Joshi Spotlight: JWP Pure-Heart Festival

JWP PURE-HEART FESTIVAL:
(Aug. 17th 1997)
* A big JWP show at Korakuen Hall happens on August 17th, featuring a day show and a night show (with everyone wrestling on both shows). If I’m reading the date right, this is filmed literally the day after Plum Mariko was killed in the ring by Mayumi Ozaki’s Ligerbomb. If so, HOLY SHIT.

This one also features the Retirement Match of Candy Okutsu, as her real-life best friend Hikari Fukuoka defends the JWP Title against her, but can’t hold it together for the match- it’s a pretty unique display. How many matches do you see where one person is sobbing the entire time?

Note that there’s a Day Show and Night Show, but I can only find one Day Show match.

DAY SHOW:

TOMOKO KUZUMI & SARI OSUMI (JWP) vs. COMMAND BOLSHOI (JWP) & EMI MOTOKAWA (IWA):
* It’s lowercard madness, with the best of JWP’s rookies (Kuzumi) teaming up with brand-new rookie Sari Osumi against Bolshoi (a midcarder at this point) and the future Emi Sakura, who wrestles for IWA in its tiny women’s division at this point. I imagine Bolshoi’s team is taking this rather easily. Kuzumi’s in neon splatterpaint in an “Idol” outfit (all the cut-outs & fringe is a dead giveaway), Osumi’s in the most hideous black singlet with green leaf designs ever, Bolshoi’s in the same gear as last match & Emi’s in orange/black.

They both abuse Osumi for a while with basic stuff, and she reverses a whip to escape only for Kuzumi to now eat a beating. Bolshoi resthold, Emi flying splash & surfboard, and then Bolshoi misses a moonsault but lands on her feet, then slingshots onto both rookies, only for Kuzumi to do the same to HER team. Bolshoi quickly gets a German, and we’re clipped to Osumi eating more punishment. She gets a pop for kicking out of a rock bottom and escapes after a while, then Kuzumi hits four backbreaker variations on Bolshoi for two. Bolshoi counters up top and moonsaults Kuzumi for two, then Osumi stops a double-team and Kuzumi gets a butterfly superplex- Emi has to save. Kuzumi charges herself up, but is horrified when Osumi tags herself in and is too far away for a top-rope move so just runs up for a shitty splash pin that Emi half-heartedly breaks up. Emi runs into Bolshoi by accident and the kids set up a Doomsday Device, but Bolshoi & Osumi fuck up what was supposed to be a rana reversal and Bolshoi just punches her for the pin at (9:29 of 13:38 shown). Oh come on- at least improvise a better finish!

Boring filler match with Osumi just being abused and even Tomoko not getting to do anything. Bolshoi just kind of ate both of them alive, possibly in anticipation of their attempt to make her a bigger star. Kuzumi got a good run with her backbreakers and top-rope suplex, which means there’s a lot of hope for her. Osumi was sucky but that’s expected in her first year- her size was an issue for Bolshoi (Osumi is only 5’4″ but way taller and bulkier than Bolshoi), who should really be better than this at this point. The finisher is also on Bolshoi- she didn’t get enough elevation to spin herself around Osumi, getting her leg caught on the shoulder and then falling on her ass. Also, who does that spot with a rookie?

Rating: 1/2* (some okay stuff from Kuzumi but awful otherwise- like ten minutes of rookie beatings)

MAYUMI OZAKI (JWP) vs. YUMI FUKAWA (AJW):
* Ozaki takes on AJW’s newest wannabe Idol, Yumi Fukawa, in an interpromotional match! Few are better at getting something out of a green opponent than Ozaki, so this will be interesting. Fukawa’s in a very sparkly white outfit with blue on it- clearly someone is putting a lot of effort into her gear.

