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. ****

WAVE - PHASE2 Reboot 3rd『NAMI☆1～Apr.～’22』(4/1/2022)

 4. WAVE Singles Championship: Nagisa Nozaki (c) vs. SAKI

Great back and forth with an overall sense of competitiveness and proper escalation during the finishing stretch. Neither wrestler has a strong personality, but they were hitting some nice, impactful moves. Nozaki's sleeper suplexes in particular looked great and SAKI deserves credit for how she took them. ***1/2

5. Suzu Suzuki vs. Kohaku

A good re-debut for Mikoto Shindo, now called Kohaku. I had high expectations since she was given the main event slot over the singles belt, but her performance was nothing impressive, just "solid enough". On the other hand, Suzu has become a different monster compared to her Ice Ribbon days (and even just earlier this year). Her physicality, expressiveness and visuals have improved dramatically. I'm looking forward to what she does next. ***1/2

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

Nagisa Nozaki vs. Sakura Hirota (WAVE, 9/6/2020)

WAVE - Sunday WAVE Vol. 39 (9/6/2020)

Regina di WAVE Championship: Nagisa Nozaki (c) vs. Sakura Hirota

A very solid title defense for Nozaki. Hirota's kancho was still used, but it was treated more as a serious move than a comedy spot. Hirota's wrestling isn't the sharpest, but she has those crafty veteran instincts and good timing. Nozaki's attacks looked convincing, especially her boots, but her overall performance was lacking depth.

***1/2

Ryo Mizunami vs. Hikaru Shida (WAVE, 8/12/2019)

WAVE - Anniversary Wave 12th (8/12/2019)

Ryo Mizunami vs. Hikaru Shida

A fitting sequel to their great singles match of 2017. This was intense and hard-hitting throughout its duration, and they paced the action well into the time over draw. Both were connecting heavy offense, the knee strikes from Shida in particular were brutal. 

****

Ryo Mizunami vs. Tsukasa Fujimoto (WAVE, 6/5/2016)

WAVE - Catch the WAVE 2016 ~Namijo Kesshosen~ (6/5/2016)

Catch the WAVE 2016 Finals: Ryo Mizunami vs. Tsukasa Fujimoto

An awesome match and easily one of my favorite matches from Fujimoto's catalog. Both wrestlers gave strong performances, showing a real drive to win, and built to a hot finish. There was a new level of viciousness from Fujimoto, rarely seen in her home promotion. And Mizunami drops Fujimoto on her head a bunch with some devastating offense. This was also one of the rare instances in recent years where WAVE drew a strong crowd at Korakuen Hall so the atmosphere was great for the tournament finals.

****1/2

Nagisa Nozaki vs. Miyuki Takase (WAVE, 3/21/2020)

WAVE - Osaka Rhapsody Vol. 47 (3/21/2020)

Regina Di WAVE Championship: Nagisa Nozaki (c) vs. Miyuki Takase

A rematch, this time with Miyuki positioned as the title challenger in Nozaki’s home promotion. This was a slow starter, with some awesome exchanges of strikes and slick counters when the action picks up. Takase was once again fantastic with her bumping and selling of Nozaki’s offense.

***1/2

WAVE - PHASE 2 OSAKA Reboot (4/28/2019)

2. Hikaru Shida vs. Yuu

This was an exhibition style match where both exchanged their usual offense. There was a great feat of strength from Yuu during a powerbomb tease that looked a lot more impressive outside of TJPW where the girls are mostly smaller, and Shida's various knee strikes are always fun.

***1/2

3. Black Widow (Nagisa Nozaki & Yumi Ohka) vs. Sakura Hirota & Yuki Miyazaki

This was a really great match, it developed well and reached a high level of drama. Hirota's shtick can be hit-or-miss, especially of late, but the comedy spots were incorporated seamlessly into the action.

****

Avid Rival (Misaki Ohata & Ryo Mizunami) vs. Hiroe Nagahama & Miyuki Takase (WAVE, 6/30/2018)

WAVE - Osaka Rhapsody vol. 41 (6/30/2018)

Avid Rival (Misaki Ohata & Ryo Mizunami) vs. Hiroe Nagahama & Miyuki Takase

Avid Rival can do no wrong, they're so good at creating exciting tag matches with just about anyone. Hiroe & Miyuki are developing better chemistry and growing as a team, showing off some new double teams maneuvers. 

***1/2

WAVE - Sapporo Wave NA.MA.RA ~Zen~ (6/3/2018)

3. ASUKA vs. Rina Yamashita

***

4. Avid Rival (Misaki Ohata & Ryo Mizunami) vs. NEW-TRA (Takumi Iroha & Rin Kadokura)

I liked this a lot, great pacing and rhythm and chemistry between the two teams. Ohata was particularly good here, loved her interactions with Rin-chan.

****

5. WAVE Tag Team Championship: KUSO ONNA NIGHT (Nagisa Nozaki & Yuki Miyazaki) (c) vs. BOSS to Mammy (Mio Momono & Yumi Ohka)

Momono is the mastermind of the BOSS to Mammy team, Ohka is more or less an instrument in Momono's game. KUSO ONNA have developed into one of my favorite tag teams in the scene, Miyazaki still has one of the sweetest moonsaults.

