There’s never been any doubt about Mei Suruga’s talents as a wrestler. It didn’t take long for her to earn her genius tag, and while there were things to improve, Mei’s ability to hook you in has always been there. Instead, the questions have been about how Suruga adapts to a more serious style. She shines with the joy of someone who loves this stuff, capering around the ring, delighting in everything she does, and while I would happily have that be the main event style of every wrestling company in the land, the sad reality is that no one listens to me. There has always been a feeling that if Mei wanted to reach that next level (and she’s been open about that being the case), she was going to have to find a way to take that carefree approach and hone it into something a little bit sharper.
Over the years, there have been hints of Suruga getting close to doing that. The first example that springs to mind is her match with Mitsuru Konno, which got so heated that Mitsuru made her hand bleed when slapping Suruga across the face, but there were also battles with the likes of Yunamon, Veny and Emi Sakura. However, it’s only been in the last year or so that we’ve seen what feels like a consistent effort by Suruga to begin to drill down into what a Mei main event looks like. For that, the initial reference point is her anniversary match with her MomoRingo partner, Momoka Hanazono. Back then, they started light and fluffy, menacing their way around the ring in trademark fashion. However, as anyone who has watched enough Hanazono knows, she has an edge that is never really hidden. Eventually, the barbs got a bit sharper, and slowly but surely, things got nasty. Mei has always been happy to bully a rookie or lean into her goblin side, but for the first time, she felt properly mean, attacking Hanazono’s arm and rising to her level. It ended up being one of my matches of the year and a performance which now feels pivotal in Suruga’s development.
You can see why in this match and her other recent single efforts against Kaori Yoneyama and SAKI. Since then, Mei has been honing and working on that approach, making attacking the arm a key part of her offence as she ups her viciousness levels. Even something as simple as her decision to respond to Takase’s forearms and chops by dropkicking the arm she’d been working over shows a focus that I don’t think was in Suruga’s work before. Don’t get me wrong, Mei has had great main events. As a solo wrestler and a tag team, she’s put on some of my favourite matches of all time, but there is a different feel to what she’s been doing recently. Yes, she’s still capering and Mei jumping, but there’s a determination to push through and find the win that was sometimes lacking.
The reason for all of that comes at the end of the month. The Gatoh Move Korakuen probably won’t be the biggest crowd Suruga has ever performed in front of, but I don’t think I’m putting words in her mouth when I say it’s the one she cares the most about. You don’t have to have spent much time watching Mei talk about Gatoh Move to know she loves that little company. It’s not enough for her to be successful. She needs to take them with her. Korakuen Hall is the first step towards that, and with a match against her mentor, Emi Sakura, Mei now finds herself in a position to have one of those big main events. The kind that isn’t just looking to draw in the die-hards in Ichigaya or people like me. For that, she’s been laying the groundwork, figuring out her approach for years, and while she ultimately lost to Takase, this was her placing the final bricks into place. Win or lose, this is Suruga’s time, and I can’t wait to see what she does with it.
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