Joshi Informer Newsletter February 28, 2025: Stardom Path of Thunder 2025 Review, Loser Leaves Stardom Match Announced, Diana Win Landmark Lawsuit, Meiko Satomura Confirmed for TJPW Grand Princess ‘25
Welcome everyone to the February 28th edition of The Joshi Informer newsletter, and the fourth instalment overall. Covered this week is Stardom’s Path of Thunder PPV including the first ever five star match to be officially given by us, a Loser Leaves Stardom match announcement for the 3/3 Korakuen Hall show, announcements for TJPW Grand Princess ‘25, words from Sareee from her interview with Fightful, Diana’s landmark victory in court, results from Marvelous, Ice Ribbon, Marigold and so much more from the world of joshi!
This week, we’ve also added in links to the streaming services for each of the joshi promotions we cover to better help readers to find the wrestling they want to watch. If there are any others you would like us to add in future issues, please let us know either by emailing us at thejoshiinformer@gmail.com or by leaving a comment.
In this week's newsletter:
Stardom: Stardom held their Path of Thunder 2025 pay-per-view as the three sisters stepped into massive championship matches and Sayaka Kurara’s fate was officially settled, but with a Loser Leaves Stardom match on the horizon, the fates of Saya Kamitani and Tam Nakano are anything but.
Marigold: The New Year Golden Garden tour wraps up, Nanae Takahashi’s ‘Passion Countdown’ begins and Nao Ishikawa is ‘kidnapped’ by Darkness Revolution.
Tokyo Joshi Pro-Wrestling: Meiko Satomura and Aja Kong are announced as TJPW confirms the full card for March 15th’s Grand Princess ‘25 show.
Other Joshi: Diana win a case in court against a defendant taking and sharing pictures emphasising intimate parts of wrestler’s bodies and then distributing them over social media.
👇 🎧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 familiarised with some of the world’s best wrestling!
STARDOM
NEWS
Hazuki and Koguma will be making their first ever appearance in Ganbare Pro as they team with Yuna Manase to take on YuuRI, Ami Manase and Moeka Haruhi. Yuna, Hazuki and Koguma were all part of Stardom’s 5th Generation Rookie Class and have remained close since, Manase and Koguma even present at Hazuki retirement show at Year-End Climax 2019. MAD MAX 2025 is due to take place at Korakuen Hall on April 11th, airing on WRESTLE UNIVERSE.
Saya Iida is the latest Stardom name announced for Barb Sasaki’s 25th Anniversary show CRAZY FEST. She joins the likes of Mayu Iwatani, Starlight Kid, Hazuki and Suzu Suzuki as Stardom participation on the card. The show will air live from Korakuen Hall on March 10th on NJPW World.
RESULTS & REVIEWS
Stardom in Sendai 2025
Saturday, February 22nd 2025
Miyagi Yume Messe Miyagi
Attendance: 336
Attendance Note: The announced attendance inside Dream Messe Miyagi West Building Hall in Sendai was 336. This is the first time Stardom have run the venue, with only AJPW running it since 2019 – running two shows in the main exhibition hall for the Real World Tag League and Champion Carnival tours in 2024.
Momo Kohgo def. Akira Kurogane (7:16)
Yuna Mizumori def. Fukigen Death, Rian, and Ranna Yagami (5:56)
STARS (Mayu Iwatani, Hazuki & Koguma) def. Saki Kashima, Lady C & Yuria Hime (14:03)
God’s Eye (Maika, HANAKO & Waka Tsukiyama) def. Cosmic Angels (Aya Sakura, Natsupoi & Saori Anou) (14:11): After the match, Sendai Girls’ Chihiro Hashimoto appeared to continue her budding rivalry with Maika. Natsupoi, who had faced Hashimoto in a singles match in 2023 and her return tag team match in 2024, also took interest. It was made official that Maika and Natsupoi would head to the Sendai Girls show at Sendai PIT on March 1st, teaming up to face Hashimoto and Manami.
