[1995-11-03-GAEA] Devil Masami & Mayumi Ozaki vs Hikari Fukuoka & Kaoru

[Loss]

Talk about it here.

[Loss]

Is there a name for Devil's face-first powerbomb because I love the move? This was good action that was lacking rhythm and felt haphazardly thrown together. Not something I'd really call a spotfest as much as I would a bunch of really well-executed wrestling moves without anything really happening. I am happy to see this on here, because it's a sobering look at Ozaki and Masami especially, and puts in perspective that the matches spotlighted on this yearbook are what they were doing at their best moments of the year, not what they were delivering night in and night out. I guess you could say that for anyone, really, but none of the disappointing matches with other top-flight workers on this yearbook have been disappointing in the same way this was disappointing. Even JIP, this was too long, and I think the best stuff could have been edited down into a decent match, but there's way, way too much filler in this 45 minute draw (of which we get around 27-28 minutes). As much as I love Ozaki and Devil, and like Fukuoka and Kaoru just fine, this wasn't a match that represented anyone all that well.

[El-P]

Is there a name for Devil's face-first powerbomb because I love the move?

Wasn't that called the Jumbo Suplex ?

[Tim Evans]

I love them playing "Let's groove tonight" at the end where everyone is crying. Great music choice there.

[Zenjo]

JIP 17m in of a rare 45m draw. It was one of those matches that could definitely inspire both love and hatred. I enjoyed it quite a bit in spite of its flaws.

 

Parts of it were really good. Devil was plenty of fun with her facial expressions and touches of psychology. There was one time when she was caught in a sleeper and was scratching herself to stay conscious. Ozaki heeled it up and Fukuoka held up her end. Kaoru was the weakest from an execution standpoint but really got the crowd behind her. Whenever the opponents tried a double team move she would fly in with a counter.

 

There were loads of complicated move sequences. Herein lies the problem with going so long. They sometimes looked a bit lost and were having to think their way through the stuff they had planned. This meant it lost the flow at times. It would've definitely been better going 30m instead.

[Loss]

The date on this is November 3. It aired on November 25, which is what we originally had.

[PeteF3]

I liked this a bit better than everyone else, though it's certainly not a standout match. Devil has lost a step or six but she's surprisingly good at playing the in-peril role, not something I'm used to seeing her in. Sadly, Ozaki doesn't do much of anything, and after such a long period of Devil being in trouble, the hot tag is an anticlimax that gets almost no heat. Also, that spot where every lady tries a power bomb only for the opponent's partner to counter was...creative, but a little too cute and contrived for my liking. That said, they got me into the story of if the (presumed) underdogs KAORU & Fukuoka could put Devil away, and held my attention all the way through. I didn't call the time limit draw at any point, which isn't usually the case though the JIP undoubtedly helped in that regard.