May 1998

Knowing All Japan like we know them it's not totally surprising that they never brought Ikeda in to run riot on their main stars (though they should've), but checking on cagematch it surprised me how often they jobbed him out when they did bring him in. To guys like Satoru Asako and Yoshinobu Kanemaru. I think even Shiga picked up a win on him. Mossman isn't exactly the first or second or tenth name you'd pick if you're an Ikeda fan looking at who he could match up with on that All Japan roster, but he'll at least kick hard and you know Ikeda will kick him back. This started out awesome as Ikeda dropped him with an ungodly right cross (and Mossman sold it like he had the …

Based on the two best dudes involved in this match-up, I went into this fully expecting something really solid but I was left more than disappointed. Between shitty pacing, meaningless matwork, which, unfortunately, the low energy of it permeated into the crowd, and an awkward vibe that I can’t quite put my finger on, this match had a lot working against it. That being said, this match wasn’t bad. I liked the subtle one-up manship throughout, the smacks traded, and the crowd-poppin’ suplex exchange. This was, more or less, the Hase Show, as he works in his giant swing after Akiyama unsuccessfully tries to slap his way out of it. I love watching Hase deliver suplexes and h…

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Usuda vs. Indy junior continues to produce the goodness. This was worked exactly as it should be – Usuda being the far superior shooter who would dominate on the ground and Fujita as the gutsy flyer who'd use quickness and determination to survive. Fujita can get aggressive and Usuda is a great counterwrestler to work with that aggressiveness. The middle portion of this match where both work the mat and refuse to go for ropebreaks while coming up with counters was solid gold. Highlihts include Usuda locking in an ultra tight Chickenwing Crossface which seemed to almost pop Fujita's shoulder, a pissed off Fujita raining headbutts from mount (and receiving a receipt in kind…

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Double shot of Candy! They start this out with a typical joshi sprint section. The first move was a move that ended a previous match – but not a „death move“, so I am giving them big clever points. After that they settled down and had a more regular matwork-centered match. It was some great bantamweight style matwork with Fukawa constantly looking for the armbar. Too bad we have no 1998 IWRG to compare the matwork. Okutsu has these really amazing rope climbing spots. The match kept building nicely and the selling was spot-on, and then... Fukawa almost cripples herself by falling on her head TWICE trying an Asai Moonsault. Dear god that looked bad. They did a good job gett…

This was more like it. I love this matchup. Yoshida is the top girl on the mat, but Futagami is this crafty, unpredictable, stoic wrestler. They work this pretty much like a BattlARTs match with pinfalls and do all these awesome counters and traditions and kicks to the face. Yoshida does some neat selling of a choke and bandaged arm to allow Futagami to believably hang with her, which I dug. Another match that goes just over 10 minutes and is a blast.

They start this out with a bunch of suplexes that they no sell. Ugh. This was the first match that really wasn't good. The matwork was boring and the standing stuff was mostly a mess. There's a big skill gap between Ohmukai and the others. Atleast it was over in less than 8 minutes.

Reggie Bennett! Y'know with people in the past years gaining new appreciation for portly workers like Earthquake, maybe it's time to give her a reevaluation. She had pretty face and a fit-fat body that no one would have batted an eye on if she were a man. Along with Bull Nakano she feels like someone who could've been a postergirl for modern Tumblr/college feminist girls. They start this of like lumpy heavyweights and slapping the fuck out of eachother in the corner and Reggie ducks a really fast Uraken. Then Reggie locks in this Carl Greco-esque rolling neck crank and beats Aja in just two minutes!!! I like how this compilation included this to provide context for the ne…

Reggie has taken out the two biggest names in the tournament, can Candy overcome her? Talk about really smart booking. This was a match of two halves. They start out with an awesome Vader/Sting-like exchange where Candy charges full speed at Reggie and ends up getting clocked with a bear paw like right hand and then do more cool big vs. Small matwork in the vein of the previous Bennett vs. Yoshida match, with Bennett looking pretty good. Then there are some weird blown/poorly executed spots and Candy just goes on offense... Bennett had been super dominant throughout the match, which she was good at and I dug it, but Candy just strings a bunch of moves together... I didn't…

Reggie upset Aja in the 1st round, can she do it again against the submission queen? This match is totally perfect. They take it to the mat and Bennett just uses her weight advantage to squish Yoshida like a bug. Yoshida has to use all her skill and ride Bennett like a bull. I love this kind of stuff and Bennett could believably control on the mat and get in submissions which made things even better. Then Reggie starts busting out all these great power moves, just repeatedly crushing Yoshida who desperately tries to avoid and go for the submission. Great great stuff, absolutely one of the better skill vs. Power matches I can remember and I loved the final reversal.

This starts out great with Candy recklessly flying right into a Tamada dropkick. Then a weird thing happens when Okutsu tries a japanese leg roll pin and seems to dislocate Tamada's shoulder and she has to take a break. If that was intentional I'll have to give them points for creativity because I've never seen a simple rollup used in such a way. Tamada comes back and they take it to the mat and Okutsu is immediately going after her shoulder and Tamada fights back by going for the leg and this match is getting really really good now. They move back to standing and really smash into eachother, Tamada has a really great elbow smash and an awesome roaring elbow where she spi…