Tokyo Joshi Pro Wrestling (TJPW)
Grand Princess
March 19, 2022
Ryogoku Sumo Hall
Tokyo, Japan

Watch: Wrestle Universe

Arisu Endo & Suzume vs. Moka Miyamoto & Juria Nagano

One of the most exciting matches on this card will kick off the show as Arisu Endo teams with Suzume to take on Moka Miyamoto and the newest addition to the TJPW roster, Juria Nagano. Nagano will make her official debut on the biggest stage TJPW has ever seen and it could be a notable one based on her background and the anticipation surrounding it. Nagano is quite popular in Japan as she has over 800,000 followers on TikTok and that is only growing. When it comes to the athletic background, Nagano is a second-degree black belt in Karate. Assuming she can use those skills to succeed in TJPW, she could be a special talent and future champion. 

Endo and Suzume are slowly becoming one of the intriguing teams in the promotion since teaming up for the Max Heart Tournament. The former has shown some excellent progress in her first year while Suzume is a name that many TJPW and Joshi fans alike are wanting to see climb up the card this year. Together, they could make a good fit to accelerate their growth on the roster. 

All eyes should be on this match, making it a perfect kickoff to Grand Princess. Prediction: Moka Miyamoto & Juria Nagano

Kaya Toribama, Haruna Neko, Nao Kakuta & Mahiro Kiryu vs. HARUKAZE, Yuna Manase, YuuRI & Moeka Haruhi

The second match in the Grand Princes lineup will be a bit of a CyberFight showcase match as it will be TJPW vs. Ganbare. Kaya Toribama, Haruna, Neko, Nao Kakuta, and Mahiro Kiryu will do their best to represent TJPW in this one. Yuna Manase, the most notable competitor in this match, will lead HARUKAZE, YuuRI, and Meoka Haruhi into battle with the hopes of showing what Ganbare is made of. The four TJPW wrestlers went head-to-head against one another in tag team action on March 5 as Kiryu and Neko managed to escape with the win. The one to watch in this match is YuuRI, who has shown some promise since joining the promotion last year and could be the face of Ganbare in the future. Overall, this match should feature some comedy with decent action. Prediction: HARUKAZE, Yuna Manase, YuuRI & Moeka Haruhi

Sanshiro Takagi vs. Hyper Misao

This is going to be fun. Sanshiro Takagi will face off with TJPW’s resident superhero Hyper Misao in what is surely going to be a match all about putting smiles on the face of fans around the world. Takagi is often credited for his ability to toe the line of serious and comedic, making him a perfect fit in the world of DDT. Misao is very much like that as well with her ability in the ring being sneaky good but her over-the-top personality really is what makes her such a fan favorite. In terms of not-so-serious matches that should be a blast to watch, this one is up there when it comes to Grand Princess. Prediction: Sanshiro Takagi

Yuki Kamifuku vs. ASUKA

VENYU collides in a big-time singles match here in the middle of Grand Princess. Perhaps the best part about this match happening at all is that ASUKA gets to wrestle on the Sumo Hall stage. They are one of the best wrestlers in the world today and more often than not, ASUKA is overlooked in those conversations. Not because they don’t belong in them but the freelancer status can sometimes make people forget how good a wrestler like ASUKA really is. This match with Yuki Kamifuku should be joyous based on the chemistry they have had together in the past. After all, they enter to Lady Gaga so how can’t this not be a great time? Let’s hope this brings us one step closer to Miyu Yamashita vs. ASUKA. Prediction: ASUKA

Nodoka Tenma vs. Yuki Aino

The BAKURETSU Sisters will collide in what is Nodoka Tenma’s final major match of her career as she graduates from TJPW at the end of March. It will be an emotional one for the sisters but it shouldn’t surprise anyone if they leave it all out there and deliver a great match. Yuki Aino is one of the names on this TJPW roster that is ascending more as time goes on. As her tag team with Tenma now goes away, there’s no better way to establish herself as a singles competitor than having one heck of a match in this one with the hopes of picking up the win. Tears will be shed, smiles will be had, and a moment will be made. Prediction: Yuki Aino

Yukio Saint-Laurent, Martha, Mei Saint-Michel & Sakisama vs. Pom Harajuku, Ram Kaichow, Marika Kobashi & Raku

The return of Mei Saint-Michel and Sakisama to TJPW was a welcome one as the former Princess Tag Team Champions bring back elegance and class to the promotion. The duo will team with Yukio Saint-Laurent (DDT’s Yukio Sakaguchi) and Martha (DDT’s Masahiro Takanashi) to take on the team of Pom Harajuku, Ram Kaichow, Marika Kobashi, and Raku. There are a lot of factors at play here but more important than anything else, fans should go into this expecting a ton of humor and plenty of fun. Raku will be a train like she often does, Harajuku will do whatever she often does, Saint-Michel will cause havoc, and Sakisama might break the social media again. Don’t take this one too seriously and you’ll have yourself a good time. Prediction: Yukio Saint-Laurent, Martha, Mei Saint-Michel & Sakisama

Hikaru Shida vs. Hikari Noa

All Elite Wrestling (AEW) will send another member of its talented roster over to TJPW and it has created understandable excitement. Former AEW Women’s World Champion Hikaru Shida will make her TJPW debut to face former International Princess Champion Hikari Noa in a special singles match. Shida’s popularity has skyrocketed since joining AEW as she has become one of the prominent names in the promotion, which should help TJPW get more eyes on Grand Princess. The AEW star will be wrestling her first match since Jan. 12 where she lost to Serena Deeb in less than two minutes as a malicious attack prior to the match ultimately left her on the shelf until two weeks ago when she made her AEW return. There could be rust on Shida that allows Noa to take advantage and potentially steal a win.

