[2001-03-24-Michinoku Pro] Ayako Hamada vs Faby Apache

[GSR]

The opening to this is like some U.S. indie match.  Apache does have a lovely armdrag and after a second Hamada rolls to the outside.  Faby teases the suicide dive but thinks better of it when Hamada steps backwards out of range.  Hamada escapes a rear naked choke and then an attempted armbar, locking in a submission of her own.  The reversals are pretty crisp here.  A cool combination camel clutch/sleeper by Faby, Hamada managing to grab her foot which causes her to lose balance and release the hold.  She kicks away at the left hamstring and it looks like that might be her focus.  Apache crawls to the ropes in order to break the Boston crab but Hamada drags her back to the centre where she ties her up again in an Indian Deathlock.  The whip to the corner is reversed and Hamada backdrops the incoming Faby out onto the apron.  She lands on her feet though and leaps to the top turnbuckle, coming off with a flying armdrag takedown.  Flying headscissors and Hamada takes her second trip to the floor of the match.  Corkscrew plancha!  Hamada avoids the Lionsault and then counters the huracanrana with a single leg crab.  She’s really cranking back on that.  After another rope break Hamada tries a Bow & Arrow hold although hasn’t really got it fully applied.   When Hamada goes upstairs she’s met by Faby who armdrags her back to the mat.  Fujiwara armbar, and in a reversal of how things have gone so far, it’s Hamada who is now looking to get to the ropes, which she eventually does.  Hamada avoids the shotgun dropkick but gets caught with a sit-out powerbomb for a near fall.  It looks like she’s got nothing left as Apache struggles to pull her to her feet only to connect on a desperation enzuigiri.  Baseball slide dropkick sends Faby to the outside.  Top rope quebrada!  Hamada drags her back into the ring, sits her on the top turnbuckle and hits an Ace Crusher for the win.

The wrestling was of a good standard, certainly better than plenty of men’s stuff I’ve watched this year already, but there didn’t seem to be any story or flow to this for me.  Maybe Hamada’s targeting of Apache’s hamstring but it didn’t feel that was a constant thing she seemed to be focusing on.  Not a bad watch, although pretty forgettable overall I’d say.