The Numbers Mizuki, What Do They Mean?

May 3, 2024

Let’s not even pretend where the inspiration for this idea came from. The brand new Marigold joshi promotion is using a jersey number system for their roster (not a new idea from Rossy Ogawa, he used a similar gimmick for Arsion). All of a sudden Tokyo Joshi Pro has come up with new merchandise that is also based on jersey numbers. Fancy that! Almost everyone in TJPW were asked to pick a number for themselves. People noticed Yuki Arai and none of The Up Up Girls were included. I guess that might be them being careful not to step into another idol group’s gimmick. Some of the numbers have deep meanings behind them, others are based on basic trivia about the women and some are just wordplay on their names.

Credit goes to @dweebyllo, @cmvenus_, @deesforta and @nampei1983 on Twitter for all taking the time to gather the names, numbers and explanations. I’m writing this post using all of the info they collected along with what the wrestlers tweeted out themselves.

1. Miyu Yamashita – She is the ace.
3. HIMAWARI – 3 means Sun, as in Sunflower.
04. Mahiro Kiryu – She is a FC Schalke 04 fan.
08. Suzume – 08 means Bee (8 = Hachi).
15. Rika Tatsumi – She changed her ring name to Rika Tatsumi in 2015.
25. Yuki Aino – Her birthday is 25th October.
39. Chika Nanase – Her birthday is 9th March.
46. Pom Harajuku – 46 means Pom (4 = Po, 6 = Mu).
70. Nao Kakuta – 70 means Nao (7 = Na, 0 = O).
82. Kira Summer – She hasn’t revealed her reason yet.
83. Yuki Kamifuku (Kamiyu) – Her inseam length is 83cm.
98. Arisu Endo – She was born in 1998.
110. Maki Itoh – 110 means Itoh (1 = I, 10 = To).
147. Shoko Nakajima – Her height is 147cm.
222. Haruna Neko – Nyan, Nyan, Nyan (2 = Nyan).
227. Toga – Her birthday is 27th February.
316. Mizuki – Her birthday is 16th March.
318. Moka Miyamoto – Her birthday is 18th March.
328. Haru Kazashiro – Her birthday is 28th March.
513. Wakana Uehara – Her birthday is 13th May.
615. Runa Okubo – Her birthday is 15th June.
708. Sayuri Namba – 708 means Namba (7 = Na, 0 = M, 8 = Ba).
810. Kaya Toribami – 810 means Bird (8 = Bir, 10 = Do).
1201. TJPW – The date of TJPW’s launch event was 1st December.
8183. Hyper Misao – 8183 means Hypami (8 = Ha, 1 = I, 8 = Pa, 3 = Mi).

Edit: In August TJPW released more jerseys for all of the idols who were left out of the first batch.


7. Shino Suzuki – She was born in July.
19. Miu Watanabe – Her birthday is 19th October.
42. Yuki Arai – 42 is Arai’s number from her junior high school exam.
329. Uta Takami – Her birthday is 29th March.
700. Raku – References the N700 Series Shinkansen train.


TOKYO JOSHI PRO “GRAND PRINCESS ’24” Preview

March 29, 2024

TOKYO JOSHI PRO “GRAND PRINCESS ’24”, 31/03/2024
Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan

1. Shino Suzuki, Chika Nanase & Kira Summer Vs Haru Kazashiro, Runa Okubo & Uta Takami
2. Nao Kakuta & Ami Yumoto Vs Mahiro Kiryu & HIMAWARI
3. Andreza Giant Panda & Kaya Toribami (w/ Haruna Neko) Vs Raku & Pom Harajuku
4. Moka Miyamoto & Juria Nagano Vs Wakana Uehara & Toga
5. Rika Tatsumi Vs Masha Slamovich
6. Aja Kong & Max The Impaler Vs Shoko Nakajima & Hyper Misao
7. Special Single Match: Minoru Suzuki Vs Maki Itoh
8. Yuka Sakazaki & Mizuki Vs Emi Sakura & Chris Brookes
9. International Princess Title: Yuki Arai (c) Vs Yuki Kamifuku
10. Princess Tag Team Titles: Ryo Mizunami & Yuki Aino (c) Vs Suzume & Arisu Endo
11. Princess Of Princess Title: Miyu Yamashita (c) Vs Miu Watanabe

The third annual “GRAND PRINCESS” supershow is taking place this Sunday. It is where Tokyo Joshi Pro will return to Sumo Hall after last year’s attempt at running Ariake Coliseum. The promotion’s three championships are all represented in the late side of the card but you will find some of the matches making the most headlines are right there underneath them. We have new faces that weren’t here a year ago, a few women who will soon be saying goodbye to wrestling, somebody who already said goodbye not that long ago but came back anyway and a few guests coming over to check things out as well. The three title matches will also end up answering a question that always follows TJPW’s biggest shows. Are they finally going to push the next generation? Let’s look through the matches one by one and see what’s on offer.

1. Shino Suzuki, Chika Nanase & Kira Summer Vs Haru Kazashiro, Runa Okubo & Uta Takami

It is up to the six lowest wrestlers on the tier list to open up the show. Three of the wrestlers only have a year of experience each. The other three have only debuted in the last month and only have around five matches under their belt! Shino Suzuki was the first of the six to make her debut and has been making strides in the ring lately. “She Know” might know how to lead her rookie partners Chika Nanase & Kira Summer to victory. Nanase has a pretty strong Shoulder Block she uses as her first move to build matches around. Summer was already no stranger to wrestling before she joined TJPW because her siblings back in Australia are wrestlers too. Facing them are the three youngest wrestlers on the roster. Haru Kazashiro & Runa Okubo debuted together at last year’s “GRAND PRINCESS” show. As the year progressed Kazashiro ended up getting more matches because Okubo needed to improve her school work. Kazashiro only just recently won her first singles match too by beating Suzuki. The newcomer on their side is Uta Takami, the newest member of The Up Up Girls. The best way I’ve seen her described so far is she has “bratty little sister energy”. So if you’re the kind of fan who gets drawn in by Mei Suruga’s personality then Takami is going to grab your attention. In terms of wondering which side has the advantage, it might actually go to the team of teenagers because they have more ring time combined than the adults!

2. Nao Kakuta & Ami Yumoto Vs Mahiro Kiryu & HIMAWARI

A match that was about a new beginning for someone when it was announced and has since added the story of the end approaching for someone else. Let’s start with the new beginning. Ami Yumoto is a former idol who was a member of the famous AKB48 troupe. She was part of group from 2013 until her graduation last year. You may have seen her before in that viral clip of the most highly produced Rock Paper Scissors tournament anyone outside of Japan has ever seen. In that time Yumoto participated in the Tofu Pro Wrestling series under the gimmick name Komanechi Yumoto so she has some familiarity with wrestling already. Since leaving AKB48 Yumoto became a stage actress and worked on a play with Nao Kakuta. The two of them became friends and Kakuta encouraged Yumoto to come see TJPW for herself. The reason is when Kakuta discovered TJPW she fell in love with the place and she thinks Yumoto will do the same. The two will be teaming together for the idol’s debut match. It may be a one off but if Kakuta’s plan is correct, Yumoto might end up sticking around afterwards.

That brings us to the point I made about the end approaching. Two weeks after Yumoto’s debut was announced, Kakuta dropped the news she will be graduating from TJPW and retiring from pro wrestling in July. It sounds like she’s ready to move on from being a performer in general because she said her next career step is going to be something that will not put her in front of an audience again. It’s a shame to see her leaving soon because I was hopeful there would be a chance for her to move up a spot this year. The success she finally earned last year got wiped out due to matters outside of her power. However given how roster advancement goes in this company that same success was probably the most she was going to get and she realised that herself. No shame in calling it a career when you’ve done everything you can do and know there is nothing else possible within your means.

Those stories above mean the match will be all about those two and not their opponents. Mahiro Kiryu got her day in the sun last year when she unexpectedly became the main character of the highly praised “HYPE!” show. HIMAWARI has fitted into the TJPW undercard so perfectly you’d think she was part of the company for years already. Either of them could very likely pick up the win just by targeting Yumoto but it is also a believable result if Kakuta just clears house and wins in her final Sumo Hall appearance instead without Yumoto having to do much for the finish.

3. Andreza Giant Panda & Kaya Toribami (w/ Haruna Neko) Vs Raku & Pom Harajuku

If last year’s match was “Andreza Minus-One” then you can call this year’s match “Andreza x Kaya”. Last year Andreza Giant Panda teamed with Haruna Neko but it’s a little different this time around. The catgirl has been out of action with an injury for a long while now. She will still be at the panda’s side but won’t be able to wrestle in the match itself. That’s not a problem because you can just swap out the cat for a bird. Kaya Toribami will be Andreza’s partner here in what could be the second ever recorded interaction between a panda and a cassowary (TikTok beat them to the punch because of course TikTok would).

