Joshi Spotlight: AJW Japan Grand Prix (Part Two)

JAPAN GRAND PRIX- PART TWO:
* Part two of the Japan Grand Prix sees big matches between the “next big stars”- Momoe Nakanishi fights first Kayo Noumi, then Kumiko Maekawa! Nanae Takahashi’s push also continues as she’s put against old partner Tomoko Watanabe in a Mirror Match! Plus some tag team main events with Kaoru Ito, Yumiko Hotta & Manami Toyota paired off with different opponents as the final match of these JGP shows!

THIS YEAR’S TOURNAMENT:
YUMIKO HOTTA: Former Ace, now a lazybones kicker doing a feud with Rossy Ogaway and ARSION.
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… except she’s ARSION’s only entrant so is probably being fed wins.
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.

Note that the numbers start getting fucky at some point, I suspect because Kaoru Ito dropped out and everyone got free points because of it. Checking Cagematch and even the commentary there are “missing wins”.

JUNE 7th:
* This is a small show from Mobara City Gymnasium in Chiba, Japan. Cagematch says this sold about 1,000 tickets. Judging by the shots I’m seeing, that means about 985 people must be sitting behind the hard camera.

JAPAN GRAND PRIX ’02:
MOMOE NAKANISHI (1) vs. KAYO NOUMI (2):
* Momoe, who won last year, is struggling to earn points so far. With only like 20-30 people visible on the hard cam and a 34-minute YouTube video, I’m sure this will have TONS OF EFFORT ALL THE WAY THROUGH.

Kayo starts out working a chinlock and other holds, but Momoe slams her down and works her own as commentary shills how much Kayo is improving and showing that she doesn’t have a partner to rely on anymore. Kayo gets a camel clutch, then Momoe a figure-four. She keeps on Noumi’s leg while Kayo HOWLS, clearly showing the bookers “your faith in me is not unfounded!”. Momoe eventually starts double-arming her, suplexing her and smashing her into the corner upside-down for some dropkicks, then scores a clutch of her own, a half-crab and a bow & arrow, generally torturing the back while running out the clock, but Kayo turns a whip into a dropkick and moves to her OWN back-based holds. Momoe finally does her own moonsault dodge and pulls out an STO for two 15 minutes in. Oh wait, back to submissions- Liontamer and a kneeling surfboard variation. Then they trade elbows until Kayo hits a plancha for the first crowd reaction of the match! Kayo throws Momoe into the chairs a bunch, but Momoe flings some her way and then does the same moves to her! Now Momoe hits an Orihara Moonsault (I think gesturing for Kayo to move closer), and two missile kicks results in Kayo using the ropes to break. Kayo gets some neckbreaker drops and they start getting ornery, countering moves and then slapping the other, then Kayo gets two missile kicks of her own, now noticeably slowing down. But she manages to use the ring as a tool, sliding into the ring to avoid a plancha and German-ing Momoe off the ropes. Momoe resists another, but gets shoved to the floor and dropkicked from the apron.

A slow-mo fight on the floor has Kayo hitting her Double-Wrist Armsault out there, but Momoe scores a German! But she tries another Orihara and Kayo waistlocks her to try a GERMAN off the ropes and to the floor (!), Meiko countering but eating a plancha instead. A Flying splash teases a pin, but Momoe dodges another and gets her own for two, then another gets only one, Kayo getting fighty. Splash #3 still gets two. Momoe, flagging, misses trying a run-up moonsault so Kayo does her sunset flip for two. Momoe rolls her up but gets caught up for a Double-Wrist Super Armsault for two. The regular one gets the same, then she pulls Momoe off the ropes for a German. She’s so dead that Momoe can just push her over, and she half-whiffs the Run-Up Moonsault, getting 2. A German gets two but Kayo catches her running in for two, then tries another Super Armsault, getitng shoved off but getting her feet up on another splash. Kayo hits her Fisherman’s Buster for 2, then goes up and eats feet herself, but Momoe tries to get the fans into it and is hit with a backdrop hold for two. Kayo get another German, then Momoe sits on her on the 2nd sunset flip attempt for two, then hits a Dragon Suplex for two. Kayo counters the next for two, and they shift weight over and over again for a dozen two-counts while commentary goes INSANE and the fans just sit there bored, and Kayo small packages her and then debuts ROLLING Double-Wrist Armsaults, getting only two. Kayo hits a flying splash & German for 2s, then Momoe Germans her for 2, then Momoe hits a final Frog Splash, but Kayo again kicks out and they do a dozen more rollups, Kayo counters a whip with a backslide, then two more rollups and Time Expires at (30:00).

