Fightful Joshi Journal (9/14/22): JTO Tag Steals The Weekend, Hanan Shows The World, And More

This week’s Fightful Joshi Journal discusses the incredible tag team match from JUST TAP OUT and one of STARDOM’s best pay-per-views of the year.

This week’s Fightful Joshi Journal keeps you up-to-date on the 5STAR Grand Prix, including thoughts on what was one of STARDOM’s best pay-per-views of the year this past Sunday, as well as discusses the incredible tag team match from JUST TAP OUT’s TAKA Michinoku Debut 30th Anniversary ~ TakaTaichiDespeMania show on Monday.

The wrestling world is left talking about the main event of TAKA Michinoku Debut 30th Anniversary ~ TakaTaichiDespeMania as El Desperado went to war with Jun Kasai in what many are calling a “match of the year contender.” And while that match deserves all the love it is getting, there was a second match on that show that showcased the best JUST TAP OUT has to offer on the Joshi side. The match saw JTO’s Tomoka Inaba and Aoi team up to take on STARDOM’s Maika and MIRAI. If you have followed Maika’s career, you know that JTO is where she broke into wrestling and as trained, making this match a bit more special. MIRAI was also trained by TAKA Michinoku but moved onto TJPW rather than join JTO so, again, plenty of history here as four of Michinoku’s best-trained wrestlers had a chance to go head-to-head and they not only delivered but had arguably the best Joshi match of the weekend.

There was a general feeling of excitement as all four made their way to the ring. Inaba was decked out with a red braid in her hair and new “big match” entrance attire that made her feel like the biggest star in the room. Aoi had the coolest mask you will see and did her usual breakdancing. MIRAI and Maika experienced their first non-clap crowd for the first time in forever and it was easy to see how much it meant to them. Once the bell rang, it was on.

The action was exciting and the energy was contagious. There wasn’t a second to sit back because you wanted to be there and a part of this. Everyone shined in this match one way or the other but none more than Tomoka Inaba. She flies the flag of JTO more than anyone and it was evident how much this match mattered to her. When she and Maika squared off, there was electricity flowing through the building. The spot of the night, of course, was when Maika hit a Superplex to Inaba. The crowd began to erupt as Maika as getting her footing as she turned around to see that Inaba got right up and squared up a beautiful kick to take her out. 

The work Inaba and Aoi would do to try and take down the heavily favorite STARDOM team was entertaining, showing they could enter a tag tournament or be a serious team down the line in any promotion in the world. In the end, it was ultimately MIRAI and Maika picking up the win as Maika hit a Michinoku Driver II to Aoi for the win, but this match is as must-see as it gets from this past weekend. Tomoka Inaba established herself as a player and future world champion. While she does hold the Queen of JTO Championship now, the sky isn’t a limit for her because she’s limitless. Now that she will learn from Syuri of all wrestlers after joining God’s Eye, there’s no doubt her potential will be reached. She’s as special as it gets.

When I say stole the weekend, I mean it. One of the best Joshi tag team matches of the entire year. Go seek it out!

ねぇ、舞華

久しぶりのともかはどーだった？

あの頃より強くなってた？？

舞華はすっごく強くなってた

悔しいよ

でもね、昨日の分は絶対やり返すから

すぐにでもまた舞華の対角に立つから

必ず舞華からの勝利を掴み取ってみせる。#pw_jto pic.twitter.com/jr12cTxmS2

— 稲葉 ともか (@pw_jto_T) September 13, 2022

The second part of this week’s Fightful Joshi Journal brings us to STARDOM’s 5 STAR Grand Prix show that hailed from the Yokohama Budokan. The match felt like a wake-up to fans who have been following the tournament as the big venue inspired each wrestler to bring their best. The 5STAR matches all lives up to expectations, with Giulia vs. Mayu Iwatani and Saya Kamitani vs. Suzu Suzuki standing out, but what’s worth talking about here is the delivery of the Artist of Stardom Championship match.

