Rambles about the wonderful world of wrestling.
June is over and done with, and like every month, it’s been busy for the old wrestling. I can’t pretend this month’s roundup is particularly eclectic, as I’m staying fairly close to my usual haunts, but there is still plenty to enjoy in there. Give it a read, and let me know if there is anything you think I need to see.
Continue reading “Rambling About’s Matches of the Month for June 2024”
If you’d asked me at the start of the year to list the things that could help Ice Ribbon get close to filling Korakuen Hall in 2024, I would have got a few hundred deep before even considering the idea of pairing up with Stardom. It’s not that I would have doubted such a strategy’s ability to work, but with Rossy Ogawa involved, the idea seemed implausible. In recent years, Stardom and Ice Ribbon have not got along, and that’s putting it mildly. I would have been more comfortable betting on myself to win the ICExInfinity title than this relationship coming to pass. Yet, here we are. Following on from Best Friends beating Eye Contact at Flashing Champions, Mayu Iwatani stepped into a proper company to take on Tsukasa Fujimoto. By now, I’m sure you all know how it ended, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t still plenty to discuss.
Continue reading “Ice Ribbon After the Rain (23/6/24) Review”
Marvelous’s latest trip to Shinkiba was a time for goodbyes and hellos. Leaving us are Titus Alexander and Jiah Jewell, who are both returning to America. They will be replaced by Jessie Jackson and Sara Leon, who have become the latest members of the extended Marvelous family. How did they all get on? Let’s find out.
Continue reading “Marvelous (18/6/24) Review”
Watching this match, I couldn’t shut up the nagging question in the back of my mind: ‘Why don’t I love it?’ Two of the best joshi tag teams of recent years got fifteen minutes to clash heads in Shinjuku, and I wanted it to be incredible. Instead, it was good, maybe even great. While those descriptors typically aren’t an issue, they’re not what I pictured. Is it fair to expect the extraordinary? No, but I can’t pretend I didn’t.
Continue reading “Team 200kg (Chihiro Hashimoto & Yuu) vs Best Friends (Arisa Nakajima & Tsukasa Fujimoto), Sendai Girls (9/6/24) Review”
Tokyo Joshi returned to Korakuen Hall with a show that, on paper, is one of their weaker big efforts this year. There were some intriguing combos scattered through the undercard, but with the title matches involving foreign talent I either know nothing about or have little investment in, it’s hard to get too excited about it. Still, you never know when the next Max the Impaler might turn up, and there is every chance someone will blow me away.
Continue reading “TJPW Prism ’24 (9/6/24) Review”
Marvelous’s second day in Sapporo had found itself a title match for the main event as Magenta faced the challenge of Unagi Sayaka and Brooke Havok. Outside of that, the card promised another fun show from the Marvelous roster’s trip up north. Let’s see if it was right to do so.
Continue reading “Marvelous Sapporo (2/6/24) Review”
Marvelous’s trip to Hokkaido is something I look forward to every year. With the roster and some guests heading north for the weekend, the shows take on the air of a summer holiday as everyone kicks back and enjoys the chance to compete in front of a crowd that isn’t as over-saturated with wrestling as the one in Tokyo. You’re unlikely to come out of these shows with a match-of-the-year contender, but the vibes are immaculate, and that’s what I love about it. So, let’s see what went down.
Continue reading “Marvelous Sapporo (1/6/24) Review”
That Gatoh Move trip to Korakuen Hall is drawing ever closer, meaning this show served a double purpose. The first is the same as every Gatoh Move event this year, as they pave the road to that big day. As for the second? Well, the Apple Goblin has been wrestling for six glorious years, and it’s time to give her some dues. Not that she was blessed with an easy anniversary showdown, as Best Bros took on Hyakkin Thunders in the main event. Still, if you want to reach the top, you’ve got to deal with the best, and Emi and Masa are certainly that. Let’s see what went down.
Continue reading “Gatoh Move ‘Road to Korakuen – Apple Ambitious’ (30/5/24) Review”
Before jetting off to Hokkaido for the weekend, Marvelous had a birthday party to throw as Mio Momono turned 26. The best wrestler in the world deserves the biggest party possible, but if money is tight, a fun day out at Shinkiba isn’t an awful second choice. Besides, it’s Mio – if you let her wrestle, she’s happy. Let’s see if she got what she wanted.
Continue reading “Marvelous Mio Momono’s Birthday (30/5/24) Review”
Another month is over and done with, as 2024 seems to be roaring past at an alarming speed. May saw the introduction of a new Rossy Ogawa venture into the wrestling scene alongside all the usual shenanigans, so it’s a fun time to be following along. However, if you can’t watch everything, why not let Ramblings About point you towards the exciting stuff? You’ll probably not regret it.
Continue reading “Ramblings About’s Matches of the Month for May 2024”
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