Stardom - Flashing Champions 2022 (5/28/2022)

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

The usual Future opener, with lots of action packed into a small time frame. Ruaka used her weight well and is growing step by step. Hanan has established her winning combos which allows for heightened tension when they are cut-off or countered. ***1/4

2. Mina Shirakawa, Unagi Sayaka & Waka Tsukiyama vs. Suzu Suzuki, Akane Fujita & Mochi Natsumi

Kouzen made their entrance without dancing and were in battle-mode from the onset. Tsukiyama's burning fighting spirit when she fought Suzu was amazing. She was fighting for her life and even delivered an explosive headbutt. When I first saw Waka Tsukiyama, I had no idea that she would become such a soul-stirring wrestler. Suzu, who has become a different kind of monster since leaving Ice Ribbon, radiated an incredible aura and her reactions to Tsukiyama were perfect. I felt like I was watching a battle of geniuses. ****

3. High Speed Championship: AZM (c) vs. Thekla

AZM showed her versatility as a pro-wrestler, using kickboxing, suplexes and submission holds. Thekla is clearly a talented wrestler and usually has multiple highlights in her big matches, but she could be more assertive. She seems too passive and too easily defeated. It was a short match but had a good amount of varied action. ***1/2

4. SWA Championship: Mayu Iwatani (c) vs. Fukigen Death

They worked at a high pace, packing strong content into a sub 5-minute match. Fukigen showed a more serious fight than usual, with a rolling German suplex and a shocking moonsault attempt. Mayu’s usual skill and technique were present. ***3/4

5. Tam Nakano & KAIRI vs. Utami Hayashishita & Miyu Amasaki

Tam and Kairi’s first tag match, but the match had many more themes than that. Not only was the action strong, but the storytelling was amazing. Utami’s handsomeness as the new leader of Queen’s Quest, willing to fight two-on-one and throw herself into the line of fire to protect her junior Amasaki. Amasaki, amid a brutal baptism, standing firmly in the end against KAIRI, who had a world-class sense of grandeur. Tam and Utami’s boiling feud led to high-impact exchanges throughout, and the fresh first time encounter between KAIRI and Utami was terrific. ****1/4

6. Goddesses of Stardom Championship: Hazuki & Koguma (c) vs. Giulia & Mai Sakurai

Personally, this might be my favorite FWC defense so far. It was a stable and coherent match, with comradery and teamwork shown from both teams. The master and pupil combination of Giulia & Mai was enjoyable to watch. ***3/4

7. Artist of Stardom Championship: Natsupoi, Maika & Himeka (c) vs. Starlight Kid, Saki Kashima & Momo Watanabe

Fantastic end to the best Artist of Stardom reign. It was a frenetic action-packed back and forth with no downtime and plenty of exciting multi-person moves and sequences. Maika had some great power spots, and the emotional story of Kashima, who withstood intense fire and turned everything upside down with a single shot, was amazing. ****1/4

8. Wonder of Stardom Championship: Saya Kamitani (c) vs. MIRAI

After an auspicious encounter at the first New Blood event, I thought these two had great potential as rivals. It was amazing to see two wrestlers with no more than three years of experience fighting at such a high level. Kamitani working on top was a fresh approach for her. The way she targeted the waist with heel drops, wonton kicks and finally a deep crab. MIRAI fighting underneath was an ideal choice given her sympathetic origin story and she showed lots of endurance and heart. We often see wrestlers refusing to fall down after being on the bad end of a strike exchange, but MIRAI’s selling was especially convincing during that spot. There were moments towards the end that were too ordinary for my liking, but it was a promising first match between these two. ****

9. World of Stardom Championship: Syuri (c) vs. Risa Sera

This felt like a showa-style heavyweight confrontation between group representatives. The duration was relatively short compared to most red belt defenses, but it was convincing because every significant blow was treated like it inflicted heavy damage. Despite her cute hair style, Syuri was frighteningly strong, and Sera's size and power suited the red belt. ****1/4

Miu Watanabe vs. Suzume (Tokyo Joshi Pro, 5/29/2022)

Tokyo Joshi Pro - Spring Tour 2022 (5/29/2022)

Miu Watanabe vs. Suzume

This was an interesting match and I’m glad these two were allowed to be the main event. Both wrestlers showed their individuality as wrestlers and meshed in a good way. Miu used her overwhelming power offensively and defensively. Suzume her speed and pinning techniques. It was mechanically well executed but lacking in dramatic elements. I think either of them could have conveyed a stronger desire to win. At any rate, I think this pair has potential. ***1/4