Fukawa embarrasses Oz with a flash-pin attempt and immediately pays for it, going into the railing twice, and Oz dominates her while smirking, tying up all four limbs and elbowing her in the head while talking smack. Oz pulls her hair repeatedly but Yumi gets PO’d and clotheslines her and repays the hair-pulling- Ozaki appears almost amused and soon takes back over with her own clothesline. There’s some ugliness as they’re out of position but Ozaki reins it in a bit, missing a cannonball off the apron and taking a plancha. Ozaki now goes into railings and chairs and eats some dropkicks, but there’s another awkward pause and a “DDT out of the corner” spot goes badly. Oz misses her backfist and does TWO revolutions before Fukawa Germans her, Ozaki appearing to sandbag it or something and they do another proper bridging one for two. Yumi climbs and gets superplexed off, but avoids the Tequila Sunrise & backfist and hits a rolling legbar, then does a version off the top- Oz sells pretty well but nobody’s buying it. Fukawa flies onto her feet but Manami Rolls out of a powerbomb attempt for two, then single-legs her into a Perfect Plex for the same. Two 2nd-rope dropkicks to the head and another Perfect Plex net two-counts, but after a slap-flurry she charges into the Tequila Sunrise for three (10:28).

Man, this started the usual “fun Ozaki bullying lesser wrestlers” match but got bowling shoe ugly in the middle, as they kept doing the “pause before doing something” thing and that is DEATH in wrestling. This just felt like they were on different pages or that Fukawa was being asked to work a harder match than she was ready for, as she was out of position a bunch on spots that require precision. Ozaki could have also been at fault, though- either not being familiar with her opponent or just didn’t like her or something… and then of course I realized the date of this show, which could easily explain why she was off- a move she did literally killed someone the night before. Really poor match for both.

Rating: * (just a sloppy, ugly mess, like they weren’t on the same page or Fukawa just couldn’t wrestle the match required)

MARTIAL ARTS MATCH:
KUMIKO MAEKAWA (AJW) vs. RIEKO AMANO (JWP):
* Pretty sure that’s when this was. Amano is Ozaki’s JWP-affiliated goon, and Kumiko is coming from AJW as a former Tag Champion and finally has been elevated. She’s in green & yellow spackled athletic gear. Amano’s in similar gear, but plain black. This is apparently a martial arts match judging by the “Round One!” at the start.

They roll around a bit, and Amano ends up in a front facelock that isn’t treated like anything despite being a pretty good lock. She fights for a cross-armbreaker until the round ends. Amano keeps diving into facelocks, but gets a rear mount into the ropes. Kumiko gets a top mount and throws some shots until Amano spins around her and nearly chokes her out until the round ends. Amano starts off R3 by charging in with a DROPKICK (!!), missing and Kumiko splatters the back of her head with a kick for a “9” count. But she gets up with her arms in a boxing guard and a second enzuigiri knocks her out at (0:27)- the ref just calling it.

Rating: *1/2 (an interesting style at points, though this was largely spamming the same two mounts because neither was really into “Shoot-Style” and then Kumiko just kills her with signature kicks for the easy win)

HIKARI FUKUOKA & KANAKO MOTOYA vs. AJA KONG & CUTIE SUZUKI:
* This is as weirdo mish-mash of characters, with Hikari & Cutie on opposite teams, with Hikari teaming up with a rookie and Cutie teaming up with AJA KONG, perhaps her least-likely partner ever. In fact, the match is 3 idols… and Aja. Aja is at this point not yet gone from AJW, and is still a big star there, while Hikari is a champ in need of some credibility. It’s fun & games to start, as Aja won’t shake eager young Motoya’s hand, but finally does so, Hikari pulls hers away, and Cutie forces Aja into the ring, where she’s jumped by the other team. Aja’s in pink & black, Cutie’s in white, Hikari’s in her blue/Tarzan gear and Motoya’s in white with blue.

