Joshi Spotlight: GAEA Japan in 10.2001 (Ozaki vs. Aja for the 3AW Title!)

GAEA JAPAN IN OCTOBER 2001:
* It’s big doings in GAEA Japan! An angle they’ve been building to all year is coming to fruition, with Mayumi Ozaki’s AAAW World Title up for grabs as Aja Kong tries to win it back! The mechanics of the promotion are changing as the Class of 1995 keeps getting upgraded but finds a whole ton of veterans in their way, while CHIGUSA NAGAYO HAS JOINED D-FIX! But it’s such a half-hearted, weird “She’s there but subservient to Ozaki” thing that everyone seems to know something’s up. This set is a mix of OZ Academy stuff and a big Oct. 21st show., plus two Oct. 28th matches. Aja vs. Ozaki for the World Title!

OCT. 20th:
* This show is from OZ Academy, Ozaki’s promotion! You can always tell because of that giant lime green mat. It’s really shiny and weird, though, like a light film is applied over padding.

TAKAKO INOUE (Freelance), THE BLOODY (JD’) & TOSHIE UEMATSU (GAEA) vs. MAYUMI OZAKI (OZ), CHIKAYO NAGASHIMA (GAEA) & CARLOS AMANO (JWP):
* DREAM MATCH ALERT! It’s a bizarre mish-mash of wrestlers. Takako’s in the heel Black Joker stable but is here with two random wrestlers. Meanwhile villainous Ozaki is teaming with Team Crush rival Chikayo, plus JWP’s Amano- both of whom were in her OZ Academy stable in GAEA’s first year. Takako’s in a unique all-brown version of her gear (tights, not leather this time), Bloody’s in black & red skirted gear, Toshie’s in black/green, Chikayo yellow, Oz red/black, and Amano black/blue.

Everyone starts out brawling, then Team OZ begins to make like old times and torture Uematsu, rocket-launching each other onto her and posing against her. Toshie boomerangs onto Chikayo and Bloody Germans her, but Chikayo snags her arm for the upside-down hold, flies onto it and jujigatames it. They try to use speed on Takako, but she uses strikes and a Backdrop Hold on Chikayo, overpowering her. Chikayo charges up to Takako but gets Super Chokeslammed, but misses the Destiny Hammer (flying knee) and gets German’d for two. Takako stuffs the Fisherman’s Buster and smokes her with a head kick for two, then plants Ozaki with a thrust kick/backfist combo for two. Amano missile kicks Takako to set up Oz’s backfist, then Takako wins a backfist fight for two. Oz surprises her with two, and a Double-Assisted Powerbomb has the other team have to save. Takako escapes the Tequila Sunrise and kicks her head off for two- Destiny Hammer! Again a save! Backdrop/missile kick gets two. Bloody hits a flying senton for two, then a nasty straightjacket hold (taking two tries) and everyone has to save Ozaki, then Team OZ gets three stereo submissions. Oz with a buckle bomb, Ligerbomb for two, then the Doomsday Device! “Fuck YOU!” bridge! Amano finally gets a turn but gets German’d off the 2nd rope by Toshie and Senton’d by Bloody. She counters with a wheelbarrow German & rolling jujigatame- Takako saves and Toshie ANNIHILATES Amano with a flying splash. Holy SHIT. Toshie tries her running knees but gets elbowed, ducks one for the GOO PUNCH~~ for two, gets juji’d trying a Dragon, then hits the Dragon Suplex for two, then Chikayo sets up the Rolling Elbow for two. But a triple-team is foiled and Amano is Dragon Suplexed again for two. But Toshie climbs up and gets plastered with an elbow and flung into a HUGE Judo Flip Super Jujigatame, tapping out at (13:10).

Man they were TRYING in this one! Like all-out effort for almost the whole thing, Takako Inoue of all people hitting the only uraken other than Aja’s that’s any good and doing some incredibly-slick, tightly-executed offense, and more. The Bloody is good for an effort too, then flung around with all kindsa bumps for Ozaki’s stuff. Then in comes Amano with some STINK on those rolling elbows and jujigatames, goes up for Toshie’s stuff, then crushes her with a monster finish, slamming the hell out of her off the top right into the submission. Everyone seemed to relish “their time” to shine, as if their 2 minutes of offense was the most important part of their week and they wanted to SHOW OFF, and that’s the best kind of match at times. So it’s all MOVEZ and double-teams with less psychology, but great for what it is.