TJPW’s resident kaiju and superhero are busy dealing with a more demanding challenge later in the show so who gets the responsibility of containing Andreza within Ryogoku this time? It’s RakuPom that has to deal with it now. Raku makes sense the more I think of it because trains have been used to take down giant monsters before and the power of sleep can turn Andreza into a Snorlax. Pom Harajuku’s chances will depend on what happens when you kick a large inflatable thing over and over. Maybe she can kick Andreza at the right angle and cause it to burst from the shins. If none of that works Raku & Harajuku can always use the power of friendship to prevail. Or just focus on beating Toribami, that would be a lot easier.

4. Moka Miyamoto & Juria Nagano Vs Wakana Uehara & Toga

Another match where one of the participants will be wrestling in Sumo Hall for the final time. Juria Nagano has her finger in a lot of pies and sadly it’s reached the point where she no longer has the focus and energy to continue her pro wrestling career. This match is happening two weeks before her final bout and graduation from TJPW takes place. She said she wants to keep fighting as hard as she can until she burns out. That hard work paid off when she finally won her first singles match in February. She won’t have any championships or tournament wins under her name when she graduates but to her it was still all worth it. Teaming with Nagano is Moka Miyamoto, one of the current gen wrestlers who’s been climbing up the card and finding more opportunities along the way. As long as she keeps going the way she’s going now, I can see her getting eventually rewarded with some success in the future. It’s sad to see Shinken Kusho become such a short lived tag team because two karate girls working together like that was fun to watch.

Their opponents are two wrestlers who debuted TJPW almost a year after Nagano did and I’d say just about count as the next generation after her. Wakana Uehara has become noticeably more popular over 2023. She won the Next Generation Tournament to become the top prospect in her class, her social media numbers are going up and she has that one fan that constantly shouts “WAKANAAAAAA!” during her matches. Everything’s going up for the girl with the big appetite. Toga is getting more comfortable with herself in the ring and starting to show she has more to offer than just throwing a big Elbow Strike. Her finisher is one of the weirdest ways I’ve ever seen anyone do the Rock Bottom but it still looks like it hurts when she drives her opponent onto the mat.

5. Rika Tatsumi Vs Masha Slamovich

The antics of a certain “White Dragon” has been gradually getting more unhinged as time goes by. It’s one thing for Rika Tatsumi to always choke people during a wrestling match but when she’s scary enough to make Demonio Uno or Demonio Dos nervous then it’s probably time to put her in check. If only there was somebody out there with the pain tolerance to handle Tatsumi at her worst as well as being powerful enough to challenge Tatsumi at her best. Oh! Good to see you again Masha Slamovich, boy does TJPW have an opponent for you! Earlier this year Slamovich had a great performance in the main event of the annual 4th January show in Korakuen Hall. Meanwhile she is racking up Tatsumi has spent most of 2024 wrestling in the tag team division as part of Daydream. This is a good matchup for both women and I can see the result setting up a No. 1 Contender for either of the singles championships in the aftermath.

6. Aja Kong & Max The Impaler Vs Shoko Nakajima & Hyper Misao

Damn it, I should have saved the Godzilla x Kong joke for this match. Kyoraku Kyomei did such a great job handling a giant kaiju at last year’s “GRAND PRINCESS”. So much so they are now being counted on to fight the two meanest monsters TJPW can find! In a throwback to the days of Stan Hansen & Bruiser Brody teaming up as the Miracle Power Combination, TJPW have decided to put Aja Kong & Max The Impaler together on the same side. The previous times the two of them have been in the ring were as opponents. The wrestlers they teamed with were more concerned about protecting the venue from getting ripped apart than they were with winning the match. What hope does Sumo Hall have now that Kong & Max are going to team together? That’s when you call on the services of Shoko Nakajima & Hyper Misao to save the day.

Kyoraku Kyomei are well aware of the younger wrestlers in TJPW doing their best to catch up with the veteran generation. That kind of threat was what kept them motivated until this match was announced. Nakajima is looking forward to it because it is her chance to prove the Big Kaiju is also the strongest kaiju. Misao is not as enthusiastic. She only just recently built the second generation Hypami Dramatic Dream bike thanks to a successful crowd funding campaign. The original was destroyed by Aja Kong so there is no way Misao will let her or Max lay even a finger on the new one. Misao also warns the new bike has a secret weapon that was specially built in to deal with those two monsters. Maybe even three if Nakajima accidentally gets in the way.

7. Special Single Match: Minoru Suzuki Vs Maki Itoh

The cutest in the world is going to fight the meanest king of pro wrestling! A recurring story for a long time now is Maki Itoh becoming more and more disconnected from the rest of TJPW. She wrestles in America for GCW more often and whenever she does come back to Japan her matches in TJPW are in the middle of the card and she feels aimless despite still winning matches. Her wrestling career is still going great, it’s just that more and more of her highlights are happening away from TJPW. The big one that happened recently was Itoh winning the GCW Extreme Title. She’ll have the title belt with her coming down to the ring on the night but her match will have nothing to do with it. It is about something even more important.

In February Itoh went to the Piledriver clothing shop in Harajuku in search of its Minoru Suzuki. When she found him she pitched an idea for the two of them to team up at Sumo Hall. They have teamed up once before in DDT and Itoh thinks the cutest wrestler in the world teaming with the meanest person on the planet would draw fans to the show. Suzuki flipped the idea on its head and told Itoh it would be even more buzzworthy if the two of them fought each other in a singles match! Itoh was left speechless by the suggestion but pulled up the courage not just to accept the match but promise she will end Suzuki’s career too! Suzuki saw the funny side of the threat and isn’t intimidated. Itoh’s wrestling career is only the size of Suzuki’s little finger in comparison to his own legendary career.

In the leadup to the match Itoh had time to think over it. She wanted to send a message to Suzuki that she has no fear so she choked out Shino Suzuki with a Sleeper Hold backstage during a show. Then she went to Twitter and posted a long message about her wrestling life from the start up until now. She is now the best she has ever been but misses the desperation her younger self had back when she started out. She needs to feel true despair again and can only find it by fighting someone who can bring it out of her. The match against Suzuki is going to be exactly that. She knows he is going to beat her to a pulp but she cannot wait to feel that desperate energy again in order to take herself to the next level. For Suzuki this will just be another match. For Itoh it is going to be the only match in the world that matters.

8. Yuka Sakazaki & Mizuki Vs Emi Sakura & Chris Brookes

Okay tell me if I got this correct. Yuka Sakazaki graduated from TJPW in December, said her 2024 plans were to relocate to America and continue her wrestling career there. The graduation happened and since then Sakazaki hasn’t wrestled anywhere, might have stayed in Japan the entire time and her first match back in almost five months is going to be in… Tokyo Joshi Pro. I’m just as confused about this as you might be. Was she prevented from re-entering America to protect all the mascots at Disney World or something? In reality it’s either just a visa situation that is delaying her plans or she isn’t travelling overseas unless she has something ready to do.

Sakazaki coming back to TJPW is good news for Mizuki. Nobody is happier to be in the ring with her again than the other half of The Magical Sugar Rabbits. When Sakazaki’s return was first announced, Mizuki was nervous there would not be a reunion because the match wasn’t revealed at the time. Imagine the relief she must have felt when she found out followed by the surprise over who they are fighting against. MagiRabi are taking on a queen they both had battles with in the past along with a very tall new opponent for them.

Here’s the funny thing. Emi Sakura and Chris Brookes will both be wrestling in TJPW for the first time ever yet their appearances are not as random as they sound. Sakura was a mentor figure for Mizuki in the early parts of her career and they’ve been in plenty of matches together. She also fought Sakazaki a bunch in AEW on their Youtube shows. Brookes meanwhile is often at the announce desk doing English commentary for TJPW’s most important shows of the year. They are a suitable pairing to take on The Magical Sugar Rabbits. All they need now is a name. You can count on Sakura to come up with one because she is calling the team TeaDK!

9. International Princess Title: Yuki Arai (c) Vs Yuki Kamifuku

The eventual takeover by the idol is moving along at a slow pace as planned. Yuki Arai won her second championship in January when she defeated the seemingly unbeatable Max The Impaler for the International Princess Title. It is only a matter of time before she moves on to chase after the biggest prize but we’ll cross that bridge whenever we get to it. Let’s stick to the present where Arai is the IP Champ and already has one successful title defence in her reign. A glamourous girl like her needs a glamourous opponent for such a big show. Luckily there is someone right here who fits the description.

Yuki Kamifuku has shown a lot more determination to win recently. Last year in the Tokyo Princess Cup she became fed up with her own excuses about never taking tournaments seriously because the younger wrestlers were using it against her whenever she lost. She proved all of them wrong by reaching the final round. While she did not win the tournament, her run of success getting there was the spark needed to figure out what she wanted to do next. She began searching for ways she could make TJPW more exciting. One of them was wrestling around Southeast Asia and winning the Queen Of Asia Title. Next on her list is challenging Arai for the IP Title because it is a match that can attract fans from their hometowns (Nagoya for Arai and Fujisawa for Kamifuku). She also thinks two beautiful women fighting over a championship sounds like an exciting way to draw in a crowd.

