Tsukasa Fujimoto vs. Makoto (Ice Ribbon, 1/16/2022)

Ice Ribbon - Ice Ribbon - Winter Story 2022~ (1/16/2022)

Tsukasa Fujimoto vs. Makoto

Every so often Makoto gets to showcase her underrated abilities in "big" singles matches like this and she usually delivers. This match against Fujimoto was an example of that. A great reunion match between Ice Ribbon OGs, well-paced out in terms of moves and dynamic enough that it never grew too repetitive. ****

Donna del Mondo (Maika & Himeka) vs. Queen's Quest (Saya Kamitani & Utami Hayashishita) (Stardom, 1/16/2022)

Stardom (1/16/2022)

Donna del Mondo (Maika & Himeka) vs. Queen's Quest (Saya Kamitani & Utami Hayashishita)

This was an awesome match to top off a quality event in Toyohashi, that could have easily been a tag title main event if either team had the belts. Himeka and Utami battled each other with heavy lariats, and Maika and Kamitani feuded throughout the match, hopefully building towards a singles in the future. ****

Tsukasa Fujimoto vs. Riko Kaiju (SEAdLINNNG, 2/11/2022)

SEAdLINNNG Started 2022! (2/11/2022)

Tsukasa Fujimoto vs. Riko Kaiju

I never paid much attention to Riko Kaiju but when she mentioned Starlight Kid as an opponent she wanted to fight I became interested. This was my first good look at her, and she performed awesomely. Fujimoto matched her opponent's pace, sticking mostly to the basics, but lived up to her reputation as a " rookie killer" with an aggressiveness not often seen from her. This was a rather long match, lasting just under 20 minutes, but the length was a positive as it allowed the match to properly develop. There were many hard exchanges of blows and an overall sense of physicality. ****

Tokyo Joshi Pro - Positive Chain '22 (2/11/2022)

3. Suzume vs. Yuki Arai

A solid linear style match with no wasted movements or mistakes, but nothing spectacular. Arai's facial performance is always one of the highlights of her matches, and the set up for the finish was well executed. ***1/4

7. Futari No Princess Max Heart Tournament 2022 - Finals: Hakuchumu (Miu Watanabe & Rika Tatsumi) vs. Bakuretsu Sisters (Nodoka Tenma & Yuki Aino)

A tournament finale loaded with action. There was little depth or story to the match, just non-stop workrate with no downtime. Daydream's chemistry as a team has improved, and that was evident in this match as they showed new double-team moves, but I still get the impression from them that they are more "business partners" than friends. ***1/2

Stardom - Nagoya Supreme Fight (1/29/2022)

1. Future of Stardom Championship: Hanan (c) vs. Lady C

Nice opening match, with both wrestlers working fast paced and showing high energy. All of their best moves were used and there were some nice counters; a solid amount of drama for a match of this length. ***1/4

2. Queen's Quest (AZM & Utami Hayashishita) vs. Oedo Tai (Momo Watanabe & Starlight Kid)

Fun fast paced match with some heated exchanges and cool counters. Unlike with House of Torture, the interference here was smoothly integrated into the action and never felt too overwhelming. ***1/2

3. SWA World Championship (decision): Mina Shirakawa vs. Thekla

A solid match with nothing too complicated, just a good back and forth. The character work was fun and there were some nice strikes. ***1/4

4. Goddesses of Stardom Championship: STARS (Hazuki & Koguma) (c) vs. Donna del Mondo (Himeka & Maika)

This was just non-stop action, with great teamwork on display from both teams. FWC, oversized and overpowered, used their speed and technique effectively. I really liked Hazuki's performance in this match, she was flying around the ring booting faces in. ***3/4

5. Wonder of Stardom Championship: Saya Kamitani (c) vs. Unagi Sayaka

A great first defense for Kamitani, who showed that she could lead a championship match. They mostly stuck to what they know and there wasn't much in the way of innovation or cleverness. Still, they both performed well and showed emotion, and there were timely counters and near-falls. ****

6. World of Stardom Championship: - #1 Contendership: Mayu Iwatani vs. Giulia

Despite the sudden match change up, Mayu and Giulia more than made the most of the occasion. This was a championship caliber death battle, superhuman stamina and an acceleration of high-impact offense. Both took their opponent's best moves head on and neither gave the other an inch. The Keiji Mutoh-esque tension-building " pause" before the final moonsault at the end was topnotch. ****1/2

7. World of Stardom Championship: Syuri (c) vs. MIRAI

Syuri properly fulfilled her role as the top champion by bringing out the best in an unknown newcomer and convincing the audience in her first defense. MIRAI, without a proven track record, was put in a position of high pressure, and I think she gave a great performance. MIRAI's simple and practical wrestling has the same sense of purity that the young lions of New Japan have. She showed lots of emotion and zeal as she tried to overwhelm the champion, who managed to turn things around in one shot. ****1/4

SAKI & Hikari Shimizu vs. Nagisa Nozaki & Takumi Iroha (WAVE, 1/16/2022)

WAVE (1/16/2022)

WAVE Tag Team Championship: SAKI & Hikari Shimizu (c) vs. Nagisa Nozaki & Takumi Iroha

Iroha was easily the star of this match, by leaps and bounds - to no surprise. Her timing and offense were amazing. The well-timed momentum shifts and near-falls at the end produced some great drama. ***3/4

Donna del Mondo (Giulia & Syuri) vs. STARS (Hazuki & Koguma) (Stardom, 1/9/2022)

Stardom - Stardom New Year Stars 2022 in Korakuen Hall (1/9/2022)

Goddesses Of Stardom Championship: Donna del Mondo (Giulia & Syuri) vs. STARS (Hazuki & Koguma)

An action-packed tag team main event that didn't feel like its 16-minutes. Although the finish wasn't strong, much of the match was very compelling and had a nice catchy rhythm to it. Giulia's performance in particular was outstanding, from her offense to her wild bumps. Koguma, who debuted a great new costume alongside Hazuki, was also fun to watch as usual. ****