TJPW is back with another major show. Wrestle Princess IV is upon us. With 10 matches on the card featuring a wide array of talent from Tokyo Joshi Pro and outside the company being featured. We deep dive into all the matches and give you a preview of what to expect and if you’re new to TJPW we’ll brush you up on the talent involved. Now on to our preview.
Haru Kazashiro vs. Runa Okubo
The future of TJPW two rookies who only made their debut earlier this year will be the opening match of the show. Big TJPW shows always deliver with their opening matches that set the precedent of the rest of the card. This will be the first singles match against each other since their debuts back in March of this year. Runa has six singles matches under her belt but has not won any of them. Haru has seven singles matches under her belt. Both have a combined 58 matches already since their debuts eight months ago. Haru is clocked in at 32 matches and Runa not too far behind with 26 matches.
Haru Kazashiro only at 15 years old had her debut match March 18, 2023, at Grand Princess in an eight-person tag match that saw her team up with Runa Okubo, Toga, and Kaya Toribami in a losing effort. Haru became interested in pro wrestling after watching a street wrestling show. She says her favorites are Maki Itoh and the BAKURETSU sisters (Nodoka Tenma & Yuki Aino. Haru made the decision to be a wrestler after seeing Nodoka’s retirement.
Runa Okubo also at 15 years old had her debut match also at Grand Princess March 18, 2023. As stated above she was made her debut in an eight-person tag match that saw her team lose to another set of rookies who had also just debuted for the company just before they did. Runa had become interested in pro wrestling through her parents who are fans as well. Runa has her eyes set on Kamiyu (Yuki Kamifuku) and sees her someone to aspire to be like.
Arisu Endo/Kaya Toribami/HIMAWARI vs. Yoshiko Hasegawa/Harukaze/Riara
In this 6-Woman Tag Team Match, we got the team of Arisu Endo, Kaya Toribami and Himawari representing TJPW going against the team of Yoshiko Hasegawa and Riara and Harukaze representing GANPRO.
Arisu Endo debuted in TJPW against Suzume on January 4, 2021, in Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, since then Arisu Endo has been getting better in the ring, hopefully one day she wins a singles title or the tag titles with Daisy Monkey (Suzume and Arisu Endo). Kaya Toribami debut match in TJPW was in a tag team match Kaya Toribami teamed up with Mahiro Kiryu, Nao Kakuta, Pom Harajuku & Raku going against the team of BeeStar (Mirai Maiumi & Suzume), Arisu Endo, Haruna Neko & Moka Miyamoto on June 6, 2021, Saitama/Saitama Super Arena. Himawari’s debut match in TJPW was against Yuki Aino on January 4, 2023, in Korakuen Hall, Tokyo.
The TJPW team will be going against the team of Yoshiko Hasegawa and Riara and Harukaze representing GANPRO. Yoshiko Hasegawa debuted on November 6, 2019, in Korakuen Hall, Tokyo against Tsukasa Fujimoto in Actwres girl’Z (AWG). Riara debuted in GANPRO on May 5, 2023, in Korakuen Hall, Tokyo against YuuRI and to round out the GANPRO team, Harukaze who debuted on the DDT Ganbare Pro Nishiehigashie 2017 show on May 31 against Kaori Yoneyama.
Moka Miyamot vs. Juria Nagano
It’s the battle of two martial artists, it’s Moka Miyamoto going against Juria Nagano. Who has the will power to survive in the end?
Moka Miyamoto got interested in professional wrestling because she got influenced by her younger brother, so Moka joined TJPW in the fall of 2019. Moka would study Shotokan-ryu karate while she was still in high school. On July 23, 2020, in Korakuen Hall, Tokyo Moka Miyamoto would make her TJPW debut teaming up with Suzume going against Mirai Maiumi & Sena Shiori. Since Moka Miyamoto’s debut, she has being getting batter in the ring day after day, one day Moka could be a top star in TJPW.
Juria Nagano is a ranked holder of Shito-ryu karate and won the world championship (kata division), Juria Nagano is also currently active in the entertainment industry as an action actress, while Juria Nagano is in the entertainment industry she is also currently active as a nurse. Juria Nagano was scouted by president Sanshiro Takagi to join TJPW, then on March 19, 2022, in Ryogoku Kokugikan, Tokyo Juria Nagano would make her TJPW debut in a tag team match where she partnered up with Moka Miyamoto who went against Daisy Monkey (Suzume and Arisu Endo).
