In this installment of my journey through IWTV in chronological order, the ninth consecutive event from AJW, I review the May 26, 1991 episode of AJW TV.
The top of this card is again the most interesting. The final three matches, starting with the grudge match between Toshiyo Yamada and Yumiko Hotta showed signs of getting going during our last event. These two competitors made a beeline for each other in the tag match and seemed intent on destroying one another. Their one-on-one battle on this show is sure to be a war.
The penultimate match features two high level competitors with Aja Kong taking on the former All Pacific Champion, Manami Toyota. Kong has been destroying everyone in her path (except Bull Nakano). A veteran competitor like Manami Toyota presents a unique challenge for Kong in a very clear contrast of styles.
The main event is a tag team match involving Bull Nakano which we have seen before. However, we have yet to see Bat Yoshinaga join forces with Nakano. It is also our first look at Yoshinaga in the main event as well as a rare instance of Yoshinaga competing outside of the martial arts division. The addition of workhorse Akira Hokuto gives this main event extra intrigue. Seeing Hokuto square off with Bull Nakano is going to be fun. Here we go…
MATCH #1
KAORU ITO vs. KAZUE SAITO
Kazue Saito struck first in this opening bout with two drop kicks and a body slam for a near fall as soon as the bell rang. Kaoru Ito turned the tide with two drop kicks of her own, a cross body off the ropes, and a reverse chin lock on that mat that led to a body scissors.
Saito reversed that into a surfboard submission, but Ito escaped. Kaoru hit two hair mares, a drop kick and a back body drop for a near fall, then began to work the leg of Kazue Saito. Ito kicked Saito’s leg, then dropped a leg on it. Ito stretched the leg and dropped an elbow on it before settling in with a Boston Crab in the center of the ring. Saito seemed to escape at one point, but Ito locked her right back into it.
Ito converted into a single leg crab briefly before releasing the hold and unloading with stomps to Saito’s back. Saito continued to fight back, though, and used a hair mare of her own to set up a Boston Crab. Ito got one leg loose, and it converted into a single leg crab for a moment before Saito released and hit a back body drop.
Ito countered with a backslide that garnered just a one count, then whipped Saito into the ropes. Kazue rebounded with a hurricanrana, followed by two drop kicks and a body slam for a near fall. Now in control, Saito slowed things down with a double arm, bow and arrow submission and, later, a body scissors in the center of the ring.
Ito managed to escape and came off the ropes with a hip attack to stun Kazue Saito. Ito followed with two more, and got a near fall after the last one, but got hit with a Saito hurricanrana off the next Irish Whip. Saito went for another rana, but Ito blocked it.
Ito whipped Saito into the ropes, but Saito reversed with a facebuster, then another for a near fall. Saito whipped Ito into the corner, but Ito moved as Saito charged and rolled her up for a near fall. Saito whipped Ito once more, but Ito jumped to the second rope and connected with a flying hip attack that ended the evening for Kazue Saito.
WINNER: KAORU ITO
MATCH #2
TOMOKO WATANABE vs. MAYUMI YAMAMOTO
Tomoko Watanabe went right to work with pounding strikes to Mayumi Yamamoto in the ropes as the match began. Watanabe continued with the agreesion by running Yamamoto’s face along the ropes. Moments later, though, Yamamoto reversed Watanabe with a hammer lock into a Fujiwara armbar.
Yamamoto soon released the arm bar and hit two back elbows for a near fall. Watanabe withstood a body slam, then used a double leg take down to set up a Boston Crab in the center of the ring. When Yamamoto escaped, she quickly hit three drop kicks and a body slam for a near fall, then grabbed her own arm bar on the mat.
Watanabe tried to bite her way out of the hold with no luck. Watanabe tried to roll Yamamoto over into a pin, but Yamamoto would not release the hold. Yamamoto converted that hold into a cross arm breaker momentarily before Watanabe finally escaped with another roll up, then hit two back elbows and a suplex for a near fall.
Back in control, Watanabe rammed Yamamoto’s head into the turnbuckle, then hit an eye gouge and a back rake. Watanabe began dragging Yamamoto around the ring by her hair, then slammed her face-first into the mat and grabbed a leg scissors. Watanabe voluntarily released the hold and whipped Yamamoto into the ropes, but Mayumi rebounded with a sling blade, and then two more for a near fall.
