Tag: wrestling

Sumo-May 2025 Grand Sumo Tournament Day 8 Results (Halfway Point) (5/18/25) (Top 2 Tiers)

Here are the quick results from today’s Day 8-the Halfway Point-of the May 2025 Grand Sumo Tournament in Tokyo:
Key: M-Maegashira, K-Komusubi, S-Sekiwake, O-Ozeki, Y-Yokozuna, J-Juryo, Ms-Makushita

Makuuchi (top tier):
Tamashoho (M17) beat Nishikigi (M16)
Roga (M14) beat Tochitaikai (M18)
Kayo (M16) beat Tokihayate (M13)
Asakoryu (M17) beat Sadanoumi (M13)
Shonannoumi (M15) beat Atamifuji (M12)
Endo (M11) beat Ryufen (M15)
Kotoshoho (M14) beat Shishi (M11)
Shodai (M10) beat Takanosho (M12)
Meisei (M10) beat Hakuoho (M7)
Oshoma (M6) beat Midorifuji (M9)
Aonishiki (M9) beat Tobizaru (M6)
Onokatsu (M8) beat Ura (M5)
Kinbozan (M8) beat Chiyoshoma (M5)
Ichiyamamoto (M4) beat Churanoumi (M7)
Wakamotoharu (M1) beat Gonoyama (M2)
Abi (M2) beat Takayasu (M6)
Wakatakakage (K) beat Oho (M1)
Daieisho (S) beat Kirishima (S)
Onosato (O) beat Hiradoumi (M3)
Kotozakura (O) beat Tamawashi (M3)
Hoshoryu (Y) beat Takerufuji (M4)
Leader: Onosato (8-0)
Yokozuna Watch: Halfway there…besides being the first to clinch a winning record and protect his Ozeki rank, Onosato remains in top form and is potentially one week from promotion if he keeps this up. Also of note-this ensures he continues his streak of having a winning record in every career tournament so far. He still has the toughest matches to come though, with Hoshoryu likely on the final day. As for Hoshoryu, he had a streaky first week with 2 wins to start then 2 straight losses and kinboshi handed out, but has won his last 4 and is 6-2 going into the second half. Onosato has Ura tomorrow while the kinboshi chances continue with Hoshoryu facing Ichiyamamoto, who goes for 2 straight Gold Star Victories against the Yokozuna.
Ozeki Watch: After 2 straight losses took away his margin for error, Daieisho bounced back today with a must-have win and is currently 6-2, but probably must win his last 7 for any real chance at promotion. Note the “magic number” of 33 wins is not mandatory for promotion, it’s happened with as few as 29 over the 3 tournament span.
Of note: Also props to Kayo as following an 0-4 start to his top tier debut, he has gained confidence since snapping that skid and has now won 4 straight to get back to 4-4. Hakuoho took his first loss today and is now in 2nd at 7-1 along with Aonishiki & Wakatakakage. On the flip side, Midorifuji is the first demotion this time as he is the first and only 0-8 as the katasukashi hasn’t been there. And there will be no championship aspirations for Takayasu after his playoff loss last time as he’s now fighting just to avoid demotion at 2-6. More bad luck/performances than back concerns. And despite his losing record, Iron Man Tamawashi has now moved into #4 all-time on the list of most consecutive top tier matches. If he manages to stay in the top tier, he can reach #3 (1430) in September and #2 (1440) in November. The record? 1470, which he could reach in 2026. To get to the all-time match record he needs another 2+ years (1891, he is now at 1697 so after this tournament he would be at 1705 and with 15 matches per tournament in the top 2 tiers that means he’d need 13 more tournaments).

