Anyone that has followed me on Twitter for any length of time may remember that I have talked about this DVD for awhile. The only place that sells it is Diana’s official shop, but its 6,000 yen and they don’t ship to the US so it takes extra money to get it ordered/delivered. Right when I was about to pull the trigger on getting it last fall, their shop was down for about four months, but luckily it came back so I finally purchased it. Diana very rarely releases their shows and hasn’t had one of their own produced full events air on TV since 2011. This event was only available on DVD and showcases one of the biggest events in their history. In the main event we get a cage match, which is the most recent cage match in Joshi as there hasn’t been one since. Here is the full card:

• Lylah Lodge vs. Rabbit Miyu
• Crazy Mary Dobson vs. Eiger
• Arisa Nakajima, Yuiga, and Hamuko Hoshi vs. Cherry, Jessica James, and Raideen Hagane
• Dump Matsumoto and Keiko Aono vs. Megumi Yabushita and KAZUKI
• Kaoru Ito, Command Bolshoi, and Meiko Satomura vs. Sareee, Kagetsu, and Kaho Kobayashi
• Jaguar Yokota and Manami Toyota vs. Mima Shimoda and Takako Inoue
• Cage Death Match: Kyoko Inoue and Tomoko Watanabe vs. Yumiko Hotta and Mask de Sun

All the wrestlers on the show have a profile on the website, you can click on their name to go straight to it. Since we are watching this on DVD, all matches are shown in full.

Lylah Lodge vs. Rabbit Miyu

Lylah trash talks Miyu so Miyu pushes her, but Lylah pushes Miyu down in the corner. Miyu avoids Lylah and dropkicks her in the knee, another dropkick by Miyu but Lylah blocks the scoop slam. Lylah hits a slam of her own, another one by Lylah and she covers Miyu for two. Miyu bridges out of the pin and boots Lylah repeatedly in the head, she applies a waistlock but Lylah turns out of it. Elbows by Miyu and she hits a DDT, running boot by Miyu and she goes up top, hitting a missile dropkick. She goes up top again and goes for another one, but Lylah absorbs the blow. Miyu goes off the ropes but Lylah hits a hard shoulderblock, another one by Lylah and she covers Miyu for a two count. Leg drop by Lylah and she hits a running hip attack in the corner, she hits a second one but Miyu gets out of the corner and they trade elbows. Scoop slam by Lylah and she connects with the running senton, bur Miyu kicks out of the cover. Lylah picks up Miyu and drops her with a running powerslam, she goes up top to the second turnbuckle and nails the diving senton for the three count! Lylah Lodge is the winner.

So I wasn’t completely right about the match layout. They did do a lot of big vs. little spots but Miyu had a lot of offense in this match, it was just about 50/50. I was expecting her just to get a few hope spots but then lose in convincing fashion. Too short to be offensive but nothing memorable to kick off the show.

Crazy Mary Dobson vs. Eiger

Eiger starts fast as she tries to catch Mary, but Mary generally is able to avoid all her charges. Eiger gets her back however, Mary spins around but Eiger screams and scares Mary out of the ring to the floor. Eiger goes out after her and plays with the crowd, they return to the ring but Mary has her Jason Mask and uses it to scare Eiger. She gets a staple gun but Eiger takes it from her, but the referee gets it before she gets to use it. Mary grabs Eiger from behind and hits a release German, Irish whip by Mary and she elbows Eiger in the chest. Eiger gets back in control and twists on Mary’s hair, Irish whip by Eiger but Mary flips herself out to the apron and hits a diving crossbody from the top for two. Knee by Mary, she argues with the referee for a bit which gives Eiger time to recover. Kneedrop by Eiger, she waits for Mary to get up but Mary kicks her in the head when she charges in. Eiger rolls out of the ring but Mary goes out after her and throws her into the ring post. Back in the ring, Eiger headbutts Mary and goes up top, but Mary uppercuts her before she can jump off. Eiger starts acting freaky so Mary gets her mask and staple gun to even the odds. Eiger kicks the referee and throws him out of the ring, she spits dust at Mary and kicks her down in the corner. She gets the staple gun and staples Mary’s face, Mary bails out of the ring but Eiger follows her out and throws her around in the crowd. They finally return to the ring, Eiger gets Mary by the throat and hits a chokeslam, but Mary kicks out of the cover. Eiger gets on the second turnbuckle but Mary elbows her and joins her, hitting a Frankensteiner. Mary grabs Eiger and hits a headbutt, powerslam by Mary and she goes for a moonsault, but Eiger moves out of the way. Eiger grabs Mary but Mary applies a schoolboy for the three count! Crazy Mary Dobson wins!

I wouldn’t say that long Eiger matches is my thing, but it was fun to see Mary Dobson against someone equally crazy. They played it pretty well and there were fun spots throughout the match, I wouldn’t have minded a few less minutes but I can’t say it ever was boring as they did their best to keep it interesting. A change of pace is rarely a bad thing, I wouldn’t want a card full of bizarre comedy matches but no complaints here since Eiger in particular is good at what she does.  Mildly Recommended

Arisa Nakajima, Yuiga, and Hamuko Hoshi vs. Cherry, Jessica James, and Raideen Hagane

Raideen and Yuiga start off, hard shoulderblock by Hamuko and she tags  in Jessica. Jessica and Raideen trade holds until they end up on the mat, Raideen tags in Arisa and they double team Jessica in the corner. Dropkick by Arisa and she hits a side slam before covering lll for a two count. Arisa tags in Hamuko, belly bump by Hamuko to Jessica and she puts Jessica in a crab hold. Jessica gets to the ropes for the break, Hamuko tags in Yuiga and she suplexes Jessica. Jessica gets triple teamed in the ropes, kicks by Yuiga and she knees Jessica in the face. Hamuko returns but Jessica hits her with a hurricanrana and dropkick, giving her time to tag in Raideen. Hard shoulderblocks by Raideen to everyone, she picks up Hamuko and puts her in a backbreaker. Raideen goes up top but Arisa grabs her from the apron, giving Hamuko time to recover and toss Raideen to the mat. Hamuko pushes Raideen to the mat and nails a running belly bump, but Raideen kicks out of the cover. Hamuko tags in Arisa, kicks to the face by Arisa but Arisa gets a chair and kicks it into Raideen. Hamuko and Yuiga both come in and help Arisa dropkick a chair into Raideen’s head, cover by Arisa but it gets a two count.

Raideen drives Arisa back into the corner and hits a series of lariats, cover by Raideen but it gets two. Raideen tags in Cherry, lariat by Cherry and she hits a double wrist clutch armsault for a two count. Arisa elbows Cherry back and hits a release German, Cutie Special by Arisa and she makes the tag to Hamuko. Hamuko gets Cherry up but Cherry wiggles away, palm strikes by Hamuko and she hits a body avalanche. Cutter by Hamuko, and she covers Cherry for two. Hamuko goes up top but Cherry avoids her diving body press, cradle by Cherry but the cover is broken up. Back chop by Cherry but Hamuko roars back with a lariat, and she makes the tag to Yuiga while Jessica is tagged in as well. Jessica dropkicks Yuiga in the knee and hits a hurricanrana, kick to the head by Jessica and she covers Yuiga for two. Yuiga kicks Jessica in the head and hits a cyclone suplex, Hamuko comes in and she hits a lariat onto Jessica. Big boot by Arisa, Yuiga grabs Jessica and she delivers a German suplex hold for two. Raideen and Cherry end up in the ring with everyone else, moonsault by Raideen to Yuiga and Cherry nails the Cherry Bomb. Jessica then goes up top and hits a moonsault, cover by Jessica and she gets the three count! Cherry, Jessica James, and Raideen Hagane are the winners.

This is one of those matches that its hard to even have a strong opinion on. It was a perfectly fine and watchable midcard match, everyone got a bit of a chance to shine and everyone looked good, aside from a few small miscues from Jessica James. A good shortish tag match but nothing too special.

Dump Matsumoto and Keiko Aono vs. Megumi Yabushita and KAZUKI

Dump and Megumi kick things off, Dump bumps Megumi to the mat and the action spills out onto the floor with Team Dump dominating. They return into the ring after a moment, Megumi tries to elbow Dump but Dump elbows her back and flings Megumi by the hair. Keiko returns just to give Dump assistance that she didn’t need, Keiko stays in as legal and gets a chain, choking Megumi with it. Dump comes in with a kendo stick to jab Megumi with it, KAZUKI things of coming in to help but Dump hits her with the stick to knock her back to the floor. Scoop slam by Keiko to Megumi and she chokes her, Irish whip by Dump and she lariats Megumi for a two count. Dump returns, Megumi avoids her kendo stick accounts and she applies a hanging armbar over the top rope. Megumi goes up top but Dump avoids her dive, German suplex by Dump and she covers Megumi for two. Dump tags in Keiko, but Megumi cradles her and hits a double knee off the ropes. That gives her time to tag in KAZUKI, she tags in too as they double team Keiko. KAZUKI putts Keiko in the corner and hits a reverse double knee, cover by KAZUKI but Dump hits her with the kendo stick. Keiko comes back with a face crusher and tags in Dump, who never left the ring in the first place, so Keiko keeps kicking KAZUKI. Keiko covers KAZUKI even though Dump is still standing there, KAZUKI tags Megumi and Megumi hits a hip toss onto Keiko.

Megumi slams Keiko near the corner, she charges Dump but Dump moves and Megumi falls out of the ring. They end up on the floor again as Dump tosses Megumi onto a table and into some chairs, Keiko and Megumi return to the ring and Keiko hits a tornado DDT. Kick to the head by Keiko but Megumi catches her next kick attempt, Dump comes in and hits her with a kendo stick however and Keiko kicks Megumi in the chest. Heel drop by Keiko but Megumi puts her in a cross armbreaker, that gets broken up pretty quickly as Dump mostly roams the ring hitting random people with kendo sticks. Megumi gets away and tags KAZUKI, cutter by KAZUKI to Keiko but the referee is too busy with Dump to make the count. KAZUKI picks up Keiko again and hits a backdrop suplex, diving body press by Megumi and KAZUKI follows up with a diving kneedrop for two. Megumi and KAZUKI go to Dump and try to suplex her but she blocks it and hits a double lariat. Shining Wizard by Keiko to KAZUKI, but Megumi breaks up her cover. Dump starts whacking people with the kendo stick again, high kick by Keiko to KAZUKI and she delivers the Falcon Arrow for the three count! Dump Matsumoto and Keiko Aono win!

I’m not sure if Dump took any bumps in this match, so a pretty normal Dump match. Look, I don’t pretend these are impressive matches in the technical sense, particularly considering Dump wouldn’t even go out to the apron, but these types of matches are still a guilty pleasure since they are so random. Like the Eiger match, I wouldn’t watch an event full of matches like this but everyone was trying hard (Dump in her own special way) and I enjoyed it despite its flaws.  Mildly Recommended

Kaoru Ito, Command Bolshoi, and Meiko Satomura vs. Sareee, Kagetsu, and Kaho Kobayashi

Sareee and Bolshoi start, but Kaho quickly runs in to help along with Kagetsu and they triple team Bolshoi in the corner. Ito and Meiko even the odds as the veterans stack their opponents in the corner and Ito hits a running body avalanche. Bolshoi grabs Sareee’s wrist and she walks the ropes, armdrag by Bolshoi and she chokes Sareee with her boot. Meiko comes in and Sareee eats a double shoulderblock, cover by Bolshoi but Sareee bridges out of it and tags in Kaho. Bolshoi elbows Kaho in the head and tags in Ito, Ito lariats Kaho in the corner and she puts Kaho in a crab hold. Camel clutch by Ito but Kaho avoids her charge in the corner and she hits a series of dropkicks. Elbows by Kaho but Ito doesn’t go down, Kaho finally dropkicks Ito to the mat and she covers Ito for two. Lariat by Ito and she tags in Bolshoi, Bolshoi picks up Kaho and she kicks her to the mat. Kagetsu grabs Bolshoi from the apron to help, elbows by Kaho and she dropkicks Bolshoi. Sareee runs in and dropkicks Bolshoi, sunset flip by Kaho to Bolshoi and she tags in Kagetsu. Bolshoi grabs Kagetsu to the ground and puts her in an armbar, but Kagetsu muscles out of it and spins around Bolshoi in an airplane spin. Running elbows by Kagetsu in the corner but Bolshoi hits a palm strike, Tiger Feint Kick by Bolshoi and she hits a running palm strike for a two count. Meiko comes in and kicks Kagetsu in the chest, Sareee and Kaho both come in and dropkick Meiko but Meiko fights them all off, kick to the head by Meiko to Kagetsu and she slams Sareee on top of Kagetsu. Bolshoi then hits a footstomp on the pair, Meiko stacks Kaho on top of both Kagetsu and Sareee and Ito follows with a running footstomp of her own. Meiko knees Kagetsu and hits a suplex, cover by Meiko but it gets two. Meiko goes up top but Kagetsu quickly joins her and hits a superplex. Kagetsu tags in Sareee, dropkicks by Sareee to Meiko and she cradles Meiko for a two count.

Sareee goes off the ropes but Meiko kicks her in the head, cartwheel kneedrop by Meiko and she tags in Ito. Footstomp and a senton by Ito, she picks up Sareee and drops her with a uranage. Kaho and Kagetsu run in and dropkick Ito, but Ito lariats both of them. Everyone but Ito goes outside the ring, emphatic baseball slide by Ito to her opponents and Sareee is slid back into the ring. Bolshoi and Meiko get in the ring too but they are tripped from the floor by Kaho and Kagetsu, the young rising stars team all hit dropkicks and go up top, with both Kaho and Kagetsu hitting missile dropkicks. Sareee follows with a missile dropkick onto Ito, then she and Kaho go to opposite corners while Kagetsu goes on the apron and all three hit simultaneous missile dropkicks onto Ito. Sareee picks up Ito but Ito blocks the suplex attempt, she tries again but still can’t get her over. Ito drives Sareee back into the corner Kaho comes off the top with a diving Somato. Swandive missile dropkick by Kagetsu and Sareee finally gets Ito over with the German suplex, but Bolshoi breaks up the cover. Sareee picks up Ito and tries again but Bolshoi grabs her from behind, Meiko kicks Sareee in the head and Bolshoi delivers her own German suplex. Sit-down powerbomb by Ito to Sareee, but the cover gets broken up. Ito quickly picks up Sareee and hits a spinning sit-down powerbomb this time, but again her cover is broken up by Sareee’s friends. Meiko and Bolshoi come in and drop Kagetsu and Kaho with suplexes so they’ll stop interfering, Ito picks up Sareee but this time Sareee blocks the powerbomb attempt. Sareee spins down Ito’s back and rolls her up with a cradle, but Ito barely kicks out. Back up, hard lariat by Ito and she goes up top, palm strike by Bolshoi to Sareee and Meiko kicks Sareee in the chest. Diving footstomp by Ito to Sareee, and she covers her for the three count! Kaoru Ito, Command Bolshoi, and Meiko Satomura are the winners!

While the story they were telling was simple, it was still told very well. The whole match revolved around the “feisty young wrestlers vs. grumpy veterans” storyline, and all six did a great job telling it. Ito always delivers in these types of matches and put over Sareee pretty well (before beating her of course), and even in defeat the young wrestlers came out looking strong. Really enjoyable match, its no surprise from watching this this Kaho, Kagetsu, and Sareee have continued to be three of the best young wrestlers on the scene.  Recommended

Jaguar Yokota and Manami Toyota vs. Mima Shimoda and Takako Inoue

Shimoda and Yokota begin the match for their teams, hard shoulderblock by Shimoda but Yokota armdrags Shimoda out of the ring and hits a cannonball off the apron. Yokota returns with Shimoda slowly following as well, Inoue comes in to help and they both lariat Yokota. Shimoda officially tags in Inoue, Inoue works Yokota’s arm but Yokota puts her in a wristlock and tags in Toyota. Armdrag by Toyota, Yokota comes in and headbutts Inoue while Toyota puts Inoue in a leg lock. Toyota applies the Muta Lock on Inoue but Inoue gets into the ropes for the break, Toyota steps on Inoue’s hand in return but Inoue knocks Toyota to the mat and tags in Shimoda. Shimoda bounces Toyota off the ropes and boots her, jumping neck drop by Shimoda and she covers Toyota for two. Bodyscissors by Shimoda but Toyota gets out of it and goes up top, hitting a missile dropkick for a two count. Toyota tags in Yokota and Yokota puts Shimoda into an Octopus Hold, cradle by Yokota and she puts Shimoda in a figure four leglock. Toyota comes off the top with a body press while Shimoda is still in the hold, but Shimoda eventually makes it to the ropes. Yokota jumps down on Shimoda’s leg before tagging in Toyota, Shimoda boots Toyota back and makes the hot tag to Inoue. Inoue boots Toyota repeatedly in the head, DDT by Inoue and she puts Toyota in a STF. Toyota crawls to the ropes to force the break, Inoue Irish whips Toyota but Toyota reverses it and rolls up Inoue for two. Toyota tags in Yokota, Yokota kicks back Inoue but Inoue hits a backdrop suplex hold. Yokota tackles Inoue and kicks her in the leg, piledriver by Yokota and she covers Inoue, but Inoue barely kicks out. Yokota picks up Inoue and puts her in the Cobra Twist, Irish whip by Yokota but Inoue hits an armdrag. Shimoda comes in but Yokota hits a headlock/headscissors takedown on both of them, double DDT by Yokota and she hits a somersault legdrop onto both of them.

Inoue boots Yokota back and hits a double underhook suplex, but Yokota hits a dragon screw leg whip and tags Toyota. Toyota picks up Inoue but Inoue hits a boot and a DDT. Toyota gets back up and applies the rolling cradle for two. Toyota goes up top but Inoue avoids the moonsault, she then goes up top but Toyota smacks her and joins her on the turnbuckle. Inoue chokeslams Toyota to the mat, she goes up top but Toyota avoids the Takako Panic. Spinning backfist by Inoue followed by a head kick, but Toyota barely kicks out of the cover. Inoue tags in Shimoda, she picks up Toyota and she hits a jumping neck drop. Shimoda goes up top but Toyota joins her, Shimoda pushes Toyota back down however and delivers the missile dropkick. Boot by Toyota and she gets Shimoda on her shoulders, Shimoda wiggles away but Toyota hits a German suplex. Toyota goes up top and nails the moonsault, but Shimoda kicks out. Yokota gets on the second turnbuckle before she is tagged in, hitting a somersault legdrop for two. Toyota boots Shimoda, fisherman buster by Yokota and she covers Shimoda for a two count. Yokota picks up Shimoda, Shimoda slides away and she cradles for two. Inoue runs in and boots Yokota, Toyota takes care of her but Shimoda hits a German suplex onto Toyota. Tiger suplex hold by Shimoda to Yokota, she drags her up but Toyota boots Shimoda again. Yokota and Shimoda trade flash pins, until Yokota holds down Shimoda long enough for the three count! Jaguar Yokota and Manami Toyota win!

What stood out the most about this match is that Jaguar Yokota is still a beast. At 52 years old she was still doing cannonballs off the apron, somersault leg drops, and everything else. All four were giving maximum effort, as I mentioned above even though none are spring chickens anymore they still wrestle with the same amount of energy as they always have and clearly love to do it. The ending being off a flash pin wasn’t a big deal since both teams hit some of their big moves prior, and all four got a chance to show off a bit. A fun legends tag team match, these four are probably all in the Top 50 Joshi Wrestlers of All Time list and its great they still are able to bring it.  Recommended

Kyoko Inoue and Tomoko Watanabe vs. Yumiko Hotta and Mask de Sun
Cage Death Match

The match is under typical Joshi cage rules, meaning in order to win both members of the team must climb over the top of the cage and hit the floor. If they return for some reason (which happens), they then must re-exit the cage again to count as escaped. There are no tag rules of course since they are in a cage, and there are other weapons in the ring including a table and a ladder. I am going to buck my usual tradition of referring to wrestlers by their name in the match and refer to Mask de Sun going forward as Kyoko Kimura, because it is easier to type and will probably be easier to read. Since this match will be pure chaos the play by play will be less precise than usual, I’m just going to make sure I hit the big stuff.

Inoue and Watanabe get the first advantage in the match and quickly try to escape the cage, but they get grabbed before they can successfully make it out. Kimura gets a chain and starts beating Watanabe with it, busting her open in the process. So we get our first blood approximately 30 seconds into the match. Hotta gets a board and whacks both opponents with it, Kimura and Hotta then rake their opponent’s faces into the cage. The weapons focused beat down by Hotta and Kimura continues as Hotta gets a chain as well, Watanabe is bleeding everywhere as her partner Inoue begins to fight back.  Inoue finally gets the upper hand on Hotta while Watanabe rams Kimura’s head into the cage, Watanabe tries to bail out of the ring but Kimura pulls her back to the apron. Inoue gets the board and hits Hotta with it (Inoue naturally is bleeding as well by now), Watanabe then does the same to Kimura until the board breaks. Hotta and Kimura get chains to take back over, Hotta then gets the ladder and props it up in the corner. Inoue tries to leave again and gets to the top of the cage, but Kimura joins her as they straddle the top and trade punches.

Hotta drags Inoue back down, Kimura returns too but Watanabe recovers and both she and Inoue lariat Hotta in the corner. Kimura is next getting a series of lariats, double suplexes by Watanabe and Inoue and Watanabe hits a splash from the top rope. Inoue and Watanabe decide its time to leave and start climbing, but immediately are grabbed from behind and tosses back in the ring. Hotta starts throwing chairs at Inoue and Watanabe while Kimura wrapping them in chains, she then gets the ladder and slams it down onto them. Hotta and Kimura go to leave but Watanabe and Inoue quickly recover and stop them, Hotta gets a ladder and wraps a chain around it while the chains are still attached to Inoue and Watanabe, pulling them both to the mat. This gives Kimura time to escape, leaving Hotta alone with Watanabe and Inoue. Watanabe and Inoue immediately jump on Hotta and double team her, Watanabe and Inoue both go to escape the cage with Watanabe making it over. From the outside, Kimura prevents Inoue from getting over the top, which for the moment leaves Hotta and Inoue alone in the ring. Inoue and Hotta grab different ends of the chain, but end up hitting each other at the same time, leaving both on the mat. Inoue is up first but Hotta punches her in the face, Hotta goes to escape but Inoue joins her and suplexes Hotta down to the mat.

It should be noted that at some point, someone has propped up a ladder leaving against the cage outside the ring, to make it easier for one of the two to climb out. Hotta throws a ladder at Inoue, Hotta starts to climb the ladder but Inoue pushes her backwards, with the ladder landing on Hotta. Hotta is out of commission from that so Kimura climbs back up to stop Inoue from escaping, Hotta miraculously recovers and suplexes Inoue to the mat. Hotta sets up a table near the corner and puts Inoue on it, Kimura is perched on the top of the cage and she dives back into the ring with a diving footstomp onto Inoue. Which doesn’t break the table so Inoue just rolls to the mat. Hotta goes to escape but Inoue already is back up and grabs her leg, Watanabe climbs the ladder from outside the ring to further block Hotta from escaping. Kimura has re-escaped in the meantime while Hotta pushes Inoue back down to the mat, Hotta climbs over the top of the cage and onto the ladder but Inoue grabs her from inside the ring before she can hit the floor. Hotta spits green mist at Inoue to get her to let go, and Hotta hits the floor! Yumiko Hotta and Mask de Sun are the winners.

It probably goes without saying that this match had an insane amount of violence. Everyone not wearing a mask was bleeding, and some of the spots were brutal, particularly Hotta falling with the ladder on top of her from the turnbuckles. I loved the carnage and the chaos, not a lot of promotions do matches like this anymore so it felt like a breath of fresh air. The main issue of the match is a common one in Joshi cage matches – wrestlers recover way too quickly from some of the bigger moves. I am not sure how Hotta could still stand after her ladder bump but she was up very quickly with no side effects, as was Inoue after the table footstomp. It makes the matches more exciting since that way we don’t sit through minutes of the wrestlers just lying on the mat, or climbing the cage in super silly slow motion, but it does defy logic that they can recover that quickly. Aside from that critique I loved it, maybe partially because it felt so different from what I’ve been watching recently but it was about all I could have hoped for. If you like cage carnage like I do, I couldn’t recommend it enough.  Highly Recommended

The post Diana 3rd Anniversary Show ~ Danger Zone on 4/29/14 Review appeared first on Joshi City.

