[spacer height=”20px”]Date: May 10th, 2015
Location: Diamond Hall in Nagoya, Japan
Announced Attendance: 248
One show wasn’t enough for Oz Academy and company, so they decided to have two shows on the same day! Same wrestlers on both cards of course since they were already there anyway, and it follows the similar theme with a couple Catch the Wave 2015 Tournament matches. Here is the full card:
– Hamuko Hoshi and Sawako Shimono vs. Manami Toyota and Tsukasa Fujimoto
– Chikayo Nagashima and Rina Yamashita vs. Mitsuhisa Sunabe and Yuu Yamagata
– Cherry vs. Mei Lee vs. Miyako Matsumoto
– CATCH THE WAVE 2015: Hikaru Shida vs. Kana
– CATCH THE WAVE 2015: Mika Iida vs. Yumi Ohka
– “Kyusei” Sakura Hirota and Fairy Nipponbashi vs. Ryo Mizunami and Sonoko Kato
– Ayako Hamada, Kagetsu, and Kaho Kobayashi vs. Tsubasa Kuragaki, Misaki Ohata, and Mio Shirai
Lots of joshi this week, let’s get right to it.[spacer height=”20px”]
Hamuko Hoshi and Sawako Shimono vs. Manami Toyota and Tsukasa Fujimoto
They do poses to start, then Toyota gets double teamed in the corner. Shimono stays in with Toyota and Toyota rolls Shimono around the mat. Toyota tags in Fujimoto, Fujimoto and Toyota tie up their opponents in the ropes and they both hit dropkicks. Fujimoto goes up top but Shimono gets up and grabs her. Fujimoto wiggles away but Shimono hits a scoop slam and puts Fujimoto in a Mexican Surfboard. Hoshi jumps on Shimono’s back and they sit on Fujimoto for a two count. Shimono tags in Hoshi, and Hoshi trades strikes with Fujimoto. Fujimoto delivers a dropkick, she goes off the ropes but Hoshi hits a bodyblock. Running stomach bump by Hoshi but it gets two. Shimono comes in and they both lariat Fujimoto. Hoshi picks up Fujimoto and she hits a Samoan Drop for a two count. Hoshi goes up top and she nails a diving body press, but Toyota breaks up the cover. Hoshi waits for Fujimoto to get up but Toyota hits Hoshi with a heel drop. Fujimoto goes up top and she hits a diving neckbreaker, but Shimono breaks up the cover. Fujimoto goes off the ropes but Hoshi sits on her for a two count. Hoshi rolls over Fujimoto (literally), she picks her up and Fujimoto hits an enzigieri. Head kick by Fujimoto but Hoshi gets a shoulder up. Toyota comes in, she gets Hoshi on her shoulders, then Fujimoto rebounds out of the corner with the Venus Shoot. Jackknife Hold by Fujimoto and she gets the three count! A few little miscues here and there but not a bad match. They kept it short so there was no downtime, which kept it interesting. Not a bad way to start the show off.[spacer height=”20px”]
Chikayo Nagashima and Rina Yamashita vs. Mitsuhisa Sunabe and Yuu Yamagata
Sunabe gets attacked to start the match and he is hit with a double suplex. Yamashita rakes at Sunabe’s face and clubs him in the chest, but Sunabe dropkicks her in the face and tags in Yamagata. Nagashima is also tagged in and they trade boots, spinning headscissors by Nagashima but Yamagata hits a hurricanrana. Yamagata kicks Nagashima in the head and she tags in Sunabe. Sunabe hits a PK on Nagashima and he hits a second one, cover by Sunabe but it gets a two count. Sunabe chokes Nagashima with his boot but Nagashima applies an armbar over the top rope. Nagashima stomps on Sunabe’s hands and she hits a suplex for a two count. Nagashima tags in Yamashita and Yamashita lariats Sunabe. Another lariat by Yamashita and she covers Sunabe for two. Sunabe comes back with a kick and applies a cross armbreaker, but Nagashima breaks it up. Sunabe tags in Yamagata, Irish whip by Yamagata but Yamashita elbows her back. Shoulderblock by Yamashita, Nagashima comes in the ring and Yamagata is double