Aja refuses to sell for Kanako’s dropkicks, even missile ones, but HIKARI blasts her in the back of the head with one, but Aja just flattens them both with a double-clothesline. Cutie quickly whups on Kanako with solid veteran/rookie stuff, and it’s funny to see her in this role. Hikari figure-fours Cutie but Aja flips them over to reverse it, then kicks Hikari’s ass with her trademark methodical dismantling. Both partners get involved for some cute spots (quadruple sleeper!), and Aja tosses everyone around in the stands and uses the dreaded GIANT METAL BOARD. Hikari dies off an oil can shot, and Kanako gets thumped by Cutie again, but manages to hook a leg and goes to work on it. Cutie tries to bite the foot to break free (what are joshi teeth MADE OF?). Cutie’s selling is actually really good here, whimpering and screaming. She gets a desperate DDT & northern lights on Hikari, but planchas onto Aja by mistake and Kanako flies onto them, then Hikari moonsaults them. Back in after a delay, Aja cans Hikari, but also Cutie by mistake- she sits on Kanako, but misses a splash and takes Senton Spam as a result. The momentum doesn’t last long as Kanako tries a suplex, aided by Hikari, but Aja suplexes both of them.

Cutie flying stomps Kanako but thankfully Aja misses, but cross-bodies both opponents. Kanako keeps rolling up Cutie, but Cutie evades Hikari’s moves, even kicking her in the ass on her cartwheel handspring elbow so Aja can lariat her. Man, Hikari is getting NOTHING in this match- she’s gotta be saving her finishing series for the end victory. She headscissors Aja but Cutie Germans her and… they appear to mess up some corner stuff (a super powerslam maybe had ’em slip and Cutie landed on her? Then she slipped trying a flying kneedrop?), but Aja FLYING FOOTSTOMPS Hikari and Kanako saves. Hikari is dead weight as Aja prepares to finish her off- she flips out of a backdrop but Cutie missile kicks her in the back and the second rope splash… gets the “Fuck YOU!” bridge! Aja (mostly) misses her flying back elbow but Hikari moonsaults onto her feet and Backdrop Drivered for two. But Hikari sunset-powerbombs her out of the Avalanche Waterwheel Drop and then Kanako draws an ovation for a Flying Senton, then a flying stomp- MOONSAULT STOMP by Hikari with pinpoint precision! But Cutie saves! Kanako misses another Flying Senton and Cutie Germans her for two. Backdrop superplex gets two, but she misses the Flying Knee and Hikari moonsaults in and an assisted powerbomb gets two. They miss a double missilekick and Cutie gets her Dragon Suplex for two on Kanako, but Aja grabs Hikari so Cutie can finish with a Flying Knee at (23:41)- Aja & Cutie win!

Great little match here, as they had a TON of time, and only sorta wasted time in parts of it- Kanako was good in her “fired up rookie” spots, Cutie actually works as a bullying veteran, and Hikari took a huge shit-kicking and pulled off her comebacks. I loved the flying stomps, Aja teasing, then ACTUALLY DOING IT, and Hikari sold her ass off on that. The HikariKanako team was great with interference, as they’d often score a comeback and immediately the other’d fly in off the top rope to capitalize- Kanako’s senton was a great moment from the rookie and Hikari followed with a moonsault to Cutie. The finish kind of lost the plot a tad at the end, and Hikari didn’t actually pull off the mega-comeback I was expecting, either.

Rating: ***1/2 (very solid match that makes good use of the time)

DEVIL MASAMI & CANDY OKUTSU vs. COMMAND BOLSHOI & TOMOKO MIYAGUCHI:
* It’s veterans vs. lower-card wrestlers, as Devil leads Candy against middle-ranked Bolshoi (who has already wrestled today?) and rookie Tomoko. Devil’s in black/purple, Candy’s in black, Bolshoi’s in a greenblue//pink/black monstrosity, and Miyaguchi’s in yellow & white sporty athletic wear. Now this is obviously before mid-97, when Candy retired. This is Joined In Progress.

Bolshoi does a ropewalk armdrag to Candy, even going BACKWARDS, but Devil easily dodges her flying move. Devil with an overthrow powerbomb, but she gets cocky and eats a rana for two. Miyaguchi tries to demand some respect, but is flattened by a powerbomb- clipped to Candy with two missile kicks & a bridging German for two, but Miyaguchi fires back on Devil and keeps catching her with fired-up rookie-fu, but Devil finally measures her with a lariat. Miyaguchi actually reverses another powerbomb and hits Candy with a Super Samoan Drop for two! Bolshoi moonsaults onto Candy’s feet and eats a bunch of lariats and Rolling Germans for two, but she ranas Devil and Miyaguchi hits a flying enzuigiri of all things and Bolshoi Germans her for two. Devil tricks Miyaguchi into running into Bolshoi and hits a Ligerbomb for two- Miyaguchi saves- and then Bolshoi kicks out after an Assisted Powerbomb! Devil climbs, but Miyaguchi hits her Super Samoan Drop to HER in a great spot, but Devil quickly undoes Bolshoi and hits a high-angle Tiger Driver for the win at (6:50 of 13:14 shown). Looks like she actually did the “push them over before 3” thing but it counted anyways.