Rating: *** (all-out effort match)

D-FIX (Mayumi Ozaki & Chigusa Nagayo, w/ KAORU & Police) vs. LIONESS ASUKA & AJA KONG:
* Oh dang! Chigusa’s just “joined” D-FIX and one of her first big opponents is her Crush Gals partner Asuka! They of course feuded for like a years before becoming besties again and fighting all the heels. But they actually shake hands before the match here and give each other uncertain stares. Commentary mentions “they broke up, but we’ll show you the match”, assuming we know the finish already.

After repeated tag-outs before the lockup, Lioness finally goes against Ozaki, who wanted in, but the goons get involve quickly and they do poses over Asuka while Aja’s held back. Asuka fights back and they sandwich lariat Ozaki and Giant Swing her, and Aja batters the shit out of her with short lariats. Chigusa sneaks in and actually does well, ducking an Uraken and throwing throat-punches to Aja before kicking her down for two, then Ligerbombs her when she climbs up the ropes. Asuka breaks things up and gets shoved around for it, but manages an Iconoclasm once she’s in. She quickly head-kicks Chigusa and dumps her table onto Ozaki’s head, and Ozaki’s sandwich lariated by Asuka & Aja alone when Chigusa moves. Chigusa grabs Ozaki’s red staff, but gets it taken away and Asuka shoves her around with it. KAORU & Oz double-team Asuka, then Aja, but Aja drops down and kicks Oz, setting up the Brainbuster for two. Ozaki spams backfists to Aja & Asuka, hits the Tequila Sunrise on Aja, but Asuka breaks it up. Chigusa “accidentally” punches Ozaki in a double-team and Aja hits the Flying Back Elbow- Police & KAORU break it up. They completely gangbeat Aja while commentary makes excuses for why Rai Rai Ken on the floor ain’t doing shit about it (“They’re too hoenst I guess…”), but Aja fires back with her oil can and Urakens Ozaki down for two. Aja hauls Ozaki up but of course gets sunset bombed down for two, but Aja wins an Uraken fight at (9:45), pinning Ozaki! Very much the old “GAEA Special” of everyone running around the ring constantly and endless interference. More or less how Ozaki matches go, I guess.

Rating: ** (a very uninteresting, kinda half-effort match)

But wait! There’s more! Lioness gets on the mic and says “We’re together!” And Aja taunts D-FIX, too! And Chigusa, smiling, is leaning against the ropes and walks in and shakes hands with Ozaki’s opponents! Haha, it was a fix all along! I actually guessed that right away (mostly cuz I was like “what? Chigusa went heel? I know she’s not with them later” as soon as it happened. A weird way to do it, though- she openly fights the other two during the match, and the only “tell” was how shittily she was doing and how easily they could fend her off and throw her around (which is why KAORU & Police kept having to help).

OCT. 21st:
* It’s a GAEA show this time, but in the same arena, I think. Zepp Tokyo?

SAKURA HIROTA vs. TOSHIYO YAMADA:
* Hirota’s cosplaying someone that seems vaguely familiar- a mustached man with big hair and sunglasses. But today it’s a magic trick! A LONG one sees her lay out a half-full drink on a chair, put a hat over it, and suggest she’ll drink it all despite the hat. Stuff the translator doesn’t pick up apparently is highly amusing to the fans, but Yamada pops them by saying something as Sakura raises the hat to see the drink with the same amount in it. Then Sakura tries again and just throws it at a stunned Yamada.

The “match” starts with Sakura wasting more time, but gets her shirt torn off to reveal muscles printed on a shirt. Then Yamada suplexes her and the wig comes off. But she uses SLEIGHT OF HAND to put a string of flags into her mouth that Yamada pulls 6-7 feet away, looking confused, then uses mind control on the referee, forcing her to do a weird dance then “flinging” her into Yamada, then flings a deck of cards at her. Yamada flings one at her and Sakura SELLS IT, but rolls away from a top rope move and calls out something, repeatedly cracking herself up. She threatens to pull something out of the hat, but just punches throught it and “backfists” Yamada for two, can’t get her goofy suplex, flicks a spoon into Yamada’s forehead, does the “knife game” using the other end of the spoon around Yamada’s fingers, and then tries to levitate her, getting two when she leaps on for the pin. But Yamada no-sells more mind control and just squeezes her fingers for te submission at (8:29). Felt like it was twice that long. This might be UPROARIOUSLY funny if you know Japanese but holy shit this was dire- a rare miss from “Sakura Cosplay”.

