TOKYO JOSHI PRO “TOKYO PRINCESS CUP”, 13/08/2022 Tokyo Korakuen Hall 444 Fans
1. Shoko Nakajima defeated Kaya Toribami with the Northern Lights Suplex (9:23).
2. Hikari Noa & Nao Kakuta defeated Yuki Aino & Raku when Kakuta pinned Raku with the Shiden Kai (9:15).
3. Mei Suruga defeated Arisu Endo with the Gateau Invisible (12:09).
4. 3 Way Match: Rika Tatsumi defeated Mizuki and Hyper Misao when Tatsumi pinned Misao with the Twist Of Fate (10:08).
5. Max The Impaler defeated Pom Harajuku with a Short Range Lariat (4:39).
6. Yuki Kamifuku, Mahiro Kiryu & Haruna Neko defeated Saki Akai, Yuki Arai & Moka Miyamoto when Kiryu pinned Arai with the Spinebuster (12:35).
7. Tokyo Princess Cup – Semi Final: Yuka Sakazaki defeated Suzume with the Magical Merry-Go-Round (11:56).
8. Tokyo Princess Cup – Semi Final: Miu Watanabe defeated Miyu Yamashita with the Tear Drop (18:23).
This year’s Tokyo Princess Cup is being built around the young generation wanting to surpass their seniors. Miu Watanabe has been leading the charge and it has taken her all the way to the final! She defeated Miyu Yamashita in a year where it looked like the Tokyo Joshi Pro ace had finally figured out how to win the tournament. Watanabe showed great toughness by taking a German Suplex and a High Kick only to duck the Skull Kick and drop Yamashita with the Tear Drop for the three count. Rika Tatsumi rushed over to Watanabe after the match to congratulate her and Yamashita shook her hand. Backstage Yamashita said when she looked into Watanabe’s eyes she realized how intense the last four years they spent working together was. She was overwhelmed by both her own strength as well as Watanabe’s. She is extremely disappointed to lose but also sees how passionate the younger wrestlers are becoming. That there is now a generational battle going on in TJPW means the promotion has built up a lot of history and that shows how much it has grown.
The other semi final saw Yuka Sakazaki eliminate Suzume, ending the younger wrestler’s Cinderella run in the tournament. Suzume’s plan was to go for quick covers and high flying moves. But the big momentum shift of the match happened when Sakazaki gave her the Tea Time. From there she hit an impactful Sliding Lariat before pinning her with the Magical Merry-Go-Round. Suzume heard Sakazaki’s previous comments about her not being a threat. But Suzume thinks she was a dangerous opponent for Sakazaki after all. When they were in the ring, Suzume forgot about the tournament because she couldn’t stand losing to the person in front of her.
Tomorrow’s final has come down to Watanabe against Sakazaki. Watanabe told Sakazaki she wants to surpass her and win the tournament. Sakazaki said she cannot lose because she’s been competing in the Princess Cup longer than Watanabe has wrestled and never won it. She will see her tomorrow and the two gave each other a fist bump. It took Watanabe four years to finally catch up to Yamashita and if she wins tomorrow it means she has beaten TJPW’s top three wrestlers in the same tournament (Sakazaki, Yamashita and Shoko Nakajima). Sakazaki has called this year’s Princess Cup a grueling competition because the younger wrestlers are showing a lot of guts. She hopes it will turn the Tokyo Princess Cup into the can’t miss tournament of the summer!
The next challengers for the Princess Tag Team Titles have been decided after Mahiro Kiryu pinned Yuki Arai in a 6-Woman Tag Match. Yuki Kamifuku & Haruna Neko dealt with Saki Akai & Moka Miyamoto so Kiryu could pin Arai with the Spinebuster. She politely asked Reiwa AA Cannon for a title shot even though she lost to them before and also lost to Arai in the Princess Cup. Akai accepted the challenge. Kiryu then apologized to Kamifuku for not getting her permission to ask for the title match. Kamifuku admitted she is surprised by Kiryu’s actions but hoped this day would come because she wants Kiryu to be more assertive. Kiryu later revealed she dyed her hair “iron blue” today to match the Toyo University colours. It shows how much she wants Toyo Mates to succeed.
Nobody was more terrified of Max The Impaler than Pom Harajuku. She had the unfortunate task of being Max’s first opponent in Japan and Max did not even wait for the bell to ring to get started. Harajuku was able to leave the ring and tried to run away but she was persuaded by Yuki Aino and Raku to continue the match. Her Shin Kicks worked a little bit but Max ended up winning with a Short Range Lariat, shouting “bye bye” to Harajuku before hitting the move.
The 3 Way Match tried to play up a potential love triangle between the trio involved. Hyper Misao brought out a picture of Tatsumi and admitted she has feelings for her. Tatsumi rejected her with a kick because she wanted to be with Mizuki instead. Mizuki stood by Tatsumi’s side but only so she had the numbers advantage. She betrayed Tatsumi when the opportunity presented itself. Misao brought out a spray can to blind her opponents. Tatsumi grabbed it but accidentally sprayed both Mizuki and the referee by mistake. But since the ref was temporarily blinded, Tatsumi hit Misao with the can without penalty and then pinned her with the Twist Of Fate.
Mei Suruga’s return to TJPW pitted her against a familiar opponent. She and Arisu Endo previously fought each other at “SUMMER SUN PRINCESS ’22” last month. Suruga won the match here by making Endo submit to the Gateau Invisible. Endo hesitated to shake her hand after the match so Suruga gave her a heavy pat on the head.
A stretcher was used during Match #2 when Free WiFi tried to carry Raku with it out of the arena. However Hikari Noa & Nao Kakuta couldn’t decide on which direction to go so they dropped Raku onto the floor instead. They got back on the same page when Noa stopped Raku from doing the Doctor Yellow to Kakuta. Then Kakuta pinned Raku with the Shiden Kai.
The reigning Princess Of Princess Champion found herself wrestling in the opening match after getting eliminated midway through the Princess Cup. She took on Kaya Toribami, who she’s been friends with since before Toribami became a pro wrestler. A lot of the match was kept on the mat with submission holds but picked up the pace until Nakajima hit the 619 and then the Northern Lights Suplex for the victory.
TOKYO JOSHI PRO “YUKI KAMIFUKU LOCAL TRIUMPH ~KEWLEST TOWN IN SHONANDAI!~”, 07/08/2022 Kanagawa Fujisawa City Shonandai Cultural Center Citizen’s Theater 335 Fans
1. Hikari Noa defeated Haruna Neko with the Blizzard Suplex (5:48).
2. 3 Way Match: Hyper Misao defeated Pom Harajuku and Mahiro Kiryu when Misao pinned Harajuku with La Magistral Cradle (8:28).
3. Yuna Manase defeated Moka Miyamoto with the Lariat (6:50).
4. Yuka Sakazaki & Raku defeated Suzume & Kaya Toribami when Sakazaki pinned Toribami with the Magical Merry-Go-Round (10:39).
5. Rika Tatsumi & Miu Watanabe defeated Shoko Nakajima & Arisu Endo when Watanabe pinned Endo with the Tear Drop (13:37).
6. Maki Itoh & Yuki Kamifuku defeated Miyu Yamashita & Nao Kakuta when Kamifuku pinned Kakuta with the Diving Famouser (11:54).
Today’s show was a homecoming for Yuki Kamifuku in Fujisawa City. When the show began she presented the mayor of Fujisawa City with a donation made out of a portion of the event’s earnings. The donation will go towards local scholarships. The main event itself was Kamifuku forming the MakiYuki Happy team with Maki Itoh to take on Miyu Yamashita & Nao Kakuta. Kamifuku welcomed her opponents to her town and when she gave them Eye Pokes she told them it was “The Fujisawa Way”. MakiYuki Happy ended up shining brightly in the end. Kamifuku got rid of Yamashita with the Famouser and then pinned Kakuta with the Diving Famouser.
She thanked the audience for coming to see Tokyo Joshi Pro because she loves the company as much as she loves her hometown. When she was a student she had difficulty finding a hobby to be passionate about. When she joined TJPW she found her dreams and one by one made them come true. This show was the biggest one and she is happy to come back here with her friends and colleagues from Tokyo.
Upcoming Tokyo Princess Cup opponents Yuka Sakazaki and Suzume faced off in a tag match on the undercard. After the match Sakazaki said in her backstage interview that she is not feeling any danger when she wrestles against Suzume. She is looking forward to their semi final match but right now she doesn’t feel threatened at all.
The 3 Way Match was summer themed. Hyper Misao and Pom Harajuku came out wearing straw hats, swimming goggles and playing with a beach ball. The referee even wore a tie dye shirt over his regular uniform. Only Mahiro Kiryu showed up looking normal and got mad over being left out.
The summer is winding down and it’s been a whirlwind of international appearances for Konosuke Takeshita and Miyu Yamashita in particular. Things might calm down a little going into the Autumn when Takeshita returns home to Japan for DDT. His plan is to go back for just under two months before continuing his excursion. He is definitely falling in love with America and wants to make the country his second home. But as you will see in the upcoming appearances section below there is a whole wide world out there to explore.
