It was quite a busy weekend when it came to wrestling. We, of course, had Wrestlemania taking up two nights and we also had a Ring of Honor PPV on Friday night. Wrestlemania was, of course, awesome and somewhat controversial and I did hear that the RoH show was really damn good as well. However, something that I was more excited about was the first Tokyo Joshi Pro Wrestling [TJPW] show ever in the US, emanating from Los Angeles at Wrestlecon.
I, unfortunately, didn’t get to watch live and had to wait until the 4th to do so, but I will give you my honest opinions of each match and segment. We have six total matches with two titles on the line. Let’s dive right into the show folks!
The Up-Up Girls Start The Night On A High
If you follow TJPW [Tokyo Joshi Pro], you know that each show starts with a song by the Up-Up Girls and this one was no different. We had Miu Watanabe, Raku and Hikari Noa performing for the LA crowd and it seemed like they really enjoyed the performance. I am not sure how many in the crowd know anything about idol culture in Japan but I was happy to see the crowd getting into the song and the girls’ performance.
Watanabe really had them getting into the song and it was really magical for me to see. Of course Raku and Hikari were masterful as well, even with Hikari seeming to trip on a chord. You could tell though that it was Miu that was the driving force for this trio tonight. The crowd loved it and gave them a really nice applause for their show. I love the Up-Up Girls, I really do and it was fun seeing them do their thing in LA.
Tag Team Match: Free WiFi (Hikari Noa & Nao Kakuta) vs. Daisy Monkey (Suzume & Arisu Endo)
You really have to love the teams in this one, if not for the girls themselves but for their names. The tag names in TJPW are always golden and these two are no exception. We kick the match off with Hikari Noa and Suzume in the ring and it’s clear that the LA crowd loves Suzume, as we all do.
Surprisingly, Noa and Kakuta resorted to a lot of heel tactics in the match and employed a lot of smart tag team wrestling. Something you have to appreciate is how each woman brings something different to the table in this match. Suzume with her speed, Noa and Kakuta with their more grounded and technical approach to the match and Endo with her usual energy and toughness. Endo and Suzume played the underdogs masterfully in this match, selling everything Free WiFi threw at them while being spunky and tough to put away.
Despite the differences, it was a really fast-paced match, something that everyone watching live and I enjoyed. Free Wifi pretty much dominates a fun match and hit a sick double-team faceplant to pin Arisu Endo. Hell of an opening match and it was really nice to see Hikari Noa get a win. It seems like she doesn’t get enough of them in my opinion.
Winner: Free WiFi (Hikari Noa & Nao Kakuta)
Single’s Match: Yuki Kamifuku vs. Janai Kai
We’ve got Janai Kai, the Kick Demon, facing off against one of TJPW’s most popular performers in Yuki Kamifuku. The casual fan may not know about her struggle, but Janai Kai had to have vertebrae fused together in her neck and was afraid she would never walk again, let alone perform.
Two very different styles in this one as Kai relies heavily on her strikes and kicks while Kamifuku likes using her size and reach to her advantage. She did try to do so early on but Kai and her kicks really overwhelm Yuki and take control easily. Kamifuku weathers the storm and does take control for a while but you can tell that Kai is out for blood in this one. Mostly dominated by Janai Kai and right when you think Kamifuku is going to mount another comeback, it’s a hell of a kick and lights out for Yuki Kamifuku.
Winner: Janai Kai
Tag Match: Hyper Misao & Trish Adora vs Raku & Yuki Aino
Another tag match coming up next with Hyper Misao and, someone I have never seen before, Trish Adora facing God Raku and Yuki Aino. I, unfortunately, haven’t been keeping up with TJPW as much as I want and need to, hence my knowing nothing about Adora.
You have to love this stuff, love and peace protecting Super Hero, a god Idol and the crowd absolutely going nuts for Trish Adora who Misao dubs Hyper Trish. The crowd absolutely loves Misao and Adora which is so cool but when the match starts it’s Raku getting the love. Misao and Adora dominate early until some miscommunication leads to Raku taking control and trying to put Misao to sleep.
I fucking love this, Raku is so lovely and it was insanely funny watching her put the others to sleep and then use the pillow as a weapon. In comes Aino, kicking things up a notch and just putting the hurt on Misao. That is until Adora comes back in and you can see how her strength is unmatched in this one. I learned she was trained by the Dudleys and that she is a US Army vet. Cool thing to know.
This was a fun back-and-forth, the high points being how entertaining the whole match was. The finish comes after Misao sprays that canister into the eyes of Raku and Aino, allowing Misao to hit a cross body and get the win.