Rating: DUD (too much of it relied on Yamada just standing there like “??” and going along with things)

D-FIX (Mayumi Ozaki & KAORU, w/ Police) vs. SAKURA HIROTA & KAORI NAKAYAMA:
* More cosplay from the same show- Sakura is now Police, trying to make out with large plush puppets of Ozaki & KAORU. Nakayama, late of FMW, is still sticking around.

D-FIX look more annoyed than offended, but beat down Sakura and strip her into her GAEA singlet, then assisted powerbomb her for two. They tee off on her using their weapons while Nakayama half-heartedly protests from the apron while Police is hanging off of her leg, but she finally stops a double-suplex so Sakura can double DDT them. Police accidentally double-clotheslines his own team and Sakura pounces- her goofy suplex gets a nearfall! Her theatrical rollup gets two, then a punch does, but Ozaki hits her with the staff and finally takes her down with a vicious armbar and Sakura gives up at (3:18 of 10:24 shown).

Rating: DUD (barely shows much of anything, but some hot nearfalls for Hirota)

AAAW WORLD TITLE CONTENDER MATCH:
AJA KONG vs. KAORU (w/ Police):
* Aja & KAORU continue their Best of 957 Falls series for the year, I guess. Aja seems to be wrestling for the AAAW Title Shot KAORU won months earlier. We’re joined in progress in a 6-minute video here.

Aja hits a backdrop suplex, KAORU hangs on with a headlock, so Aja plants her with another one, but after her Brainbuster, KAORU springs up with a rolling cradle move for two, then Excalibur (michinoku driver). They counter each other more and then DEVIL MASAMI is seen at ringside, staring with a ghoulish expression at the in-ring. Aja uses the oil can, lariat & Uraken for two. KAORU fires back with red mist, and then Devil reveals some allegiance by lariating Aja from the apron! But Aja just forward rolls KAORU from Excalibur and pins her at (3:39 of 10:26 shown)! Aja will challenge Ozaki for the belt!

Rating: 1/2* (we didn’t get much of the match)

CHIGUSA NAGAYO, DYNAMITE KANSAI & TOSHIYO YAMADA vs. MEIKO SATOMURA, CHIKAYO NAGASHIMA & TOSHIE UEMATSU:
* A strange one sees the “spares” of the card set up with Chigusa allying with Rai Rai Ken against the team usually loyal to her- Team Crush.

Team Crush attacks to start, but Chigusa quickly turns Chikayo’s rana in to a Ligerbomb for two. She hits a perfect plex, but Chikayo ties her up in the ropes and the kids take turns flying off the top onto her. Chigusa throws Chikayo onto Kansai’s outstretched knee, but Chikayo manages an armbar on Kansai. Kansai stops Toshie’s running knee barrage and she eats a triple-team of kicks- Chikayo runs in to help, and Toshie does her new hammerlock/cobra clutch to try and wear her down. Kansai swiftly beats down Meiko & sets her up for Yamada’s flying attack, but Meiko armbars her from beneath and tears at her. They dodge each other’s attacks repeatedly, but Chigusa dodges the Pele Kick and crushes her with a European uppercut. But Meiko dodges elbowdrops & jujigatames her, then Chikayo lands two Germans for two, easily evading Chigusa’s attacks, then DOES KANSAI’S TAUNT, and when Chigusa avoids her Fisherman’s Buster, easily swings it into an octopus hold. I like how none of this is remotely going to score a fall, but is popping the fans because the kid is outwrestling the veteran.

Chigusa sells a figure-four, but pops up with a huge Ligerbomb for two. Everyone interferes, and Chigusa hits a falcon arrow for two. She adds a walking, one-armed version of the Running 3 (powerbomb) for two, and Kansai tries to finish but gets rana’d out of her Splash Mountain, missile kicked by Toshie, then tries a Flying Stomp and ends up Pele Kicked into Toshie’s Dragon Suplex for two. Kansai catches her and hits a sit-out spinebuster & Splash Mountain- Chikayo saves. Meiko eats Yamada’s kicks and a Sandwich Lariat… for two! She surprises Yamada with a DVD, then Kansai lariats Yamada… who pulls off an elbow for two, surprising the fans. Speaking of, Meiko tries some offense, gets blasted by Chigusa’s new Spinning Back Elbow, right into YAMADA’S OLD FINISHER, which gets three at (12:52)! Holy shit what a surprise! The Reverse Gory Bomb!

But more importantly, Hokuto Cosplay Man is back!