H.A.T.E. (Momo Watanabe, Konami, Saya Kamitani & Natsuko Tora) def. Tam Nakano, Sayaka Kurara, Syuri & Kiyoka Kotatsu (13:04): In a near rematch from last weekend’s Takasaki show, H.A.T.E. got the upperhand this time as Momo Watanabe returned from her trip to Australia and proved to be the difference maker. The rivalry between Tam Nakano and Saya Kamitani has not slowed down — as they remained the focus of this tag team matchup for much of the match itself. And with just two days to go until Sayaka Kurara’s fate was decided, she continued to fight like hell against H.A.T.E. with everything she had. Kurara managed to shock Watanabe in the closing minutes with a Spear, but the numbers of H.A.T.E. were too much. As Natsuko Tora and Kamitani gave a glimpse of what may be coming on Monday to take her out, setting up Watanabe for a B-Driver that’d capture the victory. (***¼)
NEO Genesis (Starlight Kid, AZM, Suzu Suzuki, Mei Seira & Miyu Amasaki) def. Rina, Ruaka, Hanan, Saya Iida & Hina (13:09): A preview match featuring all of NEO Genesis, the three sisters, and the return of Saya Iida? That’s going to be a hit every single time — which this was. The match packed a punch with an impressive pace for all 13 minutes of the bout, giving you mini previews for all three title matches at Path of Thunder 2025. Each pairing was exciting, from Hanan and Mei Seira renewing their rivalry to the two who don’t compete in title matches (AZM and Ruaka) also bringing it. Nothing, however, topped the closing stretch between Suzu Suzuki and Saya Iida, as they left it all out there and it showed that either team can win seemingly out of nowhere at Path of Thunder. Suzuki caught Iida with a Tequila Shot for the (seemingly) shock win. One of the best house show matches from Stardom this year and it will be tough to beat moving forward. Truly everything you need to get excited for the PPV. (***¾)
Stardom Path of Thunder 2025
Monday, February 24th 2025
Tochigi Light Cube, Utsunomiya
Attendance: 896
Attendance Note: The announced attendance inside Light Cube Utsonomiya was 896, which was advertised as a sellout. This is Stardom’s highest at the venue, 388 people more than their previous best (508 on night 3 of the 5Star Grand Prix 2024) and a whopping 76% increase. This is also the third highest-ever attendance at the venue since its opening in 2022, roughly 100 people less than New Japan’s two forays into it.
Mayu Iwatani def. Yuria Hime (9:26): There’s no one better at wrestling rookies than Mayu Iwatani. She always knows what to give to the rookie and how to make the best of the match. This was exactly that, as Yuria Hime had the best showing of her young career against “The Icon.” The match wasn’t complicated — a lot of it was Iwatani taking care of business and making Hime earn her spot. But with the hometown support, the crowd was up for Hime any time she showed signs of life, which Iwatani embraced by playing heel a bit. The spot of the match was when Iwatani hit a Frog Splash, signalling a finish that was instead a perfect near fall for Hime that had the crowd roar. “The Icon” ultimately had to go to her usual rookie killer — the Wheelbarrow Dragon Sleeper, forcing Hime to tap. What you want from an opener like this! (***¼)
God’s Eye (Lady C, Saki Kashima, Ranna Yagami & Tomoka Inaba) def. Cosmic Angels (Saori Anou, Natsupoi, Yuna Mizumori & Aya Sakura) (9:04): The momentum for Lady C continues heading into her eventual Artist of Stardom Championship challenge as she managed to pin Yuna Mizumori to get the win for her team. (***)
AZM def. Akira Kurogane, Fukigen Death, and Waka Tsukiyama (6:14): With the Cinderella Tournament around the corner, wins should start piling up for AZM as one of this year’s tournament favorites. It started here with an Azumi Sushi on Akira Kurogane. Worth noting that Kurogane shined in this match a bit as well. Making the simple strides, much like you saw out of Hime in the opener. (**¾)
EXV (Maika, HANAKO & Rian) def. H.A.T.E. (Momo Watanabe, Thekla & Ruaka) and STARS (Momo Kohgo, Hazuki & Koguma) (11:25): Maika won the match when Momo Watanabe accidentally hit Thekla with the baseball bat, allowing Maika to plant Thekla with a Michinoku Driver II for the win. This was yet another miscue between the former Goddesses of Stardom Champions. (**¾)
Konami & Azusa Inaba def. Syuri & Kiyoka Kotatsu (10:15): Azusa Inaba was the standout in this match as she often is, but mark it as another good performance from Kiyoka Kotatsu — who has become a centerpiece for the story between Syuri and Konami. Konami won the match by taking out Kotatsu, locking on the Triangle Lancer, and making her tap. It’s worth noting that she held on for long after the bell, and Kotatsu already had her arm taped up, which is something to follow moving forward. This match was a strong middle-of-the-card bout. (***¼)
Tam Nakano & Sayaka Kurara def. Saya Kamitani & Natsuko Tora (14:53): There’s a lot to digest from this match — and most of it is due to the closing stretch and post-match of it all. For the most part, this was a pretty regular tag match that didn’t fully capture the drama of what was at stake until the last five minutes. It was within those last five minutes that Saya Kamitani and Tam Nakano took charge, while there was continuous disconnect and miscues between Nakano and Kurara. The biggest blunder was when Kurara went for a Diving Dropkick, hitting Nakano by accident and sending her into sadness. As Kamitani and Tora looked to close in on the win, Kurara just sat there. It didn’t make much sense as Kamitani closed in on the win by hitting the Star Crusher on Nakano. Perhaps it was Kurara accepting fate, but it was odd as she could have stopped it had she tried. Anyway, Nakano’s kick-out led to Kurara having to make her decision in which she speared Kamitani, setting Nakano up for the chance to hit the Violet Screwdriver and win the match by pinning the World of Stardom Champion. (***) With the win, Nakano had the chance to request anything she wanted. Her decision? Not a World of Stardom Championship match as we all expected. Instead, she requested that she and Saya Kamitani meet one week from Path of Thunder in the main event of Korakuen Hall in a Loser Leaves Stardom match. It was the one time all show that the Utsunomiya went completely silent and everyone else worldwide was as confused as ever. Kamitani accepted the challenge, however, and it will happen at the Korakuen show. “The Phenex Queen” has gone as far as to request that there will be no time limit so there’s a definitive winner and loser. No matter what the result is, it will be the follow-up for the loser that may be the biggest story of the year in Joshi.
