Joshi Spotlight: AJW Japan Grand Prix 2002 (Part One)

AJW JAPAN GRAND PRIX ’02- PART ONE:
(May 26th 2002)
* It’s time for more Zenjo at last! And this time it’s the Japan Grand Prix! Which… does it always start in May? I know it usually runs the summer but this feels weird. I guess last year’s started at the beginning of June so it’s only a week early. There’s a big match on it, though- Kaoru Ito vs. Momoe Nakanishi! The rematch for 2001’s big World Title Match between the two, where Ito took Nakanishi to the woodshed!

We start out in Korakuen Hall, with apparently 1,700 paid. Which isn’t a sellout even if it was accurate (and you can DEFINITELY see empty seats even on the hard cam), which isn’t great for the big Summer Tournament, particularly when they’ve front-loaded it. A reminder that Zenjo lost TV a few months before and the result was an immediate nosedive in show attendance and fanbase.

THIS YEAR’S TOURNAMENT:
YUMIKO HOTTA: Former Ace, now a lazybones kicker doing a feud with Rossy Ogaway and ARSION.
MANAMI TOYOTA: Former Ace, now in a weird zone as they want to push the next generation but wait half a year.
MOMOE NAKANISHI: Won the tournament last year and is the obvious “Next Big Star” buuuuuuuuuuut they did a “not yet” where Kaoru Ito completely dismantled her.
KUMIKO MAEKAWA: Last year’s 2nd-runner up and the obvious one behind Momoe.
KAYO NOUMI: Was the lesser one in a “lower-card” tag team last year, but with her partner retired, suddenly it’s time for a push! She’s a big underdog who is a great bumper but has shite offense.
RIE TAMADA: An ARSION wrestler, representing an AJW/ARSION feud that the fans hate. Never even rose to Zenjo’s midcard so is likely here as Card Filler and an easy win.
TOMOKO WATANABE: Career “IC”-level wrestler by this point, bouncing around tag teams and usually being hurt. Currently forced to be in the heel Black Joker.
NANAE TAKAHASHI: Another “future star” they probably want to be better than she is. They’ve been ramping up her powerhouse showcases big-time over the past year.
MIYUKI FUJII: The “Eternal Rookie” gets another year of eating pins to see if she can improve.

BLACK JOKER (Takako Inoue & Tomoko Watanabe, w/ Rumi Kazama) vs. QUEEN BEE (Manami Toyota & Nanae Takahashi):
* So Nanae has a new partner! With Tomoko being forced to join Black Joker, Nanae’s orphaned yet again, but I know she ends up with Momoe again as of next month. Manami’s in black & gold, Nanae’s in red tassels, Takako’s in blue & Tomoko’s in white.

We’re JIP with Nanae barreling over Takako so Manami’s Moonsault gets two. But Takako quickly scores a kick combo and Super Chokeslam on Nanae, but a backfist misses and she’s backdrop suplexed. Takako dodges a Vader Bomb & uses her Backdrop Hold, but Queen Bee do the “lure them into Manami’s missile kick” spot and they just sorta lazily hop over for Manami’s “clapping plancha” spot but she crashes into Nanae instead. But Manami trips them for Nanae’s tope suicida & Nanae Vader Bombs Tomoko for two. But she tries her Flying Back Senton from wayyyyy too far away and flies into feet, but each girl scores lariats for two-counts. Manami missile kicks Tomoko in the back but Takako shoves Nanae off the top, then Nanae scores a superduperplex and her Back Senton for two. NanaRakka (falcon arrow) gets two, but Tomoko dragon screws her and hits the Screwdriver (one-armed backdrop to ligerbomb) for the same. We’re clipped to another NanaRakka, but Rumi Kazama interferes. But Nanae immediately deals with her and beats Tomoko with another NanaRakka at (5:44 of 17:53 shown). Wow, that’s the easiest I’ve ever seen anyone beat Black Joker. Unsurprisingly, they seem to be using Tomoko to push Nanae to the perceived next level via this feud. And so Nanae calls out Black Joker directly, calling out Momoe Nakanishi as her partner for a Tag Title match coming next month!

Rating: ** (match was fine, but pretty plain and not over- mostly just “random yelling” unless someone demanded fan attention before doing a highspot)

JAPAN GRAND PRIX ’02:
KUMIKO MAEKAWA vs. KAYO NOUMI:
* Noumi is getting the “next undercarder to get PUSHED” run and Kumiko’s established as just below the top-tier, so this will be interesting. Kayo’s in silver & pink, and Maekawa’s in purple.