Juryo:
Mitoryu (J12) beat Ishizaki (Ms4)
Kazekeno (J11) beat Daiamami (J13)
Miyanokaze (J13) beat Tohakuryu (J10)
Mudoho (J14) beat Hatsuyama (J10)
Ohsoumi (J9) beat Mita (J12)
Shimanoumi (J8) beat Tsurugisho (J9)
Shiden (J8) beat Nabatame (J12)
Kotoeiho (J7) beat Hakuyozan (J4)
Takarafuji (J3) beat Tomokaze (J7)
Daiseizan (J6) beat Shirokuma (J3)
Hitoshi (J6) beat Hidenoumi (J2)
NIshikifuji (J5) beat Fujiseiun (J2)
Mitakeumi (J1) beat Kagayaki (J4)
Kusano (J1) beat Wakaikari (J5)
Leader: Kusano (7-1)
Of note: After missing it by one win last time, Kusano is now one win from the top tier. After losing his first match this time, he now has won 7 straight to get one from promotion. The ranks below thinned out a little today with now just 2 at 6-2 and one win back, Oshoumi & Tohakuryu. Also of note-at 1361 and counting, Takarafuji now has moved up to #3 on the list of current active streaks of consecutive matches without missing a day, he has NEVER missed a day in his career. If he finishes the tournament he should pass Yoshiazuma, currently in the Jonidan, for #2 (Yoshiazuma has missed 8 days in his career but they were all expunged due to being forCovid-19 protocols-a long time ago he competed in the top tier for 3 tournaments). Yoshiazuma is at 1364.

Lower tier notes: No Juryo in July for Enho as his streak of 6-1 tournaments in his comeback effort ends with a second loss today, and 5-2 at Ms10 won’t earn promotion (he currently is 2-2). Same for Asanoyama who is 3-1 farther down. They’ll try now and set up for September promotions. The Makushita now has 8 at 4-0 after Promotion Day, with Otsuji among them and in position for a Juryo return after demotion following his debut effort in March. The Sandanme has 10 at 4-0, the Jonidan has 12 at 4-0 while the Jonokuchi has 2 at 4-0.

All-Japan 5/18/25 Results (Updated 5/19/25)

All-Japan wrapped up the 2025 Champions Carnival Tournament today with the Finals.

Today’s event was held at Ota City General Gym in Tokyo and can be watched on demand on AJPW.TV. This was also a Samurai! TV broadcast in Japan.

The announced paid attendance was 2280.

Pre-show match: Taishin Nagao beat Shouta Kofuji. First career single win for Nagao.

Match 1: Champions Carnival Semifinals: Kento Miyahara beat Ryuki Honda.

Match 2: Champions Carnival Semifinals: Rei Saito beat Hideki Suzuki by KO.

Match 3: Kengo Mashimo, Madoka Kikuta, Shuji Kondo & Seigo Tachibana beat Davey Boy Smith Jr., Ren Ayabe, Atsuki Aoyagi & Ryo Inoue. Kikuta pinned Inoue after a rolling lariat.

Match 4: Fuminori Abe 10th Anniversary Match-Hokuto Omoro, Kumaarashi & Takashi Yoshida beat All-Japan 6-Man Tag Team Champions Fuminori Abe, Yuma Aoyagi & Hikaru Sato to win the titles. Omori, Kumaarashi & Yoshida become the 11th All-Japan 6-Man Tag Team Champions. Onori pinned Aoyagi after Narcissist Press,

Match 5: Shotaro Ashino, Xyon & Dan Tamura beat Jun Saito, Naruki Doi & Senor Saito. Xyon pinned Senor Saito after Xyon Spear.

Match 6: All-Asia Tag Team Champions Rising Hayato & Yuma Anzai beat Mike D. Vecchio & Aigle Blanc to retain the titles.. Hayato pinned Blanc after Sid Vicious. V6 for the champs. Next up: The Aoyagis.

Match 7: Seiki Yoshioka beat All-Japan World Junior Heavyweight Champion MUSASHI to win the title. Yoshioka becomes the 71st All-Japan World Junior Heavyweight Champion. Next up: Tamura.

Main Event: Champions Carnival Finals: Rei Saito beat Kento Miyahara to win the tournament. As a result, Saito gets the next Triple Crown shot against…none other than his brother, Jun Saito. Which means one thing is certain coming out of it besides me being happy either way…DOOM!!! If they have their way, that match will happen at the next event on 6/1. Also I’m happy to see Rei Saito’s beard/goatee returning after he went clean-shaven the last couple months.

The next event is 6/1 at Sendai Sun Plaza in Sendai to start the Super Power Series 2025 Tour. Live streaming on AJPW.TV will begin on 5/31 at 10 PM PT/1 AM ET. The event will also be taped for broadcast on GAORA SPORTS in Japan at a later date.