****

Misaki Ohata vs. Takumi Iroha (WAVE, 6/28/2018)

WAVE - Weekday Wave vol.116 ~Weekday MAX~ (6/28/2018)

Regina Di WAVE Championship: Misaki Ohata (c) vs. Takumi Iroha

This had all of the excitement you want from an interpromotional clash of aces with a top championship on the line. It's not often that you hear a WAVE crowd so receptive to what's taking place in front of them, and here there were women screaming after the three-count!

***3/4

Arisa Nakajima vs. Ayako Hamada vs. Misaki Ohata (WAVE, 4/22/2018)

WAVE - Sunday WAVE Vol. 35 (4/22/2018)

Catch the WAVE 2018 Violence Block Decision Tomoe-sen: Arisa Nakajima vs. Ayako Hamada vs. Misaki Ohata

The rules here are whoever wins 2 singles matches in a row is declared the winner of Violence Block. This was a sweaty war of attrition that took place across six matches. That last one was bloated, but I thought each of them was distinct enough to keep things fresh and interesting.

***3/4

Rina Yamashita vs. Ryo Mizunami (WAVE, 4/7/2018)

WAVE - Osaka Rhapsody Vol. 39 (4/7/2018)

Catch the WAVE 2018 - Crazy Block: Rina Yamashita vs. Ryo Mizunami

This was good, nice physicality on display, and lariat battles. The finish was kind of weak compared to what led up to it, Yamashita could learn how to build to her Smash Mountain in a way that's more compelling.

***

Miyuki Takase vs. Ryo Mizunami (WAVE, 4/6/2018)

WAVE - Happy Birthday WAVE Sakurasaku 3.9 (4/6/2018)

Catch the WAVE 2018 Crazy Block: Miyuki Takase vs. Ryo Mizunami

Takase has been so much fun to watch in this tournament, she's new, but I enjoy a lot of what she does in the ring, and she brings spirit and strong emotion in her performances. This had stiff exchanges throughout, and they both favor lariats so naturally it built to a climactic lariat battle. Excellent stuff.

****

WAVE - Nagoya WAVE ~Kin Shachi~ Vol. 16 (3/25/2018)

4. Catch the WAVE 2018 Violence Block: Ayako Hamada vs. Mio Momono

Good match. Hamada has been surprisingly great in this tournament. Ideal Momono performance with her being a sneaky little shit, and she also had moments of dominance as well.

***3/4

5. Catch the WAVE 2018 Crazy Block: Ryo Mizunami vs. Yumi Ohka

Great. Mizunami is always a joy, she brings such amazing energy to her matches. Ohka has been stepping it up a lot this year, I love what she has been doing recently. This was another great singles match from her.

***3/4

GAMI & Kikutaro vs. Kana & Magnitude Kishiwada (WAVE, 9/15/2008)

WAVE - Crazy Wave Midnight (9/15/2008)

GAMI & Kikutaro vs. Kana & Magnitude Kishiwada

This was the main event and it went 21-minutes (clipped down to 13 on WAVE NETWORK). It was enjoyable, though. Within the comedy and the perverted spots there was also genuinely good wrestling.

***1/4

Arisa Nakajima & Kana vs. Yumi Ohka & Moeka Haruhi (WAVE, 7/19/2008)

WAVE - Weekday WAVE Vol. 3 (7/19/2008)

Arisa Nakajima & Kana vs. Yumi Ohka & Moeka Haruhi

Another fun match from Kana's 2008 WAVE catalog. Haruhi gave an ambitious performance, Ohka was putting in work, and Kana's Passion Red gear is one of my favorite things. Great stuff all around.

***1/2

Hiroyo Matsumoto & Shuu Shibutani vs. Kana & Yumi Ohka (WAVE, 2/12/2008)

WAVE - Weekday WAVE Vol. 3 (2/12/2008)

Hiroyo Matsumoto & Shuu Shibutani vs. Kana & Yumi Ohka 

Excellent match, fast and furious action with plenty of fire. Shuu was quite good here, I liked how she sold Ohka's triangle choke, rolling her eyes to the back of her head. Kana though, she shined brightest whenever she was involved in the action. Shuu gets destroyed in the finish, taking a chain of big moves.

****

Triple Tails (Kana, Mio Shirai & Io Shirai) vs. GAMI, Ran YuYu & Kyoko Kimura (WAVE, 9/21/2008)

WAVE - Osaka Rhapsody Vol. 4 (9/21/2008)

Triple Tails (Kana, Mio Shirai & Io Shirai) vs. GAMI, Ran YuYu & Kyoko Kimura

This was a fantastic trios, everything was spot-on and they kept up a brilliant pacing throughout. Hip attacks galore from Kana.

****3/4

Kana vs. Yumi Ohka (WAVE, 2/23/2008)

WAVE - Climax Wave Feb. (2/23/2008)

Kana vs. Yumi Ohka

Great match, went a bit overkill with the near-falls during the closer, but great overall. I liked the trash talking and hair pulling during that Boston crab. Good use of hip attacks by Kana, she hits one between the ropes, one from the apron, but my favorite has to be when she and Ohka are on the turnbuckle and she uses hip attacks to set up a top rope DDT. Likewise, Ohka hit some gnarly big boots.

***3/4