June 3rd, 1994. A relatively okay day for the pro wrestling in Japan. I had a SNEAKING suspicion that this might involve some kicking. It went all of exactly one second before my suspicions were confirmed as Hotta roundhouse kicked Yamada in the lungs. And well, this was really about the kicking. Very many brutal kicks. If that's something you like then there's plenty for you here, and I'll freely admit that people kicking the absolutely dogpiss out of each other is something I like and so there was plenty for me here. The striking was world class and both of them were leaning into everything like fucking maniacs. It kind of ground to a halt during the sections where they took it to the mat, though. It wasn't like they were grabbing an armbar or a leglock and sitting there for five minutes like Don Muraco, but it wasn't the most compelling all the same. On the other hand they'd often try and fight out of those holds by booting the other person in the face and that led to them standing back up and continuing to boot each other in the face. They were clearly willing to eat absolute hell on those kicks as well as the camera even catches Hotta, slumped against the ropes after being drilled with a high kick, nodding to Yamada like yes you can full force kick me in the face again I don't mind. And even if the grappling wasn't the best I thought they sold the damage of it pretty well. Late on Yamada applies an extended sleeper, and while there wasn't much actually happening in the moment, Hotta would stumble and need to take a beat to recover while making her comeback. The shift towards the high-impact bombs towards the end was maybe a little jarring, but it at least kept with the idea of them trying to murder each other. It was just a different sort of murder.
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