NOMADS - NOMADS' Freelance Summit (5/20/2022)

3. Kaho Kobayashi vs. Hiroyo Matsumoto

Kaho Kobayashi's return back from hiatus. She has remodeled her body and seemed more confident than before. Hiroyo's big strikes and power moves looked awesome. This was a lively back and forth affair with a great atmosphere created by the enthusiastic crowd at Shinjuku FACE. ***3/4

5. Rina Yamashita & Maya Yukihi vs. Miyuki Takase & Ryo Mizunami

This was solid enough for a jumbled mix of freelancers in a tag main event without a theme or story. Everyone was able to shine and the crowd was once again enthusiastic. ***1/2

Yuki Miyazaki vs. Risa Sera (WAVE, 5/18/2022)

WAVE - Weekday WAVE Vol. 124 (5/18/2022)

Catch the WAVE, Hardcore Block: Yuki Miyazaki vs. Risa Sera

A great mix of super violence and comedy between Sera and Miyazaki. Miyazaki doesn't have the image of being a weapons wrestler, but she feels very natural in this environment. She has the skill, charisma, and comic timing to carry out an exciting hardcore match. Sera, in her blue hakama, looked strong, cool, and reacted well. They transitioned from one spot to the next in a manner that didn't feel rough. And even though it ended in a draw, it was a fulfilling match. ****

DASH Chisako vs. Michiko Miyagi (GLEAT, 5/18/2022)

GLEAT - G Pro-Wrestling Vol. 25 (5/18/2022)

DASH Chisako vs. Michiko Miyagi

I think I was more moved by the sight of two wrestlers with an intimate shared history baring their souls in the ring than by the physicality of the wrestling. DASH and Miyagi don't usually put on such lively singles performances so this match must have meant a lot to them. ***3/4

Arisa Nakajima vs. Riko Kaiju (SEAdLINNNG, 5/13/2022)

SEAdLINNNG (5/13/2022)

SEAdLINNNG Beyond the Sea Championship: Arisa Nakajima (c) vs. Riko Kaiju

Arisa played the role of surly senior aggressor and junior Riko gave the necessary amount of fire when she made her counterattacks. Riko's timing and pacing were on point, and the build towards her Iguchi Bomb was done well. The hierarchical composition of the match made it more structured than the standard Arisa Nakajima singles, but there were still the usual dragging moments and dull move-spam finish. For a 20-minute match, I don't think either injected enough personality or dynamism to keep things interesting throughout. ***1/2

Stardom - Fukuoka Goddess Festival 2022 ~ Batten Stardom (5/5/2022)

4. SWA Championship: Thekla (c) vs. Mayu Iwatani

Thekla getting blasted with superkicks was the theme of the match. Thekla started off strong, but once Mayu got into her stride, she seemed unable to gain a clear advantage. It was a simple and straightforward match, but superbly executed and Mayu's charisma shone through. ***3/4

5. Elimination Match: Syuri, MIRAI, Ami Sourei & Konami vs. Giulia, Himeka, Natsupoi & Mai Sakurai

A dense unit battle that showcased a wide variety of personalities and styles. All of the key encounters were enjoyable and well delivered, with MIRAI and Mai Sakurai, who formed a bond together when they were members of the same unit, getting a big spotlight. ****

6. Goddesses of Stardom Championship: Starlight Kid & Momo Watanabe (c) vs. Hazuki & Koguma

This started out chaotic and never quite slowed down. All four competitors have been involved in the high speed division at one point or another and this was wrestled like a high speed match, both teams going back and forth with dizzying offense and defense. It was light on substance and emotion but an easy watch. ***3/4

7. Wonder of Stardom Championship: Saya Kamitani (c) vs. Maika

While most promotions in Japan are veritable gerontocracies still relying on the same aging and established veterans, Stardom entrusted young rivals of less than 3 years experience Saya Kamitani and Maika with a big venue main event. Both wrestlers showed how much they’ve grown as individuals and opponents since their last singles title encounter, taking or reversing each other’s best moves. The pacing was excellent, dynamic ebb and flow with the big sequences given time to settle. Like any great champion's road, Kamitani has shown growth in each defense. Here she unleashed a thrust headbutt and a phoenix press barrage en route to victory. The normally stoic Maika shed tears in her hometown after failing to win a belt known to bring out complicated emotions from its competitors. ****1/2

