Cero Reviews TJPW 8th Tokyo Princess Cup 7.25

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Cero Reviews TJPW 8th Tokyo Princess Cup 7.25

Post by cero2k » Jul 31st, '21, 22:50

TJPW 8th Tokyo Princess Cup, Day 4
July 25, 2021
Shin-kiba 1st Ring, Tokyo, Japan

Nodoka Tenma, Hikari Noa & Kaya Toribami vs. Haruna Neko, Mirai Maiumi & Yuki Kamifuku - 5/10
OK opener, had a little bit of everything. We got to see Kamiyu get heat, which is a strength of her, we saw Mirai vs Noa which was a good pair up with potential if they pair up for a title match down the road, something where they can build a story and work their styles. We also had a little bit of Tenma and Neko, and I have to say, something that I've been paying some attention during this tournament, is Neko's work beyond her cat gimmick.

In this match in particular, Neko paired off with Tenma for a couple of minutes in which they didn't do any comedy or cute stuff, they just straight up wrestled, and I finally saw something in Neko that she rarely gets to show because of her gimmick and position in the card. She has good basics and can definitely keep up with someone like Tenma. She awoke in me the curiosity to follow her more closely going forward.

Nodoka won with Killswitch on Neko.

Miu Watanabe, Miyu Yamashita, Pom Harajuku & Moka Miyamoto vs. Arisu Endo, Mizuki, Nao Kakuta & Yuki Aino - 6/10
This was fun, but it was also all over the place. They got about 15 minutes, so that's good enough to get everyone in there and have them do their thing, but they still kept certain people away as possible from each other until it was necessary to build up their upcoming matches. Yamashita versus Mizuki in particular, they antagonized each other throughout the match, but it wasn't until the end, and only for a little bit, that they both worked against each other. Likewise, Aino and Watanabe didn't do much together, I think we got more Aino versus Harajuku than anything else.

Aino pinned Miyamoto with the Venus DDT.

Tokyo Princess Cup 2021 Second Round Match
Mahiro Kiryu vs. Suzume - 6/10
This was kinda interesting. On one side, I was really happy for Suzume to win, she's improved so much since her debut, she's one of those rookies, like Endo, that you just know are going to be the full package later down the road when they get older, so seeing her win here was a nice surprise. However, on the other hand, I think Kiryu would have really benefited from getting this win and advancing. She's not super amazing or anything, but she's someone that has flirted along that line between second match wrestler, and secondary title wrestler, sometimes they make us think she's growing, and then they put her on the opener with the comedy lot. She feels like someone that needs to make a change in her look and attitude and try to establish herself. As she is now, this wasn't an upset, it was just a win for Suzume over someone that just happens to be more experienced than her.

Match was good, if you see it spoiler free (sorry about that), you do see a match of two levels of experience, with the rookie overcoming and getting the win.

Tokyo Princess Cup 2021 Second Round Match
Maki Itoh vs. Raku - 5.5/10
I thought this was as good as it was gonna get, I'm just not invested in Raku at all, and Itoh is not exactly the workhorse to carry her to a good match. I can say that this was somewhat entertaining when Itoh was in control or outsmarting Raku in her 'dream' tactics. Itoh submitted Raku with the Itoh Punish for the win.

It'll be Itoh vs Suzume in the quarter finals.

Tokyo Princess Cup 2021 Second Round Match
Shoko Nakajima vs. Marika Kobashi - 6.5/10
This was my heartbreaker of a match, I just really wanted both of them to advance, but I think we should consider that Kobashi making it this far is good enough. Kobashi is slowly becoming one of my favorites in the promotion, I love her personality, she just comes off as confident, but also fun when she needs to, and her wrestling has been quite solid.

Marika played a heelish side, but it was more like a desperate rookie that knows she is going against one of the toughest participants in the tournament, someone who has made it to the finals on many occasions, 4 times to be precise, with one of those as the winner. So Marika jumped Shoko and tried to keep her locked up, but Nakajima was just too much for Marika and won with a Northern Light Suplex.

Tokyo Princess Cup 2021 Second Round Match
Hyper Misao vs. Rika Tatsumi - 8.5/10
This was freaking great! I had high hopes for this match and it paid off. These two had a bit of a history and they've had some good matches before, but Misao has improved since then and Tatsumi now has the confidence of a former champion.

Match saw Misao cut off Tatsumi early on and work the arm from that point on. It would be until alter down the road the the White Dragon would wake up and just make the strongest of comebacks. She beat up Misao that her mask kinda broke down and she ended up tossing it aside and wrestled the rest the closing sequence without it. Not even in her retirement match that she didn't retire from, had I seen Misao go all out, it was really refreshing to see her push forward. Tatsumi ended up winning with a Japanese Leg Roll Clutch.

Rika Tatsumi vs Shoko Nakajima!

Post-match - Rika and Misao fist bumped like always. Rika cut her winner's promo saying this one came really close (it did), but she overcame.

OVERALL THOUGHTS
What I did tell you? As soon as we start advancing, this tournament is gonna pick up and this show closed off with two good matches. The quarterfinals are set for the 31st. Yamashita vs Mizuki, Itoh vs Suzume, Aino vs Watanabe, and Tatsumi vs Nakajima. I'm hoping for a semifinal within the Itoh Respect Army and the other between Daydream!
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