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Welcome to another edition of the 5 Star Series, the series that covers the greatest wrestling matches of all time to see what truly is the best match ever. This week, we'll be making our first venture into the world of joshi puroresu in this series, as I'll be looking at Jaguar Yokota defending the WWWA World Championship at All Japan Women's Pro-Wrestling's Summer Night Festival In Budokan. This match holds the distinction of being the first women's match, and the first of 19 All Japan Women's matches, that Dave Meltzer ever rated 5 stars.
The Match
The Match: Jaguar Yokota (c) vs Lioness Asuka
The Event: Summer Night Festival in Budokan
The Stipulation: Singles match for the WWWA World Championship
Meltzer Rating: 5 Stars
Cagematch.net Rating: 9.20/10
Where to Watch: Vimeo
How We Got Here
Rimi "Jaguar" Yokota graduated as part of All Japan Women's training class of 1977. Within three years, Yokota would establish herself as one of AJW's brightest young stars, winning both the company's inaugural Junior Championship (a title originally for wrestlers under 20) and AJW Championship, alongside the WWWA (World Women's Wrestling Association) World Tag Team Championships with Ayumi "Jumbo" Tori. By 1981, she'd capture the company's top prize, the WWWA World Championship, defeating joshi legend (and one of the women who inspired her to become a wrestler) Jackie Soto for the title, which she'd hold for a then-record 801 days. She'd briefly drop the title in 1983 for 25 days, only to regain it and begin another record-breaking title reign, having held the title for 813 days as she enters the Summer Night Festival in Budokan to defend the title against Lioness Asuka.
Another product of All Japan Women's school, Lioness Asuka graduated as part of the 1980 class, originally wrestling under her real name Tomoko Kitamura. Like Yokota, Asuka quickly established herself as one of the company's top young stars, winning the AJW Junior Championship within a year of her debut, and held the AJW Championship twice. In 1983, she'd form the legendary Crush Gals with Chigusa Nagayo, winning the WWWA World Tag Team Championships twice in the following two years, and held the title going into the Summer Night Festival. It was only a matter of time before Asuka got her shot at the company's top prize, and she'd get it against Yokota.
The Match
The match starts with a waistlock by Asuka, followed by a snapmare takedown. Asuka makes the cover, but Yokota immediately bridges out of the pin. Yokohama quickly hits a snapmare of her own and makes the cover, but Asuka immediately bridges out as well. Asuka hits another snapmare and makes the cover, this time getting a one count before Yokota bridges.
Yokota respects the rule of thirds, and instead locks in a headlock. Asuka powers out, sending Yokota to the ropes before hitting a jumping spin kick (aka a TNA kick), knocking Yokota to the ground. Asuka hits the ropes to follow up, only for Yokota to catch her with a wheelbarrow arm drag. Yokota follows up with another wheelbarrow, this time rolling through for a roll-up, which gets a one count. Yokota hits a third wheelbarrow, this time slamming Asuka down face first, before going for the abdominal stretch. Asuka avoids it, however, and tries to apply the hold herself, but Yokota blocks it by grabbing the ropes. Asuka whips Yokota to the ropes and goes for a punch when she bounces back, but Yokota dodges it with a handspring, leading to a standoff. Holy shit, what an incredible, fast-paced opening.
The two lock hands in the middle of the ring, with Asuka applying a wristlock. Yokota escapes in a unique way, reaching under and picking her ankle to take her down.
Yokota follows up with a knee bar, pressing her own knee into Asuka's stomach as she does. Asuka breaks the hold by rolling over, but Yokota keeps control with a cross-legged hold. Asuka manages to reach for the ropes, forcing a break. Yokota continues targeting the legs, kicking away at them before trying to drag Asuka back to the center of the ring. Asuka keeps a hold of the ropes, forcing Yokota to let her get back to her feet.
The two have a stand-off in the middle of the ring. Asuka tries for a drop-toe hold, but Yokota sidesteps it. Yokota tries for a drop-toe hold of her own, and is successful, taking Asuka down to the mat. Yokota applies another knee bar, which she turns into a half-crab as she kneels on Asuka's back. She breaks the hold, opting to drag Asuka to her feet before whipping her to the ropes. When she bounces back, Yokota leaps up and catches her with a seated senton. Yokota follows up with a hurricanrana and makes the cover, but Asuka kicks out at two.
Yokota whips Asuka into the corner and charges in, but Asuka leaps over her and grabs her for a backslide, which gets a one count. Asuka follows up with a whip to the ropes, catching Yokota with a chop when she bounces back. Asuka follows up with a roundhouse kick and a delayed bodyslam for the cover, but Yokota kicks out at one again. Asuka applies a chin lock, breaking it only to hit a quick snapmare before applying a cobra clutch. Yokota manages to break the hold and flip over, but Asuka keeps a hold of her with body scissors. Yokota attempts to force a break, driving her elbows into Asuka's knees, but is able to regain control with an arm bar. Asuka rolls over into a cross-arm bar, eventually breaking the hold to inflict more damage with a wrist lock takedown back into the cross-arm bar.
Yokota tries, but fails to pry Asuka's hands off her. Eventually, she manages to escape the hold, kicking Asuka in the head before reapplying the cross-leg hold. Yokota continues working the leg, switching to a knee bar. Asuka attempts to get the surprise win by jumping onto Yokota mid-submission, but Yokota kicks out at one, keeping the knee bar locked in. Asuka struggles, but eventually reaches the bottom rope to force a break. Yokota quickly reapplies the hold, only for Asuka to roll her onto her back for another cover. Yokota kicks out at one again.