Future of Stardom Championship: Hina def. Miyu Amasaki (c) to become the new champion (13:40): It was a long time in the making, but Hina has officially joined her sisters Hanan and Rina as a Future of Stardom Champion. The victory for Hina was expected with Miyu Amasaki having to drop the championship in March due to the three-year rule that the belt carries, but it was still a great moment for the new champion in her hometown. The match itself was another really good defense for Amasaki, who continuously shined whether she was challenging or defending with the Future Belt on the line. Hina was unable to win with her modified Jackhammer, forcing her to introduce a Split-Legged Frog Splash to earn the win. There’s no doubt that this was the best match to this point and a career-best singles performance for Hina. (***½)
Goddesses of Stardom Championship: wing*gori (Hanan & Saya Iida) (c) def. CRAZY STAR (Suzu Suzuki & Saya Iida) (17:12): For the first half of 2024, tag team wrestling was the best part of Stardom. Sadly, it mostly took a backseat for much of the second half as the Goddesses of Stardom Titles were mostly out of order with Momo Watanabe and Thekla holding them. Well, once wing*gori won the championships, it felt like we could get back to that incredible run of tag team wrestling in Stardom and that’s exactly where we’re at. Their first defense came right here against CRAZY STAR, and it was, as far as I’m concerned, the best tag team match of the year to this point. Everything you can ask for from these two teams — allowing Hanan and Mei Seira to finally compete against one another in a big match while heating up something special between Suzu Suzuki and Saya Iida. The pacing of this match was nonstop and everything they hit felt memorable, impactful, and important. Iida’s few weeks away really made you notice how much she adds to every Stardom show, so her performance here was especially awesome. Hanan won the match by hitting Mei Seira with the Backdrop Driver, but this is one you’re going to want to watch yourself to appreciate how great it was. Another top-tier match from Stardom this year and arguably the best tag match in all of wrestling through February. (****½)
Wonder of Stardom Championship: Starlight Kid (c) def. Rina (23:31): Rina has always had all the potential in the world. And when she’d get the opportunity, everyone believed Rina would rise to the occasion. So heading into her first Wonder of Stardom Championship match against champion Starlight Kid, the bar had to be set at trying to reach what her sister Hanan did in her first Wonder of Stardom Title match a year ago. She not only reached that bar but exceeded it and then some at just 18 years old. “The Pink Devil” made it clear who she was trying to win this championship for — Hana Kimura. The opening VTR set the scene for everyone at home, but Rina brought every emotion out of fans in the building and worldwide when she had the same light-up sword that Kimura used to carry in her entrance. Add in the factor of her wrestling in her hometown for her first challenge and everything aligned for this to be great. It was the performances of both Starlight Kid and Rina, however, that brought this from great to truly special. With the hometown crowd on her side, it was a unique situation where Stardom’s best heel was the babyface. And not only the babyface but getting the loudest chants of anyone all night long. The Utsunomiya crowd believed in Rina, and she gave them all the reason to believe even more. As a result, SLK took over the heel role for much of the match — continuously attacking the leg of Rina to prepare her for the Black Tiger Leg Killer. But Rina had the fighting spirit from start to finish, pulling at the emotional heartstrings with how much she resembled Hana in the way she wrestled the big match but with her own spin on it. And when she went for the Tiger Lily… it was everything. Just everything. And while she was unable to hit it this time, it perfectly set the scene for when she will finally hit that move because when she does, she will become champion. Rina tried to survive the punishment that Kid had handed out to her leg all match, but being caught in the Black Tiger Leg Killer for a second time was enough to make her tap — ending one of the all-time great Wonder of Stardom Championship matches. If you watch pro wrestling, it’s for matches like these. The emotional roller coaster that Rina put us on will be something that doesn’t stop in her career. It’s just the beginning of what should be many years of being a superstar in this business. And for Starlight Kid, she continues to prove she might be Stardom’s MVP when 2025 is all said and done. A sensational match that should be atop anyone’s Match of the Year list — especially if you know the background and story heading into this match for Rina dating back to the 2019 Stardom draft. Joshi wrestling at its very best. (*****) In the backstage interview, Konami presented herself to Starlight Kid. She will likely be the next challenger for Kid, possibly as soon as the Cinderella Tournament Finals at Ota Ward Gymnasium on March 15th.
LOOKING AHEAD…
Stardom are in Belle Salle Shibuya First in Tokyo for the 19th instalment of the NEW BLOOD SERIES on Saturday the 1st March. The show sees a one-night tournament to crown the new number one contenders for the NEW BLOOD Tag Team Championships - belts that current champions Rice or Bread will defend in the main event against Nanami and Himiko. The teams announced for the tournament are Sakuradamon (Aya Sakura and Yuna Mizumori), Hina and Ranna Yagami, Rian and Kaori Yoneyama and the rookie team of Akira Kurogane and Yuria Hime. Check out the full card here.