10. Princess Tag Team Titles: Ryo Mizunami & Yuki Aino (c) Vs Suzume & Arisu Endo

There have been many great super subs in sport throughout the years. Ole Gunnar Solskjear for Manchester United, Manu Ginobili for the San Antonio Spurs, Tadashi Yamaguchi for Karasuno High School and perhaps the most greatest of them all… Ryo Mizunami for Tokyo Joshi Pro! Whenever TJPW was in need of a last minute replacement, Aniki was there to step up for them. That kind of reliability was rewarded with a Princess Tag Team Titles run with Yuki Aino as her partner. It’s been a successful pairing that is taking them all the way to an important championship match at Sumo Hall.

The championship win was also a big boost for Aino. Tag Team wrestling has always been where her better performances come from but she keeps trying to break out into singles wrestling. This new team she formed with Mizunami was built upon their individual strengths rather than their teamwork so in a way it is kind of giving Aino the best of both worlds. The vacant titles went to Yukiniki when they won a 3 Way Match at the expense of Daisy Monkey. And wouldn’t you know it, Daisy Monkey are back looking to take those titles as revenge!

That 3 Way Match in January put Daisy Monkey in a disadvantage from the get-go. The original match was Suzume & Arisu Endo challenging the champions Free WiFi. That plan was thrown out the window because of Hikari Noa suddenly going on hiatus, causing WiFi to be stripped of the belts. While that match ended up being a big setback for Daisy Monkey, they were ready to start climbing from the bottom once again. In February they fought tooth and nail to win the annual Max Heart Tournament and become recognised as TJPW’s strongest tag team. They immediately called their shot and challenged Yukiniki for the titles. It is the one thing Suzume & Endo want more than anything else because becoming the champions will put them on the same level as all of the tag teams from TJPW’s history that they admire.

11. Princess Of Princess Title: Miyu Yamashita (c) Vs Miu Watanabe

Memories of the 2022 Tokyo Princess Cup remain fresh in my mind. That was the year Miu Watanabe scored the upset semi-final win against Miyu Yamashita that planted the seeds to this weekend’s main event. The story today is similar to what it was back then. Watanabe believes she is ready to beat the veteran generation and surpass them to become the best wrestler in TJPW. The person who stands in her way though is the ace who has been on top of the company since day one. It’s Yamashita. It is always Yamashita. Watanabe got a reminder of that when she was pinned with the Skull Kick for the finish of the 10th Anniversary main event last December.

Yamashita’s 4th Princess Of Princess Title reign has so far been built around defences against foreign wrestlers. Regina, Delmi Exo (happened in MLW) and Masha Slamovich have all failed to dethrone her. She is also going on another tour of America this year that will last from April to June. If Yamashita wins at Sumo Hall she intends to bring the belt with her for more title defences overseas. It’s a situation all too familiar for TJPW fans. Yamashita has done it all on top and has become an even bigger fish in the small pond.

Watanabe’s talents make her the natural choice for a brand new champion yet TJPW always relies on the original generation to carry the top belt. The Princess Title lineage has been running through the same cycle of Yamashita, Sakazaki, Nakajima, Tatsumi and Mizuki since 2018. While it might be prestigious to book a championship lineage around an exclusive club, TJPW is long past the point of giving the ball to somebody new so they can run with it. The concern is they might miss the window and wait too long to crown the next ace. Do we really need another wrestling company that delays their coronation of a new star for a year again?

Tetsuya Koda’s management philosophy follows that of the idol industry. Over there the senior generation of idols graduate and open up new spots for the junior idols to take their place. That is how the business evolves. TJPW’s roster progression feels similar but moves at a much more glacial pace, perhaps surprisingly so. Not to jynx anything but it always amazes me the amount of wrestlers TJPW produced in its history that have stuck around for the long haul. Does it take losing main eventers like Sakazaki for the younger wrestlers to finally move up the ladder? Does that mean there is a permanent bottleneck on top for as long as Yamashita remains in TJPW competing at the level she always does? If she ever does leave would TJPW just resort to relying on the remaining former Princess Champions to carry the title scene again? Those are the questions on my mind if Yamashita beats Watanabe this Sunday. If Watanabe wins and becomes the champion instead then buckle up because TJPW will be stepping into fresh territory for the first time in a long time.


The Complete Grand Princess ’24 Lineup

March 9, 2024

TOKYO JOSHI PRO “GRAND PRINCESS ’24”, 31/03/2024
Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan

1. Shino Suzuki, Chika Nanase & Kira Summer Vs Haru Kazashiro, Runa Okubo & Uta Takami
2. Nao Kakuta & Ami Yumoto Vs Mahiro Kiryu & HIMAWARI
3. Andreza Giant Panda & Kaya Toribami (w/ Haruna Neko) Vs Raku & Pom Harajuku
4. Moka Miyamoto & Juria Nagano Vs Wakana Uehara & Toga
5. Rika Tatsumi Vs Masha Slamovich
6. Aja Kong & Max The Impaler Vs Shoko Nakajima & Hyper Misao
7. Special Single Match: Minoru Suzuki Vs Maki Itoh
8. Yuka Sakazaki & Mizuki Vs Emi Sakura & Chris Brookes
9. International Princess Title: Yuki Arai (c) Vs Yuki Kamifuku
10. Princess Tag Team Titles: Ryo Mizunami & Yuki Aino (c) Vs Suzume & Arisu Endo
11. Princess Of Princess Title: Miyu Yamashita (c) Vs Miu Watanabe

Eleven matches make up the big Sumo Hall show at the end of the month. One of the big additions to the card is a match that mixes together Tokyo Joshi Pro with DDT, Gatoh Move and AEW all into one potentially massive chaotic blur. Mizuki gets to breath a sigh of relief because she gets to reunite with Yuka Sakazaki and bring back The Magical Sugar Rabbits after all. Facing them is the wild card pairing of Emi Sakura & Chris Brookes! Oddly enough it will be the first time both Sakura & Brookes are wrestling on a TJPW show despite previously being in the ring with TJPW wrestlers elsewhere. Or also in Brookes’ case doing commentary on the shows themselves.

Rika Tatsumi gets a big international singles match with Masha Slamovich. For Slamovich it’s another chance for her to leave her stamp in TJPW after matches with Miyu Yamashita and Max The Impaler back in January. Tatsumi is going to be the third high level opponent in a row for her.

This could probably be the last time Shinken Kusho get to tag together. Juria Nagano will be graduating from TJPW a few weeks later. Moka Miyamoto has been gradually climbing her way up the ladder too so far this year. Their match here looks to me like it will be a showcase for the two of them rather than their opponents Wakana Uehara & Toga.

The animals are all joining forces and it will be up to Raku & Pom Harajuku to save humanity! Or something like that. The last time Andreza Giant Panda was in TJPW he teamed with Haruna Neko. One year later Neko will still be there but she isn’t cleared to wrestle yet. So she’ll hang around ringside while Kaya Toribami fights alongside the panda.

It was already announced that the debuting Ami Yumoto will team with Nao Kakuta. We now know their opponents will be Mahiro Kiryu & HIMAWARI.

Welcome to joshi wrestling where in a match featuring six people the two teenagers are among the most experienced of the bunch. The show opens with three members of the 2023 Class against the three members of the 2024 Class.


TOKYO JOSHI PRO “TJPW CITY CIRCUIT ’23 ~SAKI AKAI TJPW LAST PARTICIPATION~” Results

November 3, 2023

TOKYO JOSHI PRO “TJPW CITY CIRCUIT ’23 ~SAKI AKAI TJPW LAST PARTICIPATION~”, 03/11/2023
Shinjuku FACE
500 Fans – Super No Vacancy Full House

1. Next Generation Tournament ’23 – Round 1: HIMAWARI defeated Haru Kazashiro with a Half Crab Hold (8:54).
2. Next Generation Tournament ’23 – Round 1: Toga defeated Runa Okubo with the Modified Rock Bottom (6:12).
3. Miyu Yamashita, Hikari Noa & Nao Kakuta defeated Yuki Aino, Raku & Pom Harajuku when Yamashita pinned Harajuku with the Attitude Adjustment (11:44).
4. Miu Watanabe, Moka Miyamoto & Shino Suzuki defeated Mahiro Kiryu, Kaya Toribami & Wakana Uehara when Watanabe pinned Uehara with the Tear Drop (9:56).
5. Yuka Sakazaki & Mizuki defeated Suzume & Arisu Endo when Sakazaki pinned Endo with the Magical Girl Splash (11:48).
6. Saki Akai TJPW Last Match: Saki Akai & Yuki Kamifuku defeated Rika Tatsumi & Hyper Misao when Akai pinned Misao with the Quetzalcoatl (15:56).
7. Special Match – Saki Akai Vs Tokyo Joshi Pro Wrestling ~ 1 Vs 23: Saki Akai defeated Miyu Yamashita, Yuka Sakazaki, Mizuki, Rika Tatsumi, Miu Watanabe, Hyper Misao, Yuki Kamifuku, Mahiro Kiryu, Hikari Noa, Nao Kakuta, Yuki Aino, Raku, Pom Harajuku, Suzume, Arisu Endo, Moka Miyamoto, Kaya Toribami, Wakana Uehara, HIMAWARI, Toga, Shino Suzuki, Haru Kazashiro & Runa Okubo when Akai submitted Misao with the Triangle Choke (5:50).