Tomoko Watanabe ducked a clothesline off of an Irish Whip and connected with two drop kicks and a body slam for a near fall, then grabbed a head scissors on the mat. Yamamoto rolled through to force a break, then grabbed a leg submission of her own until Watanabe reached the ropes.
Off the reset, Yamamoto hit two back body drops and went for an Irish Whip. Watanabe countered with a springboard cross body, then hit two consecutive hip tosses that nearly ended the match. Watanabe continued with back elbow off of a whip before Yamamoto countered a second whip with a flying forearm.
Yamamoto attempted another move off the ropes, but botched the maneuver and ended up trying a roll up that garnered just a two count. Yamamoto whipped Watanabe again, but Tomoko countered with a Frankensteiner for a near fall. Yamamoto tried another whip, but Watanabe tried to counter with a springboard back elbow .Yamamoto saw it coming and side stepped, then hit a series of rolling kicks to finally put Watanabe away.
WINNER: MAYUMI YAMAMOTO
MATCH #3
BONTEIPU SONTEITAM & HIRASUINE SONTEITAM vs. ETSUKO MITA & MIMA SHIMODA
To this point, the Sonteitam sisters have not shown me much. I hoped seeing them tag together exclusively might change their fortunes and give them a chance to show off what they can do. Unfortunately, Mima Shimoda had other plans. Shimoda hit two drop kicks, then a body slam to set up an elbow drop and went for the quick victory.
When that garnered just a two count, Shimoda tagged in Etsuko Mita who whipped Bonteipu into the corner and charged. Bonteipu reversed with a backslide, then tagged in Hirasuine. Mita reversed an Irish whip with a back elbow, then used a snap mare to set up a body slam. After a near fall, Mima returned and maintained control with a cross arm breaker that eventually converted to a Fujiwara arm bar.
Continuing to work the arm of Hirasuine Bonteipu, Mima Shimoda stood on Hirasuine’s left hand, then stomped on the left arm. For some reason, Shimoda took a moment to tag Etsuko Mita which gave Hirasuine time to tag out to her sister Bonteipu. Regardless, Mita was also focused on the arm and grabbed a Fujiwara arm bar that converted into a cross arm breaker.
When Mita released the hold, she whipped Bonteipu into the ropes for a back body drop, then a body slam for another near fall. Mita held a body scissors for a while, but Bonteipu got her second wind and started trying to punch her way out. It took several attempts, but eventually Bonteipu forced her escape and hit three consecutive drop kicks to Etsuko Mita.
Bonteipu hit a back elbow for a near fall, then Etsuko attempted a small package before tagging Mima Shimoda back into the match. Shimoda hit two clotheslines and a double underhook suplex for a near fall, then grabbed a Boston Crab in the center of the ring.
When Bonteipu broke the hold, Shimoda tagged out to Mita and Bonteipu made it to the corner to tag her sister. Hirasuine did not have better luck, though, as Mita quickly hit a back elbow and a snap mare to set up a rear chin lock, then tried to put Hirasuine away with a double chicken wing submission with a body scissors.
Mita released the hold and tagged out to Mima Shimoda, who was stunned with a backslide from Hirasuine, followed by two consecutive hair mares, a shoulder tackle, and a Boston Crab in the center of the ring that seemed to give the Sonteitam sisters some hope.
Shimoda grabbed the ropes and forced a reset, but was whipped into the ropes for a back elbow from Hirasuine. Bonteipu tagged in and hit a drop kick off of an Irish Whip. Unfortunately, the kick sent Shimoda into her corner which enabled her to tag Mita. Etsuko came in with a whip and a back elbow as Mima Shimoda climbed to the second rope.
Mima’s attempted shotgun drop kick missed the mark and connected with her partner Etsuko Mita. Sensing vulnerability, Hirasuine and Bonteipu whipped Etsuko into the ropes. However, Mita rebounded with a dual dropkick, then lifted Sonteitam into an airplane spin for the win.