5/19/25 UPDATE: It’s now official. Saitos face off for the Triple Crown on 6/1. Yoshioka-Tamura is also official for that date. In fact, most if not all the 6/1 card is official, here is what else was announced:
All-Japan World Tag Team Champions Kento Miyahara & Yuma Aoyagi vs. Shotaro Ashino & Xyon for the titles
Hokuto Omori, Kumaarashi & TBA (billed as XXL) vs. Ryuki Honda, Yuma Anzai & Ren Ayabe
Atsuki Aoyagi, Fuminori Abe & Seigo Tachibana vs. MUSASHI, Rising Hayato & Ryo Inoue
Taishin Nagao vs. Hideki Suzuki
Jack Kennedy & Aizawa No. 1 vs. Davey Boy Smith Jr. & Kuroshio TOKYO Japan

Dragon Gate News: Regarding BIGBOSS Shimizu Absence

Dragon Gate posted a news announcement regarding the recent absence of BIGBOSS Shimizu-having been out most of this year for potential disciplinary reasons, it was announced today he will remain out at his request and will probably remain out most of, if not the rest of the year. He will be back at some point and the promotion will announce when

Pro Wrestling NOAH 5/18/25 Results (Updated)

Pro Wrestling NOAH’s monthly STAR NAVIGATION 2025 Tour event for this month just finished up. I joined the event in progress but did not do live results due to illness and recovering from my recent trip to Japan plus watching on about a 45-minute tape delay. Here are the quick results.

Today’s event was held at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo and can be watched on demand on WRESTLE UNIVERSE in Japanese and English. The live broadcast was English only outside Japan due to ABEMA exclusives. You can also watch the first 3 matches FOR FREE on YouTube.

The announced paid attendance was 1562, a legit advance sellout. Standing room only tickets were sold today.

Match 1: Mohammed Yone & Shuhei Taniguchi beat Shuji Kondo & Daiki Odashima. Yone pinned Odashima after Kinniku Muscle Buster.

Match 2: Atsushi Kotoge & Hajime Ohara beat Alejandro & Kai Fujimura. Kotoge pinned Fujimura after Kill Switch.

Match 3: Naomichi Marufuji, Takashi Sugiura & Masa Kitamiya beat Tetsuya Endo, Daga & Owadasan. Sugiura pinned Owadasan after Olympic Yosen Slam. During the match, Endo turned on and defected from Team 2000X.

Match 4: Dragon Bane & Alpha Wolf beat HAYATA. Yuto Kikuchi, Eita & Super Crazy and AMAKUSA & Junta Miyawaki in a 4-way when Wolf pinned Kikuchi.

Match 5: Daiki Inaba Return Match: Kenoh, KENTA & Ulka Sasaki beat Manabu Soya, Saxon Huxley & Daiki Inaba. Kenoh beat Inaba with Kenoh Special.

Match 6: GHC Junior Heavyweight Champion YO-HEY beat Tadasuke to retain the title. V1 for YO-HEY. Next up: Miyawaki.

Main Event: GHC Heavyweight Champion OZAWA beat Kaito Kiyomiya to retain the title. V5 for OZAWA. As a result, Kiyomiya may now have to join Team 2000X. Next up: Endo & Sugiura in a 3-way.

More news/fallout when it becomes available.

The next event is Friday at Aizuwakamatsu City Cultural Center in Fukushima. There will be no live broadcast.

UPDATE: The post-event news/fallout:

It’s now official-OZAWA next defends in aforementioned 3-way. That match will happen on 6/3 at Korakuen as will YO-HEY vs. Miyawaki and an Atsushi Kotoge 20th Anniversary match of Kotoge vs. Super Delfin.

Announced for 5/31 at Shinjuku Face is GHC Heavyweight Tag Team Champions Kenoh & Ulka Sasaki vs. some combination of Manabu Soya, Saxon Huxley & Daiki Inaba for the titles.

Announced for 5/24 at Yokohama Radiant Hall in Yokohama is GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champions Dragon Bane & Alpha Wolf vs. HAYATA & Yuto Kikuchi for the titles.

