Io Shirai vs. Meiko Satomura, from the April 26, 2018 episode of Sendai Girls

The difference between most occasions when wrestlers begin their match with five minutes of technical grappling and this bout is that this match uses this opportunity to establish character roles rather than fill time: Satomura has the grappling done pat, and Shirai must use her wit, throw in brutal strikes, and take to the skies to stand a chance. I shouldn’t be able to praise this match for successfully abiding by the basic rules of storytelling, as this should be happening in every match, but wrestling is wrestling, oh well. Fun times all around with a finish I didn’t love.

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