Saki Akai’s busy weekend ended with her final match in Tokyo Joshi Pro. The match went ahead as Akai teaming with Yuki Kamifuku to take on Rika Tatsumi & Hyper Misao. Akai’s opponents walked out wearing protest gear and carrying signs calling themselves the National Federation To Prevent Saki Akai From Retiring. They attacked Akai with the signboards and Misao even tried to use the Quetzalcoatl on her. Kamifuku even the odds but the match came down to Akai and Misao. The match was so important that Misao pulled out the Vanitas. But Akai turned things around and won the match by using the Quetzalcoatl.

Tatsumi didn’t want the match to end and she told Akai there are still loads of wrestlers in TJPW she hasn’t fought yet. She then came up with an idea for Akai to take on the entire TJPW roster immediately! Akai refused, explaining she is tired from just wrestling a match now as well as from her DDT match earlier today. Tatsumi slapped some sense into Akai and suddenly she agreed. It was now going to be Akai against 23 TJPW wrestlers as her final match in the promotion!

Actually, there were more than 23 members of the TJPW team that got involved in the match. During a train attack set up by the entire roster on Akai, graduates Akane Miura and Nodoka Tenma joined in and got their hits in. Tetsuya Koda was also dragged into the attack but Akai blocked him with a Big Boot and then Penalty Kicked him in the back. Akai was then confronted by Miyu Yamashita for a quick preview of Akai’s retirement match on 12th November. Misao tricked Akai into reading a heartfelt letter she wrote so she could roll her up for a pin but Akai countered it into a Triangle Choke to make Misao give up.

After the match Misao thanked Akai for letting everyone in TJPW show their feelings for her. Akai told all of the roster to be strong, noble and beautiful so they can show TJPW to the entire world. She took a group photo with everyone (including the injured Haruna Neko) but purposely avoided giving Yamashita a hug. They will be wrestling each other one last time pretty soon so they did a fist bump instead.

Yuka Sakazaki has a lot of catching up to do on her road to graduation. But there’s only so many matches left for her and Mizuki to be together as The Magical Sugar Rabbits. Today they fought Daisy Monkey and beat them thanks to Sakazaki pinning Arisu Endo with the Magical Merry-Go-Round. There will be two more matches left for MagiRabi together as a team. Sakazaki does not want to treat them lightly although she was quick to point out this does not mean the team is splitting up. Suzume calls MagiRabi a tag team she always admired and wanted to beat. She thinks it is because of them that Daisy Monkey was able to grow this far.

The opening round of the Next Generation Tournament took place in the first two matches. Toga was met with a strong defence from Runa Okubo. She was knocked off her feet often but dropped her opponent with the Rock Bottom to win. Okubo didn’t want to lose but she now supports Toga to go and win the tournament so next time they fight, Okubo will beat her. Toga will now face Wakana Uehara in Round 2. Uehara beat her the last time they had a singles match together. Toga promised to show all of her potential to win the rematch.

The other 1st Round match ended with HIMAWARI beating Haru Kazashiro by submission. She wasn’t able to lock in the Half Crab first time around but eventually applied it right to get the win. Kazashiro admitted she cannot compete with HIMAWARI so she’ll just have to keep practicing until she can beat her. HIMAWARI said she couldn’t afford to lose. She faces Shino Suzuki in the next round and is confident she will beat her because she has already done it before.


Neko Injured, The Referee Idol Returns, GanPro At Gold’s Gym

September 14, 2023

TOKYO JOSHI PRO “TJPW CITY CIRCUIT ’23 ~RIKA TATSUMI LOCAL TRIUMPH~”, 16/09/2023
Nagano Kissei Bunka Hall Middle Hall

1. Mahiro Kiryu Vs Toga
2. Pom Harajuku Vs Shino Suzuki
3. Suzume & Arisu Endo Vs Kaya Toribami & Haru Kazashiro
4. Maki Itoh vs HIMAWARI
5. Mizuki & Hikari Noa Vs Yuki Kamifuku & Wakana Uehara
6. Aja Kong, Yuki Aino & Raku Vs Shoko Nakajima, Nao Kakuta & Moka Miyamoto
7. Rika Tatsumi & Miu Watanabe Vs Miyu Yamashita & Hyper Misao

Haruna Neko is out of action after having her left knee injury diagnosed as a torn ACL and torn meniscus. She will be going under surgery in October and has no timetable yet for her return to the ring. The 3 Way match she was supposed to be in this weekend is now just a singles match between Pom Harajuku and Shino Suzuki.

TOKYO JOSHI PRO “TJPW CITY CIRCUIT ’23 ~NAGOYA PERFORMANCE~”, 18/09/2023
Nagoya International Conference Center Event Hall

1. Rika Tatsumi, Miu Watanabe & HIMAWARI Vs Hyper Misao, Raku & Pom Harajuku (Special Referee: Shiori Aoki)
2. Arisu Endo & Haru Kazashiro Vs Kaya Toribami & Runa Okubo
3. Suzume Vs Shino Suzuki
4. Yuki Kamifuku, Mahiro Kiryu & Toga Vs Hikari Noa, Nao Kakuta & Wakana Uehara
5. Mizuki & Shoko Nakajima Vs Miyu Yamashita & Maki Itoh
6. Saki Akai & Yuki Arai Vs Yuki Aino & Moka Miyamoto

SKE48 idol Shiori Aoki is back to be a referee again. Oddly enough she is not part of the musical performance with Yuki Arai.

DDT “DRAMATIC EXPLOSION 2023”, 18/09/2023
Nagoya International Conference Center Event Hall

1. Pheromones Final Countdown In Nagoya ~ 3 Way Tag Match: Yuki “Sexy” Iino & Danshoku “Dandy” Dieno Vs Kazuki Hirata & Akito Vs Sanshiro Takagi & Takeshi Masada
2. Kazuma Sumi Vs Rukiya
3. Daisuke Sasaki, MJ Paul & KANON Vs Hideki Okatani, Yusuke Okada & Yuya Koroku
4. HARASHIMA & Yukio Naya Vs Yuki Ueno & Toy Kojima
5. Nagoya Specialty Special 6-Man Tag Match: Yuji Hino, Makoto Oishi & Tetsuya Endo Vs Shigehiro Irie, Kazusada Higuchi & Shinya Ishida
6. Special 6-Man Tag Match: Chris Brookes, MAO & Antonio Honda Vs Minoru Suzuki, Yukio Sakaguchi & Saki Akai
7. All Asia Tag Team Titles – Current Blast Bat & Board Tag Death Match: Atsushi Onita & Yoshi Tatsu (c) Vs Jun Akiyama & Kotaro Suzuki

We now know what kind of exploding death match the All Asia Tag Team Titles bout is going to be. There will be baseball bats, boards and three times the amount of normal explosives used.

“MASAHIRO TAKANASHI 20TH ANNIVERSARY SHOW”, 19/09/2023
Shinjuku FACE

0. Dark Match: Monomoth & Kappa Kozo (w/ Miyako Haru) Vs Dr. Gore & Yasu Urano
1. Gauntlet Tag Match: Shogo “Jet” Takagi & Antonio Honda (w/ Toru Owashi) Vs Takashi Sasaki & Baliyan Akki, Choun-Shiryu & Shin Suzuki Vs Chie Koishikawa & Hagane Shinno Vs Brahman Shu & Brahman Kei (w/ Gorgeous Matsuno)
2. Yukio Sakaguchi, Isami Kodaka & Ken Ohka Vs MAO, Daiki Shimomura & Munetatsu Nakamura
3. Special Exhibition: Masahiro Takanashi Vs KUDO
4. Special Single Match: Mei Suruga Vs Minoru Suzuki
5. Chris Brookes Vs Masahiro Takanashi

Another team enters the Gauntlet Match. This time it is The Brahman Brothers with Gorgeous Matsuno in their corner.

TOKYO JOSHI PRO “TJPW CITY CIRCUIT ’23 ~YOKOHAMA PERFORMANCE~”, 23/09/2023
Yokohama Radiant Hall

1. Sakisama & Mei Saint-Michel Vs Miu Watanabe & Shino Suzuki

It’s time for Shino Suzuki to meet NEO Biishiki-gun. She Know what to expect from them.

GANBARE☆PRO “GOLD’S GYM PRESENTS GANBARE☆PRO WRESTLING SHIN-TOKOROZAWA PARCO ROOFTOP MATCH”, 23/09/2023
Saitama Shin-Tokorozawa PARCO Rooftop Special Venue

1. Shin-Tokorozawa PARCO Cup Battle Royale: Yumehito Imanari Vs Shota Vs Shinichiro Tominaga Vs YuuRI Vs Yoshiko Hasegawa Vs YuuRI
2. GOLD’S GYM Shin-Tokorozawa Saitama PRESENTS Special Tag Match: Ken Ohka & Keisuke Ishii Vs Shuichiro Katsumura & Munetatsu Nakamura

A new show added to the Ganbare☆Pro schedule is a free outdoor event taking place outside of a Gold’s Gym.


