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Ice Ribbon Korakuen Hall Review – 3.19.23

1 year ago

Ice Ribbon Korakuen Hall Review – 3.19.23

By: Abid Chowdhury

There was much uncertainty going into Ice Ribbon’s first Korakuen Hall pay per view show of 2023. As there has been drama surrounding the promotion for the past two years with multiple talents leaving the promotion for opportunities elsewhere. With the recent departure of two more talents, this had to be a wakeup call for the promotion. Many fans proclaimed the belief that the promotion could close in the near future if the trend wasn’t bucked soon.

Despite all of the harrowing news that surrounded the promotion, 409 fans came to watch Ice Ribbon’s first show of the year at the legendary venue. By the end of the night, the doubts the fans had surrounding the promotion were filled with hope, as they witnessed two spectacular championship matches.

Two of the recent departures competed on this show – Nao Ishikawa took part in the opening match while Asahi was in competition in the fourth match on the card. Ishikawa announced she was going to become a freelancer by the end of the month and Asahi will be transferred to Actwres girl’Z/AWG for three to six months.

Both Ishikawa and Asahi’s final matches as a member of the Ice Ribbon roster will take place on March 25th at the Ice Ribbon dojo.

Match #1: Kaho Matsushita and Hikari Shimizu vs Nao Ishikawa and Rina Amikura

Ice Ribbon opened Korakuen Hall with an emotional contest. HiiKaho (Hikari Shimizu and Kaho Matsushita) faced the team of Nao Ishikawa and Rina Amikura.

As ring announcer Ai Hara announced Nao Ishikawa, Ishikawa was in tears hearing her name be called one final time at Korakuen Hall as a member of the Ice Ribbon roster. Rina Amikura, her friend, went over and hugged her. Emotions were high as Shimizu and Matsushita urged the fans to chant for Ishikawa. She was still in tears, and as the fans chanted on her name a smile arose on her face as the match was underway.

As Matsushita and Shimizu laid down in the center of the ring, Ishikawa and Amikura called for Misa Kagura, who was outside, to enter the ring, and they did a triple team move onto Matsushita and Shimizu. Afterwards the three embraced as they shared a touching reunion of KISSmeT Princess –  a unit formed by Ishikawa, Amikura of COLOR’S, and Kagura before its dissolution last year.

Competition became fierce when members of COLOR’S, Amikura and Shimizu traded moves with each other. Amikura hit a lariat and followed up with a running senton. As Amikura picked up Shimizu and prepared to slam her to the mat, Shimizu countered with a kick which sent Amikura to the corner of the ring. Shimizu hit a corner kick and followed up with a somato only to get a two count. Emotions once again kicked in as Ishikawa and Matsushita traded stiff forearms to each other’s chests while each held back tears. Nearfall after nearfall, the match came to an end when Kaho Matsushita pinned Nao Ishikawa at 10 minutes and 46 seconds in what was an emotional contest.

After the match, all four wrestlers embraced one another. As Matsushita and Ishikawa hugged each other and held onto each other tightly, as they continued to shed tears. Referee Atsushi Ishiguro in the corner can be seen as he also shed a tear. Misa Kagura who was outside of the ring joined all four women and they shared a touching curtain call moment as they exited the arena.

Match #2: Amu Yumesaki’s debut, vs Tsuki Umino

Amu Yumesaki, who announced at Ribbon Mania 2022 that she had begun training to become a pro-wrestler, was scheduled to make her debut on January 29. However, due to an injury, her debut was postponed to a later date. On March 19, Ice Ribbon announced that Amu Yumesaki would have her debut match against Tsuki Umino.

Amu Yumesaki entered the ring and fans chanted her name loudly in support of the rookie. Umino was the villain in this match as she just dominated the rookie. Umino dragged Yumesaki to the ring ropes and mocked her as referee Mio Shirai urged her to remove her from the ropes as Yumesaki writhed in pain. Wrestlers outside of the ring yelled at Yumesaki and told her not to give up, to fight back. Yumesaki heard those calls and delivered a stiff forearm to the chest of Umino. Umino fired back, as both continued to trade forearms with each other. The tide of the match slowly started to change as Yumesaki delivered shoulder tackle after shoulder tackle. She followed up with a brainbuster only to get a two count. However, that short span of offense was all Yumesaki had left. Umino took control of the match and submitted Yumesaki at 8 minutes and 16 seconds.

A gutsy performance by Yumesaki in her debut match. Afterwards, an emotional Yumesaki held back tears, as Umino comforted her and patted her on the back for a job well done.

