TJPW Max Heart Tournament Kicks Off in Yokohama

By Noah Leatherland

The TJPW Max Heart tournament got underway in the Yokohama Radiant Hall. With four teams already having a bye into the second round, eight more teams were looking to book their place into the next stage of the tournament.

The first tournament match saw Kira Summer and Chika Nanase take on the team of Mizuki and Uta Takami. The youngster Takami proved vital to her team’s effort. She secured the win by making Nanase tap to the Koala Clutch. Mizuki and Takami will face Yuki Aino and Haru Kazashiro in the second round.

Next, Max the Impaler and Pom Harajuku booked their spot in the second round with a dominant win over Raku and Ren Konatsu, with the Impaler’s heavy lariat securing the win. The duo advance, with Miu Watanabe and Rika Tatsumi waiting for them in the next round.

HIMAWARI and Shino Suzuki looked to get their tournament off to a good start. However, the team and Yuki Arai and Mifu Ashida cut their time in the Max Heart short. Ashida scored the pin with a German suplex hold, taking her team to the second round, where they will face Wakana Uehara and Yuki Kamifuku.

The main event saw last year’s winners, Shoko Nakajima and Hyper Misao, take on Miyu Yamashita and Kaya Toribami. In what could be seen as an upset, Nakajima and Misao were knocked out in the first round, with Toribami picking up the win for her team. She and Yamashita head into the second round, with Arisu Endo and Suzume waiting for them. Toribami and Yamashita relished in their win, while also looking ahead:

Toribami:

This is my first tournament win! My first time getting past the first round! Last time I fought in the opening match and lost, so I was dead set on winning this time. And now that I have, I’m absolutely thrilled!

Yamashita:

We managed to win today, but the tournament continues. We absolutely have to get stronger as a tag team. We need to keep winning while also getting stronger.

(Quotes translated via DeepL)

The second round of the TJPW Max Heart tournament will take place on January 25th in Ryogoku.

Here are the full results for TJPW Max Heart Tournament in Yokohama, courtesy of purolove.com:

• Yuki Aino, Haru Kazashiro & Mahiro Kiryu def. Suzume, Arisu Endo & Shion Kanzaki (11:30)
• Yuki Kamifuku, Wakana Uehara & Toga def. Miu Watanabe, Rika Tatsumi & Sara Phoenix (11:04)
• Max Heart Tournament: Mizuki & Uta Takami def. Kira Summer & Chika Nanase (9:42)
• Max Heart Tournament: Max The Impaler & Pom Harajuku def. Raku & Ren Konatsu (6:37)
• Max Heart Tournament: Yuki Arai & Mifu Ashida def. HIMAWARI & Shino Suzuki (11:06)
• Max Heart Tournament: Miyu Yamashita & Kaya Toribami def. Shoko Nakajima & Hyper Misao (14:33)