Tomorrow’s Big Bang, BASARA’s Hardcore Tag Match, “Jet” Reappears

September 8, 2023

DDT “DDT BIG BANG 2023”, 09/09/2023
Tokyo Ota Ward Gymnasium

1. Masahiro Takanashi, Antonio Honda & Ilusion Vs Yuni, Kazuma Sumi & Rukiya
2. Pheromones Vs Subjugation Final Match! Special Single Match ~ Dissolution Contra Vice President: Yuki “Sexy” Iino (w/ Danshoku “Dandy” Dieno) Vs Akito
3. HARASHIMA, Kazusada Higuchi & Soma Takao Vs Yukio Naya, Yuya Koroku & Takeshi Masada
4. DDT Extreme Title & Iron Man Heavymetalweight Title – All Humans Are Equal! Kazuki Hirata Death Match: Kazuki Hirata (E/c) Vs Naruki Doi (I/c)
5. KO-D 6-Man Tag Team Titles & AJPW TV 6-Man Tag Team Titles: Yukio Sakaguchi, Saki Akai & Hideki Okatani (c/c) Vs Yuko Miyamoto, Isami Kodaka & Ram Kaichow
6. First Time In History! Time Difference Scramble Bunkhouse Current Blast 6-Man Tag Death Match: Atsushi Onita, Yoshi Tatsu & Toy Kojima Vs Sanshiro Takagi, Jun Akiyama & Yusuke Okada
7. KO-D Tag Team Titles: Yuji Hino & Makoto Oishi Vs Minoru Fujita & KANON
8. Special Tag Match: KONOSUKE TAKESHITA & Daisuke Sasaki Vs Yuki Ueno & MAO
9. KO-D Openweight Title: Chris Brookes (c) Vs Shigehiro Irie

This is the match order for tomorrow’s show in Ota Ward Gymnasium.

TOKYO JOSHI PRO “TJPW CITY CIRCUIT ’23 ~FIRST ATTACK ON HIROSHIMA~”, 09/09/2023
Hiroshima Industrial Hall West Exhibition Hall 2nd Exhibition Hall

1. Yuki Aino Vs HIMAWARI
2. Mahiro Kiryu Vs Kaya Toribami
3. Yuki Kamifuku Vs Toga
4. Mizuki, Wakana Uehara & Shino Suzuki Vs Yuki Arai, Suzume & Arisu Endo
5. Rika Tatsumi & Miu Watanabe Vs Miyu Yamashita & Moka Miyamoto
6. Princess Tag Team Titles 1st Qualifier ~ 3 Way Tag Match: Shoko Nakajima & Hyper Misao Vs Hikari Noa & Nao Kakuta Vs Raku & Pom Harajuku

The first three matches are all changed around due to two wrestlers being pulled from the show on short notice. Haruna Neko is out with a knee injury and Haru Kazashiro tested positive for Covid.

BASARA “BASARA 228 ~TAKAGARI 19~”, 17/09/2023
Tokyo Takashimadaira Kumin Center

1. Daiki Shimomura Vs Takato Nakano
2. Hardcore Tag Match: Isami Kodaka & Lil’ Kraken Vs Takumi Tsukamoto & SAGAT
3. Ryota Nakatsu Vs Hijo del Alebrije
4. Ajikan International Police Vs Expendables Allied Forces: FUMA, KUBITO & Trans-Am ★ Hiroshi Vs Kaminold Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Uranone & Jason Abeham
5. Enter Kazato The Road To The Death Game Of Anger: Daichi Kazato Vs Choun-Shiryu

There is a Hardcore Tag Match on the show that for some reason is also being called a 6-Man Tag on the BASARA site even though only four names are mentioned with no X or empty spots next to them. Normally I think it is just a mistake but this is a show being put together by Asian Kung Fu Revolution so there may be something flying over my head.

BASARA “BASARA 229 ~TAKAGARI 20~”, 18/09/2023
Tokyo Takashimadaira Kumin Center

1. Takato Nakano Vs Yasu Urano
2. KUBITO, Trans-Am ★ Hiroshi & Daichi Kazato Vs Tsutomu Oosugi, Banana Senga & Fuminori Abe
3. SAGAT Vs Masato Kamino
4. Hardcore Tag Match: Isami Kodaka & Takumi Tsukamoto Vs FUMA & Ryota Nakatsu
5. IRON FIST Tag Team Titles: Daiki Shimomura & Minoru Fujita (c) Vs Lil’ Kraken & Leo Isaka

The Hardcore Tag Match on this show is definitely supposed to be 2 Vs 2. I’m certain of it.

“MASAHIRO TAKANASHI 20TH ANNIVERSARY SHOW”, 19/09/2023
Shinjuku FACE

1. Yukio Sakaguchi, Isami Kodaka & Ken Ohka Vs MAO, Daiki Shimomura & Munetatsu Nakamura
2. Special Exhibition: Masahiro Takanashi Vs KUDO
3. Gauntlet Tag Match: Shogo “Jet” Takagi & Antonio Honda (w/ Toru Owashi) Vs Takashi Sasaki & Baliyan Akki, Choun-Shiryu & Shin Suzuki Vs Chie Koishikawa & Hagane Shinno
4. Special Single Match: Mei Suruga Vs Minoru Suzuki
5. Chris Brookes Vs Masahiro Takanashi

A Gauntlet tag match is added to the show which includes the reappearance of Shogo “Jet” Takagi! He showed up at one of the Toryumon tribute shows Dragongate put together last year but other than that he’s been away from the spotlight for a long while now. He is entering the Gauntlet teaming with Antonio Honda with the injured Toru Owashi standing in their corner.

Yasu Urano and Saki Akai will also be on the show.

BASARA “BASARA 230 ~OSAKA SUMMER SIEGE – DAITO~”, 23/09/2023
Osaka Active Square Daito

1. Sparky Final Match ~Final Battle At The Place Of Formation~ Elimination 8-Man Tag Match: Ryota Nakatsu, SAGAT, Naoki Tanizaki & Akiyori Takizawa Vs Isami Kodaka, Ryuichi Sekine, Daiki Shimomura & Minoru Fujita
2. Union MAX Title: FUMA (c) Vs Eisa8

BASARA got word from Eisa8 that he is accepting FUMA’s challenge for the Union MAX Title.


TOKYO JOSHI PRO “TOKYO PRINCESS CUP” Results

August 13, 2023

TOKYO JOSHI PRO “TOKYO PRINCESS CUP”, 13/08/2023
Tokyo Korakuen Hall
657 Fans

1. Hikari Noa defeated Runa Okubo with the Blue Racer (5:13).
2. 3 Way Match: Nao Kakuta defeated Haruna Neko and HIMAWARI when Kakuta pinned HIMAWARI with the Shiden Kai (8:04).
3. Raku & Pom Harajuku defeated Shino Suzuki & Haru Kazashiro when Raku pinned Kazashiro with the Doctor Yellow (7:40).
4. Moka Miyamoto & Juria Nagano defeated Hyper Misao & Kaya Toribami when Nagano pinned Toribami with the Whirlwind Kick (8:58).
5. Yuki Arai & Mahiro Kiryu defeated Wakana Uehara & Toga when Arai submitted Uehara with the Sasori-Katame (10:18).
6. Mizuki, Shoko Nakajima & Suzume defeated Rika Tatsumi, Miu Watanabe & Yuki Aino when Mizuki pinned Watanabe with the Cutie Special (15:31).
7. Tokyo Princess Cup – Final: Miyu Yamashita defeated Yuki Kamifuku with the Skull Kick (15:57).

The tenth edition of the Tokyo Princess Cup has brought closure to one of the longest running curses in Tokyo Joshi Pro. That’s right, Miyu Yamashita has finally won the tournament! Her victory in the final ended Yuki Kamifuku’s strong run but it wasn’t without a fight. Kamifuku used the Reverse Famouser she debuted yesterday, a Superplex, the Manjigatame and also some good old Eye Pokes to her advantage. But Yamashita fought back with German Suplexes, the Return Crash and the Skull Kick. That last move would have won the match if it wasn’t for Kamifuku’s long leg reaching over to cause a rope break. Kamifuku had one last gasp that led to her missing the Famouser. Yamashita quickly capitalised with the Crash Rabbit Heat to the back followed by another from the front to win the final.

Yamashita told the fans it’s taken 10 years but she finally won the Princess Cup. However she still has big ambitions for the future and is moving straight on to the next one. She called down Mizuki to the ring and told her she wanted to win this tournament so she could challenge her for the Princess Of Princess Title with pride. Mizuki admitted she is frustrated she lost to Yamashita in the 1st Round. Her pro wrestling life is the exact opposite of Yamashita but she respects her a lot. Mizuki accepted the challenge and the title match will take place at “WRESTLE PRINCESS IV” on 9th October. Yamashita requested a handshake afterward but Mizuki declined with a shake of her head.

