News, results & more from Japanese Pro Wrestling & Sumo
Here are the quick results from tonight’s TAPED AEW Rampage (SPOILERS for west feed viewers on TNT):
Malakai Black & Brody King beat John Silver & Alex Reynolds. King pinned Reynolds after Dante’s Inferno.
ROH World Champion Jonathan Gresham beat Lee Moriarty to retain the title.
Kris Statlander & Athena bet Charlotte & Robyn Renegade. Athena pinned ?. Squash.
Lucha Bros beat Private Party. Rey Fenix pinned Marq Quen after Black Fire Driver.
Not a good show overall. Just an episode that aired.
After their summer blowout event last weekend, Tokyo Joshi Pro kicks off their annual Tokyo Princess Cup Tournament today, the 9th annual installment of the event to crown the top singles wrestler in TJPW. This is the first event of a 3-day tripleheader comprising the first 2 rounds of the tournament. Almost the entire roster is featured although 2 members will not participate this year-rookie Juria Nagano because of scheduling issues and defending tournament winner Maki Itoh because of Game Changer Wrestling (US) participation scheduled for the same day as the Finals in mid-August. The remaining 20 will go for the Cup and a Princess Of Princess Championship opportunity, unless current champion Shoko Nakajima wins the Cup (and those hopes could end today). Because of the number of entrants, 4 get a free pass into the 2nd round (Raku, Suzume, Hikari Noa & likely favorite Mizuki, a 2-time tournament winner). Today will be the first half of Round 1 and some non-tournament matches that won’t be announced until the event starts.
Today’s event will be held at Ryogoku KFC Hall in Tokyo and can be watched LIVE and on demand on WRESTLE UNIVERSE. There will be no commentary.
Today’s lineup:
Tokyo Princess Cup:
Shoko Nakajima vs. Neko Haruna
Miyu Yamashita vs. Hyper Misao
Yuki Arai vs. Majiro Kiryu
Pom Harajuku vs. Moka Miyamoto
Non-Tournament matches TBA, likely to be 1-2 additional matches
We are LIVE from Ryogoku KFC Hall in Tokyo, Japan. There is no commentary.
Ring announcer Sayuri Namba is doing her usual pre-event announcements & housekeeping before the Up Up Girls performance. The first match should begin around 9:15 PM PT. There are some noticeable audio issues with the stream early on, namely with microphones the audio is off-sync with the video.
Match 1: Miu Watanabe, Hikari Noa, Raku, Rika Tatsumi & Yuki Aino vs. Yuka Sakazaki, Arisu Endo, Yuki Kamifuku, Nao Kakuta & Maki Itoh. 20 minute time limit
Result: Miu Watanabe, Hikari Noa, Raku, Rika Tatsumi & Yuki Aino beat Yuka Sakazaki, Arisu Endo, Yuki Kamifuku, Nao Kakuta & Maki Itoh. Tatsumi pinned Endo after Twist of Fate.
Match 2: Kaya Toribami vs. Suzume & Mizuki in a 3-way. 20 minute time limit
Result: Mizuki beat Kaya Toribami & Suzume in a 3-way by beating Toribami.
Match 3: Tokyo Princess Cup Round 1: Moka Miyamoto vs. Pom Harajuku. No time limit
Result: Pom Harajuku beat Moka Miyamoto. As a result, Harajuku advances to Round 2 and will face Suzume.
Match 4: Tokyo Princess Cup Round 1: Mahiro Kiryu vs. Yuki Arai. No time limit
Result: Yuki Arai beat Mahiro Kiryu. As a result, Arai advances to Round 2 and will face Hikari Noa.
Match 5: Neko Haruna vs. Shoko Nakajima. No time limit
Result: Shoko Nakajima beat Neko Haruna by submission. As a result, Nakajima advances to Round 2 and will face Mizuki.
Main Event: Tokyo Princess Cup Round 1: Hyper Misao vs. Miyu Yamashita. No time limit
Result: Miyu Yamashita beat Hyper Misao. As a result, Yamashita advances to Round 2 and will face Raku.
If you watch on replay, the total running time is a very lean 100 minutes.
The paid attendance will be announced soon.
The second half of Round 1 is tomorrow with Endo-Watanabe, Kakuta-Aino, Toribami-Sakazaki and Kamifuku-Tatsumi. Live streaming on WRESTLE UNIVERSE will begin at midnight ET/9 PM PT.
