JWP MONTHLY JWP No. 10 1/91 taped 12/24/90 Tokyo Korakuen Hall |
Utako Hozumi & Eden Mabuchi & Hikari Fukuoka vs. Rumi Yasuda & Yuka Nakajima & Mie Dohiki 16:52. Rookie style match trying to surmount the lack of offense by stocking up on youngsters, but sinking in a quicksand of mistiming, miscues, and mistakes including Fukuoka blowing an arm drag. I have to give Yasuda some credit, as she was the only one who tried to step up, but unfortunately she stinks. She implemented her full arsenal of unconvincing heel tactics, for instance this lame maneuver where she stood over Hozumi with Hozumi's head between her ankles and jumped back, stomping Hozumi's hair! After a while, the fans just started laughing at their ineptitude and hesitation. Hozumi was the only one who approached sharpness in this mess, but she couldn't exactly raise the overall standard, if such a thing could be said to exist in this debacle. 1/4*
Cuty Suzuki & Plum Mariko vs. Yukari Osawa & Sachiko Koganei 12:16. Plum held Koganei so close for Cuty’s diving body attack that Cuty practically flew right over Sachiko. Otherwise, it was generally competent if undistinguished action. Koganei is getting good here, as her strength of body control is leading to crisper and tighter execution. **
Shinobu Kandori & Miki Handa vs. Harley Saito & Mami Kitamura 5:44. Harley appears to be in peak form, but again Kandori’s match is so short it’s difficult to discern. The opening segment with Harley vs. Kandori was excellent with Harley using her speed and crisp technique, but Kandori getting pissed and trying to drive her through the mat with a bodyslam. There was a steep decline after the first minute, as the intensity dropped tremendously for Handa vs. Kitamura. Harley vs. Handa was good, but Kandori made short work of Kitamura, so it wound up being a third of a match rather than the fully developed quality contest it could have been if the goal wasn’t simply to make Kandori look tough.
Devil Masami & The Scorpion vs. Miss A & Itsuki Yamazaki 13:02 + 4:51. Entertaining match that seemed to lack the effort to make it as good as it could have been. Yamazaki was beyond reproach all year, and did nothing wrong here, but was a bit subdued, content to fit into Devil’s pace rather than developing a hyper alternative with Scorpion that could have taken the bout to the next level. If the contest started a bit slow, it did continue to get better, though there were few signs of desperation before the final minute. Little Scorpion was the wrestler who didn’t belong, but rather than squash her they let her do her thing, and shine, though she was pinned twice for her trouble. She had her act down here, or was simply on, as there were none of the execution problems that marred her bouts earlier in the year. She’s a good partner for Devil, as Devil holds the match together with good timing and develops the rivalries with clever interplay, while Scorpion provides the offense. The match ended rather abruptly, so they did a bonus five minutes. Devil was really inciting Miss A in the extra session, breaking up a pin then, when A stuck with it, stomping her again before she left the ring. A gave Devil a few none too happy looks, but once she turned her back to hold Scorpion so Yamazaki could come off the top, Devil ran in and Pearl Harbored her with a lariat. ***1/2
