Date: January 12th, 2014
Location: Shinjuku FACE
Announced Attendance: 500
This will be my first Joshi review in a really long time, in terms of a full show anyway. I really have never gotten into the various Joshi promotions even though I have seen matches here and there that I like. But since I am trying to review all events from 2014, I imagine I better start learning about Joshi since there are a lot of Joshi promotions in Japan that run events. There are several familiar names on this event that I thought had retired. Here is the full card:
– Kagetsu and Sareee vs. Tsubasa Kuragaki and Hiroyo Matsumoto
– Chikayo Nagashima vs. Yumi Ohka
– Manami Toyota and Carlos Amano vs. Shimoda and Tomoka Nakagawa
– Dynamite Kansai and Aja Kong vs. Mayumi Ozaki and Mio Shirai
– OZ Academy Openweight Championship: AKINO vs. Sonoko Kato
There may be a bit of a learning curve as I get acquainted with some new promotions, so try not to hold that against me. On to the matches!
Kagetsu and Sareee vs. Tsubasa Kuragaki and Hiroyo Matsumoto
Joined In Progress as Kuragaki picks up Sareee and spins her around in an Argentine Backbreaker. Kagetsu comes in the ring but Matsumoto does as well and she also puts Kagetsu into an Argentine Backbreaker. Sareee and Kagetsu are thrown to the mat and Kuragaki puts Sareee in a single leg crab hold. Kuragaki stomps Sareee in the back and tags in Matsumoto. Kick to the head by Matsumoto but Sareee fires back with elbows. A hard elbow by Matsumoto sends Sareee to the mat, Irish whip by Matsumoto and she delivers a dropkick. Matsumoto picks up Sareee, Irish whip, but Sareee rolls up Matsumoto in a crucifix for a two count. Elbows by Sareee and she applies a waistlock, she throws Matsumoto in the corner and hits a dropkick. Sareee goes up to the top turnbuckle and delivers the missile dropkick, cover, but Matsumoto kicks out at two. Sareee picks up Matsumoto and goes for a suplex but Matsumoto grabs the top rope to block it. Irish whip by Sareee but Matsumoto slams on the breaks and hits a hard elbow. Argentine Backbreaker by Matsumoto but Sareee lands on her feet when Matsumoto throws her off and hits a German suplex hold for a two count. Sareee tags in Kagetsu, elbows by Kagetsu but Matsumoto elbows her back. They trade shots, Matsumoto goes off the ropes but Kagetsu gets her on her shoulders and hits a Samoan Drop. Jumping elbow by Kagetsu in the corner, she goes out to the apron but Matsumoto grabs her as she springboards in and throws Kagetsu to the mat.
Matsumoto goes up to the top turnbuckle, Kagetsu goes for a swandive move but she loses her balance and falls out of the ring. She gets back on the apron as Matsumoto gets off the top turnbuckle and onto the apron as well, elbows by Kagetsu and she dropkicks Matsumoto off the apron to the floor. Sareee knocks Kuragaki out of the ring, Sareee and Kagetsu get onto different turnbuckles and dive down onto Kuragaki and Matsumoto. Kagetsu throws Matsumoto back into the ring and hits a swandive missile dropkick, cover, but it gets a two count. Kagetsu picks up Matsumoto and applies a side headlock, Matsumoto goes for a backdrop suplex, Kagetsu lands on her feet but Matsumoto hits a hard elbow for a two count cover. Matsumoto picks up Kagetsu but Sareee runs in and dropkicks Matsumoto. Matsumoto hits a crossbody on both Sareee and Kagetsu, Kuragaki comes in the ring and jumps on Matsumoto’s back to give her extra weight as she drops a knee onto Kagetsu. Matsumoto goes up to the top turnbuckle and hits a reverse splash/double knee drop, cover, but it gets a two count.