UPDATE: The announced paid attendance was 262. It also was announced post-event that Yamashita will miss the 7/23 event. International excursion. It’s not known where that will be but Ring Of Honor has an event that day, and Yamashita also is expected to return to All Elite Wrestling at some point soon to face Thunder Rosa for the AEW Women’s World Championship.
New Japan has announced a couple of non-tournament card changes to upcoming G1 CLIMAX 32 events because Yuto Nakashima is now off a couple events. Still recovering from a left elbow injury and will miss tomorrow and Wednesday. For tomorrow, he was to have teamed with Kosei Fujita to face Tom Lawlor & Royce Isaacs. Isaacs is now off as well so it will be Fujita-Lawlor. On Wednesday, he was to have teamed with Toru Yano to face YOSHI-HASHI & Kazuchika Okada. Ryohei Oiwa is the replacement.
No word on how much longer Nakashima may be out.
Here are the quick results from Day 5 of the July 2022 Grand Sumo Tournament from Nagoya:
Key: M-Maegashira; K-Komosubi; S-Sekiwake; O-Ozeki; Y-Yokozuna; J-Juryo (2nd tier)
Makuuchi (Top Tier):
Azumaryu (J2) beat Daiamami (M16)
Oho (M15) beat Onosho (M15)
Nishikifuji (M17) beat Tsurugisho (M14)
Myogiryu (M14) beat Chiyomaru (M17)
Chiyoshoma (M13) beat Ichiyamamoto (M14)
Terutsuyoshi (M12) beat Yutakayama (M16)
Takarafuji (M12) beat Kotoshoho (M11)
Midorifuji (M11) beat Chiyotairyu (M10)
Meisei (M10) beat Shimanoumi (M9
Tochinoshin (M8) beat Nishikifuji (M8)
Hokutofuji (M7) beat Kotoeko (M9)
Tobizaru (M6) beat Aoiyama (M6)
Okinoumi (M7) beat Sadanoumi (M5)
Kotonowaka (M2) beat Endo (M5)
Kiribayama (M1) beat Takanosho (M1)
Daieisho (S) beat Abi (K)
Wakatakakage (S) beat Hoshoryu (K)
Takakeisho (O) beat Tamawashi (M3)
Wakamotoharu (M4) beat Shodai (O)
Ura (M3) beat Mitakeumi (O)
Ichinojo (M2) beat Terunofuji (Y). KINBOSHI! 9th career Gold Star Victory! (Whenever a Maegashira beats a Yokozuna)
Leader: Ichinojo (5-0)
Juryo:
Chiyosakae (J14) beat Yago (J12)
Kitanowaka (J12) beat Oshoma (J13)
Gonoyama (J14) beat Tochimaru (J11)
SHimazuumi (J10) beat Hokuseiho (J13)
Churanoumi (J9) beat Kaisei (J11)
Hiradoumi (J8) beat Kaisho (J9)
Enho (J8) beat Kotokuzan (J7)
Atamifuji (J6) beat Akua (J7)
Tokushoryu (J5) beat Bushozan (J6)
Hidenoumi (J1) beat Kagayaki (J3)
Asanowaka (J4) beat Mitoryu (J4)
Chiyonokuni (J5) beat Daishoho (J3)
Hidenoumi (J1) beat Kagayaki (J3
Tohakuryu (J2) beat Ryuden (J1)
Leaders: Ryuden, Kagayaki, Mitoryu, Hiradoumi, Churanoumi, Gonoyama (all 4-1)
Asanoyama Watch (Sandanme 22, former Ozeki): No match today. Probably will have 3rd match tomorrow.
DDT wrestlers Shunma Katsumata & Toui Kojima brought back their comedy “Super Hardcore Girls” characters for a special event today, continuing their rivalry with the women’s faction known as Prominence, in a series of hardcore comedy matches.
Today’s event was held at Shin-Kiba 1st Ring in Tokyo and can be watched on demand on WRESTLE UNIVERSE.
The announced paid attendance was 147, a super full house/very near sellout.
Match 1: In a Falls Count Anywhere match, Seno Sister (?) & Mao Inoue beat Natsumi & Mochi. Seno beat Mochi with a Japanese leg roll clutch.
