Monday, January 09, 2012

Was the Bull Nakano retirement show a cynical cash grab?

Misty eyed nostalgia is about the only thing that will get fans to go to a joshi show these days. So 3000 fans turned out at Tokyo Dome City Hall to give AJW legend Bull Nakano the retirement show she didn't want when she deserted the business 15 years ago. And that's the conflict of this show. As great a wrestler as Bull was, she quit to play professional golf and made a lot of money writing a weight loss book. She never returned to support a dying joshi business. So I guess it was about a year ago that she started coming to shows looking to make amends. So the idea was hatched to do the retirement show she never had. Other than selling merchandise, what was the point of this show? The show itself was besides the point. You had Sakura Hirota dressed as Bull Nakano, a 60 girl battle royal that probably needed a traffic cop. And a main event that really shows the future direction of the joshi business. It was Yuzuki Aikawa vs Hikaru Shida. A bikini model vs an actress. The Athtress concept comes full circle. So then Bull dressed up in her old gear complete with blue hair and had exhibition matches against Shinobu Kandori and then Aja Kong. Aja gave her a replica of the legendary AJW red belt and she paraded around with it. She also came out in a wedding dress with her kickboxer husband. He's 16 years younger than her. The most interesting thing was an Atrocious Alliance reunion with Dump Matsumoto, Crane Yu and heel ref Shiro Abe. There were even phony Crush Gals. But the real Crush Gals weren't there. Neither was Akira Hokuto or the Jumping Bomb Angels. Remember when Itsuki Yamazaki reunited JBA a couple of years ago and took the time to get into shape and put on a credible wrestling show? And she's a few years older than Bull. That shows respect for fans and the joshi business. I guess Bull didn't want to do that. I'm not sure smiling and shaking hands are enough. Maybe her knees are shot. After the ten bell count, Bull kissed her husband and it was over. Well, at least she didn't unretire.

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