Lioness armbars her out of Rolling Germans and gets that BT Bomb for two. Asuka whips her but eats a big jumping knee, but crushes her with a lariat for a nearfall. Yoshida throws her boxing punches again but eats a run-up missile kick, then Hyuga gets Rolling Germans after Asuka clocks Yoshida by mistake. Asuka tries to stop Hyuga’s climb, but Ayako Germans Yoshida off the 2nd rope and Hyuga hits the Flying Enzuiknee for two! Yoshida does her “I DED” sell while Ayako quebradas Asuka on the floor, but rolls up Hyuga out of her Michinoku Driver for a nearfall. Another try turns into Yoshida getting an armbar with her neck & leg trapped as Yoshida pretzels her, eventually getitng a “HYU-GA!” chant going. Hyuga barely gets the ropes and Yoshida fires up for the Kick of Fear for another close one- Air Raid Crash! But Ayako just runs in with a lariat, but missile kicks Hyuga by mistake and Yoshida just SPLATTERS her with a high-angle Pedigree… but Hyuga FIGHTS UP to show defiance, earning a pop when she kicks out of another boot. But that’s it- Asuka deals with Ayako while Yoshida slaps on the Spider Next and Hyuga has nowhere to go, looking pained but being unable to answer and the ref calls it at (19:49)- champs retain. Post-match, Ayako admits “I’ve been running from you”, but agrees to wrestle Asuka on Nov. 25th. Ayako also asks Michiko Omukai to back her up against these two vets, who are backed by noki-A.

Actually a good, hard-fought match. Lioness Asuka continually impresses me- Ayako Hamada NEVER looks this good, yet Asuka has the perfect set-ups for her and suddenly Hamada’s looking like an effective counter-artist and durable champion out of nowhere. So like you KNOW that’s because Asuka is strong AND skilled and can perfectly set up all her shit. Yet Azumi Hyuga looks the best out of everyone, trying mega-hard, bouncing around like nuts, and selling so much she gets the best reaction. The weirdest thing was Hamada is NEVER in the match for the last seven minutes of the match. You NEVER see that kind of thing, and it’s really weird. Hyuga obviously doesn’t have the kayfabe durability to eat moves for THAT long, so it makes Ayako look bad for letting her absorb all that punishment. Seems like they were saving Asuka/Ayako for the BIG title match but this was maybe too much.

Rating: ***1/2 (very good overall! Good show from all of them)

After this, Asuka & Yoshida defend the belts against Hamada & Omukai, but actually lose the match! Hamada misses a tope BADLY apparently (even overshooting on the 5’7″ Omukai behind them) but the ARSION originals win! Except they never defend the belts. Because… I dunno, they just split up, Omukai teaming with Fujita and Hamada with Fabi Apache of all people in the Twin Star Tournament for the vacant belts. Like the whole thing was just to screw over Lioness? Probably to give Hamada some semblance of a win over Asuka to gain credibility to keep her title defense from being a TOTAL foregone conclusion? Maybe? The belts are vacant until the new year.

NOVEMBER 25th:
* Over in Chiba, Japan (I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a show there), drawing what’s apparently 3,400 (WAY better than a typical ARSION show), this one features a big Interpromotional Match AND the Queen of ARSION Title match, meaning it’s gonna have way more hype than most shows.

MARIKO YOSHIDA (ARSION) vs. MANAMI TOYOTA (AJW):
* MANAMI comes to ARSION! A special Dream Match of sorts (though they fought in Zenjo probably a lot, and Yoshida was even in her “Freedom Force” stable). Toyota gets significantly more of a reaction that Yoshida, but neither exactly creates a huge pop. Yoshida’s in silver again, and Toyota’s in a weird black & red number with like… red lapel-shapes attached at random points? There styles could not possibly be more different at this point, so this will be interesting.

A friendly handshake starts us off, and they start off hesitantly, like equals looking for an opening but not getting one. Yoshida grabs a kick but Manami makes the ropes, but whipping Yoshida off the other side just has her tumble and hit the floor like “hahah NOPE”. Good parity, here! Sadly Manami eats shit trying to chase her and barely rights herself as Yoshida hits the ring and flexes. Manami is warned off of trying to jab her in the face, but elbows her when Yoshida does a go-behind and hits a German into a missile dropkick, then another, then her spine dropkick, but Yoshida takes her down and tries to wrap up her arm. Manami escapes then does the most hilarious counter to a leg-pick, just hitting overhand fists to Yoshida’s head, lol. I love Toyota’s flail-fu being a reliable counter to good technique- the best judoka fears not the second best, but the worst. Manami actually bridges to escape a keylock, ending up in a jujigatame of sorts, escaping and just stomping on Yoshida’s face repeatedly (SNUG) after ignoring a legscissors. Manami appears to be trying SOMETHING but they just end up in a pile. Yoshida’s like “FINE we’ll do your match” and boots her in the face, but shitcans to the floor and Manami takes a MONSTER bump flying in with a cannonball but landing so short she basically gets powerbombed. Well at least her leg clipped Mariko’s head! They then go for a walk because MANAMI FOUND SOMETHING TO JUMP OFF OF, taking flight off a 5-foot thing.