Match #3: Battle Royal: Aiger vs Yappy vs Kiku vs Saran vs HisokA vs YuuRI vs Yura Suzuki vs Momo Tani

Earlier this month Mizuki Endo, well known during her time within the LLPW promotion, announced that in September she will be retiring as a pro-wrestler after having a 31 year career. Not only would she be retiring, which also meant her ghost character, Aiger would also be retiring as well. Endo announced on Twitter that she will be portraying her Aiger character as she will participate in a battle royal for Ice Ribbon on March 19.

Multiple wrestlers from different promotions competed in this match. Yappy, Kiku and Saran represented Ice Ribbon. While HisokA represented JTO, YuuRI from Ganbare Pro, Yura Suzuki from Alma Libre, and Momo Tani from PURE-J.

As Aiger entered the ring, every competitor exited and ran to the seating area as the camera panned towards them being terrified. Referee Mio Shirai urged everyone to get back to the ring so the match could start, but the wrestlers did not move. Mio Shirai mentioned once again, “the match has started, please enter the ring.” Still terrified knowing they had to compete with a ghost. Eventually, all remaining wrestlers reluctantly entered the ring. Mio Shirai urged everyone to attack Aiger all at once and eliminate her. However, the remaining 7 wrestlers, still terrified of Aiger, competed with each other as Aiger watched in confusion.

A funny moment happened within the match. YuuRI noticed that everyone was afraid of Aiger and said “Why are you all afraid?” Momo Tani who was behind YuuRI, pushed her into Aiger. Upon the sight of Aiger up close, YuuRI was petrified. Multiple times she fainted upon seeing Aiger. This resulted in some fans laughing upon seeing this moment.

The match went on, as elimination happened after elimination. The wrestlers failed to heed Mio Shirai’s strategy and it backfired on them. As Aiger eliminated both YuuRI and Saran last at 13 minutes and 59 minutes and emerged as the victor of an entertaining match.

Match #4: Sunshine Hallelujah (Asahi & Chie Ozora) vs Sumika Yanagawa & Misa Kagura

Like the opening match, Asahi also had her final match at Korakuen Hall as a member of the Ice Ribbon roster. Asahi teamed one final time with her tag partner Chie Ozora from PURE-J as Sunshine Hallelujah against the team of Sumika Yanagawa and Misa Kagura from JTO.

This was a competitive bout as both teams traded their best moves with each other, neither team wanted to take the loss. Kagura hit a huge lariat to Asahi only to get a two count. Ozora and Asahi hit diving missile dropkicks to Yanagawa, only to get a two count. Nearfall after nearfall, Asahi then hit her signature northern lights suplex bridge only to get another two count. Yanagawa pinned Asahi at 12 minutes and 20 seconds.

After the match both teams shared a special moment, as they embraced one another and thanked each other for the match.

 

International Ribbon Tag Team Championship:
Ibuki Hoshi & Hikaru Shida (c) vs MukoMako (Hamuko Hoshi & Makoto)

At Ribbon Mania 2022 after Hikaru Shida and Ibuki Hoshi made their first successful title defense as Tag Team Champions, Shida was not pleased with the performance of her tag partner. Shida berated her partner and gave her an ultimatum: If Ibuki wants this partnership with Shida to continue, she must win every single match she’s a part of until their next tag title defense on March 19 at Korakuen Hall, if she fails to do so, this partnership will end.

In an interview last December when asked about her relationship with Hikaru Shida and how it has changed since winning the tag titles, Ibuki told Monthly Puroresu that she saw herself as a rival to Hikaru Shida and that if she stays close to her she might be able to find out her weaknesses.

Ribbon Mania: Looking Towards Ice Ribbon’s Future

On the road to Korakuen Hall, Ibuki had won a total of thirteen matches. She had a 15 minute time limit draw with her mother Hamuko Hoshi and lost a total of seven matches. Shida and Ibuki’s opponents at the March Korakuen Hall show are the same team that they pinned to become Tag Team Champions at Knights of Ribbon in September of 2022. Hamuko and her tag partner Makoto have not forgotten about the loss they suffered. They were ready to become Tag Team Champions once again.

The champions refused to shake hands with the challengers, and as their backs were turned, the challengers attacked them from behind. The champions were furious and took the action to the outside. Both teams brawled in the stands and in front of the fans.

As the action continued back in the ring both teams traded their best moves with one another. Shida and Makoto both made the tags to their partners, as mother and daughter squared off. Hamuko traded stiff forearms while Ibuki traded chops with her mother. Shida and Ibuki hit diving missile dropkicks to Hamuko, only for a two count. Hamuko hit a huge lariat and Makoto followed up with a double team move with Hamuko, where Shida broke the count.