teamed in the corner. Yamashita applies a sleeper but Sunabe breaks it up. Yamashita boots Yamagata but Yamagata hits an enzigieri. Crossface by Yamagata but Nagashima breaks it up. Nagashima hits a missile dropkick on Yamagata and Yamashita hits a lariat for a two count. Yamashita applies a sleeper to Yamagata but Sunabe breaks it up with a missile dropkick. Yamashita drops Yamagata with a backdrop suplex and gets the sleeper re-applied, but Yamagata gets out of it with a jawbreaker. Shining Wizard by Sunabe to Yamashita, and Yamagata hits a La Ayakita to pick up the three count! I liked that Sunabe just seamlessly was in this match, he was the only male but it didn’t make any difference in regards to the action. This was solid, again it was smart to not keep this match too long. This event is swimming along just fine but nothing too exciting yet. Mildly Recommended[spacer height=”20px”]
Cherry vs. Mei Lee vs. Miyako Matsumoto
They talk and dance a bit to start, I have no idea if this is part of the official match or not. Matsumoto is attacked by both, she goes for a crossbody but Cherry and Lee catch her. Stomps by Cherry and Lee but Cherry schoolboys Lee for two. They do some strike exchanges with Cherry getting the better of it, then they do some weird stuff that confuses me. Matsumoto clubs at Lee and with Cherry they hit a double elbow drop. Cherry gives Lee a rocking horse, which rocks Lee into Matsumoto’s ass. The referee is accidentally hit in the groin but he recovers, Matsumoto goes up top and with Lee’s help she poses before hitting a body press for two. Lee and Matsumoto have a shoving match then end up dancing around but Cherry covers both of them and gets the three count. This wasn’t good comedy or good anything. I am sure this appeals to someone (I assume) but that someone is not me. The definition of a skippable match.
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Hikaru Shida vs. Kana
This match is part of the Catch The Wave 2015 Tournament. They both go for hip attacks to start, hurricanrana by Shida and she hits a hip attack, getting a quick two count. Kana ducks an enzigieri but Shida hits a running knee for a two count. Falcon Arrow by Shida but Kana flips it over into a cross armbreaker. Shida rolls out of the ring to break the hold, and they trade elbows outside the ring. Kana throws Shida into the crowd but they return to the ring, they go to the mat as Shida goes for Kana’s arm, but Kana gets out of it. Kana gets the armbreaker applied but Shida gets out of it and applies a single leg crab hold. Kana reverses it into a kneelock but Shida gets into the ropes. Back up Kana goes for the short armbar but Shida blocks it. Side headlock by Kana and she hits a shoulderblock. Kick by Shida but Kana knocks her down with a hip attack. Shida then hits a hip attack of her own but Kana hits two more. Shida and Kana trade elbows but Shida takes Kana out to the ramp and throws her into a chair. Shida then sets up a chair and jumps off of it, but Kana kicks her in the midsection and hits a sliding kick. Kana returns to the ring with Shida slowly following, Kana wraps up Shida on the mat but Shida gets to the ropes. Kick to the chest by Kana and she applies a short armbar into a cross armbreaker, but Shida gets to the ropes. Kicks to the back by Kana and she goes for Shida’s arm before applying an arm trap crossface. Cross armbreaker by Kana but Shida gets to the ropes. Kana charges Shida but Shida rolls her to the met and applies a single leg crab hold, but Kana gets to the ropes. Kana kicks Shida in the chest but Kana hits a reverse DDT. Urakens by Kana and she hits a high kick for two.