Over 2022 and really dating back to 2021, the Artist of Stardom Championship has found importance it did not have for a long while. The trios titles have become must-see matches for STARDOM fans and the Oedo Tai trio who holds them now have already had some of the best Artist of Stardom Championship matches in history, let alone this year or last. So how would they get creative this time around? Ah, make the youngest competitor the most important competitor of the match.

Hanan had the best performance of her career in this match and there’s nothing that comes close. Called the “Future Ace” of STARDOM for a reason, the Future of Stardom Champion showed the world what she was all about in one of the best outings of the year. She showed her heart and growth that the 5STAR Grand Prix has gifted her with all the big-time matchups. All the eyes were on her and she delivered.

The moment of the match where it felt that maybe, just maybe there would be new champions wasn’t when Hanan hit a move but instead when she kicked out of Starlight Kid’s Moonsault. A move that has ended a number of Kid’s matches, especially against the future division, and Hanan had the wherewithal to shockingly kick out. Hanan would follow it up with a Backdrop Driver that spelled the end and new champions before Momo Watanabe made the save. In the end, it was all too much for Hanan who suffered a Pendelum Driver from the Oedo Tai trio before Kid finished the match off with a Star Suplex Hold for the victory.

With all major tournament matches and a main event title match where Tam Nakano and Natsupoi defended their Goddess of Stardom Championship for the first time, the night was still taken by Hanan, even in defeat. It was a career-defining match for the 18-year-old Hanan who is more ready than ever to make the next step in her career and continue her rise to superstardom.

アーティストに挑戦できたのは葉月さんとコグマさんが一緒に戦ってくれたからです。
本当にありがとうございます！
お二人の、羽南が獲ってこい！っていうのがすごく伝わってきて嬉しかったです。

STARSのお姉さん達大好きです–

そして3人とも蛍光のニューコスでした

#スターダム
#STARDOM pic.twitter.com/3NSABUNhoj

— 羽南／HANAN (@Stardom_hanan) September 13, 2022

Here’s a look at the standings for the 5STAR Grand Prix up:

RED STARS BLOCK

12 – AZM
12 – Himeka
10 – Maika
10 – Utami Hayashishita
10 – Tam Nakano
10 – Risa Sera
10 – Syuri
8 – Koguma
8 – Mai Sakurai
6 – Saki Kashima
6 – SAKI
2 – Unagi Sayaka
2 – Momo Kohgo

BLUE STARS BLOCK

14 – Hazuki
12 – Saya Kamitani
11 – Giulia
11 – Mayu Iwatani
10 – Ami Sourei
10 – MIRAI
10 – Natsupoi
6 – Momo Watanabe
6 – Starlight Kid
6 – Mina Shirakawa
4 – Saya Iida
2 – Suzu Suzuki
0 – Hanan

Matches Worth Checking Out (9/7/22)

• STARDOM
  • Saya Kamitani vs. Suzu Suzuki
  • Utami Hayashishita vs. AZM.
  • Mayu Iwatani vs. Giulia
  • Starlight Kid, Momo Watanabe & Saki Kashima vs. Hazuki, Hanan & Koguma
  • Tam Nakano & Natsupoi vs. MIRAI & Ami Sourei
  • AZM vs. Risa Sera
  • Tam Nakano vs. Unagi Sayaka
  • Mayu Iwatani vs. Suzu Suzuki
• JUST TAP OUT
  • Tomoka Inaba & Aoi vs. Maika & MIRAI
• TJPW
  • Miyu Yamashita vs. Arisu Endo

Other notable Joshi results from the weekend:

TJPW INSPIRATION #5

• Pom Harajuku def. Haruna Neko
• Dalys & Stephanie Vaquer def. Moka Miyamoto & Shoko Nakajima
• Magical Sugar Rabbits (Mizuki & Yuka Sakazaki) def. Demonio Uno & Pokotan
• Miyu Yamashita def. Arisu Endo

Check out our latest Joshi interviews with Maki Itoh, Miyu Yamashita, and Tam Nakano.