Tokyo Joshi Pro wraps up the Tokyo Princess Cup today with the Finals. This year it’s an unlikely one as it’s Arisu Endo vs. Miu Watanabe, with the winner likely facing Princess Of Princess Champion Mizuki for the title at WRESTLE PRINCESS 6. (There was going to be a new winner this year because 2024 winner Ryo Mizunami was not entered) Elsewhere, since Maki Itoh cancelled her planned international excursion that caused her to not be in the tournament, it was announced the TBA-as her opponent-someone who did not make the Final-is Yuki Arai. There is history here as when Arai made her debut in TJPW, Itoh was her opponent. A lot has changed since then and hopefully the result will be different this time (I’m very pro-Arai biased so naturally I want her to win).
Today’s event will be held at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo and can be watched LIVE on WRESTLE UNIVERSE in Japanese and English. DDT semi-regular Tetsu Inada will be special guest host today as regular host Haruo Murata is not available due to schedule conflicts (most likely the Stardom PPV later today at Ota City General Gym), and Akane Papiko will be the special guest. Kira Summer and referee Funirin will be guests on English commentary…at least after the first match as Summer is to be part of it. Streamers are allowed today except during the first match, which is subject to chance last-minute because it involves the DDT Iron Man Heavymetalweight Championship. There is a post-event party elsewhere in Tokyo so that may affect the running time, with 7 matches and a no time limit main event I anticipate a “normal” Korakuen event running about 2 1/2 hours.
Today’s lineup:
8 person battle royal for DDT Iron Man Heavymetalweight Championship (subject to change if current champion Juri Suzue loses it before then)
Yuna Manase vs. Toga
Rika Tatsumi, Suzume & Ren Konatsu vs. Yuki Aino, Haru Kazashiro & Uta Takami
Mizuki vs. Pom Harajuku
Maki Itoh vs. Yuki Arai
Shoko Nakajima, Hyper Misao, Kaya Toribami & HIMAWARI vs. Aja Kong, Yuki Kamifuku, Wakana Uehara & Mifu Ashida
Tokyo Princess Cup Finals: Arisu Endo vs. Miu Watanabe
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 25 minutes before the event.
7:05 PM PT UPDATE: The live stream has begun. We should be going to the venue in 15-20 minutes.
7:15 PM PT UPDATE: Live updates begin now.
We are LIVE from Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan. Your hosts are special guest host Tetsu Inada, Kagehiro Osano, Sayoko Mita and special guest Papico Akane. Your English hosts are Mr. Haku, referee Fumirin and, after the first match, they will be joined by Kira Summer.
The paid attendance will be announced after the event. It’s the reduced capacity setup for the opposite-camera bleachers but already a decent crowd in the venue. Hopefully a bit higher than usual for Korakuen events so I’ll predict around 800. (UPDATE: The announced paid attendance was 742)
The matches should begin in 20-25 minutes.
Opening announcements begin about 6 minute before start time.
The matches begin at 7:42 PM PT/10:42 PM ET.
DDT Iron Man Heavymetalweight Champion Juri Suzue is seen backstage as Ram Kaichow & Raku enter her locker room. Kaichow challenges Suzue to arm wrestling and wins with distraction from Raku. And because referee Daisuke Kiso was there…
Ram Kaichow beat DDT Iron Man Heavymetalweight Champion Juri Suzue to win the title. Kaichow becomes the 1763rd Champion.
Match 1: 8 woman battle royal for the DDT Iron Man Heavymetalweight Championship. Staggered entry. Eliminations by pinfall, submission, over the top rope. Last one left leaves as champion. Was to be Juri Suzue defending the title but now it’s Ram Kaichow. No time limit
Order of entry: Ram Kaichow, Chika Nanase, Kira Summer, Shino Suzuki, Raku, Mahiro Kiryu, Miyu Yamashita, Juri Suzue
Order of elimination: Nanase, Kaichow (Kiryu becomes the 1674th Champion), Summer, Suzuki, Kiryu (Suzue becomes the 1675th Champion), Raku & Yamashita together
Result: Juri Suzue wins and, thanks to winning it back after pinning Kiryu, retains the title. I’m half-waiting for Inada to do a run-in and win the title. But they all chased her to the back with Kiso in the mix, so…updates to come?
Match 2: Yuna Manase (Ganbare Pro) vs. Toga. 15 minute time limit
Result: Yuna Manase beat Toga
Match 3: Rika Tatsumi, Suzume & Ren Konatsu vs. Yuki Aino, Haru Kazashiro & Uta Takami. 20 minute time limit
Result: Yuki AIno, Haru Kazashiro & Uta Takami beat RIka Tatsumi, Suzume & Ren Konatsu. AIno pinned Konatsu after Venus DDT.
Fumirin is taking a break from English commentary for at least the next match to be referee.
Match 4: Mizuki vs. Pom Harajuku. 15 minute time limit
Result: Mizuki beat Pom Harajuku. Mostly a comedy match of course, Harajuku came out wearing a pool innertube and carrying an inflatable dolphin.
Priscilla Kelly participation is announced for WRESTLE PRINCESS 6 on 9/20. Based on a prior match between them in 2018 there is a chance she’ll face Yamashita. (Postscript: Kelly is the former Gigi Dolin in WWE)
Match 5: Maki Itoh vs. Yuki Arai. 20 minute time limit
Result: Yuki Arai beat Maki Itoh. HAPPY HAPPY!!! Who’s the cutest in the world now? ARAI-CHAN!!! And post-match…what’s this? Itoh Stone Cold Salute retracted for…pinky swear? Sign of respect?!?
Match 6: Shoko Nakajima, Hyper Misao, Kaya Toribami & HIMAWARI vs. Aja Kong (OZ Academy), Yuki Kamifuku, Wakana Uehara & Mifu Ashida. 20 minute
time limit
Result: Aja Kong, Yuki Kamifuku, Wakana Uehara & Mifu Ashida beat Shoko Nakajima, Hyper Misao, Kaya Toribami & HIMAWARI. Uehara pinned Misao. Afterwards, Uehara & Kamifuku with microphone. Challenge issued for the Princess Tag Team Championship held by Misao & Nakajima. Accepted. Ober Eats business picking up! I’m thinking that match will happen at WRESTLE PRINCESS 6, updates to hopefully come later today.
Main Event: Tokyo Princess Cup Finals: Arisu Endo vs. Miu Watanabe. No time limit
Result: Miu Watanabe beat Arisu Endo to win the tournament. As a result, Watanabe gets a Princess Of Princess Championship shot and a chance to become a 2-time champion. I expect it to be at WRESTLE PRINCESS 6 but hopefully we’ll know for sure later today. Updates to follow.
The next event is 8/30 at Kyoto KBS Hall in Kyoto. Kira Summer will miss this event due to an excursion to Malaysia. There will be no live broadcast. On demand on 9/2.
UPDATE: The 2 above title matches are now official for 9/20.
UPDATE 2: Unmentioned backstage post-event development revealed on social media!
Pocotan beat DDT Iron Man Heavymetalweight Champion Juri Suzue to win the title. Pocotan becomes the 1766th Champion. Title change via an arm wrestling match. Cheating of course with, of all things, a Pocky bribe! Footage at the link below:
https://x.com/tjpw2013/status/1959154246110388536