One thing that I am a complete sucker for is retirement shows. I love the atmosphere, the emotion, everything about them. Sure, not all wrestling retirements stick long term (looking at you, Chigusa Nagayo) but I still enjoy them anyway, as not only are they special events but the wrestlers tend to put a little more effort to make the send-off for their friend more memorable. I purchased this event on DVD as it didn’t air anywhere, I’ll only be reviewing the regular wrestling matches on the show. Here is the card:

• Debbie Malenko, Jaguar Yokota, and Kaoru Ito vs. Kyoko Inoue, Takako Inoue, and Mariko Yoshida
• Aja Kong, AKINO, and Mary Apache vs. Leon, Mariko Yoshida, and Melissa
• Aoi Kizuki and Misaki Ohata vs. Bambi and Cherry
• Maruko Yoshida Retirement Match: Mariko Yoshida vs. Hiroyo Matsumoto

All the wrestlers above have profiles on Joshi City, you can click on their names to go straight to it. These matches won’t have a ton of backstory but I’ll at least fill in some gaps on who the wrestlers are and why they are on the card.

Debbie Malenko, Yokota, and Ito vs. Kyoko Inoue, Takako Inoue, and Mariko Yoshida

Yoshida and Malenko start the match, they grapple until Malenko gets Yoshida to the mat, but Yoshida switches positions with her as struggle for control. Malenko gets a short armbar applied but Yoshida quickly gets into the ropes for the break, Yoshida tags in Kyoko while Ito is also tagged in. Ito immediately hits a big lariat, she picks up Kyoko and the pair trade elbows. Short range lariat by Ito but Kyoko doesn’t go down, she returns fire as the veterans go back and forth with lariats. Kyoko wins the battle and tags in Takako, double Irish whip to Ito and she eats a double kick to the gut. Yoshida comes in too and poses on top of Ito, she stays in and tries to suplex Ito, but Ito blocks it and hits a back bodydrop. Ito throws Yoshida into the corner and hits a lariat, running senton by Ito and she covers Yoshida for two. Crab hold by Ito but she lets go after a moment, Irish whip by Ito but Yoshida flips over her back and cradles Ito for two. Yoshida tags in Takako, boots by Takako to Ito but Ito lariats her to the mat. Takako elbows Ito away and delivers a high kick, but Ito eventually has enough and drops her with a uranage. Ito tags in Yokota but Takako catches her with a backdrop suplex. Yoshida comes in but Yokota sends them both down, they recover however and Takako cradles Yokota for two. Yokota recovers and shoulderblocks Takako into the corner, Irish whip by Yokota but Takako hits a bridging backdrop suplex for two.

She tags in Kyoko, lariat by Kyoko but Ito runs in and lariats Kyoko. Things break down as all six come into the ring, Kyoko gets Yokota onto the top turnbuckle and hits a superplex for two. Kyoko picks up Yokota and goes for a powerbomb, but Yokota reverses it with a hurricanrana. Somersault legdrop by Yokota and she tags in Malenko, who comes in the ring with a diving face crusher for two. Running back elbow by Malenko and she hits a second one, but Kyoko chops her to the mat. Malenko goes for a cutter but Kyoko pushes her off and tags in Yoshida, double underhook facebuster by Yoshida and she covers Malenko for a two count. Irish whip by Yoshida but Yoshida is grabbed from the apron, giving Malenko a chance to deliver a boot. Yokota comes in and helps Malenko hit a double backdrop suplex onto Yoshida, before Ito follows with a diving footstomp. Malenko picks up Yoshida and delivers a Northern Lights Suplex, but the pin is broken up. STF by Malenko but Yoshida crawls to the ropes to get the break. Everyone runs in the ring as the action breaks down, Kyoko lariats both Ito and Malenko and Yoshida cradles Malenko for two. Yoshida picks up Malenko and puts her in the Spider Twist, and she has no choice but to submit! Double Inoue and Mariko Yoshida are the winners!

A fun way to kick off the show. What I loved the most was the maximum effort shown by everyone, I mean Kyoko hit a superplex while 56 year old Yokota was flying around with a hurricanrana and somersault legdrop, they didn’t hold anything back. Malenko looked great in her first official wrestling match since 1993, and Kaoru Ito is still really solid as well. Even though it was a ‘reunion’ match they didn’t wrestle like it as there were no lighthearted moments – they were all in from start to finish. Better than I would have imagined, enjoyable in every aspect.  Recommended

Aja Kong, AKINO, and Mary Apache vs. Leon, Mariko Yoshida, and Melissa

Yoshida and AKINO start the match, AKINO immediately sneaks in a backslide but it gets a two count. AKINO goes off the ropes but lll kicks her from the apron, Yoshida and AKINO grapple on the mat and trade submissions until they reach a stalemate. lll and Apache tag in, armdrag by lll but Apache returns the favor as they go back and forth. They reach a stalemate as well as they return to their feet, Irish whip by Apache but lll delivers the spear. lll tags in Melissa, elbow drop by Melissa and she applies the Kondo Clutch, but Apache gets into the ropes. Apache gets away from Melissa, Melissa goes for a scoop slam but Apache blocks it and lands on top of her. Heel kick by Apache and she tags in Kong, Irish whip by Kong but Melissa hits a lariat. Kong doesn’t budge, they both try to knock the other one over but Kong outsmarts Melissa and knocks her to her knees. Kong picks up Melissa but Melissa knocks Kong to the mat with a lariat, diving strike by Melissa and she tags in Yoshida. Kong punches Yoshida in the throat and kicks her in the head, she goes for a suplex but Yoshida lands on her feet and applies a sleeper. Kong almost goes to sleep but gets a hand on the ropes in time, Yoshida goes for a suplex but she can’t get Kong over. Leon comes in to help but Kong suplexes both of them instead, giving her time to tag in AKINO. Kicks by AKINO to Yoshida but Yoshida blocks a lariat attempt and puts AKINO in the Spider Twist.

AKINO rolls out of it and puts Yoshida in the Spider Twist instead, but Yoshida also rolls out of it and applies an ankle hold. AKINO gets out of it and puts Yoshida in a cross armbreaker, but Yoshida pins down AKINO’s shoulders for a two count. High kick by AKINO, Apache runs in but Yoshida blocks her powerbomb attempt and throws Apache out of the ring. AKINO has gone up top in the meantime but Melissa joins her and hits an avalanche Samoan Drop, Leon goes up top and nails a somersault senton onto AKINO for a two count. Leon picks up AKINO but AKINO blocks the Capture Buster, Apache runs in and lariats Leon before Kong drops her with a backdrop suplex. High kick by AKINO, she covers Leon but Yoshida breaks it up. AKINO picks up Leon but Leon slides away, she goes for a sunset flip but AKINO blocks it. Melissa runs in and elbows AKINO, double underhook facebuster by Yoshida to AKINO and Leon delivers her diving body press for another two count cover. Leon picks up AKINO but AKINO avoids her kick and punches Leon in the head. Yoshida tries to help but boots Leon by accident, Melissa comes in but she is shoulderblocked by Kong and Apache. Kong and Apache accidentally run into each other, Leon goes off the ropes and delivers a high kick, but AKINO snaps off a hurricanrana for the three count! Aja Kong, AKINO, and Mary Apache are the winners.

Not as good as the last match but still solid. There were some chemistry issues, which isn’t surprising since some of these wrestlers don’t wrestle each other very often (if ever), but it all came together for the home stretch. AKINO was the workhorse here, she was really on top of her game and helped tie the match together. Too disjointed to recommend too strongly but I still an easy and entertaining watch.  Mildly Recommended

Aoi Kizuki and Misaki Ohata vs. Bambi and Cherry

Aoi and Misaki attack before the match starts and double team their opponents in the corner, double vertical suplex to Bambi and they then suplex Cherry on top of her. Ohata and Cherry stay in as the legal wrestlers, Misaki tags in Aoi and Aoi hits Mongolian Chops onto Cherry. Elbow by Aoi in the corner and she hits a face crusher, running senton by Aoi and she covers Cherry for two. Misaki returns but Cherry hits a jumping neck drop on both of them, Cherry picks up Aoi but Aoi snaps her back over her knee before slamming Cherry fast-first into the match. Aoi goes for a diving senton but Cherry moves, Cherry goes for an armbreaker and gets it locked in, but Aoi quickly wiggles to the ropes for the break. Cherry tags Bambi, Bambi chops Aoi in the corner and Cherry returns as both hit running hip attacks onto Aoi. Irish whip by Bambi, reversed by Aoi but Bambi avoids her charge and hits a high kick. Running boot by Bambi, and she covers Aoi for two. Bambi charges Aoi but Aoi kicks her back and applies a sunset flip for two, Bambi goes off the ropes but Aoi chops her in the chest and hits the double wrist-clutch armsault. Jumping lariat by Aoi and she tags in Misaki, Misaki elbows Bambi in the corner and delivers the low crossbody. Misaki goes up top but Bambi ducks the crossbody and boots Misaki in the face. Misaki fights back and dropkicks Bambi in the face, she goes off the ropes but Bambi delivers a big boot again. Bambi tags Cherry, Cherry goes up top and hits a missile dropkick, double Irish whip to Misaki and she is knocked down by a double shoulderblock. Body press by Bambi, Cherry goes to the top turnbuckle and nails the Swanton Bomb, but Aoi breaks up the cover. Cherry goes off the ropes but Aoi elbows her, Misaki cradles Cherry but it gets a two count. Bambi tries to help but boots Cherry by accident, lariat by Misaki to Cherry and she hits a German suplex hold for a two count. Misaki picks up Cherry and nails the Fisherman Buster, but Bambi breaks up the pin. Misaki picks up Cherry but Cherry gets away and chops her in the face, uranage by Cherry and both wrestlers are down. Cherry recovers first but Aoi dropkicks her, double Irish whip to Cherry but Cherry avoids them both and cradles Misaki for two. Bambi is back but Aoi throws her out of the ring, Misaki cradles Cherry from behind but Cherry reverses it as they trade flash pins. Spinning chop by Ohata and she applies a hammerlock into a cradle for the three count! Misaki Ohata and Cherry win the match.

This felt like a standard midcard tag match, which is to say it was perfectly fine but nothing memorable about it at all. Bambi can’t really keep up with Aoi and Misaki so the pace wasn’t quite what you’d expect, and some of the strikes were a bit loose. Cherry looked inspired though and had a lot of emotion, and generally speaking nothing was really wrong with it and they kept it short. Decent enough but nothing more than that.

Mariko Yoshida vs. Hiroyo Matsumoto
Mariko Yoshida Retirement Match

Yoshida asks for Matsumoto’s hand as the match starts, Matsumoto goes to shake it but Yoshida cradles her for a quick two count. Starting her retirement match with a bang. Kick to the stomach by Yoshida and she throws down Matsumoto by the hair, another kick by Yoshida and she covers Matsumoto for two. Choke by Yoshida and she puts Matsumoto in a headscissors, but Matsumoto quickly gets out of it. Bodyscissors by Yoshida but Matsumoto gets out of that as well and puts Yoshida in a crab hold, Yoshida crawls to the ropes and she reaches them to force the break. Chops by Matsumoto, she gets Yoshida on her shoulders and tries to decide where to toss her, with the wrestlers at ringside trying to discourage her. Matsumoto eventually tosses Yoshida out of the ring anyway and down onto the wrestling mob at ringside, but the wrestlers help out and hold Matsumoto out on the floor so that Yoshida can go to the top turnbuckle and dive down onto Matsumoto. Back in the ring, Matsumoto puts Yoshida in the corner and all the wrestlers at ringside come into the ring to take turns on Yoshida, with a variety of strikes, hugs, and even a kiss. Yoshida comes out of this two minutes later in pretty rough condition, Matsumoto covers her but she only gets a two count. Crab hold by Matsumoto but again Yoshida reaches the ropes, scoop slam by Matsumoto and she delivers the reverse double kneedrop, but Yoshida gets a shoulder up.

Matsumoto goes up top and she hits a missile dropkick, another cover but she only gets two. Yoshida slaps Matsumoto but Matsumoto slaps her back, Matsumoto goes for a powerbomb but Yoshida gets out of it and applies the sleeper hold. Spider Twist by Yoshida but Matsumoto gets up while still in the hold and slams Yoshida into the turnbuckles. Yoshida flips Matsumoto and applies a cross armbreaker, but Matsumoto gets to the ropes. Boots by Yoshida but Matsumoto hits a body avalanche against the ropes, she goes for the sliding lariat but Yoshida ducks it and puts Matsumoto in an armtrap facelock. Yoshida reverts it into the Spider Twist but after struggling for a bit, Matsumoto is able to make it to the ropes. Yoshida picks up Matsumoto and goes for the Air Raid Crash, but Matsumoto blocks it and goes for a powerbomb. Yoshida rolls out of it, Matsumoto goes for the backdrop suplex and eventually hits it, but is too hurt to make the cover. They slowly get up and trade strikes, with Matsumoto winning the battle with a hard club to the head. Matsumoto picks up Yoshida but knocks her back down with an elbow, she drags Yoshida to her feet and nails the powerbomb, but Yoshida gets a shoulder up. Matsumoto picks up Yoshida and goes for the backdrop suplex, but Yoshida reverses it with the Air Raid Crash! She’s too hurt to make the quick cover, she eventually does so but Matsumoto kicks out. Back up, hard lariats by Matsumoto and she nails the Backdrop Driver for the three count! Hiroyo Matsumoto is the winner!

As I mentioned at the top, I love retirement matches, and this one certainly hit the spot. Obviously Yoshida isn’t the force she was in her prime, but she still can bring it when she needs to and mostly kept up with one of the top Joshi wrestlers on the scene. Yoshida had a few really close calls, with the Air Raid Crash and Spider Twist, but realistically speaking she wasn’t going to win against her younger trainee even though she put up a good fight. The match was played pretty straight, as it went almost 20 minutes and only a few minutes of that was spent doing retirement match type spots, and they really delivered. Yoshida went out holding nothing back (and taking lots of damage in the process), showing why she in her heyday was one of the top female wrestlers in the world. Really entertaining match and worth tracking down.  Highly Recommended

The post Mariko Yoshida Retirement Mariko Final – 11/19/17 Review appeared first on Joshi City.

It is hard to summarize how important Manami Toyota was and always will be to Joshi Wrestling. That’s another column for another day, but from her career in AJW to her continued role in wrestling she has left a mark that will never be forgotten. This retirement show does a match style that isn’t uncommon at anniversaries or retirements, nor is it the first gauntlet match of Manami Toyota’s career. The idea behind the match is Manami Toyota will have a long series of singles matches, the vast majority of which have a one minute time limit (except the first and last few matches). The list of wrestlers she will be against includes old friends, current enemies, and everyone between. Some pairings will be serious, some will be playful, but its really about giving the wrestlers a chance to say goodbye in their own way. Of course, it is filmed for our enjoyment as well. This will be the longest match list of any show I will ever review, here is what we have in store for us:

• Manami Toyota vs. Mayumi Ozaki, Yumi Ohka, Maya Yukihi, and Alex Lee
• Manami Toyota vs. Tequila Saya
• Manami Toyota vs. Mochi Miyagi and Hamuko Hoshi
• Manami Toyota vs. Meiko Satomura
• Manami Toyota vs. Emi Sakura
• Manami Toyota vs. Rina Yamashita
• Manami Toyota vs. Tsubasa Kuragaki
• Manami Toyota vs. AKINO
• Manami Toyota vs. Risa Sera
• Manami Toyota vs. Drake Morimatsu
• Manami Toyota vs. Cherry
• Manami Toyota vs. Aoi Kizuki
• Manami Toyota vs. Yuki Miyazaki
• Manami Toyota vs. Bolshoi Kid
• Manami Toyota vs. Sakura Hirota and GAMI
• Manami Toyota vs. Kaori Yoneyama
• Manami Toyota vs. Sonoko Kato
• Manami Toyota vs. Leon
• Manami Toyota vs. Yuu Yamagata
• Manami Toyota vs. ASUKA
• Manami Toyota vs. Kaho Kobayashi
• Manami Toyota vs. Hikaru Shida
• Manami Toyota vs. Hiroyo Matsumoto
• Manami Toyota vs. Ayako Hamada
• Manami Toyota vs. Chikayo Nagashima
• Manami Toyota vs. Ikuto Hidaka
• Manami Toyota vs.  Papillon Akemi
• Manami Toyota vs. Gabai-jichan
• Manami Toyota vs. Kanjyouro Matsuyama
• Manami Toyota vs. KID
• Manami Toyota vs. Small Antonio Inoki
• Manami Toyota vs. Otoko Sakari
• Manami Toyota vs. Isami Kodaka
• Manami Toyota vs. Ryuji Ito
• Manami Toyota vs. Carlos Amano
• Manami Toyota vs. Mima Shimoda
• Manami Toyota vs. Itsuki Yamazaki
• Manami Toyota vs. Bull Nakano
• Manami Toyota vs. Chigusa Nagayo
• Manami Toyota vs. Jaguar Yokota
• Manami Toyota vs. Mariko Yoshida
• Manami Toyota vs. Nanae Takahashi
• Manami Toyota vs. KAORU
• Manami Toyota vs. Kaoru Ito
• Manami Toyota vs. Tomoko Watanabe
• Manami Toyota vs. Takako Inoue
• Manami Toyota vs. Yumiko Hotta
• Manami Toyota vs. Kyoko Inoue
• Manami Toyota vs. Tsukasa Fujimoto
• Manami Toyota vs. Tsukasa Fujimoto
• Manami Toyota Retirement Match: Manami Toyota vs. Tsukasa Fujimoto

There also will be a retirement ceremony, which I won’t “review” but I will still discuss at the end of the article. As I mentioned, the vast majority of these matches have a one minute time limit, except for the opener and the final series of matches against Tsukasa Fujimoto. There is a method to the madness, as for some sections the string of wrestlers in a row is promotion-based, then with the older veterans from Toyota’s heyday going last.

The event starts with by far the least fair match of the night, as Manami Toyota faces off against all four members of Ozaki Army. Mayumi Ozaki and Manami Toyota have been battling since the early 90s in AJW and never stopped, as they had matches in GAEA Japan and of course OZ Academy as well. The other members have less of a connection, but they still happily join in as Toyota is beaten by all four of them (plus of course Police). The match goes better once Toyota isolates Ozaki, but it doesn’t last long as Toyota is quadruple teamed and tosses out of the ring. Ozaki Army takes the fight into the crowd and pummel Toyota, Ozaki returns to the ring as the referee counts and Toyota is counted out! Ozaki Army win the match.

So on a night that Manami Toyota has over 50 matches, she starts out getting beaten with chairs and whatever other weapons they can find. Toyota eventually does make it back into the ring, at first Ozaki throws the flowers at her but eventually does pick them up and nicely hands them to her. The other members of Ozaki Army follow suit, except for Police, who throws a chair at her instead. Police was always an asshole.

Tequila Saya is next. Saya is an Ice Ribbon wrestler with limited interactions with Toyota over the years, with only a few tag matches between them. Toyota doesn’t seem to take Saya too seriously  as she sends her flying with a missile dropkick, moonsault by Toyota and she gets the three count! Manami Toyota defeats Tequila Saya. Toyota doesn’t get much of a chance to relax as its back to a handicap match, with Toyota facing off against the Lovely Butchers. They bring Manami a hat and instead of fighting, they all dance together. They even get Toyota do do their signature pose but they jump her while she is doing it and give her the double body block for the double pin three count! Manami Toyota falls for the second time tonight, but they still all pose together and no hard feelings are had.

Next down the ramp is the woman that has no chill – Meiko Satomura. Satomura and Toyota first wrestled in GAEA in the late 90s and had many encounters in the promotion of the years. Since GAEA Japan closed their paths have crossed a few times in Satomura’s Sendai Girls’ promotion. Satomura and Toyota have such a high level of respect for each other that it took time for them to lock up, Satomura eventually hits a DDT and cartwheel kneedrop but the minute has already expired and the match is a Draw. Gatoh Move wrestler and owner Emi Sakura enters the ring, Sakura immediately goes in with chops and delivers the low crossbody in the corner. Toyota slaps Emi Sakura, Riho runs in and with Toyota they pose over Sakura. Toyota puts Sakura in a camel clutch, and she submits! Manami Toyota gets her second win of the night.

Young WAVE wrestler Rina Yamashita is Toyota’s next challenger, Toyota boots her but Rina kicks out of her continuous covers. Rina connects with a hard shoulderblock but she is so excited she never covers Toyota and the time expires. They hug before Rina exits the ring and Tsubasa Kuragaki takes her turn. Kuragaki and Toyota began their battles in JWP back in 2006 and haven’t stopped, as they frequently were paired up in OZ Academy. Kuragaki gets Toyota in the corner and lariats her, she gets Toyota on her back in a backbreaker before she drops her to the mat. Kuragaki goes up top and nails a moonsault, but Toyota bridges out of the cover. Kuragaki picks up Toyota and lariats her, but the bell rings as the match is a Draw. Another hug, and fellow OZ Academy wrestler AKINO takes her spot.

Six matches down, lots more to go! AKINO is another common enemy and foe from OZ Academy, which was Toyota’s primary home the last several years. AKINO gets Toyota in the corner and bootscrapes her, but doesn’t go for the pin as time expires for the Draw. AKINO helps her up before Ice Ribbon wrestler Risa Sera charges the ring to take her shot at the retiring legend. A slew of Ice Ribbon wrestlers jump into the ring with Risa Sera and they all attack Toyota in the corner, Sera goes up top and she nails the diving kneedrop, she hits a second one but the bell rings before she can cover her so the match is a Draw. Almost all retirement matches at some point have a string where the retiring wrestler is attacked by tons of wrestlers in rapid succession, and it may not be the last time. But Toyota gets a special gift from the Ice Ribbon wrestlers after Sera’s match, and everyone poses for the camera.

Drake Morimatsu is next! You may not be familar with Drake, she current wrestles in GUTS WORLD, she started her career in FMW and is definitely an ‘old school’ veteran. She comes into the ring with a baseball bat and hits Toyota with it a few times, lariat by Drake and she covers Toyota, but pulls her up before the three count. Another lariat but she does the same thing, she hits a Samoan Driver but Toyota kicks out of the cover. Drake gets the bat again and hits Toyota with it, but the bell rings which saves Toyota from more carnage. I really enjoyed the feel of this one, very different as Drake showed her old FMW side with the weapon-based offense.

Cherry bops down to the ring, she repeatedly steps on Toyota’s toes and chops her in the face, but Toyota chops her back. Toyota wins the strike exchange but the bell rings, signifying the match is a Draw. Aoi Kizuki is next, Aoi is a young popular Freelancer that wrestles in a variety of promotions. Aoi immediately dropkicks Toyota and hits a jumping lariat, double wrist-clutch suplex by Aoi and she goes for the swivel body press, but Toyota gets her feet up. Japanese Ocean Queen Bee Bomb by Toyota and she gets the three count! Toyota has won her third match of the evening. Aoi is laughing and smiling even as getting pinned, which is accepted in these situations as I am sure she was thrilled to be part of Toyota’s retirement show.

Next is Yuki Miyazaki, she charges Toyota but Toyota boots her. She goes up top but Yuki joins her and gives her a big ‘ol kiss. Superplex by Yuki and she puts Manami in a Compromising Position, where she stays until the bell rings for the One Minute Draw. Poor Toyota, that’s what happens when you wrestle Yuki. Bolshoi Kid comes down, this is I am assuming Command Bolshoi wrestling in her old gimmick, which is a more playful clown. Bolshoi Kid gives Toyota a little bag and they both throw things into the crowd, but Bolshoi Kid schoolboys her from behind for the three count! A rare loss for the gullible Manami Toyota, hopefully she learned something from this experience.