WINNERS: ETSUKO MITA & MIMA SHIMODA
MATCH #4
DEBBIE MALENKO & KYOKO INOUE vs. ESTHER MORENO & MARIKO YOSHIDA
Mariko Yoshida and Debbie Malenko started this match. No one gained a clear advantage immediately, so they each tagged out. After Kyoko Inoue and Esther Moreno engaged in some chain wrestling and reset, Moreno tried for quick roll up, then hit some karate-style chops to Inoue’s neck until Inoue reached out to tag Malenko.
Debbie Malenko went for a single leg take down and converted into a leg scissors until Esther Moreno reached the ropes and forced a break. After some back and forth off the reset, Malenko used an Irish Whip to set up a spinning back kick and followed with a double underhook suplex that sent Esther to her corner to tag Mariko Yoshida.
Yoshida started working the arm and locked Malenko in an arm bar before whipping her into the ropes for a back handspring elbow. Yoshida whipped Malenko into one corner and went for another, but Malenko moved and climbed to the top rope. Debbie hit a flying back elbow, then tagged back out to Kyoko Inoue. Kyoko’s Irish Whip was reversed into a flapjack by Mariko Yoshida who tagged back out to Esther Moreno.
Moreno went straight to the top rope and connected with a missile drop kick. Moreno’s corner whip was reversed by Inoue. Moreno went up and over and ended up on the apron. Inoue suplexed Moreno back into the ring, then locked Esther in a pendulum swing which converted into a surfboard submission. Only Mariko Yoshida’s interference saved the match from ending right then.
Debbie Malenko returned and whipped Moreno into the ropes. Esther did a handspring over Malenko’s drop-down, then hit a drop kick and a cross body off the ropes for a near fall. Malenko reversed an Irish Whip with a back elbow, then ducked a Moreno clothesline off another whip and rolled Moreno up for a two count. Moreno tried to whip Malenko, but Debbie held onto the ropes which forced Moreno to miss a drop kick, then connected with a Northern Lights suplex for a near fall.
Mariko Yoshida again broke up the pinfall attempt, then tagged back into the match and hit a series of four drop kicks to Malenko. Debbie tagged out to Kyoko Inoue who reversed one whip with a small package. Mariko hit a Victory Roll for a near fall, then Kyoko Inoue did the same. Inoue followed with a double underhook suplex for another near fall, then hit a Fireman’s Carry Facebuster and stomped on Yoshida’s back.
Debbie Malenko ran in for a double team on Yoshida which included an assisted Torture Rack into a facebuster and a double surfboard that had to be broken up by Esther Moreno. Still, Inoue managed to lock Yoshida in a Boston Crab in the center of the ring for a short time before tagging back out to Debbie Malenko.
Malenko went to work on the leg of Yoshida, holding a leg lock until Yoshida reached the ropes to force a break. Mariko used the short reset to tag Esther Moreno back into the match. Malenko hit a snap mare on Moreno and tagged Kyoko Inoue who body slammed Moreno, then body slammed her partner on top of Esther. From there, Malenko and Inoue hit a series of alternating elbow drops in rapid succession.
Malenko climbed to the top rope as Inoue held Moreno in place. However, Esther evaded Malenko’s back elbow that ultimately connected with her own partner. Moreno tried to capitalize with a cazadora roll up, but managed just a two count. At this point, all four women were in the ring.
Moreno drop kicked Inoue out of the ring, then Mariko Yoshida drop kicked Debbie Malenko out of the ring. Moreno and Yoshida hit simultaneous topes to the outside which led to a ringside brawl. Moreno and Yoshida returned together and double teams Kyoko Inoue until Inoue came off the ropes with double springboard back elbows and a crucifix pin for a near fall.
Mariko Yoshida broke up the pinfall attempt, but was soon thrown out of the ring by Debbie Malenko. Inoue whipped Moreno into the ropes but Esther reversed with a springboard moonsault. Yoshida climbed to the top, but missed Inoue with a flying cross body. Inoue locked Yoshida in a Texas Cloverleaf Spin and attempted an elbow drop, but missed. Moreno climbed to the top rope and hit Inoue with a missile drop kick, then Yoshida made the cover to finally earn the victory.