Match 2: Yuki Ueno & “Konosuke Takeshita” (Sakura Hirota) beat Akito & Kazuki Hirata. “Takeshita” pinned Hirata with a German suplex hold.
Match 3: In a TLC (tables, ladders, chairs) match, DASH Chisako (Sendai Girls Pro Wrestling) vs. Hideki Okatani went to a 15 minute time limit draw.
Match 4: In a Bring In 1 Item Hardcore match, Risa Sera & Akane Fujita beat Elizabeth ❤️ Toy & Sylvania ❤️ Catherine (Toui Kojima & ?). Sera pinned Elizabeth after a diving double knee drop on a chair.
Main Event: In a Hardcore match, Suzu Suzuki beat Carousel ❤️ Shun (Shunma Katsumata). Prominence wins the rivalry. But it probably isn’t over.
The next DDT event is Saturday at Nippongashi Sports Plaza Stadium 3 in Nagoya. There will be no live broadcast.
All-Japan Pro Wrestling ran a major event today, featuring 3 title matches including New Japan participation as Tiger Mask 4 returned to defend his All-Japan World Jr. Heavyweight Championship. The main event featured two of All-Japan’s top stars facing off for the promotion’s top prize, the Triple Crown.
Today’s event was held at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo and can be watched on demand on AJPW.TV.
The announced paid attendance was 893.
Match 1: Shuji Ishikawa, Takao Omori & Ryo Inoue beat Masanobu Fuchi, Yoshitatsu & Izanagi. Omori pinned Fuchi after Ace Bomber.
Match 2: Cyrus beat Black Menso-re.
Match 3: Yuji Nagata (New Japan) & Mitsuru Sato beat Kento Miyahara & Rising Hayato. Nagata beat Hayato with Nagata Lock 54.
Match 4: Minoru & Toshizo beat All-Asia Tag Team Champions Hokuto Omori & Yusuke Kodama to win the titles. Minoru & Hoshizo become the 113th All-Asia Tag Team Champions. Minoru pinned Omori after B D F.
Match 5: T-Hawk, El Lindaman & Shigehiro Irie (GLEAT) beat Shotaro Ashino, Tatsuki Honda & Seigo Tachibana. Irie pinned Honda after a diving headbutt.
Match 6: All-Japan World Jr. Heavyweight Champion Tiger Mask beat Dan Tamura by ref stoppage to retain the title. V1 for TM 4.
Match 7: Naoya Nomura & Mizuki Watase beat Yuma & Ryo Aoyagi. Nomura pinned Ryo after Maximum.
Main Event: Suwama beat All-Japan Triple Crown Champion Jake Lee to win the Triple Crown. Suwama becomes the 67th All-Japan Triple Crown Champion.
The next event is Monday at Hanahiro Memorial Park Tsurumi Green Area Dogwood Hall in Osaka. TM 4 will again defend the Jr. Heavyweight Championship and an All-Japan Tag Team Championship match is also scheduled. Live streaming on AJPW.TV will begin Sunday at 10 PM PT/1 AM ET.
New Japan has announced what appears to be the full card for Music City Mayhem, their next live US event, on 7/30 in Nashville, TN. The event is part of STARRCAST V, a weekend loaded with independent events, podcasts and more that is all centered around what will be the final match in the career of the iconic Ric Flair.
Music City Mayhem’s full card is currently as follows:
Fred Yehi, Yuya Uemura & Shota Umino vs. The DKC, Kevin Knight & Ren Narita
Clark Connors vs. Davey Richards
Hiromu Takahashi vs. Blake Christian
KUSHIDA vs. Alex Shelley
FTR & Alex Zayne vs. TJP & Aussie Open
STRONG Openweight Champion Fred Rosser vs. Big Damo for the title
Jon Moxley vs. El Desperado in a No DQ Match
The event will be a LIVE PPV and is available for pre-order on FITE. It can be purchased as a standalone PPV for $19.99 or is part of a STARRCAST V bundle that includes multiple events-I believe the particular bundle including this event is $99.99. You get the live broadcast and unlimited on demand replays with purchase. The event is scheduled to start at 3 PM ET/Noon PT on 7/30.
