Tokyo Joshi Pro - 8th Tokyo Princess Cup (7/23/2021)

4. Tokyo Princess Cup 2021 First Round: Miu Watanabe vs. Kaya Toribami

Solid, functional match. This was my first real look at Toribami and I was impressed. She seems to have great acrobatic ability. Her rolling sobat, a move not often seen in Japanese women's wrestling these days, was amazing.

**3/4

5. Tokyo Princess Cup 2021 First Round: Yuki Aino vs. Yuki Arai

I was hoping to see some first round upsets, a la New Japan Cup, but it seems seniority rules in this promotion. This was a good match, the execution was on point for the most part. Arai was a bit rough at times during transitions but other than that she gave a good effort, busting out a new move. If the finish had been stronger, this would have rated higher.

***

6. Tokyo Princess Cup 2021 First Round: Nodoka Tenma vs. Marika Kobashi

Aside from a poorly applied guillotine choke (which ended the match), this match was mechanically well done and there was a decent amount of physicality put into some of the moves. It was lacking in depth and storytelling, but they showed good chemistry.

**3/4

7. Tokyo Princess Cup 2021 First Round: Rika Tatsumi vs. Hikari Noa

A slow and deliberate match that gradually reached a fever pitch. It was the usual Tatsumi Rika style match, built around leg-destroying attacks. There were also some well-delivered counters and near-falls. This felt like the first match of the tournament so far that was given the time to truly develop.

***1/2

Tokyo Joshi Pro - 8th Tokyo Princess Cup (7/22/2021)

 3. Tokyo Princess Cup 2021 First Round: Mahiro Kiryu vs. Arisu Endo

Mahiro is relatively big for a Japanese women's wrestler. So it's a shame all of that size goes to waste as she does nothing of interest in the ring. It's regrettable Endo lost here. I think she has been progressing very well and shows great promise, while Mahiro has been in a developmental stalemate pretty much since her first year. This felt like an ordinary undercard veteran-rookie matchup and not like a high-stakes first round tournament match. Solid but unremarkable.

**3/4

4. Tokyo Princess Cup 2021 First Round: Raku vs. Moka Miyamoto

There wasn't much to this match. Raku's performance was more orthodox than usual, with no comical elements. She was completely in control of the pace, and Moka was barely noticeable. The moves were solidly performed and there were no mistakes.

**

5. Tokyo Princess Cup 2021 First Round: Pom Harajuku vs. Mirai Maiumi

This was a good match. Pom has always had a relatively deep moveset compared to others in her class, and that was on full display here. This was perhaps her most well-rounded performance to date. Mirai was good as usual. The ending was also quite good.

***

6. Tokyo Princess Cup 2021 First Round: Miyu Yamashita vs. Nao Kakuta

A solid main event to close out the first night of the tournament. The wrestling and pacing were generally good, but the ending felt rushed. Nao has a dirty, technical wrestling style reminiscent of Cherry and did some interesting moves. The difference in power levels was evident, Miyu never really seemed to be in trouble and even smiled when she had the advantage at the end.

***