Joshi Informer Newsletter April 4th, 2025: Marigold and Stardom Korakuen Hall Reviews, T-HEARTS 5th Anniversary, More Matches Confirmed for All Star Grand Queendom
Welcome everyone to the April 4th edition of The Joshi Informer newsletter. Four different companies ran Korakuen Hall this past week, Suzu Suzuki officially leaves NEO-GENESIS and Mei Seira, Vegas continues to take shape as does All-Star Grand Queendom, while Marigold put on a show of the year before announcing that Bozilla will return to Germany due to family illness.
In this week's newsletter:
Stardom: Suzu Suzuki officially turns on NEO-GENESIS, AZM challenges Starlight Kid, more matches set up for All Star Grand Queendom and Vegas, and the number one contendership for the NJPW Strong Women’s Championship is announced.
Marigold: Bozilla set to leave Japan to deal with family illness and Korakuen Hall gives us two fantastic matches.
Tokyo Joshi Pro-Wrestling: Yuki Arai’s graduation is in full swing!
Other Joshi: T-Heart’s 5th Anniversary show, Ice Ribbon’s Korakuen Hall show, Saya Kamitani defends the Regina di Wave Championship and Evolution announce Chi Chi injury.
👇 🎧There’s a world of joshi podcasts out there: If you take your joshi news and reviews on the move, why not check out our range of podcasts by clicking on the links below and become even more familiarized with some of the world’s best wrestling!
STARDOM
NEWS
Taking to the microphone after the main event of Sunday’s Hachioji show, AZM announced that she wanted to challenge her NEO Genesis stablemate and generational rival Starlight Kid for the Wonder of Stardom Championship inside Yokohama Arena, with Kid agreeing to the match. This will be their twelfth singles match – including the time limit draw during the UJPW show in Sapporo last year – with Starlight Kid failing to defeat AZM in the last seven attempts; AZM winning four of them and 3 going to draws. This will also mark AZM’s first ever challenge for the Wonder of Stardom Championship!
After announcing her intentions to challenge Starlight Kid for the Wonder of Stardom Championship at All Star Grand Queendom, it looks like AZM has more singles gold in her sights. After her match with Kid was officially accepted, AZM then made mention that she also wanted to challenge Mercedes Mone for the NJPW Strong Women’s Championship. She isn’t the only one with Mone in their crosshairs however, with AEW-bound Mina Shirakawa also keen to reap revenge on the CEO after losing to her at Wrestle Dynasty on January 5th.
The pair have now been confirmed to be having a number one contendership match at New Japan’s Windy City Riot show on April 11th at the Wintrust Arena in Chicago to determine the next challenger for Mone’s NJPW Strong Women’s Championship on May 9th at Resurgence.
Hina will officially defend the Future of Stardom Championship against her God’s Eye stablemate Ranna Yagami at All Star Grand Queendom after Yagami made the challenge at the Korakuen Hall show this past Wednesday.
At the Sendai Girls show at Shinjuku FACE on Thursday, Maika appeared following Chihiro Hashimoto’s match, officially challenging her to a match at All Star Grand Queendom. Hashimoto not only accepted but also stated that she will also defend the Sendai Girls World Championship in the match on April 27th.
Having been announced to be making her Bloodsport debut a few weeks back, former World of Stardom Champion Maika has now had her opponent confirmed by Josh Barnett on Twitter. That opponent is WWE’s Karmen Petrovic, someone who made her own Bloodsport debut at Bloodsport XII in New Jersey with an emphatic early TKO on Sumie Sakai. A decorated Karate competitor, Petrovic has won gold medals in the Fonseca Cup competition, the Ontario Provincial competition and the Ontario Summer Olympic Games whilst representing the Ontario Provincial and Canada National Karate teams.
Stardom announced that Natsupoi was re-injured during her return match at the T-HEARTS 5th Anniversary show. The Cosmic Angels member was scheduled to return to a Stardom ring at the STARDOM NIGHTER 2025 in KORAKUEN show on Wednesday in a tag match but was unable to compete. She’s been out of action since March 3rd, before her one-match return this past weekend. Natsupoi will now return at the upcoming Osaka show on Thursday. She teams up with Saori Anou and Aya Sakura to face EXV’s Maika, Rian, and Waka Tsukiyama.
Wonder of Stardom Champion Starlight Kid will also be returning from her injury in Osaka on Thursday. She will take part in the main event as she teams with Tam Nakano to take on H.A.T.E.’s Saya Kamitani and Ruaka.
The first match for Stardom’s pair of Las Vegas shows has now seemingly been confirmed, with Maika challenging H.A.T.E’s Thekla to a singles match following the latter’s win at Korakuen Hall on 4/2. It is not yet clear as to which of the two Stardom shows this match will feature.
RESULTS & REVIEWS
STARDOM in TOKOROZAWA 2025 Mar.
Saturday, March 29th 2025
Tokorozawa Sakura Town, Saitama
Attendance: 453
Attendance Note: The announced attendance inside Saitama Tokorozawa Sakura Town Japan Pavillion Hall A was 453. This is the fifth time Stardom have run the venue and is a 39.38% increase on the last time they ran the venue (326 for New Blood 15 in September 2024).
