[1997-03-23-AJW-Wrestling Queendom 1997] Mariko Yoshida & Takako Inoue vs Kumiko Maekawa & Tomoko Watanabe (2/3 falls)

[Alex]

This was the 7th of 8 matches at AJW's final Wrestling Queendom.

What a difference between this match and the previous match!  This is going a 100 miles an hour, all the girls have to get their offense in. Even top rope DDTs are getting two counts.  Yoshida gets pinned in less than five minutes into the match after a Doomsday Device and an Ax Kick.

Yoshida eats more offense in the second fall, but avoids the Ax Kick to get Takako tagged back in.  So much offense from all women happens in such a short amount of time, it is hard to keep track all of the sequences.  Yoshida hits a missile dropkick after a missed power bomb from Tomoko, and Inoue and Yoshida get a double power bomb.  Takako basically misses a Takako Panic, but gets second one to finish the second fall like 11 minutes into the match.

Third fall starts much slower with Yoshida being grounded with submission holds, including a camel clutch double team with kicks to the face.  Yoshida reverses Kumiko's stiff offense to get some nice submission holds in and here comes Takako and Yoshida double teams.  Kumiko even gets put in the camel clutch and gets kicked in the face by Takako.  Now this fall feels like a proper Joshi match, lots of buildup, a bunch of submissions, a bunch of double teams and go out with a bang.  Kumiko accidentally kicks Tomoko with the Axe Kick and Takako hits a Panic, and Yoshida and Inoue get a Doomsday Device-like move and a double superplex for near falls.  Yoshida goes for Air Raid Crash and gets dumped on her head.  Doomsday Senton for two!  Blue Thunderbomb for two! It becomes Yoshida and Watanabe showcase to finish the fall with Tomoko taking it in the end to retain the titles.

The first two falls were too much in my opinion, the third fall is pretty solid 15 minute joshi tag team match.  I kind of wish they just did a single fall match.