Decent Veterans/Kids stuff, with Devil being her usual clever, arrogant self, occasionally getting caught to put the kids over but in the end just having too much power and seniority to overcome. Candy was in the mood to show off, and MIYAGUCHI definitely had her working boots on, firing off the rookie-fu and even hitting a signature finisher of sorts on the veterans.

Rating: **1/2 (solid 1/2 in a classic joshi-style contest of midcarders vs. stars)

NIGHT SHOW:

REIKO AMANO vs. SARI OSUMI:
* The future “Carlos Amano” is still in her Jobber Swimsuit phase (though she’s a member of OZ Academy at this point), wearing blue & white. Sari Osumi is brand-new and won’t even last a year in the business- she’s got her hair dyed blonde and is in green & blue.

We’re joined in progress as Osumi hits the Rookie-Slaying Boston Crab & dropkick spam as I observe Amano’s selling is actually REALLY good, doing this agonized expression even for jobber-fu. Amano wins a strike war with some clotheslines and some flying moves get two- Osumi reverses one for two, then surprises her with an ass attack out of the corner for two. Another ass attack sets up a flying splash for two, but Amano gets a good reaction with a cross-armbreaker. They each try more pins, but Amano finally scores another missile kick & cross-armbreaker for the submission at (6:31 of 10:12 shown). Another basic rookie match, though Amano looks a lot more advanced. Osumi has some decent fire, too.

Rating: 1/2* (these are always death, but it’s good learnin’)

JWP JUNIOR TITLE:
TOMOKO KUZUMI vs. TOMOKO MIYAGUCHI:
(July 23rd, 1997)
* Two of JWP’s best rookies go at it- it’s the Tomoko War! Kuzumi’s in black & Miyaguchi’s in red & white athletic gear. Oh, and this one I should have put in my JWP Pure-Heart Festival review this past May. Oh well. This is for Kuzumi’s rookie title.

Miyaguchi jumps Kuzumi at the bell and they toss each other into the guardrails and pull each other by the hair into the ring in a great spot, leading to a stalemate and they’re back where they started. Much more hair-pulling ensues, the girls reversing on each other and not giving any ground, Miyaguchi getting something going with a double-arm into Fujiwara armbars- she’s already good at stuff like “tie up their limbs so they can’t make the ropes the same way twice”. Kuzumi finally comes back with a springboard dropkick out of the corner and works a crab-hold as they shift and parry stuff. Miyaguchi finally reverses a whip and puts on a NASTY Liontamer, reapplying when Kuzumi slides out- Kuzumi tries to come back but gets drilled repeatedly in a mount, but finally counters another whip with a straight boot to the head and just DIVES onto her with boots for revenge, but Miyaguchi is too technically-gifted and rolls out of a Fujiwara and hiptosses from a double-arm… but Kuzumi locks on a sleeper! Great reaction for that one. Miyaguchi makes the ropes so Kuzumi reapplies as the fight is finally out of Ms. Reversal, and they hang in that for a while, but when Kuzumi senses weakness and aims for her butterfly backbreaker, Miyaguchi just rushes her into the corner and then clocks her out of the other one- she’s not done yet!

