Maybe my favourite dynamic of 90s GAEA is the rookies against the veterans. I guess it comes with the makeup of the roster, one that was relatively thin to begin with, where they clearly made a point of spotlighting their young stars in the hopes of moulding them into something special. It feels like on every show there's at least one match where you have some scrawny teenager getting the ever-loving shit kicked out of them by one of the biggest stars in joshi history. It's the ultimate trial by fire and there's no greater fire for Maiko Matsumoto - who I have never heard of in my life and couldn't tell you if I'd seen her wrestle a match - than Chiggy and Hokuto. All Maiko can really do is an atomic drop, and I guess now and then a janky legdrop. That doesn't stop her from running at the legends before the bell's even rung, probably knowing she's about to get demolished but ready to go out on her shield all the same. It takes about 10 seconds for her to get shut down and the first stretch of the match is basically her getting tormented while KAORU can only look on. Chigusa was GLEEFULLY beating on this poor schmuck, holding Maiko's hand out juuuust enough that KAORU would try and tag her only for the hand to be snatched back at the last second. Hokuto was the Dangerous Queen and everything that entailed, unfortunately for Maiko Matsumoto. Chigusa had her in a seated full nelson while slapping her repeatedly on the back and shoulder - the latter heavily taped - then Hokuto came in and they put her in a double cross armbreaker, which was frankly unnecessary. Hokuto never forgave Matsumoto for that early attack and even started biting her on the shoulder at one point. Eventually Hokuto gets fed up playing with her food and just chucks Maiko into her own corner so she can tag out. From there it looks like Maiko will only be of use as a distraction or getting in the way long enough for KAORU to do something, maybe holding someone in place so her partner can hit a springboard. But then Maiko strings off half a dozen atomic drops on Hokuto and for a second we believe in miracles. Hokuto shows us all why she's one of the best ever by selling these atomic drops like they're taking an actual toll, hobbling a little more after each, perhaps showing a little desperation for good measure. Of course she killed the kid dead in the end and there was never really any doubt about it, but still, Maiko will learn from it. She will learn and it is not the last I will see of her (she retired two years later. It's likely this is actually the last I will see of her).
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