Matsumoto tags in Kuragaki, Kuragaki goes off the ropes and hits a springboard rebound dropkick. Backdrop suplex by Kuragaki, cover, but it gets a two count. Kuragaki goes up to the top turnbuckle but Sareee runs over and grabs her. Kuragaki pushes off Sareee, but Kagetsu joins Kuragaki onto the top turnbuckle. Kuragaki uses a front suplex to throw Kagetsu off the top turnbuckle and then hits a missile dropkick for a two count cover. Kuragaki picks up Kagetsu and goes for a backdrop suplex but Kagetsu elbows out of it. Lariat to the back by Kuragaki, she picks up Kagetsu and hits another lariat, but Kagetsu ducks the next one and applies the Fujiwara Armbar. Matsumoto manages to break it up, Kagetsu picks up Kuragaki but Matsumoto kicks her. Double Irish whip to Kagetsu and Sareee, but they hit stereo dropkicks onto Kuragaki and Matsumoto. Sareee goes up to the top turnbuckle and hits a missile dropkick onto Kuragaki, then Kagetsu goes up top and does the same. Sareee and Kagetsu both go back up top and hit stereo missile dropkicks, cover, but Kuragaki barely gets a shoulder up. Kagetsu picks up Kuragaki and puts her onto her shoulders, but Kuragaki wiggles off. Elbows by Kagetsu, she goes off the ropes but Matsumoto catches her with a splash. Kagetsu dropkicks Kuragaki anyway and puts Kuragaki on her shoulders, hitting the Death Valley Bomb. Cover, but it gets a two count. Kagetsu picks up Kuragaki, Sareee comes over to help and they go for a double suplex, but Kuragaki blocks it. Matsumoto then comes up from behind and hits a double backdrop suplex onto Sareee and Kagetsu.
Matsumoto throws Sareee and Kagetsu into the corner, Kuragaki hits a double splash on both of them and then puts them both in the Argentine Backbreaker at the same time before throwing them to the mat. Matsumoto throws Sareee out of the ring, Kuragaki positions Kagetsu in front of the corner and goes up top. Moonsault by Kuragaki, cover, but Sareee breaks it up in time. Matsumoto throws Sareee into the corner while Kuragaki picks up Kagetsu, Kuragaki goes for the Metal Wing but Kagetsu lands on her feet. Roll-up by Kagetsu, but Matsumoto breaks it up. Kagetsu goes off the ropes but Kuragaki catches her with a hard lariat, cover, but it gets a two count. Kuragaki picks up Kagetsu and nails the Metal Wing, cover, and she picks up the three count. Your winners: Tsubasa Kuragaki and Hiroyo Matsumoto
Match Thoughts: Aside from a few miscues, this was a good match. I was impressed with Kuragaki’s strength, I love the Joshi dynamic of big bulldozing powerhouse versus cute quick lightweight and Kuragaki has the ability to pull it off without being so big she can’t do anything else. The main thing holding this match down was Kagetsu. She had multiple mistakes in this match… I don’t know if she has issues with consistency or was sick/injured but her struggles popped up at various times in the match and hurt the flow which otherwise was very fast paced. Even with that I still enjoyed the match, it prevented the match from reaching the next level but it was still a fun match overall. Score: 6.5
Chikayo Nagashima vs. Yumi Ohka
Joined In Progress. Nagashima is stomping Ohka into the mat, she goes off the ropes but is grabbed from the apron. Ohka charges Nagashima but Nagashima moves and Ohka kicks her friend by accident. Cover, but it gets a two count. the friend comes in the ring with a whip but Nagashima takes it from her and whips both the friend and Ohka. Nagashima chokes the friend with the rope, she gets a pair of scissors and threatens to cut her hair, but let her up after a moment and the friend crawls out of the ring. Nagashima picks Ohka in the stomach and hits her in the head with the scissors. Nagashima throws the scissors out of the ring and gets a chair, hitting Ohka in the head with it. Nagashima picks up Ohka and goes for a suplex, but Ohka reverses it into a brainbuster. Ohka picks up Nagashima and hits a suplex, she goes