Forever Forward Fridays

Kaori Yoneyama (c) VS Emi Sakura - JWP Openweight Championship Hair VS Hair Match 9/19/2010

CJD: Only in joshi. This is the kind of match you cannot sit and nitpick here or armchair quarterback there. Somewhere along the line you have to decide as a fan. Am I in? Or am I out? Because this is vibrant, passionate, essential pro wrestling. This needs to exist. So if it's not for you, that's fine. But from one fan to another, who isn't always the most receptive to joshi, I'm begging anyone reading this. Please open your heart and mind to this match. I'm a little familiar with Yoneyama (John I played you a great hidden gem title match between her and Azumi Hyuga many moons ago). Sakura I believe PIF made me aware of for the first time last week. And just like that this door is opened to me, a lifelong super nerd fan who sometimes can feel like he's seen it all. No matter how much pro wrestling you've watched, keep pushing yourself outside of your comfort zone. You never know when a match like this is waiting for you around the corner.

JJZ: CJD, I've tried to sit down and watch this match like 4 times. And everytime something interrupted me. But finally I was able to watch it front to back. This was a beautiful display of pushing the limits to the edge but not going over. Stiff but not crazy stiff. Oh shit spots but not holy fucking shit is she OK spots. The falsies were about to go off the cliff then Bam! One two three! It was an epic journey my man. I know it was from 2010 but the gritty feel of filming and look of the crowd I would've thought 1991. Excited to watch more Joshi. Hoping I can watch the next match on my first try!

Forever Forward Fridays

Riho VS Emi Sakura - AEW 3/3/2023

JJZ: Sticking with the AEW here. Side question to start. They mentioned during the commentary that Riho started wrestling when she was 9. I know that Kenny Omega was one of her trainers. Is she the girl that he wrestled back in the day? I tried to look it up real quick and got nothing. So this was a really smart match with Riho working from under while Emi Sakura used size and strength to maintain the offense. Emi had a little swag in her game I thought. I don't think I've seen her before but I maybe have in the past with you on a Saturday night filled with wrestling. I think both ladies came out of this match looking better than they went into it. I really enjoyed the commentary also. Jericho and Excalibur were fantastic together. JR really needs to hang it up. Enjoy baby cakes.

CJD: Riho started working with Omega when she was something like 13 so you'd think she was the same girl, right? But no, that was another child wrestler (9 years old) who Kenny had the infamous match with. I don't believe I've ever watched a Sakura match before either and I agree, she put some stank on this match. In a good way. I thought her and Hayter in our last match both built very compelling structures around Riho, who if I'm going to be honest, I think is fairly limited. The positives she brings to the table are strong though and these two matches highlighted them nicely. I really loved that tiltawhirl backbreaker on the outside. And some of those pinning reversals. The main thing I left this match with was an appreciation for their chemistry, and how Emi in particular refused to rush this match. There were a few moments you could tell another opponent would have executed one second sooner, and those seconds over the course of the match really add up. I love that seasoned approach and am looking forward to getting a better understanding of her career!