The tides of the match started to turn in favor of the challengers as it was the friction between Ibuki and Shida where they inadvertently ran into each other. That proved to be the downfall for the champions. Makoto slammed Ibuki to the mat and Hamuko followed with a diving splash off the top rope and pinned Ibuki at 19 minutes and 22 seconds in a spectacular title match. Hamuko and Makoto have become two time International Ribbon Tag Team Champions.

After the match, the new champions did not have to wait for long for the next challengers to come. As Misa Kagura and Sumika Yanagawa entered the ring and made their challenge for the International Ribbon Tag Team Championships. Hamuko and Makoto accepted and on April 1, will defend their championships against Yanagawa and Kagura.

Additionally, Hamuko mentioned that on May 14, 2023 on Mother’s day, she will hold her 15th anniversary show. Her opponent will be against veteran “Lady Destroyer” Hiroyo Matsumoto. The fans upon hearing this cheered and clapped for the huge announcement. As the new champions exited the arena, they showed off their championship to the fans at the top of the stage.

ICExINFINITY Championship
Saori Anou (c) vs Totoro Satsuki

On January 29th, 2023 fans witnessed a stellar tag bout that featured Totoro Satsuki & Nao Ishikawa vs Asahi & Saori Anou in the main event. After the match, Saori made her announcement as to who her next challenger would be.

She walked over to Ishikawa, the same person she successfully defended against in November of 2022, she gazed over towards Asahi whom she had defended her title against recently at Ribbon Mania on December 31, 2022. Finally, Saori Anou walked over to Totoro Satsuki and decided that she would be the next challenger.

Anou has competed with Totoro in tag matches, but has never faced her in a singles match. On March 19, 2023 from Korakuen Hall, the date was set. Saori Anou will defend her ICExINFINITY Championship against her toughest challenger to date, Totoro Satsuki.

Totoro Satsuki has won every championship in Ice Ribbon. A former Triangle Ribbon Champion and a former International Ribbon Tag Team Champion. However, the one championship that eluded Totoro’s career is the INFINITY Championship. She has challenged for the INFINITY Championship on two separate occasions and lost on both attempts. On her third attempt, things were different, as she was determined to finally win the top prize in Ice Ribbon.

It was a back and forth contest between champion and challenger. Anou looked to make this her 6th successful title defense while Totoro looked to win the championship that eluded her career up to this point.

The match took a very scary turn part of the way through, as when Anou looked to do a top rope frankensteiner, both competitors fell outside to the ring. Wrestlers outside of the ring bolted from one end of the ring to the other side to check up on both competitors to see if they were able to continue.

Within seconds, Anou stood up and laughed as if the pain was nothing. She took Totoro back into the ring, and they continued their fantastic title match. Multiple nearfalls occurred. Totoro hit a massive lariat to Anou, and Anou kicked out at one. Totoro got back up and Anou hit a slingblade only to get a two count.

The champion looked to end the match with her finishing move, temps tendre, but Totoro countered and hit a german suplex. Following the german suplex, Totoro did a diving back senton onto Anou, only for a two count. Totoro finally pinned Anou at 20 minutes and 40 seconds as the fans and wrestlers who watched outside of the ring erupted in cheers and applauded her for her performance.

Finally, Totoro Satsuki had become the new ICExINFINITY Champion, and also became a grand slam champion in Ice Ribbon. After the match Totoro said she loved wrestling against Anou and thanked her for the match. Anou, dissatisfied that she lost, still showed her respect to the new champion as she left the ring.

Totoro then said she loved pro-wrestling, loved Ice Ribbon, and she was the champion. She then called the roster and guests that performed on the show to come into the ring. As she closed the show and said Ice Ribbon’s catchphrase “Be Happy With Pro Wrestling, Ice Ribbon!”

Backstage, Ibuki Hoshi challenged Saori Anou to a special singles match on April 1. Saori agreed, and the match was made official. On the same day there will be an International Ribbon Tag Team Championship match taking place.

Full Results

1) HiiKaho (Hikari Shimizu and Kaho Matsushita) defeat Nao Ishikawa and Rina Amikura (10:26)

2) Tsuki Umino defeats Amu Yumesaki (8:16)

3) Aiger defeats HisokA and Kiku and Momo Tani and Saran and Yappy and Yura Suzuki and YuuRI (13:59)

4) Misa Kagura and Sumika Yanagawa defeat Asahi and Chie Ozora (12:20)

5) International Ribbon Tag Team Championship: Hamuko Hoshi and Makoto defeat Hikaru Shida and Ibuki Hoshi (c) , Title Change (19:22)

6) ICExINFINITY Championship: Totoro Satsuki defeats Saori Anou (c) , Title Change (20:40)

Date:

March 20, 2023

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