© New Japan Pro Wrestling

New Japan Pro Wrestling

It is hard not to overemphasize how much this week feels like a truly momentous one for New Japan Pro Wrestling as the top draw for most of the last decade and the most popular wrestler in the company, Tetsuya Naito, ends his two decade spell of association with the promotion on the second night of the “Wrestling Dontaku” event on May 4th in Fukuoka.

Naito will go out in a 8 man tag, 3rd from the top after a Dontaku tour which has unsurprisingly seen a huge increase in ticket sales compared to the previous year and sold what has been described as a ‘ridiculous’ amount of LIJ related merchandise.

With Naito’s departure, joined by LIJ compatriot BUSHI, the golden era of the 2010’s feels like it has reached a full end. Whilst there are immediate challenges to losing Naito in regards to business impact, it should hopefully force New Japan to push fresher talent into the key spots, especially considering that in just 7 months they will also be without Hiroshi Tanahashi.

There have been a number of interesting comments over the past few weeks on the departures of both BUSHI and Naito, both from the talent themselves and others; he nicest of which was from BUSHI, who thanked New Japan for allowing him out of his contract, writing the following in his road diary:

© New Japan Pro Wrestling

Much has been made of Tetsuya Naito not having a high profile leaving match and Callum Newman being the challenger for Hirooki Goto’s IWGP World Heavyweight Championship after Jeff Cobb’s early departure from the promotion. There is nothing to worry about from a ticketing perspective with Naito drawing the house, and with the hope that Naito can work with New Japan, you can see the logic in not burning off a potential money drawing match for the future. It will also be a big opportunity for Newman to show that he can compete at the top level, after being challenged to show more than just promise publicly by Hirooki Goto and privately by others in New Japan.

The cards for this week’s “Wrestling Dontaku” shows are as follows:

The follow up to Dontaku will be the New Japan Strong “Resurgence” show in Ontario, California where the Good Brothers are expected to make their New Japan return, teaming with the Young Bucks in their home market. Mercedes Mone will also defend her NJPW Strong Women’s Championship in a 3 way against AZM and Mina Shirakawa after a winner between the challengers was unable to be found at “Windy City Riot.” Konosuke Takeshita will also defend his NEVER title against El Phantasmo for the show on May 9th.

BUSHI will be replaced for the upcoming “Best of the Super Juniors” tour by Bullet Club’s Robbie X, who was a questionable admission from the original lineup.

Making up A Block will be Master Wato, Hiromu Takahashi, KUSHIDA, Kosei Fujita, Ninja Mack, Robbie X, Francesco Akira, Clark Connors, Yosainobu Kanemaru and Dragon Dia.

B Block will consist of El Desperado, Ryusuke Taguchi, Robbie Eagles, YOH, Kevin Knight, Taiji Ishimori, Titan, SHO, Nick Wayne and MAO.

The tournament begins on May 10th, running to June 1st with the finals back to being on their own separate night this year having been the main event of “Dominion” in Osaka in 2024.

© STARDOM

Stardom

Stardom President Taro Okada has his second rebuilding job in as many years to complete after “All Star Grand Queendom” became the most successful show in company history but also held final appearances with the promotion for a number of performers.

The level of talent loss could be argued as greater in value than what occurred this time last year, when several of the promotion’s top names left with previous promoter Rossy Ogawa for startup Marigold.

One wrestler who is heading in that direction is Mayu Iwatani. “The Icon” has always appeared to be on borrowed time with Stardom due to her loyalty to Ogawa, with it being highly likely that she would have left last year if not for having an additional year left on her contract. To her credit, her standard and effort during the final of her 14 years with the promotion did not waiver, but the company now loses one of its best in ring talents to its domestic rival.

© STARDOM

From a fan perspective, there is perhaps no greater loss than Tam Nakano, who has been the promotion’s heartbeat for several years but also plagued by injuries in the run up to her retirement. Both Nakano and the promotion will be hoping that her work with Saya Kamitani, amongst others, will be enough to turn her rival into a consistently successful draw in her own right.

