July 1, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan
Tokyo Joshi Pro has been experimenting with several interesting new initiatives to expand the type of content they offer. Recently That’s JPW, their semiweekly one match all English shows, wrapped up after 24 episodes over the course of three months. It was a well done, worthwhile endeavor and I hope it returns someday.
Inspiration’s another unique new offering with a ton of potential. They’re shorter than usual shows (three matches, around an hour) that include things outside of TJPW’s normal purview. Inspiration #1 was a great start, with all three Up Up Girls getting spotlight singles opportunities against major opponents and the deathmatch loving Hikari having her (and TJPW’s) first ever hardcore match in the main event.
Inspiration’s second show continues the format of an unusual stipulation match in the main event, and features four rookies getting spotlight opportunities as two of them face TJPW’s aces in singles matches while the other two face each other.
1) Arisu Endo vs Moka Miyamoto
Special match here for both, as it’ll be a first singles victory no matter who wins. Only Arisu and Yuki Arai have debuted more recently than Moka, so this is her first singles match against a less experienced opponent. Both have looked very impressive in their short careers so far, so I’m excited for this encounter.
One great thing about TJPW is that most of their rookies debut with a fair amount of their character/style in place. Moka’s traditional Japanese influence on her gear is unusual and makes her standout as much as Arisu’s unique, more flamboyant gear does for her.
Moka incorporates her karate background into her strikes, and Arisu centers her offense around knee drops to the back of the head. These core approaches give them something to build around as they gain more experience.
This became a really good example of how well properly executed fundamentals can anchor a match. They went hold for hold trading waist locks, side headlocks, reverse chin locks, hammerlocks, arm ringers, and so on as each gradually tried to build an advantage.
They were both always working holds and fighting for escapes. Moka concentrated on Arisu’s leg as the match went on while Arisu doggedly kept going for her kneedrop to the back of the head variations which connected more and more often.
Moka started to take control late, but her karate strikes setting up a submission hold were a tad too slow and just as she got it locked in time expired.
Rather surprised at this going to time limit. Wrestling a compelling draw is tough at their experience, and this was very solid and never felt like they were wrestling for a draw. In some ways the way they kept it engaging throughout is more impressive than a victory would have been for either. Good stuff.
2) Yuka Sakazaki vs Suzume
Huge opportunity for Suzume against one of TJPW’s top stars right before Yuka travels to the US for a month to wrestle for AEW.
TJPW’s magical girl is rightfully well known for her incredible high flying, but is also deceptively strong and a great technical wrestler. It’s the latter two traits she used to keep control of Suzume early while Suzume used her speed to try to counter.
Yuka’s tenacity against Suzume’s resilience became the story here. In one particularly great exchange Yuka stopped Suzume’s efforts to get out of a side headlock by reaching the rope with a leg by using her own leg to wrap up Suzume’s without releasing the hold, making Suzume roll them both completely over to get the ropes and the break.
Suzume fought back against everything Yuka tried, and managed to put together a solid string of offense late match. Yuka just kept laying on the power to wear Suzume down though. She eventually hit her awesome Magical Merry Go Round (over the shoulder hammerlock airplane spin into a sitout facebuster) to put Suzume away.
Yuka can do it all and I adore when she goes into aggressive mode. Suzume looked great here against her and it all came together into a really enjoyable match.
3) UWF Rules Match: Miyu Yamashita vs Mirai Maiumi
Miyu is the reigning Princess of Princess champion, but this is non-title. No pinfalls in this. Winner is determined by knockout, tapout, or TKO. Knockout is determined by failure to get up for a 10-count.
Each wrestler starts with 5 points, and a TKO happens if they are reduced to zero. A point can be lost by being knocked down (with a knockout count starting, simply taking your opponent off their feet briefly in some manner is insufficient), using a rope break, or breaking the rules (certain strikes such as punches and elbows are prohibited). If the time limit is reached, most points left wins.
UWF rules is a popular style in Japan that is considered to be the foundation of MMA, based in kicks/submissions. The match between the striker Yamashita and the grappler Mirai should be interesting. This will be my first UWF rules match. Given the unique nature of it I’m going full play-by-play here.
Tentative start with an exchange of delivering and checking each other’s low kicks. Mirai catches one and twists Miyu to the mat but the latter escapes and gets back to her feet before Mirai can apply any holds.
