ALL JAPAN WOMEN MID-SUMMER TYPHOON COMMERCIAL TAPE 8/15/92
Running time: 2 hours
This was one of AJW’s almost-monthly events at Korakuen Hall. Although not a major event, it did have two important matches at the end, one of which was excellent and the other of which might have been the best match in wrestling history up to that date. All the matches are shown in their entirety, and there are six on this tape. The undercard matches were largely shorter than usual, which makes the 2 hour timeframe for the tape logical. The undercard overall is not as strong as usual, though not bad. However, the fifth match and especially the main event are easily worth the price of the tape on their own merit. Unlike some of their other Korakuen Hall tapes, this one did not show the opening assembly of wrestlers in the ring and the announcement of the lineup.
1) Akemi Torisu & Saemi Numata vs Chikako Hasegawa & Rie Tamada
Torisu asserted herself early against Tamada with moves such as a Boston crab. Hasegawa gave Torisu three dropkicks and a cross bodyblock. Numata backdropped Tamada and locked her in a headscissors. Numata continued to dominate Tamada and gained a near fall. Tamada and Hasegawa were both dominated by their opponents for a while. Tamada gave Numata a barrage of dropkicks and slammed her for the pin at 6:11. A lackluster match with a retarded finish. *
2) Terri Power & Miori Kamiya vs Tomoko Watanabe & Kumiko Maekawa
Power hooked Watanabe in a full nelson and Kamiya kicked her. Kamiya briefly dominated Watanabe. Power looked dominant against both opponents but not necessarily good. Kamiya applied a Boston crab on Maekawa and kicked her leg. Power vertical suplexed Maekawa for a near fall. Watanabe and Kamiya had a decent exchange of offense and traded near falls. Power screwed up a tope worse than anyone in wrestling history. She recovered and pinned Watanabe at 8:24 after an elbowsmash. Power’s botched tope and the flat finish hurt the match. *1/4
3) Bat Yoshinaga vs Kaoru Ito
Yoshinaga dominated Ito early with her usual simple but stiff offense. Ito fought back with two hip attacks and dominated Yoshinaga on the mat. Yoshinaga attacked Ito with kicks and knee strikes, and gained a couple near falls. Yoshinaga gained a near fall after a piledriver. Ito fought back with several dropkicks and gained a near fall. Yoshinaga regained the advantage with more kicks and back suplexed Ito for a near fall. Yoshinaga gained a near fall with a modified top rope Thesz press. Yoshinaga again gave Ito a barrage of kicks. Ito gained a near fall with a second rope hip attack. Yoshinaga hit three rolling spin kicks for a heated near fall. Ito missed a top rope foot stomp. Ito gave Yoshinaga five foot stomps and a top rope foot stomp for the pin at 9:21. A good match- they worked within their limitations but weren’t out there long enough to expose their weaknesses. **3/4
4) Kyoko Inoue, Takako Inoue & Mariko Yoshida vs Etsuko Mita, Mima Shimoda & Cynthia Moreno
All six fought at the start with Mita and Shimoda getting the better of Yoshida. Yoshida was dominated by her opponents for the first couple minutes. Moreno and Takako exchanged offense at a very fast pace although the work was nothing special. Kyoko gave Shimoda a 28 revolution giant swing for an early near fall. Yoshida dominated Shimoda and gained a near fall with a suplex. Mita worked on Takako’s leg with a variety of submission holds including a figure four leglock. Yoshida gave Mita a handspring elbow and a sunset flip for a near fall. Moreno gained a near fall on Kyoko with a huracanrana. Moreno and then Yoshida were dominated by their opponents. Yoshida gained a near fall on Mita with a jumping reverse flying bodypress and another with a top rope splash. Mita threw Yoshida over the top rope to the floor. They had a dive sequence with Mita hitting a tope suicida and Shimoda and Moreno hitting planchas. Mita gained a near fall on Yoshida with a fisherman suplex. Takako gained a near fall on Shimoda after a second rope flying armdrag. Shimoda gained a near fall on Kyoko with a German suplex. Kyoko rolled up Mita for a near fall. Kyoko gained a near fall on Mita after her running top rope elbow. Kyoko gave Mita a Niagara driver and pinned her at 15:43. The work wasn’t always great, but they maintained a fast pace that made the match fun to watch. ***1/4
