[1996-11-02-GAEA-We Are GAEA Japan!] Chigusa Nagayo vs Devil Masami

[PeteF3]

Talk about it here.

[PeteF3]

GAEA calling their championships the "AAAW" titles was no coincidence, I take it.

 

Nothing fancy here--just two big hosses (inasmuch as ladies can be hosses) beating each other up. Masami is sort of in her Super Heel persona for at least the first part, but she drifts away from it as the match goes on and wrestles more conventionally. She does have a fantastic reaction to a Nagayo kickout, pouting to the referee like a teenage girl being told by her parents that she has to stay in and study. The match doesn't really build up to a finish, though, as Nagayo just sort of methodically wears Masami down and puts her away. Okay, but this is sort of Hogan-Warrior-like in that it's carried by the star power (even in a foreign environment, the crowd seemed into things) than the brilliant work.

[Zenjo]

This event was held in Singapore, so they did more OTT mannerisms and psychology for the unsubtle foreigners. Does Singapore have a wrestling scene? I've no idea. A decision bout for the All Asia Athlete Women's title. I guess they wanted to show that it really did cover all of Asia. Like the WWF European title started life in Europe. Or the Intercontin...no scrap that. Any relation to the name of another title was entirely coincidental Pete.

They produced a well worked heavyweight match. They had both become power wrestlers in their 30's, so they built it up nice and steadily and had a sensible duration. More JWP in style than GAEA. Consistent quality throughout, with fun moments and good old school wrestling. A most satisfying 1st title bout. And who doesn't love it when the booker becomes champion?