Stardom will also be without MAIKA as she has made the decision to get Tommy John Surgery on her elbow. The surgery, made famous by baseball pitchers, has up to a year in recovery time. MAIKA’s final match beforehand will be at her homecoming show in Fukuoka on May 6th.

There are also additional injuries with no timeline for return for Matoi Hamabe, rookie Anne Kanaya and Momo Watanabe, who has been unsuccessful in attempting to work through the ankle injury she suffered at AEW’s “Revolution” show.

© STARDOM

Austrian Thekla is heading to the US after being “fired” at the end of her storyline with President Okada. Fightful is reporting that AEW are expecting her to land there, despite some in Japan believing she was heading to WWE before the move was announced.

Such challenges would feel like a heavy burden to most promotions, but President Okada can point to a record attendance of 7,503 in Yokohama Arena just a year after everyone raised similar concerns about the future as a reason to look forward and not back. On top of that, he is also getting some reinforcements.

Both Mei Seira and Hanan should be back by May 6th and Sareee, in the argument for best wrestler in the world last year, was present in Yokohama, making a challenge for the IWGP Women’s Championship for a date yet to be announced.

The spots vacated by the injuries and departures are also opportunities. The scale of the task looks daunting, but I still wouldn’t bet against Taro Okada and Stardom in succeeding once more.

Megan Bayne made her first appearance for the promotion since heading to AEW as part of the Las Vegas show on April 18th. She teamed with Maika for the first time in a year alongside HANAKO in a trios match.

© STARDOM

Suzu Suzuki introduced her new faction at the Korakuen Hall show on April 24th, naming the heel group “Mi Vida Loca”. She is joined by outsiders Rina Yamashita and Itsuki Aoki, freelancers who have faced Suzuki in the past. Yamashita is known as the “Deathmatch Amazoness”.

Hazuki, Runa Yagami, and Akira Krogane will compete in the 2025 “Catch the Wave “ tournament for Pro Wrestling: Wave for the chance of a title shot against the promotion’s Champion, which is also Saya Kamitani.

© Pro Wrestling NOAH

Pro Wrestling NOAH

Pro Wrestling NOAH’s “Memorial Voyage 2025” feels like a rather monumental show for the promotion, which has experienced a significant upswing across the 1st half of 2025. The two most significant factors in this meet at Ryogoku Kokugikan on May 3rd in the main event of the show, as NOAH legend KENTA challenges young GHC World Champion OZAWA in a match which feels completely in the balance.

OZAWA and his Team 2000X stable have achieved a coolness factor in a way that isn’t easy to do, lifting attendance along the way in a manner unseen in the promotion since Muto’s retirement. Standing opposite will be a revitalised Kenta, who looks much fresher on his return to his original home than in any of the 5 years he had spent with New Japan beforehand.

The themes of age, authority and living up to expectations permeate throughout this card, perhaps no more so than in the non-title match between Naomichi Marufuji and Kaito Kiyomiya. Kiyomiya remains an outstanding in-ring wrestler but has never fully capitalised on the promise shown and has suffered a run of important losses over recent months. Here, Marufuji, in the elder role, challenges Kiyomiya to show everyone that there is something still inside him that could make him the face of the promotion.

The posterboys of anti-authority, Team 2000X, all face different challengers unhappy with their actions in recent months. Tadasuke will face HAYATA of Passionate Ratels, the faction he abandoned to join the heel group, in a match that will be refereed by Manabu Soya, whilst Tetsuya Endo and Odawasan will face the consequences of screwing Takashi Suguira in the GHC National Tournament, as the veteran looks to Endo’s mentor Jun Akiyama for assistance in sending a message to the outlaw group – and to Endo himself.

Elsewhere on the card, Galeno will look to make his first defense of the GHC National Championship against Saxon Hurley.