Running stuff gets two, but Kuzumi counters her backdrop suplex and nails that backbreaker- and again for two. They do multiple go-behinds until Kuzumi just boots her in the ass and dives onto her on the floor, as speed is once again her friend, and she slowly works her over with missile kicks for two. Big ovation for Miyaguchi’s kickout, and she pops up and enzuigiris Kuzumi out of another, taking her to the floor but missing her own dive! See, ya can’t beat her at her own game. Kuzumi plants her with a German on the floor, and a bridging one in the ring gets two. They fight for position on the top until Miyaguchi Germans her off the middle rope and hits a Flying Enzuigiri for two. Straightjacket Northern Lights suplex gets two and they’re both fading. An exhausted Miyaguchi fires herself up and goes for her Super Samoan Drop but Kuzumi rolls her backwards in a clutch for two! Frustrated, Kuzumi just smashes the shit out of her back, but gets goaded into a slapfight and it’s reversed to a German! But she does the ALL JAPAN NO-SELL, screaming and German-ing Miyaguchi in turn and they’re both down! Kuzumi’s up first but they triple-reverse whips and Kuzumi lands in a fireman’s carry position- Miyaguchi drops her but cleverly rolls forward for two before hitting an airplane spin Samoan drop… and Kuzumi grabs the rope! Great timing. Miyaguchi’s at a loss for what to do so she just throws kicks, getting reversed to a Straightjacket German for two. Kuzumi seeks the end and climbs, but that’s when Miyaguchi springs to life- Super Samoan Drop! Kuzumi splats on the mat! And that’s the three at (17:49)- Miyaguchi wins the Jr. Title!

One of the best matches between second-years you’ll ever see, if not THE best- an amazing match of perseverence. So initially the first part of the story is Miyaguchi controlling with all her technical stuff- nothing flashy but it was well-applied and there was enough movement that it wasn’t “just” resting. They were throwing out some remarkably intricate sequences for rookies, too, like double-reversals off of whips and smoothly threading one move into a counter. Miyaguchi will dominate with stuff, then counter the double-arm into a move, but Kuzumi later lands on her feet from the suplex attempt and lands it, and it’s all smooth and not at all awkward or “Wait- where was I?” like you often get from rookies. They sold well the idea that Miyaguchi had more technical acumen and is better at reversing, so Kuzumi had to pick her shots and use athleticism to control. And once she takes the lead, she presses it carefully and without rushing, peppering Miyaguchi with everything she has.

Rating: **** (absolute top-tier rookie match- better than many veterans ever get. They had lots of time and built to their spots and earned their big selling and kickouts)

DYNAMITE KANSAI & KANAKO MOTOYA vs. CUTIE SUZUKI & COMMAND BOLSHOI:
* A basic tag match with elite stars and younger ones, with Motoya being a 2nd-year or so. Kansai’s in yellow & orange (yeesh), Motoya’s in green & pink idol-ish gear, Cutie’s in white & Bolshoi’s in white & green. This is Kansai’s first match back from her collagen illness.

Motoya gets her arm worked a lot to start, despite having more size on her opponents. But Kansai gets tagged in and boots Cutie around and hits her backdrop driver, then throws both girls into abdominal stretches- Cutie uses the opportunity to use her own, revealing why she, uh, doesn’t do a lot of submission wrestling. My god, Monsoon would have had her ass for that on commentary. Thankfully Bolshoi helps her, but Kansai just deadlifts her out of a DDT and tags out. Motoya with jobber-fu and a straightjacket German for two. Bolshoi comes back with speed and her DDT, but misses a slingshot and eats five running sentons for two. Kansai comes in for more shots but Cutie sets up a palm-thrust & German for two. Cutie eats a lariat & backdrop, but another palm sets up her Dragon Suplex for two. Double-lariat from Kansai sets up Motoya’s sentons to both, and then KANSAI does two, and then BOTH girls land a crushing one. Motoya hits a flying senton on Bolshoi for two, but goes to the well one too many times and eats shit- Cutie Germans her to set up Bolshoi’s German off the 2nd rope… for two! Good reaction for kicking out on her own. Kansai’s kick sets up La Majistral for two, but that’s it- Motoya tries to climb and Cutie stops her, allowing Bolshoi to hit the Super Rock Bottom for the three at (9:21 of 12:36 shown).

