Yim and Aoi Team in Losing Effort for Aoi's Return Match

Aoi Ishibashi (left) wearing new gear for her return match

photos:  Luke Matsuki

Ready for the bell

Aoi Ishibashi made her official long-awaited return from collar-bone surgery.  She teamed with rising international star Mia Yim to take on the REINAxWORLD team of Aki Kambayashi and Mini Tomato.  Despite a tender left knee, Mia did the majority of the ring work early on setting the pace and tone of the match for Aoi.  

Mia and Aoi had teamed several times before for REINA.  Most notably last May when they took on the Diana team of Sareee and Kyoko Inoue.  Aoi and Mia compliment each other well.  Both are athletic and willing to do high-flying moves.  Both also like to use the joshi strong style on the ring floor wielding a variety of strikes both kicks and punches.  Mia has the strength Aoi lacks and Aoi brings a lightening quickness to the team.  I think this is RxW's most reputable tag team at present.  If the promotion had to send a tag team out to represent them -- this would be the team of choice.   It's great to see them back together!  *More photos will be added to this blog post -- especially of Aoi -- as they become available.


Photos are by Luke Matsuki

Mia gets ready for combat

Things start with a flourish as Mia attacks Aki

Aki is down!

Mia taunts her 

. . . Mia leaves her calling card between Aki's shoulder blades!

Mia unleashes a missile on Mini T

Bang! Between the shoulder blades!  Stiff pop!

Mia for the easy cover

Mia does her Hailey Hatred impression . . . Dead lift, German Suplex . . .

What a show of strength . . .

Of course, Mini T is no Aja Kong . . .

Mia with a nice bridge

Mia with another show of strength -- catching Mini T

. . . then popping charging Aki with her knee . . 

Mia continues to be a one-woman wrecking crew

as she dumps Mini T on the prone Aki

But Aki Kambayashi strikes back 

Aoi with missile drop kick on Mini T

Aoi with some stiff strikes

Mini T with a missile to Aoi's back side

Aki in charge

Aki with a choke submission on Aoi

Aoi with a stiff kick

Aoi reaches for the tag

Aoi and Mia with sandwich kick on Aki

Mia winds up

. . . but Aki ducks and . . .

Mia punches her partner Aoi

Mia's errant punch knocks Aoi down and gives Aki an easy pin

Aoi Ishibashi with a healthy comeback

In the end, Aki and Mini Tomato won the match.  But Aoi and Mia were just happy to leave this match free of further injury.  The whole REINAxWORLD family was celebrating Aoi's return to action!

WNC: Syuri defeats Nozaki to become Women's Champ

Syuri is new WNC Women's Champ

photo by Youji Kawauchi

Here is the promo video that set up the big match on 12/27.  Obviously Nozaki was hindered by a foot injury.  In fact, Syuri made short work of her with a victory in under 6:00 minutes.

Syuri is such a passionate, committed wrestler with a strong MMA inspired style.  She lends a lot of credibility to the belt, and I think she will be a great champion.

JWP and STARDOM run Christmas Eve shows at K-Hall

The great venue, Korakuen Hall, played host to the two largest and most exciting promotions in Joshi Puroresu on Christmas Eve.  JWP had a near sellout crowd and STARDOM did sell out.  The pics here are from Youji Kawauchi.

Fuuka in a Festive Holiday Mood as Master of Stardom ceremonies

JWP had the afternoon show . . . With the main event being the showdown between Emi Sakura and Arisa Nakajima, the Comeback Kid.

JWP "CLIMAX 2012 ~ JWP 20TH"
Tokyo Korakuen Hall
871 Fans
1. JWP Jr./POP Title: Manami Katsu beat Rabbit Mito (6:57) with a backflip to become the 23rd champion.
2. LEON & Kay Lee Ray beat Sendai Sachiko and DASH Chisako (10:40) when Ray used a Northern Lights Suplex Hold on Sachiko.
3. The WANTED!? Santa Suit Cosplay Battle Royal: Nana Kawasa beat Sachie Abe & Ranmaru (14:29).
Order of Elimination: Hamuko Hoshi, Sareee, Moeka Haruhi, Lady Steel, KAZUKI, Tsukasa Fujimoto, RAY, Makoto, Sachie Abe & Ranmaru.
4. Misaki Ohata & Hiroyo Matsumoto beat Mori & Hanako Nakamori (12:16) when Matsumoto used a Liger Bomb on Mori.
5. Command Bolshoi beat Kaori Yoneyama (8:34) with a Shotei.
6. Kayoko Haruyama & Tsubasa Kurigaki beat Meiko Satomura & Hailey Hatred (13:13) when Kurigaki used a Falcon Arrow on Hatred.
7. JWP Openweight Title: Arisa Nakajima beat Emi Sakura (C) (21:05) with a Dragon Suplex Hold to become the 21st champion.