The N-1 VICTORY Tournament will return this year in September. The schedule was announced today with further details TBA. The schedule is as follows:
9/8-Korakuen
9/11-Okayama Convention Center, Okayama
9/13-Hiroshima Industrial Hall East Exhibition Hall, Hiroshima
9/14-Acros Fukuoka, Fukuoka
9/15-Kumamoto Castle Hall Civic Hall, Kumamoto
9/17-Osaka Prefectural Gym 2, Osaka
9/20-Act City Hamamatsu, Shizuoka
9/21-Light Cube Utsunomiya, Tochigi
9/23-Korakuen (Finals)

Sumo-May 2025 Grand Sumo Tournament Day 5 Results (5/15/25) (Top 2 Tiers)

Joining in progress now that I am back from Japan, here are the quick results from today’s Day 5 of the May 2025 Grand Smo Tournament in Tokyo and some notes so far:
Key: M-Maegashira, K-Komusubi, S-Sekiwake, O-Ozeki, Y-Yokozuna, J-Juryo, Ms-Makushita

Makuuchi (Top tier):
Nishikigi (M16) beat Tochitaikai (M18)
Kayo (M16) beat Takarafuji (J3)
Asakoryu (M17) beat Shonannoumi (M15)
Roga (M14) beat Tamashoho (M17)
Ryuden (M15) beat Tokihayate (M13)
Sadanoumi (M13) beat Atamifuji (M12)
Takanosho (M12) beat Endo (M11)
Meisei (M10) beat Shishi (M11)
Aonishiki (M9) beat Midorifuji (M9)
Kinbozan (M8) beat Shodai (M10)
Hakuoho (M7) beat Churanoumi (M7)
Onokatsu (M8) beat Tobizaru (M6)
Ura (M5) beat Chiyoshoma (M5)
Ichiyamamoto (M4) beat Oshoma (M6)
Abi (M2) beat Takerufuji (M4)
Wakamotoharu (M1) beat Takayasu (K)
Wakatakakage (K) beat Kirishima (S)
Daieisho (S) beat Oho (M1)
Kotozakura (O) beat Hiradoumi (M3)
Onosato (O) beat Tamawashi (M3)
Hoshoryu (Y) beat Gonoyama (M2)
Leader: 4 at 5-0
WITHDRAWAL (Pre-Tournament): Kotoshoho (M14). Right thigh muscle. Will return tomorrow (Day 6). Injury happened before the tournament but he was expected to enter at some point as it was considered minor. He will start in a 0-5 hole.
Of note: RARE KIMARITE ALERT!!! Aonishiki beat Midorifuji with what looked like the touch of death to the knee, actually a technique called uchimuso or inner thigh propping twist down. It looked like Aonishiki barely touched Midorifuji’s knee with his hand and that caused Midorifuji to go down. It’s the second straight day we’ve been treated to a rare technique as we yesterday had a win by amiuchi, the fisherman’s throw.
Yokozuna Watch: Onosato is 1/3 of the way there at 5-0 and among the 4 co-leaders. Of course the 2 straight championships doesn’t guarantee promotion as other factors are considered but it’s looking good.
Ozeki Watch: Daieisho is also among the 4 at 5-0 so he is doing what he needs to, probably needing at least 8 more for a chance at promotion.

Juryo:
Mudoho (J14) beat Daiamami (J13)
Mitoryu (J12) beat Mita (J14)
Kazekeno (J11) beat Miyanokaze (J13)
Tohakuryu (J10) beat Nabatame (J12)
Tsurugisho (J9) beat Hatsuyama (J10)
Oshoumi (J9) beat Shimanoumi (J8)
Hitoshi (J6) beat Shiden (J8)
Wakaikari (J7) beat Kotoeiho (J7)
Daiseizan (J6) beat Nishikifuji (J5)
Tomokaze (J7) beat Kagayaki (J4)
Hidenoumi (J2) beat Shirokuma (J3)
Kusano (J1) beat Hakuyozan (J4)
Fujiseiun (J2) beat Mitakeumi (J1)
Leader: 5 at 4-1
WITHDRAWAL: Wakanosho (J11) on Day 3. Unknown. Status uncertain.

RETIREMENT: Hokutofuji (Ms3). The Japan Sumo Association announced he retired today. He has not competed this tournament due to injury. He does have elder stock and will cash it in to become Oyama oyakata. Hokutofuji, real name Daiki Nakamura (the same real name as Onosato), will finish with a career record of 424-368-40 (win-loss-absent) including 3 absent this tournament, 360-338-37 in the top tier, 3 championships (1 Juryo, 1 Sandanme, 1 Jonidan), 3 Special Prizes and 7 Kinboshi in just over 10 years with a highest rank of Komusubi.