Maika & Mina Shirakawa def. Rian & Yuria Hime (11:22)
Rina def. Akira Kurogane (9:44)
HANAKO & Waka Tsukiyama def. Miyu Amasaki & Anne Kanaya (9:52)
Cosmic Angels (Aya Sakura, Yuna Mizumori & Sayaka Kurara) def. STARS (Hazuki, Koguma & Momo Kohgo) (9:13)
STARS (Mayu Iwatani, Saya Iida & Hanan) def. H.A.T.E. (Natsuko Tora, Ruaka & Konami) (12:27)
God’s Eye (Hina, Lady C, Tomoka Inaba & Ranna Yagami) def. NEO Genesis (AZM, Mei Seira, Suzu Suzuki) & Tabata (12:53): The problems between Suzu Suzuki and Mei Seira didn’t slow down here, getting to the level of Suzuki dragging Seira out of the ring and got into a full fight.
Tam Nakano & Saori Anou def. Saya Kamitani & Azusa Inaba (13:38): It should come as little surprise at this point that Tam Nakano and Saya Kamitani have this preview match thing down, but this match was all the better due to the outings of Saori Anou and Azusa Inaba. Both wrestlers really took over in the latter half of the match, with Inaba notably hanging in there with three main eventers and showing that she already belongs on that level. While she ultimately lost via Pottering, it’s a performance that should elevate her further in Stardom down the line. A very good main event from Tokorozawa. (***½)
STARDOM in HACHIOJI 2025 Mar.
Sunday, March 30th
Tokyo Tama Mirai Messe, Tokyo
Attendance: 438
Attendance Note: The announced attendance inside Tokyo Tama Mirai Messe was 438. This is the third time Stardom have run the venue, and is the lowest house they have drawn. This is a 10.34% decrease from the previous house they drew (489 in December of 2024).
STARS (Hazuki & Saya Iida) def. HANAKO & Anne Kanaya (10:21)
Aya Sakura & Akira Kurogane def. EXV (Maika & Rian) (13:49)
God’s Eye (Tomoka Inaba & Lady C) def. STARS (Hanan & Momo Kohgo) (9:52)
Tabata & Sayaka Kurura def. God’s Eye (Hina & Ranna Yagami) (11:33)
STARS (Mayu Iwatani & Koguma) def. Yuna Mizumori & Yuria Hime (13:40):
PsyQueen (Saya Kamitani & Konami) def. Moonlight Venus (Mina Shirakawa & Waka Tsukiyama) (12:41)
NEO-GENESIS (AZM, Suzu Suzuki, Miyu Amasaki & Mei Seira) def. H.A.T.E (Natsuko Tora, Ruaka, Rina & Azusa Inaba) (12:10): Though the match itself is very good - as you would expect from the talent in the ring - it is more about the post-match angle than anything else. Having being told by AZM that they need to sort things out, Crazy Star worked a lot better during this match, which resulted in Suzu Suzuki embracing a baffled-looking Mei Seira post-match and telling her that it was just playful competition that had led to the confrontations over the past few weeks. Backstage, Suzuki doubled down on this by voicing her desires to make another run at the Goddesses of Stardom Championships with Seira. More big news was to come however, as AZM’s big announcement that she teased in Tokorozowa was that she wants to challenge Starlight Kid for the Wonder of Stardom Championship in Yokohama - a match that Kid subsequently agreed to. Not done however, AZM then name-dropped Mercedes Mone and also made it known that she had every intention of challenging for her NJPW Strong Women’s Championship.
STARDOM NIGHTER 2025 in KORAKUEN Apr.
Wednesday, April 2nd
Korakuen Hall, Tokyo
Attendance: 1,458
Attendance Note: The announced attendance inside Korakuen Hall was 1,468. Though this continues the trend of 11 of the last 12 Korakuen Hall shows to exceed 1,000 people, it is a 10.21% decrease on the previous house of 1,635 in March.
Fukigen Death def. Anne Kanaya and Fukigen Death (8:23)
H.A.T.E. (Konami, Thekla & Rina) def. EXV (HANAKO, Rian & Waka Tsukiyama) (4:50): Thekla moved her singles match challenge from Taro Okada to Maika, as expected. The two will face off when Stardom heads to Las Vegas over WrestleMania Weekend.
Hanan, Saya Iida & Yuria Hime def. Akira Kurogane, Aya Sakura & Sayaka Kurara (10:01)
STARS (Mayu Iwatani, Hazuki, Momo Kohgo & Koguma) def. God’s Eye (Syuri, Lady C, Ranna Yagami & Tomoka Inaba) (10:12): If you needed a preview for Mayu Iwatani and Syuri, they sure managed to give it to you here. These two are on another level at the top of their game, and you can tell they’re ready to show that on April 27th. The match was won by Hazuki, who got a Hazukistral three-count on Lady C. (***)
Future of Stardom Championship: Hina (c) def. Tabata (9:02): Hina is going to follow both of her sisters’ footsteps after this one. The match was a real challenge for her, facing CMLL’s Tabata with an eye on revenge after Tabata took her out of the Cinderella Tournament. These two hadn’t shown strong chemistry in their previous matchups, but it all clicked here. Tabata left it all out there, hitting a Suicide Dive and Diving Dropkick, while Hina had to get deep into her bag to make sure this belt wasn’t going anywhere. Tabata managed to kick out of the Modified Jackhammer, but Hina’s new signature Frog Splash has proven to be a winner — as it earned her the victory and her first successful defense. (***¼) Ranna Yagami stepped up as the next challenger for Hina after the match.