Motoya is not someone I’m that familiar with- she’s missing from a lot of JWP material online despite being one of their “Fab Four” (Amano/Kuzumi/Miyaguchi/Motoya), but she seems fine. Better than most 2nd-years. A bit lanky and over-dependent on just sentons for her offense but she’s okay. The rest is your everyday match the others can do in their sleep, Cutie with trademark sloppy application, Bolshoi being pretty tight but ineffective-looking, and Kansai being awesome but slower and simpler at this point. Motoya got the mandatory “kick out of a surefire pin second-degree move” spot, then got killed by the real finisher- the girls were just too good at knocking the slower Kansai off the apron.

Rating: ** (mostly fine, inoffensive stuff)

Man the thumbnail is like a walking anti-smoking ad.

CANDY’S RETIREMENT MATCH:
JWP OPENWEIGHT TITLE:
HIKARI FUKUOKA vs. CANDY OKUTSU:
* So Candy Okutsu is yet another wrestler giving it up in 1997, joining Megumi Kudo and eventually Bison Kimura, thanks to being too busted up to continue at only 22 years of age. However, she’d be back pretty quickly, as she’s with ARSION in the next year. Her final match is to be against the JWP Champion, now Hikari Fukuoka. Hikari’s in a yellowish version of her Tarzan gear, while Candy’s in yellow & black with tassels (actually one of her best looks, right before she’s gone). You can tell the two are good friends, because they’re openly beaming at each other with huge smiles during the intros (though my god Candy confirms the hell out of the rumor I’ve heard that she was a chain-smoker- 90% of her teeth are grey!). According to Mike Lorefice, the two are like sisters & best friends in real life.

Candy pounces before the bell and kicks Hikari’s ass for yet another “run & toss” segment tonight, then hits a run-up plancha & run-up cross-body. A second misses and Hikari goes for the RIDER KICK of all things (her finisher!), but the somersault missile dropkick mostly grazes Candy’s ass. She gets a standard missile kick but is now just openly bawling, unable to even get up. Candy recovers by slapping her a bunch and hitting a brainbuster for two. Locomotion German Suplexes! Also two, then Candy fires off clotheslines as this is just her hitting a crying, undefending opponent now. Candy gets on the mic to fire her up, and Hikari finally brings it with a slap, Tiger Driver & Moonsault for two.

Candy charges back with a clothesline & three brainbusters, but Hikari bridges out, only to get put up top for a run-up… okay she slowly puts on a release Northern Lights Superduperplex for two. She tries another run-up, but Hikari shoves her to the floor and follows with a cannonball off the apron, but her follow-up sees her German’d off the top- Candy messes up the locomotion Germans and settles for a regular cover for two. Hikari catches her with a Superduper Powerslam and Tiger Driver for two, then misses a Moonsault Stomp and Candy ranas her out of another Tiger Driver, getting two. Hikari hits a release double-arm powerbomb, misses another Moonsault Stomp, hits a Tiger Driver for two, then hits two more and another release version and just WAILS while on top of Candy as the ref counts three at (10:42).

Kind of more of an exhibition & personality display than a proper “match”, as Hikari obviously couldn’t hold it together and was largely not defending herself at all until Candy forced her to, then Candy just hit a bunch of her stuff. Hikari mostly got random comebacks that consisted entirely of finisher-tier maneuvers, too. The run-up moves and “both standing on the top rope” moves were interesting because they’d do these dramatic charges to the top but then very clearly start helping each other get into position for these moves that really only work if both have their balance just right.

And so Candy gets the retirement ceremony- at least NOW she can unleash the tears, thanking the fans for their support.

Rating: ** (I mean, why bother rating it, lol? Just someone bludgeoning a crying opponent until she hits a bunch of finishers amidst some comebacks for the win)

SUPER HEEL DEVIL MASAMI vs. MAYUMI OZAKI:
* Yes, it’s back to Masami’s Undertaker-inspired “Super Heel” gimmick, where she moves like a zombie wearing Crush’s Demolition makeup, and she’s up against a sneering Ozaki. This match isn’t dated so could have happened anywhere between 1993-97- the outfit on Ozaki is similar to the 1996 one. Super Heel matches are somewhat notorious for the same way Taker’s 1990s matches were, though she definitely has an aura- her size combined with her just staring down opponents silently is pretty intense. I actually reviewed this last year, not knowing the date and just guessing, but only now do I realize it took place in 1997, haha.