Hoo boy- “Restholds: The Match”. Throw someone to the mat, then they fight to the ropes. Repeat 2-3 times with different holds, then the other person counters a whip and does their own. That’s the first half of this thirty minute draw. Like, Kayo doesn’t have great offense (but is a great seller) so is LIMITED, but man. Hilariously, they do two MORE restholds until it’s time for a big move, and then it’s “throw them into the chairs” which is ALSO a rest/filler spot. Granted they’re in front of so many people it’s hard to demand they work HARDER but holy buckets. This is obviously also to conserve cardio for Noumi, who is still moving like a snail by the 22nd minute. The last 8 minutes were “harder fought” except for the speed issues, as they started throwing out nearfalls to a pretty bored crowd. It was hilarious listening to commentary have a heart attack like they were watching the most dramatic match ever while the fans could barely be arsed to make any noise, but with a match that long you kinda have to make it WORTH IT to them, and two exhausted wrestlers flailing around with loose rollups is not exactly the old ’90s wars with Toyota/Yamada or Takako/Harley going for every move and counter they could all match long. Momoe must have been hurt or having issues with the heat or something, because she can usually go 60 minutes.

Rating: *1/2 (hard to rate, but mostly an “I will NEVER watch this match again” kind of thing, despite some like… work put into the endless nearfalls in the last five minutes)

It’s explained during the next match that Ito withdraws from the Japan Grand Prix in order to challenge for the Red Belt Toyota has.

KAORU ITO & YUMIKO HOTTA vs. QUEEN BEE (Manami Toyota & Nanae Takahashi):
* So now the Superteam of Zenjo is put up against Manami’s little team. Ito’s in black, Hotta white/black, Toyota black/gold & Nanae red.

Almost immediately things fall apart and Ito dives onto Queen Bee on the floor, then it’s a brawl out there, with the Bees getting flung into one another. Wow, there’s actually a long line of fans behind a long TARP behind the chairs- lol is standing seating cheaper there and most people went for that, I’m guessing? They work over Nanae in the ring a while, Ito whipping her into a Hotta back elbow off the 2nd rope and such. Nanae finally manages a body attack, smiles to the fans… and immediately tags out without another word. That’s all Manami needs to immediately go into her “dropkick to the back” spot, and they persistently stay on H otta, forcing her to sell for much longer than usual. Toyota hits a missile kick into her octopus stretch, then throws on a figure-four so Nanae can splash her, but Hotta finally manages to escape after a rolling kick counter. Ito hits two big uranages for two, then they fight and snarl in a clutch and bodyscissors until a Manami Roll turns the tide and Nanae immediatley hits a backbreaker and slams into Ito over and over again, getting two.

A figure-four works over Ito until she uranages out as the “take a bunch of offense then hit 1 move and leave” trend is continuing. Hotta & Nanae do NO-SOLD SHOULDERBLOCKS until Nanae ends up bowled over, but she manages to bash Hotta into the corner before running into a Rolling Kick despite Manami’s SHRIEKING encouragement from the corner. When Toyota gets tagged in, Hotta immediately does her double-facecrusher to Queen Bee, then hits a rolling kick & Tiger Driver to Manami- Nanae saves. Manami misses a Moonsault to Ito but scores the rolling cradle- Ito powerbombs her out of the corner but she dropkicks Hotta to the floor and holds both women for Nanae’s dive, then hits a plancha to both. She Moonsaults Ito for two- Nanae’s Vader Bomb is stopped but she scores a superduperplex for two, THEN gets the Vader Bomb. But Ito avoids a backdrop and lariats her down for two, then hits an overhead uranage, then both miss lariats until Nanae scores a backdrop driver for two. Hotta rushes in after Nanae’s mandatory “flying back senton but they boot her in the head” spot, but the “lured into Manami’s double-missile kick” takes them down and Nanae hits the Flying Back Senton after all- Hotta saves.Hotta stops the NanaRakka (falcon arrow) so Ito scores a Ligerbomb- Manami saves, but missile kicks Nanae by mistake and Ito hits a powerbomb and then a Flying Stomp, getting three at (19:00).

A very solid, yet forgettable “perfectly acceptable small show main event”- everyone doing signature spots, hitting some decent offense, then getting countered and the person immediately tags out so a new person can take over. It was hilarious how they just kept doing the same thing every time- Ito hits a ton of moves until Manami tags out, then Nanae takes over on Ito until a counter hits HER, etc. It’s very by the numbers but at least keeps the action up, adequately filling 19 minutes.

