GRAND PRINCESS ’26, Tokyo Joshi Pro’s biggest event of the year, is now in the books. (I planned to do live results but was unable to due to unforeseen circumstances, largely preparing for my annual spring hiatus due to extended travel in the coming days)
Today’s event was held at Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo and can be watched on demand on WRESTLE UNIVERSE. You can also watch the first match FOR FREE on YouTube.
The announced paid attendance was 3098. The setup was for nowhere near the venue’s full capacity of 15,000 (mainly for sumo) but this was better than I hoped for and will be their biggest number of the year.
There was a last-minute change to Match 4 due to Max The Impaler being pulled off the card. Visa issues. Veny was the replacement.
Match 1: Uta Takami beat Shion Kanzaki by submission.
Before match 2 happened…
Raku beat DDT Iron Man Heavymetalweight Champion Antonio Honda to win the title. Raku becomes the 1814th Champion.
Match 2: Sumire Uesaka won a 12 person battle royal, last eliminating then-DDT Iron Man Heavymetalweight Champion Mahiro Kiryu, to win the title. Uesaka becomes the 1817th Champion. Order of elimination: Mari Yaguchi by Raku, Momo Sato by Chika Nanase, Raku by Rika Tatsumi (Tatsumi becomes the 1815th Champion), Nanase by Sakura Hattori, Hattori by Kira Summer, Summer by Kiryu, Mifu Ashida by Antonio Honda, Tatsumi by Kiryu (Kiryu becomes the 1816th Champion), Honda by Uesaka, Kiryu by Uesaka. Uesaka wins.
Match 3: HIMAWARI & Shino Suzuki beat Toga & Ren Konatsu. HIMAWARI pinned Konatsu after Sunflower Tempest.
Match 4: Shoko Nakajima, Yuki AIno & Haru Kazashiro beat Aja Kong (OZ Academy), Veny (Independent/Freelancer) & Pom Harajuku. Nakajima pinned Harajuku after a diving senton.
Match 5: Mizuki beat Andreza Giant Panda.
Match 6: Sareee & Takumi Iroha (Independent/Freelancers) beat Miyu Yamashita & Arisu Endo. Iroha pinned Endo after Running 3. Iroha was a replacement for Lei Ying Lee in this match, who was unable to participate. They never said why but I believe it was schedule conflicts due to TNA Wrestling events. They emphasized it was not TJPW’s or Lee’s fault.
Match 7: Yuka Sakazaki (All Elite Wrestling) & Konosuke Takeshita (DDT/New Japan/AEW) beat Hyper Misao & Super Sasadango Machine (DDT). Sakazaki pinned Misao after Magical Magical Girl Splash.
Match 8: Suzume beat International Princess Champion MIRAI to win the title. Suzume becomes the 17th International Princess Champion. And only the second 2-time champion. TJPW kinda spoiled this result already because of an announced title match on 4/16 in Las Vegas and pretty much everyone being announced already except MIRAI, so I expected this outcome. But what we don’t yet know is who the 4/16 challenger is.
Match 9: Cassie Lee & Jessica McKay beat Princess Tag Team Champions Yuki Kamifuku & Wakana Uehara to win the titles. Lee & McKay become the 2-th Princess Tag Team Champions. Lee pinned Uehara. UPSET ALERT!!! I absolutely DID NOT see this one coming! Now the Iinspiration will defend in Las Vegas and perhaps elsewhere as the titles are perhaps held hostage by outsiders now. At least until 4/16 when the next title defense is scheduled for.
Main Event: Yuki Arai beat Princess Of Princess Champion Miu Watanabe to win the title. Arai becomes the 17th Princess Of Princess Champion. You know I’ve been crying happy tears of joy about this one as Arai’s #1 US fan. The journey to the top has been successfully completed for Arai, from J-Pop idol to top champion in TJPW. Next up: J-Rod, as was already announced, which will happen on 4/16. Hopefully the first of many successful defenses, and of course my wrath will be temporarily turned towards whoever beats Arai for the title. But for now, I’m enjoying this as much as I can.
The next event is Saturday at Fukuchiyama City Sandanike Park General Gym in Kyoto for a Mifu Ashida hometown event. There will be no live broadcast. On demand on 4/7.
UPDATE: Backstage comments/happenings after the event suggest that the next challenger for Suzume could be Hattori.
UPDATE 2: Per TJPW’s social media, 4/16 title match details are likely coming tonight. We know Arai vs. J-Rod will be made official but no word on the other titles, namely Princess Tag Team. And whether or not Suzume will defend International against Hattori.
UPDATE 3: The 4/16 title matches are now official. Of course Arai-J-Road as already announced for the Princess Of Princess Champiknship. The challengers for the Princess Tag Team Championship will be Shoko Nakajima & Hyper Misao. For the International Princess Championship the challenger is Sakura Hattori. The Suzume-Hattori winner will then defend the title on 5/4 at Korakuen Hall vs. the winner of a 5-way on 4/8 with HIMAWARI, Shino Suzuki, Haru Kazashiro, Mifu Ashida & Uta Takami.