On Sunday the 2nd March, Stardom return to TKP Garden City in Chiba. In the main event, the NEO-GENESIS trio of Starlight Kid, Miyu Amasaki and Suzu Suzuki face a H.A.T.E team headed up by Konami - who appears to be the next challenger for Kid’s White Belt, and the STARS team of Mayu Iwatani, Hanan and Saya Iida face the Cosmic Angels trio of Natsupoi, Saori Anou and Sayaka Kurura. Elsewhere, CMLL’s Lluvia and Tabata make their debuts alongside AZM against the EXV team of HANAKO, Waka Tsukiyama. The full card for the show in Chiba can be found here.
Stardom have now announced the full card for their next Korakuen Hall show – an evening show on Monday March 3rd – with the show having already sold out off the back of two title matches and the buzz surrounding the announced loser leaves Stardom match. In what will undoubtedly be the main event, World of Stardom Champion Saya Kamitani will take on Tam Nakano is an unprecedented loser leaves Stardom match. Following victory at the Path of Thunder PPV seeing Tam successfully defend Sayaka Kurura, the stakes have been upped significantly just over a month away from the Yokohama Arena show on 27th April – a show Stardom want to sell 10,000 tickets to. Elsewhere, Mei Seira makes the fifth defence of her High-Speed title against Fukigen Death, and NEO-GENESIS defend their Artist of Stardom belts for the first time against the God’s Eye team of Lady C, Tomoka Inaba and Ranna Yagami. The full card can be seen here.
UPCOMING SHOWS THIS WEEK
Saturday (March 1st): Stardom NEW BLOOD 19 - Bellesalle Shibuya First, Tokyo (YouTube LIVE)
Sunday (March 2nd): Stardom in Chiba 2025 - TKP Garden City Chiba, Chiba (Stardom World TBA)
Monday (March 3rd): Stardom NIGHTER 2025 in KORAKUEN March - Korakuen Hall, Tokyo (Stardom World LIVE)
MARIGOLD
NEWS
Marigold announced on Sunday that one-half of the TwinStar Champions and “Super Rookie” Seri Yamaoka was diagnosed with a mild concussion. As a result, she will be absent for a while. We wish Yamaoka the best and a speedy recovery.
RESULTS & REVIEWS
Marigold New Years Golden Garden 2025 - Night 11
Saturday, February 22nd 2025
Osaka 176BOX, Osaka
Attendance: 318
Attendance Note: The announced attendance inside the 176BOX in Osaka was 318. This is the sixth time Marigold has run the venue, with this being a 3-person increase on their previous show at 176BOX (315 on January 11th, 2025). Though an upward trend, the attendance is still below the 354 Marigold currently average at the venue.
Flying Penguin def. Ryoko Sakimura (4:59)
Mai Sakurai def. Riara (8:00): Riara said in her backstage comments that she wants to become Mai Sakurai’s apprentice.
Seri Yamaoka def. Rea Seto (8:08): The first singles match for Seri Yamaoka since her pro wrestling debut was certainly going to have eyes on it. She’d face Rea Seto in a match that ended up being just what you’d hope for out of these two competitors. Both wrestlers are making strides and it’s noticeable. Seto has taken her match against Nanae Takahashi and is starting to add more to her repertoire. Yamaoka is the most fascinating wrestler to see in singles right now for Marigold because she continues to shine in her tag team matches, but any singles will allow us to see where she’s at on her own. The answer is that she’s progressing in her work and is fitting into the “Super Rookie” nickname. These two had a fun, competitive bout that ended in Yamaoka pinning Seto with the Aoki Clutch. (***¼)
Bozilla & Megaton def. Utami Hayashishita & Nao Ishikawa (8:54)
Miku Aono & Natsumi Showzuki vs. Darkness Revolution (CHIAKI & Misa Matsui) ended in a time-limit draw (15:00): The era of Darkness Revolution is here and it looks like they’ll be the new dominant force of Marigold until further notice. This match proved it as it went to the full 15-minute time limit with the duo of Miku Aono and Natsumi Showzuki unable to takedown CHIAKI and Misa Matsui. With Nagisa Nozaki not around, most of the interest was seeing CHIAKI and Matsui work together. In each match this group has, it does feel like Matsui is going to be the big breakout star in the end. And if that is the case, she should start getting some victories for Darkness Revolution moving forward. (***)
MIRAI & Victoria Yuzuki def. Chika Goto & Yuuki Minami (16:00): The surprise main event of this show saw Yuuki Minami try and step up against both Victoria Yuzuki and MIRAI… at least that’s what the match ended up feeling like. Chika Goto was there for support, but it’s clear Marigold sees plenty in Minami, which is allowing her to figure things out in the biggest spots. It was down to her and MIRAI in the closing stretch and while it would have been nice to have a breakout performance, it still feels the Marigold Rookie of the Year is missing something thus far. MIRAI won the match by making Minami tap out to a combo submission. (***)
Marigold New Years Golden Garden 2025 - Night 12
Thursday, February 27th 2025
Tobu Friend Hall, Tokyo
Attendance: 203
Attendance Note: The announced attendance inside the Tobu Friend Hall in Tokyo was 203. This is the second time Marigold has run the venue, with this attendance being the exact same as the previous time they ran it back on 28th November.