This, without question, is the most important match of Noa’s career. She has championship experience but fighting Shida is a whole other animal. It’s pretty clear Noa is a future Princess of Princess Champion in the making but this will be the judgment match to see how she close is to reaching the top title in TJPW. Noa doesn’t need to win to show she’s ready. All she has to do is prove she can hang with one of the best. Prediction: Hikaru Shida

Princess Tag Team Championship
Yuka Sakazaki & Mizuki (c) vs. Rika Tatsumi & Miu Watanabe

If you are looking for what might be the underdog for the match of the night at Grand Princess, you have come to the right place. The Magical Sugar Rabbits will defend their Princess Tag Team Championship against the Max Heart Tournament winners Hakuchumu. Yuka Sakazaki and Mizuki are the standards when it comes to tag team wrestling in TJPW but Rika Tatsumi and Miu Watanabe have a 370-day title reign to their names so they are right there in the conversation. In this matchup, there are two former Princess of Princess Champions and two future ones as well. Sakazaki and Mizuki defeated NEO Biishiki-gun at Wrestle Princess II to win the belts and then successfully defended them against Miyu Yamashita and Maki Itoh. There’s no doubting that this will be tough for Tatsumi and Watanabe to walk out the winners.

Rika Tatsumi, for those who don’t know, may very well be the most underrated wrestler in Joshi. It makes this spot of her a major one as her appearance at Wrestle Princess II wasn’t all that due to having to take time away for personal reasons. She’s going to be more determined than ever to show why she’s one of the best and will bring Watanabe with her to prove she deserves to be in the “best of the best” conversation. Prediction: Rika Tatsumi & Miu Watanabe

International Princess Championship
Maki Itoh (c) vs. Yuki Arai

“The Fired Idol vs. The Famous Idol”

Maki Itoh defending the International Princess Championship against Yuki Arai is a huge match. Of course, Arai’s first title challenge makes it big enough considering the size of the show but there’s far more to it than that. Itoh’s success in professional wrestling has been built on the fact that she is the idol who failed. She went to pro wrestling as the one who was doubted, overlooked, and not fully believed in. Itoh has made herself the complete opposite though through this sport. 2021 was Itoh’s breakout year from appearing in AEW to winning the Tokyo Princess Cup and main eventing Wrestle Princess II against Miyu Yamashita for the Princess of Princess Championship. She’s an undeniable star and is the best storyteller in Joshi (maybe wrestling overall). No one makes you believe like Itoh and now she will look to use that against Arai.

Arai has embraced pro wrestling despite being what Itoh is not, a successful idol. TJPW’s decision to make have Arai step up into this match was one of brilliance due to Arai’s star power and the story at hand. Arai may not be a top-tier technician or one of the best in TJPW, but she has that fan connection much like Itoh that will make every single moment of this feel important. These two are going to go out there and deliver. It’s bold to assume that this match lives up to the billing with Arai’s limited experience but there’s something about “Big Match Itoh” that never fails. It should be as close to a spectacle as Grand Princess will have. Enjoy it. Prediction: Maki Itoh

Princess of Princess Championship
Miyu Yamashita (c) vs. Shoko Nakajima

The main event of the evening will see the TJPW’s unstoppable ace Miyu Yamashita defend the Princess of Princess Championship against “The Big Kaiju” Shoko Nakajima. Yamashita is by all accounts and purposes the most dominant and true to form ace in pro wrestling. She’s dominant, convincing, and leading her promotion into uncharted territory. There are few in wrestling who live up to the hype as much as Yamashita does. After defeating Rika Tatsumi to regain the championship in May 2021, Yamashita has managed to defeat all the big names in TJPW. Yuka Sakazaki, Sakisama, Maki Itoh, and Mizuki have all fallen to the ace but there is one name who remains and that is Shoko Nakajima.

“The Big Kaiju” has one Princess of Princess Championship reign to her name and she defeated Yamashita to do so. The person who wants this match is the champion more than anyone else. Yamashita isn’t one to forget her major losses. It’s why she has become one of the best. When it comes to their all-time record against one another, Nakajima leads the series with three wins to two. She’s actually won the last two, putting the pressure on Yamashita to not only avoid falling behind but to show Nakajima doesn’t have her number as it seems. After all, the first match of their series came in a four-minute battle and the second match of Nakajima’s career.

This is the Achilles heel of Yamashita’s title reign. If she can get past Nakajima then there’s no saying when she will drop the title. It’s the career-defining match for both women and should make for one incredible main event at Grand Princess. Prediction: Miyu Yamashita

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