elliott Posted April 17, 2021 Report Share Posted April 17, 2021 One thing that always stands out when I watch Jaguar, is she FEELS like the GOAT. Like when I watch a Jaguar match the idea of someone being better than her seems silly. Her case is just so clear you just gotta watch it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DylanZero Posted April 18, 2021 Report Share Posted April 18, 2021 I think one thing that justified her as a top tier candidate and arguably more than anyone else in wrestling is she has direct influence on her style all the way to this day more than the greatest of her era otherwise. Now I say that to a certain extent. Every fat guy who has shown up has had some kind of Jumbo comparison made but if you watch them they don't really wrestle like him. Compare the guys in Lucha like MS-1 to any CMLL main eventer today and it's like a totally different world. You can trace small parts of the Flairs and Races and at times Bock to today's US heels but I would say they aren't really direct successors to their style. With Jaguar you can see her not just with the Toyotas who she helped bring in and along but all the way to today with the Mayus and Kairis and Ios, you can see Jaguar in them to this day. She was my number 1 rated women's wrestler last go and I strongly suspect she will be again. She was also in my top 20 and I see no reason for her not to be again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clayton Jones Posted April 18, 2021 Report Share Posted April 18, 2021 7 hours ago, elliott said: One thing that always stands out when I watch Jaguar, is she FEELS like the GOAT. Like when I watch a Jaguar match the idea of someone being better than her seems silly. Her case is just so clear you just gotta watch it On my first round of watching her I thought I may have to change my opinion on Kobashi being the wrestler who wanted to be the GOAT more than any other. Jaguar emanates it just as much in the 80s at least. Can't wait to watch more, glad to hear the watch party was a hit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elliott Posted April 18, 2021 Report Share Posted April 18, 2021 Kobashi is actually a pretty good point of comparison as far as someone who had great physical gifts and legendary work ethic, got it right away, was awesome right away, could do literally everything in the ring and kept working harder than everyone else even after they became a star. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southofheavy Posted April 18, 2021 Report Share Posted April 18, 2021 I'm contemplating submitting a ballot this go round. At the very least, I'll be participating in the discussions. One great thing about all these threads is that they serve as a guidebook and they're great for inspiring one to check out workers they've never seen before. So, having never seen a Jaguar Yokota match before, I did a youtube search. A seven minute match vs Leilani Kai comes up. As I regard Ms. Kai as a homegirl and certified ass stomper, I figured this would be a solid TV match and a perfect introduction to Jaguar. WOW. She leaps off the screen. Total conviction, blistering execution, and she is so fierce. I am an instant fan and regardless of whether I do a ballot, my next mission is watching as much Jaguar Yokota as I can. Thanks, everyone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ohtani's jacket Posted April 18, 2021 Report Share Posted April 18, 2021 I watched the 4/96 match against Asuka. Really good match despite it featuring the dreaded Asuka, although comeback Jaguar doesn't have quite the same aura as Yokota in her heyday. It seems to me that Jaguar is what you'd get if you took Manami Toyota and Akira Hokuto and meld them into a single wrestler, though I have to say there are also times where I think Itsuki Yamazaki is her true heir. I guess that shows her influential she was on the girls she had a hand in training or who learned from her. I learned today that she actually clashed with the Matsunagas over how to train new recruits. The Matsunagas didn't think it was necessary to train everyone and thought it was adequate if 1 in 10 became a star. Jaguar felt that everyone should receive the same training. I also learned that she competed in amateur wrestling after retiring the first time, which I thought was cool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elliott Posted June 4, 2021 Report Share Posted June 4, 2021 Looking at Cagematch, Jaguar's career is completely insane. Debuts in 1977 at age 15 and works until February 1986 when she retires at 24 just 5 months shy of her 25th birthday (goddamn AJW retirement rules). Then she stays retired until 1994 when she has a comeback match at age 33. At age 34 she starts her own promotion and works regularly until age 37. Then at the end of 1998 she retires again and is out another 4 years. She comes back in 2003 at age 41 and has worked consistently until present day. The 77-86 run is legendary of course. Everything I've seen from the mid 90s comeback (8 YEARS LATER) she still looks awesome. I haven't seen anything from 2003-present. If anyone has recommendations I'd love to watch them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ohtani's jacket Posted June 4, 2021 Report Share Posted June 4, 2021 Jaguar retired early because of her shoulder injury. Jd' wasn't her own promotion. It was formed by the entertainment conglomerate Yoshimoto Kogyo. Jaguar was hired as a freelancer similar to Jackie Sato with the original JWP. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elliott Posted June 4, 2021 Report Share Posted June 4, 2021 Cool thanks for the info! Have you watched anything from her last 18 years out of curiosity? Can't find much online compared to her 80s & 90s comeback. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ohtani's jacket Posted June 6, 2021 Report Share Posted June 6, 2021 I haven't seen much Joshi since the 2007-09 period. I've seen Jaguar through social media recently but no matches. I haven't watched that much of her Jd' stuff for that matter. I might do a deep dive on that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ohtani's jacket Posted June 12, 2021 Report Share Posted June 12, 2021 I watched the Jaguar/Lioness 10/97 match the other day and it kept bothering me that Jaguar never played to the crowd, got in Asuka's face, or emoted in any sort of way. I also find her style awkward at times. She did a lot of flippy shit that she didn't really need to do, or doesn't fit into the flow of the match because she's not selling the performance. There's a really cool spot where she wraps a chain around her foot and nails Asuka with a missile dropkick, but it would have been a much better spot if she'd sold it. I'm not saying she has to stand on the turnbuckle and get the crowd clapping, but you can physically sell the fact that you're doing something extreme. I think her comeback work is a bit overrated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grimmas Posted June 14, 2021 Author Report Share Posted June 14, 2021 On 4/18/2021 at 2:58 AM, southofheavy said: I'm contemplating submitting a ballot this go round. At the very least, I'll be participating in the discussions. One great thing about all these threads is that they serve as a guidebook and they're great for inspiring one to check out workers they've never seen before. So, having never seen a Jaguar Yokota match before, I did a youtube search. A seven minute match vs Leilani Kai comes up. As I regard Ms. Kai as a homegirl and certified ass stomper, I figured this would be a solid TV match and a perfect introduction to Jaguar. WOW. She leaps off the screen. Total conviction, blistering execution, and she is so fierce. I am an instant fan and regardless of whether I do a ballot, my next mission is watching as much Jaguar Yokota as I can. Thanks, everyone. GWE is a success just based on this response. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
club Posted April 30, 2023 Report Share Posted April 30, 2023 Jag's a top 20 lock for me. John Cooper Clarke had a line about seeing Ramones play for the first time: 'They made everyone else look like they weren't trying.' This is kinda how I feel about Jaguar Yokota in the 80s. She's on another level to everyone else as far as intensity, work, movement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr JMML Posted May 6, 2023 Report Share Posted May 6, 2023 She is one of the greatest joshi wrestlers ever , her 1980 is legendary, the best 18 year old performer I've ever seen. A top 30 lock for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
club Posted May 7, 2023 Report Share Posted May 7, 2023 I rewatched Jag vs Mimi Hagiwara from Jan 1984. It's a great match full stop (that crowd!), but there were moments where Yokota's selling really stood out on this watch. Mimi hits that spinning flying mare thing you see a lot in this era, and Jag comes up holding her nose. And she sells it like she's been hit in the nose as opposed to the head. Not stunned, just thrown off her rhythm. Then she takes another and sells her forehead and stays down long enough for Mimi to hit a suplex. Not thrown off her rhythm this time but stunned. Later she takes a slingshot. The norm would be to sell it as a generic 'stun'. Instead she sells her right knee. It's these little things that keep the match grounded in something relatable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Octopus Posted June 6, 2023 Report Share Posted June 6, 2023 I just watched two Jaguar Yokota matches, against Monster Ripper (82) and Jackie Sato (80) and what I loved about those matches that it was a relentless struggle the entire time. During both offensive and defensive positioning, everything felt earned and fought for. Jaguar specifically really just stands out with in ring charisma and fantastic reactions throughout. There is a brief moment where Yokota is on Monster Ripper’s back and she is clearly about to be reversed and over-strengthened, but Jaguar is pulling at the back of her hair and doing everything in her power to gain positioning. Just a constant fight! I’m so excited to dig through more of these matches. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr JMML Posted June 7, 2023 Report Share Posted June 7, 2023 Watch her match against La Galáctica (Lola Gonzalez) in 1985 and her match against Lioness Asuka in 1997 and 1985 you'll enjoy them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kadaveri Posted June 8, 2023 Report Share Posted June 8, 2023 11 hours ago, Mr JMML said: Watch her match against La Galáctica (Lola Gonzalez) in 1985 and her match against Lioness Asuka in 1997 and 1985 you'll enjoy them. La Galactica is Pantera Surena not Lola Gonzalez. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr JMML Posted June 8, 2023 Report Share Posted June 8, 2023 16 hours ago, Kadaveri said: La Galactica is Pantera Surena not Lola Gonzalez. Sorry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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