Tokyo Joshi Pro - Go Go Do it (5/5/2022)

5. Miyu Yamashita & Miu Watanabe vs. Saki Akai & Yuki Kamifuku

This was Tokyo Joshi's return to Edion Arena #2 in over 2 years. The venue had a warm atmosphere throughout the show and the crowd was very receptive, which enhanced the performances, especially in this match. Everyone gave a tremendous effort in the ring even though the card wasn't that exciting on paper. Yamashita & Watanabe had a natural chemistry, as did Akai & Kamiyu. The exchanges between Yamashita and Akai towards the end were amazing. If this match had been five minutes longer, I think it would have been a title match caliber match, but it was close enough. ***3/4

6. 2 out of 3 Falls: Shoko Nakajima, Mizuki, Maki Itoh & Rika Tatsumi vs. Yuki Arai, Suzume, Moka Miyamoto & Erisu Endo

Although it was an easy to watch 29 minutes, the outcome of this match symbolizes a developing challenge for the promotion. The gap between the seniors and juniors is too great. I would have liked to see the juniors give the seniors a run for their money, as one of the best parts of Japanese wrestling comes from generational conflicts. It would have made for a more heated and competitive match. ***1/2

Mei Suruga & Haruka Umesaki vs. Chie Koishikawa & Kaori Yoneyama (Gatoh Move, 5/4/2022)

Gatoh Move - Gatoh Move Returns (5/4/2022)

Mei Suruga & Haruka Umesaki vs. Chie Koishikawa & Kaori Yoneyama

Gatoh Move's return after 2 years away. This was an excellent main event, with Mei and Chie both showing their significant growth since the last event in front of a live audience. Haruka, who trained with Mei at Darejyo, and Yoneyama, a regular in the promotion, played effective supporting roles while the GTMV roster members took center stage. They brought the novel Ichigaya mat style to the traditional ring, creating some fun multi-person sequences. Although Chie is the least experienced and weakest of the four, she never felt out of place and showed her strength. ****1/4

Leon vs. Yuu (PURE-J, 5/4/2022)

PURE-J - GW Itabashi 3 Days Festival 2022 (5/4/2022)

PURE-J Openweight Championship: Leon (c) vs. Yuu

I think I still prefer the slender Yuu over the current oversized one, but she makes the most of her size and moves pretty well. She's like a more mobile female Ryota Hama. And her rolling hip attack is always a highlight. I haven't seen many respect Yuu's size and power, since her days in Tokyo Joshi Pro, like Leon did in this match. Leon really put over the "openweight" aspect of the match and found new ways to approach her opponent. ****

Tokyo Joshi Pro - Yes! Wonderland 2022 ~ Spread Your Wings of Your Dreams (5/3/2022)

6. Miyu Yamashita & Maki Itoh vs. Hikaru Shida & Moka Miyamoto

This was a solid match. It wasn't too long ago that Hikaru Shida was wrestling a lot on the indies in Japan, so she doesn't have the aura of a big star in Japan (IMO). She's physically big compared to most other Japanese women's wrestlers though so she certainly comes across as strong. The high point was the exchange between Yamashita and Shida, who traded heavy blows and suplexes. ***1/4

7. Tokyo Princess of Princess Championship: Shoko Nakajima (c) vs. Hyper Misao

No pinatas or Godzilla figurines involved here, this was a traditional wrestling match. I was surprised they didn't draw from their 3-year feud in Korakuen Hall and rather just wrestled a linear match. It was like an old school filler defense, with the mid-level challenger taking most of the match and then the champion winning with a single blow. Misao's patterned attack on the arm seemed to become too predictable and Shoko was able to find an opening. It was a bit plain, but an overall well executed and cohesive match. ***1/4

Chihiro Hashimoto & Yuu vs. Miyuki Takase & Manami (Sendai Girls, 3/18/2022)

Sendai Girls (3/18/2022)

Chihiro Hashimoto & Yuu vs. Miyuki Takase & Manami

Such a full and deep tag team wrestling match. It had generational struggle, great teamwork, hard-boiled chop trades and even comical elements. I was surprised there wasn’t a championship on the line. Team 200kg did their usual exceptional job of pacing and building around their signature moves while bringing out the best in the opposite team. Despite her actress background, Miyuki embodies what it means to be a pro-wrestler. Manami is an eccentric character, but skillfully performs old-school moves such as the majigatame and jumping knee, and she expresses her emotions well. I was drawn in by Manami’s performance. ****1/4