Aja Kong/Raku/Shino Suzuki vs. Wakana Uehara/Hyper Misao/Toga
In what seems to be a match filled with hilarity and action this six-woman tag match should deliver everything that encapsulates what Tokyo Joshi Pro is. Aja Kong makes her return to TJPW after we last saw her teaming up with Yuki Aino where they won at Rika Tatsumi’s homecoming show. Raku gets to reunite with Aja Kong this time after their last scheduled match together did not happen due to illness. Shino Suzuki still relatively new in the company having only 37 matches under her since her debut back in March is probably involved in her biggest match to date with legend Aja Kong.
Raku is all too familiar with Aja Kong as they have teamed up together seven times together in the last three years. The two have only been successful two times together maybe with Shino in the mix they can win this one. Shino and Raku are already familiar with each other being together from UP UP Girls which is an idol group for the company. They sing and dance to open TJPW shows. Raku and Shino have only teamed up five times and only have one victory being partnered together. Aja Kong the legend herself has graced pro wrestling rings for almost 40 years now, she’s done it all. In the later stages of her career she is usually in these tag team matches in TJPW where there are always funny shenanigans.
Now for the other team sees TJPW veteran Hyper Misao who team up with new names. Wakana Uehara made her debut in October 2022. She did nothing for the remainder of the year but has exploded onto the scene in 2023. With 40 matches under her already, with her move set similar to Keiji Muto with her own flair mixed in Wakana has been a new name to keep an eye on in the expanding roster of TJPW. If this is your first time watching Wakana you will for sure be yelling WAKANA!!!!!! As one vocally loud fan does when given the chance when Wakana is featured. Toga made her debut back on March 3, 2023, where she went toe to toe with one of the pillars Miyu Yamashita. Toga has 36 matches under her already. Toga is not to be taken lightly, she has the stiffest looking lariats in the company and will drop your neck when given the chance when she hits them. Hyper Misao will hopefully lead her team to victory in this one with all her “evil” funny antics.
Ryo Mizunami/Yuki Aino vs. Yuki Arai/Miu Watanabe
In this tag team match, we have the powerhouse team of Ryo Mizunami and Yuki Aino going against an Idol and a powerhouse consisting Yuki Arai and Miu Watanabe.
In this team, we got Ryo Mizunami teaming up with Yuki Aino, two powerhouses. Ryo Mizunami made her professional wrestling debut on November 3rd, 2004 against Carlos Amano. Ryo Mizunami has won various titles in many different companies in her career, Ryo Mizunami has won the Wave Single Championship 2x she won the title on December 29, 2016, and December 15, 2018, Wave Tag Team Championship with Misaki Ohata on August 7, 2016, Beyond the Sea Single Championship on July 11, 2021, Oz Academy Tag Team Championship with Sonoko Kato on March 12, 2023, NEO Tag Team Championship with Aya Yuuki on November 13, 2010, JWP Junior Championship December 20, 2009, Princess of Pro-Wrestling Championship on December 20, 2009, International Ribbon Tag Team Championship with Misaki Ohata on October 9, 2016.
Before Yuki Aino became a wrestler, she was a ring announcer, as Yuki Aino was watching these matches while she was a ring announcer her dream to become a professional wrestler was rekindled. So on May 3, 2018, Yuki Aino would make her professional wrestling debut in TJPW in a tag team match. Yuki Aino partnered with her sister Nodoka Tenma they went against the team of Hikari Noa and Yuu. Yuki Aino did win a title in TJPW, she has won the Princess Tag Team Championship with Nodoka Tenma at Wrestle Princess on November 7, 2020.
For this idol and a powerhouse duo, we have the team of Yuki Arai and Miu Watanabe. Yuki Arai made her professional wrestling debut in DDT Pro-Wrestling on October 28, 2018, in a gauntlet battle royal where she defended the Ironman Heavymetalweight Championship, Yuki Arai won the Ironman Heavymetalweight Championship eighteen days earlier in a house show on October 10, 2018, Arai won it off of her SKE48 senior Kaori Matsumura. Yuki Arai would step away from professional wrestling for two and a half years, Yuki Arai would come back to professional wrestling, mainly competing in TJPW, Yuki Arai debuted in TJPW on May 4, 2021, in Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan in a tag team match where she would team with Miu Watanabe their opponents were Arisu Endo & Maki Itoh. Yuki Arai would win the Princess Tag Team Championship on July 9, 2022, with Saki Akai they defeated Magical Sugar Rabbits (Mizuki and Yuka Sakazaki) at TJPW Summer Sun Princess ’22.
