#21: Hana Kimura, Stella Grey & Sumie Sakai vs. Jenny Rose, Hazuki & Kagetsu, NJPW/ROH G1 Supercard (4/6/2019).
Tomorrow is the four year anniversary of the tragic passing of Hana Kimura, one of the brightest stars to ever grace the STARDOM ring. So, this week, I went and picked five of her matches to watch and review, in honor of a person whose time on this planet was cut way too short.
First up is the opening match of the preshow for G1 Supercard, which was arguably the biggest event to ever take place during a WrestleMania weekend that wasn't WrestleMania. Selling out Madison Square Garden while WWE held WrestleMania just over yonder at MetLife Stadium is no small feat, but these two promotions - along with The Elite, who were already gone and AEW bound by this point - pulled it off. Kicking off the event was a six woman tag team match.
Oedo Tai members Hazuki and Kagetsu half ass a hand shake to kick things off, and they go on offense first. They drive their boots into the head of Stella, who responds by unloading with forearms to Kagetsu. Oedo Tai unleash tandem offense onto Sumie. Jenny hits a spinning side walk slam to Sumie next. Hazuki is in now with a face brush with her boot, followed by a running boot against Sumie's head.
Sumie fights back with chops to the neck, and she narrowly avoids a senton. Hana is in next and she connects with a nice running boot to Hazuki, and then does it one more time. Hazuki counters a suplex into a guillotine choke. Hana fights out of it with a suplex that gets a nearfall. Hana gets the Octopus Hold in, while Sumie gets an abdominal stretch on Kagetsu, and Stella puts a chokehold on Jenny - all at the same time!
Hazuki hits a huge pump kick next. There are quick tags and quicker offense in this one. Hana comes off the top rope with a shotgun dropkick to Kagetsu. Sumie comes off the top next with a crossbody onto everybody at ringside. Jenny spears Sumie, while Hazuki and Kagetsu pop off topes to the outside. Kagetsu nails a Death Valley Driver to Sumie in the ring. Hazuki follows with a shotgun dropkick to Sumie from the top, and finally Kagetsu hits a beautiful 450 splash to get the win.
This was a quick, but fun match to kick off the show. Overall, it was certainly more enjoyable than the battle royal that followed, which featured a who's who of New Japan stars left off the main card, including Minoru Suzuki, Shingo Takagi and Jushin Liger, and was ultimately won by Kenny King, in a move that firmly predicted the shit show that Ring of Honor was about to bring to MSG.
In this match, Hana showed tons of charisma in the little things she did, whether between the ropes, or to the audience.