Maika def. Mina Shirakawa (19:39): An emotional farewell match for Mina Shirakawa that delivered on all levels. Mina’s journey in Stardom has been one to remember. Her emotions were real during the beginning and ending of this match as she closed this chapter in her life. Add in both Himeka and Natsupoi on commentary to further capture the emotional rollercoaster this match was bringing us on. It’s right to give credit to Maika in this spot, who gave Shirakawa all the shine she could and really did make it a special farewell as she heads to AEW. The match itself had all the big moments you could have — including a crazy apron Suplex from Maika to Mina as well as a long struggle Figure Four in the middle of the ring as has become a custom in Shirakawa matches. However, it was the big final kickout for Mina that stole the match, taking the Michinoku Driver II, Himeka's Running Powerbomb, and another Michinoku Driver II just to survive. The crowd roared on the kickout and cheered for Shirakawa before Maika ultimately put her away with one final arm-trapped Michinoku Driver II. (****)
NEO Genesis (Mei Seira, AZM, Miyu Amasaki & Suzu Suzuki) vs. H.A.T.E. (Saya Kamitani, Natsuko Tora, Azusa Inaba & Ruaka) ended in a No Contest (11:57): It finally happened. After months of growing dissent between Suzu Suzuki and CRAZY STAR tag team partner Mei Seira, Suzuki finally turned her back. These two have been hitting each other nonstop in tag matches, and the growing frustration from Suzuki was all the more apparent as the weeks went on. It has led to the two fighting each other on various occasions, but Suzuki tried to act as if everything was fine after the win on Sunday. Well, after a few more miscues between them in this match, Suzuki didn’t hesitate to smash Seira in the skull with a steel chair, which was given to her by Natsuko Tora. That moment was a moment of believing she’d indeed join H.A.T.E., the lone heel faction in the company, but instead, in a complete shock, Suzuki dropped Tora as well with a German Suplex and was ready to fight all comers. The breakup between Suzuki and Seira was a heartbreaking one, but a necessary one for both parties. Suzuki is now going rogue, and that’s exactly the role she should be playing moving forward. The match was good for what it was, but the turn made it memorable for months to come. (***¼)
Tam Nakano def. Saori Anou (18:35): Well, they left it all out there. Tam Nakano and Saori Anou both have their own style in their matches, and ultimately, they managed to mix them into this singles match. That can always be scary, but these two wrestlers left everything on the mat in the best ways. This match was a complete slugfest — smashing each other with devastating forearms in the early going before turning to breathtaking slaps in the latter half. In between all those strikes were suplexes, boots to the face, and anything else you’d imagine from each of these competitors. It’s the slaps, though, that I cannot let go. Nakano was destroying Anou, and she was simply taking it before unloading a Korakuen-rattling slap that had the crowd in amazement. It was still Nakano’s match for the taking, even with the slap heard around the world. Stardom’s “Twilight Dream” hit a Violet Screwdriver, which Anou survived, before finishing her off with the Twlight Dream for the win. These two had the big match they’ve been destined to have, and they left it all in the ring as Nakano’s potential retirement draws closer. (****) Unagi Sayaka being kept out of Stardom was all a lie — using Nakano’s freelance present as an excuse. Sayaka made an appearance after the match to reveal that she wanted to team with Nakano one final time this Sunday in Anjo. It’ll be two of the three original Cosmic Angels teaming with Saori Anou. Sayaka stated it would be her official graduation from Cosmic Angels.
LOOKING AHEAD…
Stardom is back on the road this Sunday as they head to Anjo for Tam Nakano’s homecoming show, STARDOM DREAM in ANJO. This very well could be Nakano’s final match in her hometown, and Stardom has made sure to make it a special main event. She will team with Saori Anou and Unagi Sayaka to face Yuna Mizumori, Aya Sakura, and Sayaka Kurara. This show will also be Mina Shirakawa’s final match in Japan as she will face the rest of EXV in a 4-on-1 bout. Fans can check out the full card here.
Thursday will be Stardom’s next show as they head to Osaka. The main event will feature the return of Starlight Kid as she teams with Tam Nakano to face off with Saya Kamitani and Ruaka in the main event. Check out the full card here.
UPCOMING SHOWS THIS WEEK
Sunday (April 6th): STARDOM DREAM in ANJO - Tosho Arena, Anjo (STARDOM WORLD LIVE)
Thursday (April 10th): STARDOM in OSAKA 2025 Apr. - Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium, Osaka (STARDOM WORLD LIVE)
MARIGOLD
NEWS
Marigold have confirmed that Bozilla will be returning to Germany following their April 12th Shin-Kiba show in order to deal with a family illness. That means that her remaining dates with the company are the 5th April in Kyoto, 6th April in Kobe and April 12th in Shin-Kiba. We wish Bozilla and her family the best at this time.
Marigold have announced the first two matches for their April 25th Korakuen Hall show. Having been confronted by MIRAI after successfully achieving her second defence of her Marigold World Championship, Utami turned down her Crimson Red Belt challenge. Instead, a tag match has now been set up between the team of MiraiSaku and Utami Hayashishita and Victoria Yuzuki with MIRAI needing to prove herself before Utami grants her the title shot. The other match confirmed was also set up at the previous Korakuen Hall show, with the Darkness Revolution team of Misa Matsui and CHIAKI set to challenge for Nanae Takahashi and Seri Yamaoka’s Twinstar Championships.