Miyu largely keeps her opponent at bay but when Mirai does dash in to grab a leg Miyu gets a front face lock on the ground instead. Mirai gets free and gets on top of Miyu’s back. Miyu keeps covered tight for a while preventing Mirai from getting an advantage, but Mirai eventually pulls Miyu over with a waist lock and rolls into a seated body scissors from behind. Miyu fights off Mirai’s attempts to take her head and spins around until she’s on top of Mirai on the Matt trying to get control of Mirai’s head and arms.
Mirai manages to flip it around so she’s on top and presumably in control, but the champ grabs her head in a front face lock from below. Mirai gets out and laces Miyu’s legs, then they largely stalemate each other for a bit until Mirai gets Miyu flipped face down and grabs her legs.
Mirai ties up Miyu’s right leg with her own legs, all the while have to fend off Miyu trying to twist out or use her arms to dislodge Mirai. She finally gets it settled and grabs Miyu’s other leg in a half crab. Miyu flips out but it was a trap and Mirai grabs the foot on Miyu’s still tied up right leg and pulls down, completing a beautiful triangle leg lace. Miyu’s in trouble and has to go to the ropes with her other foot to break, costing her a point and bringing her down to 4.
Mirai breaks and they’re separated to neutral corners. Being vertical again Miyu starts being more aggressive with her kicks to keep the grappler away and Mirai has to move back several times to avoid them. Mirai eventually shoots in regardless and takes Miyu down with a wasitlock, but Miyu’s able to push Mirai away then use her legs from a seated position to keep the standing Mirai back.
Mirai tentatively gets ahold of a leg, but it’s Miyu’s turn to spring a trap as she uses that legs to pull Mirai in and spins around in a GORGEOUS transition until Miyu’s in back mount position with a chin lock and bodyscissors on Mirai on the mat.
Mirai flips over with Miyu still on her back and creates a little separation, so Miyu converts to a cross armbreaker attempt. Mirai’s got her hands solidly locked to it takes all Miyu’s strength to break her grip and get the arm extended, but once she does Mirai has to quickly get to the ropes to break. One point down for Mirai and they’re both at 4.
Back to vertical again and Miyu alternates between hitting low kicks, just pushing Mirai away with boots to the chest, and the occasional swing at her head to make sure Mirai’s paying attention. She is and so far has avoid all Miyu’s “test” big strikes.
Miyu lays in a string of low and middle kicks that rock Mirai a bit, but it becomes clear the latter was absorbing them on purpose when she responds by LEVELING Miyu with her signature left lariat. Knockdown on Miyu costs a point putting her at 3. Miyu back up at 7 and they square up again.
Miyu charges but Mirai rolls her right into a key lock. She gets the body scissors too and it’s in DEEP. Miyu’s only chance of escape is backing up to the ropes and there’s another point spent. Miyu’s at 2.
Back to neutral corners and Miyu’s right arm is limp at her side. She begs off a bit but then NAILS a kick to the temple out of nowhere to lay Mirai out. Mirai’s back up at 9 but shaky. Knockdown costs her a point and she’s at 3.
Miyu presses the advantage and runs in with a knee strike and a flurry of kicks and palm strikes. She just barely misses another head kick. Mirai grabs the next mid kick and takes Miyu down, but Miyu hits a kick to Mirai’s head from the mat to break.
Back up and Miyu cuffs Mirai’s head a few times, then lands the Skull Kick and Mirai’s done. 10 count is academic. Miyu gets the victory. Mirai looked like she could hang with the champ though, and there are definitely big things ahead of her in the years to come.
A couple of presentation enhancements to make the rules clearer / provide reminders would be a good idea (I looked up the rules online before the show, or likely would’ve missed a lot of the context). That said, the match ended by knockout so not catching all of the nuance of the point system shouldn’t have hampered viewers too much in this case.
So the style and pace of this is much slower than a regular wrestling match, but intentionally so and not to its detriment. It won’t grab everyone but makes a good special stipulation for the right competitors and Miyu and Mirai were definitely perfect for this.
I really adored it, so for me this was another great main event to another great show making Inspiration two for two. Really looking forward to the next one.
Inspiration and TJPW’s other shows can be viewed with a Wrestle Universe subscription (which includes other promotions as well and is a great value at 900 yen a month).
Derailments of Thought 