Rating: **1/2 (a very solid bit of business- nothing amazing but above-average, and honestly better than I’d expect for a crowd this small)

One the Next Shows:
Kayou Noumi (3) d. Miyuki Fujii (0) (15:42), Rie Tamada (4) d. Kumiko Maekawa (4) in (9:31), Nanae Takahashi (4) d. Momoe Nakanishi (2) in (21:00).
Momoe Nakanishi (4) d. Miyuki Fujii (0) in (12:58), Tomoko Watanabe (2) d. Rie Tamada (4) in (12:48), Nanae Takahashi (6) d. Yumiko Hotta (4) in (14:30).

JUNE 16th:
* Now it’s over to Korakuen Hall for a bigger show with actual fans visible.

JAPAN GRAND PRIX ’02:
RIE TAMADA (4) vs. KAYO NOUMI (3):
* An interesting one because Kayo’s getting a push but could easily eat some safe losses because she’s still an undercarder.

They start fast, Rie immediately taking a dropkick to the ass and taking the safest possible bump to the floor off that (literally going multi-part). Kayo dropkicks her off the apron and stands on her in the ring to celebrate, but Rie comes back with some holds, then whips her off the ropes for a spinebuster. Rie stretches her out, counters one comeback, takes some slaps but dropkicks Kayo’s knee, but Kayo weirdly just ignores that to hit her neckbreaker drops. Rie rolls through a flying crossbody for two and immediately hits a stunner & butterfly suplex, but gets dumped over the top (sorta- she is CLUNKY now), but stunners Kayo on the apron, only to get shoved down and plancha’d. I love how everyone can just magically hit their moves with no resistance, haha. Kayo gets a WEAK German off the 2nd-rope and missile kicks her for two, but Rie immediately hits a cool (but slowly executed) abdominal stretch-ish thing. Kayo teases a knockout from the neck being clinched there, but springs to life and hits her Super Double-Wrist Armsault, plus her sunset flip for 2s. They fight it out with slaps but Rie scores a big missile kick for two and our first solid reaction due to Kayo’s bumping. They start working flash-pins into things, getting the match over as each tries Germans, Kayo gets splatted trying another sunset flip, etc., then Kayo tries to finish with her Fisherman’s Buster, only for Rie to (clunkily) capture the leg and hit her Capture Brainbuster for two! A Rolling Elbow & Dragon Suplex win it for Rie at (10:38 of 15:34 shown).

A very ugly, clunky match that consisted mostly of eating a couple moves, then ignoring them and hitting their own. Kind of the thing that happens with no “leader” in the ring making sure everything makes sense. It’s just “you hit some stuff, then I hit some stuff” with little rhyme or reason. The fans actually got into the last couple minutes, though, as they adequately pulled off new moves to try and score pins, capitalize off of other stuff, etc. Rie scoring the pin kind of deflated it a bit, but at least the Capture Buster didn’t end it- they had to stand in position for an agonizingly long time to make sure they did it right (a botch would have been even worse). Even so, just hitting that move and then scoring 2 more things for the win was a tad unfortunate.

Rating: *3/4 (super boring for the most part, with a solid ending stretch)

JAPAN GRAND PRIX ’02:
TOMOKO WATANABE (2) vs. NANAE TAKAHISHI (8):
* Tomoko/Nanae feels like the new “thing”- Tomoko being the obstacle Nanae has to climb to FINALLY move to the “next level” as a real contender and not “Ring Filler”. This is one of their rare singles matches so might show her evolution, especially as Tomoko is ideally situated to be the one to put her over AND “train” her in-ring to improve. Nanae is currently undefeated; the points-leader, but has never beaten Tomoko. Tomoko’s in orange & white, Nanae’s in red & white tassels.

The bell rings and they immediately collide! Lariat contest! Both bounce off, Nanae getting the worst of it, shrugging it off to try a boot out of a test of strength but Tomoko lariats her and tries to score the quick pin! But Nanae absorbs another lariat and gets one of her own for the same pin, then hits her backbreaker and works the back in a variety of holds. She does a regular-ass headlock but a body attack ends in another struggling 2 as they milk these like it could end at any moment. A whip off the ropes and Tomoko lariats her right under the chin for two, and Nanae does the “too dead to pick up, but springs to life” and gets her backdrop driver counter, then another, then her Flying Back Senton for two. But now TOMOKO counters a lariat, hitting her Screwdriver (one-armed backdrop to ligerbomb) for two, having only gotten a lateral press. Tomoko gets her dragon screw to stop a comeback, but Nanae manages another “lariat into a struggling cover” and then the NanaRakka gets two- Tomoko turns another into a lariat, but it’s so weak Nanae just roars at her and clubs her with her own, but Tomoko uses the momentum to fire back a bigger one for two. Tomoko hits a release Screwdriver, but instead of covering goes to a top hammerlock/neckvice thing and gets the submission victory at (6:02 shown of 13:10)- quite unexpected! A big “Not yet, padawan” moment as Tomoko doesn’t even try to pin with a huge move and instead forces a submission. Nanae gives her a begruding handshake at the end, looking quite put-out.

