Thursday 12 May 2022

Revisiting 90s Joshi #35

Shinobu Kandori, Yuki Ito & Mami Kitamura v Harley Saito, Miss A & Miki Handa (JWP, 1/7/90)

I really like the feel of these pre-split JWP matches. The structure and pacing is almost like WAR on fast forward, which I'll usually be more into than what they were doing in AJW around this time (AJW on fast forward, I guess). Kandori v Kansai (Miss A) is the main pairing here and it ruled pretty much straight away. They want to get at each other early and have to be separated, then when they do get in together Kansai obliterates Kandori with kicks. Kandori then catches her with a nasty Fujiwara armbar and the way she just stomps her senseless afterwards was an amazing receipt. When it spills to the floor later Kandori launches Kansai into the guardrail with such force that a section of it goes flying and about flattens one of the tracksuited trainees. All of the partner saves are extremely WAR as well, as Kansai would lariat Kandori in the back of the head as the latter tried to apply a submission or kick her in the skull to break up a pin attempt. There was a really cool moment where Kandori dragged Handa over to the corner and tagged in Ito, but then as Ito climbed the turnbuckles Kansai and Saito came running over for the assist and Kansai hucked Ito halfway across the ring. Harley Saito is a treasure as always, even if she was quieter than you'd like. Still rolled out a few of those wheel kicks and about kicked Ito in two at one point. I'd actually never seen Kitamura or Ito before but they equipped themselves well enough. They were clearly below Saito and especially Kansai in the hierarchy so they got whomped more than once, and they took their licks well. Unfortunately the finish looked botched with the ref' counting a premature three, which is a shame because it was set up for a nice finishing run. There are a couple Kandori/Kansai matches from late '89 out there now and they probably weren't terrible. 

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