off the ropes but Nagashima ducks the kick. Frankensteiner by Nagashima, but it only gets a two count. the friend and another friend get into the ring and kick Nagashima repeatedly, Ohka gets a chair but she hits the friend by accident. Nagashima kicks Ohka and hits a Fisherman Buster, cover, but Ohka gets a shoulder up. Ohka gets the chair again and charges Nagashima, but Nagashima ducks and Ohka hits her friend by accident. Nagashima tries to spit a liquid into Ohka’s face but Ohka blocks it with the chair and Nagashima is hit with the whip. Ohka hits Nagashima in the head with a chair, she picks up her opponent and hits a release Tiger Suplex. Running boot by Ohka, cover, and she picks up the three count. Your winner: Yumi Ohka
Match Thoughts: I don’t know who the other wrestler interfering in the match was, maybe after I watch more of the promotion I will get more familiar with the wrestlers. We saw less than half of this match, maybe we missed the half that was a more normal back and forth but what we saw was a bit chaotic. I don’t really like tons of interference in a match but I am guessing that this was part of a bigger storyline which is fine when you’re still on the lower part of the card. Gotta advance stories sometime. Since less than half was shown I won’t rate it but what we did see wasn’t special. Score: N/A
Manami Toyota and Carlos Amano vs. Mima Shimoda and Tomoka Nakagawa
Amano and Nakagawa start things off. Tie-up to start but they break cleanly. Tie-up again, waistlock by Nakagawa but Amano gets out of it and they jockey for position on the mat. They return to their feet after a moment, Amano drives her elbow into Nakagawa’s back and throws her down by the hair. Amano chokes Nakagawa in the corner with her boot. Snapmare by Nakagawa and she hits a cartwheel into a kick. Nakagawa tags in Shimoda, and Shimoda throws Amano into the ropes before kicking her in the chest. Shimoda slams Amano’s head into the mat and pulls her hair. Kick to the head by Shimoda, snapmare, and Shimoda applies a reverse chinlock. Shimoda rubs Amano’s face across the top rope before digging her in the eyes. Shimoda stands on Amano’s hands and then stomps on them. Shimoda picks up Amano and wraps her arm around the top rope. Shimoda throws Amano into the corner, Irish whip, but Amano jumps up to the turnbuckle and hits a diving lariat. Amano picks up Shimoda as Nakagawa and Toyota come in the ring as well, and both women hit running strikes in the corner. Toyota and Amano both hit apply arm submissions to Shimoda and Nakagawa, then they hit a double suplex onto Shimoda. Double face crusher by Amano and Toyota to Shimoda, but Shimoda tags in Nakagawa. Nakagawa applies a headscissors to Toyota but Amano comes into the ring and applies a headscissors to Nakagawa. Toyota applies the Mexican Surfboard to Nakagawa, she picks her up and makes the tag to Amano. Irish whip by Amano to Nakagawa and she hits a back elbow. Cover by Amano, but it gets two. Amano pulls Nakagawa to the middle of the ring and applies an elevated crab hold, but Nakagawa gets out of it and tags in Shimoda. Shimoda grabs Amano and jumps down onto Amano’s leg. Shimoda pulls on Amano’s leg, rubs her hand on her foot and then rubs it in her face. Cover, but it gets a two count. Shimoda applies a stretch submission hold but Toyota breaks it up. Shimoda picks up Amano, Irish whip to the corner, reversed, Shimoda kicks Amano back and rolls her up for a two count. Kick by Shimoda, another cover but again she gets two. Shimoda picks up Amano but Amano hits a single arm suplex. Cover, but Shimoda gets a foot on the ropes. Back up they trade strikes, and Shimoda stomps Amano in the foot. Irish whip by Shimoda to Amano, reversed, but Shimoda hits a jumping lariat. Irish whip again by Shimoda but Amano knocks her to the mat and tags in Toyota. Toyota gets up on the top turnbuckle and hits a missile dropkick onto Shimoda. Cover, but it gets a two count.