Miu Watanabe professional wrestling debut in TJPW was on January 4, 2018, at TJPW Tokyo Joshi Pro ’18, Miu Watanabe was in a tag team match for her debut she teamed up with fellow “Up Up Girls” member Pinano Pipipipi they went up against their stablemates of “Up Up Girls” Hikari Noa and Raku. Miu Watanabe has won the International Princess Championship and the Princess Tag Team Championship, the International Princess Championship at Wrestle Princess III on October 9, 2022, Princess Tag Team Championship with Rika Tatsumi team name of Hakuchumu at DDT Ultimate Party on November 3, 2019, against NEO Biishiki-gun (Sakisama and Hyper Misao).
This tag match between Ryo Mizunami and Yuki Aino vs Yuki Arai and Miu Watanabe should be fun. Whichever team wins, could possibly be next in line for a Princess Tag Team Championship match.
NEO Biishiki-Gun (Skisama/Mei Saint Michel/Martha/Yukio Saint Laurent) vs. Suzume/Shoko Nakajima/Antonio Honda/Pom Harajuku
The match I am looking forward to the most on the card (This is FAR by the way) NEO Biishiki-Gun are legit my favorite thing about TJPW, the faction and Hyper Misao is what got me hooked on the product. Now for those unfamiliar with the group allow me to give you an idea of the group.
NEO Biishiki-Gun led by the French Aristocrat herself Sakisama. According to Sakisama she was born during the Holy Roman Empire sometime in the late 1700s. She had then moved to France where she joined the French aristocrat. The jest of Sakisama’s character is a parody of a manga/anime titled Rose of Versailles based off the character known as Lady Oscar (Oscar François de Jarjayes) The parallels between the show’s characters and NEO Biishiki-Gun are so close that Sakisama and the group collectively enter with anime’s opening title theme – BARA WA UTSUKUSHIKU CHIRU performed by Hiroko Suzuki.
Now that the lore behind Sakisama is established enough for you to get the picture in your head. She is flanked by her coterie. The first one to join her on this quest of dominance in TJPW is none other than her eight-year-old maid Martha. Martha never comes empty-handed as she has her mop with her at all times ready to tidy up any mess that Sakisama gets her self into. Martha is a true loyal servant of the French aristocrat and has been with Sakisama during her most important pivotal moments in the company.
Now on to Dr. Yukio Saint Laurent a dark mysterious figure at times with a scarred face made his way after Sakisama disappeared after a mysterious illness fell over her. During her absence the doctor himself Yukio-san cured Sakisama of her illness which allowed her to return to TJPW. Yukio Saint Laurent is not to be messed with. With his experimental drugs (the man has a vest full of syringes and scalpels) Yukio-san is not to be messed with. If you get in his way he will find a way to take you down in the most unconventional way possible and if you are out hopefully he doesn’t run his experiments on you.
And last but not least is Mei Saint Michel. Mei who was allegedly raised by wolves and lived in the woods was found one day when Sakisama was strolling through the woods playing her flute to calm her down after failing to find new members for her group. Mei heard the music being played and fell under Sakisama’s spell. Mei Saint Michel was taken in and trained by Martha to become a maid and from that point forward Mei Saint Michel remained a loyal servant to Sakisama and NEO Biishiki-Gun to this day.
Oh, wow I went completely off about my love for NEO Biishiki-Gun, well the team they are facing consisting of the bee herself Suzume who is on the brink of getting to the next level in TJPW with her amazing cutter that she will hit out of nowhere. Suzume is joined by the big kaiju herself Shoko Nakajima coming off a short excursion in the United States just a few weeks ago who is also one of the three to only ever get a pin on Sakisama which should come into play during this match. Pom Harajuku joins in this match to go toe to toe with Martha who are both similar in that both Pom and and Martha’s cases are children. Antonio Honda rounds out the team who should be formidable enough to deal with Yukio Saint Laurent and his antics. This match should be great fun in all honesty and I hope to see NEO Biishiki-Gun top their 2022 Grand Princess entrance.