Injury Report: Masa Takanashi Update

DDT has finally provided an update on Masa Takanashi after he suffered what appeared to be a serious injury in his last match against Chris Brookes-he remains hospitalized but is now out of intensive care and is starting rehab. DDT posted this statement from Takanashi, translated into English:

“I’m sorry to have made you all worry due to my situation.

I have now been moved to the general ward and I just started on rehabilitation. Right now I am at the stage where I am just moving the tips of my toes, but I hope that I will be able to meet you all again one day as I continue to work on my recovery.

As someone of this industry, I take all critical comments and encouragements as I face up to my current situation.

And to Chris and the fans everywhere, I hope you can all carry on with your lives without worry.”

DDT and Chocolate Pro Wrestling, a small independent promotion started by longtime women’s wrestler Emi Sakura (who also competes in All Elite Wrestling) are preparing new merchandise and online stores which presumably will serve as fundraisers for his medical treatment. Further details on this TBA.

More as it becomes available.

Stardom 4/29/25 Results

After a massive roster shakeup following Sunday’s biggest event of the year that has seen Thekla fired, Tam Nakano forced to retire (at the very least she is done with Stardom) and Mayu Iwatani leave the promotion, Stardom tried to move on today with their first Golden Week Tour event .

Today’s event was held at Fukuyama Big Rose in Hiroshima and can be watched on demand on Stardom World. Broadcast plans were TBA as of Sunday but today wound up being a live broadcast.

The announced paid attendance was 557.

Match 1: Waka Taukiyama beat Akira Kurogame.

Match 2: Syuri & Ranna Yagami beat Saya Iida & Momo Kohgo. Syuri beat Kohgo with Ground Suzaku.

Match 3: Hazuki & Koguma beat Lady C & Tomoka Inaba. Hazuki pinned C after Bear Love.

Match 4: Saya Kamitani, Natsuko Tora, Ruaka & Azusa Inaba beat Natsupoi, Yuna Mizumori, Sayaka Kurara & Yuria Hime. Inaba pinned Kurara after Bubber Killer 2.

Match 5: Starlight Kid, AZM & Miyu Amasaki beat Maika, HANAKO & Rian. Amasaki pinned Rian after Tensei.

Main Event: Konami & Rina beat Saori Anou & Aya Sakura. Konami pinned Sakura after Triangle Lancer.

The next event is Thursday at Takamatsu Symbol Tower in Kagawa. Brodcast plans TBA.

New Japan 4/29/25 Results (Updated)

New Japan ran another special standalone event today, called “Wrestling Hizen Country”, like WRESTLING REDZONE it seems to replace the traditional Wrestling Satsuma No Kuni event normally held around this time of year.

Today’s event was held at Saga Arena in Saga and can be watched on demand on New Japan World.

The announced paid attendance was 1604.

Match 1: Hiroshi Tanahashi beat Masatora Yasuda by submission.

Match 2: Hartley Jackson (Independent/Freelancer), Ryohei Oiwa & Zack Sabre Jr. beat Katsuya Murashima, Boltin Oleg & Yoru Yano. Oiwa pinned Murashima after The Grip.

Matxh 3: TAKA Michinoku, Taichi, Tomohiro Ishii, Shota Umino & Yuya Uemura beat BUSHI, Hiromu Takahashi, Shingo Takagi, Yota Tsuji & Tetsuya Naito. Uemura pinned BUSHI with a kannuki suplex hold.

Match 4: Taiji Ishimori, Clark Connors, Drilla Moloney, Gabriel Kidd & David Finlay vs. Yoshinobu Kanemaru, Sho, Ren Narita, SANADA & EVIL went to a no contest. Out of control. Afterwards, Finlay demanded a Dog Pound Cage Match where the losing side (War Dogs or House Of Torture) must leave Bullet Club. That match will happen on 5/3 at Day 1 of WRESTLING DONTAKU.

Match 5: Jacob Austin Young, Francesco Akira & Callum Newman beat Ryusuke Taguchi, YOSHI-HASHI & Hirooki Goto. Newman pinned Taguchi after Firebolt.

Match 6: El Phantasmo beat NJPW WORLD TV Champion Great-O-Khan to win the title. Phantasmo becomes the 9th NJPW WORLD TV Champion. That didn’t take long. Next up: If Phantasmo gets his way, Konosuke Takeshita.