WINNERS: ESTHER MORENO & MARIKO YOSHIDA
MATCH #5
CYNTHIA MORENO, SUZUKA MINAMI & TAKAKO INOUE vs. MIKA TAKAHASHI, BISON KIMURA & MIORI KAMIYA
SIX PERSON TAG TEAM MATCH
This contest began with Miori Kamiya and Takako Inoue. Quickly, Inoue missed a cross body and nearly got pinned with a small package, then decided to give Suzuka Minami a crack at it. Minami hit a clothesline and a piledriver for a near fall, then brought Cynthia Moreno into the match.
Moreno hit a top rope flying cross body for a near fall, but Miori Kamiya countered with two consecutive facebusters. The second one gave Kamiya the opportunity to tag back out to Mika Takahashi. Bison Kimura joined for a double clothesline to Moreno, before Takahashi alone whipped Moreno into one corner. Moreno went up and over, then returned to the ring with a springboard arm drag. Moreno missed the ensuing cross body. Takahashi countered with a facebuster and tagged out to Bison Kimura.
Kimura brought the aggressiveness with three consecutive hair mares to set up a reverse chin lock. When Kimura released that hold, she slammed Moreno backward by her hair, then hit one more hair mare before Moreno reached out to tag Takako Inoue. Bison whipped Inoue across the ring by her hair, then tagged Miori Kamiya back into the match.
Kamiya whipped Inoue by her hair, then held Inoue’s fingers just out of reach to be able to make the tag. Kamiya then stomped on Inoue’s leg and locked her in an inverted STF. Takahashi tagged back in and changed it to a single leg crab, then converted into a Cattle Mutilation on Inoue. Takako continued to reach for the tag, leading Takahashi to drag Inoue to her corner to get some assistance from Bison Kimura.
Kimura went to work on Inoue’s leg, stomping it, then dropping a leg on it and grabbing a single leg crab. Kimura converted that into a standard STF on the mat then into a surfboard submission. Somehow, Takako Inoue escaped the hold and dove for the tag, but came up just short as Kimura halted her progress at the last second and dragged her back to Kimura’s corner.
Kamiya returned and went for an Irish whip, but Inoue managed to reverse into a hip toss and dove to make the tag to Minami. Suzuka hit a second rope kick for a near fall, then a suplex for another, and a fisherman’s suplex for yet another. When Kimura broke up the last pinfall attempt, Suzuka trapped Kamiya in a figure four in the center of the ring as Takako Inoue flew from the top rope with a knee drop to Kamiya.
Kimura ran in to stomp Suzuka, but Minami still did not release the hold. Eventually Kamiya reached the ropes and forced a break. Refusing to relent, Suzuka hit three straight drop kicks and a body slam, then Cynthia Moreno piled on with a top rope splash.
Kamiya managed to reverse an Irish Whip with a knee to the mid-section, a karate strike to the mid-section, then a double underhook suplex for a near fall. Kimura returned and whipped Moreno into the ropes. Moreno reversed a back suplex by landing on her feet, so Kimura shoved her outside the ring and followed right behind. Soon all six competitors were brawling around ringside.
Kimura and Moreno returned first, with Moreno driving Kimura into one corner and tagging Takako Inoue for a double drop kick. Kimura managed to evade the move and threw Takako Inoue across the ring by her hair, then lifted Takako to the top rope and immediately tossed her back down to the mat. When that garnered just a two count, Kimura hit a Northern Lights suplex for another near fall.
Inoue kept fighting as Mika Takahashi returned. Takahashi whipped Inoue into the ropes, but was stunned with a flying forearm. Sensing vulnerability, Inoue whipped Takahashi into the ropes, but got reversed with a hurricanrana. Takahashi hit a facebuster off of another whip, then another, followed by a top rope bulldog for a near fall, then an Exploder Suplex for another.
With their team firmly in control, Kamiya flew into the ring with a strike from the top rope, then hit a spin kick and a cross body for a near fall. Bison Kimura ran in to assist with a double clothesline, but that, too, earned just a two count. Suzuka Minami returned just as Mika Takahashi did the same, but it was Suzuka who got the upper hand first after two tilt-a-whirl back breakers, a superplex, and two German Suplexes for a series of near falls.
