When we last left our heroes, Dump Matsumoto had engaged in some hillariously over-the-top cheating and bullshit to defeat the beloved Chigusa Nagayo and claim a chunk of her hair, thus sending an arena full of teenaged girls into hysterics and giving Chigusa an excuse to leave Japan and wrestle some other places (including the WWF!!) for awhile.
Pro-Wrestling's favorite narrative trope is "underdog hero wins against all odds." It's a Rocky/Karate Kid sort of thing. So of course we are due for Chigusa's redemptive revenge arc. We are due for Chigusa vs. Dump 2, REVENGE OF CHIGUSA.
This video helpfully gives us a little recap of the 1st hairmatch in addition to some footage of Chigusa's live in-ring Crush Gals concert upon her return to Japan, which Dump ruins because she is Dump and there is No Fun Allowed when she's in the house. Because god is good, we also get their prematch press conference in which shit is talked, challenges are issued, and Dump carves up a raw chicken. I wish I had a translation, but it's not hard to figure out what's going on. Chigusa is beyond pissed off. Dump is hate incarnate. The time has come for Chigusa/Rocky/Daniel-San to strike back against Dump Matsumoto/Apollo Creed/Cobra Kai. We're gonna have ourselves another hair vs. hair match.
For starters, we're pretty clearly at the end of this feud. Pro-Wrestling in general, and Japanese wrestling in particular, LOVES the idea of wrestlers assuming a "final form" or a new persona when their backs are against the wall. So we get Samurai Chigusa vs. Demonic Dump complete with elaborate costumes and swords. SWORDS. Surely this will end well.
Dump is notably wearing a Heavy Metal magazine T-shirt, which earns her my eternal love and respect. Chigusa does a fantastic job at coming across as older, wiser, and more aggressive. She's not the same girl who Dump massacred over a year ago. She's done the wrestling equivilent of learning the crane kick. Dump is Dump, and she immediately beats the shit out of the referee with a chain and busts his head open. I am guessing she's establishing dominance.
Chigusa's job in this match is to be sympathetic, overcome the odds, and triumph at the end. Dump's job is to be a tremendously hateable monster and give Chigusa odds to overcome. Both of these women are very, very good at those jobs. The match follows the same pattern as the previous one, with Dump pounding and stabbing poor Chigusa with everything she can lay her hands on and Chigusa simply fighting to survive. It's a blood bath from the start. Chigusa is really, really good at staggering around dazed while this beast-woman stalks her with a chain and a sword and whatever else she can lay her hands on. We veer pretty closely to slasher movie territory before we're done. Dump looks unbeatable and inhuman. Chigusa looks barely alive. She's like Daniel-san covered in blood hopping on one leg. Chaos reigns. But we have hope that the brave little pop star who could can dig down deep and find the strength to finally get one over on her nemesis. The biggest difference this time is that Chigusa isn't backing down and crying. She's fighting back.
AND THEN...a miracle. Chigusa scores a surprise roll-up and pins Dump out of nowhere. Madness ensues. Dump beats the shit out of everything that moves. The monster will not lose her hair. She refuses to serve her comeuppance. Consequences are for other people, not for Dump Matsumoto. She runs away.
Chigusa gets on the mic, backed up most of the rest of the roster, and demands the Dump return to give up her hair. Dump comes back with a bottle of booze LIKE A FUCKING BOSS and drains it before she starts fucking up everything that moves and tossing girls out of the ring. She's willing to lose her glorious mohawk, but she'll be damned if anyone except an actual barber cuts it. She will NOT give Chigusa the satisfaction of claiming it herself.
After her haircut, Dump rampages around the ring and leaves. The monster is full of rage, but it's an impotent rage. She's beatable. In the end, no matter what she does or who she bullies next, she lost. Chigusa stands victorious, and that's the difference between the hero and the villain in this story. Chigusa learned a lesson from losing. Dump never will, because Dump cannot accept the idea that she can lose at all. Everyone wanted to see Dump the Great and Terrible be laid low, but for her losing at all was a fatal blow. Dump was never again quite what she was before this loss. That's one for the good guys.
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