Match 7: Master Wato & Yoh beat IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Feam Champions Kosei Fujita & Robbie Eagles to win the titles. Wato & Yoh become the 78th IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champions. Wato pinned Fujita after Falcon Blow. Reminder that TMDK also stands for The Mighty Don’t Kosei.

Main Event: IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion El Desperado beat Templario to retain the title. V5 for Desperado. In post-match comments Desperado put the soon-departing BUSHI & Naito over saying if they keep wrestling elsewhere he’ll keep watching them.

The next event is tomorrow at Grand Messe Kumamoto in Kumamoto for the first of the last 2 dates of the Road To WRESTLING DONTAKU Tour. Live streaming on New Japan World will begin at 2:30 AM PT/5:30 AM ET. The final event Thursday is non-televised.

UPDATE: As is always the case with these title matches, as of 7 PM PT/10 PM ET you also can now watch the NJPW WORLD TV Championship match FOR FREE on YouTube.

UPDATE: It’s now official. Phantasmo-Takeshita for the NJPW WORLD TV Championship has been added to Day 1 of WRESTLING DONTAKU 2025 on 5/3.

Special Event-Meiko Satomura THE FINAL LIVE Results (4/29/25)

Before going on extended hiatus for a trip to Japan, the spotlight will be on Sendai Girls as they hold a special event today in Tokyo for the retirement of Meiko Satomura, one of the most respected Japanese women’s wrestlers of all-time with a list of accolades to match and the co-founder of Sendai Girls along with fellow wrestler Jinsei Shinzaki. After a remarkable 30-year career that also took her to WWE earlier this decade, primarily in the short-lived NXT UK sub-brand as both a wrestler and coach, she wraps up her farewell tour today in her home promotion with a small but all-star lineup of legends and her own promotion’s talent. Among those appearing are OZ Academy owner/founder Mayumi Ozaki, All-Japan Women icon and fellow legend Jaguar Yokota, and opposite Satomura in her finale is the Hall Of Famer and perhaps greatest Japanese women’s wrestler ever, the incomparable Aja Kong, who will team with Chihiro Hashimoto to face Satomura & Manami in her retirement match.

Today’s event will be held at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo and can be watched LIVE on WRESTLE UNIVERSE in Japanese. There are only 5 matches scheduled and none have longer than a 30 minute time limit so even assuming that last match runs long which it should, and hopefully with a retirement ceremony for Satomura to follow, the event probably won’t run more than about 2 hours. Maybe 2 1/2 hours tops if it’s a long ceremony which it should be.

Today’s lineup:
Senka Akatsuki & Yura Suzuki vs. Yurika Oka & YUNA
Jaguar Yokota & Mayumi Ozaki vs. Sakura Hirota & TBA
9 woman (at least) battle royal. Participants: Sonoko Kato, Chikayo Nagashima, Hiroyo Matsumoto, Ryo Mizunami, Yuu, Miyuki Takase, ZONES, Soi, TBA
Veny, Lena Kross & Nina Samuels vs. Dash Chisako, Mika Iwata & Sareee
Meiko Satomura Retirement Match: Chihiro Hashimoto & Aka Kong vs. Meiko Satomura & Manami

Refresh this page occasionally for the latest results.

Updates below will begin at 7:30 PM PT/10:30 PM ET. The live stream is scheduled to begin 15 minutes before the event.

7:15 PM PT UPDATE: The live stream has begun. It appears there will also be English commentary available in addition to Japanese.

7:25 PM PT UPDATE: Live updates begin now.

We are LIVE from Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan. Your hosts are someone I don’t recognize, Sayoko Mita and special guest Chigusa Nagayo..

The paid attendance should be announced after the event. Between fans already in their seats and crowds around flower stands in the hall, it could be a legit sellout or at least close to it. Not the current full capacity setup based on where commentary is, so I’ll predict a crowd of around 1300.

The matches should begin in a few minutes. Only 5 matches today. They re-do the introductions at start time because this is also a live Samurai! TV broadcast in Japan.

The matches begin at 7:38 PM PT/10:38 PM ET. And it’s a proper event today because we have STREAMERS!!!

Match 1: Senka Akatsuki & Yura Suzuki vs. Yurika Oka & YUNA. 10 minute time limit
Result: Yurika Oka & YUNA beat Senka Akatsuki & Yura Suzuki. Oka pinned Akatsuki after a diving body press.

