10 Wrestling Matches That Shaped Vince McMahon’s Vision Of Sports Entertainment

6. Manami Toyota Vs. Kyoko Inoue - AJW Wrestlemarinpiad

Manami Toyota is perhaps the most deserving member of the WWE Hall Of Fame that, sadly, might never get recognised.

The scope for inclusion is broadening. Tatsumi Fujinami's career was defined in the East, but as ever, his 2015 induction was politically motivated. WWE, nonetheless, is considering more left field names - but Toyota is unlikely to factor into any immediate plans. The promotion she toiled for is long defunct, with no pipeline to WWE recognition.

When WWE glorifies the history of women's wrestling, the incredible wars promoted by All Japan Women's Pro-Wrestling in the 1990s are nowhere near the conversation - but it's impossible to envisage that the likes of Sasha Banks and Bayley have not studied this. It is perhaps the greatest ever match wrestled between two women (and even that is damning it with faint praise). Using the natural flexibility those two Horsewomen have mastered to set themselves apart, Toyota contorted herself into impossible positions to generate suspense and sympathy, lifting the crowd from their seats. It was this flexibility with which she was able to innovate her impossibly-arced Japanese Ocean Cyclone suplex.

This match wasn't just women's wrestling before WWE cared about women's wrestling; held at time when Vince McMahon hadn't quite accepted that Hulk Hogan's time had passed, it was women's wrestling before the WWF cared about men's wrestling.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!