1. Miyu Yamashita defeated Alex Windsor with the Skull Kick (15:28).
We start off in Spain where Yamashita travelled over to wrestle for RCW. She was the big draw of the show with the event’s name being a combination of her and the album “Motomami” by Rosalía. She took on Alex Windsor a week before Windsor went on to win the International Princess Title over in Japan.
PWG “NINETEEN”, 03/07/2022 Globe Theatre, Los Angeles, California, USA
1. Yuka Sakazaki defeated Masha Slamovich (9:22).
2. PWG World Title: Daniel Garcia (c) defeated Konosuke Takeshita (23:19). *V1 for Daniel Garcia.
July turned out to be a rocky patch for Takeshita in the win-loss department. He got to fight for the PWG World Title against Daniel Garcia but couldn’t win the belt from him. Yuka Sakazaki had a better night, winning the first women’s match held in PWG in over a decade against Masha Slamovich. She left quite the impression on everyone for sure.
AEW “RAMPAGE”, 06/07/2022 (Aired 08/07/2022) Blue Cross Arena, Rochester, New York, USA
1. Eddie Kingston defeated Konosuke Takeshita with the Spinning Backfist (11:56).
Eddie Kingston made it no secret his dream is to wrestle Jun Akiyama some day. Akiyama passed down the Jumping Knee Strike to Takeshita so this match brought Kingston one little step forward toward that goal. The two smashed each other to bits and both were practically done by the time the match was over. It could have ended in a double knockout had Kingston not fallen on top of Takeshita to get the pin.
JCW “THE GREAT AMERICAN BIRTHDAY BASH”, 10/07/2022 Phil Sheridan Building, Ridgefield Park, New Jersey, USA
1. Konosuke Takeshita defeated Cole Radrick with the Zahi (15:19).
Takeshita and Cole Radrick finally wrestling each other is like when two pen pals meet in person for the first time. To think it all started when Takeshita used Radrick’s move the Lil Sebastian’s Curse 3 years ago.
AEW “DYNAMITE”, 13/07/2022 Enmarket Arena, Savannah, Georgia, USA
1. Interim AEW World Title Eliminator Match: Jon Moxley defeated Konosuke Takeshita with the Bulldog Choke (13:13).
Takeshita’s biggest match in America so far took place in AEW when he took on one of their biggest stars Jon Moxley! It was a non-title match but a win would have catapulted Takeshita into an automatic shot for the Interim AEW World Title. Unfortunately despite another heavily praised performance, Takeshita ended up submitting to the Bully Choke. It was at this point when Takeshita realised he has not won an AEW match on Dynamite or Rampage yet. He made it his next goal to get “one big win” on TV.
DEFY “THE WORLD IS YOURS NIGHT 1”, 16/07/2022 Washington Hall, Seattle, Washington, USA
Next stop was Seattle for a DEFY doubleshot. In the main event of Night 1 Takeshita beat the veteran journeyman of the indies Davey Richards.
DEFY “THE WORLD IS YOURS NIGHT 2”, 17/07/2022 Washington Hall, Seattle, Washington, USA
1. Konosuke Takeshita defeated Schaff (10:34).
Then on the second night Takeshita beat Schaff. I’m really low on details about what happened on the DEFY shows at the moment so let’s move on.
AEW “DARK ELEVATION”, 20/07/2022 (Aired 25/07/2022) Gas South Arena, Duluth, Georgia, USA
1. Konosuke Takeshita defeated JD Drake with the Jumping Knee Strike (3:40).
Takeshita has no problem picking up wins on AEW’s Youtube shows. He beat JD Drake in the main event of an episode of Dark Elevation.
TERMINUS “TERMINUS 3”, 21/07/2022 Oasis Event Center, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
1. Jonathan Gresham defeated Konosuke Takeshita by Referee Stoppage with the Modified Octopus Hold (14:55).
Takeshita paid a visit to TERMINUS, the promotion that Jonathan Gresham had been championing while Ring Of Honor was in limbo. The match almost lasted the full 15 minute time limit but the last minute and a half consisted of Gresham locking Takeshita in an Octopus Hold and then finding more ways to torture him. The referee finally called for the bell in the last few seconds, giving Gresham the win. But Takeshita never gave up and even threw an Elbow Strike while in a dazed state right after Gresham let him go. This would not be the last time they were in the ring together this month.
PRESTIGE “NONSTOP FEELING”, 22/07/2022 Hawthorne Theater, Portland, Oregon, USA
1. Konosuke Takeshita defeated Kevin Blackwood with the Lil Sebastian’s Curse (16:55).
Here is where Takeshita started to develop something different. Kevin Blackwood is a pretty tough dude and showed his guts by taking everything Takeshita could throw at him and still kick out of his pins. Takeshita ended up using Radrick’s move the Lil Sebastian’s Curse to finally get the win. Fans want Takeshita to name his version of the move Cinnabomb but he likes the name that Radrick originally gave it.
GARDEN STATE PRO “WELCOME TO EDEN”, 23/07/2022 The Heart Ballroom, Newark, USA
1. 3 Way Match: Miyu Yamashita defeated Billie Starkz and Janai Kai when Yamashita pinned Starkz with the Skull Kick (6:53).
2. Konosuke Takeshita Vs Josh Alexander ended in a Time Limit Draw (20:00).
Takeshita did end up getting into a time limit draw against Josh Alexander. It was a non-title match but he left holding his head up high over going the distance against the Impact World Champion. Yamashita was thrown into a hectic 3 Way Match against Billie Starkz and Janai Kai. Those young wrestlers have become two of the more familiar names in women’s wrestling on the American indies. The chaos worked out in Yamashita’s favour when Starkz unintentionally knocked Kai out of the ring, leaving her open for the deadly Skull Kick.
AEW “DYNAMITE ~ FIGHT FOR THE FALLEN”, 27/07/2022 DCU Center, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
1. AEW Women’s World Title: Thunder Rosa (c) defeated Miyu Yamashita with the Fire Thunder Driver (10:02). *V5 for Thunder Rosa.
The big reason for Yamashita’s return to America was for this. A shot at the AEW Women’s World Title she earned from beating Thunder Rosa in Tokyo Joshi Pro earlier in the month. The late part of the rematch almost became a mirror of the TJPW bout with the Attitude Adjustment being countered into a Cradle only to get reversed into another one. This time however Rosa kicked out and caught Yamashita with her own High Kick. Rosa then hit her version of the Fire Thunder Driver to avenge the loss and successfully defend the title. Unfortunately it wasn’t a great match. They weren’t on the same page in the first half and although they got back in track with Yamashita’s German Suplex spot, the rest of the match was pretty much a repeat of what they did in TJPW.
BLACK LABEL PRO “THE GANG CROSSES THE LINE”, 29/07/2022 Nashville Fairgrounds, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
1. Konosuke Takeshita defeated Nick Wayne with the Lil Sebastian’s Curse (12:40).
Takeshita ended his month over at the Starrcast convention for two matches. The first took place in Black Label Pro against the highly regarded youngster Nick Wayne. Even though Takeshita won, he was so impressed by Wayne that he passed down his nickname of “The Future” to him!
SETUP “SETUP EP.8”, 30/07/2022 The Circus Studio, G Village, Bangkok, Thailand
1. Hoshitango defeated Bital Hasdin with the Midnight Buenos Aires (8:34).
2. Asia Dream Tag Team Titles: Chris Brookes & Masahiro Takanashi (c) defeated Terry Diesel & Monomoth when Brookes pinned Monomoth after the Super Kick & Praying Mantis Bomb (23:40). *V4 for CDK.
Time to go a completely different direction over to Thailand where CDK went off on an adventure. Chris Brookes & Masahiro Takanashi were part of a Gatoh Move related group of wrestlers taking part in a SETUP show. CDK successfully defended the Asia Dream Tag Team Titles against two of SETUP’s best in Terry Diesel & Monomoth. Also taking part was Hoshitango. He gave the local super rookie Bital Hasdin his first loss in pro wrestling. There was even a DJ Nira sighting at some point during the show.
JCP “RIC FLAIR’S LAST MATCH”, 31/07/2022 Nashville Municipal Auditorium, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
1. PROGRESS World Title #1 Contender – 4 Way Match: Jonathan Gresham defeated Alan Angels, Nick Wayne and Konosuke Takeshita when Gresham pinned Angels with an O’Connor Roll (5:40).
Takeshita was added to the undercard of Ric Flair’s dedicated attempt at turning the final scene of “The Wrestler” into reality. He took part in a 4 Way with previous opponents Gresham and Wayne along with former AEW wrestler Alan Angels.
