AWG ACTwrestling in Korakuen Hall Review – 03.12.23

AWG ACTwrestling In Korakuen Hall – 03.12.23

By: Jeff Brown

Photography by Masahiro Kubota

As year two of the new era of Actwres Girl’Z begins, Korakuen Hall is the site of the singles title tournament finale. After a year of competing for points, AWG is returning with a tangible prize to win and hold. The championship belt is a symbol, one of being the best wrestler and someone the company can count on to carry on their shoulders. It was a six-competitor field with fans drawing numbered balls to fill the brackets.

In the main event, the defacto Ace, Miku Aono is taking on the star of the future Kouki. In a previous Korakuen encounter, Miku had to throw every move in her arsenal to put down the rookie and Kouki has only improved since that day. Miku on the other hand has already been performing the role of champion, walking to the ring with grace and dignity far greater than many wrestlers with a physical title. The sacrifice she made by becoming exclusive to AWG was not slight, nor does she intend for it to be in vain.

This is the most important show of the relaunched Actwrestling, it is here that the face of AWG for 2023 and beyond is decided. Tonight will be where one of their legacies is solidified

1. Tag match
Misa Matsui & Marino Saihara vs Kyoka Iwai & Kira☆Ann

Misa and Kyoka lockup and after exchanging holds Misa lands a huge dropkick but is stopped and double teamed. Misa is trapped in the ropes as of Jadoshu aka The Sepernt’s Path do their signature Serpernt pose. Lots of double teaming on Misa ends with double elbow drops and a brutal head kick from Kira☆Ann for a count of two. Misa tags in Marino who fires off a big backdrop into an armbar but she gives it up and slaps on a Gedo Clutch for a huge near fall. Misa tags back in landing her crossbody and in the ropes crossbody variants on Kyoka, the two do a standing forearm exchange with Kyoka getting the best of it. Kyoka mounts and repeadtly slams Misa’s head into the mat and stands on her face for a pin attempt. A King Kong Kneedrop from Iwai to Misa for a very long two count. As she pulls Misa up she gets hit with a La Mistica, followed by a Northern Lights suplex. The momenutum continues as Misa lands a second rope moonsault and a Hangman DDT for the win.

2. 4×4 tag match

Haruka Ishikawa & Asako Mia & Kanamic & Chii Aoba vs Rensan & Koara Fujimoto & CatMASK Calico, & Yufa

This continues the tradition of teaming a lot of recently debuted rosters members in one big tag. These are often the comedy relief spot on the card and are more about getting the early in ring experience in. CatMASK and Rensan begin as CatMASK uses a lot of her Lucha offense to frustrate Rensan which leads to a quick forearm battle that Rensan ends with a flatliner. Koara tags in and applies her leg choke that leads to all eight doing a train of sleepers on each other while Koara still has on the submission. Kanamic tags in as she faces her NagiSakuKoalaMic youtube co-host. Haruka gets the tag and hits an STO on Rensan followed by a Vader Bomb for the win. (8:20)

3. 3×3 tag match
Natsuki & Nagisa Shiotsuki & Naho Yamada vs Jadoshu (MARU & Allen & Bulldozer Todoroki)

Jadoshu jumps Naho as Allen tosses her to the floor and jumps off the apron with an umbrella shot and then throws her into the ring post. Lots of Jadohsu/Serpernt posing to the crowd, back in the ring Naho hits a dropkick but is stopped by Bulldozer. A guillotine gets cinched in by Yamada and she lands a running neckbreaker. The Jadoshu multi attack regains control but Naho hits her out of nowhere stunner for the hot tag to Natsuki. Maru blasts Natsuaki with a chain for more Serpernt beat downs and cheating behind the referee’s back. Nagisa gets tagged in as she lands a backstabber on Allen and then hits one of her patented vicious chops, Allen fires right back with an enziguri as the match breaks down into chaos and spills to the floor. Naho hits a bulldog on Maru, Nagisa slams Allen onto her and Natsuki hits a double foot stomp on the pile. Bulldozer overpowers them all as they return to the ring, Natsuki is triple teamed and gets hit with a 1st rope splash from the Bulldozer for the win. (10:00)

4.Tag match
Mari & Naru vs UPDATE + (Mie & Sakura Mizushima)