Minami made a mistake when she tagged back out to Takako Inoue moments later. Kamiya went right at the weakened Inoue with a boot to the midsection, a strike to the mid-section, then tagged in Mika Takahashi for a double whip and back body drop. Kamiya added a senton to Inoue on her way out of the ring and Takahashi hit a Northern Lights Suplex for a near fall.
Miori Kamiya ran in and lifted Takako Inoue onto her shoulders to assist with a bulldog from Mika Takahashi, after which all six women were back in the ring at the same time. In the chaos, Minami hit a power bomb on Mika Takahashi, then threw the weary Takako Inoue on top of Takahashi to get the win.
WINNERS: SUZUKA MINAMI, TAKAKO INOUE & CYNTHIA MORENO
MATCH #6
TOSHIYO YAMADA vs. YUMIKO HOTTA
As the opening bell rang, Toshiyo Yamada slapped Yumiko Hotta across the face. Hotta returned fire, they battled and reset. Yamada faked a test of strength, but went for a sunset flip instead. A dragon screw leg whip and a basement drop kick from Yamada sent Hotta outside the ring for a short breather.
When Hotta returned, Yamada whipped her into the ropes, but missed on the kick. Hotta hit a back suplex and a kick to Yamada’s face that got the fans even more excited for this grudge match. Hotta kicked Yamada in the butt once, then followed with a series of low kicks as Yamada tried to stand.
Once on her feet, Yamada turned the tide with a leg scissors, a spin kick to the face, and a superkick for a near fall. Yamada then went to work on the leg of Hotta, stomping it, then dropping an elbow on it, before grabbing an ankle lock. Yamada soon released the hold, stomped Hotta’s leg again, and went with a Texas Cloverleaf that seemed sure to end the match.
Finally, after what seemed like forever, Hotta managed to reach the ropes to force a break. Off the reset, Yamada whipped Hotta into the ropes, but was reversed with a back elbow from Hotta, then a spinning back kick. As Yamada crawled around the ring, Hotta insulted her with low kicks until the referee forced her to stop.
Off the reset, Yamada tackled Hotta, but got locked in a body scissors in the process. Yamada managed to reverse into a headlock on the mat, then went for a power bomb. Hotta escaped, but Yamada grabbed a rear chin lock on the mat until Hotta reached the ropes to force a break, then locked her in a sleeper hold off of yet another reset.
Hotta seemed to be fading the longer she was in the hold, but managed to fall forward to reach the ropes and force another break. Yamada released the sleeper, but unloaded with kicks as Hotta struggled to stand. More and more kicks connected until Hotta finally tumbled, then Yamada dropped a leg for a near fall and hit a spin kick for another.
Yamada was up first, but Hotta reversed a whip and hit a tilt-a-whirl slam followed by even more low kicks to the point that Yamada could not stand. The referee forced a break at that point. Yamada tried to slow Hotta with a leg scissors, but Hotta reached the ropes and forced yet another in a multitude of resets.
Yamada hit a belly-to-belly suplex and a back suplex that should have ended the match if not for Hotta getting one foot on the ropes at the last second. Yamada whipped Hotta into the ropes again, but missed on the spin kick. Hotta quickly hit a Northern Lights Suplex for a near fall. Hotta went for a double underhook suplex, but Yamada reversed into a back drop, then leapt into the air for a jump kick to Hotta’s face.
When that garnered just a two count, Yamada whipped Hotta into the ropes again, but got hit with a hard punch as Hotta rebounded. Hotta hit a sit out power bomb for a near fall, then tried to whip Yamada into the ropes. Toshiyo reversed Hotta’s whip, pulled on the arm and rolled Hotta up for the pinfall.
WINNER: TOSHIYO YAMADA
MATCH #7
AJA KONG vs. MANAMI TOYOTA
In most of the Aja Kong matches I have watched on this journey, Kong is aggressive from the start and brutalizes people as much as possible. That was not the case here as it was Minami who started with a series of slaps and a basement drop kick that sent Kong outside to regroup.
When she returned, however, Kong unleashed a fury of retaliation slaps, then hit a shoulder tackle off of a whip, and ran Toyota’s face along the ropes. Kong grabbed a rear chin lock, but Toyota reversed into an arm bar. Frustrated, Kong bit Toyota’s arm to force a reset.