On paper, Manami Toyota vs. GAMI and Sakura Hirota looks normal, but it isn’t….. since both are dressed as Manami Toyota. So this is Manami Toyota vs. her two clones. The real Toyota is double teamed and imitated by the two impostors, Oil Check by Sakura and GAMI hits Toyota with her horn. Luckily for Toyota the bell rings and the match is a Draw. Up next is Kaori Yoneyama, she is affiliated with YMZ but wrestles in a bunch of promotions including OZ Academy and Stardom. Yoneyama wants Toyota to wave a flag she brought down to the ring, which she does, but Yoneyama schoolboys her from behind for a two count. Yoneyama goes for a roll-up but Toyota reverses it, getting the three count! Manami Toyota gets her fourth win of the night. OZ Academy wrestler Sonoko Kato takes her turn, lots of kicks by Kato as she is taking this one minute match very seriously. Cannonball by Kato and she nails the diving leg drop, but the bell rings as she makes the cover so the match is a Draw. Manami gives Kato a rolling cradle just for fun before Kato leaves the ring and the next wrestler enters.

Leon throws Toyota into the corner and spears her, another spear by Leon and she hits the Frog Splash, but Toyota kicks out of the cover. Heel drop by Toyota and she nails the Japanese Ocean Queen Bee Bomb, but Leon barely kicks out of the cover and the bell rings, as time has expired. Leon barely survives and other Pure Dream wrestlers get into the ring as they all give Manami Toyota their final goodbyes. Yuu Yamagata is next, these two have had very limited interactions over the years even though they are seasoned veterans, as Toyota rarely wrestled in Pro Wrestling WAVE. Enzuigiri by Yuu but Toyota hits a snap vertical suplex and a second one The bell rings soon thereafter as the time has expired, making the match a draw!

WAVE wrestler ASUKA comes down and she hits Toyota with a springboard moonsault, dropkick by ASUKA and Toyota falls out of the ring. ASUKA dives out onto her with a tope con hilo, she then goes back up top and hits a missile dropkick down to the floor, in an homage to Toyota. Everyone is hurt outside the ring as the bell rings, as time has expired. ASUKA seems more hurt than Toyota as she likely regrets that spot, Toyota returns to the ring as my personal favorite Kaho Kobayashi enters. Kaho dropkicks Toyota and goes up top to hit a missile dropkick, elbows by Kaho and she covers Toyota for a two count. Boots by Toyota and she nails the Japanese Ocean Cyclone Suplex, and she picks up the three count! Manami Toyota defeats her fifth wrestler so far today.

Hikaru Shida takes the next shot (this is the 21st match for Manami Toyota so far), while her friend Syuri watches from ringside. Shida goes for hip attacks, at first Toyota blocks them with her own hip but she finally connects with one. Syuri comes in the ring and with Shida they both kick Toyota, but Toyota breaks out of the cover. Falcon Arrow by Shida, but the bell rings before she can make a cover so the match is a Draw. Syuri returns and both present Toyota with flowers, once she is able to get back up. Hiroyo Matsumoto and her Godzilla mask is next, she shakes Toyota’s hand but kicks her before putting the Godzilla mask onto Toyota. Body avalanche by Hiroyo, she takes the mask off Toyota and hits a missile dropkick. Toyota slowly gets up, Hiroyo allows her to go up top and she hits a missile dropkick as the bell rings, giving Toyota another Draw.

Ayako Hamada is the next challenger, Hamada immediately dropkicks Toyota but she misses the heel kick. Enzuigiri by Hamada and she hits a DDT, superkick by Hamada but Toyota kicks out of the pinfall. Samoan Driver by Hamada, but the bell rings before she can finish the cover, as Toyota escapes another match with a Draw. The rest of the WAVE wrestlers get in the ring and they pose with Toyota for a photo-op, signifying the end of the WAVE string of challengers.

Veteran Freelancer Chikayo Nagashima is Toyota’s next opponent, she has a long history with Toyota as they fought in both GAEA and OZ Academy over the years. Chikayo hits Toyota repeatedly with her jacket and puts her in the rolling cradle, this takes literally the entire match until Chikayo stops just in time to get the three count pinfall! Chikayo Nagashima defeats Manami Toyota! Never know what is going to happen in these matches. Ikuto Hidaka is next, Hidaka is a ZERO1 wrestler with limited interactions with Toyota over the years. Toyota dropkicks Hidaka as soon as the match starts but Hidaka strikes her back, snap German by Toyota and she hits a heel drop for a two count. Boots by Toyota but the bell rings before anything else of note happens, and the match is a Draw.

Things are going off the rails a bit, as Papillon Akemi is next. He wrestles in smaller promotions such as GUTS World and I have no idea how he got into this match. Kick and a snapmare by Akemi, but Toyota puts him in the rolling cradle, but the bell rings before she can finish the move for a cover. The match is a Draw. Gabai-jichan very very slowly comes down to the ring (he has an ‘old man’ gimmick so he can’t walk very fast), with Toyota getting impatient in the ring for him to hurry up. The referee starts the match and the 20 count, Toyota goes out to help Gabai-jichan get into the ring while they pose for pictures. Toyota helps roll Gabai-jichan into the ring but he knocks her back to the floor with his cane, and Toyota is counted out! Gabai-jichan wins by dubious means, but the crowd enjoyed it.

The series continues going down the wrong path as creepy wrestler Kanjyouro Matsuyama is the next one down. Matsuyama tries to attack Toyota with his fan, but she avoids it and hits him with it instead. They trade slaps until Matsuyama is thrown into the corner, she gets Toyota’s wrist and walks the ropes, but he falls off of them before he can finish the move. The bell rings, and the match is declared a Draw. KID is next, I can’t find anything online on who KID is, but Toyota promptly boots him in the face and gets the three count pinfall! Toyota gets her sixth win of the gauntlet. Small Antonio Inoki is next, we still have a few more goofy challengers, punches to the head by Small Inoki and he applies a Cobra Twist. He goes up top and hits the diving kneedrop, more kneedrops by Small Inoki and he hits an enzuigiri. He goes to put Toyota in an Octopus Hold but the bell rings, the match is a Draw!

Otoko Sakari (Alexander Otsuka) is the next opponent, as Toyota faces her second man of the night that is only wearing a thong. Strikes by Toyota, she goes for a sunset flip but Sakari blocks it. Sakari tries to get away but Toyota grabs him by the thong, pulling it down to expose Sakari. The referee finds this offensive so he rings for the bell, disqualifying Sakari, giving Toyota her seventh win so far! Isami Kodaka is next, he throws streamers at Toyota to distract her before kicking Toyota out of the ring and sailing out onto her with a tope suicida. Back in the ring, Kodaka grabs Toyota’s hair but Toyota kicks him low and delivers the Japanese Ocean Cyclone Suplex Hold for the three count! Toyota gets her eighth win of the evening. Big Japan wrestler Ryuji Ito is the final male challenger in this intergender run of opponents, he comes down to the ring with a barbed wire board. He sets up the board in the corner but Toyota jumps him and tries to throw him into it. He blocks it and goes for a suplex, but Toyota reverses the suplex and puts the barbed wire board on the mat. Ito scoop slams Toyota onto the barbed wire board, but Toyota kicks out of the pin. Ito keeps her on the board, he goes up top and he nails the Dragon Splash for the three count! Manami Toyota is defeated by the Big Japan star.

Now we have reached a run of challengers from Toyota’s past. Retired wrestler Carlos Amano is first, Amano and Toyota held tag team championships together in both GAEA Japan and OZ Academy. They don’t want to wrestle, so they set up chairs in the ring and talk to each other instead. I can’t understand what they are saying, but they seem to be having a good time. Amano gives Toyota a letter, which she reads as the bell rings. The match is, obviously, a Draw. Mima Shimoda is next, with her friend and long time tag partner Etsuko Mita joining her at ringside. But Toyota won’t go at it alone, as old teammate and friend Toshiyo Yamada joins her at ringside as well to make everything fair. These four were friends and foes back in the mid-90s in AJW. Shimoda charges Toyota and hits a jumping neck drop, Mita runs in and chops Toyota in the chest as they both double team Toyota i the ropes. Yamada trips Shimoda from the floor, she gets in the ring as Toyota puts Shimoda in a camel clutch, kicking Shimoda in the chest. Around this time the bell rings, and the match is a Draw. Mita brings in a big present for Toyota and all four pose together in the ring.

Itsuki Yamazaki is next, she may be the least-known wrestler to casual fans as she retired back in 1991. You may know her better as part of the Jumping Bomb Angels, a popular Joshi tag team in the late 80s. She and Toyota also wrestled at Toyota’s 25th Anniversary Show, so the two made a strong bond during their brief time in AJW together. Yamazaki gets Toyota to the mat and starts working over her arm, Irish whip by Yamazaki and she hits a running elbow in the corner. Yamazaki pulls Toyota out of the ring and poses her for a picture, they get back in but the bell rings before she can do anything else, as the match is a Draw. Up next is Bull Nakano, yes THE LEGENDARY BULL NAKANO which obviously is exciting for me as I love Bull Nakano and this is her first televised match of any sort in over five years. Nakano looks great, and comes down to the ring with her nunchucks. Once the bell rings, she hits Toyota in the stomach with the nunchucks, but Toyota avoids the next shot and schoolboys Nakano for the three count! Manami Toyota wins and picks up her ninth victory so far.

Very few wrestlers could follow Nakano and not be a drop down in status, but Chigusa Nagayo is next. Nagayo is still a fairly active wrestler, she currently owns and promotes the wrestling promotion Marvelous. Nagayo and Toyota worked together quite a bit in GAEA Japan, and Nagayo already is tearing up before she even gets into the ring. They tie-up as both are getting emotional, but Toyota hits a scoop slam and covers Nagayo for the three count! They hug on the mat, as Manami Toyota wins her 10th match. Equally legendary Jaguar Yokota is next, as we reach a big string of wrestlers. Nakano, Nagayo, and Yokota are three of the biggest names in Joshi over the last 30 years and it feels really special seeing them all here to help send Toyota into retirement. Yokota is more stone-faced as they lock-up, Yokota kicks Toyota in the head and hits a somersault kick but the bell rings before she can further capitalize. The match is a Draw.

Mariko Yoshida is the next challenger, she also has had a great career and is best known for her work in ARSION. She’s also already crying before the match starts, Yoshida throws Toyota in the corner and boots her in the face. Toyota ducks the next boot but Yoshida puts her in the Spider Twist, luckily for Toyota the bell rings before she can submit, so the match is a Draw. Nanae Takahashi is next, she and Toyota both were in AJW together in the late 90s. Nanae charges Toyota and knocks her to the mat, Natsuki Taiyo comes in and dropkicks Toyota in the corner. Nanae grabs Toyota but Toyota drops her with the Japanese Ocean Queen Bee Bomb, Nanae returns to her feet however and hits a Japanese Ocean Queen Bee Bomb of her own for the three count! Nanae Takahashi wins the match!

It is now KAORU’s turn, KAORU is still an active wrestler and has battled with Toyota in a number of promotions over the years, ranging from AJW in the early 90s up to Marvelous and Diana just a few years ago. KAORU immediately hits Toyota repeatedly with her wooden panel, she picks up Toyota and suplexes her onto it but the referee won’t count the cover since she used the weapon. KAORU drags Toyota to the corner and tries to top the wood piece onto Toyota, but Toyota rolls out of the way as the bell rings. The match is a Draw as Kaoru Ito comes down, Ito and Toyota wrestled with and against each other many many times in the 1990s while wrestling AJW and also won the JWP Tag Team Championship together. Ito isn’t feeling the love as she immediately slams Toyota, Yoshida and another wrestler get in the ring and hit a double facecrusher. Diving footstomp by Ito, and she covers Toyota for the three count! Manami Toyota falls to Ito in painful fashion, but she gets a nice bouquet of flowers for her troubles.

The next challenger is Tomoko Watanabe, like Ito she wrestled with and against Toyota during much of their run in AJW in the 90s. The match starts but Watanabe wants a selfie with Toyota so they do that first. Lariat by Watanabe and she hits another one, a third lariat by Watanabe and a fourth, but as she goes for the cover the bell rings, and the match is a Draw. Former AJW wrestler Takako Inoue is next, they were usually on opposing teams in the tag division and kept wrestling after AJW folded in LLPW, OZ Academy, and Diana. Takako shakes hands but then grabs her baton, Toyota ducks the shot but Takako hits a DDT instead. Takako goes up top as Toyota joins her, but Takako hits an avalanche chokeslam for two. DDT by Takako and she goes up top again, but Toyota ducks the Takako Panic as the bell rings. The match is a Draw as they end the match with an embrace.

Veteran wrestler Yumiko Hotta is next, she has her chain with her of course. Hotta was one of Toyota’s main foes in their AJW years, and they had multiple title matches in their heyday. Hotta gets right to kicking Toyota but Toyota pushes her against the ropes, she charges Hotta but Hotta nails her with a heel kick. Cover by Hotta, but Toyota barely kicks out. Hotta picks up Toyota but Toyota sneaks in a cradle, she goes off the ropes but Hotta delivers another heel kick for the three count! Yumiko Hotta is the winner, as I think all these matches is starting to wear on Toyota a bit. Takako Inoue’s long time tag partner Kyoko Inoue is next (no relation), as we have seen with this set of wrestlers these two used to be common enemies in AJW. They eventually tie-up and Kyoko flings Toyota to the mat, Pyramid Driver by Kyoko Inoue but the bell rings as time expires, the match being declared a Draw. Some of the veteran wrestlers return to the ring again and give Toyota more flowers, as she prepares for Tsukasa Fujimoto.

The one minute time limit is out the window now, as Manami Toyota faces her last opponent, Tsukasa Fujimoto. While Manami Toyota didn’t train Fujimoto, their careers crossed several times as far back as 2011. Toyota was impressed with Fujimoto’s abilities, and in 2015 it was Tsukasa Fujimoto that Manami Toyota endorsed as her ‘successor’ and gave her permission to use all of the Japanese Ocean moves. So this is a fitting final opponent, as Toyota has her last match against the wrestler she believes will best continue her legacy. Before the match starts, Aja Kong gives Toyota some flowers – Kong and Toyota had a long match in late October which is likely why she wasn’t in the Gauntlet. Shinobu Kandori then comes down and gives Toyota flowers as well, she had a ‘final’ match with Toyota on October 22nd.

Tsukasa Fujimoto finally arrives and the match begins, Fujimoto immediately dropkicks Toyota and tries to get Toyota on her shoulders, but Toyota blocks it. Dropkick by Fujimoto as they reach a stalemate, Toyota twists up Fujimoto in the ropes and dropkicks her in the back. Fujimoto falls out of the ring, Toyota goes up top but Fujimoto recovers before Toyota can jump off and knocks Toyota to the floor. Fujimoto then gets on the top turnbuckle and dives down onto Toyota, Toyota returns to the ring but Fujimoto connects with a missile dropkick. Toyota recovers and puts Fujimoto in the rolling cradle, Toyota lets go and goes up top, delivering a missile dropkick. She goes up top again and hits another missile dropkick, but Fujimoto springs back to her feet and hits a dropkick of her own. Fujimoto sits Toyota in the corner and dropkicks her in the chest, she goes for the Japanese Ocean Cyclone Suplex but Toyota blocks it and hits a heel drop. Cover by Toyota, but it gets a two count. Toyota gets up on the top turnbuckle and she nails the moonsault, but Fujimoto bridges out of the pin. Fujimoto gets up near the ropes but Toyota grabs her and goes for the Japanese Ocean Cyclone Suplex. Fujimoto wiggles out of the hold and cradles Toyota for two, kicks to the back by Fujimoto and she hits a PK for a two count. Fujimoto goes up top but Toyota hits her she can jump off and joins her, Fujimoto goes over her back and hits an avalanche sunset flip powerbomb for two. Fujimoto goes for the Venus Shoot, but Toyota grabs her from behind and delivers the Japanese Ocean Cyclone Suplex for the three count! Manami Toyota wins!

The match immediately starts again, elbows by Fujimoto and she goes up top, but again Toyota joins her. Fujimoto knocks Toyota into the Tree of Woe and hits the diving footstomp, cover by Fujimoto but Toyota kicks out. Venus Shoot attempt again by Fujimoto but Toyota blocks it the same way, Fujimoto slides off Toyota’s back this time and hits a series of jumping footstomps for two counts. Fujimoto gets Toyota on her shoulders and hits the Japanese Ocean Cyclone Suplex, but Toyota gets a shoulder up. Heel drop by Toyota, she grabs Fujimoto and decapitates her with a Japanese Ocean Queen Bee Bomb. Both are slow to recover, Fujimoto picks up Toyota but Toyota snaps off a suplex. Toyota picks up Fujimoto and hits another Japanese Ocean Queen Bee Bomb, and she picks up the three count! Manami Toyota wins for the second time against Fujimoto.

Fujimoto quickly gets back up as the final match begins, kicks to the back by Fujimoto and she goes up top, but Toyota boots her off the top turnbuckle to the floor. Toyota goes up top and dives down onto Fujimoto (and a slew of other wrestlers that wanted to be part of the last dive of Toyota’s career), she slides Fujimoto back in and goes up top, hitting a missile dropkick. Cover by Toyota, but it gets two. Toyota picks up Fujimoto and hits the Japanese Ocean Cyclone Suplex, but Fujimoto gets a shoulder up. Toyota goes back up top but Fujimoto gets her feet up on the moonsault attempt, Fujimoto kips up and hits the Tsukka-chan☆Bomb, but Toyota kicks out. Fujimoto picks up Toyota and hits the PK, dropkick by Fujimoto and she hits a second one followed by a third. Fujimoto goes up top and delivers a missile dropkick, which she follows with two more. Another missile dropkick by Fujimoto, she covers Toyota but it only gets a two count. Venus Shoot by Fujimoto, she grabs Toyota and delivers the Japanese Ocean Cyclone Suplex for the three count! Tsukasa Fujimoto wins the final match in Manami Toyota’s career.

Following the match, many of the wrestlers Toyota faced tonight surround the ring, while Toyota says her final words. She gives Fujimoto her final blessings, and Fujimoto speaks for a moment as well. After that, per her wishes, a chair is brought into the ring and Toyota has her hair cut shorter, with her hair being donated to use for wigs for people that lost their hair due to medical issues. A photo and video slideshow then appears on the big screen, highlighting Toyota throughout her career, which continues for several minutes.

 

The post Manami Toyota Retirement Show on 11/3/17 Review appeared first on Joshi City.

Since a fair number of OZ Academy shows air on GAORA, it isn’t unusual for us to be a bit behind in watching the promotion’s more significant events. This show just recently aired and is a big one, as it takes place at the famous Korakuen Hall and has two title matches on top. Here is the full card:

• Kaori Yoneyama and Aoi Kizuki vs. Rina Yamashita and Yako Fujigasaki
• Konami vs. Sonoko Kato
• Aja Kong, Yoshiko, and Tsubasa Kuragaki vs. Mayumi Ozaki, Maya Yukihi, and Yumi Ohka
• Manami Toyota vs. Takako Inoue
• OZ Academy Tag Team Championship: Syuri and Hikaru Shida vs. AKINO and Kaho Kobayashi
• OZ Academy Openweight Championship: Hiroyo Matsumoto vs. Kagetsu

You can click on the wrestler’s name above to go to their profile page on Joshi City. As this aired on GAORA there is likely heavy clipping, I’ll make a note of any match that is noticeably missing content.

Kaori Yoneyama and Aoi Kizuki vs. Rina Yamashita and Yako Fujigasaki

We join this one well in progress as Aoi and Yamashita are in the ring, Aoi applies a cobra clutch over her knee but Yamashita avoids the senton and kicks Aoi in the head for a two count. Yamashita goes for a backdrop suplex but Aoi blocks it, back up Aoi hits a lariat and she tags in Kaori. Kaori knees Yamashita in the back but Yamashita blocks the suplex attempt and hits a lariat for two. Yamashita tags in Yako and they double team Kaori in the corner, Yako goes up top and she hits a missile dropkick for a two count. Yako picks up Kaori and hits the double wrist armsault, but Aoi breaks up the cover. Yako goes up top but Kaori avoids the swivel both press, Aoi runs in and sentons Yako with Kaori following with a senton of her own. Kaori goes for a suplex but Yako blocks it, Yamashita runs in to help but she accidentally kicks Yako. Aoi sails off the top with a crossbody onto both of them, they put Yako in front of the corner and both hit diving sentons on Yako. Cover by Kaori and she gets the three count! Kaori Yoneyama and Aoi Kizuki win.

Clipped down to two minutes so not a whole lot to say about it. Fun home stretch though, Kaori and Aoi worked well together. Way too clipped to recommend but what they showed was fine.

Konami vs. Sonoko Kato

This match is also joined in progress as Kato is going for a suplex, but Konami blocks it. Uppercut by Kato and she hits a rolling fireman’s carry, picking up a two count cover. Kato gets on the second turnbuckle and hits a diving legdrop, but that gets a two count as well. Kato kicks Konami into the corner and hits the cannonball, she goes up top but Konami kicks her before she can jump off. Konami applies the sleeper but Kato gets into the ropes, schoolboy by Konami and she applies the cross kneelock. Kato manages to get into the ropes to force the break again, release German by Konami and she kicks Kato in the head for a two count. Konami drags Kato up but Kato catches her kick and hits a dragon screw. Konami charges Kato but Kato kicks her in the head, she goes for a Dragon Sleeper but Konami kicks her off. Kato kicks Konami in the back and applies it anyway, but Konami gets a foot on the ropes. Kato goes up top but Konami avoids the diving legdrop and quickly re-applies the sleeper. Kato throws her off this time and kicks Konami in the head, but Konami retorts with her own head kick. Another head kick by Kato but Konami hits another as well, as both wrestlers are woozy. Konami finally ducks a head kick and hits a pair of her own, but Kato quickly kicks out of the cover and delivers a heel kick for a two count. German suplex hold by Kato, she picks up Konami and nails the Kowloon’s Gate for the three count! Sonoko Kato is the winner.

Even though this was cut in half, I still really enjoyed it. Konami is one of the best wrestlers in the world with only two years experience, she has come along so well and is so smooth with her moves. I love how often she chains moves together, no waiting and thinking, just bang-bang-bang with the offense which is rare these days. Kato was game for everything and really put over Konami’s head kicks, this was a really close match which Kato didn’t have to allow it to be considering her level in the promotion. A really solid match, I just wish we saw more of it.  Mildly Recommended

Aja Kong, Yoshiko, and Kuragaki vs. Ozaki, Maya Yukihi, and Yumi Ohka

This one is joined in progress also, as poor Kuragaki is being whipped by Ohka. Kuragaki is triple teamed for a bit until everyone but Ozaki leaves, Kuragaki promptly drops her with two backdrop suplexes but Ozaki hits a spinning chop and tags in Ohka. Crossbody by Ohka and she whips Kuragaki before choking her, but Kuragaki tosses her to the mat. She goes for a moonsault but Ohka moves and hits a heel drop, Ohka goes off the ropes but Kuragaki ducks the boot. Kick by Ohka but Kuragaki levels her with a lariat, she goes off the ropes but Ohka hits the chokebomb for a two count. Now Ohka goes off the ropes but Kuragaki hits another lariat and makes the tag to Yoshiko. Maya is tagged in too and she whips Yoshiko in the leg, more whips by Maya and she chokes Yoshiko with it. PK by Maya, but the referee won’t count due to all the whip usage. Yoshiko gets the whip and hits Maya with it, running boot by Yoshiko and she covers Maya for two. Mounted choke by Yoshiko, she picks up Maya and elbows her, but Police hits Yoshiko with a chair from the floor. Ohka and Ozaki come in and Yoshiko is triple teamed, Maya goes up top and delivers a missile dropkick for a two count cover. Maya tags Ozaki who comes in with her chain, Ozaki hits Yoshiko in the head with it a few times but Yoshiko grabs it and they play tug of war.