Only about half is shown, but it’s clear these Tomoko/Nanae matches are very Power vs. Power and turn into lariat wars, which is PROBABLY for the best, especially as this is an easy way to show that Nanae is improving and evolving as a wrestler. She’s less limited than the year before but still isn’t GREAT, and learning to make the most out of somewhat limited offense is probably good learnin’. Doing the “struggling pin” thing is a unique way to get the fans into spots- this is usually a trademark for a “flash pin” ending so can easily trick the fans into thinking a regular-ass move will get the pin, but in this case they weren’t quite biting. A Zenjo match hasn’t ended in less than 5 minutes in an eternity, I think.

Rating: **1/2 (short but hard-fought and fine)

JAPAN GRAND PRIX ’02:
MOMOE NAKANISHI (5) vs. KUMIKO MAEKAWA (6):
* And once more we come to these two! The finalists of last year’s JGP and “the two who represent the future” (as ordained as obviously as they could in 2001). Both are somewhat trailing so far at this point, however- building some drama.

We’re JIP in a LONG match (apparently Kumiko dominated for like 21 minutes) with Momoe blocking a kick & dropkicking Kumiko, who does her counter-whip kick for two. Momoe can’t get a German but pulls Kumiko to the floor for some slides into chairs, then a running dropkick off the apron that puts a chair into her face. Momoe gets Rolling Germans for three as commentary compares her to Jun Akiyama from NOAH in terms of potential, but she flies off onto Kumiko’s feet and eats a scissor kick to the head, then two more to the FACE for two. Momoe’s so hurting she has to try a bullshit leglock to stop the assault, but manages to dump Kumiko, who chases her to the top with a Pele kick and superduperplexes her with 5 minutes left! Momoe crumples up and howls in pain as she kicks out, but Kumiko swipes her with a roundhouse kick, then drills her when Momoe goes for an anklelock counter. They’re both down, but Momoe springs up and hits a Momo Latch, sliding off on the landing so she only gets two. She hits a run-up plancha into a missile kick, jackknifing her but only getting 2, then sunset flips for 2 after Kumiko chases her up top. Momoe tries one more desperation rollup and then Kumiko lands a head kick, then another, then her big running Axe Kick in the corner, Momoe splattering down! A follow-up sees Momoe counter to a German, and when Kumiko does her “miss a kick, then another on the follow-through” move, Momoe CATCHES it and Germans her again! Kumiko dodges a Momo Latch and tries a superkick, Momoe German-ing her AGAIN for two, but her Dragon Suplex is countered to a kick. Momoe ducks another kick and backslides Kumiko for 2, then Kumiko sits on her out of a Momo Latch for a nearfall as the fans bought that one. Kumiko misses a rolling kick and NOW the Dragon Suplex hits, but she flops out at “2” with 30 seconds left. Kumiko makes one more go to finish, but Momoe turns the Axe Kick attempt into a run-up sunset flip for two, countered for two, then Kumiko Axe Kicks her for two and… we’re Out of Time at (9:50 of 30:00 shown). Yes, the third draw in this tournament.

Another good, hard-fought contest from these two, but the diminished reactions for these two are palpable from the time Zenjo had TV- I suspect the lower crowds and the lack of “fan knowlege” of what’s going on are killing fan sentiment. They really played up the “they know each other” stuff, countering expected moves like the Momo Latch and Axe Kick like they were ultra-familiar with them. The dramatic flash-pins as they end things were well-done, too, as they have far more varied offense than the other wrestlers doing this stuff and can surprise fans a lot more with their variety of finishers. But I’m noticing that even Momoe’s usual athleticism and precision are fading- possibly due to injuries or the fact that they’ve been grinding her out in long-ass matches for two straight years just in time to crown her, lol.

Rating: *** (only 1/3 shown, but what is visible was definitely very good)

MANAMI TOYOTA & YUMIKO HOTTA vs. KAORU ITO & TAKAKO INOUE:
* A totally weird “pair the spares” match, as three Aces fight in weird team-ups (Ito/Hotta have been teaming for ages) and then TAKAKO shows up Freelancing. Merely polite reactions for all three, despite Ito/Takako wearing the uniform of Japan in the FIFA World Cup.