Backstage Yamashita repeated her points. She has thought about winning the Princess Cup for the last ten years but the championship Mizuki has is more important to her. She also praised Kamifuku and is really glad to have fought her in the final. When a reporter pointed out that Yamashita has won both of TJPW’s annual tournaments this year, she said she can now add “Tournament Wins” to her special skills column. Kamifuku revealed that right after the match she received a LINE message from Aja Kong that said “You did your best.” Kamifuku still does not like competing in tournaments but understands she has to enter them and do her best.

Mizuki kept her skills sharp in the semi-main event by scoring the pinfall on Miu Watanabe in a 6-Woman Tag Match. Suzume took out Yuki Aino with the top rope Facebuster, Rika Tatsumi got rid of her with the Twist Of Fate and Shoko Nakajima bowled out who was left with a Topé Con Hilo. Back in the ring Mizuki unleashed the Whirling Candy on Watanabe and pinned her with the Cutie Special.

Yesterday’s fortunes were switched around for a few people in Match #5. Toga was coming in fresh off of winning a match by herself for the first time and Wakana Uehara was on the winning team with her. Yuki Arai on the other hand had to bounce back from her semi-final loss while Mahiro Kiryu is dealing with the hand she’s dealt with like always. Toga used her new Rock Bottom finisher again on Kiryu but the match came down to Uehara against Arai. A Big Boot from Arai led to her submitting Uehara with the Scorpion Deathlock.

The first time meeting between Hyper Misao and Juria Nagano saw the two facing off for a Karate duel. Misao then immediately threw away that idea and strangled Nagano with her cloak instead. Nagano had her Karate Tag partner Moka Miyamoto to count on though and together they kicked away Misao. Kaya Toribami stepped in and got a nearfall on Nagano with the 2nd Rope Twisting Senton. But Nagano hit her with a flurry of strikes, finishing her off with the Whirlwind Kick for the three count.

There was some confusion during the morning over Pom Harajuku. A couple of hours before the show began, TJPW announced she would be absent for various reasons and the card would be changed in response to that. The new card had Aino replacing Harajuku so Aino would have ended up wrestling twice. However Sayuri Namba then announced during the show opening introductions that Harajuku was here and will be wrestling her match after all, just a little later than scheduled. In the match itself Harajuku had a handle on Shino Suzuki while Raku beat Haru Kazashiro with the Doctor Yellow.

The last of the summer vibes were cherished in the 3 Way Match. Nao Kakuta stood on HIMAWARI like a surfboard, tied Haruna Neko’s tail to the rope to immobilise her and then pinned HIMAWARI with the Shiden Kai.

Hikari Noa won her match by using the Blue Racer submission hold for the first time in a while. She locked the move in on Runa Okubo and pulled her away from the ropes. Stuck in the center of the ring with nowhere to go, Okubo gave up.

TJPW is heading back to America this December for a co-promoted show with Presitge Wrestling! The two promotions are putting together “COMBAT PRINCESS USA” at the Globe Theater in Los Angeles on 14th December. The names announced so far are Mizuki, Rika Tatsumi, Miyu Yamashita, Maki Itoh, Taya Valkyrie, Masha Slamovich, Killer Kelly and Sandra Moone.

Maki Itoh Vs Nyla Rose was announced for “WRESTLE PRINCESS IV” on 9th October.

The vacant Princess Tag Team Titles will crown new champions at “WRESTLE PRINCESS IV”. Details will be announced at a later date.


TOKYO JOSHI PRO “TOKYO PRINCESS CUP” Results

August 12, 2023

TOKYO JOSHI PRO “TOKYO PRINCESS CUP”, 12/08/2023
Tokyo Korakuen Hall
525 Fans

1. Wakana Uehara, Toga & Runa Okubo defeated HIMAWARI, Shino Suzuki & Haru Kazashiro when Toga pinned Suzuki with the Rock Bottom (9:25).
2. Suzume defeated Juria Nagano with the Ring A Bell (6:05).
3. It’s Summer Vacation! Eat Shaved Ice And Enter 8-Woman Tag Match: Yuki Aino, Raku, Pom Harajuku & Haruna Neko defeated Hyper Misao, Hikari Noa, Nao Kakuta & Kaya Toribami when Harajuku pinned Toribami with the Pom de Justice (9:58).
4. Sakisama & Mei Saint-Michel defeated Mizuki & Mahiro Kiryu when Sakisama pinned Kiryu with the Academy Award (13:53).
5. Shoko Nakajima & Miu Watanabe defeated Moka Miyamoto & Arisu Endo when Nakajima pinned Miyamoto with the Northern Lights Suplex (13:21).
6. Tokyo Princess Cup – Semi Final: Miyu Yamashita defeated Yuki Arai with the Skull Kick (13:18).
7. Tokyo Princess Cup – Semi Final: Yuki Kamifuku defeated Rika Tatsumi with the Diving Famouser (12:39).

See what you can do when you put your mind to it? Yuki Kamifuku has spent this year’s Tokyo Princess Cup proving her doubters wrong and it’s taken her all the way to winning a Korakuen Hall main event for the first time! And she did it by beating Rika Tatsumi too, being the first person to pin her since January. Tatsumi tried to use submission holds but Kamifuku’s tall body allowed her to break out of the White Dragon Sleeper. Kamifuku then ran in to hit a Guillotine Drop and then climbed the second rope for a Diving Famouser to score the three count. Although Tatsumi lost, she still felt like she made a lot of progress in the tournament this year. She said she will use that experience for her future International Princess Title defences.

Joining Kamifuku in the final is Miyu Yamashita. Ten years into the tournament’s existence Yamashita has entered every single one and this is the first time she has reached the final. Yuki Arai gave her a tough challenge to make it here. It was one of the few times Yamashita took just as many kicks to the face than her opponent. Big Boots were a key part of Arai’s battle plan until Yamashita blocked the Finally, threw up a feint and hit her target with the Skull Kick to win. Still, Arai is proud over how far she made it this year. She noticed she has gone one round further than the year before in every Princess Cup she has entered so next year she is aiming to go even higher.

So tomorrow’s final has come down to Yamashita Vs Kamifuku. Yamashita admitted she didn’t expect Kamifuku would make it this far but she is looking forward to fighting her with everything on the line tomorrow. Kamifuku said she will prepare for the final the same way she does for any other match. She is going to paint her nails, get her hair treated and use her beauty to win! Backstage Kamifuku said she loves her fans and is grateful for their support. She wants everyone to follow her whether they like or hate her. Yamashita said she is well aware of her bad fortunes in this tournament over the years. But then she thinks about everybody she has fought and beaten as well as remembering Yuka Sakazaki finally winning the Princess Cup for the first time last year. Those thoughts are what pushed her not to fall apart here like she would have in years past.

The four wrestlers who were eliminated in the Quarter Finals were paired off for a tag team match. The result was Shoko Nakajima & Miu Watanabe taking on Moka Miyamoto & Arisu Endo. Watanabe ended up throwing Endo into Miyamoto and then Body Slammed the both of them at the same time. Nakajima then pinned Miyamoto with the Northern Lights Suplex. She was happy to win today because she is feeling all of the younger wrestlers starting to catch up on her. As Summer comes to an end, Watanabe said she will do her best in the Autumn.

The latest appearance of NEO Biishiki-gun featured Sakisama acting less disgusted towards her opponents than usual. That shouldn’t be surprising when you think about it because she always held a slightly higher opinion of Mizuki than she did for others. Her somewhat friendlier treatment towards her this time left Mei Saint-Michel feeling jealous. She got one over on Mizuki by dropping the metal serving tray over her head before Sakisama pinned Mahiro Kiryu. Then after the match Sakisama handed Mizuki her rose. Once everyone left ringside it was announced that NEO Biishiki-gun (including Martha & Yukio Saint Laurent) will return at “WRESTLE PRINCESS IV” on 9th October.

Both teams in the 8-Woman Tag match agreed to a special rule where everyone first had to eat a serving of shaved ice before they could enter the bout. There were different glasses of shaved ice placed on tables outside the ring so everybody drew chopsticks and had to eat the glass matching the colour they picked. Yuki Aino got to eat the smallest glass and entered the match almost immediately. She had to wait for Hyper Misao to finish her glass before the actual wrestling could begin. Nao Kakuta, Hikari Noa and Haruna Neko all followed to fill both teams up. Pom Harajuku had to eat the largest glass and that kept her out longer than everyone else. When she finally finished, she jumped in with the hot tag only to stop herself because she was suffering from brain freeze. But thanks to some teamwork with Raku, she was able to recover and pin Kaya Toribami for the win.

In a singles match Suzume got to take on Juria Nagano. Suzume dodged the Brazilian Kick, dropped Nagano with a Facebuster and pinned her with the Ring A Bell.