They trade shots with the chain but Yoshiko hits a lariat, running senton by Yoshiko and she covers Ozaki for two. Yoshiko tags in Kong, Kong comes in with her metal can and hits everyone with it. Brainbuster onto the can by Kong, but again the referee won’t count since she used a weapon. Scoop slam by Kong and she gets on the second turnbuckle, but Police grabs her from the apron. Maya runs in too as everyone ends up in the ring, Kuragaki ends up with all three opponents in the corner and gets them all on her shoulders. Kuragaki tosses her to the mat and her team all hit lariats on their opponents before isolating Ozaki. Backdrop suplex by Kong to Ozaki, but Police breaks up the cover. Irish whip by Police and he goes for a lariat, but Kong slaps him in the face. Maya comes in and kicks Kong but Kuragaki lariats her, Ozaki tries to spray mist into Kong’s face but she sprays Ohka by accident. She ducks Kong’s backfist and mists her successfully the second time, Alex lee suddenly appears and she kicks Kong in the head. Schoolboy by Ozaki and she gets the three count! Ozaki Army win!

I don’t mind this match getting clipped a bit. As I mentioned at the top, not my cup of tea, but Kuragaki of all people came out looking like the star as multiple times she fought off Ozaki Army and had the most memorable offense in what they showed. Alex Lee joining Ozaki Army is really lackluster, she is a pretty average wrestler and doesn’t bring much to the table besides being another lackey to interfere in their matches. Some decent action and weapon shots, but quite a bit was missing and the big reveal at the end fell flat to me.

Manami Toyota vs. Takako Inoue

Toyota dropkicks Takako just as the match starts, she hops up on the top turnbuckle and delivers a diving armdrag, but Takako kicks her and hits a DDT. Another DDT by Takako and she applies a sleeper, but Toyota gets out of it by biting her foot. Toyota tickles Takako to get her to release the bodyscissors, she picks up Takako but Takako hits an armdrag. Wristlock by Takako and she steps on Toyota’s hand, she throws Toyota into the turnbuckles but Toyota gets away and rolls her up for two. Toyota twists Takako’s hair and throws her down by it, Toyota stomps on Takako near the ropes but Takako recovers and kicks Toyota in the leg. DDT by Takako and she boots Toyota in the head, but Toyota blocks the next one and bops her. Another boot by Takako, she goes up top but Toyota avoids the Takako Panic and applies the Manami Cradle Roll for a two count. Toyota quickly goes up top but Takako recovers and slams her back to the mat, cover by Takako but it gets two. Now Takako goes up top but Toyota joins her, avalanche chokeslam by Takako but Toyota barely gets a shoulder up. Takako goes up top and nails the Takako Panic, but again it only gets a two. Toyota ducks the backfist attempt and boots Takako in the face, big boot by Toyota and she nails the moonsault, but Takako barely kick out of the pin. Toyota goes for the Japanese Ocean Cyclone Suplex but Takako gets away, she goes for the spinning backfist but Toyota ducks it. Suplex by Takako and she hits Toyota with a night stick, Takako Night Night by Takako but that gets a two as well. Takako goes up top and hits another Takako Panic, but she can’t keep Toyota down. Another Takako Night Night doesn’t do the trick either, Takako goes up top but Toyota boots her off and she falls to the floor. Toyota goes up top but Takako quickly rolls back in and joins her, but Toyota slaps her back to the mat and hits a missile dropkick. Japanese Ocean Cyclone Suplex by Toyota, but Takako kicks out at two. Toyota picks up Takako and hits the Japanese Ocean Queen Bee Bomb, and she picks up the three count! Manami Toyota is your winner.

Needless to say, this was a “Legends” style match, which meant a bit of playing around but still with some quality action. Toyota and Takako are past their prime of course, and Takako doesn’t wrestle a normal schedule, but both are still in shape and had no issues putting on a ten minute match. They were spamming finishers a bit but I can see it being their last ever singles match so they wanted to put on a good show. An enjoyable match if you go in with the right expectations, the effort was definitely there and it was fun to see them going at it probably for the last time.

(c) Syuri and Hikaru Shida vs. AKINO and Kaho Kobayashi
OZ Academy Tag Team Championship

Syuri and Shida are deadly serious for this match, which doesn’t bode well for AKINO and Kaho. Syuri and Kaho start off, Kaho gets Syuri into the ropes and gives a clean break, but Syuri kicks her anyway and applies a headlock. Kaho gets out of it, shoulderblock by Kaho but Kaho kips up and hits a pair of armdrags. Dropkick by Kaho, AKINO comes in and Syuri is double teamed, but Shida grabs AKINO from the floor and pulls her out of the ring. Syuri gets out onto the apron and hits a jumping knee off of it onto AKINO, Kaho goes for a double crossbody but she is caught and thrown at AKINO. Shida battles Kaho around the ring while AKINO and Syuri end up in the bleachers, Syuri kicks AKINO in the head before coming back to ringside to help Shida double team Kaho. Shida stays in as the legal wrestler and hits a backbreaker on Kaho, Shida stretches Kaho over her shoulder before hitting another backbreaker. Syuri comes in but Kaho ducks their kick and they hit each other, AKINO dives in with a crossbody on both of them before Kaho applies a quick cover to Shida for two. Kaho tags AKINO, missile dropkick by AKINO but Syuri comes in to help. Syuri elbows Shida by accident, kicks by AKINO to Shida but Shida lands on her feet on the backdrop suplex attempt and hits a hurricanrana. Knee by Shida in the corner and she tags Syuri, kicks by Syuri and she hits a spinning headscissors. PK by Syuri, but AKINO kicks out of the cover.

Jawbreaker by AKINO and she delivers a few kicks, but Syuri ducks one and rolls her up. Syuri goes for a kick but AKINO blocks it, Syuri reverses AKINO’s hold into an ankle lock but AKINO reverses that into an armbreaker. AKINO charges Syuri but Syuri hits a jumping knee followed by a cross armbreaker takedown. Kaho breaks it up before Shida can get to her, kicks to the chest by Syuri to AKINO but AKINO catches her jumping knee attack and slams Syuri to the mat. AKINO locks in a deep headscissors but Shida breaks it up, kicks by AKINO and she covers Syuri for two. AKINO picks up Syuri but Syuri gets away and delivers a jumping knee. Kick combination by Syuri but AKINO elbows her and they trade shots until both collapse to the mat. AKINO tags in Kaho before Syuri can reach her corner, dropkicks by Kaho but Syuri kicks her in the chest and makes the tag to Shida. Shida goes for a suplex, Kaho gets out of it but Shida hits a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. Kaho reverses the Falcon Arrow into a DDT, she goes up top but Shida throws the kendo stick at her, she joins Kaho up top but Kaho lands on top of her when she goes for a suplex. Kaho and AKINO both go up top together, Syuri runs in and hits a Backstabber on AKINO, but Kaho jumps off the top with a missile dropkick/body press combination on both opponents.

Fisherman suplex hold by Kaho, but Shida barely gets a shoulder up. Kaho goes off the ropes and goes for a roll-up, Shida blocks it but AKINO runs in and kicks her. Cover by Kaho, but Syuri breaks it up. Dropkick by Kaho, she goes off the ropes but Shida nails a jumping knee. Shida picks up Kaho and hits a vertical suplex, Three Count by Shida and Syuri follows with a PK. Another kick by Syuri and they both knee Kaho, but AKINO breaks up the pin. Shida goes off the ropes but Kaho catches her with a Frankensteiner, but Shida rolls through it. Jackknife cover by Kaho, she goes for La Magistral but Shida kicks her off. High kick by Shida but AKINO kicks her and Kaho hits a Codebreaker. 120% Schoolboy by Kaho, but Syuri breaks it up. Kaho goes off the ropes but it caught by a powerslam, Three Count by Shida but Kaho kicks out. Falcon Arrow by Shida, but AKINO breaks the pin up. She eats a double knee for her trouble as does Kaho, but again Kaho gets a shoulder up. Tamashi No Three Count by Shida, and she finally gets the three count pinfall! Syuri and Hikaru Shida are still the champions!

What a match. This was just a 15 minute strike filled sprint, with little time to breath or relax. I don’t mind matches that start with submission holds or feeling out, but I do enjoy when a match does something different as this one had none of that. Kaho is so easy to get behind, she got her ass kicked the whole match and even though I knew the ending, I still leaned forward when she got the 120% Schoolboy locked in, rooting her on even though I knew it wouldn’t work. She took an amazing amount of abuse here but kept on chugging along, until Shida finally found the right combination to put her away. Both teams are real tag teams, not just thrown together, and were constantly helping each other out without it feeling excessive or like one team was cheating. Just an incredible tag team match and one of my favorite ones of 2017 so far.  Highly Recommended

(c) Hiroyo Matsumoto vs. Kagetsu
OZ Academy Openweight Championship

This match starts a bit slower, until Kagetsu drives Hiroyo into the corner and hits a running elbow smash. More elbows by Kagetsu and she hits a dropkick in the corner, Hiroyo recovers and they get into a double wristlock. Hiroyo chops Kagetsu in the chest but Kagetsu dropkicks her and the two trade elbows. Hiroyo throws Kagetsu out of the ring and throws her into the crowd, Hiroyo gets Kagetsu on her back before tossing her to the floor. Hiroyo throws Kagetsu into the ring post but Kagetsu moves when Hiroyo charges in, Kagetsu gets on the apron and kicks Hiroyo in the chest. Kagetsu throws Hiroyo back into the ring and puts her in a headscissors, Kagetsu kicks Hiroyo in the back but Hiroyo catches her with a sidewalk slam. Elbow drops to the back by Hiroyo, Hiroyo gets Kagetsu on her back and stretches her with a backbreaker. Kagetsu grabs the ropes to get out of it, she slides out to the apron but Hiroyo grabs her when she goes for a swandive move and throws Kagetsu back to the mat. Body avalanche by Hiroyo in the corner, she goes up top and she delivers a missile dropkick. Elevated crab hold by Hiroyo, but Kagetsu crawls to the ropes and reaches them for the break. Hiroyo gets on the second turnbuckle and hits a reverse double knee to Kagetsu’s back, gutbuster by Hiroyo and she covers Kagetsu for two. Kagetsu fights back with elbows, she goes for a suplex but Hiroyo blocks it. Kagetsu jumps up on the top turnbuckle and hits a missile dropkick, Kagetsu goes for a kick but Hiroyo catches it. Deadlift German by Hiroyo, she gets on the second turnbuckle but Kagetsu springboards up to her and dropkicks Hiroyo out of the ring. Kagetsu runs up to the top turnbuckle and dives out onto Hiroyo (and Rina Yamashita too), Kagetsu returns to the ring and waits for Hiroyo to recover. Kagetsu grabs Hiroyo as she gets on the apron but can’t suplex her back in, Hiroyo snaps Kagetsu’s neck over the top rope and climbs back into the ring.

Hiroyo elbows Kagetsu in the knee, she goes up top but Kagetsu joins her and hits a superplex. Kagetsu keeps the hold applied and hits a vertical suplex, cover by Kagetsu but it gets two. Strike combination by Kagetsu and she hits an Ebisu Drop, cover by Kagetsu but Hiroyo gets a shoulder up. Kagetsu hits a second one but she gets another two count, she jumps on Hiroyo’s back but Hiroyo blocks the sunset flip bomb and hits a hard lariat. Kagetsu kips up and kicks Hiroyo twice in the head, she goes for another high kick in the corner but Hiroyo ducks it and plants her with a powerbomb. Kagetsu recovers and hits another Ebisu Drop, but she can’t keep Hiroyo down for three. Hiroyo goes for a lariat but Kagetsu kicks her arm away, she goes for a backdrop suplex but instead drives Kagetsu face-first into the mat. Sliding Lariat by Hiroyo and both wrestlers are down on the mat. Hiroyo recovers first and elbows Kagetsu, Kagetsu elbows her back and the two trade blows. Roaring elbow by Hiroyo and she lariats Kagetsu, but Kagetsu stays up. Hard elbow by Hiroyo and she chops Kagetsu in the chest, she goes for a powerbomb but Kagetsu back bodydrops out of it. High kick by Kagetsu and she rolls up Hiroyo with a jackknife, but Hiroyo gets out of it. Kagetsu goes off the ropes but Hiroyo catches her with an elbow, she goes for a cover but Kagetsu reverses it into a cover of her own. Kagetsu goes for a hurricanrana but Hiroyo catches her, hitting a sit-down powerbomb for two. Hiroyo picks up Kagetsu but Kagetsu lands on her feet on the backdrop suplex attempt, high kick by Kagetsu and she applies a jackknife hold for two. Kagetsu goes off the ropes but Hiroyo nails a hard lariat, Hiroyo picks up Kagetsu and delivers the backdrop suplex for the three count! Hiroyo Matsumoto is still the champion.

I enjoyed this as both are just so smooth at their execution and they hit hard, but both blowing off moves so quickly eventually got on my nerves. It was constant, but one example was Hiroyo being “out” at ringside, but upon getting on the apron hits the first move and is back in control. Both “reversed” covers after eating their opponent’s bigger moves a few times, and generally the transitions were non-existent for half the match. Still, I can’t say the match wasn’t exciting as it certainly was, and they just went non-stop for the end stretch. An enjoyable and intense main event, just lacking in some areas.  Recommended

The post OZ Academy SAKURA HANASAKU on 4/12/17 Review appeared first on Joshi City.

And we have returned with another SEAdLINNNG event! This is a unique show, as the top three matches are all singles matches, ending with Yoshiko taking on the legend Aja Kong. We also get a Veda Scott appearance, plus Takako teaching a rookie a lesson or two. Attendance was down a bit as the show was on a Wednesday, but still a reasonable number. Here is the full card:

• Aoi Kizuki and Veda Scott vs. Ayako Hamada and Sareee
• Mio Momono vs. Takako Inoue
• Leon and Tsukushi vs. Tsukasa Fujimoto and Kaho Kobayashi
• Arisa Nakajima vs. Ryo Mizunami
• Nanae Takahashi vs. Rina Yamashita
• Aja Kong vs. Yoshiko

There will be some clipping, since this aired on a two hour broadcast.

Aoi Kizuki and Veda Scott vs. Ayako Hamada and Sareee

Sareee and Aoi begin the match, elbows by Sareee but Aoi dropkicks her to the mat. Sareee dropkicks her back but Aoi bridges out of the pin, Veda comes in and they both lariat Sareee. Hamada hits Aoi from the apron and joins Sareee to double team Aoi, dropping multiple elbow drops while Veda yells from the apron. Sareee dropkicks Aoi while she is against the ropes, fisherman suplex hold by Sareee but it gets a two count. Sareee tags Hamada but Aoi ducks the heel kick and the two trade strikes. Jumping lariat by Aoi and she hits a Double Wrist Armsault before tagging in Veda. Kicks to the chest by Veda and she hits a springboard bulldog for a two count. Hamada hits a heel kick, she picks up Veda but Aoi runs in and drops Hamada with a release German. Veda gets a steel chair, tosses it to Hamada and hits a Shining Wizard with the chair for a two count cover. Another Shining Kick by Veda, but Sareee breaks up the cover. Veda grabs the chair but Sareee dropkicks her in the back, she tries again but Hamada kicks the chair into Veda’s face. Moonsault by Hamada, and she cover Veda for the three count! Ayako Hamada and Sareee are the winners!

A bit clipped but a solid way to begin. Veda Scott didn’t do a lot in what was shown but she looked solid, fitting in pretty well with the Joshi wrestlers in the match. Sareee’s dropkick to Aoi’s face was just nasty, I love that move but it can’t possibly feel good, she gets such solid contact on it. Nothing was awkward and the action was fast paced and well structured, which is about all you can ask for. No real complaints aside from the match not being complete.

Mio Momono vs. Takako Inoue

Mio gets the first advantage and throws Takako into the corner, dropkicks by Mio but Takako blocks a scoop slam and hits one of her own. Takako bounces Mio off the ropes and kicks her in the head, leglock by Takako but she releases the hold after a moment and hits a snap backdrop suplex for two. Mio tries a few flash pins with no luck, she hits a few soft dropkicks before hitting a better one to send Takako off her feet. Jumping crossbody by Mio, but it gets a two count. Mio goes for a slam but Takako blocks it, back bodydrop by Mio but Takako kicks her in the chest. Double underhook suplex by Takako, she picks up Mio and throws her into the corner, but Mio jumps up the turnbuckles and flips back to roll up Takako for two. Mio goes off the ropes but Takako delivers a high kick, she goes up to the top turnbuckle and nails the Destiny Hammer for the three count! Takako Inoue is the winner.

As a general rule of thumb I am not too critical of rookies, as there is a steeper learning curve for some than others. Mio did well with the flash pins and making everything look smooth, but she needs Satomura to show her how to throw a meaner dropkick since dropkicks are a staple move in Joshi. Takako gave the rookie quite a bit of offense as it was far from a squash, and she looked good as usual hitting her normal spots. Solid experience for the rookie with some bright spots, but a bit too clipped to recommend.

Leon and Tsukushi vs. Tsukasa Fujimoto and Kaho Kobayashi

Tsukushi and Fujimoto start off and immediately start flying around, bouncing off the ropes and trading armdrags until they get tired and tag out. Leon and Kaho do the same but slow down as Leon applies a side headlock before chopping Kaho in the chest. Kaho dropkicks Leon into the corner, Leon recovers and they trade elbows until Leon hits a tilt-a-whirl slam. She covers Kaho but Natsuki won’t count it since she didn’t bounce off the ropes first, she goes off the ropes but Fujimoto runs in and dropkicks her. Tsukushi comes in too but Fujimoto dropkicks both of them, all four wrestlers try to pin each other but everyone only gets a two count from Natsuki. Order is restored with Leon and Fujimoto in the ring, Leon works a side headlock and goes for a suplex, but Fujimoto lands on her feet and kicks Leon in the back. Tilt-a-whirl backbreaker by Leon, she picks up Fujimoto and puts her in a stretch hold, she lets Fujimoto go after a moment but Fujimoto hits an enzuigiri. Natsuki is hit on accident too so she counts the pin slow, Kaho runs in while Fujimoto pushes Natsuki in the corner. Kaho comes over but Natsuki flips away from both of them and all three run off the ropes. Leon and Tsukushi comes in to have fun too and all five of them bounce off the ropes in a generally chaotic way. Natsuki pulls Fujimoto out of the ring while Kaho dropkicks Tsukushi, Tsukushi and Kaho trade quick pins but both get two counts. Kaho kicks Tsukushi in the head and covers her, but Leon breaks it up. High kick by Leon to Fujimoto but Fujimoto kicks her back, dropkick by Kaho to Tsukushi and she goes off the ropes, but Tsukushi keeps getting up before she can run enough for Natsuki’s liking. Tsukushi dropkicks Kaho, schoolboy by Kaho but Tsukushi rolls through it. Harukaze by Tsukushi to Kaho, quick count by Natsuki and Tsukushi gets the three count! Leon and Tsukushi are the winners of the match.

These matches are always good mindless fun but nothing more than that. You can’t really take a match too seriously when it has silly rules about bouncing off the ropes and Natsuki doing whatever she likes, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t entertaining. It helps that all four (well five) of these wrestlers are solid and have good chemistry, while some sections were chaotic no one ever looked legitimately lost in the mess. Natsuki didn’t get as involved as she usually does but still got into it a bit, and Tsukushi in particular came out of the match looking strong. An enjoyable midcard match with comedic elements.  Mildly Recommended

Arisa Nakajima vs. Ryo Mizunami

Mizunami and Nakajima start with some limb work but things quickly go up a notch when Nakajima slams Mizunami’s head right into the apron and delivers a running boot from the floor. Nakajima rams Mizunami into the ring post and then Irish whips her into the chairs at ringside, Nakajima gets on the apron but Mizunami lariats her leg out from under her and slams Nakajima’s head repeatedly into the ring post. Nakajima is thrown around the ring and hit with chairs, they finally return to the ring and Mizunami elbows Nakajima in the corner. Lariat by Mizunami  but Nakajima wiggles away, powerslam by Mizunami and she hits a jumping leg lariat for a two count. Lariat by Mizunami and she hits a jumping leg drop for another two. Nakajima comes back with a running boot, she goes up top and she knocks over Mizunami with a missile dropkick. Running boot by Nakajima while Mizunami is against the ropes, she goes for another one but Mizunami throws her into the ropes. Mizunami hangs Nakajima over the top rope and hits a leg drop to the back of Nakajima’s head, spear by Mizunami and she covers Nakajima for two. Uranage by Mizunami and she puts Nakajima in an armtrap chinlock, but Nakajima wiggles to the ropes to force a break.

Mizunami goes up top but Nakajima avoids the diving leg drop, Nakajima goes up top but Mizunami elbows her and joins her on the turnbuckles. Nakajima knocks down Mizunami into a tree of woe and hits a diving footstomp, she goes up top and delivers a diving footstomp for a two count. Nakajima picks up Mizunami and they trade elbows, both knocking each other to the mat at the same time. They both slowly get up, release German by Nakajima but Mizunami fires back with a lariat. Nakajima goes off the ropes and goes for a bodyscissors, but Mizunami catches her and hits a release dragon suplex. Mizunami picks up Nakajima but Nakajima wiggles away and rolls up Mizunami for two. Nakajima goes off the ropes and hits a Sling Blade, kick to the head by Nakajima and she hits a package German. Nakajima goes off the ropes but Mizunami levels her with a lariat, she hits a second one and a third, one final lariat by Mizunami but Nakajima barely kicks out of the pin. Mizunami picks up Nakajima but again Nakajima gets away and hits a release dragon suplex. Slaps by Nakajima but Mizunami spins her around and hits a dragon suplex hold for two. Nakajima quickly comes back with her own dragon suplex, small package by Nakajima but it gets a two count. Mizunami grabs Nakajima but Nakajima slides away, she goes for a quick pin but Mizunami kicks out as the bell rings to signify time has expired. The match is a Draw.

I loved this match, with the only disappointment being that about 20% of it was cut out. Nakajima is one of those wrestlers that comes out and you think “oh she’s a cutie” and then she bludgeons someone and you quickly realize she is one of the more vicious active Joshi wrestlers. The apron spot was brutal as was her general treatment of Mizunami on the floor, which set the tone for the rest of the match as they went from limb holds to trading suplexes and hard strikes the rest of the way. The draw makes sense here as it can set up something else between them down the road, and since it was on the mid-card there wasn’t any risk of leaving the fans disappointed going home. A really entertaining and hard hitting match.  Recommended

Nanae Takahashi vs. Rina Yamashita

Rina and Nanae get into a shoulderblock battle, which Nanae wins, but Rina quickly gets up and returns the favor. They lock knuckles and trade holds on the mat, hard elbow by Nanae and she hits a quick elbow drop. Vertical suplex by Nanae but Rina drop toeholds her onto the second rope and knees her in the back of the head. Rina snaps Nanae’s neck on the top rope, elbows by Rina but Nanae fires back with chops. Rina swings Nanae to the mat and applies a sleeper hold, but Nanae wiggles to the ropes and forces the break. Rina picks up Nanae but Nanae elbows her off, jaw breaker by Rina but Nanae kicks her in the back and hits a release German. Lariats by Nanae in the corner, Rina lariats her back and they trade moves until Nanae knocks Rina to the mat. Knee by Rina and she boots Nanae in the chest, backdrop suplex by Rina and she hits a second one for a two count cover. Sleeper by Rina but Nanae rolls out of it and boots her in the face. Rina and Nanae trade elbows, backdrop suplex by Nanae and she covers Rina for two. Nanae picks up Rina and slaps her in the face, jumping kick by Nanae and she hits a second one. Rina blocks a third attempt and hits a sliding lariat, but Nanae kicks out of the cover. Rina goes off the ropes and levels Nanae with a lariat, she goes off the ropes but Nanae hits a lariat of her own. Nanae goes up top but Rina joins her and suplexes her down to the mat. Sleeper hold by Rina but Nanae gets out of it and applies a Fujiwara Armbar. Rina rolls out of that but Nanae applies a sleeper of her own, crucifix roll-up by Nanae and she puts Rina in an armbar. Blue Thunder Bomb by Nanae, she picks up Rina but Rina blocks a suplex and hits a lariat. Nanae doesn’t go down and slaps Rina, Nanae goes off the ropes but Rina catches her with a lariat for two. Rina goes off the ropes and hits another lariat, but that gets a two as well. Rina gets on the second turnbuckle but Nanae gets her feet up on the diving elbow, belly to back piledriver by Nanae but Rina barely kicks out. Nanae goes up top and nails the Refrigerator Bomb, she goes off the ropes and nails a lariat for the three count! Nanae Takahashi is the winner!