Manami & Ito are slow to start, but Manami quickly hits a JB Angels armdrag but gets lariated. Toyota nearly boots her so Ito stops on a dime, but runs into a regular boot anyways but avoids a missile kick. Hotta comes in and quickly hits her double-facecrusher, then the next time the other two whip her, they take Manami’s sneaky missile dropkick. Back to Ito, who hits a dive onto them, but then TAKAKO of all people pulls one off, appearing as hesitant and “uh, me? I dunno, but OK!” as you might expect, which works for the spot. Ito hits an uranage to set up Takako’s STF to Manami, who manages a rollup in the corner and then her Muta Lock. A poor limping Takako now tries a kick war with HOTTA, going about as well as you’d expect, as she falls on her ass, goes “eh-teh-teh!” in pain and gets bounced around cartoonishly, Hotta barely trying and making sport of taking off Takako’s Japan armband and putting it on herself while holding an armbar.Hotta uses some weardown holds but Takako finally escapes- Ito & Hotta lock up for a while and do slow-mo Irish whips, and Hotta gets an Owenzuigiri and Manami a dropkick to the back. Toyota gets a missile kick but Ito gets a leaping poke to set up uranages and restholds. Takako gets some too, but Toyota resists selling them and tries to claw away. Takako misses a high kick but boots Manami in the forehead three times… of course leading to the “Doesn’t HURRRRRRRRT!” no-sell, which actually gets a bigger reaction than normal.

Takako goes to the ropes but Hotta boots her, earning a smack but Hotta pulls the other team to the floor for Toyota’s plancha. Moonsault misses and Takako gets the Super Chokeslam for two, but misses the Destiny Hammer (flying knee) only to hit a Backdrop Hold for two. Ito hiptosses out of a Rolling Cradle, but multiple counters of lariats end up with her taking it, then Ito misses a Flying Stomp but powerbombs out of a Manami Roll. Toyota avoids a Ligerbomb but her Japanese Ocean Cyclone Suplex is turned into a jujigatame until she struggles into a jackknife pin. Hotta finally comes in and Rolling Kicks Ito into a flopping sell, but Ito stops a Tiger Driver & Germans her. Ligerbomb gets two. Takako immediately walks into another Rolling Kick and the Tiger Driver gets two, but Takako springs out with an uraken that drops Hotta for two, then misses another but rolls through into a sobat kick for a struggling pin! Destiny Hammer gets two as well, then a Doomsday Powerbomb/Super Chokeslam gets two- Toyota saves! Then she flies in with a missile kick to stun Takako, and Hotta Pyramid Drivers her- Ito saves. Ito deals with Toyota but Takako misses an uraken and eats the shotei palm strike for two, and another Pyramid Driver (Takako deliberately pulling her hands into position because Hotta starts with a powerbomb lift) gets three at (19:02).

This was more like a “house show main event” than a “Korakuen main event” but was fine. Not much effort throughout but everyone just kinda hit the classics, and were smart enough to counter stuff or build to other moves by missing them first. It’s funny watching Takako in these- as an “outsider” now, it feels like she rarely gets much offense or a meaningful spot in the match, and hits by far the least amount of stuff. At least Hotta was good enough to take a ton of her strikes and act like they hurt- we’re far removed from mid-90s “WOAHHHHHH!” no-selling Hotta. Of course she was beating Takako in the end, so there’s that reasoning to make her look a bit tougher, haha. Overall it was good, not quite very good, but better than “fine”. Really nowhere near anyone’s peak.

Rating: **1/2 (not offensive, but felt lower-end than a typical main event at a big show like this should be, especially since this is Toyota & Ito’s last meeting before their WORLD TITLE MATCH, meaning now’s the time to try to show each other up)

On the next shows:
Tomoko Watanabe (4) d. Miyuki Fujii (2) in (13:07), and Kumiko Maekawa (7) d. Nanae Takahashi (8) in (18:19).
Tomoko Watanabe (6) d. Kayo Noumi (7) in (16:01).
Miyuki Fujii (2) d. Yumiko Hotta (6) in (15:52)- the craziest fluke seen yet, especially taking 15 minutes.
Kayo Noumi (7) & Yumiko Hotta (6) went to a (30:00) draw.
Momoe Nakanishi (6) d. Rie Tamada (8) in (15:16), Yumiko Hotta (7) d. Tomoko Watanabe in (15:47).

Thus ends Part Two! Next up is the big “Queendom of WWWA” show, which will feature Black Joker defending the WWWA Tag Titles against NanaMomo’s reunion squad, and Manami Toyota defending her WWWA Title against Kaoru Ito!