Toyota picks up Shimoda but she gets a hand on the top rope. Irish whip, reversed, and Toyota applies a submission hold while Nakagawa and Amano get in the ring but they accidentally roll into each other. Shimoda throws Toyota into the corner and both Nakagawa and Shimoda hit running strikes. Snap suplex by Shimoda and she hits a release German suplex. Jumping lariat by Shimoda and she tags in Nakagawa. Shimoda and Nakagawa pick up Toyota, Irish whip and they throw Toyota to the mat. Irish whip again and Nakagawa delivers a dropkick. Nakagawa picks up Toyota and goes for a suplex but Toyota blocks it. Nakagawa pulls back on Toyota’s neck but Amano breaks it up. Shimoda kicks Amano out of the ring, Shimoda and Nakagawa pick up Toyota, Irish whip, but Amano comes off the top turnbuckle with a missile dropkick to both of her opponents. They fall out of the ring and Toyota as well as Amano go out after them. Toyota dives down onto both Shimoda and Nakagawa, and they slide Nakagawa back into the ring. Toyota picks up Nakagawa and goes up to the top turnbuckle, hitting a moonsault. Cover, but it only gets a two count. Toyota puts Nakagawa on her shoulders but Nakagawa gets out of it. Waistlock by Nakagawa and Shimoda kicks Toyota from the apron. Nakagawa rolls up Toyota but it only gets a two count. Nakagawa goes off the ropes but Toyota catches her with a big boot. Shimoda ties Nakagawa up in the ropes and hits a running dropkick. Toyota picks up Nakagawa and puts Nakagawa on his shoulders. Amano then goes up to the top turnbuckle but Nakagawa slides off and hits a German suplex to Toyota. Shimoda then suplexes Amano off the top turnbuckle to the mat. Toyota and Amano stomp on Nakagawa and Amano hits a tiger suplex hold for a two count. Shimoda comes into the ring and throws Nakagawa onto Amano so Nakagawa can hit a lariat. Cover, but again it gets two. Toyota holds Nakagawa for Amano but she moves. Toyota and Amano headbutt their opponents, and Nakagawa stays in the ring with Amano. Amano headbutts Nakagawa, cover, but it gets a two count. Nakagawa kicks Amano in the head but Amano gets the cross armbreaker applied. Shimoda comes in and breaks it up. Amano goes off the ropes but Shimoda cuts her off with an elbow. Nakagawa runs in and hits an enzigieri to Toyota, Amano gets another cross armbreaker applied but Nakagawa rolls out of it. Toyota runs in the ring to help Amano get the cross armbreaker applied, and Nakagawa has to submit. Your winners: Manami Toyota and Carlos Amano
Match Thoughts: This match is a bit hard to grasp. At times it felt like… they were going in slow motion and had no direction. There was no structure at all, the only recurring theme was Amano messing up which I figure was intentional since that is all they ever replayed. But that isn’t enough to maintain a 19 minute match. The teams also were not on the same page in a few places. Just a bumbled jumbled mess. Score: 3.0
Dynamite Kansai and Aja Kong vs. Mayumi Ozaki and Mio Shirai
Kansai and Kong charge their opponents to start the match and throw them out of the ring. They brawl at ringside for a bit until Kong and Shirai return to the ring. Kong hits Shirai in the corner and Kong taunts Ozaki. Chops by Kong to Shirai, snapmare, and she kicks Shirai in the back. Kong tags in Kansai, and Kansai kicks Shirai in the chest. Kansai applies the Scorpion Deathlock but Ozaki breaks it up. Kong comes in to chop Ozaki so Kansai can keep the hold applied, but Kansai releases the hold after a moment and applies a camel clutch. Kick to the chest by Kong to Shirai, and Kong now puts Shirai in a camel clutch so that Kansai can kick her in the chest as well. Cover by Kansai but Ozaki breaks it up with kicks to the face. Knee drop by Kansai to Shirai, cover, but it gets a two count. Kansai tags in Kong, Shirai tries to fight back but Kong absorbs the blows and hits Shirai back down to the mat. Kong picks up Shirai, Irish whip, and Kong hits a lariat. Kong goes off the ropes but Shirai rolls her up for a two count, Shirai hits an enzigieri and tags in iii. A gang of other wrestlers come in the ring too, Kong is thrown into the corner and everyone hits running strikes on her. Ozaki hits Kong in the head with a chair as does one of the interfering wrestlers as the ganging up continues (Kansai is watching from the apron). Kong gets a chair dropkicked into her face but Kong fights back with slaps for everyone and tags in Kansai. Kansai throws Ozaki into the corner and both she and Kong hit lariats. Backdrop suplex by Kong, cover, but it gets a two count. Kansai comes back in the ring, double Irish whip to Ozaki and they hit a double shoulderblock. They wait for Ozaki to get up and go for a double lariat, but Ozaki moves and they run into each other . Ozaki chokes Kong with a chain, Shirai comes in the ring with a pole but Kong catches it and takes it from her. Shirai ducks when Kong tries to hit her and hits her twice with a chair before kicking the chair into her head. Cover but the referee doesn’t count as the chair is kicked out of the ring. Shirai goes up to the top turnbuckle, Kong recovers but Shirai applies a guillotine choke over the top rope.