Natsumi Showzuki def. Riara (5:49)
Natsumi Showzuki def. Rea Seto (6:24): Following the victory, Natsumi Showzuki requested a singles match against Nanae Takahashi, which has since been confirmed for the 8th March show in the Osaka 176BOX. This will be their first singles match in 13 years.
Miku Aono def. Ryoko Sakimura (7:09)
Mai Sakurai def. Minami Yuki (9:31)
Darkness Revolution (CHIAKI, Nagisa Nozaki, Bozilla, Megaton & Misa Matsui) def. Utami Hayashishita, MIRAI, Victoria Yuzuki, Chika Goto & Nao Ishikawa (20:10): Following Bozilla’s pinfall victory over Nao Ishikawa, Darkness Revolution then kidnapped her and took her backstage, infuriating Utami Hayashishita in the process.
LOOKING AHEAD…
Marigold will open the tour in Gunma when they make their debut in the Maebashi Green Dome. In the main event, Utami Hayashishita faces her next Marigold World Championship challenger in Bozilla when she teams with MIRAI and Natsumi Showzuki against the Darkness Revolution team of Bozilla, Nagisa Nozaki and Misa Matsui. Elsewhere, Nanae Takahashi begins her retirement road with the first in a series of Passion Countdown matches; this one against Chika Goto. The full card can be found here.
The Spring Victory Series then rolls into Kanagawa with Utami and Victoria Yuzuki teaming together for the first time since their failed attempt at the Twinstar Championships at Korakuen Hall when they take on Bozilla and CHIAKI in the main event. Elsewhere, Miku Aono and Chika Goto take on MIRAI and Minami Yuki while Mai Sakurai and Natsumi Showzuki square off with the Darkness Revolution team of Nagisa Nozaki and ‘Psycho Speed’ Misa Matsui. For the full card from Kanagawa, click here.
UPCOMING SHOWS THIS WEEK
Saturday (March 1st): Marigold Spring Victory Series 2025 ~ Night 1 - Green Dome Maebashi, Gunma (WRESTLE UNIVERSE VOD)
Sunday (March 2nd): Marigold Spring Victory Series 2025 ~ Night 2 - Kanagawa Dental University Gymnasium, Kanagawa (WRESTLE UNIVERSE VOD)
TOKYO JOSHI PRO-WRESTLING
NEWS
TJPW announced during their Ryogoku KFC Hall show on Saturday that Meiko Satomura would compete at Grand Princess ‘25 against Yuki Arai, just two weeks before she retires from pro-wrestling. This match is a massive opportunity for Arai, who stepped away from her idol duties and is putting more of a focus on her pro wrestling career. With this expected to be the final TJPW match for Satomura, it should make for a special match.
The promotion also announced the remainder of the Grand Princess ‘25 card on social media, featuring a singles bout between Max The Impaler and Moka Miyamoto as well as Aja Kong in trios action. Fans can check out the full card here.
RESULTS & REVIEWS
TJPW 2025 Winter Fes. East
Saturday, February 20th 2025
Ryogoku KFC Hall, Tokyo
Attendance: 335
Attendance Note: The announced attendance inside the KFC Hall in Tokyo was 335. This is the 43rd time TJPW have run the venue with it being a 7.2% decrease on the previous time they ran it (361 on 10th November 2024) with this being the lowest in the venue since the 307 drawn to the third night of the Futari Wa Princess Max Heart Tournament in January 2024.
Toga def. Ivy Steele (5:48)
Kaya Toribami, Wakana Uehara & Yoshiko Hasegawa def. Chika Nanase, Kira Summer & Mahiro Kiryu (11:29)
Haruna Neko def. Shino Suzuki (5:02)
Pom Harajuku & Raku def. Miu Watanabe & Uta Takami (8:13): After the match, Raku challenged Pom Harajuku to a match for Harajuku’s SETUP All Asia Women’s Championship
Moka Miyamoto & Yuki Arai def. Haru Kazashiro & Yuki Aino (11:44)
Miyu Yamashita, Maki Itoh, Mizuki & Suzume def. Shoko Nakajima, Hyper Misao, Rika Tatsumi & Arisu Endo (19:18): With a month to go ahead of Grand Princess ‘25, TJPW held a big-time champions vs. challengers main event to close out this show. It’s always exciting when a promotion puts together a match like this -- especially when it involves the eight wrestlers competing in this match. You get to see the ideal amount of previews and teases heading into that show to hype you up, which this captured throughout. The best batch of this match came from the long-time rivals Miyu Yamashita and Shoko Nakajima. Not only did they easily get back into their usual connection, but carried the backend of the match to the eventual finish. The finish saw Yamashita crush Nakajima with a Skull Kick as Maki Itoh locked in the Boston Crab onto Hyper Misao. A strong way to prepare everyone for the big three title matches at Grand Princess next month. (***½)
LOOKING AHEAD…
TJPW will hold its fifth all-women’s show Go Girl 5 on Saturday. That will be the first part of a doubleheader, as they’ll hold a show later in the day titled The Night Before GRAND PRINCESS '25 (full card). The main event of Go Girl 5 will feature Mizuki and Suzume teaming to face Maki Itoh and Toga. The full card can be found here. Both shows will air live on WRESTLE UNIVERSE.