Elsewhere, Marigold have also confirmed that Rea Seto will challenge Victoria Yuzuki for the Superfly Championship, though this will not take place at the 25th April Korakuen Hall show. Instead, the title match is due to take place on 12th April during Marigold’s return to Shin-Kiba 1st RING.
RESULTS & REVIEWS
Marigold Spring Victory Series 2025 - Night 7
Sunday, March 30th
Korakuen Hall, Tokyo
Attendance: 911
Attendance Note: The announced attendance inside Korakuen Hall was 911. This is the highest Korakuen Hall attendance for Marigold since Giulia’s Arriverderci show (1,450) on August 19th 2024 – eight Korakuen Hall shows ago. The 911 people announced is a a 17.1% increase on the 778 people drawn to the last show at the venue on the 20th February. It’s the fourth-highest Marigold attendance at Korakuen of the thirteen times they have run it and is also the fourth to surpass 900 people.
Hummingbird & Riara def. Nagisa Tachibana & Ryoko Sakimura (5:39): It’s great to see both Hummingbird and Nagisa Tachibana back in a Marigold ring, even if it just in an multi-woman opener. That being said, this was a thoroughly enjoyable opener that I actually wish had gone a little longer. Tachibana in particular looked remarkably smooth after missing three months of action, and was easily the MVP of the match, even though it was her that was ultimately rolled up with the European Clutch. (***)
Rea Seto & Minami Yuki def. Selene Flora (Victoria Yuzuki & Kizuna Tanaka) (9:31): Rea Seto’s recent rapid development really does need to be studied. In a match involving two of my favourite Marigold talents in Kizuna Tanaka and Victoria Yuzuki, it’s Rea Seto that stands out in this match, utilising her rapidly expanding arsenal of submissions to great effect. It’s a little suprising that Tanaka ate the pin here - courtesy of a surprise Osui Suplex from Seto - though it made sense when Seto subsequently challenged Yuzuki for the Superfly Championship. (***1/2)
Darkness Revolution (Misa Matsui & CHIAKI) def. Natsumi Showzuki & Chika Goto (10:24): Misa Matsui and CHIAKI were not the team I thought we would get out of Darkness Revolution, but seeing how they compliment each other and work as two rather underhanded heels that are still talented wrestlers makes me realise that this is a great team to watch. It’s almost needless to say at this point, but Matsui is an incredible athlete, and her exchanges with Natsumi Showzuki and the continued feiry rivalry between them really does underpin the entire match. I’m hoping beyond hope that we get a Matsui Pure White Belt challenge sooner rather than later, because you know it is going to be an outstanding spectacle. I even enjoyed the way this match ended, securing the sneaky win when the ref’s back was tuned having utilised the chair is a great way for the new Misa Matsui to get her first pinfall victory over Natsumi Showzuki. (***1/2)
MIRAI, Miku Aono & def. Darkness Revolution (Nagisa Nozaki, Gigaton & Megaton) (13:37): Megaton and Gigaton continue their entertaining antics here, with the added humour of Nagisa Nozaki trying everything humanly possible to distance herself from the shenanigans. It was Megaton - despite securing her first ever singles win last week - who at the majority of the offence - receiving a nasty volley of kicks from Miku Aono. MIRAI, having been sprayed in the face with spray paint, clearly had had her fill of the Megaton and Gigaton act and channeled her frustration into a bruising Lariat on Gigaton to bring the match to a close. (***1/4)
Marigold United National Championship Match: Mai Sakurai (c) def. Erina Yamanaka (11:55): It was always going to be interesting to see what Erina was going to be able to do, as we hadn’t actually seen her in singles action or against Mai Sakurai in the build. However, we needn’t have worried of course as Yamanaka meshed very well with Sakurai, utilising her flexibility to get herself into some really interesting submission maneuvers. Sakurai’s run with the White Belt thus far has been with an eclectic set of opponents, and only solidifies her place as a star in the company that she has put on three very different yet three very good matches so far. If Yamanaka is going to be sticking around in Marigold, I have a feeling we could be looking at a future star as, just from a charisma and aura standpoint, she already is! (***¾)
Marigold Twinstar Championships Match: Nanae Takahashi & Seri Yamaoka (c) def. Takumi Iroha & Senka Akatsuki (25:35): Initially, this was just a normal tag team match, but with the announcement that Seri Yamaoka was to be Nanae’s partner, the match became a title match at the press conference. To the surprise of precisely no one, this was fantastic - but not for the reason that I thought it would be. Yes, Takahashi and Iroha’s exchanges were exciting, but this was all about the future of joshi wrestling in Seri Yamaoka and Senka Akatsuki, who completely me away with their frantic sequences together. Akatsuki in particular shone, channelling a ferocious sense of passion into a shoot-wrestling style of attack, testing Yamaoka to her absolute limits on a number of occasions. It is worth noting that this is Yamaoka’s first match back since returning from a concussion, and she spends the match grappling with Senka and having the life kicked out of her by Takumi Iroha; it’s quite the welcome back for the ‘Super Rookie’. To my mind, this is the best match of the year from Marigold, as we managed to focus this match around the fledgling generational rivalry between Senka and Seri and both women feel so much bigger coming out the other side; especially Senka. (****¾) Post-match, Yamaoka and an inconsolable Senka agreed to a singles match before one of the most impassioned promos I have ever seen from Takumi Iroha caused a full on brawl between the two rosters. Yes, Marigold won this battle, but you feel the war might just be beginning!