Kana goes up top but Shida recovers and joins her. Kana slips out to the apron but Shida suplexes her over the top rope and back into the ring for a two count. They both get up and Shida hits a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. Another backbreaker by Shida but Kana gets away and goes for Shida’s arm. Shida reverses that into a Stretch Muffler but Kana gets to the ropes, Shida charges Kana but Kana kicks her. Kana goes for a sliding kick but Shida catches her leg. Shida goes for a suplex but Kana blocks it and kicks her in the head. Kick to the head by Kana but Shida hits an enzigieri. High kick by Kana but Shida hits a jumping kick, leaving both on the mat. They slowly get up, Kana applies the cross armbreaker but Shida rolls out of it. Seated armbar by Kana, they get back up as Kana applies the chickenwing but Shida rolls out of it. Schoolboy by Shida but it gets a two, head kick by Kana but she also gets two. Suplex by Shida and she hits the Falcon Arrow, but it only gets a two count. Three Count by Shida, but Kana gets a shoulder up on the pin. Shida picks up Kana but Kana hits a heel kick for two. Small package by Shida and she hits another Three Count, but the bell rings as the match is a Draw. So yes I loved this match. I like Kana regardless but here she was back to her old self, not just playing around in a mid-card tag match. The strikes and submissions by both were super smooth aside from one messed up spot, and they were both on point throughout. It really felt like the match could end at any time since both had convincing submission/pinfall situations, and since it was a tournament the draw isn’t a bad deal. This match should be the main event, not on the mid-card, it was everything I was hoping it would be. I won’t say it was perfect, some small transition issues here and there, but if you’re a fan of either wrestler or joshi in general I definitely advise you to go watch it. Recommended
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Mika Iida vs. Yumi Ohka
This match is part of the Catch The Wave 2015 Tournament. Iida rolls up Ohka right from the start but Ohka hits a big boot in the corner. Ohka chokes Iida in the corner but Iida avoids the next one and snaps Ohka’s leg over the top rope. Iida goes up top and she hits a missile dropkick for a two count. Iida jumps down on Ohka’s leg and slams her knee into the mat. Iida goes for a dropkick but Ohka moves, but Iida avoids the big boot again and kicks Ohka in the leg. Side Russian leg sweep by Iida and she applies a submission hold on the mat. Ohka slams Iida to the mat and she boots her against the ropes. Ohka goes out to the apron and boots Iida again, she goes up top and she hits a diving crossbody for two. Crossface by Ohka but Iida gets out of it and goes back to the leg. Ohka gets to the ropes but Iida dropkicks her and hits a fisherman suplex hold for two. Iida throws Ohka to the mat and she hits an uppercut. Dropkick to the knee by Iida and she hits a running uppercut for two. Ohka slams Iida to the mat but Iida applies an ankle hold. Ohka stomps out of it and she hits a big boot, but Iida kicks out. Heel drop by Ohka but Iida barely gets a shoulder up. Ohka goes for a chokebomb but Iida rolls her up for two. Kick by Ohka and she hits a big boot, Ohka picks up Iida and she nails a brainbuster. Iida barely kicks out of the pin but Ohka hits a final big boot, getting the three count. I am glad this one didn’t go too long as Ohka is a bit limited. They just went to the sprint with Ohka just having too many big moves for the smaller Iida. I wouldn’t call it good but it was short enough that it wasn’t offensive.[spacer height=”20px”]
“Kyusei” Sakura Hirota and Fairy Nipponbashi vs. Ryo Mizunami and Sonoko Kato
I should just skip this match since I just saw a Nipponbashi match and I’m not in the mood, but here we go anyway. At least I do like Mizunami and Kato. Kato and Nipponbashi start off but Kato hits the Harite for the three count! Hooray this match was short!