Yoshiki Inamura has stated on NXT television that his excursion to the US is coming to an end and he will be returning to Japan in the near future.

Naomichi Marufuji was visiting WWE during Wrestlemania week, meeting up with NXT booker Shawn Michaels and attending numerous other WWE shows throughout the weekend.

Tokyo Joshi Pro Wrestling

Live In Las Vegas
18.04.2025
Pearl Theater, Las Vegas, USA
Wrestletix Tickets Distributed Estimate: 865
Watched On: Triller+

© TJPW

The show was headlined by Princess of Princess Champion Mizuki looking to make her second defense since winning the title on January 4th against former Champion Miyu Yamashita, who has taken gold from Mizuki when they have previously met.

© TJPW

The match was intense from the start, with Yamashita refusing a handshake before and then looking to control the match through a flurry of kicks and power offense that took the match out of the ring and up to the stage.

Mizuki got the better early on in the exchanges away from the ring, with a penalty kick followed by a double stomp inflicting damage on her opponent before an attitude adjustment put the match back into Yamashita’s hands. She successfully connected with a skull kick on return to the ring but was unable to make the pin or follow up, leaving the opening for Mizuki to counter with the Cutie Special. The Champion took control from there, hitting another double stomp, a whirling candy and a second Cutie Special to defeat Miyu Yamashita in a singles Championship match for the first time in her career.

© TJPW

Yamashita will remain in the US on excursion for most of the summer, with appearances in Canada and Italy also planned into her schedule. The 30 year old faced Toni Storm on last night’s AEW Dynamite and has upcoming appearances in Canada and Italy in addition to her US dates.

© TJPW

The semi main saw Miu Watanabe take on Masha Slamovich in a match where the TNA Knockout World Champion would put her belt on the line.

Slamovich was able to control most of the match, with Miu working from underneath. Watanabe was still able to display the incredible strength she has for her size, even putting her opponent up in a giant swing before she was defeated.

© TJPW

Wakana Uehara & Yuki Kamifuku were the first challengers for the Princess Tag Team Championships now held by the team of Hyper Misao and Shoko Nakajima.

The Champions were welcomed with a flood of cheers and streamers and appeared to feed off that, taking control of the match early on by isolating Wakana Uehara from her more experienced partner.

© TJPW

There were some better periods for the challengers, particularly when Kamifuku was able to get in on the action, but this still ended up being a rather decisive first defence for Nakajima and Misao.

Jada Stone put up a second challenge to Suzume, following on from the first match between the pair back in February at Korakuen Hall.

© TJPW

This was a physical bout where both competitors traded submissions as well as the support of the crowd. The match went back and forth until the Champion was able to execute a facebuster from the top rope before a cutter was enough for her to get the pin. The two embraced after the match’s conclusion.

The best of TJPW’s comedy was on display in the card’s 3rd match as the oddball team of Raku and Max the Impaler took on Maki Itoh and Zara Zakher.

Itoh was as over as you would expect with the Collective crowd, but it was the interplay between Max and Raku that stole the show from the moment the bigger wrestler took her teammate’s pillow away to her, eventually throwing Raku at her opponents in a heavily assisted crossbody.

© TJPW

The pair worked well together for a large part of the match, with Max helping her to survive a Boston crab and hitting double suplexes whilst Maku literally ran over their opponents. It was a breakdown in their communication that proved costly as they ended up running into each over on offense before Maki Itoh was able to hit Max with a DDT, forcing her to the outside, where she was met with a shining wizard from Zakher.

With the stronger opponent successfully neutralised, Itoh was able to submit Raku with Itoh Deluxe and get the win for her team.

© TJPW

Raku was dragged to the back by Max, as though she was a five year old who didn’t want to leave the pick’n’mix section in Woolworths.

Yuki Arai defeated Arisu Endo in the opener in what was her victory as a professional wrestler since graduating from idol group SKE48 a few weeks prior. Her post match comments show an intention to return to the US in the near future.