Not quite as good as the previous match but still entertaining. I think that Rina Yamashita has a bright future ahead of her as she shows a lot of passion and fire in the ring, but she does need to expand her move set a bit as she can be a bit repetitive. Nanae Takahashi is having a great year and she led the younger Rina here well as the match never slowed down and was very hard hitting. The loss doesn’t hurt Rina any and she was her usual defiant self after the match, so she certainly hasn’t lost her edge. Solid all the way around, not either ones best match they’ve had this year but still worth the watch.  Recommended

Aja Kong vs. Yoshiko

After a long stare down they finally tie-up but they end up breaking cleanly. Kong pushes Yoshiko against the ropes and slaps Yoshiko in the face. Kicks by Kong but Yoshiko jumps up on the second turnbuckle and hits a lariat, more kicks by Yoshiko and she throws Kong into the corner. Lariat by Yoshiko and she hits bootscrapes followed by a running kick to the head, she picks up Kong and hits a strike combination before kicking Kong in the head again. Yoshiko tries to put Kong on her shoulders but Kong blocks it, knees by Kong and Yoshiko falls out of the ring. Kong goes out after he and tosses Yoshiko into the chairs at ringside before hitting Yoshiko in the head by one. Kong takes a metal barricade off the stairs and throws it at Yoshiko, she then picks up a chair and throws it at Yoshiko’s ribs. Kong finds an umbrella and hits Yoshiko with that too, she finally rolls Yoshiko back into the ring and throws her into the corner, but Yoshiko fires out of it with a lariat. Kong doesn’t go down however and they trade lariats back and forth for quite awhile until Yoshiko finally knocks down Kong and covers her for two. Yoshiko tries to pick up Kong and gets her up, hitting a Samoan Drop. Running senton by Yoshiko, she gets on the second turnbuckle but Kong avoids the diving senton. Kong gets her metal can and hits Yoshiko in the head with it, backdrop suplex by Kong and she covers Yoshiko for two. Kong goes for a brainbuster but Yoshiko blocks it and hits a Codebreaker, Yoshiko slams Kong in front of the corner and hits a diving senton off the second turnbuckle for a two count. Spinning backfist by Kong, she drags Yoshiko to her feet and she delivers a brainbuster, but Yoshiko gets a shoulder up on the pin attempt. Kong picks up Yoshiko and goes for a Uraken, but Yoshiko blocks it and hits a lariat. Yoshiko goes off the ropes and hits a lariat, but Kong doesn’t go down and hits a backfist. Kong waits for Yoshiko to get up and hits one final Uraken, cover by Kong and she picks up the three count! Aja Kong wins the match.

While I have enjoyed Yoshiko’s matches since she came back and Kong is a legend, this match didn’t really click. It was one of those matches they went out on a limb to do something different, but it didn’t work. The long lariat battle just didn’t have a lot of heat and went too long, for example, and the ending stretch just felt like an attempt to have an epic ending but without the backstory or action beforehand to back it up. It wasn’t bad, it was just weird and probably would have worked better if it wasn’t the main event. If Yoshiko won it would be memorable for that, but she didn’t, so in the long run this one will likely be forgotten.

The post SEAdLINNNG JUMP UP!! on 9/28/16 Review appeared first on Joshi City.

Time to review a new promotion! Major Girl’s Fighting AtoZ (short for “ARISON to Zenjo”) was a short-lived wrestling promotion that ran shows from 2003 to 2006. ARISON was a popular Joshi promotion that went out of business in 2003, it was taken over by Yumiko Hotta who changed the name to AtoZ. “Zenjo” was a nickname for AJW, which is where Hotta originally wrestled, hence the name. Anyway, Hotta led the promotion with Mariko Yoshida, and current Stardom boss Rossy Ogawa was involved backstage as well. The promotion did not have a lot of its own contracted wrestlers but did have a world title, and also was the starting place for many future stars including Arisa Nakajima and Kana/Asuka. Finding information on the shows is difficult as they were one of many smaller Joshi promotions at the time, but I’ll do the best I can to gather the information available.

I picked this event to review for two reasons. First, it is the earliest recorded match I could find in Kana’s career, as she just debuted the month prior in AtoZ. Second, this was a major show for the promotion as it had a number of big singles matches, a retirement road match, and what may be a classic main event. Here is the full card:

• Bullfighter Sora vs. Ofune
• Flesh Girl’s Fighting: Kana vs. Natsumi Mizushima
• Battle of J-Connection: Sachie Abe and Teruko Kagawa vs. The Bloody and Maru
• Rie Tamada Retirement Road 3rd: Rie Tamada, GAMI, and PIKO vs. Azumi Hyuga, Yoshiko Tamura, and Misae Genki
• Future Manifest: Mirai vs. Saki Maemura
• Revive Violence: Amazing Kong vs. Mima Shimoda
• Battle of A-Connection: Leona vs. Mariko Yoshida
• Battle of Z-Connection: Mika Nishio vs. Takako Inoue
• CLIMAX: Momoe Nakanishi and Nanae Takahashi vs. Yumiko Hotta and Kumiko Maekawa

They somehow squeezed all this into a two hour show, so I think it is safe to assume there will be clipping. Hopefully not in the matches I want to see the most.

Bullfighter Sora vs. Ofune

The match is Joined in Progress with Sora body blocking Ofune, but Ofune kicks out of the cover. Sora goes up top but Ofune shakes the ropes and Sora falls out of the ring. She returns after a moment, tornado DDT by Ofune but the cover gets two. Ofune chops Sora but Sora headbutts her, vertical suplex by Sora and she covers Ofune for another two count. Sora runs up the corner and goes for a diving elbow but Ofune moves, Ofune goes up top and hits a diving knee strike for two. Ofune picks up Sora but Sora hits a backdrop suplex, Ofune quickly rolls up Sora and she gets the three count! Ofune wins the match.

As I figured, pretty clipped, but at least the ending stretch was all shown in full instead of just doing random cuts. Ofune was a rather beloved wrestler the few years she was around so its always fun to see her, but not enough was shown to be memorable.

Kana vs. Natsumi Mizushima

Kana and Mizushima get right into it as the bell rings, trading elbows until Mizushima throws down Kana by the hair. Kana boots Mizushima and dropkicks her, snapmares by Kana and she starts working on Mizushima’s arm. Mizushima gets away and dropkicks Kana, knees by Mizushima but Kana hits mounted elbows. Mizushima returns fire and headbutts Kana before throwing her down by the hair, modified Camel Clutch by Mizushima  but Kana applies a backslide for two. Dropkick by Kana, she picks up Mizushima and dropkicks her into the corner before dropkicking her some more. Mizushima finally is tired of being dropkicked and headbutts Kana in the gut, she goes up top but Kana pulls her back into the ring. Hip attack by Kana and she hits another one, they trade chops until Mizushima hits a scoop slam. Mizushima gets on the second turnbuckle and hits a diving headbutt, cover by Mizushima but it gets a two count. Mizushima picks up Kana but Kana sneaks in a schoolboy for two, Irish whip by Kana but Mizushima applies a backslide. Mizushima goes up top but Kana joins her, Mizushima headbutts Kana back to the mat and hits a diving headbutt for the three count! Natsumi Mizushima is the winner.

They actually showed the bulk of this match as only a couple minutes were clipped. This was a really solid match considering both were rookies, both showed fire with their strikes and the action was pretty smooth. I won’t say the obnoxious “from watching this match it is no surprise both turned out to be big stars” as that would be silly, but I will say that both showed a natural ability early in their careers. A fun match.  Mildly Recommended

Sachie Abe and Teruko Kagawa vs. The Bloody and Maru

Bloody and Abe start the match for their teams and quickly end up in a strike battle, Abe elbows Bloody into the corner but Bloody kicks her in the head. Abe gets back in control and hits mounted elbows on Bloody, but Bloody hits a release German suplex. Abe dropkicks Bloody and throws her into the corner, Bloody jumps up onto the second turnbuckle but Abe joins her. Bloody stretches Abe on the top turnbuckle, she lets go after a moment and Abe hits a springboard elbow followed by a missile dropkick for a two count. Abe gets on the top turnbuckle but Bloody avoids the diving body press, Bloody boots Abe but Abe flips her out to the apron before kicking her out of the ring. Abe goes out after her while Kagawa gets on the top turnbuckle and dives out of the ring onto Bloody. Abe then goes up top and dives out onto Bloody and Maru, Bloody is slid back into the ring and Abe hits a diving victory roll for a two count. Snap dragon suplexes by Bloody to Abe, she kicks Abe in the head before tagging in Maru. This quickly backfires as Abe applies quick flash pins for two, Abe puts Maru in the Victory A Clutch and Maru has no choice but to submit! Abe and Kagawa are the winners.

While I love me some Bloody, the match was too short and random. I am assuming the end was clipped and Maru wasn’t literally pinned 30 seconds after getting into the ring, I’ll forgive the oddness of the layout if it wasn’t the wrestlers’ fault. Abe and Bloody both looked good with their high spots, but we didn’t get to see much from Kagawa and Maru. Just too clipped to be good.

Rie Tamada, GAMI, and PIKO vs. Azumi Hyuga, Yoshiko Tamura, and Misae Genki

Tamada and Hyuga are the first two in, after some shenanigans dealing with GAMI things settle down with Hyuga being triple beamed in a comedic way. For a ‘Retirement Road” match this one didn’t start overly serious. GAMI puts Tamura in a crab hold, they do the thing where someone at ringside grabs GAMI’s arm to provide extra pressure but they do it in a chain all the way into the crowd and up into the balcony. GAMI eventually lets go, PIKO goes for a dive out of the ring but Misae and Tamura catch her before sliding her back into the ring. Tamada and Hyuga end up in the ring, tornado DDT by Tamada and she tags in PIKO. PIKO applies an armbar before rolling up Hyuga, and we clip ahead to Tamada being in the ring with Misae. Release German by Tamada, and we clip ahead again to Tamada and GAMI double teaming Hyuga. PIKO comes in too and they triple team Misae in the corner, Frankensteiner by GAMI and PIKO hits a diving hurricanrana. German suplex hold by Tamada, but the cover gets broken up. Tamada goes for another suplex but Misae blocks it, Tamada goes off the rope but Misae catches her with a chokeslam. Tamura runs in and elbows Tamada, G-Driver by Misae and she covers Tamada for a two count. Misae picks up Tamada but Tamada ducks the discus lariat and hits a German suplex hold for two. GAMI tries to help but it backfires, another G-Driver by Misae and she gets the three count! Azumi Hyuga, Yoshiko Tamura, and Misae Genki are the winners.

Too odd of a match for my personal tastes, when matches try to be a hybrid of comedy and straight up wrestling it tends to not really work out. The clipping didn’t help of course, as if there was any type of structure to it we wouldn’t know from the way the match aired. I liked Misae Genki a lot and appreciated she took the match back to a more serious level, but I was hoping for a bit more in one of Rie Tamada’s last wrestling matches.

Mirai vs. Saki Maemura

They lock knuckles which the much taller Mirai easily gets the better of, Mirai takes down Maemura with a headlock but Maemura quickly reverses it. Mirai gets in the mount and rains down elbows while Maemura applies a bodyscissors, Mirai chokes Maemura to get her to release the hold before hitting a pair of jumping lariats. Back up they trade strikes, atomic drop by Mirai and she hits the Giant Swing on her smaller opponent. Bridging scoop suplex by Mirai, she goes up top but Maemura ducks the diving crossbody. Maemura dropkicks Mirai out of the ring, she gets out on the apron and hits a missile dropkick. She then goes up to the top turnbuckle and delivers a diving plancha, she slides Mirai back in before going back up top and hitting a missile dropkick. Diving body press by Maemura, but Mirai kicks out of the cover. Mirai elbows out of the German and chops Maemura, Maemura slaps her however and hits a release fisherman suplex. Hard chop to the chest by Mirai and she applies an Octopus Hold before rolling Maemura to the mat while keeping it applied, but Maemura gets a foot onto the ropes. Mirai quick re-applies it, she lets go after a moment and goes for a scoop slam, but Maemura reverses it into a roll-up. Mirai chops Maemura into the corner but Maemura ducks one and hits a release German suplex, fisherman suplex hold by Maemura and she picks up the three count! Saki Maemura wins the match.

This was a really fun match, I enjoy watching two young wrestlers that have passion for wrestling going non-stop with a variety of strikes and suplexes. Mirai used her height and size advantage well, winning a few exchanges with it, but Maemura was too slick to keep down and her high flying moves helped make the difference. A bit clipped but a good percentage of it was shown, no real complaints as it was an entertaining match bell to bell.  Mildly Recommended

Amazing Kong vs. Mima Shimoda

Shimoda attacks Kong before the match starts and the streamers fly, pink streamers are literally everywhere as Kong and Shimoda battle at ringside. Kong takes Shimoda into the crowd and throws her around before they return to the ring, she goes for a powerbomb but Shimoda reverses it with a back bodydrop. Kong fires back with a lariat, Shimoda drives Kong into the corner but Kong avoids he charge and nails a Buckle Bomb. Shimoda takes back over with kicks to the back of Kong’s head, Shimoda stomps down Kong in the corner and takes her out of the ring before assaulting her with chairs. Shimoda slides some chairs in the ring and brings Kong in with her, Shimoda throws Kong onto the chair pile and goes up top, hitting a diving footstomp onto Kong. Kong blocks the slam attempt and lands on top of Shimoda, and we get a good shot of Shimoda’s face which at some point got busted up all the hell. Shimoda goes up top but Kong pushes her out of the ring to the floor, Kong goes out after her and takes her up onto the balcony (Joshi promotions during this time period loved the balcony at Yokohama Cultural Gymnasium), she tries to throw Shimoda off of it but Shimoda hangs on by the railing.

Kong goes back down to the floor to try to pull Shimoda off the railing, but Shimoda kicks Kong away and with help drops down to the floor unscathed. Kong isn’t on the defense for long and she rolls Shimoda into the ring before going to get a table, she sets up the table at ringside before continuing to toss Shimoda around the floor. Kong brings Shimoda up onto the apron and tries to powerbomb her through the table, but she partially misses it and Shimoda barely touches it before going straight down to the floor. Somehow she isn’t injured, she gets on the apron but Kong lariats her from inside the ring. Double underhook facebuster by Kong, Kong get on the second turnbuckle but Shimoda avoids the body press. Lariat by Kong, she goes for a powerbomb but Shimoda reverses it with a hurricanrana. Kong hits another lariat, she goes up top but Shimoda hits her before she can jump off. Shimoda joins Kong and tosses her to the mat, somersault legdrop to the back of the head by Shimoda but Kong kicks out of the cover. Shimoda picks up Kong but Kong pushes her off, both wrestlers connect with punches but Kong connects better as Shimoda is knocked out. She barely makes the referee’s count, Kong promptly lariats her before hitting a Uraken. Powerbomb by Kong, she goes up top and she nails the diving body press for the three count cover! Your winner is Amazing Kong!

Well I enjoyed the hell out of this match. Kong at the time was still pretty raw, she was a solid wrestler but was mostly a brawler as she wasn’t always super smooth with her moves. Shimoda being the underdog was fun as normally she is the one using weapons and being the heel, here she was outdone by Kong in both of those departments. These types of matches work well as a change of pace, lots of brawling and chair shots and general chaos. Kong almost killed Shimoda with the missed powerbomb and the balcony spots always add a degree of excitement since you never know what will happen. An entertaining crowd brawling match, with a convincing win by Amazing Kong.  Recommended

Leona vs. Mariko Yoshida

Yoshida quickly takes Leona to the mat but Leona repeatedly wiggles away from her, Yoshida generally stays in control but she can’t get a hold locked in. Yoshida finally gets a kneelock applied while also kicking Leona in the back, but Leona gets a hand in the ropes to force a break. Yoshida takes Leona back down and kicks her in the back, Irish whip by Yoshida but Leona reverses it before Yoshida flips Leona out to the apron. Diving armdrag by Leona, Yoshida falls out of the ring and Leona dropkicks her when Yoshida gets on the apron. Leona charges the ropes, she jumps straight to the top rope and springboards out onto Yoshida with a Plancha. Back in the ring, diving somersault senton by Leona but it gets a two count. We jump ahead to Yoshida being back in control, Air Raid Crash by Yoshida but Leona barely gets a shoulder up on the somewhat cocky cover. Yoshida goes to pick up Leona but Leona puts her in the Spider Twist, which is one of Yoshida’s finishing moves. Yoshida gets a toe on the ropes, back up Yoshida kicks Leona in the chest but Leona hits a spear for a two count. German suplex hold by Leona, she goes off the ropes but Yoshida boots her hard in the chest. Yoshida picks up Leona in a vertical suplex position before dropping her with a kneeling tombstone piledriver, picking up the three count! Mariko Yoshida wins!

Since I have not seen Yoshida finish a match with that move, I will assume that was her way of sticking it to Leona for trying to take her finishing move. Leona put up more of a fight than I was expecting, which made the match a lot more fun to watch as she is a really solid high speed wrestler. The match was too short/clipped to make it worth seeking out, but it was a fun back and forth match and Yoshida’s reaction when Leona put on the Spider Twist showed that she realized Leona wasn’t going to be as easy to beat as she may have originally thought. Overall entertaining, I just wish more was shown.  Mildly Recommended

Mika Nishio vs. Takako Inoue

Takako and Nishio circle to start, armdrag by Takako and she attacks Nishio in the corner. Kicks by Takako from the apron and she hits a double underhook suplex, picking up a two count. DDT by Takako but Nishio fires back with elbows, they trade slaps until Takako sends Nishio to the mat. Backdrop suplex by Takako but Nishio ducks the spinning backfist, Takako connects with the next one and goes for the Takako Panic, but Nishio ducks it and hits a jumping heel kick. Nishio picks up Takako but Takako blocks the suplex, another jumping heel kick by Nishio and she gets another two count. German suplex hold by Nishio and she picks up Takako, but Takako rolls her to the mat and covers her for two. Back up, tiger suplex hold by Nishio but Takako gets a shoulder up. She goes for another one and hits it, but again it gets a two count. Nishio goes off the ropes but Takako nails her with a spinning backfist, she hits a second one and covers Nishio for the three count! Takako Inoue is the winner.

A step down from the last few matches but still not a bad one. It was just a bit disjointed, the transitions were shaky at best as they seemed to mostly take turns hitting moves on each other with little rhyme or reason. Nishio must not have had a deep pool of moves as she kept going for the same two or three during the last half of the match, and without a ‘bigger’ finishing move it was hard to believe she would beat Takako. Some solid parts and its always good to see Takako, but overall a bit underwhelming.

Momoe Nakanishi and Nanae Takahashi vs. Yumiko Hotta and Kumiko Maekawa

Nanae and Momo have no time for streamers and attack Hotta and Maekawa before the match starts, as the battle spills out of the ring. Nanae and Momo control the action on the floor and into the crowd, eventually they bring Hotta back into the ring but Hotta hits a double face crusher on them. Hotta gets her chain but Momo dropkicks her in the knee, elbow drop by Nanae and they both attack Hotta in the corner. Momo stays in but Maekawa gives Hotta her chain again and she hits Momo in the head with it. More chain shots by Hotta, she wraps it around Momo’s neck and applies a choke with it while Maekawa kicks Momo in the chest. Maekawa is tagged in and she kicks Momo in the face, but Nanae comes in and they both dropkick Maekawa. Missile dropkick by Nanae but Maekawa kicks her into the corner and tags in Hotta. Nanae greets Hotta with elbows but Hotta applies a sleeper until Momo breaks it up. Well she tries anyway but Hotta keeps it locked in while Maekawa grabs Momo, Momo gets away from Maekawa and chokes Hotta with her own chain until she lets go of Nanae. Nanae elbows Hotta against the ropes but Hotta comes back with a spinning heel kick, she hits a second one before Maekawa chokes Nanae in the corner with the chain. Hotta Irish whips Nanae but instead of bouncing off the ropes she sails out of the ring with a tope suicida onto Maekawa. Momo comes in the ring with a missile dropkick, she goes up top again and dives out onto Maekawa while Nanae hits a backdrop suplex onto Hotta. Dropkick by Nanae to Hotta, she goes for the Reverse Splash but Hotta moves and kicks her in the head. Tiger Driver by Hotta, but Nanae kicks out at two. Maekawa comes in but Nanae gets away from her and they trade strikes, big boot by Maekawa but Nanae fires back with a shoulderblock. A superkick sends Nanae to the mat but she pops back up and hits a lariat for a two count cover. Hotta comes in and kicks Nanae, they both boot Nanae in the stomach but she avoids Maekawa’s rolling kick. Maekawa hits a high kick anyway, Nanae finally hits the Reverse Splash but Maekawa bridges out of the pin and kicks Nanae out of the ring. Momo lays out Maekawa on the floor, she slides her back in and Nanae hits a reverse double footstomp for a two count.

Momo stays in and dropkicks Maekawa in the head, but Maekawa comes back with a high kick. Jumping kick by Maekawa, and she covers Momo for two. Rolling kick by Maekawa, but this time Nanae breaks up the cover. Drop down kick by Maekawa and she hits a running boot in the corner, she goes up top but Momo joins her, Nanae comes in and she superplexes Maekawa. Diving body press by Momo, Nanae picks up Maekawa and delivers a backdrop suplex. Lariat by Nanae, German suplex hold by Momo but Maekawa kicks out. Mom picks up Maekawa but Hotta runs in and slaps her, kick by Maekawa and she tags in Hotta. Hotta comes in with her chain and shoves down the referee, but Momo sneaks in a victory roll for two. Maekawa returns but Nanae does too and they dropkick Hotta and Maekawa. Momo goes up top and goes for a diving body press, but Hotta gets her feet up. Hotta picks up Momo but Momo slides away and hits a German suplex hold for a two count. Momo picks up Hotta again and dumps her out of the ring, but Maekawa runs in and hoots Momo out of the ring as well. Maekawa then kicks Nanae out of the ring and follows her out, as all four brawl on the floor. Maekawa grabs she chairs and throws them in the ring for Hotta, Momo is slid back in and Hotta puts her on the second turnbuckle. Hotta joins her and hits a German suplex down onto the pile of chairs, cover by Hotta but the referee is not interested in counting due to all the cheating. Nanae runs in and lariats Hotta, Momo and Hotta trade elbows until Hotta punches her in the face and hits a Liger Bomb for a two count. Hotta picks up Momo but Momo gets away, punch by Hotta as Maekawa runs in but Maekawa boots Hotta by accident. German suplex by Nanae to Hotta, Momo jackknifes over Hotta as she picks up a two count. Momo☆OK by Momo and she hits a second one, but Hotta kicks out of the cover. Momo☆Latch by Momo, but Hotta barely gets a shoulder up. Momo picks up Hotta she is hit by a fireball from Hotta’s help at ringside, Hotta picks up Momo and drops her with the Pyramid Driver. Momo comes back with another Momo☆OK but Hotta hits her with the chain. Pyramid Driver by Hotta, but Momo gets a shoulder up on the pin attempt. Hotta picks up Momo but Momo elbows her, Nanae tries to help but Hotta swats her away. A Momo☆Latch gets a two count, Hotta gets Momo up on her shoulder and she nails a Pyramid Driver EX for the three count! Hotta and Maekawa are the winners!

I don’t even know where to begin for a match like this. It had an old school feel, lots of being stubborn and generally not selling things nearly long enough considering what they were doing to each other. Hotta has a reputation as being a selfish worker, likely deserved, and its just odd watching her as its like a relic from the old days where wrestlers didn’t want to ever look weak. She wasn’t uncooperative, she just wasn’t putting a lot of effort into making her opponents look good. Momo and Nanae were the better team as they were putting a lot more effort into making the match entertaining, Maekawa was fine but was mostly just doing kicks and otherwise letting Hotta do the heavy lifting. I enjoyed parts of it, rolled my eyes during other parts and scratched my head more than once, just an oddly put together match. More good than bad for sure but not exactly a classic, watching Hotta is a bit of a chore in of itself unless she is in the ring with someone that doesn’t put up with her shit, which wasn’t really an option for Momo and Nanae. Maybe worth a watch but mostly for Momo and Nanae.  Mildly Recommended

The post AtoZ “1st Anniversary Mainstream” on 7/19/04 Review appeared first on Joshi City.