Kong went back to the arm bar and connected with several elbow strikes without releasing the hold before switching to a body scissors. Toyota soon escaped and kicked Kong in the leg. Toyota tried to drag Kong by the leg, but Kong held the ropes to prevent it. Instead, Toyota continued to stomp Kong until the referee intervened.
Kong was up first with a spin kick and a series of rapid headbutts. Kong stood over Toyota on the second rope and unleashed ten punches, but none of the fans counted along. Kong jumped down, tied Toyota in the ropes, and gouged her eyes. Toyota fell to the floor and Kong followed as the two competitors brawled through the crowd.
When the action returned to the ring, it was because Aja Kong flung Manami Toyota over the ropes from the apron. Kong came off the ropes with a shoulder block, then came off again with a spear. Kong hit a suplex for a near fall then locked Toyota in a Boston Crab in the center of the ring. Kong converted that into a single leg crab and, when the referee was not looking, pulled Toyota’s hair for extra leverage. When the referee caught on, Kong switched to a legal chin lock that she held for a very long time.
Next, Kong tried a surfboard submission, but let go and stomped on Toyota’s back until the referee intervened yet again. Toyota tried to fire back with some kicks, but Kong locked her in a Camel Clutch. Kong released the hold voluntarily, and whipped Toyota into the ropes. Toyota came off with a drop kick, then two more, then a stomp, then two more drop kicks.
Feeling the momentum shift, Toyota jumped to the second rope and called for the fans to voice their support, then turned around for a shotgun drop kick to Kong. After a near fall, Toyota grabbed an abdominal stretch until Kong escaped with a back drop. Toyota landed on her feet, though, as Kong climbed to the top rope. Toyota used a dropkick to knock Kong down to the floor, then followed with a tope suicida.
Toyota tossed Kong back into the ring and hit a spear from the top rope for a near fall, then used a body slam to set up a top rope splash. Kong got her knees up on the splash, then pulled the ropes down when Toyota charged, sending her crashing to the floor. Kong followed with a drop kick from the apron and the two women brawled around the ring again.
Kong hit a piledriver on Toyota for a near fall, then a package piledriver for another. Kong whipped Toyota into the ropes, but Toyota reversed with a backslide and quickly locked Kong in a figure four. This time, Toyota released the hold and went right to stomping Kong’s leg, then went for a Boston Crab.
After another long-held submission move failed to seal the victory, Toyota dragged Kong to the center and attempted an inverted STF with a bridge. That, too, failed to get the submission, leading Toyota to release the hold and try something else. Toyota whipped Kong into the ropes, but was reversed with a belly-to-belly suplex from Kong.
Kong went for her favorite weapon, the metal box, and clocked Toyota with it over and over again until Toyota used a roll up to stop the onslaught. Toyota went for a drop kick, but missed, and Kong climbed to the second rope. Kong missed on a diving headbutt and Toyota hit a German Suplex, a double chicken wing suplex, and a cross-arm suplex I had never even seen before.
Kong rolled outside for a breather, but Toyota followed and threw Kong into the guardrail. For the third time in the match, Toyota and Kong brawled through the crowd, this time for much longer than it should have taken to count them out. However, Toyota returned first and Kong followed at the count of eighteen.
A test of strength resulted into a Toyota kick, a top rope arm drag, and an arm bar. Kong managed to throw Toyota off of her, then set Minami on the top turnbuckle. Kong climbed up, as well, but Toyota ended up using a cross body to send both women crashing back down to the mat.
Toyota climbed right back to the top rope and Kong followed. Kong hit a super back suplex, but Toyota was up first and climbed back up to the top rope again. Toyota missed on a cross body when Aja Kong channeled Samoa Joe and simply stepped to one side.
Toyota managed to duck a clothesline from Kong and hit a Dragon Suplex, but Kong countered with a snap back suplex that left both competitors down on the mat. Kong was the first up at the referee’s count of seven and had just enough strength left to make a cover. When that failed to get the pinfall, Kong went for a German Suplex that was reversed into a pin attempt by Minami Toyota.
