#146: Aja Kong & Bull Nakano vs. Akira Hokuto & Shinobu Kandori, AJW Wrestling Queendom (3/27/1994).
I got some bonus matches this week, along with my One Time Only theme. This is one of them - a tag team match featuring four of the biggest Joshi stars of all time. Oh, and each team? It consists of bitter rivals coming together as a unit.
Kong with a nasty back suplex to Hokuto to start things out. Kong clotheslines Hokuto in the corner several times, then unloads with several kicks and punches. She shoulder tackles her down, then tags in Bull. Bull with a stiff clothesline. Hokuto is back up with several hard slaps, and Bull returns them in full. These women aren’t fucking around! Hokuto with a German Suplex for a nearfall. Hokuto tags Kandori in by slapping her in the face.
Kandori kicks Bull in the face, then headbutts her repeatedly. Bull places her across the top rope, and hits a DDT for a 2 count. Kong tags in, and kicks Kandori low and hard. Kong is pleased with herself, and kicks Kandori out of the ring. She’s egging Hokuto on now. Bull tags in next, and she brings Kandori back into the ring. Kandori counters a powerbomb with an arm bar submission. She tags Hokuto in by slapping her repeatedly, and now they’re getting into it!
All four women end up on the floor, with Kong and Hokuto brawling into the crowd, while Bull tosses Kandori into the ring post. Kong tosses Hokuto across some tables, then grabs the barricade and throws it right at Hokuto! On top of the table, Kong suplexes Hokuto, and that table didn’t give a fuck. Back in the ring, Kong crushes Hokuto with a piledriver. She lifts her up, and does it again. And hey, she does it again! Can you even believe it? She does it again.
What in the actual fuck. A 5th piledriver? Kong kicks her back haphazardly, then tags in Bull, who connects with a butt buster, before applying a dragon sleeper. Bull hits a leg drop on Hokuto for a nearfall. She stomps on her back repeatedly, then applies the Camel Clutch. She tries for a powerbomb, but Hokuto counters it and drills her with a powerbomb that nearly spikes her for a 2 count. Kandori tags in, and lightly kicks at Bull’s head. She puts Bull in a nasty arm bar.
She gives Bull some clotheslines, and Bull eats them both. Bull gives a clothesline to Kandori that connects on the very top of her head, and it looks painful. She explodes with hard kicks to the body, and tags in Kong, who decks her with one punch. Kong hits a nice suplex, then stiffly kicks her back. Another kick to the face, and then Kong does a sexy dance to the audience. Not what I was expecting out of this. Hey, a Aja Kong piledriver to Kandori!
Kong locks Kandori in the Boston Crab next. She drags her farther from the ropes, and transitions to an STF. Kong wrips and tears at Kandori’s face in this move, and it looks very stiff. Kandori is just about to get to the ropes, and Kong drags her away again and reapplies the STF. Kong throws Kandori into the corner, and Hokuto makes the tag, much to the chagrin of Kandori. We get a test of strength between Kong and Hokuto, and Kong clearly has the advantage.
She headbutts Hokuto repeatedly, and Hokuto invites her for more! Hokuto gets back in the lead, and boots Kong in the face. She traps her left arm in an arm bar next, until Kong tosses her aside. Hokuto with a stiff strike, and Kong repeats it! Stiff exchange next between both women, until Hokuto knocks her on her ass. A nice forearm gets Hokuto a nearfall. They go to the floor, and Hokuto brings Kong back onto the tables, and hits a great Piledriver!
Kandori brings Bull all the way up to the stage, and throws her into it. All of the camera people hoard around them as this happens, as they don’t want to miss any of the action! Now Kong and Hokuto fight up the ramp, with Kong getting the advantage. Hokuto slowly but surely makes her way to the ring, only for Kong to lift her upside down and send her chest first into the turnbuckle. Kong and Bull take turns squashing her. Kong with the Package Piledriver for a nearfall. Bull tags in, and puts her in the Scorpion Crosslock. She goes from that to a nasty looking Ankle Lock, Shamrock Style. Bull with an inverted Figure Four next. Bull transitions from that to a Sharpshooter. Bull explodes with several hard kicks to the chest. She goes to the middle rope and face plants Hokuto to the mat. Hokuto hangs Bull from her legs on the ropes, and drives her boot into her face.
Kong makes the save by headbutting Hokuto. Kandori tags in, slaps Bull, followed by hard kicks and punches to the midsection. Kandori with a running boot right to the face, and a hard clothesline that gets a 2 count. She hits a low DDT on Bull for another nearfall. Bull fights back with a kick, and gets caught in a submission attempt. Kong tags in, and immediately gets tripped. Kandori punches her, and goes for a kick to the head. She now attempts an arm bar, and she’s able to lock it in.
Bull goes to the top rope for a leg drop, but Kandori avoids it. Hokuto comes in and gets Bull in the Octopus Hold! Kong clotheslines Kandori, and Hokuto has tagged in. She puts an arm bar on Kong, and Bull connects with the top rope leg drop to break it up. Bull tags in and drops Hokuto with a powerbomb for a 2 count. Bull with a version of the Dead Eye, and that also gets a 2 count. She goes to the top rope, and hits a nasty looking Leg Drop! Hokuto still kicks out.
Kong with a splash on Hokuto, and she kicks out again. Scoop Slam by Kong, and Hokuto kicks out again. This woman will not stay down! They go to the top rope, and Hokuto is able to hit a sunset flip powerbomb for a nearfall. Kandori tags in, and immediately gets pummeled by Kong. She and Bull hit a double clothesline, followed by an elbow drop and a leg drop. Double clothesline to the front and back of the head connects, and Kandori kicks out.
Kong places her on the top rope, and Hokuto comes in to distract Kong. Kandori puts on a Rear Naked Choke! Bull kicks her right on the jaw to break it up. Spinning back fist by Kong knocks Hokuto out! Kong hits a few more in the corner, and then one to Kandori, which knocks her off the apron. Bull dives to the floor, but misses Kandori. Kong takes Hokuto to the top, and levels her with the Dead Eye. Kandori makes it in to break up the pin.
She applies the Sleeper Hold to Kong, and Bull pulls her off. Bull tags in, and hits a moonsault that Hokuto avoids. She’s still able to drill her with a punch. Kandori tags in, and she and Hokuto put arm bars on Bull! Kong attacks Hokuto and throws her to the floor. Kong tags in and hits the Saito Suplex to Kandori twice. She makes the cover, and Kandori kicks out. Sleeper Hold by Kong next. Hokuto hits a shotgun dropkick to break it up.
Spinning heel kick by Hokuto. She shoves Bull off the apron, and goes to the top rope. Diving senton to the floor onto Bull! Hokuto with the Snow Plow on Kong, and Bull just barely breaks up the pin! Another Snow Plow to Kong, as Kandori holds Bull off! Kong is somehow able to kick out. Kong hits a German Suplex, and Hokuto kicks out of it. Kong goes for a spinning back fist, but accidentally hits Bull! Hokuto with one more Snow Plow, and she covers! That’s enough for the 3 and the win!
This was really good, but only really good. I thought it had a hot beginning, and a downer of a middle section where not a lot happened. The ending sequence was a combination of the start and middle, and it honestly left me wanting more. I don't think the work was bad, per say, but considering the juggernauts involved, I wanted more than this.
It lacked a certain intensity that I know these four can bring to the table. Kong and Nakano nearly killed each other in their Cage Match years prior, while Hokuto and Kandori had one of the most barbaric standard singles matches of all time. Here, it felt like all four were holding back, and I wish they hadn't. Not a bad match, still. But it could've been better.