Emi Sakura might be the most well known talent for fans in the Japanese Bracket for the AEW World Women’s Championship Eliminator tournament. She faced her student Riho at Full Gear 2019 for the AEW Women’s Championship in a great match, and had numerous appearances on Dynamite before the pandemic set in. This veteran is matched up alongside VENY, a wrestler of five years who is among the best in the world today.
VENY is already in that conversation at only 22 years old, and is the first transgender professional wrestler from Japan. She is a trailblazer at such a young age, had six years experience, and is insanely skilled after being trained by Ayako Hamada, and will look to make a huge impact in this tournament, and break into the United States.
Emi Sakura Tries To Abuse The Rookie
Veny wore the kimono of the late Hana Kirmra to the ring for this match, and was going to win this for her. She took Sakura down with a single leg, starting a sprawl on the mat before the veteran scratched the back. Vemy would dodge a big boot with a matrix dodge, before taking some Mongolion Chops and having her hair grabbed as Sakura whipped her across the ring. Sakura would apply the Romero Special, and bent Veny down into a chinlock before losing the hold.
Veny would be choked on the ropes, and get stomped into the corner. Just when she had some ground, a throat to the chop stunned her. Veny would counter a whip across the ring and hit a back handspring elbow. She’d follow this up with a springboard crossbody, and then sending Sakura to the outside. Veny launched herself off the top rope with a moonsault to the outside.
Sakura would cancel a springboard by hitting the ropes, before taking her into the ring with a backbreaker and hitting the flipping senton off the second rope. She’d nail a Butterfly Backbreaker, and head back to the second rope, only to take the Venus Hammer Uppercut. Veny springboarded to take Sakura down with a headlock takeover, before hitting a running shooting star press to get a two count.
Veny Is A Prodigy
Sakura would apply a dragon sleeper, forcing Veny to fight to her feet before hitting a rolling cutter. A running crossbody in the corner was followed by a vader bomb. Sakura got greedy and went for a second one, meeting the knees instead. Venny would tie the arms of Sakura up into a submission, but Sakura got her foot on the bottom rope.
Sakura would take a roundhouse kick to the head, kicked out by just sending Veny off the ropes to get extra speed for a big boot. Veny was hit with a desperate Butterfly Facebuster, but Sakura couldn’t make the pinfall attempt. Sakura & Veny would trade some heavy blows in the middle of the ring, forearms into headbutts.
Veny hit a flurry of kicks, went up top and nailed a big shotgun dropkick for a near fall. Sakura hit a big lariat, before having a cradle pin countered and leading to a near fall. Veny absorbed some strikes, and hit a sitout chokeslam for a near fall. She’d set up the big moonsault, missing and ending up into another dragon sleeper. Veny was nearly choked out, allowing Sakura to nail the Tiger Driver for the win.
Veny is downright incredible, and Sakura is an underrated veteran. This was always the best first round match on paper, and it delivered. This won’t be the last time we see Veny in an AEW ring, and Sakura should be back in the states before long as well. The division will be better for having both. Match Rating: 4/5 (****)
Emi Sakura will now face Yuka Sakazaki in the next round. Can they defeat the Magical Girl herself? Let us know what you think in the comment section down below.
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