Ice Ribbon - #1106 ~ Ice Ribbon March 2021 (3/27/2021)
ICExInfinity Championship: Tsukasa Fujimoto (c) vs. Maya Yukihi
I think this was the best of the recent Ice Ribbon main events. They took a gradual approach, building up the big moves and drama, instead of the usual back-and-forth kick-out spam dreck. There were some creative counters in this match; the chemistry between these two is evident in the stability and accuracy of the work.
****
5. International Princess Championship: Yuki Kamifuku (c) vs. Hikari Noa
This was definitely an improvement over their Wrestling Princess match, with some great heel work from Kamiyu and back and forth sequences, but it had an equally flat finish. Hikari's comeback was too abrupt and it felt unconvincing after the beating she had taken for much of the match.
***1/4
6. Princess Tag Team Championship: NEO Biishiki-gun (Mei Saint-Michel & Saki-sama) (c) vs. BeeStar (Mirai Maiumi & Suzume)
A great first defense for the tag champions. BeeStar didn't feel out of place in the semi-main event despite their lack of experience. Mei was always interesting when she was in the ring. I felt she brought the Ichigaya style to the squared circle. There were many great moments here, big and small. Some of the sequences were complex, but brilliantly set up and executed.
****1/4
7. Princess of Princess Championship: Rika Tatsumi (c) vs. Miyu Yamashita
This was an incredible main event. Miyu continued the excellent form she's shown in her recent singles matches with one of the finest performances of her career. Every time it seemed Tatsumi was making a comeback, Miyu would crush her with tremendous power. There was a lot of physicality, almost every strike felt like it had something extra behind it. The build up of drama and tension was so brilliant that you could easily forget that there were no fans in attendance.
****1/4
3. Miyu Yamashita vs. Hikari Noa
This was one of Hikari's better performances of recent. Sometimes her work can look unconvincing, but she was at the top of her game in this match. Everything she did looked crisp. Just like their match in the TPC, they make interesting use of the size disparity. The finish was abrupt, but they executed it in such a way that it didn't feel flat.
***1/2
6. Princess Tag Team Championship: BAKURETSU Sisters (Nodoka Tenma & Yuki Aino) (c) vs. NEO Biishiki-gun (Mei Saint-Michel & Sakisama)
This was a see-saw battle right down to the finish. They developed a great rhythm and everything felt like it flowed so smoothly. That Steinerizer from the apron was brutal. Bakuretsu bookmarked their reign with easily their best performance yet.
****
7. Princess of Princess Championship: Rika Tatsumi (c) vs. Maki Itoh
This was probably Itoh's "cleanest" and most sound performance yet. She was so confident in the ring that I really believed she could win. They injected a lot of personality into the match and created some dramatic moments.
****
2. Mina Shirakawa vs. Momo Watanabe
Despite this being the second match on the card, it felt like they were both giving it their all and it exceeded expectations. Momo didn't take Mina lightly. Mina gave a brave performance that showed her growth, using some impressive new techniques.
***1/2
3. Unagi Sayaka vs. Saya Kamitani
Kamitani brought the best out of Unagi, and I was impressed with her generalship. She showed that she can handle a relatively long match against a less experienced opponent.
***1/4
4. Elimination - Loser Must Join Rival Unit: STARS (Hanan, Saya Iida, Starlight Kid, Mayu Iwatani & Gokigen DEATH) vs. Oedo Tai (Natsuko Tora, Saki Kashima, Konami, Ruaka & Rina)
This went on for nearly half an hour and was a full-fledged Dragon Gate-style unit warfare with exciting action, dramatic momentum shifts, and unexpected twists and turns. This match contained all the charm of professional wrestling.
****
4. Wonder of Stardom Championship: Tam Nakano (c) vs. Natsupoi
There is a lot of history between these two and that was what made this match so emotional. Dramatic and emotionally charged big matches like this are Nakano's forte, and Natsupoi is a highly athletic wrestler who knows how to bear her emotions. The finishing stretch brought everything together in an amazing way.
****1/4
5. World of Stardom Championship: Utami Hayashishita (c) vs. Bea Priestley
Bea was channeling Kenny Omega at Wrestle Kingdom 11 with the diving foot stomp to a table, diving dropkick to the back of the head and all sorts of knee strikes. She was aggression incarnate and just kept the pressure on the champion, who took all of her big moves head-on. This match packed a lot of explosive power from both competitors.
****1/2
6. Goddesses of Stardom Championship: Donna del Mondo (Maika & Himeka) (c) vs. Donna del Mondo (Giulia & Syuri)
AEW - AEW Revolution 2021 (3/7/2021)
AEW Women's World Championship: Hikaru Shida vs. Ryo Mizunami
The match between these two in Shinjuku FACE in 2017 was one of my favorite women's matches that year, so it was great to see them show off their amazing chemistry as opponents on a bigger stage. The strike exchanges here were great. Sometimes strike-based matches can feel repetitive, but they were mixing up their strikes in interesting ways, both offensively and defensively. Shida has established herself as the heavy hitter in the AEW women's division, and Mizunami is a heavy hitter in her own right, so it was exciting to see them go back and forth.
***3/4
0. High Speed Championship: AZM (c) vs. Natsupoi
This was a great opener. As usual with the High Speed division, there was speedy wrestling, pristine technique and hot pin-reversal battles. The story of Natsupoi's struggle was told well and I loved the way her new finisher was built up.
***1/2
A hard-hitting and action-packed tag team match. The finish was a bit sudden, but it was a fun high paced match with little downtime.
***1/4
2. Momo Watanabe vs. Nanae Takahashi
This was a G1 Climax style sprint. They never quite let up from attacking each other at the bell. It was fast-paced and hard-hitting.
***3/4
3. SWA World Championship: Syuri (c) vs. Konami
Syuri continued her strong reign as SWA champion. It was only 8 minutes but it was a dense 8 minutes, where they made full use of their striking and submissions.
***1/2
4. Mayu Iwatani vs. Yoshiko
This delivered to its dream match expectations. Yoshiko has slimmed down, but she still possesses her monstrous power. Mayu was perhaps an even scarier monster. She was in full zombie mode here, taking heavy damage only to explode back on the offensive. It started slow but developed into a high-impact back and forth.
****1/4
5. World of Stardom Championship: Utami Hayashishita (c) vs. Saya Kamitani
There were many doubters when Kamitani challenged for the belt, but she pulled through big time with a tremendous performance. She's always good at conveying her emotions and her high-risk offense always adds an element of drama and danger to her matches. Utami showed her championship killer instinct, targeting the lower back early and landing heavy offense throughout.
****1/4
6. Hair vs. Hair - Wonder of Stardom Championship: Giulia (c) vs. Tam Nakano
Each Giulia vs. Tam match is an improvement on the last while still standing well on its own and this was no exception. They upped the ante once more with even bigger spots and a dramatic stipulation attached. The storytelling was comprehensive and emotional. A storied rivalry, Nippon Budokan, Akira Hokuto on commentary, with scalps and a championship up for grabs. This had all the makings of a historic encounter.
****1/2