Kay Leigh Ray and Leon teamed up

But the Sendai Girls had the best of them early on

High . . .

Flyin' . . . 

Action . . .

. . . with impact . .  all match!

Leon powerbombs Sachiko

Kay Leigh hits a belly-to-belly suplex

. . . for the win!

Some crazy Santa-themed match happened 

Misaki Ohata being smacked by Mori & Hanako Nakamori

Hiroyo Matsumoto makes her presence felt

The stately Hanako Nakamori

Hiroyo with a mean headlock on Mori

Hanako got caught

Misaki with a suplex on hanako

Hiroyo brings the hammer and the finish

Former SHIMMER champs 3S are victorious in JWP

Meiko is in grip of  Kayoko Haruyama

Tsubasa Kurigaki tastes Hailey Hatred's big boot

Kuigaki with the finisher

. . . and the win!

Main Event!  Emi Sakura

Challenger Arisa Nakajima

They square off

things get heated for the title

Emi's not going softly into that good night . . . 

She puts the hurt on Arisa

Arisa storms back with a dragon suplex

Game over -- new JWP Champion!

Bloody but exultant! 

The proud victor, Arisa Nakajima!

INTERMISSION

STARDOM had the evening show . . . with the main event being the title match between Nanae Takahashi and Star Idol Yuzuki Aikawa.

STARDOM "YEAR END CLIMAX 2012", 12/24/12
Tokyo Korakuen Hall
1,030 Fans - No Vacancy
1. Yui Yokoo Debut Match: Hailey Hatred beat Yui Yokoo (8:30) with a big boot.
2. Miho Wakizawa & Eri Susa beat Mayu Iwatani & Kellie Skater (9:00) with the Backslide from Venom.
3. Kairi Hojo & Natsumi Showzuki beat Saki Kashima & Act Yasukawa (10:11) when Hojo used the 4173 on Kashima.
4. #1 Contendership Match: Kyoko Kimura beat Io Shirai (13:04) with a big boot.
5. Goddesses of Stardom Title: Natsuki*Taiyo & Yoshiko beat Hiroyo Matsumoto & Yuhi (13:04) when Taiyo used the Taiyo-Chan Spanish Fly on Yuhi (1st defense).
6. World of STARDOM Title: Nanae Takahashi (C) beat Yuzuki Aikawa (20:50) One Second EX (6th defense).

Rookie Yui Yokoo has a moment v Hailey Hatred

Kellie Skater hoists Eri Susa

Kellie readies a power bomb for Miho Wakizawa

Miho fights back for the win

Jubilation!

Kairi Hojo & Natsumi Showzuki beat Saki Kashima & Act Yasukawa 

Act has some early success

Kairi Hojo & Natsumi Showzuki have Act in a bad way

and they find new ways to pour on the pain.

Masked Io Shirai v Kyoko Kimura

Kimura twists Io's knee

Out of Ring:  Kyoko smashes Io's face against the "West" sign

Fearless Io gets back into play

a valiant effort

Kyoko's nasty headbutt

Kimura wins. Io has a headache.

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Hiroyo is a beast!

Taiyo used the Taiyo-Chan Spanish Fly on Yuhi 

Tag Titles are defended successfully

A brutal main event:  Nanae v Yuzuki

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Tiger Suplex!

Wild holds 

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Vicious EX Powerbomb

Game over!  Nanae is still champ! 

All in All it was a fantastic day at Korakuen Hall and one befitting of the high quality of Women's Wrestling in Japan.  Both the depth, the fitness, the athleticism, and the passion are equaled nowhere else in the world.  That is especially true when you realize that you can see this high quality action week in and week out, not just a couple of times a year.