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Upcoming Appearances
AEW “BATTLE OF THE BELTS III”, 05/08/2022 (Airing 06/08/2022) Van Andel Arena, Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA
1. ROH World Title: Claudio Castagnoli (c) Vs Konosuke Takeshita
He couldn’t win the PWG Title so let’s go after the ROH World Title! Takeshita takes on Claudio Castagnoli himself in an absolute whopper of a match on paper. As mentioned above, Takeshita wants his first AEW win on TV to be a big one and this would fit the bill.
WIDE BAY PRO “RAMPAGE”, 06/08/2022 Maryborough State High School, Sussex Street, Maryborough, Australia
1. Interstate Title: Mitch Ryder (c) Vs Shota
Here’s an unexpected addition. Shota is gearing up for an American excursion in a few month’s time but this month he is heading over to Australia for a one-off appearance in Wide Bay Pro. He is going to challenge one of their champions Mitch Ryder (not the American one who died two years ago).
DPW “BELIEVE THE HYPE”, 06/08/2022 Gov. James E. Holshouser Building, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
1. Mizuki Vs Emi Sakura
2. Konosuke Takeshita Vs Andrew Everett
Back over to the maniac matchmaking of Deadlock Pro. On one of their recent shows Andrew Everett called out Takeshita for a match! If that isn’t enough to tickle your fancy, DPW somehow put together the rare matchup of Mizuki against Emi Sakura! It will be Mizuki’s first ever appearance in America and also Sakura’s first US booking outside of AEW ever since she worked with the company.
PROGRESS “CHAPTER 137: DEADLY VIPER TOUR – COPPERHEAD”, 13/08/2022 O2 Academy, Sheffield, England
1. Konosuke Takeshita Vs Robbie X
Robbie X is a journeyman of the British wrestling scene who seems to be finally breaking through and climbing up the ladder. He is Takeshita’s first opponent when he travels over to England.
GCW “HOMECOMING PART 1”, 13/08/2022 The Showboat, Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA
1. Maki Itoh Vs X
That Itoh’s first GCW match hasn’t been announced yet makes me think she’ll be added to a Scramble 6 Way. She’ll have a busy day nonetheless.
JCW “AFTER HOURS 2”, 13/08/2022 The Showboat, Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA
1. Maki Itoh Vs Billie Starkz
GCW’s sister promotion JCW will be running a show in the same venue afterwards. Itoh is taking part by having a match against Starkz. She got along well with Yamashita. If Itoh takes a liking to her too then maybe a tour of Japan is in Starkz’s future. It will do her a world of good if she ever wants to develop as a pro wrestler.
PROGRESS “CHAPTER 138: DEADLY VIPER TOUR – COTTONMOUTH”, 14/08/2022 Boiler Shop, Newcastle, England
1. Konosuke Takeshita Vs Dean Allmark
Dean Allmark is another longtime British wrestler going beyond the indie scene. He’s been through the infamous schedule of wrestling at summer camps across the country.
GCW “HOMECOMING PART 2”, 14/08/2022 The Showboat, Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA
1. Maki Itoh Vs Dark Sheik
Now here is someone with an attitude that Itoh will appreciate. “Fuck The Fans” is a motto that Dark Sheik lives by even though she is pretty cool towards her fanbase. Hoodslam is her home but she’s gotten comfy wrestling in GCW lately too.
PRESTIGE “PERSEVERANCE”, 17/09/2022 The Glass House, Pomona, USA
1. Miyu Yamashita Vs X
2. Maki Itoh Vs Sandra Moone
Yamashita & Itoh are heading back over to Prestige in September. Itoh has an opponent announced in the form of Sandra Moone. Yamashita is still waiting to hear who she will be against. Taya Valkyrie and Trish Adora are both advertised for the show. Either of them facing Yamashita would be an attention grabber. Just saying.
PROGRESS “CHAPTER 142: DEADLY VIPER TOUR – CALIFORNIA MOUNTAIN SNAKE”, 25/09/2022 O2 Academy, Birmingham, England
1. Chris Brookes & Masahiro Takanashi Vs X
There’s some extra slightly DDT related news for this show. Shigehiro Irie is being booked for it.
PROGRESS “RETURN OF THE FLY”, 27/09/2022 The Dome, Tufnell Park, London, England
1. Chris Brookes & Masahiro Takanashi Vs X
CDK have another PROGRESS show to go to. The naming of it seems to match Brookes’ interests too.
WXW “WORLD TAG TEAM FESTIVAL 2022”, 01/10/2022 – 03/10/2022 Turbinenhalle, Oberhausen, Germany
1. World Tag Team Festival 2022: Fuminori Abe & Shigehiro Irie Vs X
2. World Tag Team Festival 2022: Chris Brookes & Masahiro Takanashi Vs X
A couple more teams have been added to the World Tag Team Festival but nothing related to what I’m doing here. Probably going to stay that way until the tournament takes place.
DDT “ROAD TO PETER PAN 2022 IN YOKOHAMA”, 06/08/2022 Yokohama Radiant Hall
1. Hideki Okatani Vs Toi Kojima
2. HARASHIMA & Toru Owashi Vs Yukio Naya & Yuki Ishida
3. Akito, Yukio Sakaguchi & Kazuki Hirata Vs Yuki “Sexy” Iino, Danshoku “Dandy” Dieno & Yumehito “Fantastic” Imanari
4. Daisuke Sasaki, Minoru Fujita & KANON Vs MAO, Shunma Katsumata & El Unicorn
5. Masahiro Takanashi & Chris Brookes Vs Yuki Ueno & Soma Takao
6. Special Tag Match: Jun Akiyama & Yuya Koroku Vs Yuji Hino & Makoto Oishi
7. Harimao Vs BURNING!: Kazusada Higuchi & Naomi Yoshimura Vs Tetsuya Endo & Yusuke Okada
MJ Paul is in the middle of summer hibernation so Minoru Fujita returns to the fold for DAMNATION T.A.
DDT “ROAD TO PETER PAN 2022 IN MIYAGI”, 07/08/2022 Miyagi Tagajo City Cultural Center Small Hall
1. 3 Way Match: Antonio Honda Vs Yukio Naya Vs Hideki Okatani
2. HARASHIMA, Yukio Sakaguchi & Chris Brookes Vs Akito, Yuji Hino & Yuya Koroku
3. Pheromones Vs DISASER BOX!: Yuki “Sexy” Iino & Danshoku “Dandy” Dieno Vs Toru Owashi & Kazuki Hirata
4. DAMNATION T.A Vs The 37KAMIINA!: Daisuke Sasaki, Minoru Fujita & KANON Vs Yuki Ueno, Shunma Katsumata & Toi Kojima
5. Miyagi Specialty Special Single Match: MAO Vs Makoto Oishi
6. Special 6-Man Tag Match: Kazusada Higuchi, Naomi Yoshimura & Yuki Ishida Vs Tetsuya Endo, Jun Akiyama & Yusuke Okada
If the KO-D 6-Man Tag Team Titles weren’t on the line before, they definitely won’t be now.
TOKYO JOSHI PRO “TOKYO PRINCESS CUP”, 13/08/2022 Tokyo Korakuen Hall
1. Arisu Endo Vs Mei Suruga
2. Pom Harajuku Vs Max The Impaler
3. Tokyo Princess Cup – Semi Final: Miyu Yamashita Vs Miu Watanabe
4. Tokyo Princess Cup – Semi Final: Yuka Sakazaki Vs Suzume
We’re down to the final four. The Tokyo Princess Cup is going to a first time winner this year. It will be either Miyu Yamashita, Miu Watanabe, Yuka Sakazaki or Suzume.
The debuting Max The Impaler hates idols, which makes Tokyo Joshi Pro ripe for an invasion! Their first match in the company is against Pom Harajuku. Not sure if shin kicks work against wasteland warriors but we’re gonna find out!
Nice to see Mei Suruga hanging around TJPW a little bit more often. She takes on Arisu Endo at Korakuen Hall.
Saki Akai & Yuki Arai will be on the show.
GANBARE☆PRO “ULTRA SOUL 2022”, 13/08/2022 Tokyo Korakuen Hall
1. ROMANCE DAWN for the new world: Shota Vs Soma Takao
2. Yoshiko Hasegawa Re-Debut Match: Yuna Manase & Yoshiko Hasegawa Vs Moeka Haruhi & YuuRI
3. HARUKAZE 5th Anniversary Match: HARUKAZE Vs Makoto
4. Tatsuhito Takaiwa 30th Anniversary Match: Tatsuhito Takaiwa, Ken Ohka & Shuichiro Katsumura Vs Keisuke Ishii, Kouki Iwasaki & Shinichiro Tominaga
5. Black Ships Attack! Non-Standard Tag Vs Tenori Drunkers: Hartley Jackson & Max The Impaler Vs Mizuki Watase & Tyson Maeguchi
6. Spirit Of Ganbare World Openweight Title: Yumehito Imanari (c) Vs Shigehiro Irie
Max’s invasion of Japan is not just aimed at TJPW. They are targeting Ganbere☆Pro too! ZERO1 regular Hartley Jackson is joining Max’s conquest while Mizuki Watase & Tyson Maeguchi are teaming up to defend the promotion against these invaders.