Some good stuff! Of particular note is Chigusa shaking up her offense 21+ years after her debut, adding more snap to Ligerbombs and throwing in a falcon arrow or whatever. And also selling a ton for Chikayo, putting over her speed and counter-wrestling while Chigusa has to rely on being a bruiser powerhouse. Some slick chian-wrestling and impressive counter-spots throughout- I love stuff like Kansai failing her Stomp and landing right into position for Meiko’s Pele Kick, then falling back into Toshie’s Dragon Suplex finisher- stuff like that is unexpected and shows inventiveness. Plus stuff like “Meiko hits two DVDs in a row”, a typical finish, failing the second try and having her need to make a last-ditch kickout from Yamada. Stuff like this are what separates the “GAEA Sprints” in rating- many are just lazy, sloppy and by-the-numbers, hitting ** territory, while this was hot, hard-worked, and tightly-executed. And holy shit, MEIKO MADE YAMADA’S FINISHER LOOK GOOD! That move has some of the sketchiest execution of any finisher on the scene and hasn’t been used in AGES, but there’s Meiko proving that the person TAKING it can be way bigger- all it takes is suicidally leaping backwards so your head hits the mat first! Okay so her toes hit right after to negate some of the force but holy shit that looked like death compared to the usual “flat-back soft electric-chair bump” stuff people normally do.

Rating: *** (a great surprise compared to the usual “GAEA Six-Woman Sprint”)

Post-match, Chigusa gets on the mic and gives them a half-pep talk, half-“What do you want to be as a wrestler?” tough love, congratulating them for working as a trio, carrying the company during all the absenses (like hers), and more. “Why did you lose?” “You two were left behind” (I think suggesting Meiko eclipsed them), and instructing them to “go wild” more. “You couldn’t develop your individual strengths”. Her shit-talking to D-FIX doesn’t translate well (I think it’s something about challenging them to cheat less and wrestle more), and she says she doesn’t wanna call Meiko, Toshie & Chikayo “The First Generation” anymore. And then she calls AKIRA HOKUTO to come out, and Hokuto seems on friendly terms with the babyfaces. The translator stops working mostly but Chigusa ends it with “No one is above or below. I want to create a situation where it’s not strange for someone who provides something truly interesting, or who really puts themselves first, can become number one”. ie. no more “Veterans” vs. “Young Wrestlers”, no “Team Crush” or “D-FIX”- just wrestlers all working their hardest. Ozaki is of course pissy about it, all “fuck that!” but this SEEMS to be a new “Calling Out” of what the new form of GAEA will be, with the First Class kids elevated into “normal wrestlers” (ie. not always fighting from beneath). At least that was my takeaway. Given where the booking of the World Title is going, it seems like they’re trying to build the cred of all the youngsters.

“I want to be an ambassador in JP. Do what you what. Please stop being Ogata”. I assume this translates to something more coherent.

OCT. 28th:
* Over to Korakuen for the big day!

CHIGUSA NAGAYO (GAEA) & CARLOS AMANO (JWP) vs. TOSHIYO YAMADA & CHIKAYO NAGASHIMA (GAEA):
* Carlos Amano shows up again! This time oddly as Chiguas’s partner against a grab-bag of other wrestlers.

Everyone fights to start, Chigusa getting dumped and cannonballed by Yamada, but Carlos & Chikayo get dives of their own. Chigusa wins a lariat fight & crossbodies Yamada for two, then Yamada wins a kickfight and elbow smashes her. Chigusa armbars her from the ground, then bombs Chikayo into the buckles, setting up a Chikayo/Carlos headbutt fight. Chikayo get a German, gets rolled into a submission, then fails her upside-down hold and has to lean on Amano for a nearfall out of a jujigatame. Amano pops Yamada with rolling elbows and a lariat, then Chigusa sets up a jujigatame, and Amano deadlifts Yamada into a German. Chigusa works some shots but runs into an enzuigiri and Chikayo sets up the Diving Brain Kick for two. Yamada with an elbow after failing her Gory Bomb, but gets powerbombed and a Razor’s Edge gets two. Chikayo keeps saving her from submissions then again speeds around Chigusa and tries pins. Amano knocks Chikayo around but flies onto feet and gets flying stomped- Amano avoids her elevated armbar and rolls her into the juji. Chikayo barely escapes but gets a Super Rana and Fisherman’s Buster for two. But Yamada’s Diving Brain Kick hits Chikayo by mistake and Amano Tiger Suplexes her for a close call, then takes two tries (I think they repositioned) to roll her into another Jujigatame at (11:12), getting the submission win. Felt like another “GAEA Sprint”, but one with less ideas and all-out effort than the others seen in this review so far. Just kind of a bunch of STUFF happening, and not as slick as the OZ Academy bout for some reason.