Super Heel just lurches forward like a zombie at the bell, not even looking at her, so Ozaki easily does a go-behind, but can’t lift her and Devil effortlessly powerbombs her. They take turns throwing each other into the guardrails and Oz gets dumped trying a punch- she sells the bump like it’s stunning, but dodges Masami’s stomp and Germans her on the floor. Devil still takes over out there, tossing Ozaki into stuff and nearly press-slamming her off a raised stage on the edge of the arena, but Oz pushes her off and hits a Tornado DDT on the floor from there! Woah, that was cool. Oz piles chairs AND the guardrail on her, drawing an ovation in the ring, but an infuriated Devil pops up, ax kicks her, then hits a press slam FROM THE TOP ROPE, which is awesome. She misses the Guillotine Legdrop, however, and Oz goes for a chair but gets booted down and POWERBOMBED on it. Ozaki thankfully dodges an avalanche and hits the Tequila Sunrise on the chair for two, then the flying cannonball for the same. She’s still too hurt and takes forever to climb, so Devil just smokes her off the top in a big bump.

Ozaki’s dead on the floor, so Devil takes all day to grab a crazy Skeletor staff and comes off the middle rope with it, but misses and Ozaki mounts the comeback, only to get clobbered trying another Sunrise. She manages a few Urakens, but gets caught and powerbombed, but turns the second attempt into a DDT and the Sunrise gets two! Devil powers out of a follow-up powerbomb and knees at her, but Oz catches her up top, attempting a SUPER Tequila Sunrise, but settling for a backdrop superplex for two. She attempts a Manami Roll but gets caught in a big sleeper, Super Heel growling like a monster attempting to strangle her prey to death- when Ozaki makes the ropes after a struggle, Masami methodically beats her down, but a high ax kick gets her foot caught on the top rope and Ozaki beamspams out Urakens like crazy, flailing around and trying to do as much damage as possible with the opportunity! And Devil sells it 100% like a dead body, glassy eyes staring with nothing behind them- the ref frantically tries to see if she’s alive, calling out her name, while Ozaki kneels over, exhausted, but BAM! Devil just shoots up to her feet, wowing the crowd- she immediately locks Ozaki into a Tiger Driver, but gets the signature Ozaki Rollup… for two! And Devil just shifts her weight back, leaning on her and getting the pin (11:48)! Devil beats Ozaki at her own game!

Okay, now THIS was excellent! Tiny, crafty Ozaki is a perfect opponent for the slow, plodding monster, as she can wear Devil down with attrition and believably avoid her stuff, using clever tactics, weapons and comebacks to take the lead. Yet you never doubt that Devil can just backhand her once to shift the momentum again. So it’s a constant series of reversals, some by sheer brute force and others by intelligence. And impressively, Ozaki gets some HUGE chances as Devil constantly overdoes it- getting caught up top & backdropped off, then missing an ax kick and getting bludgeoned into a glassy-eyed stare (FANTASTIC sell-job). And even her “pop-up” no-sell is paid off, as she again gets too aggressive and nearly loses to the patented “Ozaki reverses a powerbomb to the pin” finish, only to use her OWN ring-savvy, rolling back and scoring her own pin! The evil, no-selling monster having to use Ozaki’s own tactics to beat her actually kinda puts over Ozaki, too- like she couldn’t just beat her to death like she normally does.

Rating: **** (very impressive for such a relatively-short match- great story, good use of no-selling, and a very impressive reversal game for the whole thing)

JWP Junior Title: Tomoko Miyaguchi d. Tomoko Kuzumi (17:47)- The JWP rookie title changes hands, as their most credible rookie drops the belt.
Bolshoi Kid & Cutie Suzuki d. Dynamite Kansai & Kanako Motoya (12:36)- Kind of a shocker, though combined Bolshoi & Cutie beat them on experience, as Motoya’s a baby.

So overall it’s a show with some historical relevance, featuring Candy’s first retirement, the only match I can think of where someone sobbed the entire thing through and nearly broke kayfabe, and a ****+ SUPER HEEL match, which is pretty much the only time in recorded history that ever happened.