FITE has just announced the Hana Kimura Memorial Event will return for a 3rd annual installment. This year’s edition, nicknamed “pinx!”, honoring the former wrestler and daughter of former Japanese wrestler Kyoko Kimura who sadly took her own life after being cyberbullied online, will be held on 5/23 at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo. In the US it will be available live and on demand on FITE for $24.99-good thing you get unlimited on demand replays with purchase because it’s a 2:30 AM PT/5:30 AM ET start. I imagine there will be English commentary (there was in 2021 thanks to Ring Of Honor commentator Ian Riccaboni & others). If it’s as in past years, a portion of the proceeds will go to support Kyoko Kimura and her efforts to toughen cyberbullying criminal penalties in Japan along with assisting with legal fees and to also help honor Hana’s memory & restore her honor. That alone makes it worth buying.
The current event card is as follows:
Battle Royal. Announced participants: Tsutomu Oosugi, Banana Senga, Fuminori Abe, Menso-re Oyaji, Super Delfin, Hanako Nakamori, Chihiro Hashimoto, Hibiscus Mii, Munenori Sawa
Saori Anou vs. Miyuki Takase
Mika Iwata & Mio Momono vs. Aja Kong & TBA
Konami, Rina & Kaori Yoneyama vs. Shuri, Asuka (the Asuka known as Veny outside Japan) & Natsupoi
Masao Hanabata & Shotaro Ashino (All-Japan Pro Wrestling) vs. Ryo Mizunami & Sonoko Kato, Yuko Miyamoto & Ram Kaichow (666)) and Koji Kanemoto & TBA in a 4-way
Maiden Name Hana Kimura (Sakura Hirota) vs. TBA
The 2 previous events are also available on demand on FITE. If you are a FITE+ subscriber, you can watch both events as part of your subscription. If you are able to buy them, do so. I bought the 2021 event and didn’t know about 2022’s until now. Although I will have to wait to watch on demand I will be buying this year’s event too. Hana left us far too soon and while the bully was found and prosecuted, it was a very minor crime in Japan which is beyond unacceptable. Kyoko Kimura’s legal efforts continue and this event is a great way for us to support this and honor her daughter’s memory.
As Hana would always say, Matane.