TOKYO JOSHI PRO “TJPW INSPIRATION”, 11/09/2022 Shin-Kiba 1st RING
1. Miyu Yamashita Vs Arisu Endo
2. Pom Harajuku & Haruna Neko
3. Shoko Nakajima & Moka Miyamoto Vs Dalys & Stephanie Vaquer
4. Yuka Sakazaki & Mizuki Vs Pokotan & Demonio Uno
During their Princess Tag Team Titles reign, the Magical Sugar Rabbits regularly brought up ideas to defend the belts against mascots, Yuru-chara creations and other such novelties. They no longer are the champs but their wish will finally come through. Sakazaki & Mizuki are getting a match against DDT’s mascot Pokotan and Tsurumi’s gatekeeper from Hell Demonio Uno.
Two luchadoras from CMLL are currently touring Japan and will make a stop in TJPW. Dalys has wrestled here before a few times before the pandemic. Stephanie Vaquer however is making her first appearance in the promotion.
TOKYO JOSHI PRO “TOKYO PRINCESS CUP”, 31/07/2022 Tokyo Otemachi Mitsui Hall 284 Fans
1. Maki Itoh & Arisu Endo defeated Moka Miyamoto & Juria Nagano when Itoh submitted Nagano with the Itoh Punish (10:26).
2. 3 Way Match: Yuki Kamifuku defeated Mizuki and Haruna Neko when Kamifuku pinned Neko with a Cradle (8:53).
3. Yuki Arai, Raku & Pom Harajuku defeated Hyper Misao, Mahiro Kiryu & Kaya Toribami when Arai pinned Toribami with the Finally (13:08).
4. Tokyo Princess Cup – Quarter Final: Suzume defeated Rika Tatsumi with a Crucifix Pin (11:10).
5. Tokyo Princess Cup – Quarter Final: Miyu Yamashita defeated Nao Kakuta with the Skull Kick (9:21).
6. Tokyo Princess Cup – Quarter Final: Yuka Sakazaki defeated Hikari Noa with the Magical Girl Splash (12:55).
7. Tokyo Princess Cup – Quarter Final: Miu Watanabe defeated Shoko Nakajima with the Tear Drop (16:34).
The Quarter Finals is where Shoko Nakajima’s run in the Tokyo Princess Cup ends this time around. Miu Watanabe has the achievement of eliminating the current Princess Of Princess Champion from the tournament! She avoided the Locomotion Northern Lights Suplex and blocked a Hurricanrana to pin Nakajima with the Tear Drop. Watanabe said before that she wants to defeat her seniors in Tokyo Joshi Pro and she got to do it today. She said there are still many difficult roads to travel but she will do her best to keep winning.
It was so close and yet still so far for Hikari Noa. She wasn’t able to beat Yuka Sakazaki despite putting out her best effort. She hit the Blizzard Suplex twice, the first one happening from the top rope. But both times she couldn’t pin Sakazaki quickly enough to get a three count. That cost her because Sakazaki got a second wind, did the Magical Merry-Go-Round and hit the Magical Girl Splash for the victory. Sakazaki said she feels a lot of pressure to win the tournament this year so did not want to lose here. She’s pretending to be ok but cannot deny that Noa is getting stronger.
Miyu Yamashita made up for her recent AEW defeat by beating Nao Kakuta to qualify for the Princess Cup semi final. Kakuta made it difficult by attacking Yamashita during her entrance. She quickly tried to set up the Shiden Kai but Yamashita fought out of it. She escaped the move a second time and hit her own signatures to advance to the final four. Yamashita believes this is the year she will finally win the tournament. She also said her time in AEW was a very good experience.
Perhaps the big upset of the round goes to Suzume for eliminating Rika Tatsumi! Tatsumi had control for most of the match and took her opponent to the limit. Suzume looked like she was out of it when she collapsed in the Dragon Sleeper. But she countered the Twist Of Fate and rolled Tatsumi into a Crucfix Pin to get the three count! The two hugged after the match and shook hands. Suzume made it her goal to surpass Tatsumi and this result is the breakthrough she needs. Her run through this tournament is earning her the title of “Rising Star” within the company. Tatsumi on the other hand accepts the result and has no excuse for losing. She is done with the tournament and wants to enjoy the rest of her summer by taking vacations and going to festivals.
The draw for the semi finals took place a couple of hours after the show. On 13th August Yuka Sakazaki takes on Suzume while Miyu Yamashita will fight against Miu Watanabe. The final takes place the next day on the 14th.
A couple of future match announcements were made at the start of the show. Max The Impaler’s first match in Tokyo Joshi Pro on 13th August will be against Pom Harajuku. There is one thing you need to know about Max. THEY. HATE. IDOLS! Also on the show is Arisu Endo Vs Mei Suruga.
The “TJPW INSPIRATION” show will return on 11th September. One of the matches taking place is The Magical Sugar Rabbits against the team of Pokotan and Demonio Uno. Two foreign wrestlers will also appear. Dalys from CMLL makes her return for the first time since 2020 while Stephanie Vaquer from Chile makes her TJPW debut.
TOKYO JOSHI PRO “TOKYO PRINCESS CUP”, 23/07/2022 Shinjuku FACE 202 Fans
-. Tokyo Princess Cup – Round 2: Shoko Nakajima defeated Mizuki by Forfeit.
1. Moka Miyamoto defeated Arisu Endo with the Rashomon (9:39).
2. Hikari Noa & Nao Kakuta defeated Hyper Misao & Kaya Toribami when Kakuta pinned Toribami with the Shiden Kai (8:22).
3. Mahiro Kiryu defeated Haruna Neko with the Spinebuster (6:42).
4. Maki Itoh & Yuki Kamifuku defeated Yuki Aino & Raku when Itoh submitted Raku with the Itoh Deluxe (9:55).
5. Shoko Nakajima & Yuka Sakazaki defeated Rika Tatsumi & Miu Watanabe when Nakajima pinned Watanabe with the Northern Lights Suplex (19:23).
6. Tokyo Princess Cup – Round 2: Suzume defeated Pom Harajuku with the Ring A Bell (9:29).
Unexpected changes can sometimes lead to new opportunities opening up. The main event of the show was supposed to be Shoko Nakajima Vs Mizuki but a fever took Mizuki off the show and out of the Tokyo Princess Cup. Her PCR test has since come back negative but she is still feeling ill and unable to wrestle. However that match getting scratched meant Suzume and Pom Harajuku was bumped up to the main event so it was up to them to step up to the challenge.
Harajuku teased Suzume early in the match by attacking her with a butterfly net outside the ring. Suzume tried fighting back and was cut off with the Pom de Justice over the second rope onto the ring apron. Suzume made another comeback by hitting the Mikazuki Meteor Shower (Diving Cross Body) but Harajuku stopped her momentum again. This time Harajuku climbed the ropes until Suzume dropped her to the canvas with a Facebuster. She then quickly hit the Ring A Bell to get the win and advance in the tournament. After the match Suzume declared this will be the summer when she surpasses Rika Tatsumi! And guess what? Those two will face each other in the Quarter Final!
Nakajima was given an automatic bye into the Quarter Final because of Mizuki’s withdrawal from the tournament. She takes on Miu Watanabe in the next round. To give everyone a preview, today’s replacement for the cancelled match was Miraclians Vs Daydream! All four women involved are in the Quarter Finals so nobody wanted to give up a fall. Nakajima fired the big warning shot by pinning Watanabe with the Northern Lights Suplex. She said afterwards that Mizuki is probably more disappointed over their match being cancelled than she is. Nakajima thinks she has to beat Mizuki if she wants to call herself the best wrestler in Tokyo Joshi Pro. Watanabe’s goal of surpassing her seniors this summer has already taken a blow. She wants to do her best to beat Nakajima and hopes the other wrestlers from her generation or younger will work just as hard.
Yesterday was Maki Itoh’s birthday so Raku sang “Happy Birthday” to her at the start of their match. It was actually a trap so Raku could send Itoh to sleep with al lullaby. Itoh got payback thanks to some help from Yuki Kamifuku. They gave Raku a double team DDT & Headscissor combo then Itoh submitted her with the Itoh Deluxe. It’s a tag team combo that might come in handy for MakiYuki Happy in the future.
Moka Miyamoto celebrated the 2nd Anniversary of her debut match by beating Arisu Endo in the opener.
The complete Tokyo Princess Cup Quarter Finals on 31st July are Miu Watanabe Vs Shoko Nakajima, Nao Kakuta Vs Miyu Yamashita, Yuka Sakazaki Vs Hikari Noa and Rika Tatsumi Vs Suzume.
TOKYO JOSHI PRO “TOKYO PRINCESS CUP”, 17/07/2022 Tokyo Ryogoku KFC Hall 257 Fans
1. Hikari Noa, Raku & Suzume defeated Miyu Yamashita, Yuki Arai & Moka Miyamoto when Noa pinned Miyamoto with the Blizzard Suplex (10:33).