Maekawa suckers Noumi into a kick but the incensed underdog just throws her around and stomps on her to zero reaction. Maekawa very casually escapes and swats away with kicks to establish that no- that ain’t the play. Maekawa’s bullying is so pronounced that Noumi repeatedly RUNS to hug the corner in attempts to hide from those kicks, then takes a long bodyscissors and gets booted to the floor for a beating in the stands. But Noumi gets her sunset flip and now KUMIKO is thrown into chairs on the floor. Still takin’ it easy so far, they start a bit where Noumi gets a few things but reliably gets punted down by Maekawa, who scores a bridging suplex & casual resthold on the legs. Another kick/weardown hold, then Noumi screams as she counters a whip… and gets booted in the face. Maekawa is still so casual, even sitting on Noumi to stop a rollup, and Noumi draws a pop just by using the ring to her advantage, being dumped off the top but sliding back in so Maekawa can’t hit her, then preventing her from getting in, booting her from the apron, and using partner Mika Nishio to hold Maekawa for a big plancha! She scores a missile kick but gets caught with a superduperplex for two. Noumi manages to dodge the Rolling Kick & hits her double-wrist armsault for two, but gets kicked in the skull and does her SUPER-theatrical slow roll from her feet onto her back, luckily making the ropes. Noumi can still barely stay on her with rollups, but then starts scoring legit nearfalls with them to convince the fans one of them might do it so it means more, then Maekawa starts to try with vicious kicks and her running Corner Ax Kick. The “Miss then kill her on the backswing” kick gets Noumi bridging out, so Maekawa slaps the mat and goes to finish- but Noumi ducks the kick then slaps her for a nearfall backslide, then no-sells the “drop-down kick” and runs in for a sunset flip for three (14:18)- huge upset win!

Man, this was SLACK for the first 2/3- still had the character bits you need, but it was laaaaaaazy, with the occasional bump and then either restholds or a crowd brawl or whatever. This played up how lightly Maekawa was taking this, as she made zero attempts to finish or even dismantle her weaker opponent, just treating this super-casually, and then Noumi started using clever ring positioning to take the lead. Maekawa eventually starts firing back and won’t go down, so they do a few rollups to “trick” the fans into thinking Noumi coulda won, which is typically done as a fakeout before the real ending… but then they just kept doing it and Noumi got the fluke. This is pretty common in JGP matches but it’s good to start here- Maekawa has always been arrogant AND vulnerable, and is high enough to mean something while low enough not to be humiliated.

Rating: **1/4 (not terribly exciting but some clever psychology)

JAPAN GRAND PRIX ’02:
YUMIKO HOTTA vs. RIE TAMADA (ARSION, w/ Rossy Ogawa):
* Ogawa, in a Tiger Mask get-up, remains there to fuck with Hotta.

They fight on the floor as we jump right to Rossy trying to interfere, but he’s like… so bad that he fucks up the timing of CHEATING. Tamada fucks around until Hotta gets sick of it and starts kicking her, Rie doing weird exaggerated rolling sells around the ring (she was seated but got to one knee to “roll around in pain”). Clipped to some Rie missile kicks, but she runs into the Rolling Kick & Tiger Driver for two. She counters another thing but gets counter-whipped into Rossy’s chair (he holds it so limply it ruins the entire spot- this couldn’t have hurt a toddler). Hotta gives a half-hearted chase (she’s so slow it ruins even her attempts to kill Rossy, making it look like she doesn’t care), then Rie butchers a tornado DDT spot on the apron, falling off without touching the apron and Hotta having to bump herself. If you’re not gonna actually do the spot then DON’T DO IT. Then Rie does a horrible somersault stunner from the top (Hotta just slowly bends over, her chest on Rie’s shoulder), then a German for two, but Hotta counters and puts her up for the Caribbean Splash (super straightjacket german) but Rossy comes in with a LADDER and tosses it into her back to stop. Rie scores three flash-pins in a row, but Hotta’s “shotei” (just sorta taps Rie’s face) has Rossy stop the pin by walking in front of the ref and going NO, so Hotta finally charges in and taps him off the ring apron (he won’t even bump, just going to his feet like “ow”) and doing another shotei, this one into a jujigatame for the tap-out win at (6:34 of 10:30) shown.

Absolute, unmitigated GARBAGE, to the point where this is one of the worst matches I’ve ever seen in this entire column. They fucked up every spot from the interference to Rie’s attempts at big moves, Hotta was moving at 1/8 speed, Tamada was never good in the first place, and Rossy couldn’t even do interference spots right. Even worse, he can’t SELL, meaning all the attempts at comeuppance never work- guys like Cornette, Vince, Jimmy Hart, etc. were EPIC oversellers and wailed in agony when touched- Rossy takes a shot from Hotta and just hops off the apron and scampers off lightly holding his head.

Rating: DUD (if I gave negative stars, this would be maybe the lowest possible)

JAPAN GRAND PRIX ’02:
KAORU ITO vs. MOMOE NAKANISHI:
* World Title rematch! Ito is not the current champion, but last year’s destruction of Momoe set the stage for Momoe’s angle moving forward, so this big singles match is an important one. The smart play is either Ito wins, but with more difficulty than last time, or a draw. Momoe’s in denim & Ito’s in black.