Kong whipped Toyota into the corner and charged, but Minami moved and rolled Kong up again for a one count. Toyota used a body slam to set up a top rope splash. When that garnered just a two count, Toyota climbed to the top once more for a flying cross body. Kong caught Toyota in mid-air converted into a powerslam.
Toyota rebounded off of an Irish Whip with a sunset flip, but Kong held her ground and sat down on Toyota for a near fall. Kong hit a German suplex with a bridge for a near fall. Toyota hit a German suplex for a near fall. Toyota hit another German for a near fall, then Kong used a small package for a near fall. Toyota climbed to the top rope and connected with a missile drop kick.
Minami made the cover, but it was just as the time limit expired. After the match, Toyota threw the microphone at Aja Kong, signaling a post-match brawl. However, Kong reached out to shake Toyota’s hand in a sign of respect instead.
RESULT: TIME LIMIT DRAW
MATCH #8
AKIRA HOKUTO & SAKIE HASEGAWA vs. BULL NAKANO & BAT YOSHINAGA
TWO OUT OF THREE FALLSMATCH
With all four women in the ring to start the match, Bull Nakano went on the offensive with a double clothesline to Akira Hokuto and Sakie Hasegawa. As Hokuto rolled away, Nakano lifted Hasegawa into the air for a power bomb and made the cover. Just like that, Nakano and Yoshinaga led one fall to zero.
With the crowd stunned, Nakano went on the offensive to start the second fall. Bull kicked Hasegawa in the face. However, Akira Hokuto had recovered by this point. Hokuto came up behind Nakano and nailed her with back-to-back spinning heel kicks. Nakano recoiled to the apron, but Hokuto immediately knocked Bull down to the floor. Hokuto climbed to the top rope, hit Bat Yoshinaga with a shotgun drop kick, then hit a Michinoku driver. Now less than two minutes into the match, we were tied at one fall a piece.
The match finally settled in during the third fall. Nakano went on the offensive against Akira Hokuto with a fireman’s carry into a press slam that sent Hokuto over the top rope and out to the floor. Nakano followed Hokuto to ringside, then through the crowd as they brawled all the way down the ramp.
When the action returned to the ring, Nakano slammed Hokuto and climbed to the top rope. Hokuto evaded Nakano’s top rope leg drop, jumped up, and hit a chicken wing suplex with bridge for a near fall. Hokuto climbed to the top rope, but missed a shotgun dropkick when Nakano sidestepped.
This got Nakano fired up. Bull hit a clothesline, then a double underhook suplex, each for near falls. Hokuto countered a whip with a clothesline followed by a DDT for a near fall. Hokuto whipped Nakano again, but Bull countered and hit a back suplex then tagged in Bat Yoshinaga.
Yoshinaga immediately missed a top rope flying cross body, which allowed Hokuto to tag out to Sakie Hasegawa. Yoshinaga hit a back kick and a leg drop, then started slapping Hasegawa repeatedly. Hasegawa got fed up, body slammed Bat, unloaded with a bunch of her own slaps, then hit a suplex for a near fall.
Yoshinaga got a near fall off of two nasty martial arts kicks, then grabbed a Boston Crab in the center of the ring. Yoshinaga converted that into a single leg crab before tagging back out to Bull Nakano. Bull quickly trapped Hasegawa in the Tree of Woe, and held her in place as Yoshinaga leap frogged over her and collided with Hasegawa.
Nakano seemed to be in control after a lariat and a piledriver, but she allowed Hasegawa to reach her corner to tag out to Akira Hokuto. Hokuto had the advantage first with a bow and arrow submission that later converted into a modified Cattle Mutilation.
Hasegawa returned soon after and hit three successive drop kicks to Nakano, but Bull would not go down. Hasegawa came off the ropes, but Bull simply threw her down to the mat. Hasegawa tried again with the same result, so she went for a cross body. Nakano caught Sakie in mid-air and flung her down to the mat once more.
Nakano whipped Hasegawa into the ropes, but Akira Hokuto reached out from the apron and held Nakano in place until Hasegawa rebounded with a drop kick. Hokuto ran in and aided on a double suplex, but the powerful Nakano reversed and suplexed them both instead.