Marigold World Championship Match: Utami Hayashishita (c) def. Bozilla (19:06): I was a little concerned that the crowd might be emotionally exhausted after the previous match, but Utami and Bozilla not only quelled those fears, but managed to whip the audience into their second wind with ease, delivering a heavy-hitting back and forth. Centred around Utami’s desire to show her strength against the goliath that is Bozilla, the challenger spent most of the match bullying the champion, throwing her around the ring, hitting her with a Drill-A-Hole Piledriver on the apron, and putting her through a table with a Diving Senton. Utami - one of the best sellers in wrestling - helped sell the damage before then showcasing her own deceptive strength by hitting not only the Torture Rack Bomb, but also two consecutive Hi-Jack Bombs. It’s an incredible moment to finish the match. (****¼) Post-match, MIRAI came out to challenge Utami. However, Utami said that because of MIRAI’s loss to Bozilla at the last Korakuen, she wasn’t ready to challenge. Instead, she proposed a tag team match between herself and Victoria Yuzuki against MiraiSaku with the stipulation being that, should MIRAI win, she gets the title match at Shine Forever in May.
LOOKING AHEAD…
The Passion Countdown continues this Saturday in Kyoto as Nanae Takahashi will go head-to-head with MIRAI in a massive singles match. The main event of the show will see the United National Champion, Marigold World Champion, and Superfly Champion all team up with Chanyota to take on Darkness Revolution’s Bozilla, Nagisa Nozaki, Gigaton, and Megaton. The full card is available here.
On Sunday, Marigold heads to Kobe for their second show of the weekend. It will see Utami Hayashishita reform her tag team with Victoria Yuzuki to face the duo of MIRAI and Seri Yamaoka. This may serve as the first preview to the potential Shine Forever main event, as MIRAI wants the Marigold World Championship next. Here’s a look at the complete card.
UPCOMING SHOWS THIS WEEK
Saturday (April 5th): Marigold Spring Victory Series 2025 ~ Night 8 - KBS Hall, Kyoto (WRESTLE UNIVERSE VOD)
Sunday (April 6th): Marigold Spring Victory Series 2025 ~ Night 9 - Kobe Sambo Hall, Kobe (WRESTLE UNIVERSE VOD)
TOKYO JOSHI PRO-WRESTLING
NEWS
TJPW has announced the complete card for their upcoming TJPW Live in Las Vegas show over WrestleMania Weekend. The biggest addition to the card will see Yuki Arai go one-on-one with Arisu Endo. The remainder of the card also features all three TJPW championships being on the line as well as Masha Slamovich facing off with Miu Watanabe. Interested fans can check out the full card here.
RESULTS
TJPW Yuki Arai Final Two Way Performance ~ Go for the Victory!! ~
Saturday, March 29th 2025
Chunichi Hall, Aichi
Attendance: 536
Haruna Neko, Mahiro Kiryu & Suzume def. Ivy Steele, Kaya Toribami & Yuki Aino (9:44)
Pom Harajuku def. Arisu Endo and Chika Nanase (8:34)
Maki Itoh def. Yoshiko Hasegawa (6:33)
Kyoraku Kyomei (Hyper Misao & Shoko Nakajima) def. Kira Summer & Yuki Kamifuku (8:48)
Yuki Arai, Miu Watanabe, Raku, Shino Suzuki & Uta Takami def. Haru Kazashiro, HIMAWARI, Mifu Ashida, Toga & Wakana Uehara (13:07)
Miyu Yamashita & Moka Miyamoto def. Mizuki & Rika Tatsumi (13:37)
TJPW Yuki Arai SKE48 Graduation LIVE ~ Go For The Dream !! ~
Sunday, March 30th 2025
Chunichi Hall, Aichi
Attendance: 490
Yuki Arai, Haruna Neko & Moka Miyamoto def. Arisu Endo, Suzume & Shino Suzuki (8:30)
Raku def. Hyper Misao, Mahiro Kiryu, Miyu Yamashita, Pom Harajuku and Yuki Kamifuku in a Yuki Arai Battle Royal (9:10)
Maki Itoh, Miu Watanabe & Yuki Aino vs. Mizuki, Rika Tatsumi & Shoko Nakajima ended in a Time-Limit Draw (15:00)
LOOKING AHEAD…
TJPW will keep things busy this weekend as they bring their Spring Tour to Hiroshima and Fukuoka on Saturday and Sunday. Saturday’s main event will feature Mizuki teaming up with Wakana Uehara to face Maki Itoh and Shino Suzuki. The semi-main event will be a singles bout between Miyu Yamashita and Yoshiko Hasegawa, who is working towards her retirement later this year. Check out the complete card.
Fukuoka will get a treat Sunday as Aja Kong competes in the semi-main event, teaming up with Princess of Princess Champion Mizuki. The main event is set to be a trios match, pitting Miyu Yamashita, Yuki Aino, and Haru Kazashiro against Maki Itoh, Yuki Kamifuku, and Wakana Uehara. The full card can be found here.