We’re JIP with both women trying to finish- Ito avoids a Dragon Suplex and wins a lariat war, but misses the Flying Stomp and has to sit out on a Momo Latch (twisting rana), getting two on a thrashing Momoe. Another lariat gets two, but Momoe escapes a powerbomb and Ito has to lariat her in the back of the head and wisely tries to wear her down some more before trying to match speed with the kid. Momoe’s able to shove her off the top for a missile kick but is lariated AGAIN and it’s more weardown stuff. Momoe takes a swing at her and ends up in a wicked overhead uranage- the strategy’s interesting because it’s the usual “sitting on butts” from Ito, but it makes perfect sense to wear down the spitfire on meth that is Momoe. Momoe tries a triangle choke but Ito just hauls her into a powerbomb and the LIONTAMER this time before going back to the half-crab. Merciless Ito kicks her to the floor for a tope and a crab out THERE, but Momoe’s able to counter being flung into the chairs, only to lose a chair-flinging contest and get her ass re-kicked. Ito DDTs her on a chair at the 20-minute mark (so we’re missing 11), and when Momoe headbutts her, just stomps her guts. But she tries her corner senton and Momoe pops up and Germans her off the ropes! Momoe, a coiled spring, now fires off two missile kicks and tries to get the fans into her, but Ito counters a German & stomps her again, only for Momoe to do her flip-dodge and score her Run-Up Plancha to the floor!

Momoe rolls Ito back into the ring and climbs to finish but oooooooooooh Ito crushes her with a Super Samoan Drop. And when she can’t score a powerbomb, just suplexes Momoe on the top rope so she flings back onto the floor (PERFECT bumping and selling by Momoe, from the “wind knocked out” *URK* to the ragdoll flail to the floor) and now when Momoe dodges an Apron Stomp, Ito POWERBOMBS her out there. Ito prepares to murder her with the Flying Stomp Suicida, but Momoe is able to spring up and Orihara Moonsaults her! Another counter is turned to the sunset flip powerbomb and Momoe tries her running rollup for two, then tries again, but the third time Ito just wheelbarrow Germans her. Serves ya right, kid. 5 minutes left and Momoe counters a Powerbomb for two, then Momo Latches her- but the pin is too sideways. Bridging German- two. Ito’s starting to slow as her “interrupting lariat” now misses and Momoe gets a REVERSE Momoe Latch for two, but tries a regular one again and this time Ito’s ready- Ligerbomb counter gets two. Ito’s slow to climb so Momoe goes up and JESUS CHRIST- Front Superplex to Flying Stomp! JUST LIKE THEIR WORLD TITLE MATCH! Ito misses a Flying Stomp to finish but immediately buckle bombs Momoe and a Ligerbomb gets two. Flying Stomp! But Momoe rolls to the floor, wasting precious time as the clock runs out…. which would be great, except Ito FLYING STOMPS HER OUT THERE! hahaha fuck you Momoe how dare you try to be smart. But Ito rolls her into the ring to finish, Momoe dodges the stomp, and immediately schoolboys her for the PIN at (18:06 of 28:48 shown). Okay surprise there!

hahah these two are SO good, and have such a perfect routine going with “Ito can crush Momoe at every step and Momoe needs speed & timing to get lucky”. Ito was just MERCILESS here- every time Momoe dodges something, Ito just shrugs and hits her with something worse. “Oh, you’re trying a triangle choke? Time to powerbomb and liontamer you”. “Can’t get another powerbomb? How ’bout I suplex you on the top rope, and if you dodge my stomp I’ll get the powerbomb anyways, but out HERE”. The inevitability of it, and the brutality of the offense, brings to mind Aja Kong and builds so much sympathy for Momoe. And then 5 minutes in, Momoe hits “go” and Ito starts slowing down as even her slow, steady pace is wearing her down, so Momoe’s able to get all these miracle rollups that are established killers in JGPs anyways. And Ito’s flagging and struggling, and has to rely on her experience to win, hitting that Ligerbomb, then the brutal front superplex/flying stomp combo. A lot of these (the super samoan drop & that combo) are also callbacks/repeats of their 2001 Title match, establishing that Ito still has Momoe’s number. I might quibble about the ending- Momoe winning on almost a banana peel, somehow holding down Ito despite all the MDKs thrown at her and her ribs probably being in pieces, is a bit funny. Yeah it’s a fluke and it’s the JGP, but I’d figure they’d wait until there was a big Title match again to have Momoe win.

Rating: **** (these two have the best chemistry in the company in 2002- maybe in all of Joshi Puro)

So on the first night of the big tournament, they managed to… score two big fluke wins with rollups defeating established stars. I guess that’s SOMETHING. Lets the fans know that there is some forward progression in the company.

On the next shows:
Kaoru Ito (2) beats Tomoko Watanabe (17:05) & Yumiko Hotta (4) beats Momoe Nakanishi (2) (14:53), Momoe immediately dropping one.
Nanae Takahashi (2) beats Miyuki Fujii (17:35!!), and Kumiko Maekawa (2) beats Yumiko Hotta (4) (15:23).
Kumiko Maekawa (2) beats Miyuki Fujii (9:59).