The final (and final annual) Ganbare Pro blowout event of the year, BAD COMMUNICATION ’23, is now in the books.
Today’s event was held at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo and can be watched on demand on WRESTLE UNIVERSE.
The announced paid attendance was 603. They used a reduced capacity setup with the opposite-hard camera bleacher seating completely closed off and used as the entrance ramp area.
The opening start call was delivered by Moeka Haruhi, who is recovering from donating a kidney to her younger sister as life-saving treatment. Haruhi will return to competing when she is fully recovered acleared.
Match 1: KO-D Tag Team Champions Takao Soma & Shota beat Keisuke Ishii & Shigehiro Irie to retain the titles. Shota pinned Ishii with Gannosuke Clutch. V3 for the champs. Next up: Ken Ohka & HARASHIMA. That match may happen on 1/6.
Match 2: Makoto, HARUKAZE & Bunny Oikawa beat Sumire Natsu, YuuRI & Riara. HARUKAZE pinned Riara after Flame Spear.
Match 3: Yoshiko Hasegawa beat Arisu Endo (Tokyo Joshi Pro).
Match 4: Yuko Miyamoto beat Munetatsu Nakamura.
Match 5: In a GanPro vs. GLEAT elimination match with over the top rope elimination rules in effect, Yumehito Imanari, Takuya Wada, Mizuki Watase, Shinichiro Tominaga & Tyson Maeguchi beat Kaz Hayashi, Minoru Tanaka, Takanori Ito, Check Shimatani & Jun Tonsho. Order of elimination: Tominaga by Hayashi, Tonsho by Watase, Maeguchi by Ito, Ito by Imanari & Watase, Watase by Tanaka, Tanaka & Wada simultaneously, Shimatani by Imanari, Hayashi by Imanari. Imanari is the only one left, GanPro wins.
Match 6: Ken Ohka beat Kuma Arashi.
Main Event: Shuichiro Katsumura beat Spirit Of Ganbare World Openweight Champion Isami Kodaka to win the title. Katsumura becomes the 6th Spirit Of Ganbare World Openweight Champion. Next up: Ohka. That may happen on 1/4 although that card has been finalized already. Then perhaps a KO-D Tag Team Championship match 2 days later. The Landlord looking for lots of gold.
The next event, their first of 2024, is 1/4 at Itabashi Green Hall. Broadcast plans TBA but note they will be running opposite Tokyo Dome.
UPDATE: After the event, Yuna Manase announced on the socials that she will return on 2/23. She has been out most of this year due to injury.
UPDATE 2: Both Ohka title matches hinted at above are now official.
