July 7th, 2024: Book Club - Session 1

Match 1: Yuka Sakazaki vs. Miu Watanabe (TJPW, August 14th, 2022)

2022 Tokyo Princess Cup Finals

It's a bit harder to admit, but I have trouble talking about this match. Not because of the result, not because of anything in particular. It's just that these two are fantastic workers, and each time they're in the ring together, they are incredible at playing off of each other, and there is nothing more that needs to be said about their dynamic that others have not said already.

This match was no different. Sakazaki was ruthless in this match, great cold expressions that contrasted really great with Watanabe's babyface in peril energy. The match is definitely a bit of a slow burn, and takes a while to get going, but once it hits that second gear, it is nothing short of excellent.

I have always considered Watanabe's greatest strength to be getting you, as a member of the audience, on her side. Even if, in some weird timeline, you weren't before, you would definitely be by the end of the match. Her expressions endear her to you, and really do a wonderful job of conveying the way she feels in the ring; the desperation that drives the win, and the pain that she has to endure to get to that point. Watanabe is, simply put, a magnetic presence.

Sakazaki is a great foil to Watanabe's underdog. Her control sequences are hard-hitting and do effective work to set the pace and tone of the match. When Sakazaki is in control, she imposes that control, and becomes a dominant presence that will use all the tricks in her book; her sense of timing, sharp and hard strikes, to disrupt Watanabe's momentum and ensure that she wins.

In essence, it's Sakazaki's cold intelligence, to Watanabe's heated heart.

There is a budding sense of progression in this match that feels almost foreign in the days of the modern big match formula. It is a sense of progression that escalates not for the sake of escalation, but escalates with a purpose. The structure of the match lends itself to a controlled sense of unpredictability - and when I watched this as the bombs thrown get bigger and heavier, I asked myself: "Who the fuck is gonna win this?"

The beauty in a match like this, is that despite the contrasting personalities of the two competing, the dynamic is one in the same; that neither person wants to lose, and that they will go down swinging. The means, and by extension, the mentality by which this is achieved is stylistically different.

I found this simplicity compelling. Even though I may be reading between the lines for something like this far too deep, this is why I watch wrestling. I am drawn to the dynamic of contrasts, individuals, that make these simple interactions special.

Verdict: Liked, would recommend

Match 2: Keita Yano vs. Rey Paloma (Dove Pro, July 5th, 2020)

Before we talk about this match, a bit of introduction is needed. For those of you who may not know who these two are: Keita Yano is an ex-BattlArts wrestler who wears his inspirations on his sleeve. He blends World of Sport and lucha-style grappling (the likes of which were initially inspired by, and ultimately taught to Yano by maestro Negro Navarro) with the BattlArts shoot style culture, and adds personal flourishes based on his inspirations, such as Bruiser Brody and the Joker. Rey Paloma is a member of Dove Pro Wrestling who has been an integral part of its roster since the company's inception in 2005. Before this, he would train and debut in Mexico, under the guidance of lucha libre legend Canek. Paloma would start off as a masked wrestler, working not dissimilarly to your usual young, high-flying técnico. As the years went on and Paloma lost his mask, he would age into a slick mat technician with a comedic lean, his pants tending to be pulled down whenever he shows up.

The overlap here? Both have lucha-inspired roots, and both are great technicians with a goofier lean, being able to play it straight when the situation calls for it.

The flow of the match was methodical, the trademark pace set from Keita's brand of grappling. There was a dichotomy between two similar styles similar in scale, yet different in nuance; oozing with traits of theatrics and the flair of showmanship. Paloma, despite his age, had real great sense on the mat with his cartwheeling evasions, playing off of Keita's more cocky offense. One highlight was when Paloma locked in his signature move, Ecstasy, a kneeling figure-four leglock where he began to gyrate his hips. Despite the comedic nature of the move, Keita still sold it as if it was any other dangerous move, slowly limping back to his feet; demonstrating the level of detail that I have come to love from his in-ring sense.

After a fiery exchange of offense that saw Paloma begin to mount a comeback, Keita would see that Paloma was too close to the ropes, stealing the win by interrupting Paloma's la magistral attempt by putting his feet on the ropes.

Was this Keita's best match? Absolutely not, far from it. Was this a fun match? Absolutely. At the end of the day, that's all that matters. Although I wouldn't exactly recommend this match for those looking for an introduction to either men's work, I do believe it is an enjoyable-enough outing to throw on once in a while, just for the hell of it. I enjoyed the level of showmanship both men had; tasteful in nature, whilst continuing to stick to the strengths of each of their styles.

Verdict: Liked, but not for everyone