7 Most Insane Things Happening In Wrestling Right Now (March 24)
6. Manami Toyota Is Retiring, Few Know Or Care
Manami Toyota holds more Wrestling Observer ***** ratings than the entire body of WWE's work - twelve more, to be precise.
You could ascribe that to Dave Meltzer's underrating of WWE matches; at least five others (among them Kurt Angle Vs. Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania 21) are deserving of that accolade. But regardless, Toyota was entirely deserving of every last morsel of critical acclaim foisted upon her. Her early to mid-nineties run was unreal. Her matches were incredibly athletic, inventive and completely different to anything contested by her male counterparts.
Toyota being female was naturally more flexible, and used this to generate sympathy. She contorted herself into positions of mock agony that defied physiology and accentuated psychology. She also used this near-supernatural weapon to innovate the most brutal-looking suplex variation ever devised: the Japanese Ocean Cyclone Suplex, which saw her hoist her opponent into an electric chair position before falling backwards into the shape of a rainbow. It was equally beautiful. The impact was vicious, but no less safe than a German or Tiger. The theatrics behind it created an illusion of danger. She grasped the wrestling art as well as anybody before or since.
All of which makes it sad and really quite baffling that few have heard of her or care that she is hanging up her boots. Her name didn't trend on Twitter. WWE don't have a political reason to her induct her into the Hall of Fame, nor the footage to make it a reality.
She did so much to enrich the wrestling art form. Watching her matches would do more to enrich your hobby.