Rating: **1/2 (fine, and better than the “lazy slog” sprint style but less good that the really good shit)

AAAW WORLD TITLE:
MAYUMI OZAKI (w/ KAORU & Police) vs. AJA KONG:
* So it comes to this! Aja was dethroned all the way back in January, pretty much to give her eternal reign (she’d been champ since May 1999- more than a year and a half) a break, because the Aja/Meiko feud was over the belt but Meiko wasn’t ready yet. Oz & D-FIX have dominated the main event scene of GAEA ever since, with Aja slowly elevating herself back up after having to spend the summer fighting KAORU and dealing with D-FIX’s top-tier cheating. But she finally got her Title shot back from KAORU after some shenanigans and an assist from Chigusa. Ozaki’s in the usual, and Aja’s in an unusual TURQUOISE version of her regular gear.

They immediately light-speed it, aiming for every strike they can, missing each other constantly until Aja hits the German counter kick, but has to avoid running into a boot and stalls out. So Police charges from behind like a dickhead, but when they try to clothesline Aja with Ozaki’s staff, she merely breaks it and clotheslines them both! Commentary makes light of how “in women’s professional wrestling, the champion is generally the one who looks the strongest. To be honest, Ozaki doesn’t look strong, does she?” and how she’s a unique sort of champion. Instead she was “sneaky” and “in a way, a very old American champion who did lots of bad things”.

Chikayo reassuring some worried parents that their child will be safe during the violent brawl on the floor.

Ozaki bulldogs out of a wheelbarrow German and hits her elevated armbar to counter a powerbomb, rolls onto Aja from the 2nd rope and then to the floor. Ozaki & Police double-team Aja out there with sticks and chairs, busting her open by grinding the broken staff against her forehead, but she suddenly fires up and kicks Ozaki’s ass! Piledriver through a table! A table shot and now Ozaki’s bleeding too, getting pummeled and looking near-death. KAORU interferes but gets knocked off by Ozaki’s mistake and Aja crushes Oz with the oil can.

Ozaki’s dead-eyed expression.

Things go so badly for Ozaki she can’t even get the usual “sunset bomb reversal” on Aja and instead gets punched in the cut even more, but Ozaki spams slaps and blocks the Uraken with another staff. Aja escapes the Tequila Sunrise but they Uraken each other’s hands, then Aja ducks another for a Backdrop Driver, Ozaki no-selling but charging into an Uraken for a near-fall! Aja climbs to finish but KAORU smashes her off with the board and Police throws in alternating staffs so Ozaki can spam and blast Aja with a fresh one over and over again, KAORU & Police running in until MEIKO charges in to fend them off, leaving Aja to take like 8 Ozaki backfists in a row, barely kicking out in a good nearfall. Tequila Sunrise gets two. But Ozaki keeps trying for Witchcraft (her newer inverted brainbuster finisher) and Aja pops her with the Uraken! But Ozaki kicks out at one, only to be staggered and takes the ugliest Shining Wizard ever for two. And the Uraken proper finishes at (8:58 of 13:12 shown). haha, they clipped the WORLD TITLE MATCH? AJA WINS THE BELT! She has a great amused smile at Ozaki, her face ENTIRELY covered in blood. Aja gets the belt after a ceremony and simply says “The belt’s back” to an excited crowd. Aja’s final words are that the value of a belt only grows when it’s challenged, “and that’s the Champion’s mission”, and “So if anyone wants the belt, I will accept the challenge no matter when or who it is, so if they come forward, that’s how we’ll raise the belt higher!”. Babyface energy!

Aja’s gleeful smile at the disappointed D-FIX.

Actually a very good version of the “Ozaki Match”. Since all she can do to win is cheat, she cheats the ENTIRE MATCH, with the story being “can Aja overcome such dirty tactics?”. So instead of really cheating as much in return, she fights like a caged animal, unleashing unholy fury in revenge and looking like a badass. Both bleeding puts over the ferocity of the contest. Meiko saving Aja was a good move, as it pays off Meiko’s quest for the belt and demands for clean wrestling. The finish was kind of anti-climactic, though, as Meiko eliminates the cheating but that just sets up Aja hitting a bunch of moves to win and Ozaki can’t hit her finisher.

Rating: *** (fun brawl with some good spots- a bit anti-climactic but a good result)