Results

Yuki Arai defeats Arisu Endo (7:16)

Ram Kaicho, Viva Van & Yuki Aino defeat Rika Tatsumi, Shino Suzuki & Vert Vixen (13:56)

Maki Itoh & Zara Zakher defeat Max The Impaler & Raku (9:44)

International Princess Title: Suzume (c) defeats Jada Stone (12:34)

Princess Tag Team Titles: Kyoraku Kyomei (Hyper Misao & Shoko Nakajima) (c) defeat Wakana Uehara & Yuki Kamifuku (13:13)

TNA Knockouts World Title: Masha Slamovich (c) defeats Miu Watanabe (10:44)

Princess Of Princess Title: Mizuki (c) defeats Miyu Yamashita (17:40)

TJPW News

The team of Matcha and Alexis Lee will challenge Shoko Nakajima and Hyper Misao for the Princess Tag Team Championships.

Matcha, from the SETUP promotion in Thailand, and Lee from Singapore Pro Wrestling, are the first recognised women’s wrestlers from each country and are being celebrated by both promotions in the lead up to the match on May 5th. Both wrestlers will also be present on the May 3rd show as well.

One of the highlights of the May 5th show (even if just for the chaos alone!) will be the return of “TJPW RUSH!”, a 5 v 5 gauntlet match of which Mizuki and Suzume will act as team captains. The match will involve 2 count pinfalls and 5 minute time limits for each part of the gauntlet.

The full teams are:

Team Takoyaki: Mizuki, Pom Harajuku, Haru Kazashiro, Rika Tatsumi and Shino Suzuki

Team Kushikatsu: Suzume, Uta Takami, Miu Watanabe, Arisu Endo and HIMAWARI

The Full Card for the May 5th show at the EDION Arena in Osaka is:

Suzume will defend her International Princess Title against HIMAWARI after the young wrestler was able to come through the tournament that took place at the promotion’s “This is Japan!” show on April 19th in Tokyo.

HIMAWARI won an 8 women tag alongside Chika Nanase, Haru Kazashiro and Uta Takami before teaming with Takami to defeat Nanase and Kazashiro in the second round. The two faced off in the final, with HIMAWARI taking the victory and the Title shot in the process.

© DDT Pro Wrestling

DDT

“DDT GOES LAS VEGAS!”
18/04/2025
Pearl Theater At Palms Casino Resort, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
Watch On: Triller+

A selection of DDT’s roster made its way to Las Vegas during Wrestlemania week for a joint show with TJPW and GCW as well as presenting “DDT in Las Vegas”.

© DDT Pro Wrestling

The main event saw Konosuke Takeshita step back into the promotion, as he faced a MAO now at a similar crossroads to the one he currently stands at, having decided to move on from previous faction 37KAMINA and explore new territories, with him returning to Japan to compete in New Japan’s “Best of the Super Juniors” tournament beginning next week.

This was a fast and ferocious affair that saw MAO hit Takeshita with some brutal kicks, whilst Takeshita displayed his full range of power offense. MAO attempted to score an upset with a phoenix splash but Takeshita was able to avoid. Takeshita then missed with an elbow strike in mid air before finally putting his opponent away with a raging fire.

Minoru Suzuki stepped from his awkward encounter with Butterbean the day before to prove he could have a better match with a broom, or in this case a doll, as he made his first defense of the DDT Universal Title against Yoshihiko.

© DDT Pro Wrestling

Suzuki did not believe he was under threat in the early goings, tossing the doll around like a toy and laughing wildly during the process. The laughing stopped though when he suddenly found himself caught in a submission hold by Yoshihiko. That was to be the challenger’s highlight though, with a spinning Gotch style piledriver ending the match. Suzuki would shake Yoshihiko’s hand before throwing the doll out of the ring.

His quest against comedy will continue on May 25th, when he faces Danshoku Dieno with the DDT Universal Title on the line.