Here are the quick results from Day 4 of the July 2022 Grand Sumo Tournament from Nagoya:
Key: M-Maegashira; K-Komosubi; S-Sekiwake; O-Ozeki; Y-Yokozuna; J-Juryo (2nd tier)
Makuuchi (Top Tier):
Onosho (M15) beat Chiyomaru (M17)
Myogiryu (M14) beat Nishikifuji (M17)
Yutakayama (M16) beat Tsurugisho (M14)
Oho (M15) beat Chiyoshoma (M13)
Ichiyamamoto (M13) beat Kotoshoho (M11)
Chiyotairyu (M10) beat Takarafuji (M13)
Meisei (M10) beat Terutsuyoshi (M12)
Midorifuji (M11) beat Kotoeko (M9)
Shimanoumi (M9) beat Hokutofuji (M7)
Nishigiki (M8) beat Aoiyama (M6)
Tobizaru (M6) beat Tochinoshin (M8)
Endo (M5) beat Okinoumi (M7)
Sadanoumi (M5) beat Tamawashi (M3)
Ura (M3) beat Wakamotoharu (M4)
Abi (K) beat Wakatakakage (S)
Daieisho (S) beat Takanosho (M1)
Shodai (O) beat Hoshoryu (K)
Mitakeumi (O) beat Kiribayama (M1)
Ichinojo (M2) beat Takakeisho (O)
Terunofuji (Y) beat Kotonowaka (M2)
RETURNING: Daiamami (M16). Will return on Day 5 after withdrawing on Day 2 (left ankle injury).
Juryo:
Kinbozan (Makushita 1) beat Chiyosakae (J14)
Gonoyama (J14) beat Kitanowaka (J13)
Hokuseiho (J13) beat Yago (J12)
Oshoma (J13) beat Kaisei (J11)
Tochimaru (J11) beat Churanoumi (J9)
Shimazuumi (J10) beat Enho (J8)
Kaisho (J9) beat Akua (J7)
Bushozan (J6) beat Hiradoumi (J8)
Kotokuzan (J7) beat Tokushoryu (J5)
Mitoryu (J4) beat Atamifuji (J6)
Kagayaki (J3) beat Chiyonokuni (J5)
Asanowaka (J4) beat Azumaryu (J2)
Ryuden (J1) beat Daishoho (J3)
Hidenoumi (J1) beat Tohakuryu (J2)
Leaders:
Makuuchi: Ichinojo, Nishigiki, Ichiyamamoto (4-0)
Juryo: Ryuden, Kagayaki, Mitoryu (4-0)
Lower tier notes: If Kinbozan (Makushita leader, now 3-0) wins at least one of his final 4 matches, he will be promoted to Juryo and would almost certainly be the first rikishi from Kazakhstan to reach the top 2 ranks.
No match for former Ozeki Asanoyama (Sandanme 22) today or tomorrow (Day 5 is underway as of this post). His next match should be on Day 6 on Friday but that is TBD.
Here are the quick results from tonight’s AEW Dynamite, featuring Fyter Fest Night 1 (SPOILERS for west coast viewers!):
AEW TNT Champion Wardlow beat Orange Cassidy to retain the title.
Jon Moxley beat Konosuke Takeshita. Had Takeshita won, he would’ve gotten a rematch for the Interim AEW World Championship. A+ match.
Luchasaurus beat Griff Garrison by submission. Squash.
Claudio Castagnoli beat Jake Hager.
Serena Deeb beat Anna Jay by submission.
Swerve Strickland & Keith Lee beat AEW World Tag Team Champions The Young Bucks and Powerhouse Hobbs & Ricky Starks in a 3-way, when Strickland pinned Starks, to become THE NEW AEW WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS!
Friday on Rampage: Private Party vs. Lucha Bros, Gunn Club promo on why they turned on The Acclaimed and ROH World Champion Jonathan Gresham vs. Lee Moriarty for the title. Maybe something involving Kiera Hogan and/or Leila Grey as well.
Next week: Fyter Fest Night 2! Or 3! Brody King vs. Darby Allin, Christian Cage & Luchasaurus vs. Griff Garrison & Brian Pillman Jr. and Eddie Kingston vs. Chris Jericho in a Barbed Wire Everywhere Death Match. Jericho Appreciation Society will be suspended above the ring in a shark cage.
Below are the latest updated AEW Rankings going into tonight’s episode of Dynamite (week of 7/13/22):