In the last 10 years, since the fall of Joshi’s popularity in Japan, it has been rare for a Joshi event to air live on TV as usually it is shown either delayed on TV or live on niconico. It is even more rare for a promotion with no TV deal at all to get such a spot, but the retirement of Joshi legend Devil Masami was able to pull it off. MARVELOUS NIGHT V was shown live on GAORA in its entirety, with the show clocking in at almost three hours. Much of that was Masami’s retirement ceremony (approximately 45 minutes worth) but there was a full event as well as different promotions came together to send off Masami in style. Masami herself wrestled twice on the card, including in the opening against Nagayo, who come out of retirement (hold in your laughter) to take on her old foe. Here is the full card:

• Chigusa Nagayo, Yumiko Hotta, and Meiko Satomura vs. Devil Masami, Dump Matsumoto, and KAORU
• DASH Chisako and Sendai Sachiko vs. Ryo Mizunami and Yukari Ishino
• Ayako Sato and Hanako Kobayashi vs. Ray and Misaki Ohata
• Kana, Yumi Ohka, Cherry, and Moeka Haruhi vs. GAMI, Kyoko Kimura, Shuu Shibutani, and Bullfighter Sora
• Misae Genki vs. Yuki Miyazaki
• Azumi Hyuga, Leon, and Arisa Nakajima vs. Kayoko Haruyama, Command Bolshoi, and Kaori Yoneyama
• Noriyo Tateno vs. Takako Inoue
• Chikayo Nagashima and Sonoko Kato vs. Mayumi Ozaki and Manami Toyota
• Devil Masami Retirement Match: Devil Masami, Dynamite Kansai, and Carlos Amano vs. Aja Kong, Ran Yu-Yu, and Toshie Uematsu

Chigusa Nagayo, Hotta, and Satomura vs. Devil Masami, Dump Matsumoto, and KAORU

Nagayo and Masami start the match and they trade strikes, Masami shrugs off Nagayo’s strikes but Nagayo hits an armdrag. Masami goes all evil and scares Nagayo into the corner, she tags in Matsumoto who comes in with a kendo stick, which she uses to hit Nagayo repeatedly. Nagayo eventually grabs it and Hotta comes in and smacks Matsumoto in the face. Nagayo tags in Satomura but KAORU runs in and hits Satomura with a piece of table. Hotta returns and they double team Matsumoto, but Matsumoto comes back with a lariat to Satomura and tags in KAORU. KAORU hits Satomura with the table piece but Satomura hits a rebound elbow out of the corner followed by the Pele Kick. Hotta becomes legal somehow and elbows KAORU, Nagayo struts in and kicks KAORU in the head. Tiger Driver by Hotta to KAORU, but the pin is broken up when Matsumoto hits the referee with the kendo stick. Nagayo stays in with KAORU but Masami lariats her from the apron and comes in to hit a leg drop. Moonsault by KAORU, Masami picks up Nagayo but Nagayo uppercuts her, Nagayo goes off the ropes but KAORU hits her with the table piece. Matsumoto comes in while the crowd squeals, and Matsumoto stabs Nagayo in the head. She keeps stabbing Nagayo until she starts bleeding, Masami covers Nagayo but it gets a two count. Satomura comes in and they take turns kicking Masami, lariat by Nagayo but it gets a two count as Masami does a zombie kick out. Hotta tries to help but it backfires, KAORU comes in to spray mist at Nagayo but she misses and hits Masami by accident. Uppercut by Nagayo but Masami headbutts her, Fire Valley by Masami and she gets the three count! Masami, Matsumoto, and KAORU win!

After the match they all spoke and laughed with each other, so no hard feelings between the veterans. This is a really odd match as it was more of an exhibition, it was under eight minutes and the tag rules were rather loose to put it mildly. I really don’t think KAORU and Satomura were needed, the crowd was into anything with Nagayo, Masami, and Matsumoto and the rest were just filler to get the participant number up. Even watching it eight years later I completely get the fun of seeing Nagayo in there with Matsumoto and it was a unique way to start the show as it allowed Masami time to rest up before her real retirement match (plus a chance to retire the ‘gimmick’ character). I thought it was lighthearted and fun, but not much of a ‘real’ match in the traditional sense.  Mildly Recommended

DASH Chisako and Sendai Sachiko vs. Ryo Mizunami and Yukari Ishino

Chisako and Mizunami are the first two in, Chisako grabs Mizunami’s arm and Sachiko comes down off the top turnbuckle onto it. Mizunami puts Sachiko in a headlock and tags in Ishino, dropkicks by Ishino and she covers Sachiko for two. Back up they trade elbows, Sachiko wins the dual and she tags in her sister, who works over Ishino in the corner. Dropkicks by Chisako but Ishino quickly rolls her up for a two count before hitting a series of dropkicks. Ishino tags in Mizunami, scoop slam by Mizunami and she hits quick legdrops for a two count cover. Chisako comes back with dropkicks, Sachiko goes up top and hits a missile dropkick onto Mizunami. Even more dropkicks by Sachiko (lots of dropkicks in this match) and she hits a DDT, but Mizunami gets Sachiko up and hits a shoulder breaker. Mizunami tags in Ishino but Chisako runs in and dropkicks her, double dropkick to Ishino and Sachiko covers her for two. Sachiko jumps up on the second turnbuckle and hit a tornado DDT, Northern Lights Suplex by Sachiko but it gets a two count. Ishino gets Sachiko up on her shoulders and hits a Samoan Drop, she picks her up again but this time Sachiko wiggles away and hits a DDT. Scoop slam by Sachiko, Chisako comes in and Sachiko suplexes Chisako onto Ishino. Somersault senton by Sachiko, but Ishino bridges out of the cover. Sachiko picks up Ishino, Chisako boots Ishino in the head and Sachiko delivers a German suplex hold for the three count! Chisako and Sachiko are the winners.

It is interesting that Sendai Girls’ sent their babies for the offer match, but considering the match they had to follow it was probably for the best. Lots of rookie-based offense here, meaning lots of dropkicks and the like, but occasionally they would throw in something different to show they weren’t complete novices. Chisako and Sachiko were already working well together, they teamed for seven more years after this match so you can imagine how much better they got. A fun easy to watch opener-style match.

Ayako Sato and Hanako Kobayashi vs. Ray and Misaki Ohata

Ray and Sato begin the match, hard shoulderblock by Ray and she hits a springboard armdrag. Ray cartwheels away from Sato and both wrestlers go for dropkicks, Ray gets Sato in the ropes and chops her in the chest. Ray tags in Ohata, Ohata goes for a cross armbreaker but Sato gets into the ropes. Dropkick by Sato as Kobayashi comes in, and Ohata is double teamed. Dropkicks by Sato, and she covers Ohata for a two count. Ohata starts her comeback but Sato slips away and tags in Kobayashi, missile dropkick by Kobayashi but Ray kicks her from the apron. Kobayashi is double teamed and covered by Ohata for a two count, armdrag by Ohata and she hits a low crossbody. Ray goes up top and hits a cartwheel kick off the ropes, she picks up Kobayashi and hits an enzuigiri. Ray goes up top as does Ohata, but both wrestlers miss moonsaults. Kobayashi hits a diving crossbody on Ray, then Sato follows with a missile dropkick. Kobayashi picks up Ray and hits a fisherman suplex hold, but it gets a two count. Kobayashi goes up top but Ohata hits her before she can jump off, Ray goes up with her but Kobayashi pushes Ray to the mat and hits a diving crossbody. Ray hits a German suplex on Kobayashi, jumping kick by Ray and she nails a moonsault for the three count! Ohata and Ray are the winners.

A simple match, nothing bad but utterly forgettable. Ray was a great flyer and got a few chances to show it here, but no one else made much of an impression. With only six minutes they didn’t have much time anyway, mostly just filler.

Kana, Yumi Ohka, Cherry, and Haruhi vs. GAMI, Kimura, Shibutani, and Bullfighter Sora

Sora and Haruhi start off, Cherry comes in too but Sora hits a crossbody on both of them. Kana runs in and starts hip attacking everyone, until Kimura boots her in the head. Ohka comes in to help but so does GAMI, and GAMI hits everyone in the head with a horn. She gets dropkicked, then Team Kana pose on Gama and Sora. Team GAMI end up back in control as they do the triple leg submission hold spot in a circle as they run through the indy wrestling cliche spots until things settle back down with Sora and Haruhi still the legal wrestlers. They tag in Kana and Kimura, they trade elbows until Kimura headbutts Kana to send her to the mat. Shibutani missile dropkicks Kana, but Kana falls into her corner and tags in Cherry. Cherry hits a jumping lariat on Shibutani and tags in Haruhi, jumping seated sentons by Haruhi and she covers Shibutani for two.

DDT by Shibutani and she dropkicks Cherry before tagging in GAMI. GAMI is reluctant to go up top but eventually does so, she walks the ropes while holding Haruhi’s arm but eventually falls and crotches herself. GAMI picks up Haruhi but Haruhi puts her in a hanging submission, but GAMI gets into the ropes. Ohka is tagged in but GAMI catches her with a side Russian leg sweep and GAMI tags in Sora. Ohka boots Sora in the face and then boots GAMI, backdrop suplex by Ohka to GAMI and she covers her for two. Ohka goes up top but Shibutani grabs her, giving GAMI time to recover, Frankensteiner by GAMI and she covers Ohka for two. Atomic drop by Ohka to GAMI but GAMI levels her with a lariat. Fisherman buster by GAMI, but the cover is broken up. GAMI picks up Ohka but Ohka gets away, Sora tries to help but she hits GAMI by accident. Kimura then headbutts GAMI by accident and Ohka boots GAMI in the head for a two count. Tiger Suplex Hold by Ohka, and she gets the three count! Team Kana win!

A bit sloppy and disjointed for a match with wrestlers that are in theory familar with each other. Lots of comedy spots although it wasn’t all comedy, as Kimura and Kana had a nice exchange that ended way too quickly. Some miscommunications and nothing that really popped out, maybe everyone was told to keep it mild to not upstage the purpose of the evening. Another not bad but not special match which may be a recurring theme.

Misae Genki vs. Yuki Miyazaki

Miyazaki starts the match with a springboard armdrag but Genki blocks her dropkick, trip by Miyazaki and she catches Genki with a dropkick on the second try. Scoop slam by Miyazaki and the pair trade strikes, Genki throws Miyazaki in the corner and hits a series of chops. Big boot by Genki, and she covers Miyazaki for a two count. Genki goes for a chokeslam but Miyazaki blocks it and hits a chokeslam of her own. Miyazaki goes up top but Genki grabs her and chokeslams Miyazaki to the mat for two. Miyazaki grabs Genki around the waist and hits a German suplex hold, but it gets a two count. Tiger suplex hold by Miyazaki but that gets a two as well, Miyazaki goes up top but Genki avoids the moonsault attempt. Sliding Kick by Miyazaki but Genki levels her with a lariat. Another lariat by Genki, she picks up Miyazaki and she hits an Emerald Frosion. Genki picks up Miyazaki again and nails the G-Driller, picking up the three count cover! Misae Genki wins the match.

Too short to get excited about but the action itself was good. Genki was a quality power wrestler, never outstanding but really solid and everything was hit convincingly. The transitions were bad enough to be annoying, no real meaningful selling until the last few moves, but with a five minute match what else can ya do. Not bad but it didn’t leave much of an impression.

Azumi Hyuga, Leon, and Arisa Nakajima vs. Haruyama, Command Bolshoi, and Yoneyama

Bolshoi and Hyuga start for their teams and trade quick holds on the mat with neither getting a clean advantage. Nakajima and Yoneyama tag in, Hyuga stays in to help but Yoneyama armdrags them both out of the ring. Leon then gets a running start in the ring, jumps up to the top rope and sails out onto everyone with a plancha suicida. Back in the ring, Yoneyama is triple teamed in the corner before Nakajima hits a missile dropkick for a two count. Nakajima tags Leon, spear by Leon and she hits two more for a two count of her own. Leon goes for a suplex but Yoneyama slides away and hits the Chaos Theory. Yoneyama tags in Haruyama, Stunner by Haruyama but Leon catches her with a backbreaker slam. Nakajima and Hyuga run in while Leon goes up top and hits a diving body press for two. Leon tags Hyuga who hits a double underhook unto a backbreaker, she goes up top and knocks down Haruyama with a missile dropkick. Hyuga picks up Haruyama but Haruyama lariats her in the back of the head and tags in Bolshoi. Hurricanrana by Bolshoi to Hyuga, she picks her up and hits a drop toehold into the ropes so that Haruyama and Yoneyama can dropkick her. Tiger Feint Kick by Bolshoi and she goes for a satellite headscissors, but Hyuga blocks it and hits a backbreaker.

Running knee to the back of the head by Hyuga and she hits rolling German suplexes for a two count. Yoneyama runs in and kicks Hyuga, La Mistica by Bolshoi to Hyuga but it is quickly broken up. Nakajima comes in but Bolshoi rolls her to the mat and applies a kneelock until Leon breaks it up. Bolshoi tags in Haruyama, kick by Haruyama but Nakajima catches her with a bridging fallaway suplex. Elbows by Nakajima but Haruyama blocks the German suplex. More elbows by Nakajima but Haruyama levels her with a lariat.  Haruyama goes up top but Leon grabs her, giving Nakajima time to join Haruyama. Nakajima suplexes Haruyama off the top turnbuckle, Leon then hits a Swanton Bomb and Nakajima finishes with a diving footstomp for a two count cover. German suplex hold by Nakajima to Haruyama, but that gets a two as well. Nakajima goes up top but Yoneyama joins her and suplexes her back off. Haruyama picks up Nakajima and deliver the Keene Hammer but Leon breaks it up. Yoneyama goes up top and is fed Leon’s legs by Haruyama, they together hit an assisted double underhook facebuster on Leon while Yoneyama also sentons Leon. Haruyama goes back up and hits a diving legdrop, but Hyuga breaks up the pin. The bell rings just as she does so, and the time limit has expired. The match is a Draw.

This was definitely the best match on the card we’ve seen as far as wrestling goes, all six of them brought their A Game and were flying around the ring in impressive fashion. They seemed to always be on the same page and worked well together, nothing felt off or forced. With a ten minute time limit I don’t think six wrestlers were needed, four would have been fine as there wasn’t really time to showcase all the wrestlers, but everything they did was well done. It felt more like an exhibition which in a way it was, but it was still fun to watch.  Mildly Recommended

Noriyo Tateno vs. Takako Inoue

Takako kicks Tateno into the corner right off the bat, kick to the chest by Takako and she hits a DDT. More kicks by Takako but Tateno fights back with elbows, Mexican Surfboard by Tateno and she applies a facelock. Tateno stomps down on Takako’s hands and sends her off the ropes, but Takako snaps off a DDT. STF by Takako, she grabs Tateno by the hair but Tateno gets her back and goes for a suplex. Takako grabs the ropes to break it up, lariat by Tateno and she hits two more, German suplex hold by Tateno but it gets a two count. Tateno goes up top but Takako recovers and joins her, hitting an avalanche armdrag for two. Takako goes up top but Tateno avoids the Takako Panic, lariat by Tateno and she hits a diving body press for two. Tateno picks up Takako but Takako slides away and hits a backfist. Tateno blocks the next one however and drops Takako with a Death Valley Bomb, she picks Takako up but Takako slides away and rolls her up for the three count! Takako Inoue is the winner.

Another shorter match and probably the worst one on the show. It was pretty slow with some longer submissions for a match that wasn’t really long enough to sustain it. The match also ended really suddenly, it never felt like it really got going before it was suddenly over. A couple good moves and they worked well together, just not a very exciting match.

Chikayo Nagashima and Sonoko Kato vs. Mayumi Ozaki and Manami Toyota

Like any Ozaki match, the action quickly spills out to the floor as Toyota takes Nagashima up into the crowd. Both teams battle up near the entrance way and in the bleachers, they get back near ringside and Toyota dives off the top turnbuckle onto both Nagashima and Kato. They finally get back into the ring, Ozaki gets a chair and she hits Kato, Toyota then goes up top and hits a missile dropkick. Ozaki gets a chain and hits Kato with that as well, but Kato ducks the next attempt and hits a release German suplex. She tags in Nagashima but Nagashima is tripped from the floor, Toyota comes in but Nagashima hits a double springboard armdrag on both of them. Kato slams Ozaki in front of the corner and Nagashima delivers a diving footstomp for a two count cover. Ozaki slaps Nagashima and tags in Toyota, Toyota goes up top and delivers a missile dropkick. She hits another one before putting Nagashima in the ropes so she can be attacked by the entire Ozaki Army. Toyota gets Nagashima on her shoulders but she wiggles away and hits a release German suplex. Diving leg drop by Kato, and she covers Toyota for a two count.

Kato goes for the dragon suplex but Toyota blocks it and rolls Kato around the ring. Toyota goes up top but Kato grabs her from behind and hits a release German. Dragon suplex hold by Kato to Toyota, but it only gets a two count. Toyota gets away from Kato as Ozaki throws a chain at Kato, German suplex hold by Toyota but it gets two. Toyota goes up to the top turnbuckle but Kato avoids her moonsault and hits a punt. She tags in Nagashima but Ozaki is also tagged in, sit-down powerbomb by Ozaki but it gets two. Ozaki gets on the second turnbuckle but Nagashima catapults up there and hits a Frankensteiner. Fisherman buster by Nagashima, but Toyota breaks up the cover. Toyota missile dropkicks Nagashima and Ozaki drops her with a dragon suplex hold for two. Ozaki goes for a Shining Wizard, Nagashima blocks it but Ozaki delivers the spinning backfist for a two count. Ozaki picks up Nagashima but Nagashima rolls her up for two. Hurricanrana by Nagashima, but Ozaki rolls through it, fisherman buster by Nagashima but Toyota breaks up the cover. The bell then rings, as time has expired. The match is a Draw.

Well this was definitely action packed, they used every minute as best they could to put on an entertaining show. Not the type of match for people that are fans of long term selling, but it had tons of big moves and brutality like you would expect from an Ozaki match. All four got a chance to shine, with Toyota in particular looking really impressive as always. A really solid match, I wish it could have gotten more time so it could have had a real conclusion but still an enjoyable heavyweight sprint.  Recommended

Devil Masami, Dynamite Kansai, and Carlos Amano vs. Aja Kong, Ran Yu-Yu, and Toshie Uematsu

Masami and Yu-Yu start the match off, they start off politely until Uematsu comes in to help her partner. Masami shrugs off their chops and headbutts both of them, but Kong comes in and lariats Masami to the mat. Kong takes Masami out of the ring and chucks a chair at her, as all six wrestlers brawl at ringside. Kansai and Uematsu end up in the aisle near the balcony while Kong throws the steel plate from the barricade at Amano while somehow Masami made it back into the ring with Yu-Yu and puts her in a sleeper. Masami tags in Kansai, vertical suplex by Kansai to Yu-Yu and she covers her for two. Scorpion Deathlock by Kansai but Yu-Yu crawls to the ropes and she forces the break. Kansai tags in Amano and they hit Yu-Yu with a double shoulderblock, but Yu-Yu pushes back to her corner and tags in Kong. Kong chops Amano against the ropes and hits a lariat in the corner, cover by Kong but it gets two. Amano tries to fight back with headbutts but Kong smacks her to the mat and tags in Uematsu. Uematsu rakes Amano’s face and stomps her down in the corner, Irish whip by Uematsu but Amano hits a jumping lariat and tags in Kansai. Kansai grabs Uematsu and hits a lariat in the corner, but Uematsu dropkicks her in the knee and Yu-Yu runs in too so they can hit a double dropkick. Uematsu stays in but Kansai puts them both in the claw, she slams Yu-Yu to the mat but Uematsu blocks her slam and hits a suplex. Kansai fires back with a suplex of her own, Uematsu tags in Kong but Masami is tagged in as well. Kong kicks Masami in the mouth and hits a back bodydrop, but Masami avoid the elbow drop.

Kansai comes in but Kong lariats both of them. Kong tags in Yu-Yu, jumping elbow of sorts by Yu-Yu to Masami and she hits her with a knee. Yu-Yu tries to pick up Masami but Masami blocks it, knee by Yu-Yu but Masami throws her to the mat. Kong runs over and lariats Masami, Uematsu comes in and kicks Masami in the head which swings the advantage back to Yu-Yu, kick out of the corner by Yu-Yu and she covers Masami for two. Amano jumps off the top turnbuckle with a lariat to Yu-Yu, Uematsu comes in but Masami suplexes Uematsu onto Yu-Yu. Amano stays in and kicks Yu-Yu but Yu-Yu returns fire with an elbow and knocks Amano to the mat. Yu-Yu goes off the ropes but Amano hits a roaring elbow, she picks up Yu-Yu and hits a jumping lariat, but Yu-Yu knees her when she goes off the ropes again. Another knee by Yu-Yu and she hits a release German suplex, picking up a two count. Yu-Yu tags in Kong, Kong punches Amano to the mat but Amano fights back with headbutts. Kong has none of that and hits a hard lariat, she picks up Amano and delivers the brainbuster but the cover is broken up. Kong slams Amano in front of the corner, she goes up top but Masami pushes her back to the mat. Jumping lariat by Amano to Kong and she tags in Kansai. Kansai kicks Kong but Kong catches her with a backdrop suplex, but Kansai kicks out of the cover. Kansai goes up top, Kong goes to join her but Kansai slides out to the apron and kicks Kong in the head.

Splash Mountain by Kansai, but Yu-Yu breaks it up. Kansai goes up top but Kong avoids the footstomp and Uematsu comes off the top with a missile dropkick. Shining Wizard by Kong to Kansai, but the cover gets two. Kong goes up top but Kansai avoids the elbow drop, Kansai goes up again and this time she hits the diving footstomp, but Uematsu breaks up the cover. Masami is tagged in, she picks up Kong as Amano goes for a missile dropkick, but she hits Masami on accident. Kong tags in Uematsu, dragon suplex hold by Uematsu but Masami gets a shoulder up. Hard elbow by Yu-Yu to Masami but Masami fires up and lariats all three of her opponents. Masami picks up Uematsu but Uematsu slides away and Kong lariats Masami. Uematsu gets on Yu-Yu’s shoulders and hits a diving body press on Masami, but the cover gets two. Uematsu goes up top but Masami hits her before she can jump off, Yu-Yu runs in and grabs Masami however and Uematsu hits a missile dropkick. Masami pops up and lariats both of them, Kansai comes in and starts kicking people as Masami picks up Uematsu and hits a Liger Bomb for a two count. Yu-Yu has recovered but Masami scoops her up and nails the Fire Valley. She then hits it on Uematsu, but Yu-Yu breaks it up. Kong picks up Masami and hits her with a backfist, Uematsu gets behind Masami and nails a dragon suplex hold for the three count! Kong, Yu-Yu, and Uematsu are your winners!

After the match, Devil Masami had a Retirement Ceremony that lasted 45 minutes. It included wrestlers saying farewell with flowers, testimonials, and of course the streamers at the end. Masami couldn’t have looked happier, and it was a fitting end to a long and storied career.

It is really really hard to evaluate a match like this with star ratings. It isn’t designed to be a ‘great’ match in the traditional sense of the word, as the retiring wrestler generally has her friends or people she enjoyed working with in the match to make it enjoyable for them. I will say that the wrestlers were putting in maximum effort to send off their friend in style, we still had Splash Mountains and Diving Footstomps and everything between, they were in no way coasting. And it was nice that Masami got the loss as that is normal tradition, giving the win to the younger Uematsu. Overall I liked it due to not just the emotion but the effort level, not a high end match work-wise but still fun to watch and a match I am sure Masami was proud of.  Recommended

The post Marvelous “Devil Masami Retirement” on 12/30/08 Review appeared first on Joshi City.