On Sunday, TJPW will also hold a show as both they and DDT head to Chiba. The card will feature five matches including the two top champions Mizuki and Suzume competing in singles action. Mizuki will go one-on-one with Wakana Uehara while Suzume faces Uta Takami. This show will be available on VOD — you can find the card here.
UPCOMING SHOWS THIS WEEK
Saturday (March 1st): TJPW Go Girl 5 - Kitazawa Town Hall, Tokyo (WRESTLE UNIVERSE LIVE)
Saturday (March 1st): The Night Before GRAND PRINCESS '25 - Kitazawa Town Hall, Tokyo (WRESTLE UNIVERSE LIVE)
Sunday (March 2nd): TJPW PIST6 x Pro-Wrestling Dome Fight 2025 - Tipstar Dome, Chiba (WRESTLE UNIVERSE VOD)
SENDAI GIRLS
NEWS
Ahead of Maika’s and HANAKO’s Sendai Girls’s World Tag Team Championship match against Red Energy on March 19th, Maika has been confirmed for a preliminary tag team match at Sendai Girls’s March 1st show at Sendai PIT. During Stardom’s 22nd February Sendai show, Chihiro Hashimoto made good on her promise to challenge Maika to a match in Sendai Girls by making an appearance following the six-woman tag team match between EXV and Cosmic Angels. The match was subsequently agreed to be Maika and Natsupoi, teaming together for the first time since 2022, against the team of Chihiro Hashimoto and Manami.
LOOKING AHEAD…
Sendai Girls is back at it this weekend starting with the Sendai PIT on Saturday. This show is a big one as Stardom’s Maika and Natsupoi will compete in the main event against Chihiro Hashimoto and Manami. Sareee will also tag with Chi Chi against Mika Iwata and YUNA. Check out the full card now.
Sunday is a big show as well with Meiko Satomura and Aja Kong sharing the ring once again in the main event. They’ll lead their teams against each other as they compete in Chiba. Maria continues to fill in for the injured Mio Momono on this show. She’ll go one-on-one in an exciting matchup against Manami. Here’s a look at the full card.
UPCOMING SHOWS THIS WEEK
Saturday (March 1st): Sendai Girls - Sendai PIT, Miyagi (WRESTLE UNIVERSE VOD)
Sunday (March 2nd): Sendai Girls - TKP Garden City Chiba, Chiba (WRESTLE UNIVERSE VOD)
SAREEE-ISM
NEWS
Sareee’s latest English interview with Fightful included her thoughts on the tough start to 2025 and her upcoming “stepping stone” match against Syuri at Sareee-ISM Chapter VII on March 10th.
Discussing her 0-3 start to the year, Sareee kept it simple. She made it clear that she felt pathetic initially but quickly realized she wasn’t going to sit around and feel sorry for herself. “The Sun God” went as far to say that her heart “was on fire” and made it known that she plans to bounce back.
“After every sunset, there is a sunrise. I will try my best to shine again," Sareee said as she gives her outlook for the remainder of 2025.
Regarding her upcoming match with Syuri, she made it clear that everything regarding this match has to do with winning the IWGP Women’s Championship match from Mayu Iwatani.
“My goal is to go after that IWGP belt. In order to do that, I need to face the ultimate girl from that organization, which I thought was Syuri. I know the match will be very tough. But I will be prepared both mentally and physically for this match. I want that IWGP belt!”
Check out the full interview to hear more of Sareee’s thoughts regarding the development of Chi Chi, the popularity of her Sareee-ISM events, teaming with Meiko Satomura at Fortune Dream 10, and so much more.
OTHER JOSHI
Diana: Diana announced through their official Twitter account that they had been successful in a lawsuit against an individual that had taken pictures emphasising intimate parts of wrestler’s bodies and then distributed them over social media, causing significant stress to the wrestler in question. The statement goes on to say that the individual - who remains nameless - will pay 1,000,000 yen (around $6,600) in total, with additional fines if further violations occur. The individual is banned from future Diana shows, must leave the venue during matches if Diana wrestlers are wrestling for another company and will be made to pay 100,000 yen if found to be disseminating information regarding Diana or its athletes on social media. The full Diana statement can be found here, while a The Japan Times article that details the case - which has lasted upwards of 600 days and spanned 8 different trails - in English can be found here.