The 2023 class of rookies were all together in the opening 6-Woman Tag Match. The match gave the two teenagers Haru Kazashiro and Runa Okubo more time to develop their classmate rivalry. Wakana Uehara found herself fighting with HIMAWARI in the match a lot. But it was Toga who got all of the attention at the end by getting her first direct win in her young career! She broke out of Shino Suzuki’s Sleeper Hold and pinned her with a Rock Bottom. Both of them debuted on the same day so that particular result means a lot for them.

There will be two shows taking place in Shinagawa Prince Hotel Club eX on 15th October. The afternoon show will be “GO GIRL 4” and is for a women only audience. The evening event will be a regular show.


TOKYO JOSHI PRO “TOKYO PRINCESS CUP” Results

July 29, 2023

TOKYO JOSHI PRO “TOKYO PRINCESS CUP”, 29/07/2023
Tokyo Korakuen Hall
437 Fans

1. Juria Nagano & Kaya Toribami defeated Wakana Uehara & HIMAWARI when Nagano pinned HIMAWARI with the Whirlwind Kick (7:47).
2. Hyper Misao, Nao Kakuta & Yuki Aino defeated Mahiro Kiryu, Pom Harajuku & Haruna Neko when Misao pinned Kiryu with La Magistral Cradle (0:42).
2a. Rematch: Hyper Misao, Nao Kakuta & Yuki Aino defeated Mahiro Kiryu, Pom Harajuku & Haruna Neko when Kakuta submitted Harajuku with the Kamitaka (6:02).
3. Hikari Noa, Raku, Suzume & Shino Suzuki defeated Mizuki, Toga, Haru Kazashiro & Runa Okubo when Noa pinned Toga with the Blizzard Suplex (12:31).
4. Tokyo Princess Cup – Quarter Final: Yuki Arai defeated Arisu Endo with the Finally (13:01).
5. Tokyo Princess Cup – Quarter Final: Yuki Kamifuku defeated Miu Watanabe with the Famouser (12:22).
6. Tokyo Princess Cup – Quarter Final: Miyu Yamashita defeated Moka Miyamoto with the Skull Kick (12:55).
7. Tokyo Princess Cup – Quarter Final: Rika Tatsumi defeated Shoko Nakajima with the White Dragon Sleeper (19:10).

The final four has been decided. Not only is this year’s Tokyo Princess Cup going to give us a first time winner but we are also going to get two first time finalists out of who is left in the race. Rika Tatsumi continues her strong year of performances with a big victory over Shoko Nakajima in the main event. The Princess Cup has always been good to Nakajima but she has now been eliminated in the Quarter Final stage for the second year in a row. Tatsumi is full of praise for her though, saying she is very happy to fight somebody as amazing as Nakajima today. Nakajima shook her hand and gave her support towards Tatsumi winning the entire tournament. What’s motivating Tatsumi is an unnamed opponent she hasn’t fought yet and she wants to fight that person with a championship on the line. Hmmm. Is she talking about the International Princess Title or something else?

Dare I say it but is this finally the year? Miyu Yamashita is through to the semi-finals, cutting off any hope Moka Miyamoto had of developing a Cinderella run through the tournament. Miyamoto threw everything she had including the Zero-sen Kick to the back of the head as well as a big Neckbreaker. But Yamashita avoided the Korokan, threw her opponent over with the Attitude Adjustment and pinned her with the Skull Kick. Yamashita backstage said Miyamoto still has a long way to go until she can beat her but she still looks forward to fighting her again. Yamashita has her sights set on finally winning the Princess Cup with her ultimate goal being to challenge Mizuki for the Princess Of Princess Title. She already beat her clean in Round 1 but it seems like Yamashita is not satisfied with using that as a reason to deserve a title shot. Miyamoto said today reminded her of how big a wall Yamashita is for her to climb over. She wants to do her best so she will surpass her someday.

Miu Watanabe’s dramatic summer last year will not be repeated. Instead 2023 is for Yuki Kamifuku to prove her doubters wrong! She hates competing in tournaments but what annoys her even more is when people say she doesn’t try hard enough. Giving Watanabe a Superplex and cutting off the Tear Drop by hitting the Famouser twice for victory should get that message through loud and clear. Also using Mahiro Kiryu as a human shield outside the ring early in the match helped a bit. Watanabe said she trained hard as always but she already learned years ago that training isn’t enough to win wrestling matches. She wonders if her mistake is she thought too hard about wanting to win this year. Even though Kamifuku hates tournaments she knows there are fans and people close to her cheering her on. She also wants to inspire new women and girls to join Tokyo Joshi Pro so she can have more friends to drink with.

The first Quarter Final of the day was a battle between two wrestlers both born in 1998. Arisu Endo’s use of the Camel Clutch ultimately failed when Yuki Arai reached the ropes. She kept trying to find an opening to hit the Finally but Endo kept her guard up. Arai switched plans and used the Rookie Award to break through Endo’s defence, opening her up for the Finally and a three count. Arai said she was happy to fight Endo for the first time because they are good friends outside of wrestling and they both represent the same generation. She thinks getting to fight her is a good test to see how far both have come. Endo is open to the friendly competition because she now has a new target to overtake. Despite losing today she is pleased with the improvement from last year’s tournament run.

The Semi Final draw took place hours after the show had finished. The four remaining wrestlers all randomly chose an envelope in front of them and then pulled out the cards inside. Whoever pulled the same colours would face each other in the next round. The result we got is Miyu Yamashita Vs Yuki Arai and Rika Tatsumi Vs Yuki Kamifuku! Yamashita said it will be her first singles match against Arai since December 2021. Arai told her she isn’t afraid. What’s funny is both Tatsumi and Kamifuku are relieved they don’t have to fight Yamashita next! They are both rooting for Arai to knock her out of the tournament.

At least the rest of The Up Up Girls had fun today. Hikari Noa, Raku & Shino Suzuki all did their thing with Suzume in tow to beat Mizuki and the trio of rookies Toga, Haru Kazashiro & Runa Okubo. The match came down to Noa against Toga. The big Elbow Strikes from Toga weren’t enough to win. Noa showed her toughness against those strikes and hit back with a Thrust Kick. The Blizzard Suplex then finished Toga off.

Match #2 began with Hyper Misao pointing out that everybody on the opposing team has nothing in common with each other. Mahiro Kiryu tried to make up for it by saying she can bring herself together with Pom Harajuku & Haruna Neko no matter how strange they are. Harajuku & Neko took exception to her phrasing and stomped her! That led to the trio falling apart with bad teamwork and Misao pinned Kiryu in quick fashion. Kiryu apologised to her partners and asked for a rematch. Everyone agreed and this time things went a little bit better for them. But Misao’s teamwork with Nao Kakuta & Yuki Aino was still too strong for them. Kakuta used a new Front Neck Lock finisher called the Kamitaka to submit Harajuku.

Due to Juria Nagano being injured for most of the year, today is her first win since January. She spent most of her match fighting against HIMAWARI while Kaya Toribami dealt with Wakana Uehara. Nagano’s strike offence overwhelmed HIMAWARI until she finished her off with the Whirlwind Kick.

Two new trainees introduced themselves to the fans at the start of the show. Chika is 19 years old and from Osaka. Kirra is 26 years old and from Australia. She spoke to the audience in Japanese.

It was announced that the 18th September show in Nagoya will be the last time Reiwa AA Cannon is teaming together before Saki Akai retires from pro wrestling. Their opponents are to be announced.


TOKYO JOSHI PRO “SUMMER SUN PRINCESS ’23” Results

July 8, 2023

TOKYO JOSHI PRO “SUMMER SUN PRINCESS ’23”, 08/07/2023
Tokyo Ota Ward Gymnasium
1,222 Fans

1. Juria Nagano Comeback Match: Suzume & Arisu Endo defeated Moka Miyamoto & Juria Nagano when Endo submitted Nagano with the Camel Clutch (11:43).
2. Mahiro Kiryu, Haruna Neko, HIMAWARI & Shino Suzuki defeated Kaya Toribami, Toga, Haru Kazashiro & Runa Okubo when HIMAWARI submitted Kazashiro with a Half Crab Hold (11:07).
3. Ryo Mizunami & Nao Kakuta defeated Yuki Kamifuku & Asuka when Kakuta pinned Kamifuku with the Shiden Kai (10:11).
4. DEFY Women’s Title: Vert Vixen (c) defeated Hikari Noa with a Vertical Drop Brainbuster (9:42).
*V6 for Vert Vixen.
5. 3 Way Tag Match: Shoko Nakajima & Hyper Misao defeated Aja Kong & Raku and Max The Impaler & Pom Harajuku when Nakajima pinned Harajuku with the Diving Senton (9:32).
6. Nyla Rose defeated Miu Watanabe with the Beast Bomb (8:01).
7. EVE Title: Miyu Yamashita (c) defeated Sawyer Wreck with the Skull Kick (11:51).
*V7 for Miyu Yamashita.
8. Sakisama & Mei Saint-Michel defeated Yuki Arai & Wakana Uehara when Sakisama pinned Uehara with the Academy Award (12:24).
9. International Princess Title: Rika Tatsumi (c) defeated Yuki Arai with the Missile Hip (15:11).
*V4 for Rika Tatsumi.
10. Princess Of Princess Title: Mizuki (c) defeated Maki Itoh with the Cutie Special (24:29).
*V3 for Mizuki.

