Ice Ribbon - #817 ~ Yokohama Ribbon 2017 (7/17/2017)

1. Hiiragi Kurumi & Kyuuri vs. Matsuya Uno & Miyako Matsumoto

Amazing opener, where Matsumoto's awfulness was at a minimum. Kurumi is easily one of my favorites to watch on the Ice Ribbon roster, and Uno is too cute!

***1/2

2. Ibuki Hoshi vs. Karen DATE

Pretty good struggle between these youngins. I liked the urgency towards the finish, and the post-match heat.

***

3. Akane Fujita vs. Maika Ozaki

It's not often you see a heavyweight clash in Ice Ribbon. These two are chunkier than most of the roster, and they're capable of dishing out and taking impactful moves. Fujita displays as viciousness when she grabs Maika's hand away from the ropes while applying her new submission finisher, and the struggle looks brutal. Great match. 

****

4. Maya Yukihi & Takako Inoue vs. Risa Sera & Tsukushi

The sequences with Tsukushi were amazing, especially her strike exchange with Inoue. Sera had great moments as well, and clever counters. Yukihi probably has some of the best-looking strikes in all of Ice Ribbon. Everyone looked awesome.

***3/4

6. International Ribbon Tag Team Title #1 Contendership: Best Friends (Arisa Nakajima & Tsukasa Fujimoto) vs. Lovely Butchers (Hamuko Hoshi & Mochi Miyagi)

I feel like there has been too much Lovely Butchers at the top of Ice Ribbon cards lately; they're easily my least favorite joshi at the moment. But this fucking ruled. They brought an aggressive approach to this match, answering Arisa & Tsukasa's nastiness with some of their own. There's a backdrop here from Miyagi to Arisa that looked devastating, and Fujimoto executes one of the best Tsukadora's I've ever seen. The pacing is fast, and the heat keeps building.

****1/2

OZ Academy - Mayumi Ozaki Homecoming ~ Windbreak Revolution (8/6/2017)

4. Manami Toyota vs. Nanae Takahashi

***

5. Sekigun (Alex Lee, Mayumi Ozaki & Yumi Ohka) vs. MK4 (AKINO & Sonoko Kato) & Rina Yamashita

It's Ozaki's homecoming in Saitama so they were working hard to put on a show. Dug Yamashita's lariat exchange with POLICE. Ohka looked great, knocking everyone down with her boots. Everyone had their moment and delivered a great main event!

****

Katsuhiko Nakajima vs. Brian Cage (NOAH, 7/27/2017)

NOAH - Summer Navigation 2017 ~ 11th Global Junior Heavyweight Tag League ~ (7/27/2017)

GHC Heavyweight Championship: Katsuhiko Nakajima (c) vs. Brian Cage 

This was unreal! Brian Cage brings his PWG-pacing to a ring that's known for slower main events, and it's one of the freshest GHC Heavyweight Title defenses I've seen in a while. It feels like a well-worked American indie spotfest taking place in a NOAH ring -- Nakajima even hits a Canadian Destroyer! 

****3/4

Kota Ibushi vs. Kenny Omega (DDT, 8/18/2012)

DDT - Nippon Budokan Peter Pan 2012 ~ DDT 15th Anniversary (8/18/2012)

KO-D Openweight Championship: Kota Ibushi (c) vs. Kenny Omega

This was the biggest DDT show at the time, an epic collision between the Golden☆Lovers. Ibushi does not care to sell armwork, but he's one of the best when it comes to selling the toll that a match like this takes on the body. Omega as well. They were just going from extreme spot to extreme spot, in a way that flowed smoothly. DDT UNIVERSE cuts out Ibushi's moonsault spot. I know they got into trouble over it, but it seems silly to remove such a historic spot. Really good match, regardless. An epic!

****3/4

Kenny Omega vs. Kota Ibushi (DDT, 8/6/2008)

DDT - Kota Ibushi Produce: Beer Garden Pro Wrestling (8/6/2008)

Hardcore Rules - Two Out of Three Falls: Kenny Omega vs. Kota Ibushi

Fucking mad man Ibushi taking a Michinoku Driver onto a chair to concrete. The Phoenix Splash from the vending machines to Kenny on top of tables (that didn't break) was fucking bonkers. Omega does a dropkick from the bleachers and takes a flat back bump on the ramp. These guys were fucking destroying themselves. When they get back to the ring, they have a mini-epic, the crowd is hot, they're trading nukes; Ibushi murders Omega with an avalanche Dragon suplex. This felt so organic, and it was a thrill to watch.

****1/2

TAJIRI vs. TAKA Michinoku (WNC, 10/31/2013)

WNC (10/31/2013)

WNC Championship: TAJIRI (c) vs. TAKA Michinoku

Sho Funaki is the guest referee, and he counts to FIVE when TAKA applies a figure-four on the ringpost. Took me out of the action a bit, but this was otherwise excellent. This is a TAJIRI match in 2013 so he isn't going to be doing a lot. It was very simple, but these are two pros who know how to make everything count. The danger of TAJIRI's kicks were sold very well here, with just one kick to the stomach almost knocking TAKA unconscious. TAJIRI's proteges are flanking the ring, and they're rallying along with the fans for him to make his comeback; the atmosphere is amazing. Really good match.

****

Tokyo Gurentai - Tokyo Carnival 2017 (7/19/2017)

5. Tokyo World Heavyweight Championship: Masaaki Mochizuki (c) vs. Yuko Miyamoto

This was not a good match. The ending was weak, and what lead up to it didn't really hold up either. I've seen Yuko's work in Big Japan's strong division, and he's definitely a tag/deathmatch specialist first.

**

6. Eight Man Tag Team Mexico-Style Elimination Match: Over Generation (CIMA, Eita, Kaito Ishida & Takehiro Yamamura) vs. Tokyo Gurentai (FUJITA, KIKUZAWA, MAZADA & NOSAWA Rongai)

This was packed with action, and fast-paced, with all sorts of nifty team moves, but it felt like it went on for centuries. Could have used some trimming; still a great match, though. Probably the best Tokyo Gurentai match ever.

****

「Kotori」vs. Shanna (Gatoh Move, 8/11/2017)

Gatoh Move (8/11/2017)

「Kotori」vs. Shanna

This was far from「Kotori」's best match, but I think it was one of her strongest singles performances yet (of what makes tape). She was fluid and nailed her moves perfectly. Shanna's swift and brutal comeback was great.

***