2. 3 Way Match: Pom Harajuku defeated Maki Itoh and Haruna Neko when Harajuku pinned Neko with the Pom de Justice (6:18).
3. Shoko Nakajima & Hyper Misao defeated Mizuki & Mahiro Kiryu when Nakajima pinned Kiryu with the Northern Lights Suplex (11:09).
4. Tokyo Princess Cup – Round 1: Miu Watanabe defeated Arisu Endo with the Tear Drop (11:14).
5. Tokyo Princess Cup – Round 1: Yuka Sakazaki defeated Kaya Toribami with the Magical Merry-Go-Round (10:05).
6. Tokyo Princess Cup – Round 1: Nao Kakuta defeated Yuki Aino with the Shiden Kai (10:39).
7. Tokyo Princess Cup – Round 1: Rika Tatsumi defeated Yuki Kamifuku with the Missile Hip (12:57).
The winners of today’s Tokyo Princess Cup matches have a little bit of an easier ride in the bracket compared to the rest of the wrestlers in Round 1. Everyone who won today advanced straight into the Quarter Finals taking place on 31st July. Rika Tatsumi closed out the show by beating Yuki Kamifuku, proclaiming it to be her first win on the road to finally winning the tournament. Her failed title challenges on the big stage has only made her more obsessive and is the reason she keeps getting back on her feet time after time. Kamifuku has taken something positive from the match though. She used to fear Tatsumi’s Hip Attacks and would run away from them. This time she became brave enough to stand up to the move despite still losing to it. Tatsumi’s next round opponent will be the winner of Pom Harajuku Vs Suzume taking place on 23rd July.
Yesterday’s 10-Woman Tag Match gave Nao Kakuta all the preparation she needed to figure out Yuki Aino. She learned she has less patience than Aino, who is often calm and thoughtful in the ring. A calm mind is what helped Kakuta beat her today because she didn’t panic when Aino put her in the Full Nelson Of Love And Fire. That gave her time to break out of the hold and land a Cross-Arm DDT to her opponent. The Shiden Kai afterwards resulted in Kakuta going through to the Quarter Final. She will face the winner of Miyu Yamashita Vs Raku taking place tomorrow. Whoever Kakuta face she said she can either climb that wall, smash her way through it or slip around it to the other side.
Yuka Sakazaki is trying to get over losing the Princess Tag Team Titles by aiming to win the Princess Cup. She is using this tournament to get rid of her frustration and Kaya Toribami just happened to be the first person in her way. Toribami knew she was in for a tough match and worked hard to make Sakazaki use her stronger moves. That way Toribami could get a chance to show her own true potential even for just a little bit. Sakazaki will now wait for Hikari Noa Vs Yuki Arai to happen tomorrow to see who she faces next.
This summer could become a summer of important change if Miu Watanabe has anything to say about it. She thinks it is time for her generation to surpass their seniors. It begins with Watanabe herself finding a new way to swing her opponents around. She blocked Arisu Endo’s Waterwheel Drop and turned it into a Giant Swing from a Gutwrench lift! Endo tried fighting back from that but was put away with the Tear Drop. Watanabe won’t know who she faces next until 23rd July when Shoko Nakajima Vs Mizuki takes place.
In one of the non-tournament matches Hyper Misao faked having a left arm injury from the day before while Nakajima acted concerned for her partner. Mizuki didn’t believe her because she saw the match and remembers that Misao’s left arm was never targeted. However during the match Mizuki joined in with Mahiro Kiryu for the Apology Double Knee Drop and both said sorry to Misao for attacking her while she is injured. When Misao made her comeback she shouted she was suddenly feeling better. Nakajima got the hot tag and in the end pinned Kiryu to win.
A Tokyo Joshi Pro press conference was held in Shibuya today for the 9th annual Tokyo Princess Cup. All 20 participants were in attendance to take part in a lottery that filled out the bracket. Each of them then commented on their matches afterward.
TOKYO JOSHI PRO “TOKYO PRINCESS CUP”, 16/07/2022 Tokyo Ryogoku KFC Hall
1. Tokyo Princess Cup – Round 1A: Shoko Nakajima Vs Haruna Neko
2. Tokyo Princess Cup – Round 1C: Miyu Yamashita Vs Hyper Misao
3. Tokyo Princess Cup – Round 1E: Mahiro Kiryu Vs Yuki Arai
4. Tokyo Princess Cup – Round 1G: Pom Harajuku Vs Moka Miyamoto
Shoko Nakajima enters the tournament as one of the strongest favorites. She currently holds the Princess Of Princess Title and has a great history with this tournament, winning it once and reaching the final 5 times. However she thinks this year’s field is completely unpredictable so she is going to fight carefully in every match. She is a similar size to her opponent Haruna Neko and for that reason wants Neko to follow her lead. Neko is a bit scared to face Nakajima in the 1st Round but take the match seriously and give it her all to win.
While Nakajima has great luck in the Princess Cup, it’s the complete opposite for Miyu Yamashita. The ace of TJPW has never won the Princess Cup, has never reached the final and in some years was eliminated in the 1st Round. In fact the woman who knocked her out from Round 1 in 2016 is Hyper Misao and they meet again in the same place! Yamashita has since gotten her own back by eliminating Misao from the 2020 tournament but she cannot hide her displeasure over getting an unlucky draw. Misao even drew lucky No. 7 to get matched with her! That now gives her the confidence to beat Yamashita with a perfect performance score of 100%.
Yuki Arai wants to make up for getting eliminated in the 1st Round last year. She is riding high from winning the Princess Tag Team Titles this past weekend. Mahiro Kiryu notices that and thinks it is a good thing for herself. She has a chance to beat somebody really popular and raise her own stock!
Both Pom Harajuku and Moka Miyamoto are happy to be matched against each other. Harajuku is feeling good and will put that kind of energy into her match. Miyamoto is motivated to win because she wants to surpass her seniors.
TOKYO JOSHI PRO “TOKYO PRINCESS CUP”, 17/07/2022 Tokyo Ryogoku KFC Hall
1. Tokyo Princess Cup – Round 1B: Arisu Endo Vs Miu Watanabe
2. Tokyo Princess Cup – Round 1D: Nao Kakuta Vs Yuki Aino
3. Tokyo Princess Cup – Round 1F: Kaya Toribami Vs Yuka Sakazaki
4. Tokyo Princess Cup – Round 1H: Yuki Kamifuku Vs Rika Tatsumi
Arisu Endo and Miu Watanabe are also having opposite thoughts over their luck in the draw. Endo doesn’t feel lucky to fight Watanabe but promises to do her best. Watanabe however praises Endo for the growth she showed at “SUMMER SUN PRINCESS ’22”. It makes Watanabe cautious not to lose her own focus when they face off.
Last year Nao Kakuta fought Yuki Aino to a 7 minute draw. It is a result that Aino does not want to repeat because she is full of energy right now. She is also looking ahead because the winner of this will face either a monster like Yamashita, a scary person like Misao or the third option even scarier than her! Kakuta isn’t worried about that. She said she is determined to win no matter who her opponent is.
Yuka Sakazaki sees a lot of potential in Kaya Toribami and is looking forward to playing with her. Toribami knows she is in for a tough fight. Even if she can’t win she wants to have a good match to keep her spirits up.
After this weekend there is nothing for Rika Tatsumi to be afraid of anymore. Even though she lost the Princess Title match she thinks she made a super amount of progress coming out of it. It won’t be easy but she will spend the summer aiming to win the Princess Cup so she can get another Princess Title shot. Yuki Kamifuku hates competing in tournaments. But she is about to reach the 5th anniversary of her debut match this August and she wants to do her best for that reason.
TOKYO JOSHI PRO “TOKYO PRINCESS CUP”, 18/07/2022 Tokyo Ryogoku KFC Hall
1. Tokyo Princess Cup – Round 2B: Winner Of Match 1C Vs Raku
2. Tokyo Princess Cup – Round 2C: Winner Of Match 1E Vs Hikari Noa
The winner of Yamashita Vs Misao faces Raku in Round 2, the scariest one of all! Raku said no matter which of them she faces, she will confuse them to win. The match schedule for Round 2 is a little bit out of bracket order because Yamashita will be wrestling in America around the same time. TJPW made sure the 2nd Round match she can qualify for is not clashing with her travel schedule.
Hikari Noa takes on either Kiryu or Arai. Noa thinks every year is going to be her year to win the Princess Cup so she is getting impatient over not making it come true. Her motivation this time is the chance to face Sakazaki further down the bracket.
TOKYO JOSHI PRO “TOKYO PRINCESS CUP”, 23/07/2022 Shinjuku FACE
1. Tokyo Princess Cup – Round 2A: Winner Of Match 1B Vs Mizuki
2. Tokyo Princess Cup – Round 2D: Winner Of Match 1G Vs Suzume
Although Mizuki no longer has the Tag Titles, she still has plenty of dreams she wants to achieve as a singles wrestler. The two time Princess Cup winner is excited by the idea of facing Nakajima so soon in their block of the playoff.
