Friction Builds Between Princess Tag Team Champions at TJPW Ray of Hope in Takasaki

By: Noah Leatherland

TJPW were in Takasaki in the G Messe Gunma Main Hall on the road to Wrestle Princess VII. Ahead of defending their titles against Yuki Aino and Haru Kazashiro, the Princess Tag Team Champions Miu Watanabe and Rika Tatsumi are increasingly finding themselves at odds with each other.

At the previous TJPW Ray of Hope event in Ryogoku, there seemed to be some friction between Watanabe and Tatsumi after their main event win. Having teamed with Yuki Arai and Miyu Yamashita, the trouble started as they microphone was passed between the group. Tatsumi and Watanabe were in disagreement about who should speak, with Yamashita trying to calm things down. After posing for photos, Tatsumi quickly exited the ring.

Here in Takasaki, Watanabe and Tatsumi formed a trio with Kira Summer to face Aino, Kazashiro and Uta Takami. The tag champions were in disagreement over which of them should start the bout, leading to their opponents springing an early attack. The disagreements continued through the rest of the match. They chose to tag out with Summer rather than each other, bumped into each other, and Tatsumi even threw and elbow at Watanabe to make her let go of her. Their opponents took advantage of the friction, with Aino pinning Summer off a Venus DDT.

Watanabe kept her distance from Tatsumi as they went to the back. Speaking in their post-match comments, the tag champions couldn’t quite manage to get on the same page.

Tatsumi:

I’m an adult too, so I think I might be able to forgive you if you properly apologise here, Miu.

Watanabe:

Oh, yes. I’m an adult too, so if you say I should apologise, then yes, I’ll definitely apologise. I’ll forgive you. Yes.

Tatsumi:

Hmm. Well then, sorry, sorry.

Watanabe:

Oh, I’m sorry. I’m sorry too. Yes.

Tatsumi:

Eh? Eh? Apologise properly.

Watanabe:

I am apologising, though. I’ve apologised. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m really sorry.

Tatsumi:

No, no, no, that won’t do. Show some sincerity and apologise properly.

Watanabe:

Didn’t you say you’d forgive me if I apologised?

Tatsumi:

Please apologise.

Watanabe:

I’ve apologised.

Summer:

You’re friends, aren’t you? You should get on well with each other.

Tatsumi:

No.

Watanabe:

No.

Tatsumi:

Because you won’t apologise.

Watanabe:

No, no, you said you’d forgive me if I apologised.

Tatsumi:

That’s it! Fine! I don’t care! I don’t care!

Watanabe:

Well then, I don’t care either!

(Quotes translated via DeepL)

TJPW Wrestle Princess VII takes place in TOKYO EBARA WAVE Arena Ota on October 3rd.

Here are the full results for TJPW Ray of Hope in Takasaki, courtesy of purolove.com:

• Wakana Uehara def. Shion Kanzaki (8:24)
• Raku & Pom Harajuku def. Hyper Misao & Ren Konatsu (9:36)
• Mizuki def. Momo Sato (7:52)
• Shoko Nakajima def. Arisu Endo & Shino Suzuki (12:27)
• Yuki Aino, Haru Kazashiro & Uta Takami def. Miu Watanabe, Rika Tatsumi & Kira Summer (12:27)
• Yuki Arai, HIMAWARI & Mifu Ashida def. Suzume, Toga & Chika Nanase (15:04)
• Yuki Kamifuku & Mahiro Kiryu def. Miyu Yamashita & Sakura Hattori (12:51)