Wait no they are re-starting it. Damn. Kato and Hirota are the first two legal wrestlers, wristlock by Kato and she kicks Hirota in the arm. Mizunami comes in to help, as if Kato needed it, and they take turns hitting leg drops on Hirota. Kato tags in Mizunami and Mizunami hits a shoulderblock. Another shoulderblock by Mizunami, Irish whip by Mizunami but Hirota avoids her charge. Scoop slam by Hirota and she tags in Nipponbashi. Kato tags in too and Nipponbashi dances around. She seems more confused than usual. Kato uppercuts Nipponbashi but Hirota breaks up the pin. Kato Irish whips Nipponbashi but Nipponbashi gets her wand. Nothing happens for a bit until Nipponbashi uses the wand on Mizunami and Hirota. Kato just stands there, they try again with the same result. Nipponbashi yells at Kato, she gets the wand again and tells everyone to try again. Finally Kato is impacted by the wand and everyone celebrates, cover by Nipponbashi but Mizunami breaks it up. Hirota grabs Kato’s arm, she goes up to the ropes and walks them, but she trips and falls. Drop toehold by Hirota, she wraps up Kato in the ropes and she puts Mizunami in the ropes on the other side. Oil Check by Hirota to both, Kato and Mizunami get on the mat but they avoid Nipponbashi and Hirota’s body press. Mizunami spears both of them, Kato goes up top and she hits a cannonball. Kato picks up Hirota, but they do a kiss/wand combination as Hirota rolls up Kato for a two count. Mizunami spears Hirota and Kato knocks her loopy with a heel kick, but Hirota lands on top of Kato for the three count! What hurt this one to a degree is I just watched a match with the same formula on the previous show, but done better. Nipponbashi’s act is best for me in small doses and a match this long doesn’t qualify as ‘small’. Kato was great but nothing else was entertaining.[spacer height=”20px”]
Ayako Hamada, Kagetsu, and Kaho Kobayashi vs. Tsubasa Kuragaki, Misaki Ohata, and Mio Shirai
Shirai hits everyone with a stick to start things off and Kobayashi is triple teamed in the corner. Shirai puts Kobayashi in a choke and wraps her in the ropes so she can rake Kobayashi’s face. Shirai kicks Kobayashi in the corner and he tags in Kuragaki. Kuragaki scoop slams Kobayashi and applies a leglock, then Ohata comes in and applies an armbar. Kuragaki gives Kobayashi a Giant Swing, she picks her back up and she hits a scoop slam. Kobayashi dropkicks Kuragaki and goes off the ropes, but Kuragaki hits a back elbow. Kuragaki tags in Ohata but she tags in Shirai, and Shirai gives Kobayashi a low speed Giant Swing. Shirai hits Kobayashi with a stick and then Ohata hits a face crusher. Ohata goes off the ropes but Kobayashi dropkicks her. Shirai comes in to help but Kagetsu flies in with a swandive crossbody. Hamada is tagged in and she boots Ohata several times. Heel kick by Hamada and she tags in Kagetsu. Kobayashi comes in too and Ohata is triple teamed in the corner. Scoop slam by Hamada and Kagetsu throws Kobayashi onto Ohata. Double elbow drop by Kobayashi and Kagetsu, Ohata gets several more elbow drops and then Kagetsu kicks Ohata in the back. Kagetsu tags in Kobayashi, and Kobayashi hits a pair of sentons for two. Kobayashi picks up Ohata, Ohata goes off the ropes but Kagetsu kicks her from the apron. Ohata tags in Kuragaki, Kuragaki picks up Kobayashi but Kagetsu and Hamada run in. Kuragaki is thrown into the corner but Kuragaki lariats Hamada. Kuragaki body avalanches the other two in the corner and gets them both on her shoulders for an Argentine Backbreaker. Double backdrop suplex by Kuragaki and she hits a double lariat. Kuragaki picks up Kobayashi in a press slam and drops her to the mat. Kuragaki tags in Shirai, running kick by Shirai but it gets two. Shirai picks up Kobayashi and throws her into the corner, but Kobayashi avoids her charge and hits her from the apron. Missile dropkick by Kobayashi and she covers Shirai for two. Kobayashi tags in Hamada but Shirai ducks her heel kick and kicks Hamada repeatedly in the chest. Hamada catches one, she picks up Shirai but Shirai rolls out of it. Kick to the back of the head by Hamada but Shirai applies a necklock over the top rope. Shirai goes up top but Hamada punches her and throws Shirai to the mat with authority. Cover, but Ohata breaks it up.