Nyla Rose vs. Maki Itoh
Maki Itoh after coming off one of the biggest main event matches in her career against former friend and current Princess of Princess Champion Mizuki back in July, sees herself in a battle against The Native Beast Nyla Rose. Nyla Rose having made her debut at Summer Sun Princess on July 7th successfully beating Miu Watanabe in dominant fashion.
Nyla Rose has lots of success in Japan, and it’s where she made a name for herself and at one point adopting the nickname The American Kaiju. Nyla worked for promotions such as Pro Wrestling Zero1 and Sendai Girls’ Pro Wrestling. Nyla Rose has was featured in the first episode of AEW Dynamite where she went one on one with Riho to crown AEW’s first ever Women’s World Champion. Nyla did not win that match, but she did go on to win it some time later in February 2020 on an episode of Dynamite against Riho in their rematch. Nyla Rose has a whopping 146 matches under her belt for All Elite Wrestling.
Maki Itoh is a veteran of TJPW making her debut in the company in January 2017. Maki has had a successful career thus far spanning the world with infectious attitude and look. Maki Itoh took western fans by storm some time in 2019. Ever since then Maki Itoh has been a staple name in the U.S. indie scene where she would appear for GCW alongside Nick Gage to form Maki Death Kill gang. Maki Itoh might need to tap into what she has picked up in the United States to get one over on Nyla Rose.
Toyo Mates (Yuki Kamifuku & Mahiro Kiryu) vs. Free WiFi (Hikari Noa & Nao Kakuta) – Princess Tag Championship Match
This match is to decide who will be the new Princess Tag Team Championship after the titles were vacated by Magical Sugar Rabbits (Yuka Sakazaki and Mizuki) after Yuka was diagnosed with a severe injury that has put her out of action since May. We have the team of Free WiFi Hikari Noa and Nao Kakuta going against the team of Toyo Mates Yuki Kamifuku and Mahiro Kiryu.
Free WiFi the team consists of Hikari Noa and Nao Kakuta, Free WiFi got this title match by defeating the teams of Kyoraku Kyomei (Hyper Misao & Shoko Nakajima) and Pom Harajuku & Raku in a Three Way Tag Team Match on September 9, 2023. On January 4, 2018, Hikari Noa would make her professional wrestling debut in TJPW, Hikari Noa was in a tag team match for her debut she would team up with fellow “Up Up Girls” member Raku they went up against their stablemates of “Up Up Girls” Miu Watanabe and Pinano Pipipipi. Hikari Noa did win a title in TJPW, she won the International Princess Championship on May 4, 2021, at TJPW Yes! Wonderland 2021 ~ We Are Still in the Middle of Our Dreams, she took it off of Yuki Kamifuku. Nao Kakuta made her professional wrestling debut in AgZ Prologue (Actwres girl’Z) on May 31, 2015, against Tae Honma. Nao Kakuta would make her eventually debut in TJPW Fall Tour ’20 WOMM (Wrestling Of My Mind) on November 14, 2020, Nao Kakuta was in a tag team match for her TJPW debut she teamed with Pom Harajuku they fought the team of Shoko Nakajima and Suzume.
The other team in this match will be the team of Toyo Mates Yuki Kamifuku and Mahiro Kiryu, Toyo Mates got this title match by defeating the teams of Hakuchumu (Miu Watanabe & Rika Tatsumi) and Daisy Monkey (Arisu Endo & Suzume) in a Three Way Tag Team Match on September 10, 2023. Yuki Kamifuku would make her professional wrestling debut on August 26, 2017, in TJPW (Brand New Wrestling ~ The Beginning of a New Era) she would be in a tag team match for her debut she teamed up with Yuna Manase to fight the team of Mizuki and Nonoko. Yuki Kamifuku has won the Ironman Heavymetalweight Championship on November 3, in DDT Ultimate Party 2019, and the International Princess Championship on November 7, 2020, at Wrestle Princess she beat Hikari Noa in the finals of an eight-woman single-elimination tournament for the vacant International Princess Championship. Mahiro Kiryu made her professional wrestling debut on February 23, 2019, in TJPW in a tag team match she teamed up with Himawari Unagi (Unagi Sayaka) they fought against the team of Mina Shirakawa & Shoko Nakajima. Yuki Kamifuku and Mahiro Kiryu tag team name is Toyo Mates because both are from Toyo University’s Hakusan Campus.