Let’s jump back to some AJW, but not to classic AJW but rather ‘towards the end of its life’ AJW. By 2004, AJW wasn’t doing well. The heyday of arenas full of tens of thousands of people was long gone, as AJW lost its regular TV slot in 2002 and had struggled to keep their head above water with the lost revenue. The promotion still had quality wrestlers for sure, but none that really captured the hearts of fans like The Crush Gals, Manami Toyota, Jaguar Yokota, and all the stars that at one time made AJW one of the most successful promotions in the world. I picked this show intentionally as it had a big title match plus three matches with young wrestlers versus veterans which tend to be pretty entertaining. Plus we have two Tag League the Best Tournament matches and baby Kana! Here is the full card:

• Rising Generation 1: Takako Inoue vs. Haruka Matsuo
• Tag League the Best First Round: Yumiko Hotta and Kana vs. Tomoko Watanabe and Emi Tojo
• Tag League the Best First Round: The Bloody and Fang Suzuki vs. Dump Matsumoto and Sasori
• Rising Generation 2: Momoe Nakanishi vs. Saki Maemura
• Rising Generation 3: Lioness Asuka vs. Hikaru
• Kumiko Maekawa vs. Amazing Kong
• WWWA World Championship: Ayako Hamada vs. Nanae Takahashi

I am sure some of this event will be clipped, but we’ll see which matches are as we get into it.

Takako Inoue vs. Haruka Matsuo

They jockey to start, Haruka avoids Takako’s boot and she hits a springboard armdrag off the ropes. Stomps by Haruka and she applies a seated armbar, but Takako gets into the ropes. Dropkicks by Haruka but Takako shrugs them off and plants the youngster with a DDT. Double underhook suplex by Takako and she applies a leg submission, but Haruka makes it into the ropes. Haruka goes for a crossbody by Takako catches her on the first attempt and ducks the second one before leveling Haruka with a high kick. Avalanche chokeslam of sorts by Takako, but Haruka barely kicks out of the cover. Haruka avoids Takako’s dive off the top turnbuckle and hits a hurricanrana, dropkick by Haruka and she hits a missile dropkick. She hits another missile dropkick, cover by Haruka but it gets two as does the Northern Lights Suplex. High kick by Takako, she picks up Haruka and hits a snap backdrop suplex hold for a two count. Spinning backfist by Takako, but again Haruka gets a shoulder up. Haruka slaps Takako and applies a wing clutch hold for a two count, she goes up top and delivers a diving body press before hitting a German suplex hold for two. Takako’s Night Night by Takako, she goes up top and hits the Takako Panic for the three count! Your winner is Takako Inoue!

One of the benefits of this series being young wrestlers but not rookies is that we get real match. Takako looked great here as she was on point with all her offense but still gave Haruka enough that both came out looking fine. Not a very long match and it might have been clipped a bit, but a fun way to kick off the show.  Mildly Recommended

Yumiko Hotta and Kana vs. Tomoko Watanabe and Emi Tojo

Kana and Watanabe start the match as Kana quickly hits a trio of dropkicks, but Watanabe dropkicks her back and hits a scoop slam. Rebound elbow drop by Watanabe, Tojo runs in and hits a body press before Watanabe covers her for two. Watanabe works over Kana on the mat, and we clip ahead to Kana kicking Watanabe in the corner. That doesn’t last long as Watanabe fights back, Tojo comes in and Kana is double teamed in the corner. Watanabe suplexes Tojo onto Kana, Tojo stays in and applies a headlock to Kana but Kana fires off some elbows and hits a dropkick. The young pair jockey for position on the mat until Tojo hits a quick suplex. Tojo tags in Watanabe, sunset flip by Kana but Watanabe grabs the ropes. Hotta comes in and hits a heel kick on Watanabe, Watanabe hits a back bodydrop but Kana dropkicks Watanabe. Watanabe knocks them both back with a springboard double elbow but Hotta grabs her and hits a Tiger Driver for a two count. Hotta tags Kana by slapping her, missile dropkick by Kana but Watanabe kicks her in the chest. Dropkick by Kana but Watanabe fires back with a lariat for a two count. Watanabe tags Tojo, knees by Tojo in the corner and she hits a dropkick. Scoop slam by Tojo but Kana dropkicks her, back bodydrop by Tojo but Kana dropkicks her again and covers her for two. Tojo and Kana trade elbows, Kana goes off the ropes and she hits three hip attacks for a two count. Tojo and Kana trade slaps, roll-up by Kana but Watanabe comes in and Kana is double teamed. Tojo gets on the second turnbuckle and hits a missile dropkick, but Kana makes the tag to Hotta. Dropkicks by Tojo to Hotta but Hotta hits a double face crusher, Tojo blocks the Tiger Driver and Watanabe comes in to kick Hotta in the chest. Tojo goes for a sunset flip by Hotta sits on her chest to block it, Hotta picks up Tojo but Watanabe knocks her over. Shining Wizard by Tojo to Hotta, but it only gets a two count. Tojo goes off the ropes but Watanabe hits a palm thrust, Hotta knocks Watanabe to the mat and then hits a Tiger driver on Tojo for the three count! Hotta and Kana win the match and move on in the tournament.

Good, but not great. It was fun to see Kana in her first year, still a bit rough around the edges and not at all like what she is today, but with some glimpses of skill and fire like you want to see in wrestlers early in their career. The match was just a bit too random and had no flow whatsoever, most of it was just them taking turns hitting moves on each other without a sense that either team had a strategy. The clipping may be slightly to blame but the match was probably like that in full as well. The action was generally solid so no complaints there, it just lacked something special to make it a memorable match or to feel like an important tournament match.

The Bloody and Fang Suzuki vs. Dump Matsumoto and Sasori

Matsumoto attacks Bloody before the match starts and the action immediately spills outside of the ring, with Matsumoto’s friends helping as well. Matsumoto and Bloody finally get in the ring with Matsumoto’s masked friend doing a bulk of the work, Suzuki comes in but Matsumoto quickly knocks her back out. Sasori comes in and trades elbows with Bloody, Matsumoto hits Bloody with kendo stick but Suzuki hits Sasori with a chair. Bloody tags Suzuki and Suzuki hits Sasori with a chair, but the masked friend returns and takes it from her. She then hits Suzuki with the chair as Suzuki is triple teamed in the corner. Sasori bites Bloody in the head and hits a hard elbow, cover by Sasori but it gets two. Matsumoto comes in and hits Bloody with the kendo stick, Bloody sneaks in a sunset flip but it only gets two. Sasori suplexes Bloody, the masked woman comes in and she hits a suplex to Suzuki. Matsumoto hits everyone with a paint can, including the referee (well especially the referee), but Suzuki comes in with a chair and hits Sasori in the head. Bloody gets Sasori in the corner and chokes her, snap backdrop suplex by Suzuki and Bloody hits a diving senton off the rope. Bloody is pulled outside the ring and attacked, at some point in all this the referee wakes and DQs Matsumoto and Sasori. Bloody and Suzuki move on in the tournament.

So this was an experience. I knew that it would be a brawl but it was one of those types where Matsumoto never even left the ring and just interfered whenever she felt like it. At least they did get DQed, unlike the old days, but it still wasn’t really a match in the traditional sense of the word. None of these four by 2004 were great wrestlers in the traditional sense of the word but the brawl just wasn’t heated enough to make up for it. Interesting perhaps, but still not something I could really recommended.

Momoe Nakanishi vs. Saki Maemura

Momoe and Saki get right into it with no wasted time, quick dropkick by Momoe and the pair trade elbows back and forth until Saki throws down Momoe by her hair. She does it again and hits a few snapmares before applying a sleeper, bodyscissors by Saki but Momoe gets out of it and delivers with a dropkick. Momoe goes up top and hits a missile dropkick but Saki hits a rebound crossbody out of the corner for two. Saki goes up top but Momoe hits her and joins her. Saki slides off and dropkicks Momoe, release German by Saki and she hits a missile dropkick. Saki dropkicks Momoe out of the ring, she then goes up top and hits a diving crossbody down to the floor. Saki slides Momoe back in but Momoe hits a dropkick, Saki falls out of the ring and Momoe goes for a moonsault, but Saki moves out of the way. Dropkick by Saki from the apron, she slides Momoe back in and hits a missile dropkick for a two count. Fisherman suplex by Saki, but Momoe gets a shoulder up again. Saki goes up top but Momoe gets her feet up on the diving body press attempt, quick roll-up by Saki gets a two. She tries another one with the same result, double underhook suplex by Momoe but it gets a two. Momoe goes up top and hits a missile dropkick but Saki comes back with a German suplex hold. German suplex hold by Momoe but Saki blocks the dragon suplex attempt and the two trade pick pins. Saki goes off the ropes but Momoe catches her with a Momo☆OK, a second Momo☆OK by Momoe and she picks up the three count!  Momoe Nakanishi is the winner.

A very high speed match and a hell of a sprint, both hit a million dropkicks and were flying around everywhere. It still had some big moves, with a dive by Saki and a dropkick off the apron, but most of it was focused between the ropes. There wasn’t a lot in terms of things like long term selling as they were going too fast to worry about such things, but for a shorter match it worked fine. A good display by both and overall enjoyable.  Mildly Recommended

Lioness Asuka vs. Hikaru

Asuka shows immediately that she has not mellowed with age, as she attacks Hikaru during the handshake and then sprays green mist in her face. Snapmares and kicks by Asuka, she gets her table and catapults it into Hikaru’s face. Asuka’s posse helps (as if she needed it) as Hikaru falls outside of the ring to be tended to by her corners. Asuka goes out to get her and rams her head into the table, Asuka charges Hikaru and lariats her against the table before rolling her back into the ring. Hikaru is then attacked with chairs as Hikaru is now bleeding, Blue Thunder Driver by Asuka but the referee won’t count it due to all the cheating. Asuka doesn’t care and starts choking Hikaru, knee drops by Asuka but Hikaru finally fights back with elbows. She bounces off the ropes but is tripped from ringside, Asuka grabs Hikaru and puts her in the Tree of Woe. Sliding dropkicks to Hikaru and Asuka puts her in a modified Camel Clutch. Hikaru manages to hit a big spear, knees by Asuka and she kicks Hikaru in the head. The table is propped up in the corner but Hikaru knocks Asuka back and hits a missile dropkick. Hikaru charges Asuka but Asuka moves so Hikaru runs into the table. Asuka puts the table onto Hikaru, she gets on the top turnbuckle and she hits a diving footstomp onto the table. Liger Bomb by Asuka, but Hikaru gets a shoulder up. Asuka gets Hikaru on her shoulders but she slides away and goes up top. Asuka joins her but Hikaru knocks her back down and and hits a missile dropkick for a two count. Asuka elbows Hikaru but Hikaru hits a spear, Hikaru picks up Asuka and she hits a Samoan Drop for a two count. Spinebuster by Hikaru, she picks up Asuka as Asuka’s friend comes in, but the friend hits Asuka with the chair by accident. Fisherman Driver by Hikaru, but Asuka gets a toe on the ropes. Hikaru goes to pick up Asuka but Asuka throws a fireball at her face, Hikaru rolls out of the ring and Asuka throws her into the stands. Asuka goes up to the top turnbuckle and hits a diving footstomp through the table (and obviously Hikaru), she slides Hikaru back in and she nails the Towerhacker Bomb, but Hikaru gets a shoulder up. Asuka goes for the LSD II, but Hikaru blocks it and rolls up Asuka for two. Heel kick by Asuka and she hits a second one, but Hikaru kicks out. Hikaru slaps Asuka but Asuka slaps her back and hits the LSD III for the three count! Lioness Asuka wins!

I love Asuka, here she was just a few months from retiring due neck injuries but she was holding nothing back to put on a good show. Diving footstomps through tables, fireballs, it was fun to watch. Asuka has a reputation as being a selfish worker, mostly deserved, but she wasn’t here as Hikaru kicked out of some of her bigger moves and had several close nearfalls against the Joshi legend. It was constant action with no wasted time, from the first misting to the final LSD something was always happening. A really solid match and to me just further cements Asuka’s place as one of the top Joshi wrestlers of all time.  Recommended

Kumiko Maekawa vs. Amazing Kong

Maekawa and Kong lock knuckles, chops by Kong and she lariats Maekawa to the mat. Maekawa gets back up and puts Kong in a seated armbar, but Kong gets a foot onto the ropes to break the hold. Kicks by Maekawa but she lets up Kong while smiling, Kong avoids the next kick however and she tosses Maekawa out of the ring. She goes out after her but Maekawa rolls in real quick, Maekawa kicks Kong as she gets on the apron and exits the ring to throw Kong into the guard rail. Maekawa battles Kong around the ring but Kong regains the advantage and throws Maekawa into the railing. Vertical suplex by Kong on the floor and she goes for a powerbomb, but Maekawa slides away and drop toeholds Kong onto some chairs. Maekawa slides Kong back in and hits a heel drop in the corner, Calf Branding by Maekawa and she covers Kong for two.

Kong fires back with a lariat and hits a double underhook facebuster, she gets on the second turnbuckle and hits a diving bodypress for a two count. Kong goes for a powerbomb but Maekawa gets out of it and hits a leg sweep. She goes off the ropes but Kong hits a lariat, Maekawa kips up however and delivers a heel kick for two. Kong finally hits the powerbomb, but the cover only gets a two count. Heel Drop by Maekawa, but Kong barely kicks out. Maekawa picks up Kong but she blocks the next Heel Drop attempt, quick roll-up by Maekawa but Kong kicks out. Kong returns the favor with her own roll-up for two, she picks up Maekawa but Maekawa blocks the spinning backfist. Kong finally hits one but Maekawa comes back with a high kick as they trade strikes back and forth. Back kick by Maekawa and she hits a rolling heel kick, she goes for a boot in the corner but Kong avoids it and applies a backslide for two. Sit-down Powerbomb by Kong, she picks up Maekawa and clubs her in the face. Kong goes up to the second turnbuckle and hits a diving legdrop, she gets on the second turnbuckle again but Maekawa avoids the diving bodypress. Kicks to the head by Maekawa but Kong sneaks in an inside cradle for two. Heel Drop by Maekawa, but Kong kicks out of the pin. Another Heel Drop by Maekawa, and this time she gets the three count! Maekawa is the winner.

Definitely an interesting match. It was odd seeing the monster Kong being the one going for sneaky pins while Maekawa was content in kicking the hell out of her. I love Maekawa’s Heel Drops, she gets so much elevation on her kick, I’ve never seen anything like it. Only issue it that she was so dominating that I never really brought into Kong winning as even though she hit her powerbomb you knew it would take more than that. Lots of hard strikes and solid action, it just had too much meandering brawling and not enough emotion.

(c) Ayako Hamada vs. Nanae Takahashi

They shake hands but Hamada grabs Takahashi and hits a quick powerbomb. Superkick by Hamada and a heel kick, and she delivers the AP Cross for a two count. Back up Hamada hits another heel kick, but Takahashi ducks the next one and hits a backdrop suplex. Another backdrop suplex by Takahashi and she hits a lariat before delivering a Nana☆Racka for two. Dropkick by Takahashi but Hamada returns fire. Hamada and Takahashi trade elbows as they return to their feet, Hamada charges Takahashi but Takahashi dumps her out of the ring. Plancha suicida by Takahashi, she rolls Hamada back in the ring but Hamada avoids the reverse splash. Hamada goes for a moonsault but Takahashi gets her feet up and hits a release German suplex. Takahashi goes up top but Hamada smacks her and joins her, hitting an Avalanche Frankensteiner down to the floor. Both wrestlers are hurt but Hamada is up first and slides Takahashi back in the ring, missile dropkick by Hamada and she hits a sit-down powerbomb for two. Takahashi rolls out of the ring, still in a good amount of pain, but Hamada goes out after her and hits her with a set of chairs. Vertical suplex by Hamada and she climbs up onto the stage, and she hits a moonsault down onto Takahashi. They battle up onto the balcony, Hamada tries to throw her off but Takahashi blocks it and slides her over the edge.

Hamada hangs for a moment before falling down to the floor, Takahashi then climbs to the other side of the railing and jumps down onto Hamada. So far this match is just a series of big spots but I love it. Takahashi tosses Hamada around the ring before they get up on the apron, Hamada gets a chair but tosses it at Takahashi and pretends like Takahashi hit her. The referee fusses at her, giving Hamada time to roll the ring, she then dropkicks Takahashi off the apron and goes for a moonsault, but Takahashi side steps it and puts Hamada on the apron. Takahashi then grabs Hamada and hits a vertical suplex off the apron down to the floor, she puts her back in the ring and hits a backdrop suplex for two. Big lariat by Takahashi, footstomp by Takahashi and she hits a Nana☆Racka for two. Hamada goes for a kick but Takahashi catches it and suplexes her to the mat. Lariat by Takahashi but Hamada sneaks in an inside cradle for a two count. Another lariat by Takahashi but Hamada springs back up just to eat another one. La Magistral by Hamada, but Takahashi gets a shoulder up. Enzuigiri by Hamada but Takahashi slides away from the powerbomb attempt. Dropkick by Hamada, she picks up Takahashi and hits the Pyramid Driver for a two count. AP Cross by Hamada, but Takahashi barely gets a shoulder up. Hamada kicks Takahashi in the head and she puts Takahashi in a backslide for two. Running slap by Hamada and she hits two heel kicks, AP Cross by Hamada but Takahashi kicks out. Lariat by Takahashi and she hits a Nana☆Racka, but it only gets a one. Takahashi charges Hamada but Hamada catches her and hits a AP Cross Diamond for two. Takahashi comes back with a jumping knee, Takahashi goes up top but Hamada joins her, she goes for a cutter but Takahashi blocks it and slides off. Hamada kicks Takahashi back but Takahashi punches her back and gets her in the Muscle Buster position. Nana Racka II by Takahashi, and she picks up the three count! Takahashi is the new champion!

Well that was one hell of a spotfest, just twenty minutes of them doing big moves until finally someone did a move strong enough to keep the other down. Which in a way is the problem with a match like this, the Nana Racka II is a great move but after everything that had been done it seemed almost anti-climatic. But they did two very similar bumps to the Kobashi/Akiyama match, which I doubt was a coincidence as that was the ‘big match’ of the year that had happened six months prior. It was certainly exciting as they kept ramping up the violence and there was never a dull moment, definitely worth tracking down for the “oh shit” moments if nothing else, and Hamada was on another level back in 2004.  Recommended

The post AJW Rising Generation Special in KAWASAKI 12/12/04 Review appeared first on Joshi City.

SEAdLINNNG’s last event never made air that I am aware of, so after a month break we are back with more action from Takahashi’s promotion. This event was billed as Nanae Takahashi’s 20th Anniversary match, which may end up being a night she’ll never forget for mostly the wrong reasons. We also have a ZERO1 Offer match as well as wrestlers from WAVE, Marvelous, and Sendai Girls’. Here is the full card:

• Ayako Hamada and Takako Inoue vs. Rin Kadokura and Takumi Iroha
• Ikuto Hidaka and Masato Tanaka vs. Kohei Sato and Kotaro Suzuki
• Hiragi Kurumi and Yuki Miyazaki vs. Tsukasa Fujimoto and Yumiko Hotta
• Arisa Nakajima and Sareee vs. Rina Yamashita and Ryo Mizunami
• DASH Chisako and Meiko Satomura vs. Nanae Takahashi and Yoshiko

Per usual, this was shown on a two hour TV Broadcast so some matches will be clipped.

Ayako Hamada and Takako Inoue vs. Rin Kadokura and Takumi Iroha

We join the match slightly in progress with Inoue in the ring with Kadokura, Kadokura goes for a crossbody but Inoue catches her and tosses the rookie to the ground. Elbows by Kadokura and they trade kicks, Inoue gets the better of it and she tags in Hamada. Hamada gives Kadokura a hard elbow and a pair of scoop slams, cover by Hamada but it gets two. Hamada works on Kadokura’s arm but Iroha breaks it up, Inoue comes in but Kadokura quickly rolls her up for two. Dropkick by Kadokura and she tags Iroha, kicks by Iroha and she knocks Inoue to the mat before kicking Hamada for extra measure. Hamada comes in after that but Kadokura returns too and the youngsters dropkick Inoue and Hamada. Iroha goes up top but Inoue joins her and armdrags her to the mat. German suplex hold by Iroha, but Inoue kicks out. Iroha goes off the ropes but Inoue catches her with a head kick, picking up a two count. Inoue tags Hamada, Hamada kicks Iroha in the head repeatedly but Iroha blocks one and the pair trade elbows. Iroha ducks Hamada’s heel kick and hits a superkick, bridging underhook suplex by Iroha and she gets a two. Hamada catches Iroha with the heel kick the next time she tries, she goes up top but Kadokura grabs her from the apron. This gives Iroha time to recover and she hits a Liger Bomb for a two count. Iroha tags Kadokura, dropkicks by Kadokura and she covers Hamada for two. Iroha returns and they both attack Hamada in the corner, headscissors by Kadokura but Hamada catches her when she goes for a hurricanrana. Crab hold by Hamada but Kadokura manages to get to the ropes, elbows by Kadokura but Hamada fires back with a boot. Inoue comes in and they hit a double elbow drop, Hamada puts Kadokura in a Mexican Surfboard but Iroha breaks it up. Side slam by Iroha to Hamada, Kadokura goes up top and she delivers a missile dropkick for a two count cover. Hurricanrana by Kadokura, but Inoue breaks up the cover. Kadokura goes off the ropes but Hamada levels her with a lariat, Hamada goes up top and she nails the moonsault for the three count cover! Inoue and Hamada are the winners.

A really solid opener, most of the match was shown and everyone got a chance to shine. Kadokura is clearly green, her strikes lack impact and she was the clear weak link of the match, but she came around a bit by the end and the final stretch of the match worked well. Iroha continues to really impress me, I hope she gets a chance at a bigger role somewhere soon as she definitely is one of the rising stars on the Joshi scene. Hamada and Inoue were as you’d expect, they aren’t going to go over the top in an opener but they played their roles well. Overall an enjoyable match.  Mildly Recommended

Ikuto Hidaka and Masato Tanaka vs. Kohei Sato and Kotaro Suzuki

Hidaka and Suzuki begin for their teams and trade submissions, armdrag by Hidaka and he hits a headscissors, but Suzuki quickly flips to his feet. Tanaka and Sato tag in, they trade chops and elbows until Tanaka floors Sato with a jumping elbow. Tanaka goes up top and hits a diving crossbody, jackknife by Hidaka but the cover gets two. Hidaka picks up Sato and connects with a high kick, but Suzuki breaks up the cover. Hidaka goes for Sliced Bread #2 but Suzuki catches him and hits a tombstone piledriver. Blue Destiny by Suzuki and Sato kicks Hidaka in the chest. Piledriver by Sato to Hidaka, he picks up Hidaka and he hits a German suplex hold for the three count! Sato and Suzuki win the match.

Way too clipped down to get excited about. A few good moves were hit, but with less then four minutes shown they spent half of that showing just intro-level limb work before they cut straight to the home stretch. ZERO1 fans may have been excited when the match got announced but SEAdLINNNG clearly was not catering to them as it was by far the most clipped match on the show.