The history between Mizuki and Maki Itoh that begun under the original Itoh Respect Army seven years ago reached its dramatic peak in Ota Ward Gymnasium today. Mizuki successfully defended the Princess Of Princess Title in the main event, stopping Itoh from winning the title in her fourth attempt. The champion had the injured Yuka Sakazaki in her corner while Itoh came out singing “Brooklyn The Hole” in English. Itoh’s focus was to use variations of the DDT both inside and out of the ring. Mizuki did her own big moves outside the ring including the Cutie Special and a Flying Cross Body. Submission holds couldn’t finish the job either with both the Itoh Deluxe and Crossface Lock proving fruitless. Mizuki dealt a big blow by landing the Diving Double Stomp onto Itoh’s back. Itoh clung onto Mizuki and was able to deliver one last Headbutt in resistance but Mizuki fired back with a Spinning Back Elbow and pinned her with the Cutie Special.

After the match Mizuki said she never believed Itoh when she said she wanted to forget their history together and that the Itoh Mizuki knew is dead. They walked the same path together and Mizuki always looked up to Itoh as her rival. Itoh however said Mizuki doesn’t understand how Itoh feels. She doesn’t like to talk about the past because when they were together, Itoh saw Mizuki become stronger and win championships with someone else. It made Itoh jealous and she looks back on their time together a a black piece of history. It is only right now in the middle of Ota Ward that Itoh now believes she is on the same level as Mizuki. For that reason Mizuki now has her respect and she wants to continue fighting with her. The two shook hands and gave each other a hug. Itoh left the ring so Mizuki could close out the show.

The burning momentum of Yuki Aino wasn’t enough to take the International Princess Title from Rika Tatsumi. She showed a lot of power by using the Side Suplex outside the ring as well as one over the ropes from the ring apron! Tatsumi tried to smother her out with the Dragon Sleeper but Aino powered out of it with a slam. Tatsumi found a way to put her into another Dragon Sleeper but Aino reached the ropes. Aino withstood a Hip Attack and caught Tatsumi in the middle of a second one but Tatsumi wriggled her way into hitting the Twist Of Fate. She then got the win by hitting the Missile Hip. Tatsumi gave her opponent credit for shining as brightly as she did. She hopes the fans will look forward to more matches between them in the future. Aino said the result proves she is not ready to hold a title belt yet. But she had fun in the match because she was able to burn every last bit of energy she has.

NEO Biishiki-gun were back to give their opponents a hard time. That was shown when Mei Saint-Michel danced in the ring to distract the referee while Sakisama attacked Wakana Uehara on the outside. Saint-Michel later dropped her metal tray over Uehara’s head to break up a Sleeper Hold. Yuki Arai pulled out a surprise by using Saki Akai’s finisher the Rookie Award on Sakisama. NEO Biishiki-gun regained their composure and Sakisama hit the similar looking Academy Award to pin Uehara and win the match. Sakisama did not like hearing reporters compare the two moves during her post-match interview because she is one of a kind. In Arai’s interview, she explained that Akai taught her the move but she never got the chance to use it when they teamed together. She felt today was as good a time as any to start using the move because she thinks Sakisama bares a resemblance to Akai. She intends to keep using it more often.

Perhaps Miyu Yamashita didn’t realize just what she was getting into when she decided to put her EVE Title on the line against Sawyer Wreck. The Spirit Of EVE ruleset used for the title match allowed the fight to be taken outside the ring because there are no countouts. The rules also permitted the wrestlers to use weapons under certain circumstances, which Wreck gladly took advantage of. She attacked Yamashita with chairs and slammed her through a pile of them with a Death Valley Driver over by the stage entrance. Back in the ring Yamashita did her best to deflect the chair with kicks. Wreck was able to defend herself from one Skull Kick but a second one reached its target and gave Yamashita her seventh successful EVE Title defence.

The originally planned match for Nyla Rose didn’t take place because of Sakazaki’s injury. So when Rose found out her new opponent was Miu Watanabe she steadily gained weight to make it more difficult for Watanabe to lift her! As soon as the AEW wrestler arrived in Japan she loaded up on pork cutlet curry and sashimi at the nearest Cocoichi curry house. The plan just about worked. Watanabe was able to give her the Giant Swing but only for one rotation. She also wasn’t strong enough to deliver the Tear Drop. Rose took advantage and landed the Beast Bomb to win. Watanabe did leave a positive impression on Rose though. Rose said that even though Watanabe lost, she definitely has something that could open the door into a new world for her.

No Tag Rules were a last minute addition to the 3 Way Tag match. The time for Aja Kong and Max The Impaler to meet again was just about to begin when Hyper Misao got on the microphone to big up Kyoraku Kyomei’s chances of winning. Both Kong and Max ignored her so she sprayed both of them in the face. Kyoraku Kyomei then stole Kong’s steel can as well as Raku’s pillow but Kong attacked them to reclaim the items. Kong even hit Shoko Nakajima with the pillow while Raku hit Pom Harajuku with the can! Kong and Max were on an even level whenever they got the chance to fight each other. They briefly joined forces against Kyoraku Kyomei only to turn on each other. Misao brought out the Hyper Mobile to crash into everyone outside the ring while Nakajima pinned Harajuku with the Diving Senton to win. Kong took her anger out after the match by attacking the Hyper Mobile, damaging it to the point where it is now unusable! Kyoraku Kyomei are thinking about crowdfunding a new one or at least convince CyberFight to get a bicycle sponsorship. Kong & Raku said they’d rather crowdfund a new steel can and pillow for themselves.

It was a clean sweep of successful title defences throughout the whole show. Vert Vixen was the first one on the board by defending the DEFY Women’s Title against Hikari Noa. The challenger used the Running Neckbreaker Drop that’s been winning matches for her recently but it didn’t get her the result this time. The Last Supper cradle didn’t work either. Instead Vixen pinned Noa with a Vertical Drop Brainbuster. She said the match was like a war but she was able to fight and defend her championship. Noa said she was very happy to be chosen by Vixen for a title match. They’ve teamed together during Vixen’s previous visit to Japan and Noa always wanted to have a title match with somebody she considers to be a tag team partner.

Flashy entrances were provided by both teams in Match #3. VENYU were accompanied by two dancers leading them down to the ring while Nao Kakuta looked dressed to party with Ryo Mizunami. The match started with a bang when Asuka Moonsaulted onto everyone outside the ring. Yuki Kamifuku then put on Mizunami’s entrance gear to taunt her but was reduced to apologising once Mizunami got her hands on her. VENYU gave Kakuta the Magic Killer but Kakuta kicked out at two. She then dodged a Double Big Boot leading VENYU to collide with each other and then get wiped out with a Double Spear from Mizunami. Kakuta then scored the win by pinning Kamifuku with the Shiden Kai.

Five of the eight wrestlers in the 8-Woman Tag Match all only just debuted this year. The match was also Haruna Neko’s return match from a knee injury. Her scratching the wrestlers from the other team led to Mahiro Kiryu apologising to everyone for it. Shino Suzuki and Haru Kazashiro started off before Kiryu and Kaya Toribami took over. Toga cut off HIMAWARI’s momentum with what is fast becoming her signature Elbow Strike. Runa Okubo joined in with her classmate for a Double Dropkick. But HIMAWARI turned the tables and locked Kazashiro in a Half Crab hold for the submission victory.

Juria Nagano was back in action after being gone for six months with a broken finger. The decision was made to have Nagano team with Moka Miyamoto because they were opponents on last year’s show. Nagano went back to using her Karate offence while relying on Miyamoto to make up for the holes in her game. Suzume used her speedy mobility to run circles around her opponents, keeping them in position for Arisu Endo to hit a Missile Dropkick on Miyamoto. Endo then put Nagano in the Camel Clutch, submitting her to give Daisy Monkey the win. Nagano said she’s been trying to build up her stamina to get ready for the match. Her goal is to win a match by herself again as soon as possible.

The Up Up Girls (Pro Wrestling) performed their new song “Rxck it Now” at the beginning of the show. Their new 5th member Uta was also introduced to the audience. her thing on the microphone is to review a different ice cream every show. Today’s recommendation is chocolate coffee flavour.

At the beginning of the show Sayuri Namba found out that voice actress Rica Matsumoto was doing special guest commentary today. Namba was so excited to find out the voice of Ash/Satoshi from Pokémon was here that she wore the character’s signature cap during the show opening announcements.

Aja Kong Vs Super Sasadango Machine was announced for the Niigata show on 5th August.

A team series challenge was recorded at an outdoor amusement park recently. It will air on PPV through Wrestle Universe on 27th July.