A clean handshake from all four to start but Mii sneak attacks Naru with her stuffed bear. Sakura tags in and quickly applies her Muta Lock, Naru gets free and the two stand and strike with Naru getting the best and tagging in Mari. Mari fires off a series of kicks of Sakura, traps her in the ropes furthering the kicking onslaught. Sakura hits a desperation sleeper and lands a crossbody. Mii is back in but Mari gets the bear and tosses it into the crowd. Naru and Mari are thrown to the floor as Mii and Sakura hit stereo triangle crossbodies, Mii then places the bear on Mari and hits an apron footstomp. Back in the ring Mari counters and gets a tag to Naru who hits her high angle missile dropkick from the top rope and slaps on an ankle lock to Mii. After getting a ropebreak Mii gets a monkeyflip and unleashes her wicked headkicks onto Naru. Mari runs in and they hit tandem moves on Mii who answers back with a headkick as a last stand. Naru is boosted by Mari into a moonsault and then a crucifix bomb for the pin (11:06)

5. 3×3 tag match
The Royal (Natsumi Sumikawa & CHIAKI & Tomoka Goto) vs BE∀STZ REBELLION (Act Yasukawa & Ayano Irie & Nene Arahata with Riko Fukunaga)

The Royal tries for a sportsmen-like handshake to start but Act waves them off. Natsumi and Act start and the crowd is buzzing about these two going at it. They go into a stalemate sequence of lockups, arm drags and double dropkick attempts. Chiaki and Nene tag in and Chiaki hits a hard spear early but it’s broken up by BE∀STZ REBELLION. This leads to Ayano and Goto coming in as Ayano lands a trio of running boots to Goto. Goto is placed in the ropes for the Beast pose, Goto gets free and does a delayed bodyslam on Ayano. Ayano gets her bearings and gets a combo chainbreaker, flatliner and bulldog that Natsumi breaks up with a hard head kick. Ayano does her roll through Boston Crab but Goto gets the rope break. Natsumi hot tag immediately cut off with a Russian leg sweep, tag to Act as they drap Natsumi upside down on the toprope for a double dropkick. The stretch muffler is then applied to Natsumi who counters it into an octopus hold followed by a nasty head kick and running knees into the corner for a count of two. Chiaki is back in and does her Argentine backbreaker into a slam, Act regains control and does her guillotine giant swing as Natsumi stops it with head kicks. Nene grabs Natsumi and tags her to the floor, Chiaki has Act dead to rights for a missile dropkick but hesitates as Act laughs. Chiaki climbs down and turns on Natsumi and allows Act to pin her in the middle. (12:27)

6.Single Tournament Final
Miku Aono vs Kouki

Supply chain issues prevented the actual title belt from being completed so there is a surrogate trophy.

Both competitors shake hands and a test of strength into the drop down and get it again for a stalemate. Miku gets the advantage with a corner dropkick followed by a seated corner dropkick variant, she puts Kouki in the center for her thunderous penalty kicks. Miku continues the kicks but Kouki counters one into a slam and then applies a Boston Crab. Miku gets the ropes and fires off a thigh kick and hoists Kouki up for a kneebreaker. Miku climbs to the top but Kouki sends her crashing to the floor with a running boot. Miku gets control and does more vicious kicks but Kouki answers back and bodyslams Miku on the floor of Korakuen. Back in the ring Kouki hits her standing splash for a two count. A series of lariets from both as Kouki drops Miku with a spinebuster for another two count. Kouki misses her Amethyst Butterfly body press as Miku slaps on a cobra clutch and as Kouki goes for the ropes Miku draps her on the ropes for an exploder suplex. Aono hits her missile drop kick and sliding lariat pin but Kouki kicks out. Both are down and exhausted, Kouki grabs Miku for a backdrop for a long two count. The two return to their lariat war as Kouki nails Miku with a lariat to the back of the head, she hits the Amethyst Butterfly for a 1 count as Miku roars to life. More lairets as Kouki tries another backdrop, Miku escapes and hits a wrist clutch lariat and a Saito suplex for the win (15:25)

Miku is presented with the trophy and explains the actual belt is not ready and then addresses Kouki and her strong performance. Both embrace as Miku closes the show as the first champion of the new era of Actwres Girl’Z.