5) Fuji TV Cup Tournament Final: Aja Kong & Bull Nakano vs Akira Hokuto & Toshiyo Yamada
Kong and Nakano lit into Yamada at the outset and dominated her for the first four minutes of the match. Hokuto spin kicked Kong twice for an early near fall. Hokuto gained a near fall on Kong after a top rope dropkick. Nakano dominated Hokuto in and out of the ring. Hokuto and Yamada argued amongst themselves. Hokuto attacked Nakano in heelish fashion. Yamada gave Nakano several kicks to her left leg and applied her version of a half crab. Yamada continued to work on Nakano’s leg but Nakano fought back with her version of a sharpshooter. Kong stiffed Yamada with several kicks and applied a half crab. Kong squashed Yamada in the corner, draping her upside down and splashing her. Kong gained a near fall on Yamada after a back suplex and another after a piledriver. Nakano press slammed Hokuto and gained a near fall. Nakano gave Hokuto several lariats in the ropes, resulting in Hokuto being caught in the ropes upside down. Kong missed a second rope splash and Hokuto attacked her with her sword. Kong hit a plancha on both Hokuto and Yamada as they bickered at ringside. Nakano then hit a tope suicida on both opponents. Kong and Nakano dominated a brawl that went into the crowd. Kong piledrove Hokuto through a ringside table. Kong piledrove Hokuto for a near fall and gained another with a dangerous backdrop as Nakano assaulted Yamada at ringside. Kong hit a top rope elbow on Hokuto for a near fall. Kong hit both opponents with her trash can. Hokuto back suplexed Nakano and went to tag Yamada but Yamada refused the tag. Hokuto gained a near fall on Nakano after her DQ bomb. Yamada gave Nakano four enzuguiris and a top rope elbow strike for a near fall. Hokuto gave Nakano a top rope dropkick and held Nakano for Yamada but Nakano moved and Yamada kicked Hokuto from the top rope instead. Nakano gave Hokuto a top rope legdrop for a near fall. Kong then hit a top rope legdrop on Hokuto for the pin at 19:27 to win the tournament. Afterward Hokuto attacked Yamada and brawled with her to the back. Excellent match that steadily got better as it progressed. ****1/4
6) IWA Championship & Hair vs Hair Match: Manami Toyota (champion) vs Toshiyo Yamada (challenger) 8/15/92
This was, from a qulaity standpoint, the best and most flawless women's singles match I have ever seen. These two, who at this time actually held the WWWA tag team title, had also had a legendary series of matches, mainly in 1992 but dating back to 1989. This was their most memorable. The first 11 minutes were what you would expect. In terms of content, there were mainly setup moves and submissions, with an occasional spectacular spot or sequence mixed in. Yamada dominated much of this segment, bending and wrenching Toyota's body with a vast array of submission moves. Yamada also employed her quick, stiff kicks to beat the stuffing out of Toyota. During this stretch the heat was decent bot not loud, although you could tell the fans were very interested in what they were watching. The match heated up around the 11 minute mark, and from there it was off to the races. Each woman teased and/or executed nearly every spot in their arsenal, and the psychology and heat were fantastic. Toyota hit a superquebrada onto Yamada in her spot of the match. Both women traded tons of near falls with a vast array of suplexes. The sequence of the match saw Yamada attempt her Gory Special suplex, but Toyota escaped and attempted an ocean cyclone suplex. Yamada escaped that attempt and successfully hit her Gory Special suplex for a great near fall. Toyota finally pinned Yamada at 19:46 after hitting her ocean cyclone suplex. Yamada's head was shaved, and the whole post-match spectacle was something to behold as well. Toyota had to be restrained because she tried to prevent the barber from shaving Yamada's head. Toyota cried heavily and even cut off a couple locks of her own hair. The two embraced after the head shaving was over in an emotional scene. Definitely the best under 20 minute match ever. *****
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