Shirai is slid her plastic stick and she hits Hamada with it, enzigieri by Shirai but Kobayashi breaks up the pin. Shirai tags in Kuragaki, Kuragaki lariats Hamada in the back and then again while she is against the ropes before dropping her with a backdrop suplex. Cover, but Hamada gets a cover up. Kuragaki goes up top but Hamada grabs her from behind and hits a sit-down powerbomb. Hamada goes up top but Ohata hits her, allowing Kuragaki to recover. Kuragaki puts Hamada in an Argentine Backbreaker before dropping her to the mat. Kuragaki picks up Hamada and goes for Splash Mountain but Hamada flips out of it. Lariats by Hamada but Kuragaki doesn’t go down, and Kuragaki lariats Hamada off her feet. Hard lariat by Hamada in return and they both lariat each other, with both ending up lying on the mat. Kuragaki tags in Ohata while Kagetsu is also tagged in, and Kagetsu dropkicks Ohata. Shirai runs in and knees Kagetsu, headscissors by Ohata and Shirai hits a Tiger Feint Kick. Running crossbody by Ohata and she applies a seated armbar to Kagetsu, but Kobayashi breaks it up. German suplex hold by Ohata, but Kagetsu gets a shoulder up. Ohata goes up top but Kobayashi grabs her, Kagetsu goes up with Ohata but Ohata elbows her off. Ohata jumps off but Kagetsu gets her knees up, Hamada comes in and hits Ohata with a facebuster. Standing moonsault by Kobayashi and Kagetsu nails a spear on Ohata, but Shirai breaks up the pin. Kagetsu and Ohata trade elbows but Ohata applies a guillotine. Hamada leg drops Ohata to help out and Kagetsu hits a vertical suplex, hard elbow by Kagetsu and she helps Kobayashi hit a tornado DDT. Falcon Arrow by Kagetsu, but Shirai breaks up the cover. Kobayashi dropkicks Shirai, then Kuragaki kicks Kobayashi. Kuragaki kicks Hamada as well and all six wrestlers are lying around the mat. Kagetsu picks up Ohata but Shirai slaps her, crucifix bomb by Ohata but Kagetsu gets a shoulder up. Ohata picks up Kagetsu, high kick by Kagetsu but Kuragaki runs in and lariats her. Scissors Kick by Shirai and Ohata hits Kagetsu with a spinning backfist. Cover, but Kobayashi breaks it up. Ohata picks up Kagetsu and hits the Fisherman Buster, but Kagetsu barely gets a shoulder up. Ohata drags Kagetsu to her feet, and she nails the Blue Dahlia for the three count! This was a really fun main event. It was just constant action, wrestlers were always running in to help their teammates and there were several really good extended double teaming sections that really got me on the edge of my seat. For a match that went twenty minutes it never slowed down and it never felt excessive either. Perfect way to end the show as every wrestler got a chance to shine, really loving everyone in this match. Great stuff here.Recommended
Final Thoughts:
In a lot of ways this event was quite different than the one that went on just a few hours earlier. The main event was much better on this event, but the other overall felt more entertaining as this one spread out the wrestlers I don’t really enjoy into different matches. Both had really fun Kana matches though so that is a big plus. As a package I can honestly recommend both events, and this one is an easy recommendation thanks to the Kana/Shida match and the main event, even though I didn’t really enjoy several of the matches. A good day for Oz and company.
Grade: B-
Kevin Wilson of Puroresu Central
