[2002-05-26-AJW-Japan Grand Prix] Momoe Nakanishi vs Kaoru Ito

[ohtani's jacket]

This was joined in progress, but it looked like another fun chapter in one of the best women's pairings of the early 00s. I say this in every Ito match, but my god, the foot stomps. I am pretty sure that Kaoru Ito's double foot stomp is my favorite move of all-time. Ito is such a weird worker for me. She doesn't really fit the mold of what I think a great pro-wrestler should be, but every time I watch her matches I get drawn into the action. Ito pummels Momoe, as you'd imagine. Momoe takes some big bumps, including a fun one where she bounces off the top rope to the outside. And there is an endless series of crushing blows to the rib cage that never, ever gets old. I didn't really buy the finish as believable, but it was fun to see these two square off again. The overall Grand Prix was a disappointment compared to the year prior, and as I've said before, the AJW renaissance was dead, but this was one of the last good matches from the era.