[2009-04-17-Apache Pro-Wrestling] GENTARO vs Keita Yano

[Ma Stump Puller]

Not the match that I think these two could have (especially in today's climate) but a brilliant callback to WWF New Gen match layouts by two guys who are nerdy enough to get what made those work. GENTARO works the back intently from the very start, finding every chance possible to throw Keita around and use his weight to just basically bully the guy bit for bit like a Bret match. That in turn gets him cocky and allows Keita to snap back with sharp elbow smashes and shots to the gut to try to get a edge, but he gets overpowered after a short brawl outside. Keita again tries to work on limbs when he dodges a top rope knee drop with a smooth calf slicer, GENTARO rolls through into a really nasty leverage-based armbar where his whole bottom half is directly on Keita's arm. Generally the match functioned like this; Keita would get his ass kicked and worked in holds/spots until GENTARO started to slack off, letting him slip in a counter or two when this happened but still getting firmly getting outclassed when he'd inevitably get countered.

Keita's great selling combined with masterful slick counters made this fairly predictable formula absolutely fantastic to watch, especially as they alternated between limbs getting ripped apart and selling said limb getting ripped, GENTARO mostly keeping ahead with his experience. Keita works the leg more which lets him grab on some holds on it, leading to a clever spot where GENTARO uses the rope leverage to escape getting stuck in a Scorpion Death Lock by grabbing onto his straps to pull him outside with him in what was basically a 1-1 redo of a old Bret spot as per standard. GENTARO gets him back in for some snug offence before Keita jumps out of a bow and arrow to grab on a slick double wrist lock to try to get the upset. GENTARO was actually stuck here as his attempt to roll out just ends up with him stuck in a Fujiwara, forcing him to cheat with an eye rake. They did slightly (on Keita's side, mind) when they were trying to do the old backroll pushup bit, albeit the actual powerbomb G ended up doing at the end looked fairly nasty. Finish was easy to get as Keita got caught in a armbar trying to escape a German suplex and had to tap out to a deep Cobra Twist.

Lots of old 90's-style cat and mouse antics here and built mostly around grappling so it translated real well into things. Keita is positively nowhere near his better years as a performer and does at times have issues with the more athletic spots dotted around here, generally doing better when selling and bumping than trying to measure up offence. GENTARO is pretty much always consistent as hell and he was the same here given his range of work looked pretty much all snug and solid, with some amazing technical work out of him when attacking limbs. Good heat he got for Keita as well and fairly generous all things considered.

Rematch in 2024 would be nice, thanks