Tokyo Joshi Pro - 8th Tokyo Princess Cup (7/31/2021)

4. Tokyo Princess Cup 2021 - Quarter Final Match: Maki Itoh vs. Suzume

This was a good, high paced match with a lot of intensity. It almost felt like a brawl. The finishing sequence could have been a little more competitive and dramatic, it felt too brief.

***1/2

5. Tokyo Princess Cup 2021 - Quarter Final Match: Miu Watanabe vs. Yuki Aino

It was a fine match with both performers working hard. Miu performed an impressive giant swing from a spinebuster-like position, which showcased her physical capabilities, and destroyed Aino at the end with repeated axe handles. Miu looked incredible. Physically and performance-wise, she shined.

***

7. Tokyo Princess Cup 2021 - Quarter Final Match: Miyu Yamashita vs. Mizuki

These two fit together so well, just incredible synergy with their contrasting "hard" and "soft" wrestling styles. It's been such a long time since we've seen Mizuki in a big match setting that I almost forgot how good she could be. The finish wasn't so strong, but everything preceding it was topnotch.

****

Stardom - Golden Week fight tour 2021 (5/5/2021)

3. Giulia vs. Ruaka

Nice little match. Giulia, as always, does a great job of highlighting the best parts of her opponents, putting over Ruaka as a powerhouse through her selling. From this and their previous match, you can definitely sense that Giulia has a special respect for Ruaka.

***1/4

5. Natsupoi vs. Mina Shirakawa

A great back and forth, with both wrestlers playing to their strengths. I was surprised they put forth such an effort on a small show in Fukuoka, but generally speaking, this roster works hard regardless of the size of the crowd so it shouldn't be that surprising. There were some creative counters and setups in this match, and their styles meshed very well together.

***1/2

Donna del Mondo (Giulia, Natsupoi, Himeka & Maika) vs. Queen's Quest (Utami Hayashishita, Saya Kamitani, Momo Watanabe & AZM) (Stardom, 5/4/2021)

Stardom - Golden Week fight tour 2021 (5/4/2021)

Donna del Mondo (Giulia, Natsupoi, Himeka & Maika) vs. Queen's Quest (Utami Hayashishita, Saya Kamitani, Momo Watanabe & AZM)

The usual great Stardom trios main event. Easy to watch, engaging action, and great chemistry between teammates and opponents, with Maika, the Fukuoka hometown hero, picking up the win with an amazing Michinoku driver.

***3/4

Tokyo Joshi Pro - 8th Tokyo Princess Cup (7/25/2021)

3. Tokyo Princess Cup 2021 Second Round: Mahiro Kiryu vs. Suzume

An okay match with minimal highlights. Suzume performed well. The result was good. It was great to see at least someone from a new generation beating a veteran in this tournament.

**1/4

4. Tokyo Princess Cup 2021 Second Round: Maki Ito vs. Raku

This was a decent match. There were interesting character moments and Raku hit a cool double arm chop, but the finish was anticlimactic.

**1/2

6. Tokyo Princess Cup 2021 Second Round: Hyper Misao vs. Rika Tatsumi

This wasn't quite on the level of their Shinjuku FACE match in 2019, but still a good match. They had a good sense of pace and flow and they were pulling out all the stops, with an apron battle and rope-hung variations of signature moves.

***1/4

Tokyo Joshi Pro - 8th Tokyo Princess Cup (7/24/2021)

5. Tokyo Princess Cup 2021 Second Round: Mizuki vs. Mirai Maiumi

This match didn't connect with me much. I wasn't into the flow and there seemed to be no clear direction. However, there were some moments that stood out, such as Mirai's Casadora counter and Mizuki's basement dropkick where she flew out of the ring.

**1/2

6. Tokyo Princess Cup 2021 Second Round: Miyu Yamashita vs. Yuki Kamifuku

Kamiyu was being cut off by Miyu's kicking ability before she was finally able to make a breakthrough and let loose. Miyu took a big bump off the apron for Kamiyu's dropkick, and Kamiyu showed off some cool combos, including an octopus hold that transitioned into a famouser. Loved the strike exchange at the end too. There were spots that looked too deliberate in their setup, but I enjoyed this a lot. The gradual pace allowed for the tension to really build up.

***3/4

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.

***