Match 2: Jaguar Yokota & Mayumi Ozaki vs. Sakura Hirota & TBA. 15 minute time limit. Hirota is dressed up and face painted to look like Satomura. Except for the hair perhaps…TBA is Jinsei Shinzaki.
Result: Jaguar Yokota & Mayumi Ozaki beat Sakura Hirota & Jinsei Shinzaki. Ozaki pinned Hirota after a jumping high kick. Mostly a comedy match because of Hirota, who for the last decade or so has been mainly a comedy wrestler.

Match 3: 9 woman battle royal. No rime limit. All but one of the TBAs start in the ring together. The first TBA not announced in advance is Takumi Iroha. The second TBA is Nanae Takahashi. A surprise 10th entrant after the match begins is Takako Inoue. Right behind is a surprise 11th entrant-Kyoko Inoue. Then a surprise 12th entrant-Shinobu Kandori. Then a 13th entrant-Minoru Suzuki!?!
Order of elimination: Nagashima, Kandori, Kato, Iroha, Yuu, Kyoko & Takako Inoue, Takahashi, Takase, Matsumoto, Suzuki.
Result: Ryo Mizunami won.

Intermission.

The matches resume at 8:46 PM PY/11:46 PM ET after a 10 minute break.

Match 4: Veny, Lena Kross & Nina Samuels vs. Dash Chisako, Mika Iwata & Sareee. 20 minute time limit
Result: Dash Chisako, Mika Iwata & Sareee beat Veny, Lena Kross & Nina Samuels. Chisako pinned Kross after a frog splash. Chisako with microphone post-match. Apparently during the promo she spotted her real-life sister, former wrestler Sendai Sachiko, in the crowd.

Main Event: Meiko Satomura Retirement Match: Chihiro Hashimoto & Aka Kong vs. Meiko Satomura & Manami. 30 minute time limit. After Satomura comes out for the match…GRAND SWORD!!! Kenta Kobashi comes out! He begins the proceedings with the first celebratory flower bouquet presentation to Satomura.
Result: Meiko Satomura & Manami beat Chihiro Hashimoto & Aja Kong. Satomura pinned Kong after Scorpion Rising (running jumping axe kick). Afterwards, Kong with microphone. Promo interrupted by several of the girls coming out ready to fight. Which led to…
Impromptu Match: Meiko Satomura & Aja Kong vs. Seika Akatsuki, Chihiro Hashimoto, Takumi Iroha, Mika Iwata & Yura Suzuki. 5 minute time limit
Result: Time Limit Draw

Retirement Ceremony for Satomura follows the main event. Manami comes to the ring first for a few ceremonial forearm shots to the chest then with microphone to address Satomura. Hashimoto next with microphone. Kong follows. After this, a recorded video from Kairi Sane (Kairi Hojo) played followed by a recorded video from current WWE Women’s Champion Iyo Sky (Io Shirai) then a recorded video from current WWE wrestler Asuka (Kana) followed by one from New Japan Pro Wrestling President Hiroshi Tanahashi. After that, current WWE wrestler Shinsuke Nakamura. Last was someone I didn’t recognize but if I had to guess, maybe it was Satomura’s mother. (Correction-it was former women’s wrestler Devil Masami) Next up was the customary procession of wrestlers & othes to present flowers and gifts. A noteworthy gift was from Chigusa Nagayo-a framed painting of her and Satomura titled “Bloodline Of Red”. After the final guest in the procession, Jinsei Shinzaki, Satomura with microphone for her final comments. Following this, the ring announcer highlighted some of the notable accolades of Satomura’s career. Finally, the final rite of passage into retirement-the ceremonial 10 bell salute. Then the concluding final introduction from the ring announcer…the Women’s Pro Wrestling Yokozuna Grand Champion…SATOMURA MEIKO!

30 years and many accolades around the world, her own promotion and more…all of which and more made her one of the most respected Japanese women’s wrestlers ever. A final ceremony and well-deserved send-off and hopefully she will continue to pass on what she has learned to the younger generations. It’s been too long since we’ve been able to have a proper retirement ceremony like this, in large part because of the pandemic, but this event was both a lot of fun and a worthy farewell to another lifer. I join in sending congratulations and best withes to Meiko Satomura on a Hall Of Fame worthy career and now wherever her life will take her.

End Show.