Shirai goes back up to the top turnbuckle and hits a missile dropkick, cover, but it gets a two count. Shirai goes off the ropes but Kong blocks the Shining Wizard. Kong then goes off the ropes but she is tripped, double Irish whip to Kong, Ozaki and Shirai go for a double vertical suplex but Kong reverses it. Kong tags in Kansai, and Kong lariats Shirai to the mat. Kansai kicks Shirai in the chest, she goes off the ropes but Shirai drop toeholds Kansai onto the second rope. Tiger Feint Kick by Shirai and she delivers a running kick to the face. Cover by Shirai but it gets two. Kong goes off the ropes but Kansai catches her with a hard slap and hits a backdrop suplex. Cover, but Ozaki breaks it up. Kansai picks up Shirai but Shirai gets the pole and hits Kansai in the head with it. It has no effect but Shirai applies a choke hold to Kansai. Ozaki holds back Kong but Kong picks her up and throw Shirai onto Ozaki to break up the hold. Shirai tags in Ozaki, and Ozaki kicks Kansai in the back. More kicks by Ozaki to the head, she picks up Kansai and goes for a suplex but Kansai pushes her off. Backdrop suplex by Kansai, cover, but Ozaki gets a shoulder up. Kansai picks up Ozaki but Ozaki hits an armdrag. Kong comes in the ring as does Shirai, but Kong slaps Shirai out of the ring. Kong picks up Ozaki and with Kansai they hit a double lariat. Backdrop suplex by Kansai to Ozaki, cover, but it is broken up. Kansai tags in Kong, and Kong plants Ozaki with a brainbuster. Cover, but Kong picks up Ozaki. Kong tags in Kansai back in, Kong picks up Ozaki and nails a perfect Splash Mountain. Cover, but the pin attempt is broken up again. Kansai tags in Kong, Kong positions Ozaki in front of the corner and goes up to the top turnbuckle, hitting the falling elbow drop. Cover, but again the pin is broken up. Kong has had enough, she gets a metal box and hits everyone moving with it before tagging Kansai back in. Kansai picks up Ozaki but Ozaki quickly rolls up Kansai for a two count. Kong comes in and hits her with the metal box, Kansai drops Ozaki with another Splash Mountain, but the cover is broken up. This starts a crazy brawl at ringside, while Ozaki lies in the ring in the fetal position. They end up fighting up into the stands, and after a moment Kansai gets back into the ring. Kansai picks up Ozaki and plants her with the Green Fall, cover, and she picks up the three count. Your winners: Dynamite Kansai and Aja Kong
Match Thoughts: I didn’t know that Kansai and Kong were even still wrestling, which shows how much I have been following Joshi lately. There was way too much going on for them to have any real structure, I really don’t mind some interference but this barely resembled a 2 vs. 2 match as 30 seconds didn’t pass without someone not involved in the match getting in the ring. The ‘loose’ interference rules in OZ Academy are too loose. Kansai and Kong still hit hard but have lost a step, and Kong has reached the “I don’t feel like getting out on the apron when not the legal person” stage of her career, which I think she got from Abby. Even with more backstory I don’t think I would have enjoyed this match, it was just too much of a cluster and it was hard to get into for me. Score: 3.5
(c) AKINO vs. Sonoko Kato
This match is for the OZ Academy Openweight Championship. AKINO goes for a kick but Kato catches her leg and kicks AKINO into the corner. Kicks to the chest by Kato, she gets a running start but AKINO gets up and dropkicks Kato into the corner. AKINO goes off the ropes but Kato catches her with an elbow, AKINO blocks a kick but Kato delivers the scissors kick and hits La Magistral for a two count. Backslide and a small package by Kato, but both of those get two counts as well. Dropkick by Kato, as AKINO lands out on the apron, and Kato kicks AKINO down to the floor. Kato goes out to the apron and hits a cannonball off the apron down onto AKINO. Kato picks up AKINO and slides her back into the ring, Kato puts AKINO into the corner and hits a rolling senton. Kato goes up to the top turnbuckle as AKINO gets up and hits another one, cover, but it gets a two count. Kato picks up AKINO but AKINO hits a jawbreaker. Elbow by Kato but AKINO fires back with her own elbow strike and the pair trade blows. AKINO gets the better of it, she picks up Kato and hits a backdrop suplex followed by a dropkick. Kato falls out of the ring, AKINO gets a running start in it and hits a plancha down onto Kato. AKINO slides Kato in the ring, she then goes up on the top turnbuckle and hits the missile dropkick. Kicks to the chest and back by AKINO, she goes off the ropes but misses the big kick and Kato rolls her up for a two count. Kick to the side of the head by Kato, she goes off the ropes but AKINO stops her with a high kick. Kato fires back with a kick of her own but AKINO returns the favor.