Winner: Hyper Misao & Trish Adora
Tag Match: Shoko Nakajima & Miu Watanabe vs. Wasteland War Party (Heidi Howitzer & Max the Impaler)
The ladies enter the ring and both Miu Watanabe and Big Kaiju get a massive ovation, even though I think Watanabe’s was a bit louder. On the other side, Max and Howitzer come in looking as big and scary as ever, in stark contrast to the cute and fun entrances of the other ladies. Of course, Shoko stands up to them during the entrance while Watanabe seems scared, god she is cute.
Anyway, the match gets started with Watanabe and Max. Miu doing everything she can but nothing phasing Max. Nakajima comes in and actually has Max on the ropes, getting them down brilliantly and showing why she is the Big Kaiju. Wasteland War Party are just something else, making Nakajima and Watanabe have to really work for it. That said, once WWP take over, they take over.
It’s almost painful to watch these two powerhouses decimate Nakajima like they do, tossing her around like she’s a rag doll. Watanabe comes back in and goes toe to toe with Heidi, actually showing some impressive power for someone her size against the much larger Howitzer. The crowd does try to get Miu going again but her strikes do nothing against Max. It is nothing but WWP dominating the match with brief bursts of offence and quickness in the match.
UNTIL WATANABE SHOWS INSANE STRENGTH AND BODYSLAMS BOTH HOWITZER AND MAX!
She then spins Howitzer with the Giant Swing! Jesus Watanabe is something else, I never knew she had that kind of strength. We get a this is Awesome chant and by god it really is awesome. Despite their opponents’ best effort, Wasteland War Party pick up a hard-fought win.
Winner: Wasteland War Party (Heidi Howitzer & Max the Impaler)
International Princess Championship Match: Rika Tatsumi (c) vs Billie Starkz
‘Space Jesus’ Billie Starkz challenges Rika Tatsumi for the International Princess Championship and I am looking forward to this one. You’ve got the high schooler going up against one of TJPW’s best, the first-ever TJPW Grand Slam Champion, looking to prove herself. Starkz has a tough challenge ahead of her and the crowd seems really torn about who they are going to cheer for since both women seem to have a great following.
Tatsumi does give up some size to Starkz but if the last match didn’t prove it, size doesn’t matter. This match is loads of fun from the onset, both women trading offences and it’s crazy to think that Starkz is so young. She looks like a vet with how fluid her ring skills are, so cool to see. Rika Tatsumi is on another level though, making Starkz look like a million bucks, especially in a spot where Starkz catches Rika from the air into a German suplex. Some botches but nothing too terrible, just some miscommunication I think.
This was a really fun match, faster-paced than I expected. Rika does hit a massive hip attack from the top and knocks Starkz down long enough to pick up the win. Hell of a match here and it was so fun to see what Billie Starkz brought to the table. A lot of respect was shown by both women to each other after the match and that is something you have to love seeing.
Winner and Still Champion: Rika Tatsumi
Ladies and Gentlemen, it’s time for the main event of the show!
Princess Tag Team Championship Match: 121000000 (Miyu Yamashita & Maki Itoh) (c) vs. Magical Sugar Rabbits (Mizuki & Yuka Sakazaki)
Recently crowned new champions, 121000000 defend their titles for the first time against the Magical Sugar Rabbits. Of course, all four women came out to a lot of cheers and the LA crowd even sang along with MakI Itoh to Brooklyn The Hole. I absolutely love all four women in this match and was really looking forward to this match. All four women are dead set on giving a good show and within the first 5 minutes it already is amazing.
MSR control the match early until Itoh uses that hard head of hers to turn things around. The power and unorthodox styles of Itoh and Yamashita control a good chunk of the beginnings of the match, making sure Mizuki works to get her partner back into the match. You can tell by watching just how well Sakazaki and Yamashita know each other, countering each other over and over. No one can deny how much Itoh has improved since her debut.
Both teams give it their absolute all in this match and the crowd eats it up. Not gonna lie, I was on the edge of my seat the whole match and I could tell the crowd was too. The ending comes when Mizuki hits a double stomp onto Itoh and pins her, earning the Magical Sugar Rabbits another title reign and ending the reign of 121000000 at two weeks. I personally believe Itoh and Yamashita deserved a longer reign, but it appears that Yamashita will be touring the US for three months so it’s understandable why the titles changed hands.
Winner and NEW CHAMPIONS: Magical Sugar Rabbits (Mizuki & Yuka Sakazaki)
All in all, this was a phenomenal show for TJPW. The LA crowd absolutely loved every second of it and so did I. Sure, I am disappointed that Maki Itoh and Miyu Yamashita lost their titles already but such is life. I encourage everyone to check out TJPW anytime that they can because they always put on great shows. All in all, this was probably my favourite show of the weekend, even more so than Wrestlemania. A+ for Tokyo Joshi Pro and I agree with the LA crowd, Please Come back! See y’all later!
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