UPCOMING SHOWS THIS WEEK
Saturday (April 5th): TJPW SPRING TOUR 2025 IN HIROSHIMA - Hiroshima Industrial Hall, Hiroshima (WRESTLE UNIVERSE VOD)
Sunday (April 6th): TJPW SPRING TOUR 2025 IN FUKUOKA - ACROS Fukuoka, Fukuoka (WRESTLE UNIVERSE VOD)
SENDAI GIRLS
RESULTS & REVIEWS
Sendai Girls
Thursday, April 3rd 2025
Shinjuku FACE, Tokyo
Attendance: Not Reported
Yurika Oka def. YUNA (8:22)
ZONES def. Shin Sakura Hirota (12:14)
DASH Chisako, Ryo Mizunami & VENY def. Mika Iwata, Miyuki Takase & Yura Suzuki (13:37)
Team 200kg (Chihiro Hashimoto & Yuu) def. Aya Sakura & Manami (14:00): Stardom’s Maika appeared after the match to challenge Hashimoto to a match at ALL STAR GRAND QUEENDOM 2025 on April 27th. They’ll meet for the Sendai Girls World Championship at the show. Things got heated between the two before being broken apart.
Minoru Suzuki def. Meiko Satomura (25:06)
T-HEARTS
NEWS
At the T-HEARTS 5th Anniversary event this past Sunday, Shaa was revealed to have changed her name to Sayaka Toyota as she made her entrance for the main event, officially connecting her to her family roots. She is the niece of the Joshi legend and all-time wrestling great Manami Toyota. It’s a major name change that should have all Joshi fans taking notice. It should position Toyota for big things in the future, which she’s been showing in her recent matches that she is prepared for.
RESULTS & REVIEWS
T-HEARTS 5th Anniversary
Sunday, March 30th 2025
Shinjuku FACE, Tokyo
Attendance: Not Reported
Honori Hana vs. Misa Kagura ended in a Time-Limit Draw (15:00): Quietly, Honori Hana and Misa Kagura are becoming rivals. It all started back at SEAdLINNNG’s show in January when Kagura defeated Hana in a hard-fought, back-and-forth battle. Fast forward to this show, and they are going one-on-one once again. This time, there wasn’t a winner, but there was plenty of struggle between the two young competitors. It started off hot with some slaps and animosity before eventually turning to Hana surviving the match against Kagura this time, which is important for her overall growth. A fine opener here to set the tone for the rest of the show. (***)
NØRI def. Miria Kouga (9:03): NØRI should be on as many shows as possible, so credit goes to Yumiko Hotta for giving us this one. Ever since Marigold’s DREAM STAR GP, NØRI has become a favorite for many Joshi fans, and understandably so. Her uniqueness in the ring mostly comes from her assortment of kicks that leave you amazed — showing off a crafty style that makes her different from anyone else. Mix that with SEAdLINNNG’s top rookie in Miria Kouga to make for a matchup that truly clicks. Kouga doesn’t get enough mention when it comes to the young class of talent in Joshi, but she should because of her makeup, as she displayed in this match. NØRI got the win with a Running Enziguri, taking off Kouga’s head with success. If there’s someone that needs to be getting more spots on the scene right now, it is, in fact, LLPW-X’s NØRI. Another strong showing after months of limited action. (***¼)
YuuRI def. Chi Chi (11:35): The first three matches perfectly showcased the Joshi scene and its surging competitors. Putting together YuuRI and Chi Chi for this matchup felt like an ideal face-off, especially considering their strengths. These two packed the match with kicks and, frankly, boots to the face that would have you on the edge of your seat. Chi Chi has been understandably getting tons of praise thrown her way over the last six months, but YuuRI deserves plenty of praise in her own right. YuuRI got the win with a Swanton Bomb onto Chi Chi, just seconds after she planted Joshi’s Barbie Girl with an Electric Chair Driver — which she somehow managed to kick out of. (***¼)
Aja Kong & Tam Nakano def. Kaori Ito & Natsupoi and Saori Anou & Yumiko Hotta (3:46): Read the time and be as shocked as anyone. It was all building to a restart where the Cosmic Angels would come together as a team, but these three minutes of action were fun while they lasted, with each one of them teaming with a legend. Kong took out Natsupoi with her signature Uraken for the rather shocking quick win.