Kato gets out to the apron to recover from the kick and rolls out to the floor. She gets checked out by the doctor but AKINO gets tired of waiting and pulls on Kato’s injured arm before returning to the ring. I think they are saying that AKINO put the shoulder back in the socket. Kato gets back in the ring but AKINO kicks her in the leg and in the back. Kato catches a kick and slaps AKINO, but AKINO gets an ankle lock applied. Kato kicks off AKINO but AKINO delivers a kick to the head. Cover, but it gets a two count. AKINO picks up Kato but Kato fights her off. AKINO goes for a lariat but Kato catches it and applies a Dragon Sleeper. Dragon suplex hold by Kato, but AKINO gets a shoulder up. Kato goes up to the top turnbuckle but AKINO recovers and joins her up top. Superplex by AKINO and she hits a backdrop suplex. AKINO charges Kato but Kato puts AKINO on her shoulders, but AKINO hits a DDT. La Magistral by AKINO, but it gets a two count. Kick to the head by AKINO, another cover, but again it gets two. AKINO picks up Kato, she goes off the ropes but Kato ducks the kick attempt and kicks AKINO in the head. Kowloon’s Gate by Kato, cover, but AKINO barely gets a shoulder up. Kato goes for a second one but AKINO wiggles out of it, kick by Kato and she hits a rolling kick. Side kick by Kato, she picks up AKINO and goes for the move again, but AKINO rolls her up for a two count. Kato kicks AKINO in the head, she goes off the ropes but AKINO nails a roundhouse kick. Frankensteiner attempt by AKINO but Kato rolls through it for a two count. Kato goes off the ropes but AKINO does as well and hits the Frankensteiner for the three count! Your winner and still champion: AKINO
Match Thoughts: A generally entertaining match but the stretch run seemed a bit off. Kato continuing to go for the same move over and over is generally a failed strategy, and after the move failed once I didn’t have a lot of confidence that it would work the second time. Lots and lots of kicks to the heads here that in the long run didn’t really impact the finish, although some of the shots were quite snug. There was no wackiness which some of the other matches on this card had, which is good, and both wrestlers showed a lot of intensity. Definitely a ‘some good, some bad’ match but overall it was a perfectly acceptable title match, I just wish Kato had some other ‘death move’ to go for at the end so she didn’t have to keep going for the same one that already hadn’t worked. Score: 6.0
Final Thoughts:
Best Match: Kagetsu and Sareee vs. Tsubasa Kuragaki and Hiroyo Matsumoto. Even though it was very slightly clipped I just thought it was more entertaining than the main event. Kuragaki played her part very well and they kept the pace going. Nothing that will set the world on fire but really solid from start to finish.
MVP: AKINO. I mean I had to pick one. Unlike her opponent, at least AKINO kept her big move in her pocket until the end of the match, and then won the match once she hit it. I wasn’t blown away by the match but AKINO as the champion acted like one and was crisp from start to finish.
Overall: The big issue here is with only five matches, at least one of them really needs to deliver, but none of them did. The opening and the main event were both very solid but the ones between it were not. Plus it generally is not a good sign when the best match is the clipped opener. Not a totally worthless show since there were a couple good matches, but overall quite missable.