Hiragi Kurumi and Yuki Miyazaki vs. Tsukasa Fujimoto and Yumiko Hotta

Hotta and Miyazaki start things off but are slow to engage, they trade wristlocks until Fujimoto comes in and Miyazaki is double teamed. Taiyo won’t count the cover since Hotta hasn’t run off the ropes yet (one of those weird rules I mentioned earlier), Fujimoto stays in as legal and Miyazaki throws her down by her hair. Miyazaki tags in Kurumi, body press by Kurumi and she applies a modified cattle mutilation. She releases Fujimoto after a moment and tags Miyazaki back in, leg drop by Miyazaki and she applies a submission hold with Kurumi’s help. Taiyo gets involved and ends up helping Fujimoto, Miyazaki gets back in control and applies a submission hold, but Taiyo covers up Fujimoto due to the pose the hold put her in. Taiyo doesn’t allow indecency. Taiyo dropkicks Miyazaki and helps Fujimoto double team her, but again Miyazaki gets the better of Fujimoto and remembers to bounce off the ropes before covering her for two. Dropkick by Miyazaki and she tags Kurumi, front flip senton by Kurumi and both wrestlers bounce off the ropes lots of times to make Taiyo happy. Fujimoto bridges out of a pin attempt and dropkicks Kurumi, leaving both wrestlers down on the mat. Hotta comes in with renewed vigor and plays around with Taiyo, as everyone puts on headbands. Kurumi is thrown to the mat and everyone runs over her, Kurumi gets annoyed and shoulderblocks everyone, even Hotta. Cannonball by Kurumi to Hotta, she goes up top but Hotta avoids the diving body press. Cover by Hotta but she forgot to run off the ropes so Taiyo won’t count it. Fujimoto reminds her so Hotta starts going off the ropes, meanwhile Fujimoto and Kurumi trade pin attempts. Hotta finally covers Kurumi, but it only gets two. Hotta goes off the ropes but Miyazaki kicks her from the apron, enzuigiri by Fujimoto to Kurumi and she hits the Venus Shoot. La Magistral by Hotta to Kurumi and she gets the three count! Hotta and Fujimoto are the winners.

You can’t go into matches with Taiyo as the referee too seriously as these matches are always the token SEAdLINNNG comedy match. There was still some solid action in it and I thought that Kurumi looked fantastic, but there wasn’t much of a rhythm as they had to constantly stop to do something silly. The best part of Taiyo matches is she always does some wrestling in it, I miss her quite a bit so even 10 seconds of Taiyo wrestling is better than nothing. Overall a fine match and it was interesting to see Hotta getting into the comedy, but just don’t go in expecting a wrestling clinic as that is not what this match was designed to provide.  Mildly Recommended

Arisa Nakajima and Sareee vs. Rina Yamashita and Ryo Mizunami

Nakajima and Yamashita start off but Sareee and Mizunami are in the ring too and everyone trades elbows. Sling Blade and a dropkick by Nakajima to Mizunami but Mizunami comes back with a hard shoulderblock. Nakajima boots Mizunami but Mizunami gets up and the two trade elbows. Nakajima tags in Sareee, Sareee elbows Mizunami but Mizunami hits a shoulderblock followed by a scoop slam. Leg drop by Mizunami and she tags Yamashita, Yamashita trades chops with Sareee until Sareee dropkicks Yamashita into the corner. They trade quick pins with no result so Sareee tags Nakajima back in, Nakajima dropkicks Yamashita and hits a knee against the ropes. Nakajima goes up top and hits a missile dropkick, covering Yamashita for two. Yamashita comes back with a knee of her own and hits a big backdrop suplex, covering the veteran for two. Kicks by Yamashita and she goes off the ropes, she hits one lariat but Nakajima pulls her down by her hair before she can hit another one. Nakajima stomps on Yamashita but Yamashita fires back with a hard elbow. Lariat by Yamashita and she tags in Mizunami, Mizunami picks up Nakajima and hits a powerslam for two. Running leg lariat by Mizunami but Nakajima kicks out again, she goes off the ropes but Nakajima ducks a lariat and they trade elbows.

Nakajima gets Mizunami to the mat first and goes for a few quick pins with no luck, German suplex hold by Nakajima but that gets a two as well. Nakajima goes for a dragon suplex but Mizunami reverses it with a Saito Suplex, Nakajima lands near her corner and Sareee tags herself in. Sareee tries to suplex Mizunami with no luck, release German by Mizunami but Sareee dropkicks her against the ropes. Four more dropkicks by Sareee and she hits a German suplex hold, but Mizunami kicks out at two. Missile dropkick by Nakajima, both her and Sareee get on different turnbuckles and they both hit missile dropkicks. They both hit two more missile dropkicks until Yamashita grabs Nakajima and comes into the ring, Yamashita joins Sareee up top and she hits a superplex. Spear by Mizunami to Sareee, she goes off the ropes and Sareee ducks the lariat, but Yamashita lariats Sareee instead. Lariat by Mizunami, but Nakajima breaks up the cover. Mizunami goes to charge Sareee but Nakajima kicks her, German suplex hold by Sareee but it gets a two count. Yamashita runs in and lariats Sareee, Mizunami lariats Nakajima but Sareee catches Mizunami with a Uranage. She goes for another one but Mizunami blocks it and hits a hard lariat. Sareee temporarily gets away from Mizunami but eats another lariat for her trouble, Mizunami hits a lariat again and covers Sareee for two. Mizunami has had enough and plants Sareee with the Hot Limit, and she picks up the three count!  Yamashita and Mizunami win!

A bit more hateful than I was expecting, but Nakajima brings that to the table sometimes regardless of the situation. A very enjoyable match, as I mentioned all four of these wrestlers are high end and it was a fast physical sprint from bell to bell. It was a nice change of pace from the last match as no one was laughing here, with lots of hard strikes and neck compressing suplexes from all the wrestlers. Both teams worked together really well as there were no miscues or mistakes from either, and the match was just unpredictable as something was always happening. It didn’t have any ‘control segments’ but you wouldn’t expect any in a 12 minute match, they just went all-out instead. The newer wrestlers here are all ones to watch, but Nakajima showed why she is one of the top Joshi wrestlers on the current scene. Really fun, only really hurt by the shortness of it.  Recommended

DASH Chisako and Meiko Satomura vs. Nanae Takahashi and Yoshiko

Chisako and Yoshiko start the match as the promotional leaders look on from the apron, these two aren’t friends either however as they quickly start trading hard strikes. Yoshiko gets Chisako to the mat first and applies a camel clutch, she throws Chisako into the corner and tags in Takahashi. The SEAdLINNNG stars double team Chisako for a moment, Takahashi clubs Chisako down to the mat and kicks her into the corner. They end up on the floor and Takahashi throws Chisako into the crowd, they return to the ring after a moment and Yoshiko comes in hit a backbreaker on Chisako. Missile dropkick by Takahashi and she covers Chisako for a two count. Quick cutter by Chisako and she tags in Satomura, Satomura chokes Takahashi with her knee and kicks Takahashi in the chest. Takahashi fires back with a lariat and goes for a splash off the second turnbuckle, but Satomura gets her knees up and kicks Takahashi in the back of the head. STF by Satomura but Takahashi wiggles to the ropes and forces the break. Satomura tags in Chisako, dropkicks by Chisako but Takahashi blocks the Northern Lights Suplex. Chisako ducks a lariat and hits the move anyway, picking up a two count. Chisako tags in Satomura, Satomura puts Takahashi in a sleeper and then applies an ankle hold when Takahashi goes for a kick. Satomura kicks Takahashi some more but Takahashi catches one and drops Satomura to the mat.

This gives Takahashi time to tag in Yoshiko, lariats by Yoshiko and she hits a running senton. She hits a second one but Chisako trips her from the apron when she goes for a third, she gets in the ring but Yoshiko lariats both of them. Yoshiko lariats Satomura in the corner and she hits face washes, but Satomura jumps up and elbows her. Satomura catches Yoshiko with a heel kick and tags in Chisako, Chisako goes up top and she hits a missile dropkick. Yoshiko starts her comeback with an elbow and they trade strikes, Chisako goes off the ropes and she boots Yoshiko to the mat for a two count. She goes off the ropes again but this time she eats a hard slap, elbows by Yoshiko in the corner and she hits mounted elbows and slaps. Pump handle slam by Yoshiko, and she covers Chisako for two. Chisako blocks the Chokebomb and hits a Stunner, but Yoshiko hits a lariat. Chisako ducks the next one and hits a release German, she goes off the ropes but Yoshiko hits a lariat. She tags in Takahashi, backdrop suplex by Takahashi but Chisako kicks out. Satomura comes in and kicks Takahashi, she stays in but Takahashi lariats both of them. Satomura falls out of the ring so Takahashi sails out after her with a tope suicida, inside the ring Yoshiko elbows Chisako and Takahashi lariats her once she returns. Takahashi goes off the ropes but Chisako catches her with a hurricanrana for a two count.

Chisako dropkicks Takahashi in the corner and nails a diving footstomp off the top, but Takahashi kicks out of the cover. Chisako goes up top but Takahashi gets her feet up on the Hormone Splash, Takahashi goes up but Satomura grabs her from the apron. Chisako joins Takahashi up top and hits an avalanche cutter, but Yoshiko breaks up the cover. Chisako tags in Satomura, kicks by Satomura and she hits a rebound elbow out of the corner. Jumping kick by Takahashi but Satomura kicks her back and hits the cartwheel kneedrop. Sleeper by Satomura but Takahashi quickly gets out of it, kicks to the chest by Satomura and she applies a submission hold. Yoshiko breaks it up with a lariat, she picks up Satomura but Takahashi lariats Yoshiko by accident. Chisako runs in to elbow Takahashi, backdrop suplex by Satomura to Takahashi and she covers her for two. Backdrop suplex by Takahashi and she hits a lariat, but Satomura kicks out of the cover. Nana☆Racka by Takahashi, she goes up top but Satomura joins her and hits a superplex. Sleeper by Satomura, Chisako gets Yoshiko in the corner to stop her from breaking it up, Death Valley Bomb by Satomura but Yoshiko flings Chisako at Satomura to break up the cover (breaking Takahashi’s teeth in the process by accident). Diving senton by Yoshiko onto both Satomura and Takahashi, she then lariats Satomura and Takahashi plants Satomura with a belly to back piledriver. Superman punch by Takahashi, she picks up Satomura and nails the One Second EX for the three count! The winners are Nanae Takahashi and Yoshiko.

Another great match, although I would not have expected any different from them. As I assumed lots of hard strike exchanges, I think they pretended later that it was Satomura that broke Takahashi’s teeth but admittedly that is a better story than Chisako’s boot accidentally doing it. I loved that everyone got a moment to shine, every wrestler had the upper hand at some point and no one was made to look weak which should be the goal of all matches. Yoshiko looked really fired up as she has all year and the veterans were all on point. I was surprised Satomura lost, but that does show the level of commitment to this feud as I am sure it will be lasting for awhile longer. Action-wise it was similar to the last match but this one got almost ten more minutes, definitely worth the watch.  Highly Recommended

The post SEAdLINNNG Takahashi 20th Anniversary on 7/11/16 Review appeared first on Joshi City.

Event: Sendai Girls ‘”10th Anniversary: Women’s Wrestling Big Show in Niigata”
Date: July 2nd, 2016
Location: Niigata City Gymnasium in Niigata, Japan
Announced Attendance: 2,200

We return to Sendai Girls’ after a few months break, but at least when Sendai Girls’ pops up they come with a big show. The Sendai Girls’ younger wrestlers are spread over three different matches, and in the main event we have Satomura defending her title against Stardom’s Io Shirai! Here is the full card:

• Ayako Hamada vs. Mika Iwata
• Alex Lee vs. Eiger
• Hikaru Shida, KAORU, and Nyla Rosa vs. Hiroyo Matsumoto, Shinobu Kandori, and Takako Inoue
• Cassandra Miyagi and Kyoko Kimura vs. Hiroe Nagahama and Syuri
• Aja Kong and Rydeen Hagane vs. DASH Chisako and Chihiro Hashimoto
• Sendai Girls World Championship: Meiko Satomura vs. Io Shirai

Some of these matches will be clipped, remember you can click on the names above to get to the wrestler’s profile on Joshi City.

Ayako Hamada vs. Mika Iwata

Hamada dominates the rookie to start, Iwata fires up with elbows but she eats a big boot for her trouble. Iwata delivers a high kick and kicks to the leg, kick to the chest by Iwata and she covers Hamada for a one count. Hamada comes back with a kick and the two trade elbows, with Hamada getting the better of it. Iwata briefly comes back with a PK but Hamada immediately takes over with a kick to the chest, as the rookie can’t manage any sustained offense. Front roll into a slap by Hamada but Iwata ducks the next one and kicks Hamada in the corner. Inside cradle by Iwata, but Hamada kicks out, enzuigiri by Iwata and she goes up top but Hamada dropkicks her as she jumps off. Lariat by Hamada and she hits a big backdrop suplex, but the cover gets two. Hamada goes up top and nails the moonsault, and she gets the three count! Ayako Hamada wins!

A bit clipped and with the expected result, but still a solid match. Hamada didn’t take it too easy on the rookie, which is good, and it took a series of big moves to put away Iwata so she didn’t lose to a crab hold. I would have liked to have seen all of it and its hard to recommend a short match that is clipped even further, but it was nice to see Iwata again, I think she could be big in Joshi if given the chance.

Alex Lee vs. Eiger

The match starts somewhat normally, for an Eiger match, but soon it gets weird as Eiger takes Lee around the ring by her wrist without actually hurting her. They return to the ring, kicks by Lee and she covers Eiger for two. Eiger ducks the next kick and rolls up Lee, leg sweep by Lee and she applies La Magistral for the three count! Alex Lee is the winner.

A five minute match clipped even further, and it didn’t have (or they didn’t show) the comedy that you’d expect from an Eiger match. Way too short to get anything out of, skippable match as shown.

Hikaru Shida, KAORU, and Rosa vs. Matsumoto, Kandori, and Takako Inoue

Just as a warning, they clipped the hell out of this match so if you were looking forward to it… don’t. KAORU immediately hits Inoue with a piece of table but Inoue recovers and tags in Kandori. Rosa is tagged in too, Kandori tries to knock her over with lariats but Rosa stays up. Rosa lariats Kandori to the mat but Kandori gets back up and hits a judo throw into a cross armbreaker. Its quickly broken up as the wrestlers all spill outside the ring to brawl, with clip ahead in the match with Matsumoto in the ring with Shida. Big lariat by Matsumoto and she covers Shida for two. Matsumoto goes for a powerbomb but KAORU breaks it up, so Matsumoto hits a backdrop suplex on both of them. Sliding Lariat by Matsumoto, but Rosa breaks up the cover. Matsumoto goes for a powerbomb but Shida reverses it with a hurricanrana and delivers the Falcon Arrow for two. Double chop to the chest by Matsumoto and she hits a high angle backdrop suplex on Shida, but the bell rings and time has expired. The match is a Draw.

I think one of the reasons the match was clipped so heavily is that it was void of any Sendai Girls’ wrestlers so the promotion opted to focus on the matches with their own participants. Which makes sense but was still disappointing as I like a lot of these wrestlers and I am sure the full match was entertaining. Even the little bit they showed was good as Matsumoto and Shida looked great together, it was just way too clipped to get excited about.

Hiroe Nagahama and Syuri vs. Cassandra Miyagi and Kyoko Kimura

Nagahama and Miyagi start the match with Miyagi quickly using some heel tactics to get the first advantage before both hit dropkicks. They tag in Syuri and Kimura, Kimura gets Syuri to the mat but Syuri quickly switches positions with her and they return to their feet. Syuri tags in Nagahama, Kimura throws Nagahama out of the ring and Miyagi runs over to help attack her. Kimura and Miyagi take both opponents around the crowd as they brawl around the arena and up to the balcony, back in the late 90s they would have thrown Nagahama off the balcony but wrestlers have mellowed out a bit so they eventually walk back to the ring. Kimura chokes Nagahama in the ring before tagging in Miyagi, scoop slam by Miyagi and she hits a slingshot senton for a two count. Miyagi throws down Nagahama by her hair, Kimura is tagged back in and they continue focusing on the younger Nagahama. Nagahama finally fights back against Kimura and hits a dropkick, giving her time to tag in Syuri. Miyagi chokes Syuri from the apron and comes in the ring, but Syuri kicks both of them before hitting a double Backstabber. Grounded necklock by Syuri to Kimura but Kimura muscles out of it and hits a vertical suplex.

Back up they trade elbows, jumping knee by Syuri and she covers Kimura for two. Kimura fires back with a backdrop suplex and tags in Miyagi, running elbow by Miyagi and she hits Syuri with a face crusher. Miyagi ducks the high kick and dropkicks Syuri in the leg before covering her for two. Syuri goes for a cross armbreaker, Miyagi blocks it so Syuri applies a seated armbar instead. Miyagi gets to the ropes, Syuri tags in Nagahama and Nagahama hits a series of dropkicks on Miyagi for two. Dropkick by Nagahama in the corner but Miyagi throws the referee in front of her so that Nagahama hits the referee by accident. Kimura comes in the ring with a chair and hits both Nagahama and Syuri, she then sits Nagahama in the chair and they deliver a double big boot. Miyagi slams Nagahama to the mat, the recovered referee starts the count but Syuri breaks up the cover and hits a German suplex on Miyagi. Syuri and Nagahama double team Miyagi, Nagahama picks up Miyagi and hits a Northern Lights Suplex for two. Kimura comes back in to help but Miyagi hits a missile dropkick on her by accident, Syuri comes in but Nagahama dropkicks her by accident, leaving just Miyagi and Nagahama in the ring. Missile dropkick by Miyagi and she hits a backdrop suplex for a two count. Ebisu Drop by Miyagi, but the cover is broken up by Syuri. Syuri kicks Miyagi in the stomach, Nagahama goes off the ropes and she applies the Kasadora for the three count! Nagahama and Syuri are the winners.

An entertaining match, we saw a lot more of Syuri here than we did on the Oz Academy show I last reviewed which was a real plus. This is the best I have seen from Nagahama, normally she looks a bit tentative in the ring but maybe teaming with Syuri gave her some fighting spirit as she was a lot more fired up. Kimura and Miyagi were a logical team since both are missing a few screws, and all four worked well together. Solid stuff all the way around, Miyagi and Nagahama are not on Syuri or Kimura’s level but they did a good job elevating them up to put on a good show.  Mildly Recommended

DASH Chisako and Chihiro Hashimoto vs. Aja Kong and Rydeen Hagane

Hashimoto and Hagane kick things off, Hashimoto quickly starts working the headlock but Hagane rolls out of it and they face off again. Both wrestlers go for scoop slams, Hashimoto wins the battle and she tags in Chisako. Dropkick by Chisako but Hagane hits a high speed hip toss followed by a running bodypress for two. Hagane teams Kong and Kong stands on Chisako near the ropes. Kong applies a stretch hold before letting her up and hitting a hard lariat in the corner for a two count. Delayed piledriver by Kong but Chisako rolls out of the backdrop suplex attempt and dropkicks Kong in the knee, giving her time to tag in Hashimoto. Hashimoto gets Kong to the mat but Kong swats her away, Kong pushes her back into her corner and tags in Hagane. Body splash by Hashimoto in the corner and she hits Hagane with hip attacks. Hagane tries to hit a body press but Hashimoto moves, Irish whip by Hashimoto but Hagane shoulderblocks her to the mat. Lariats by Hagane in the corner, she goes to the second turnbuckle and hits the Reverse Splash for two. She tags in Kong but Hashimoto plants Kong with a spear, she picks up Kong and hits a front rolling slam before tagging in Chisako.

Chisako keeps the heat on Kong as she dropkicks her, another dropkick by Chisako in the corner and she hits a missile dropkick for a two count cover. Hashimoto comes in and they try to suplex Kong, but Kong blocks it and hits her own double vertical suplex. Backdrop suplex by Kong to Chisako, and she tags in Hagane. Hagane gets Chisako up in a press slam before throwing her to the mat, lariats by Hagane but Chisako barely kicks out of the cover. Hashimoto comes in to help Chisako regain control, dropkick by Chisako and she goes up top, but Kong grabs her from the apron which gives Hagane time to recover. Hagane joins Chisako and hits a superplex, getting a two count cover. Chisako slides away from Hagane and with Hashimoto’s help she hits a crucifix slam for a two. Chisako and Hagane trade elbows, dropkick by Chisako and Hashimoto hits a hip attack from the apron. Hashimoto comes in the ring and hits a somersault senton fro the second turnbuckle, diving footstomp by Chisako but Kong hauls ass and breaks up the cover. Kong throws Hashimoto out of the ring and hits Chisako with her paint can before hitting a body avalanche in the corner. Hagane goes up top and hits the diving bodypress, but Hashimoto breaks it up. Kong and Hagane go for a lariat on Chisako but Chisako moves, causing them to hit each other. Kong accidentally hits Hagane with the paint can, German suplex by Chisako to Hagane and she nails the Hormone Splash for the three count! DASH Chisako and Chihiro Hashimoto are your winners!

Another really solid match, a touch better then the match we just saw as it was a bit more cohesive. Kong can still go for a wrestler her age, she is limited but she wrestles well within those limitations and is fun to watch. Chisako has been bringing it hard this year, perhaps to prove she is more than just one half of the former tag team with her sister Sachiko, and Hashimoto looked great as usual. Hashimoto is perhaps the best rookie on the current Joshi scene, just a great wrestling base and incredibly strong. Never a dull moment in this one as they were going full tilt, definitely worth a watch.  Recommended

(c) Meiko Satomura vs. Io Shirai

They begin the match with a knuckle lock before quickly going to strikes, armdrag by Shirai and she delivers a dropkick before kipping up to her feet. Satomura hits her own armdrag and puts Shirai in STF, she then goes for a crab hold but Shirai fights out of it. Satomura hits Shirai and applies the crab hold anyway, but Shirai reverses it into her own crab hold. Texas Cloverleaf by Shirai but Satomura gets to the ropes, scoop slam by Shirai and she hits her handstand walk double kneedrop for two. Shirai goes off the ropes but Satomura catches her with a high kick, Shirai comes back with a flip into a dropkick which sends Satomura out of the ring. Shirai sails out after her with a plancha suicida, she slides Satomura back in and hits a running double knee in the corner for a two count. Spinning heel kick by Satomura and she hits the cartwheel knee strike, backdrop suplex by Satomura but Shirai blocks the next one as she lands on top of Satomura. Dropkick to the head by Shirai, Satomura rolls out of the ring as Shirai goes to the top turnbuckle, but Satomura slides back in before Shirai can jump and joins her up top. Superplex by Satomura and she hits a hard elbow, but Shirai catches a kick and hits a dragon screw. Satomura bails from the ring to try to recover but Shirai jumps up to the top turnbuckle and delivers a moonsault onto Satomura on the floor.

Back in the ring, Shirai gets on the top turnbuckle and hits a missile dropkick, covering Satomura for two. Tiger Feint Kick by Shirai and she dragon screws Satomura into the ropes. Swandive dropkick by Shirai and she covers Satomura for a two count. Shirai rolls Satomura to the mat and applies a leglock, but Satomura gets into the ropes for the break. Satomura cuts off Shirai with an uppercut and kicks her in the head, Satomura goes up top and she hits a diving body press for a two count. Sleeper by Satomura but Shirai gets out of  it, Satomura picks up Shirai and kicks her a few times in the head, but Shirai kicks out of the pin. Death Valley Bomb by Satomura, but Shirai gets a shoulder up. Shirai comes back with her own buzzsaw kick, she hits a German suplex hold but keeps it applied and rolls into two suplexes, holding the last one for a two count. Shirai goes up top and hits the moonsault, she quickly goes up top again but Satomura is up and kicks her in the leg before she can jump off. Pele Kick by Satomura, Shirai goes for the double underhook facebuster but Satomura escapes and kicks her to the mat. Pele Kick by Satomura, she picks up Shirai and delivers another Death Valley Bomb. Satomura follows that with another Death Valley Bomb and then a third, cover by Satomura and she gets the three count! Meiko Satomura is still the Sendai Girls’ World Champion!

An excellent and exciting match through and through, the only real criticism is I don’t think it did anything to elevate itself beyond their first match. When looking at a feud or match series you’d like to see more callbacks or something changing, but I think their match in December was better. Not that that makes this a bad match as it wasn’t at all, these are two of the best wrestlers in the world and they pulled out everything to put on a good show. The last Death Valley Bomb to Shirai was almost literally deadly and was a good exclamation point to the match, no one would expect Shirai to kick out from that. The strikes were very on point and they both countered each other’s moves very smoothly, even a simple crab hold wasn’t done without a real struggle. A high end match for sure and other promotions will be hard pressed to put on a better match this month, even if it wasn’t quite as good as their previous match its still definitely worth viewing.  Highly Recommended

The post Sendai Girls’ 10th Anniversary on 7/2/16 Review appeared first on Joshi City.