Nakano charged, but Hasegawa and Hokuto pulled the top rope down, sending Nakano crashing to the floor. Hokuto leapt to the top rope and hit a cannonball onto Nakano at ringside. At the same time, Sakie Hasegawa hit a flying cross body to Bat Yoshinaga.
When order was restored, Akira Hokuto body slammed Bat Yoshinaga and Sakie Hasegawa came off the top rope with a diving headbutt. Yoshinaga managed to kick out at the very last second, resulting in a gasp from the crowd. Moments later, though, Sakie Hasegawa hit three spinning back kicks for yet another near fall.
Hasegawa went for a monkey flip, but Bat Yoshinaga blocked it, hit a series of punches, and tagged in the rested Bull Nakano. Nakano whipped Hasegawa into her own corner, seemingly daring her to bring Akira Hokuto back into the match. When that happened, Nakano went right at Hokuto with a German suplex for a near fall, then a power bomb for another.
Bat Yoshinaga climbed to the top rope as Bull Nakano held on to Akira Hokuto. Yoshinaga hit a missile dropkick to Hokuto, then Bull Nakano power bombed her. When that failed to end the match, Nakano climbed to the top rope to finish off Hokuto.
Sakie Hasegawa interfered to slow Bull Nakano and Akira Hokuto joined in. All three climbed to the top, but it was Nakano who came crashing back down after a double superplex from Hokuto and Hasegawa. Hokuto followed with a German suplex with bridge for a near fall.
Hokuto lifted Nakano up for a body slam, but Nakano threw all of her weight onto Hokuto and fell down on top of Akira. Nakano lifted Hokuto onto the top turnbuckle. This time Bat Yoshinaga joined in for a double suplex to Hokuto. Bat was up first and body slammed Akira. Nakano climbed to the top rope and hit the leg drop to win the third fall and the match.
After the match, the competitors yelled at each other on the microphone. This led to Bat Yoshinaga attacking Hokuto and Hasegawa. I am not sure what happened at this point, but it appeared that Bat Yoshinaga hit a German Suplex on Sakie Hasegawa and the referee made the count for another pinfall? I guess they won the match three falls to one…
WINNERS: BULL NAKANO & BAT YOSHINAGA
In a lot of these AJW shows, the top of the card is clearly stacked. The early matches are usually unimportant multi-person matches with little impact on story. That was still the case with this show, but I really enjoyed two of the first five matches.
The Malenko/Inoue vs. Moreno/Yoshida match was fun and fast paced throughout most of the contest. The double topes at the end were a lot of fun. The six woman tag match that followed was even more fast-paced and exciting. I really enjoy the brutality of Bison Kimura, which was not really on display in this match, though.
AJW and the two competitors have done a great job so far in showing us the growing animosity between Yumiko Hotta and Toshiyo Yamada. Their match had emotion which got me invested, and the technical wrestling was very good as well. The end of the match made it clear that this is a war and that war is far from over. Looking forward to the next round.
Kong and Toyota was the match that caught my attention when I first looked at the card. These two strong performers did not seem to have the story behind their match leading into the show, but I am hoping that this time limit draw is the beginning of a story arc.
This particular Kong/Toyota match was very strong. However, in my opinion, there were too many rest holds (yes, even for an hour long match), many of which lasted so long that I was taken out of the match at times. Stretching to the time limit killed the intensity for me. Put these two competitors in a cage next time, and I will have popcorn ready.
The main event was fun, especially after the first two falls happened in rapid succession. That basically made it a regular one fall match, but the execution raised the excitement level in the arena so much. That led to a perfect environment for a main event clash like this. It was unusual seeing Hasegawa and Bat Yoshinaga in this spot, but they each proved they belong there. Hope to see both in more important match soon.
EVENT SCORE: 77/100
Next up, All Japan Women’s Pro Wrestling TV from Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan on August 18, 1991 featuring the Japan Grand Prix tournament finals, plus Akira Hokuto and Bull Nakano team up this time in a tag match against Etsuko Mita and Suzuka Minami and much more!!
The Indy Wrestling Experience 
One thought on “Retro Indy Rewatch #9 – AJW TV – 5/26/1991”