Marvelous: Marvelous held a show at Shinkiba 1st RING on the 24th which included the birthday match of rookie Sora Ayame. Ayame became a fan of wrestling by watching Unagi Sayaka, who she got to face for the first time in the main event. Here are the complete results: 1. Maria, Riko Kawahata & YUNA def. Takumi Iroha, Chikayo Nagashima & Senka Akatsuki (18:55) 2. Yumehito Imanari def. Leo Isaka (9:17) 3. Rina Yamashita def. Ai Houzan (0:48) 4. Rina Yamashita def. Ai Houzan (12:41) 5. Unagi Sayaka def. Sora Ayame (11:12)
Ice Ribbon: Ice Ribbon #1403 ~ Yokohama Ribbon 2025 Feb. took place on Monday and featured two important matches, including Manami Katsu’s first defense of the ICExInfinity Championship. 1. Yuuki Mashiro & YuuRI def. Big Haruka & Makoto (13:00) 2. Ibuki Hoshi & Hamuko Hoshi def. Hikari Shimizu & Kaho Matsushita (14:15): This was a one-day return for Matsushita, who has been rehabbing from injury, as it was the final Ice Ribbon match for Hikari Shimizu prior to her retirement. 3. International Ribbon Tag Team Title No. 1 Contendership: Kirari Wakana & Miku Kanae def. Ancham & Yappy and Arisa Shinose & Misa Kagura (26:42) 4. ICExInfinity Championship: Manami Katsu (c) def. Totoro Satsuki (18:56): After the successful defense, Ibuki Hoshi challenged Katsu. Their title match will take place on March 29th at Korakuen Hall.
Pro Wrestling WAVE: Saya Kamitani will make the second defense of her Regina di Wave Championship when she takes on former-two-time-champion Yumi Ohka at Pro Wrestling Wave’s Spring Revolution show on the 2nd March in Korakuen Hall. Ohka has not held the championship since 2018, and last had a title match in 2019 where she was unsuccessful against Takumi Iroha. Also on the card is Shin Sakura Hirota taking on Unagi Sayaka in singles action, while Honoka defends the Princess of Pro-Wrestling Championship against Cherry. The full card can be viewed here.
Unagi Sayaka: Samurai TV aired the one-match Korakuen Hall show by Unagi Sayaka this past weekend and it’s a match that is well worth your time. Not only does Meiko Satomura embrace Sayaka’s match style, but it feels like the first time in a long time that Unagi had to raise her game — and she delivered with a sold-out crowd cheering her name. There were cameos from Natsuki Taiyo, Arisa Nakajima, and Chikayo Nagashima that were very entertaining. And when they returned to the ring, these two put on an exciting match in front of the hot crowd. Satomura won in the end but it took the Scorpio Rising as Sayaka managed to survive two Death Valley Drivers before it. Unagi should take a bow for her performance as it was one of the best of her career. (****)
JOSHI OUT & ABOUT
NXT: Giulia will defend her NXT Women’s Championship against NXT Women’s North American Champion Stephanie Vaquer in a first-time ever NXT women’s Champion vs. Champion match at NXT Roadblock on 11th March. This comes amid PWInsider reporting that Giulia is currently working under a series of minor injuries described as ‘bumps and bruises’ by one source, though she is expected to work the show at The Theater at Madison Square Garden.
WWE: IYO SKY is scheduled to take on Rhea Ripley for the WWE Women’s World Championship on the 3/3 episode of Monday Night RAW at the KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York. Rhea has never defeated IYO in a televised singles match, with their last match coming for the NXT Women’s Championship on NXT TV back in November 2020 - a match SKY won in 22:03.
CONTRIBUTOR’S MATCH OF THE WEEK
Scott: I’ve written about this match multiple times now. I’ve recorded audio talking about this match multiple times now. And I still cannot perfectly articulate how much this match meant to me as a fan and will mean to me forever moving forward. It’s rare you see a wrestling match and know midway through that this is going to be one to remember. So many times when there are those highly-acclaimed “Five Star Classics” these days, I probably will go onto remember a handful. But this? This match will stick with me forever because it was that special, that sensational, and that emotional. It’s the reason to watch. Heading into this match, all I could ask for from it is Rina reaching the level that her sister Hanan did a year ago when she challenged for the Wonder of Stardom Championship for the first time. She tore the house down with Saori Anou at All Star Grand Queendom, showing that when the time is right, she will be champion. That’s all I set for my highest expectations out of Rina in her first shot — while she’s just 18 years old. Well, I should’ve made the expectations even higher. As time went on and this match was set, the reminder as to what this match may signal started to creep in. Rina was going to represent the late, amazing Hana Kimura. Their connection, dating back to the 2019 Stardom Draft, is one many remember and one that carries on to this day. I remember having tears in my eyes the first time Rina appeared at the second Hana Kimura Memorial Show “Bagus” in 2022. And then when she wore the Future of Stardom Championship to the PINX! show one year later. Rina has consistently represented and brought Kimura with her in all her biggest moments, so when it dawned on me what that likely means for her big match at Path of Thunder, I couldn’t help but be emotional before it even began. As the VTR played before the show and she talked about her relationship with Hana, promising to win this title for her, I was already emotionally invested and connected. Then she made her entrance in her HOMETOWN with the same light-up sword that Hana used to bring out to the ring. The match could’ve been a fine title match, and it still would’ve meant the world to me. But when the bell rang and Rina stood across Starlight Kid, they made sure to deliver something as special as you could