Cosmic Angels (Natsupoi, Saori Anou & Tam Nakano) def. Aja Kong, Kaoru Ito & Yumiko Hotta (16:34): The impromptu match ended up reaching the levels you hoped from the original matchup, especially with the Cosmic Angels trio really doing all they could to bring it from start to finish. While Ito, Hotta, and Kong are all limited at this point in their careers, there’s an argument to be had that they still went above and beyond to shine in this trios match. The match was broken down into Yumiko Hotta and Saori Anou, days after Anou expressed her need to pin Hotta — who she was initially teaming with. Hotta hit Anou for a High-Angle Powerbomb, but Tam Nakano managed to save Anou and the match itself, eventually leading to the finish. Anou managed to sneak away with the win when Aja Kong accidentally smashed Hotta with a Uraken, allowing Anou to pin her with Pottering. This match was a fun mix of past and present, with the right team winning in the end. (***½)
Sayaka Toyota, DASH Chisako & VENY def. Miku Kanae, Chihiro Hashimoto & Sareee (16:23): It’s crazy what happens when you put four of the best in the world in the ring while adding two of the best up-and-comers in Joshi. Okay, not that crazy. Because this match was ultimately tremendous. The difference between the steady main eventers today and an older guard who still refuses to lose is that they know how to make these wrestlers shine. And what we saw in this match was DASH, VENY, Hash, and Sareee allowing Miku Kanae and the newly-named Sayaka Toyota to get their necessary moments in the spotlight. Kanae especially, who isn’t nabbing wins but has become one of the most thrilling young stars in Joshi since joining T-HEARTS last year. Her performance at both the beginning and end of this match were standouts — but so was Toyota, who is taking on the daunting task of taking her aunt’s name. Toyota got the chance to share the ring with Sareee and instead of backing down, she did everything she could to bring it. Hell, she even brought out Manami’s signature Diving Dropkick, which was picture-perfect. It shouldn’t come as a shock either that when the veterans of this match locked up, it was as good as you’d expect from them. While it was DASH Chisako who pinned Miku Kanae in the end with her signature Hormone Splash, it was all the more impressive that it had to follow two diving foot stomps that Kanae managed to survive. A tremendous match from all six competitors that continues to show that Joshi wrestling inside Shinjuku FACE is undefeated! (****¼)
OTHER JOSHI
Evolution: Evolution announced this week that their top star Chi Chi will be out with an injury. The injury was described as a compression fracture of the thoracic vertebrae. In Chi Chi’s first comment following the injury, she plans to use the time to recharge her batteries and return. We are wishing the absolute best for Chi Chi in her recovery at this time. As a result, Stardom’s Aya Sakura filled in for Chi Chi in her scheduled match with Sendai Girls on Thursday.
Marvelous: Magenta failed to win the AAAW Tag Team Championships at the OZ Academy show this past Sunday, coming up short against champions Ryo Mizunami and Sonoko Kato — who earned their first successful defense of the reign with the victory.
On top of the already-announced matches for their Las Vegas show, Marvelous have confirmed that rookie Sora Ayame will take on AEW’s Nyla Rose in a first-time ever singles match. Marvelous’ show will take place on Thursday 17th April at 11pm PT.
Ice Ribbon: Ice Ribbon was back at Korakuen Hall last Saturday for Ice Ribbon March 2025. The show had an attendance of 263 fans. Here are the results. 1. Rina Amikura def. Mase Hiiro (9:54) 2. Ancham, Drake Morimatsu & Yappy def. Kiku, Misa Kagura & Mizuki Kato (10:51) 3. YuuRI def. Kyuri (10:13) 4. Kirari Wakana & Miku Kanae def. Arisa Shinose & Big Haruka (10:53) 5. Hamuko Hoshi, Hanako Nakamori & Makoto def. Nanae Takahashi, Totoro Satsuki & Yuna Manase (11:48) 6. ICExInfinity Championship: Manami Katsu (c) def. Ibuki Hoshi (15:43)
WAVE: April kicked off with Pro Wrestling WAVE back at Shinjuku FACE with three big matches scheduled, including the latest defense for Saya Kamitani and the Regina di Wave Championship. Here are the results. 1. Cherry, Kaori Yoneyama & Yumi Ohka def. Grizzly Fujitaki, Mizuki Kato & ZONES (15:11) 2. Kohaku & Rina Amikura defedef. at Itsuki Aoki & Kakeru Sekiguchi and Risa Sera & SAKI (15:01) 3. WAVE Tag Team Championship: SPiCEAP (Maika Ozaki & Tae Honma) def. Yuki Miyazaki & Yuko Sakurai (c) to become the new champions (18:03): After the match, Tae Honma revealed that she will be retiring from pro wrestling on October 13th of this year. 4. Shin Sakura Hirota def. Meiko Satomura (0:04) 5. Shin Sakura Hirota def. Meiko Satomura (0:07) 6. Meiko Satomura def. Shin Sakura Hirota (15:02) 7. Regina di Wave Championship: Saya Kamitani (c) def. Honoka (22:00): Shin Sakura Hirota confirmed the expected, as the match between her and Kamitani this Saturday in Kariya will now be for the Regina di Wave Championship. Stardom’s Tam Nakano will also compete on the show, facing off with Yuki Miyazaki.
JOSHI OUT & ABOUT
WWE: WWE took another step towards confirming the Triple Threat for the WWE World Women’s Championship between IYO SKY, Rhea Ripley and Bianca Belair this past Monday Night. The scheduled championship match between SKY and Ripley ended in a no-contest when referee Bianca Belair threw the match out, having being hit by both competitors at different points during the match. As a result, SKY retained the belt, and Ripley cut a furious promo backstage warning a reckoning coming to both SKY and Belair.
