When it came to the Japanese Bracket of the AEW World Women’s Eliminator Tournament, Emi Sakura & Yuka Sakazaki were the most well known names to fans. Sakura competed against Riho at Full Gear 2019, while Sakazaki was around in February 2020 to feud with Britt Baker. Now, they meet each other in a semi finals match, one that should be a wrestling clinic.
Emi Sakura Shows Her Veteran Skill
Sakura & Sakazaki would shake hands as this one began, and Sakazaki quickly got a single leg takedown and low dropkick. Sakazaki would be thrown around the ring by Sakura as response, but dodged a chop and hit a dropkick on Sakura. Sakura slipped to the outside, and Sakazaki hit the rolling senton off the top rope to the outside.
Sakazaki was first back in the ring, but Sakura outsmarted her to get the high ground and took Sakazaki off the apron with a crossbody block. The students of Sakura, including Mei Suruga who Sakazaki beat in round one beat her down, as Sakura distracted the referee. Sakura would get outside and hit a butterfly backbreaker off the apron, and nearly get a count out win.
At this point, Sakazaki was being punished and choked by the more veteran Sakura, and being hit with calculated strikes. Sakura set up the Romero Special, before rolling around the ring with it, and locking in a crossarm choke before being launched and landing hard. Sakazaki would be stomped, but blocked a suplex attempt.
Yuka Sakazaki Uses Some Magic
Sakura would take a back elbow, but not sell it before setting up another backbreaker, before being dumped onto the mat. Sakazaki hit a running knee in the corner, before catching Sakura with a Northern Lights Bomb. Sakura would be rolled into a cross leg calf crusher, but made it to the bottom rope to break the hold. Sakazaki hit a rope walk missile dropkick, but ended up in the dragon sleeper which turned into a cutter.
Sakura hit the hard running crossbody in the corner and a Vader Bomb, getting a near fall. Sakazaki was set up on the top rope and had her back scratched, but was able to come off with a seated senton and hit a hurricarana. Sakura went for a lariat, and got caught with a flatliner, but had the Magic Girl Splash scouted. Another big backbreaker and a twisting vader bomb got another near fall.
Sakura would be picked up and hit with an airplane spin facebuster, but caught Sakazaki with a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. They’d trade heavy blows, Sakazaki winning out with a rolling elbow but Sakura laughed it off. Sakura went for a cradle, but Sakazaki countered and went for a sliding lariat but missed.
Sakazaki was rolled into a big dragon sleeper and barely got the ropes. Sakura hit the butterfly twisting slam, but Sakazaki got her foot on the bottom rope. Sakazaki countered Angels Wings, got a flash pinfall and won to move on! She will face the winner of Aja Kong vs. Ryo Mizunami.
Emi Sakura really showed her heel prowess here, and Yuka Sakazaki is perhaps one of the best wrestlers in the world today. They went nearly 15 minutes, and every second of it was done to perfection. This was the best match yet in this tournament, which has been damn good. Yuka Sakazaki will be a huge star as she keeps going with AEW, perhaps as big as Riho. Match Rating: 4.25/5 (**** ¼)
Can Yuka Sakazaki keep her winning ways alive? Let us know what you think in the comment section down below.
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