[2000-09-15-GAEA-Double Destiny] Meiko Satomura vs Devil Masami

[soup23]

Even though I am still probably missing some context, this still was a pretty great coming of age story featuring Satomura. She takes control right away, avoids the weapon shots and usual traps of Devil and then has a big finishing run securing the win. Devil has certainly lost a step from her athletic peak but her character work was really strong here as someone that has realized that her shit that has worked time and time again is suddenly not going to work going up against someone like Meiko. Devil's time has come and gone. ***3/4 (7.5)

[ohtani's jacket]

Devil was well past her prime here but still had amazing facials and the aura of a veteran worker who ate girls like Satomura live. She was doing her Super Heel schtick which was never that popular with Western Joshi fans but years later I think you can look back on this stuff and appreciate that she's pretty good as far as her character work goes. This isn't a great match but it is a pretty great match-up. Things get electric toward the end when Devil is kicking out of Death Valley Drivers and the commentators are calling her a monster. When Meiko wins at the end, they really play up the fact that she conquered a demon. Meiko was good but not outstanding. She brought a lot of passion but that's a given. Matches like this are always going to seem like a poor woman's version of Aja vs. Meiko but at least it's interesting to see her vanquish other vets. Devil got her heat back, for sure, but Meiko still felt like she was on the way up. This achieved what it set out to accomplish.

[TheBean]

I liked this pretty well. They did a good job telling the story that Satomura couldn't go toe to toe with Devil. So she uses her quickness and technique to weaken Devil's arms. Masami sells this pretty well and although she's able to power bomb Meiko, we can tell there's some effort. This is emphasized when Meiko is able to counter a couple bombs.**spoiler** They had me right up until the end where Satomura spams her Death Valley Driver...get another finishing move! This would have been the time to debut something new or a modified Death Valley Driver...A running one like Masato Tanaka or maybe one off the bottom rope. Instead she does it 3 times in a row and 5 times in the match. Those first two were a waste... and maybe the 3 in a row would have meant more if those earlier ones weren't done. The post match was interesting as Devil wouldn't respect Meiko despite just losing to her. Meiko tries to DVD her but Devil goes deadweight and hits her Steiner Screwdriver and cackles. I actually liked this because its almost like she let Satomura beat her...or at least Satomura just got lucky. Other than kinda killing off the impact of the DVD as a one maybe two hit finisher, showing us arm bars aren't going to win a big match, this was pretty good.