Luscious Latasha v Aki Kambayashi (REINA 5): Story of Match

Aki Kambayashi                                                        Luscious Latasha

        

Zeuxis stretches Ray

Photos by Takehisa Kashima

REINA 5 Report

Gaijins had a big day at REINA 5.  Hailey Hatred (USA) and Silueta (Mexico) faced the Japanese team of Kyoko Kimura and Megumi Yabushita .  After a brawl of nearly 20 minutes, the gaijins got the victory.  In the main event, two masked wrestlers tangled for laurels of victory – Zeuxis (Mexico) and Ray (Japan).  Here again, the gaijin won after a high-flying hard-hitting match.  Not surprisingly, however, young Luscious Latasha did not fare so well.  She had barely been in the country for 48 hours (and was suffering from jetlag) when the bell rang and she was called on to tackle one of the stable wrestlers in the new REINA promotion, Aki Kambayashi.  Though Kambayashi was wearing a knee support on her left knee, she did not seem slowed by injury.

    Kyoko Kimura toys with Silueta

                                              Below Yabushita takes a turn on Silueta

. . . then she goes after Hailey

Luscious Latasha v Aki Kambayashi

Kambayashi pounds Latasha

Latasha and Kambayashi wear similar themed gear – pink with black corseting, black kneepads, and black boots.  Fans who did not know Latasha’s colors gave her some turquoise, white, and black streamers – very nice gesture for an American’s first appearance.
 

The match begins with Latasha ducking lockups from the Joshi veteran. On the second duck, when Aki’s back is turned, Latasha taps her on the shoulder; Aki turns around and Latasha screams in her face then kicks her in the stomach.  The Boston girl is now on the offensive and quickly throws a couple of forearms.  Aki backs into the turnbuckle; Latasha begins to whip her across the ring, but she reverses and whips Latasha into the corner instead.  Aki then charges toward the buckle, but Latasha side-steps her and quickly rolls her up for a schoolboy.  Aki saw it coming and sat down on Latasha; she got a two-count, but the surprised American kicks out and scrambles outside the ring. Aki comes after her attacking her; they brawl on the outside, into the chairs, etc.  Eventually Aki throws Latasha back into the ring and gives her two bodyslams followed by a running senton, and ten lightening quick punches in the corner.  

Samoan Drop

Aki decides to open things up.  She whips Latasha off the ropes, but the American gives her cross body block, and covers her for the pin – the joshi vet kicks out.  Latasha then unloads a couple of knees to the head.  The Boston beauty then whips Kambayashi into the corner, setting her up for her trademark running cartwheel/round-off/back elbow.  The stunned Kambayashi is then unceremoniously collared into a running bulldog – BANG! She goes face-first into the mat.  Luscious Latasha rolls her over and covers for the pin “1…2…” but the tough, experienced Kambayashi kicks out.  Latasha is frustrated and infuriated; she begins choking Aki on mat, then delivers a cartwheel splash.  Again she gets a 2-count before Aki kicks out.  The American stays on the offensive, despite her exhaustion from jetlag – she is rocking on adrenaline now!  She gives her Japanese opponent a bodyslam and then clambers to the top rope for a big missle dropkick.  But Kambayashi rolls out of the way – nobody home!  Ouch!  Latasha is slow to get up.

"One . . Two . . ."  Only Two!

Latasha with a bulldog

Kambayashi has wrestled so many gaijin in recent weeks that she is getting to know their tendencies and preferences.  She recovers first, grabs Latasha and makes ready to execute a devastating Samoan drop, but Latasha wiggled down, foiling the move.  Aki then throws a clothesline that Latasha ducks and unveils her flying elbow in reply.  Once more she gets a two-count on the Japanese star, but she rolls her shoulder up off the mat before the count of three.  Latasha now picks her up carries her to the turnbuckle and climbs to the second rope (showing her strength) intending to execute a tornado DDT, but Aki throws her off and Latasha lands face first on the mat.  Latasha gets up but Aki is waiting for her and delivers a neck-breaker: “1 … 2 …” the American kicks out.  Aki brings another neck-breaker, but a different variation this time – again only a two-count.  Kambayashi is getting fired up – why won’t this pesky gaijin quit?  She now brings that big Samoan drop and rolls over to cover Latasha – but she kicks out at “two!”  Aki now picks Latasha up, but the Boston beauty breaks her hands off her head to gain separation.  As Latasha moves in to attack, Aki leg trips her straight into an Oklahoma roll for the pin “1 … 2 …” she kicks out again!  There is no quit in Luscious Latasha!   She scrambles to her feet, tries to get her bearings and throws a clothesline at Kambayashi, but the Joshi veteran saw it coming and blocked the strike only to set up her own massive roundhouse clothesline for the finish!  Finally the ref counted “three” and slapped the mat at 8:55 ending Latasha’s agony.  But the fiery American showed she was full of “pepper and vinegar” (as Shakespeare once said) and the REINA girls will have their hands full with Latasha from now until July 17.

Aki with the victory