CONTRIBUTOR’S MATCH OF THE WEEK
Scott: In a year where it feels as though so many legends are retiring from wrestling, it seems as though Joshi has continuously been blessed with new talent month after month. And perhaps there are no rookies in the world of wrestling right now better than Marigold super rookie Seri Yamaoka and Marvelous super rookie Senka Akatsuki. So, when they finally got the chance to face off in a match that also had their top-of-the-line veterans next to them via Nanae Takahashi and Takumi Iroha, you had to know that the match would be special. It’s almost unfair how good these two are, especially because Akatsuki is kept to the basics but still performing at a main-event level. That’s the Zenjo way, and yet she stands out with her overall game that allows her to use her power and energy to shine. It’s a bit different for Yamaoka, who has had the spotlight placed directly on her since match No. 1, and she has done everything in her power to deliver. This match was terrific because of the different ways these two are taught, because combining that in the ring made for some of the most exciting moments in all of wrestling this year. It was Akatsuki who controlled the pacing, and it was Yamaoka who needed to find her way to survive to win the match. There was never a reason for this to be decided by Takahashi or Iroha — we know what they’re capable of and, after all, one of them is retiring soon. Instead, Marigold and Marvelous have set up their two super rookies to be the next great rivalry, and you could feel it with how truly special this match ended up being — with them being the main reasons. When Yamaoka hit her signature German Suplex seeming out of nowhere after surviving Akatsuki’s sprawling pins, it was the first sign in this hopeful forever rivalry that these two are equals, no matter what the win-loss says. Let these two fight forever. A truly fantastic match that proves that no matter who retires in the next month or two, Joshi is in great hands with these two at the forefront of the future. This very well may be the best match in Marigold this year. (****¼)
Rob: Goodness gracious me take a bow Senka Akatsuki! Heading into this match, I knew criminally little of the Marvelous rookie and it was the excitment about another exchange between Takumi Iroha and Nanae Takahashi that served to intrigue me most. Coming out of it however, all the talk - and rightly so - was on Akatsuki as she grabbed the opportunity roughly with both hands and attempted to shoot pin it. In all seriousness, it was a performance that completely belied her relative in-ring inexperience, not only going toe-to-toe with Yamaoka in a shoot-wrestling context, but also then stood tall against Nanae Takahashi. Such was the ferocity with which Senka attacked this match, we saw Seri Yamaoka - who’s looked enviably comfortable since her own debut in Janauary - not only on the back foot, but also legitimately looking like she was struggling to match the passion and intensity from Akatsuki. Couple that with the ferocious beating she received at the hands of Takumi Iroha and it was a hard-fought and pugnaciously dogged back-foot performance from the ‘super-rookie’. Takahashi and Iroha’s highly-anticipated exchanges were predictably fantastic, but suddenly, I just wanted to see more of the two rookies - and therein lies the beauty of this match. Completely subverting my expectations and building what Marigold and Marvelous are wisely positioning as a ‘generational rivalry’ of sorts, Senka and Seri really did utilise every second of their time in the ring and forced people to talk about them rather than the soon-retiring joshi legend in Nanae Takahashi; quite the achievement I’m sure you’ll agree. I have may have known criminally little of Akatsuki heading into this match, but I am going to make it my mission to actively seek out more of her in future and look forward to being their live to see her do battle with Aja Kong in the US! (****¾)
ON THIS DAY IN JOSHI (APRIL 4TH)
Bea Priestley vs. Utami Hayashishita - Stardom Yokohama Dream Cinderella 2021 in Spring (04/04/2021)
Following her Red Belt title defence at Stardom’s Budokan Hall show, Utami was challenged by Oedo Tai’s Bea Priestley. The pair had significant history having both been in Queen’s Quest before the latter’s defection to the dark side of Oedo Tai back in 2020. After not main-eventing with the top prize in Budokan against Saya Kamitani, it was announced that Utami would also not be in the main event of the Yokohama Budokan show, with her and Bea’s title match being bumped to the semi-main event in favour of the all-Donna Del Mondo affair for the Goddesses of Stardom titles. With a true chip on her shoulder and the incessant taunting of Priestley towards her and faction-leader Momo Watanabe in her ears, Utami turned out to Yokohama with a point to prove!
The match itself was fantastic, and for the second Utami title match in a row completely surpassed my expectations. It perhaps wasn’t as pretty as the Kamitani defence back in March, but it hit in a completely different way. It started slowly, but escalated into a brutal exchange that resulted in an outstanding closing stretch, capped off with one of the most outstanding near falls of the year!
Post-match, Bea turned face, bringing Momo Watanabe into the ring in order to tell her that she in fact doesn’t ‘shoppai’ but is in fact her best friend, also stating that Utami is no longer a little girl but strong. She then dropped the bomb that this was in fact her final match for Stardom and would be leaving Japan. By this point both Momo and Utami were in floods of tears, and the emotion in the arena was palpable. This perhaps explains why this wasn’t the main event; you don’t want your PPV ending on this sad note. Certainly an outstanding match for Bea to leave the company on and though she didn’t quite find the success in the US she was hoping for, her recent release opens the door for another run in Japan - which is very exciting indeed!
JOSHI CALENDAR FOR 03/04 TO 04/10
HOW TO WATCH
AWG - Actwres girl’Z Online - $6.65 a month
ChocoPro - ChocoPro YouTube Channel - Free, donations accepted.
Diana - EveryDiana - $6.58 a month
Dream Star Fighting Marigold - WRESTLE UNIVERSE - $8.66 a month through website/$8.37 a month through the app
Ice Ribbon - YouTube Membership - $9.99 a month (bigger shows not included)
Marvelous - Zaiko - PPV Price Per Show
OZ Academy - Zaiko - PPV Price Per Show
PURE-J - YouTube Membership - $9.99 a month
SEAdLINNNG - SEAdLINNNG Movie + - $6.66 a month
Sendai Girls - WRESTLE UNIVERSE - $8.66 a month through website/$8.37 a month through the app
Stardom - Stardom World - $6.14 a month
TJPW - WRESTLE UNIVERSE - $8.66 a month through website/$8.67 a month through the app
WAVE - YouTube Membership - $7.99 a month