Suzume has two very different potential opponents. She has never wrestled Harajuku one on one before and won’t be able to predict what Harajuku can do to her. She also recognises how strong Miyamoto is becoming and thinks she will be a scary opponent for her. However the thought of fighting and beating even stronger opponents like Kamifuku or Tatsumi in the next round after is something Suzume really wants to do.
TOKYO JOSHI PRO “TOKYO PRINCESS CUP”, 31/07/2022 Tokyo Otemachi Mitsui Hall
1. Tokyo Princess Cup – Quarter Final: Winner Of Match 1B Vs Winner Of Match 2A
2. Tokyo Princess Cup – Quarter Final: Winner Of Match 1D Vs Winner Of Match 2B
3. Tokyo Princess Cup – Quarter Final: Winner Of Match 1F Vs Winner Of Match 2C
4. Tokyo Princess Cup – Quarter Final: Winner Of Match 1H Vs Winner Of Match 2D
This will be the first time a Princess Cup show will be held in Otemachi Mitsui Hall.
TOKYO JOSHI PRO “TOKYO PRINCESS CUP”, 13/08/2022 Tokyo Korakuen Hall
1. Tokyo Princess Cup – Semi Final: X Vs X
2. Tokyo Princess Cup – Semi Final: X Vs X
The bracket stops at the final four and a lottery will determine the semi-final match ups.
TOKYO JOSHI PRO “TOKYO PRINCESS CUP”, 14/08/2022 Tokyo Korakuen Hall
1. Tokyo Princess Cup – Final: X Vs X
Last year’s winner Maki Itoh will be in America during this time wrestling in GCW. That is why she is not entering the Princess Cup this year. Juria Nagano also could not enter the tournament because of a busy schedule.
TOKYO JOSHI PRO “SUMMER SUN PRINCESS ’22”, 09/07/2022 Tokyo Ota Ward Gymnasium 1,130 Fans
1. Moka Miyamoto defeated Juria Nagano with the Rashomon (4:58).
2. Aja Kong, Yuki Aino, Raku & Pom Harajuku defeated Hyper Misao, Nao Kakuta, Haruna Neko & Kaya Toribami when Aino pinned Toribami with the Venus DDT (12:28).
3. Ryo Mizunami defeated Miu Watanabe with the Hot Limit (11:53).
4. Hikaru Shida & Hikari Noa defeated Yuki Kamifuku & Mahiro Kiryu when Shida pinned Kiryu with the Arawashi Driver (13:32).
5. Mei Suruga & Suzume defeated Riho & Arisu Endo when Suzume pinned Endo with the Ring A Bell (14:21).
6. International Princess Title: Alex Windsor defeated Maki Itoh (c) with the GTF (13:22). *Maki Itoh fails in V5. Alex Windsor becomes the 8th International Princess Champion!
7. Special Single Match: Miyu Yamashita defeated Thunder Rosa with a Cradle (13:39).
8. Princess Tag Team Titles: Saki Akai & Yuki Arai defeated Yuka Sakazaki & Mizuki (c) when Akai pinned Mizuki after the Double Rookie Awards (24:28). *The Magical Sugar Rabbits fail in V6. Reiwa AA Cannon become the 10th Princess Tag Team Champions!
9. Princess Of Princess Title: Shoko Nakajima (c) defeated Rika Tatsumi with the Diving Senton (19:23). *V4 for Shoko Nakajima.
Not even a White Dragon going crazy can stop the Big Kaiju right now. In front of over a thousand fans allowed to cheer, Shoko Nakajima defeated Rika Tatsumi to defend the Princess Of Princess Title. Tatsumi promised to be more determined than ever to win and proved it by doing the Missile Hip from the top rope to Nakajima outside the ring. However her attempt to lean back with the Dragon Sleeper for leverage backfired when Nakajima rolled out to free herself from the move. The champion turned the tables from there, used a Double Arm DDT and pinned Tatsumi with the Diving Senton. She called her opponent strong after the match and looks forward to meeting her down the road again. Nakajima then thanked the fans for their cheers because it gives the wrestlers more energy than we think. She praised the roster for being great and wants Tokyo Joshi Pro to grow even more. While Tatsumi is upset over losing, she feels strange because it hasn’t broken her heart. Instead it made her love pro wrestling again.
The supernova rise of Yuki Arai continues with the “genius girl” winning her first championship in TJPW! Her team with Saki Akai was the force that finally broke The Magical Sugar Rabbits and ended their Princess Tag Team Titles reign. At first Arai looked to be out of her depth against the champions but once she got to show off her teamwork with Akai it turned out they had MagiRabi well scouted. Together they blocked one of the Toy Story double team attacks and Arai threw Mizuki off the top rope with the Full Nelson Buster. Akai was also too tall for Yuka Sakazaki to give the Magical Merry-Go-Round to. Mizuki tried to intervene until she was struck in the back of the head with Arai’s Finally kick. Arai went for the move a second time and Sakazaki took the bullet after pushing Mizuki out of harm’s way. Reiwa AA Cannon then took inspiration from the one achievement they both share by performing a Double Rookie Award to Mizuki. Akai then pinned Mizuki for the title change while Arai held Sakazaki back.
Akai admits that they wouldn’t have been able to beat MagiRabi 99 times out of 100. It was Arai’s luck that made today the 1 time they were going to win. Akai thought she was going to be leading the team but her tag partner supported her more than she realised. Now they have the Princess Tag Titles there will be many teams chasing after them. Akai tells Arai this is the hard part because they now have to run further ahead of everyone else. Arai said she feels the weight of carrying the title belt because she is also carrying the history of the previous champions. She wants to be somebody who won’t be ashamed of holding this title. She also can’t wait to show the belt to all the fans of SKE48.
In the days leading up to the show, Thunder Rosa sent a message to TJPW saying if Miyu Yamashita could beat her today then she will give her a AEW Women’s Title shot back in America. The new stakes added more to Rosa’s anticipated return to TJPW for the first time in two and a half years. Yamashita hit the Skull Kick but she couldn’t get the three count with a rope break. She then went for the Attitude Adjustment but Rosa countered it into a Cradle. Yamashita suddenly reversed the Cradle and got a three count out of nowhere to win the match! Rosa said she now knows what to do because she isn’t going to let the AEW Women’s Title be taken away from her like the International Princess Title was. Whenever Yamashita is back in America, she knows where to find Rosa to get her title match. Yamashita said having the home field advantage was why she won today. She would like to have the rematch against Rosa in America but wants to fight that match for herself, not as a representative for TJPW.
England’s Alex Windsor had some bad luck travelling to Japan because she lost her gear and luggage on the way over. However she must be all smiles after today because she beat Maki Itoh to become the new International Princess Champion! Itoh fought big by using an Avalanche DDT but missed the Flying Big Head. Windsor fought back with her own big moves by using a Liger Bomb and another Power Bomb as a counter. She then put Itoh away with a Modified Fisherman Buster called the GTF to win the title. Windsor says she is taking over the world and will take the IP Title where ever she wants to. Meanwhile a sad Itoh is left asking herself why is she always so weak? She has an overseas tour coming up in August so she knows she has to fight more different wrestlers from around the world. She is also upset she couldn’t live up to the expectations of the fans who could now cheer for her today.
The first match for MeiBee Surprise was a success for Mei Suruga & Suzume. They were paired against two opponents who are very close to them. Suruga and Riho have a lot of history together while Suzume regularly teams with Arisu Endo as Daisy Monkey. The match came down to Suzume against Endo. Suzume came out on top after hitting the Ring A Bell on her friend. Riho said she was excited to have the match because it was her first time wrestling in Japan for 9 months. Suzume described the match as a red string getting all tangled up because she has attachments to everyone involved. She also said she will continue fighting to surpass Suruga. You’d think Suruga would see that as a threat but she just laughed it off.
Previous opponents Hikaru Shida & Hikari Noa were now teaming together on today’s show. Together they brushed off Toyo Mates even when they attempted to fight fire with fire. Mahiro Kiryu stopped Noa from using a chair but then tried using the same chair on Shida. That was blocked and Shida pinned her with the Arawashi Driver. Yuki Kamifuku gave encouragement to Kiryu afterwards, telling her life goes by fast and can be over in the blink of an eye. They can become strong people who can take a beating together. Noa said she had a lot of time to think about her previous match with Shida. She enjoyed today’s match more than anything and was happy to use weapons with Shida again. Shida thinks she made a good start in her quest to wreck havoc in TJPW with her appearances so far. She doesn’t know who she will face next but is looking forward to coming back here.