Back in, Manami misses a Moonsault and ends up in a Million Dollar Dream, unable to escape- the fans actually get a “To-yo-ta!” chant going, Yoshida having to re-wrap her over and over before going for a pin. Toyota elbows away and catches her in a Rolling Cradle, but Yoshida bow & arrows her legs on the kickout for a while, then they take turns no-selling boots to the head, Yoshida finally selling but countering a whip with a heel hook, then ties up the ankles again as Manami looks MISERABLE making it to the ropes. Yoshida works her boxing combo, but Manami swings into a Straightjacket German for two, then a Moonsault. She calls for the finish, but Yoshida slugs her into an Air Raid Crash for two. She tries a sleeper, but Manami surprises her with the Japanese Ocean Backdrop Hold (pumphandle german)- two! Japanese Ocean Cyclone Suplex- two! Manami insists that was “3” so Yoshida pounces from behind with the Spider Nest attempt, and finally locks it flush on a second try and fans get into it again. It’s funny cuz Manami’s notoriously bored in submissions but this is working for the fans and she’s doing a solid “fading” sell as she keeps flopping and jerking as she barely makes the ropes. Yoshida immediately forces her into another Air Raid Crash, but Manami again kicks out! Yoshida, out of ideas, goes for another, gets shoved into the corner, but floats behind Manami’s JOCS attempt and charges into a boot to the face- Toyota calls for the finish but gets dragged into the SPIDER NEST again, but actually backwards rolls out of it stands up with Yoshida on her back (her leg strength is no fucking joke) and smashes her into the corner to break. Yoshida nearly tries the same counter into the Nest again but Toyoyta stuffs it and uppercuts her square in the jaw (!), and flattens her with the Queen Bee Bomb (cut-throat northern lights bomb) for the three at (17:18), sitting on her chest for the ultra-dominant pin.

What a fun match, haha. Just such a weird style clash and a half-disaster that ends up looking fun because Toyota’s spazz-attacks are a completely different way to escape holds. Like “Chain-Wrestle? Me? *thrashes around like an eel*”. And Manami finally didn’t do half-hearted submission sells and actually acted like Yoshida was making her fade out, which actually worked for the fans and made for some good fights to the ropes. Yoshida playing Toyota’s game of bomb-tossing also worked, but she only really has the Crash for big slams so kept having to go for it while Manami of course hits GMSI Mode and hits a variety of suplexes, generously letting Yoshida get a bunch of kickouts, too. GREAT series of moves for the finish, too- Yoshida repeatedly going for the Spider Nest and nearly getting her makes it great when Toyota does one of those “Toyota Things” (lifting someone on your back while you’re face down is NOT easy) to break, then learns from experience and counters the next attempt, uses Yoshida’s own tactics (a BOXING COMBO? From TOYOTA?) and hits one of her new finishers for the pin.

Rating: ***1/2 (it could have been a huge mess and nearly was, but it was a fun “Styles Make Fights” bout that even made use of psychology with people learning lessons from past offense and countering it)

QUEEN OF ARSION TITLE:
AYAKO HAMADA vs. LIONESS ASUKA:
* This is it! Asuka joined the company four months prior and was made head booker (behind the scenes) and “Executive” (on-camera), making this showdown perhaps inevitable on two fronts. This is only clipped, unfortunately. Asuka’s in black, Hamada’s in blue & white.

A dramatic knucklelock has Hamada doing a back-arch, but she counters with an Octopus hold. Asuka suplexes her to the floor (TERRIFYING bump by Asuka, as she does a forward roll almost head-first onto the floor), but misses a dive and crushes noki-A instead. Hamada fights her into the stands, throwing a solid chair and smashing her into a table, then hits a Moonsault to the floor. Asuka tries to backdrop her out there, but Hamada counters and hits a huge SPINNING Ligerbomb on the floor! That SPLAT. Yikes. But Asuka uses FLASH PAPER and fireballs Hamada in the face, then casually throws her around ringside to set up the Flying Stomp Through a Table on the floor. Back in- TOWERHACKER BOMB for two. Lioness gets a MONSTER Ligerbomb off the draped table on the second rope- the BOUNCE on that! Hamada still manages to kick out, then counters the Inside-Grip Michinoku Driver with a huge spinkick to the head, but Lioness kicks out at one- Hamada hits three more in a row to nearly pin her, but Lioness blocks another, hits the Rolling Kick, then lands the Michinoku Driver for the pin (4:41 of 18:51 shown)- NEW QUEEN OF ARSION! Lioness beats a teary-eyed Hamada, who quickly quits the company. The match looked pretty good, with lots of big moves, but it’s badly clipped to JUST those big moves. Lioness generously lets Ayako kick out of a ton of “this should DEFINITELY end it” stuff, which is nice.

So Ayako Hamada quits ARSION as of late December, feeling she was blamed for the promotion’s failures. Which like… IS kind of the case as she was a failure as a draw while the promotion’s Ace, but as others have pointed out, she didn’t ASK to be the top star, nor did she book that shit. It was decided from the higher-ups that she beats Aja Kong, who looks disinterested as she squashes Hamada before suddenly losing, then exits in a way that makes it very clear to everyone it was a political issue going on. Hamada’s lack of overness (which was an issue from the day she debuted, as she was over-pushed as the “Super Rookie”) was a major issue for months and led to diminished houses in an already struggling company.