Asuka grabs the ropes again for a rope break, prompting Yokota to drag her to the center of the ring to continue working the leg. With the legs still trapped, Yokota adds a butterfly stretch to the submission, eventually breaking and dragging Asuka to her feet. Yokota whips Asuka to the ropes, catching her with a jumping hip attack when she bounces back. Yokota goes back to the submissions, locking in an octopus stretch. She smoothly transitions into a roll-up for the pin, but Asuka kicks out at one. Yokota quickly follows up with a suplex powerslam (aka the Jackhammer) and makes the cover, but Asuka kicks out at two.
Yokota reapplies the butterfly stretch, eventually transitioning to a Figure Four leg lock. Asuka tries, but fails to break the hold. Instead, she flips it over, switching the pressure. Yokota tries to flip back over, and after Asuka blocks the initial attempt, successfully rolls back over. Asuka eventually forces a break by grabbing the bottom rope. Asuka fires up, kicking away at Yokota's leg before dropping a knee across it three times. Asuka boots Yokota out of the ring, where's attended to a ringside as the referee counts. She eventually crawls back in the ring, where Asuka tries to kick her again. Yokota blocks it, however, and forcefully pins Asuka to the mat, with Asuka kicking out at one.
Yokota pins Asuka again, but Asuka kicks out at one a second time before getting to her feet. Asuka whips Yokota to the ropes, hitting her with a crescent kick when she bounces back. Asuka continues kicking away at Yokota, knocking her down to the mat before dropping an elbow. Asuka drags Yokota to the center of the ring, where she applies a knee bar of her own. Yokota tries to break the hold by rolling over, but Asuka keeps the hold locked in. Yokota manages to grab the ropes for a rope break, only for Asuka to reapply the hold quickly. After a struggle, Yokota manages to grab the ropes for another rope break.
Asuka quickly follows up with a delayed vertical suplex and a cover, but Yokota kicks out at two. Asuka tries to follow up with a forearm, but Yokota ducks it and rolls up Asuka for a one count. Yokota tries to follow up with a hurricanrana, but Asuka counters with a powerbomb, rolling over and bridging for the cover, but Yokotoa kicks out at two. Yokota fires back with a dropkick, sending Asuka under the ropes and onto the apron. Yokota charges in, but Asuka leaps over her and rolls her up for a one count.
Asuka whips Yokota into the corner and charges in, only for Yokota to catch her with a kick. Yokota follows up with a double underhook piledriver and makes the cover, but Asuka kicks out. Yokota sets up for another piledriver, this time a Tombstone, but Asuka manages to flip them over, hitting the ropes before hitting a nasty sit-out Tombstone.
Asuka makes the cover, but Yokota kicks out at two.
Asuka tees off on Yokota, hitting two roundhouse kicks followed by a pump kick, knocking her down. Asuka makes the cover, but Yokota kicks out. Asuka goes for a back suplex, but Yokota flips and lands on her feet. Yokota climbs to the second rope and dives at Asuka, only for Asuka to catch her in a fireman's carry. Asuka does the Airplane Spin before tossing Yokota down to the mat. She follows up with another spin, this time grabbing Yokota's legs and Giant Swinging her for over 10 seconds. Asuka makes the cover, but Yokota kicks out at two.
Asuka sets up for a German suplex, but Yokota blocks it and switches position. Yokota goes for a German herself, but Asuka blocks it as well. Yokota instead goes for an Irish whip, but Asuka reverses it, sending Yokota to the ropes. When he bounces back, Asuka scoops her up in a vertical suplex, only to chuck her right over the top rope to the floor.
Asuka tries to follow up with a suicide dive, but Yokota sprints out of the way and Asuka crashes to the floor. Both women are down, with Asuka the first to get back in the ring. Yokota instead climbs onto the apron, only for Asuka to grab her and hit a slingshot suplex, which gets a two count. Asuka follows up with a huge German suplex and bridge into the cover, but Yokota kicks out at two again. Asuka whips Yokota to the ropes and tries to chop her when she bounces back, but Yokota ducks it and hits an equally huge straightjacket suplex. Yokota bridges for the pin, but Asuka kicks out at two.
Yokota grabs Asuka and sets her on the top rope, climbing up herself right after. Yokota goes for a superplex, but Asuka blocks it and hits a front suplex, dropping Yokota down to the mat. Asuka dives off the top rope for a flying knee drop, but Yokota moves out of the way just in time, causing Asuka to crash down to the mat. Yokota quickly hits a big back suplex, bridging for the pin, the three, and the win to retain the title.
The Verdict
The middle does drag a bit, so I'm not giving it the perfect 10/10, but this is still a fantastic match. Smooth execution on just about everything makes the beginning and ending a super-enjoyable watch. If you've never watched classic joshi, this is a great starting point.
My Rating: 9.5/10
The Rankings (Best to Worst)
- Mitsuharu Misawa vs Toshiaki Kawada-AJPW Super Power Series 1994 (Day 16)
- Kazuchika Okada vs Kenny Omega-Wrestle Kingdom 11
- Ilja Dragunov vs. WALTER-wXw 16 Carat Gold 2017 (Night 3)
- Jaguar Yokota vs Lioness Asuka-AJW Summer Night Festival In Budokan
- Johnny Gargano vs Adam Cole-NXT TakeOver: New York
- Johnny Gargano vs Adam Cole-NXT TakeOver: XXV
Thanks for reading! Be sure to share if you enjoyed and don't forget to click the link here and vote in the poll to decide the next edition of the 5 Star Series, which will be posted in two weeks on Sunday, April 7th. Stay tuned...
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