It doesn’t matter if her opponent was changed on short notice. Somebody was going to get a Giant Swing from Miu Watanabe! That somebody happened to be Ryo Mizunami. Watanabe had to work hard for it though because her veteran opponent put her through the wringer with Chops, slams and Lariats. Mizunami gained the upper hand with a Spear and never let go of the momentum, finishing off Watanabe with the Hot Limit. She praised Watanabe, saying she was blown away by her opponent’s power. It doesn’t matter if she is an idol with less experience in the ring, when Watanabe enters through those ropes she is a pro wrestler! Mizunami also appreciated the warm reception she got from the TJPW fans. Watanabe also gave credit to the fans for pushing her on. Even when she was hurt, the fans calling her name made her want to do her best. She achieved her goal to give Mizunami the Giant Swing. Her ultimate goal is to do that to Aja Kong!
Speaking of Kong, she was happy to be back in TJPW. Yuki Aino & Pom Harajuku in particular were surprised to see Kong give Raku a big hug during their entrance all together. Hyper Misao also welcomed Kong back and was nice to her. But that was because Misao wanted to swap teams and be on Kong’s side instead of being her opponent. Misao later sprayed Kong’s face but its effects didn’t last long. Kong wiped out Nao Kakuta & Haruna Neko with a Double Lariat, giving Aino the space to beat Kaya Toribami with the Venus DDT. Misao later said she would like to fight Kong again. Her tag partners are not as enthusiastic over the idea.
The opening match was special for Moka Miyamoto and Juria Nagano because it was the first time they got to experience wrestling in front of a cheering crowd. Nagano used a new combination of kicks but still went back to the Brazilian Kick late in the match. Miyamoto eventually got her in the Rashomon to earn the submission victory. She was glad to win because she knows she would lose to Nagano in a Karate bout. But this is pro wrestling and Miyamoto is more experienced than her here.
There will be a collaboration between TJPW and Idolmaster Cinderella Girls. Two of the characters in the game Akane Hino & Yuko Hori will receive costumes based on the ring gear Yuki Arai and Maki Itoh wore for their IP Title match from “GRAND PRINCESS ’22”. In return, Arai and Itoh will soon receive real life costumes based on Hino & Hori to wear for portraits and other related merchandise.
“GO GIRL 3” will be held at Korakuen Hall on 28th August. It is a show for only women in the audience and admission will be free. There will also be a brand new logo for Tokyo Joshi Pro unveiled at the show.
“The Non-Binary Nightmare” Max The Impaler will make their TJPW debut on the 13th & 14th August Korakuen Hall shows. If there is anything you need to know about Max it this. They hate idols!
I’ll now include the official Youtube videos of matches to these posts. Last month’s article was updated to include the videos available from May and I’ll go back to add more if they get uploaded. Konosuke Takeshita having matches across the American indies that are so good they have to be put up for free on Youtube is going to be the trend this summer. The other trend seems to be Tokyo Joshi Pro wrestlers unexpectedly appearing on AEW’s Youtube shows whenever they are in the country. The Forbidden Door is behind us for the time being so if there was any red tape preventing Takeshita from having a higher profile that should be gone now. Even then he’s keeping himself busy as you will see below. By the way it is incredibly satisfying to see how successful that show turned out. So many wrestling analysts and personalities last month predicted failure because let’s be honest, they personally don’t care about New Japan. It is obvious to me that a lot of them used the “casual fan” argument as a cover for their own lack of interest or knowledge for Japanese wrestling. But the PPV being a success proves there is an audience out there that does care. I mean that’s why you’re here right now reading this post, right?
SPOILER WARNING: The results section includes spoilers for taped AEW matches that have not aired yet.
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Videos
DPW “NO PRESSURE”, 05/06/2022 Gov. James E. Holshouser Building, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
1. Golden Opportunity Match: Miyu Yamashita Vs Miyuki Takase
Video starts at 21:24 for the match AEW “DARK ELEVATION”, 06/06/2022 The Kia Forum, Los Angeles, California, USA
1. Skye Blue & Miyu Yamashita Vs Serena Deeb & Nyla Rose
AEW “DYNAMITE”, 08/06/2022 Toyota Arena, Ontario, California, USA
1. Casino Battle Royale: Darby Allin Vs Tony Nese Vs Daniel Garcia Vs Lance Archer Vs Eddie Kingston Vs Ricky Starks Vs Jake Hager Vs Rey Fenix Vs Swerve Strickland Vs Keith Lee Vs John Silver Vs Konosuke Takeshita Vs Max Caster Vs Austin Gunn Vs Colten Gunn Vs Powerhouse Hobbs Vs Bobby Fish Vs Kyle O’Reilly Vs Dante Martin Vs Wheeler Yuta Vs Andrade El Idolo
WEST COAST PRO “’93 TIL INFINITY”, 10/06/2022 The State Room, South San Francisco, USA
1. Mike Bailey Vs Konosuke Takeshita
ROW “LOCK UP”, 11/06/2022 Booker T World Gym Arena, Texas City, Texas, USA
1. Ryan Davidson Vs Shota
Video starts at 37:43 for the match AEW “DARK”, 14/06/2022 Toyota Arena, Ontario, California, USA
1. Konosuke Takeshita Vs Nick Comoroto (w/ Aaron Solo)
PRESTIGE “THE NEW REALITY”, 18/06/2022 The Glass House, Pomona, USA
1. Lee Moriarty Vs Konosuke Takeshita
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Results
AEW “DARK ELEVATION”, 01/06/2022 (Aired 06/06/2022) The Kia Forum, Los Angeles, California, USA
1. Serena Deeb & Nyla Rose defeated Skye Blue & Miyu Yamashita when Deeb submitted Blue with the Serenity Lock (7:40).
When the month began, the joshi wrestlers who were hanging around in America all went back to Japan except for Miyu Yamashita. She still had an indie date left to do but there was an unusually long gap of time until it took place. Turns out the extra time was filled up with Yamashita’s first AEW booking. She unexpectedly had her debut match with the company on Dark Elevation teaming with Skye Blue against two of AEW’s top threats in the women’s division: Serena Deeb & Nyla Rose. There were complaints from fans that you shouldn’t be just throwing Yamashita into a Youtube match like that but there’s a long game being played here. AEW are well aware of Yamashita’s status in the joshi scene and have kept an eye on her for her entire US trip last month. There’s even some hearsay that her indie bookings went through AEW as part of getting her over to the USA in the first place. They’ve been so impressed with her performances that considerations are under way to put together a future AEW Women’s Title program between her and Thunder Rosa. Those plans are separate from the Rosa Vs Yamashita match happening in TJPW later this month. I know the booking of the AEW women’s division is incredibly frustrating to follow but I assure you there is some thought being put behind what to do with Yamashita in the future.
AEW “DARK”, 03/06/2022 (Aired 14/06/2022) Toyota Arena, Ontario, California, USA
1. Konosuke Takeshita defeated Nick Comoroto (w/ Aaron Solo) with the Jumping Knee Strike (6:42).
We’re getting into odd territory with the Dark tapings. Takeshita’s match against Nick Comoroto was recorded on 3rd June but was not used until the episode that aired on the 14th.
DPW “NO PRESSURE”, 05/06/2022 Gov. James E. Holshouser Building, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
1. Golden Opportunity Match: Miyu Yamashita defeated Miyuki Takase with the Skull Kick (15:27).
A first time meeting took place in Deadlock Pro when Yamashita took on the freelancer Miyuki Takase. The match had a little bit of everything from strike exchanges, slight comedy, big moves like an Avalanche Attitude Adjustment and Takase running a lap around the building to set up the longest Clothesline spot you’ll ever see. Yamashita found her opponent’s limit with High Kicks and finished her off with the Skull Kick to win. According to the match stipulation Yamashita now has a championship shot of some sort for whenever she wants when she returns to DPW.
AEW “DYNAMITE”, 08/06/2022 Toyota Arena, Ontario, California, USA
1. Casino Battle Royale: Kyle O’Reilly defeated Wheeler Yuta by Ring Out (24:59). Order Of Elimination: Tony Nese, Lance Archer, Max Caster, Austin Gunn & Colten Gunn, Keith Lee, John Silver, Daniel Garcia, Eddie Kingston, Jake Hager, Konosuke Takeshita, Dante Martin, Ricky Starks, Bobby Fish, Darby Allin, Swerve Strickland, Powerhouse Hobbs, Rey Fenix, Andrade El Idolo and Wheeler Yuta.
Takeshita entered the annual Casino Battle Royal where the winner would face Jon Moxley later in the night. It was all part of a long, sudden journey to crown an Interim AEW World Champion thanks to CM Punk unexpectedly going out of action with injury. Takeshita entered the match in the middle of the pack but was thrown out by both Ricky Starks & Powerhouse Hobbs. That left Takeshita tweeting about if he should find some new friends for backup should a similar situation ever repeats itself.
WEST COAST PRO “’93 TIL INFINITY”, 10/06/2022 The State Room, South San Francisco, USA
1. Konosuke Takeshita defeated Mike Bailey with the German Suplex (17:50).
Well he got to reunite with one of his friends a couple of days later. The long awaited rematch with Mike Bailey delivered and then some. What are you doing reading this when you can watch it up at the top of the post above?