ever imagine. Starlight Kid embraced that she wasn’t the super babyface, no matter what heel tactic Rina utilized. And the same goes for Rina, who went from heel early on to embracing her hometown crowd and pushing on with them. This match was fundamentally exciting and what you would want from any Wonder Title match. It captured the many matches this belt has seen before, but they brought it up a notch with the emotional side. So much of Rina’s game reflects that of Hana’s, so the realization that the Tiger Lily may be exactly what she needs to win was what made the second half so unbelievable. As Rina went for that Tiger Lily combination, she couldn’t complete it as her knee was decimated by Kid throughout the match. It was the point that she just could not fight through. Kid, the defending champion who established clearly she’s one of the best in the world and a front runner for Wrestler of the Year, locked in the Black Tiger Leg Killer and wouldn’t give the resilient Rina any option but to eventually tap out. Sometimes, the right winner doesn’t always win, but sometimes the right winner shouldn’t win (if that makes sense). That was the case here. The hometown crowd and fans worldwide all wanted to see Rina win in that moment, but what made this match truly perfect was the fact that it just wasn’t time. When it is time for her to reign across Stardom, it’ll be because of the Tiger Lily. And when that happens, the tears that were in my eyes while I watched this match and reviewed this unbelievable, special bout will flow, and I’ll be a total mess. That’s the beauty of pro wrestling. Not only is it a match that should be considered one of Stardom’s all-time great matches, but it’s one that I consider an all-time favorite already. It’s everything (EVERYTHING) I want from pro wrestling. It’s why Joshi wrestling goes above and beyond. Starlight Kid and Rina stole the show and potentially the year. It was everything and more. (*****)
Rob: Sometimes, wrestling is so much more than the mechanics and the daring high-spots. Don’t get me wrong, this match is still wrestled phenomenally - belying the fact that Rina is still just 18 at the point - with Kid and Rina duelling between work on the arm and the work on the knee in preparation for the Hydrangea and the Black Tiger Leg Killer respectively. In fact, those nearfall moments with both those moves were executed so perfectly that they managed to take a crowd that was already near melting point, and ratchet up the noise inside the Light Cube even more. I had my suspicions that Starlight Kid would retain, as I imagine a lot of Stardom fans did, but I still found myself biting on both the Hydrangea and the Pink Devil nearfalls. All of that aside though, if a match makes me feel something, then you’ve got me, and the moment the video package showed Rina and Hana during the draft back in 2019, I knew this would be beautifully unique. I don’t tend to cry or really get emotional at all - it’s a bone of contention with some I can assure you - but the tributes to Hana Kimura, knowing how much she meant to Rina and how much she looks up to her had me unapologetically tearing up. It’s a special tribute that helped this stand out as a special match, made all the more beautiful knowing that Kyoko Kimura was backstage watching. Rina is an incredible talent, and this match feels like the quintessential coming out party for someone who, let’s not forget after this performance, is going to have to try and stay a heel! The moment she does finally win a big singles belt, successfully connecting with the Tiger Lily, may well be the moment that breaks me entirely. Please seek this match out, you will categorically not regret it. (*****)
ON THIS DAY IN JOSHI (FEBRUARY 28TH)
Hikaru Shida, Mei Suruga & Rin Kadokura vs. Emi Sakura, VENY & Maki Itoh - AEW Women's World Championship Eliminator Tournament: United States & Japan Brackets (02/28/2021)
One of the most exciting things from the earlier years of AEW was their determination to shine a light on joshi wrestling. Riho was the first ever AEW Women’s Champion, whilst Hikaru Shida was seen by many as the very lynch pin of the division before becoming the third champion by dethroning Nyla Rose and embarking on a 342-day reign as champion.
Arguably, this spotlight reached its peak in 2021 when AEW announced a tournament to crown a new number one contender to Shida’s championship at AEW Revolution 2021. This was a tournament with a twist however, as there would be both American brackets and Japanese brackets, meaning that a slew of joshi talent was afforded time to shine on mainstream US TV. Talent including Aja Kong, Mei Suruga, VENY, Yuka Sakazaki and eventual-winner Ryu Mizunami were all given TV time, but it was an exhibition tag team match between five of the competitors that really caught the eye.
Recorded on 28th February, Hikaru Shida was joined by Mei Suruga and Rin Kadokura to take on Emi Sakura, VENY and Maki Itoh in what was a fantastic example of why this style of wrestling is beloved by so many. From the comedy and infectious passion of Mei Suruga and Mai Itoh, to the raw power of Rin Kadokura, wiliness and experience of Sakura and aura and effortless star-power of VENY, this match had something for everyone and did a great job of showcasing each of the characters to an audience not familiar with the vast majority of them.
In fact, the only negative was that this match was pre-recorded in Saitama and not in front of a live crowd in the US due to the ongoing COVID restrictions, as each of these women deserved their moment in the limelight, while the fact that this is arguably the pinnacle of the joshi participation on AEW programming, is a glaring reminder of what could have been…
JOSHI CALENDAR FOR 02/28 TO 03/06
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