Rika Tatsumi vs. Max The Impaler – Championship Double Title Match International Princess & NWA World Women’s Television
In the most unlikely match up on the card. We have the second ever NWA World Women’s Television Champion Max The Impaler making their return to TJPW this time with gold yet again. Max won the title back in August during NWA’s 75th anniversary show after defeating the inaugural champion Kenzie Page. This would be Max’s fourth title defense. Rika Tatsumi become the tenth holder of the International Princess Championship after defeating Miu Watanabe in a MOTYC back in March at Grand Princess. Rika has had four successful title defenses since winning the belt.
Rika Tatsumi win of the International Princess Championship made her a grand slam champion for TJPW. Having won every title available in the promotion the pillar of TJPW is looking to keep her title and her momentum going at the end of 2023. Rika’s four defenses consisted of Suzume, Billie Starks, Vert Vixen and Yuki Aino. Tatsumi and Max have crossed paths against each other two times. They are both even with a win off one another in tag matches.
Max The Impaler has had a very successful 2023. They started the year with capturing the Princess Tag Titles with Heidi Howitzer as Wasteland War Party back in January of this year. They went on to hold the belt until Grand Princess where they lost to the 2023 Max Heart tournament winners 121000000 (Maki Itoh and Miyu Yamashita) Since then Max The Impaler has been in and out of the promotion for the rest of the year. During NWA’s 75th anniversary show back on August 26, 2023, Max was able to beat Kenzie Page to become the second NWA Women’s Television Champion. Max’s defenses consisted of Ruthie Jay, Taylor Rising, and Regina Rosendahl.
Mizuki vs. Miyu Yamashita – Princess Of Princess Championship Match
In the main event of WRESTLE PRINCESS Ⅳ we have the winner of the 2023 Tokyo Princess Cup Miyu Yamashita going against Princess of Princess Champion Mizuki, this will be Mizuki’s fourth defense.
Miyu Yamashita won her first Tokyo Princess Cup by beating Yuki Kamifuku in the finals on August 13, the winner of Tokyo Princess Cup gets a title match for the Princess Of Princess Championship when they win. During that tournament, Miyu Yamashita did pin the champion Mizuki in the opening of the first round of the Tokyo Princess Cup on July 15. Miyu Yamashita held the Princess Of Princess title three times, her first one was on January 4, 2016, beating Shoko Nakajima, Yamashita’s second reign would be on January 4, 2018, when she beat Reika Saiki, Yamashita last reign with Princess of Princess Championship was on May 4, 2021, when she beat Rika Tatsumi.
The current Princess of Princess Champion Mizuki has won the Tokyo Princess Cup 2 times, the first one on July 7, Mizuki would beat Yuna Manase in the finals of the Tokyo Princess Cup 2019, the second one on August 29, Mizuki would go and beat Shoko Nakajima in the finals Tokyo Princess Cup 2020. Mizuki also held the Princess Tag Team Championship with Yuka Sakazaki three times, they first won the tag titles on August 25, 2018, after defeating the team of Maki Itoh and Reika Saiki, their second reign was on October 9, 2021, where they would defeat the team of NEO Biishiki-Gun (Mei Saint-Michel & Sakisama), Mizuki and Yuka Sakazaki would go on to beat Miyu Yamashita and Maki Itoh (121000000) on March 31, 2023, for their last reign with the tag titles as of June 9, 2023, the Princess Tag Team titles are Vacate.
Mizuki won the Princess of Princess Championship on March 18, 2023, she defeated Yuka Sakazaki for it, Mizuki is the current Princess of Princess Champion she has successfully defended the belt three times. Her defenses include matches against Nao Kakuta, Sawyer Wreck and Maki Itoh. This title match for the Princess of Princess Championship between the current Champ Mizuki going against Miyu Yamashita is a match to look forward to. Will Miyu Yamashita win the Princess of Princess Championship for a fourth time, or will the current Champ Mizuki have a successfully title defense and topple another TJPW pillar.
About Author