AEW “DARK”, 11/06/2022 (Aired 19/07/2022)
Universal Studios, Orlando, Florida, USA
1. Konosuke Takeshita defeated Anthony Henry with the Jumping Knee Strike (7:48).
Back to the weirdness of the tapings. Takeshita’s match against Anthony Henry hasn’t aired yet. AEW now tapes month’s worth of Dark matches in Universal Studios a couple times a year. Details results of the tapings aren’t common so for the moment we just know who won. I’ll come back to edit this post when the match does air.
ROW “LOCK UP”, 11/06/2022 Booker T World Gym Arena, Texas City, Texas, USA
1. Ryan Davidson defeated Shota with the Davidson Driver (?:??).
Hey Ganbare☆Pro can join in on the fun now. Shota finally got to travel to America after his original plans to do so went kaput two years ago because of the pandemic. He went over to Texas to perform on a Reality Of Wrestling show. That is the promotion run by none other than Booker T. Shota took on Ryan Davidson, an American wrestler who wrestled in both DDT and Ganpro back in 2018. Shota stayed in America for a few more days and went to an AEW event in St. Louis where he hung out with Takeshita and Michael Nakazawa backstage.
PRESTIGE “THE NEW REALITY”, 18/06/2022 The Glass House, Pomona, USA
1. Konosuke Takeshita defeated Lee Moriarty with the Zahi (17:55).
Another very entertaining match worth watching. Lee Moriarty is such a good talent who can shine through your screen with his ring work. He’s a good opponent for Takeshita as you can see when you watch the video way up above.
AEW “DARK ELEVATION”, 29/06/2022 (Aired 04/07/2022) Little Caesars Arena, Detroit, Michigan, USA
1. Hikaru Shida & Yuka Sakazaki defeated Heather Reckless & Laynie Luck when Shida pinned Reckless with the Falcon Arrow (2:53).
It was a surprise to everyone when both Yuka Sakazaki and Hikaru Shida showed up to wrestle as a tag team this past Wednesday. I didn’t realize Sakazaki had left Japan for her PWG booking and it wasn’t publicly known that Shida was returning to the US either. The match against Heather Reckless & Laynie Luck will air on Dark Elevation next Monday. Hopefully for Sakazaki’s sake they edit her entrance because she tripped and fell on the ramp while running out. She got revenge on the ramp after the match by stomping on it while leaving ringside.
AEW “RAMPAGE”, 29/06/2022 (Aired 01/07/2022) Little Caesars Arena, Detroit, Michigan, USA
1. Royal Rampage: Brody King defeated Darby Allin by Ring Out (22:41). Order Of Elimination: Tony Nese, John Silver, Max Caster, Penta Oscuro & Rush, Matt Hardy, Frankie Kazarian, Dante Martin, Dustin Rhodes, Konosuke Takeshita, Orange Cassidy, Keith Lee, Swerve Strickland, Ricky Starks, Hangman Page, The Blade, The Butcher and Darby Allin.
Tonight’s episode of Rampage has Takeshita entering the first ever Royal Rampage match. It is reportedly a Royal Rumble match involving two wrestling rings and the last wrestlers left in each ring face off in the finale. Remember earlier when I said Takeshita wants to look for backup so he won’t get eliminated by a tag team? Well it happened again when The Butcher & The Blade worked together to throw him out of the ring.
Yamashita is currently in Spain ready and waiting for this weekend’s show with RCW. Her opponent is an interesting choice. Alex Windsor has been on a roll in England lately for both Revolution Pro and Pro Wrestling: EVE. She will be coming to Japan one week later to challenge for the International Princess Title too. No bigger message to send TJPW than to beat their first ace before heading over.
PWG “NINETEEN”, 03/07/2022 Globe Theatre, Los Angeles, California, USA
1. Yuka Sakazaki Vs Masha Slamovich
2. PWG World Title: Daniel Garcia (c) Vs Konosuke Takeshita
Takeshita has had no luck chasing after AEW championships. The PWG World Title however is so close he should be able to taste it. The champion Daniel Garcia is beaten up from doing a Blood & Guts cage match. Sakazaki gets to be added to the short list of women to have wrestled for PWG. She can make Masha Slamovich 0 for 2 against TJPW talent.
JCW “THE GREAT AMERICAN BIRTHDAY BASH”, 10/07/2022 Phil Sheridan Building, Ridgefield Park, New Jersey, USA
1. Konosuke Takeshita Vs Cole Radrick
This is a match with more history than meets the eye. Takeshita and Cole Radrick have gotten along on Twitter for the last year, sharing gifs of them doing each other’s moves in matches. Does that mean when they finally meet they will play mind games by swapping movesets against each other?
DEFY “THE WORLD IS YOURS NIGHT 1”, 16/07/2022 Washington Hall, Seattle, Washington, USA
1. Konosuke Takeshita Vs Davey Richards
Davey Richards has taken up the indie gatekeeper role ever since he returned to active competition. Takeshita getting an opponent as established as him in a promotion as energetic as DEFY should result in magic.
TERMINUS “TERMINUS 3”, 21/07/2022 Oasis Event Center, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
1. Jonathan Gresham Vs Konosuke Takeshita
The hits keep on coming! Takeshita should expect a change of pace here because TERMINUS uses an alternate ruleset that encourages more grappling and less theatrics. Jonathan Gresham flies the flag for that style (often literally) and has been pretty much unbeatable since becoming the ROH World Champion. It would be a good idea for Takeshita to remember what he learned from wrestling Shinya Aoki and fight fire with fire.
PRESTIGE “NONSTOP FEELING”, 22/07/2022 Hawthorne Theater, Portland, Oregon, USA
1. Konosuke Takeshita Vs Kevin Blackwood
The next day Takeshita returns to Prestige for his second match in the promotion. Kevin Blackwood has been gaining notoriety in the indies this year and just last week got a big win over Takeshita’s buddy Mike Bailey.
GARDEN STATE PRO “WELCOME TO EDEN”, 23/07/2022 The Heart Ballroom, Newark, USA
1. 3 Way Match: Billie Starkz Vs Miyu Yamashita Vs Janai Kai
2. Konosuke Takeshita Vs Josh Alexander
Takeshita will also be holding a seminar for Garden State Pro on the day of the show.
BLACK LABEL PRO “THE GANG CROSSES THE LINE”, 29/07/2022 Nashville Fairgrounds, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
1. Konosuke Takeshita Vs Nick Wayne
A teenage prodigy being hailed as the future of pro wrestling with the world at his feet. Sounds familiar. Nick Wayne is sort of where Takeshita was a decade ago. The young phenomenon is becoming a must see wrestler on the indies and supposedly has an AEW contract waiting for him once he is eligible to sign it. One future will get to see the next future first hand.
SETUP “SETUP EP.8”, 30/07/2022 The Circus Studio, G Village, Bangkok, Thailand
1. Hoshitango Vs Bital Hasdin
2. Chris Brookes & Masahiro Takanashi Vs X
Hoshitango’s opponent Bital Hasdin is being promoted as Thailand’s super rookie.
PROGRESS “CHAPTER 137: DEADLY VIPER TOUR – COPPERHEAD”, 13/08/2022 O2 Academy, Sheffield, England
1. Konosuke Takeshita Vs X
Takeshita heads over to England in August for a tour with PROGRESS, the company that wishes it was still 2019. His first show will be in Sheffield and then he will be in Newcastle the next day.
GCW “HOMECOMING PART 1”, 13/08/2022 The Showboat, Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA
1. Maki Itoh Vs X
GCW is not ready for Maki Itoh.
PROGRESS “CHAPTER 138: DEADLY VIPER TOUR – COTTONMOUTH”, 14/08/2022 Boiler Shop, Newcastle, England
1. Konosuke Takeshita Vs X
Takeshita won’t be the only DDT talent PROGRESS gets to experience this year…
GCW “HOMECOMING PART 2”, 14/08/2022 The Showboat, Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA
1. Maki Itoh Vs X
I repeat, they are so not ready for her.
PROGRESS “CHAPTER 142: DEADLY VIPER TOUR – CALIFORNIA MOUNTAIN SNAKE”, 25/09/2022 O2 Academy, Birmingham, England
1. Chris Brookes & Masahiro Takanashi Vs X
Chris Brookes is coming back to Europe and he’s bringing Masahiro Takanashi with him!
WXW “WORLD TAG TEAM FESTIVAL 2022”, 01/10/2022 – 03/10/2022 Turbinenhalle, Oberhausen, Germany
1. World Tag Team Festival 2022: Fuminori Abe & Shigehiro Irie Vs X
2. World Tag Team Festival 2022: Chris Brookes & Masahiro Takanashi Vs X
Take it from me, wXw tournaments in Oberhausen make for great weekend breaks if you’re with other wrestling fans. They have done tag team tournaments every Autumn for years but the World Tag Team Festival branding is only a recent creation that got interrupted by the pandemic. CDK was one of the first teams announced to enter the annual tournament. They are joined by two familiar faces, the team of Fuminori Abe & Shigehiro Irie!
Posted by JamieOD 
Dramatic DDT 