Results

Starboy Charlie defeated Yuni (8:58)

Daisuke Sasaki & Ilusion defeated Mizuki Watase & Shota and Dan The Dad & Kody Lane (13:07)

Santana Jackson defeated Antonio Honda (9:37)

wXw Unified World Wrestling Title:
1 Called Manders (c) defeated Yukio Naya (9:33)

Nick Wayne, Shunma Katsumata & Kazuma Sumi defeated Gringo Loco, Marcus Mathers & Tyler Bateman (13:37)

Shinya Aoki defeated Timothy Thatcher (9:20)

DDT Universal Title:
Minoru Suzuki defeated Yoshihiko (15:10)

KONOSUKE TAKESHITA defeated MAO (17:24)

© DDT Pro Wrestling

DDT News

DDT released an update on the health of Masahiro Takanashi after the wrestler suffered a number of serious spinal injuries in a DDT Title match with Chris Brookes in late March:

“We are pleased to inform everyone that Masahiro Takanashi has now moved to the general ward to start rehabilitation after being treated in the intensive care unit. The following is a comment from Takanashi to his fans.

“I’m sorry to have made you all worry due to my situation.

I have now been moved to the general ward and I just started on rehabilitation. Right now I am at the stage where I am just moving the tips of my toes, but I hope that I will be able to meet you all again one day as I continue to work on my recovery.

As someone of this industry, I take all critical comments and encouragements as I face up to my current situation.

And to Chris and the fans everywhere, I hope you can all carry on with your lives without worry.”

As of this moment, DDT and ChocoPro Wrestling are currently preparing to sell new Takanashi merchandise and opening an online store as well. Details will be announced as soon as they have been decided. We apologize for the anxiety that this may cause to fans, but we ask for your continued warm support for Takanashi.”

DDT will be promoting a Super Sasadango Machine vs Toru Yano match billed as “DDT vs NJPW.” on June 9th. The event was launched by a press conference on April 17th which had hilarious timing coming a day after NJPW announced Naito and BUSHI were leaving the company, sparking speculation in Japan of a potential Yano retirement or different role within the organisation before it took place.

The “King of DDT” Tournament will begin on April 6th at Korakuen Hall in a card which includes all 8 singles bouts in the first round. Yuki Ishida will return on that show, with injury forcing him out of this weekend’s shows in Sendai and Yokohama.

KANON, who has been working DDT as a freelancer, has now signed with the promotion.

All Japan Pro Wrestling

The Champion Carnival is coming down to its final phases and is shaping up for quite the finish.

In A Block, Jun Saito’s quest for an undefeated tournament is over after back to back defeats to Hideki Suzuki and Davey Boy Smith Jr. but the Triple Crown holder still manages to hold a share of the lead in what is a four way tie between Saito, Davey Boy Smith Jr., Hideki Suzuki and Kento Miyahara, with all four having one match left to wrestle in the Block. The four will compete with each other in their final matches, with Hideki Suzuki vs Davey Boy Smith Jr. and Kento Miyahara vs Jun Saito both scheduled for Korakuen Hall on 06/05.

Xyon’s tournament is already complete, finishing his first tournament with a 2-6 record. Takashi Yoshida will attempt to finish off his tournament with a win against Kengo Mashimo after going 0-7 so far.

© All Japan Pro Wrestling

In B Block, Rei Saito is finally off the mark after a crisis of confidence over being compared to his singles Champion brother led him to 3 straight losses to start things off. Seito has rebounded with two wins in a row and may be the dark horse for a late comeback in a group which is also wide open.

The tournament standings, as of 29/04, are as follows:

Dragongate

Dragongate’s big Golden Week show will be the “Dead or Alive 2025” card at the Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium on May 5th. This will be the promotion’s final date at the venue before its impending closure.

The card will hold the final of the Open the Brave Gate Champion Tournament that occurred following YAMATO’s vacation of the belt last month. U-T will face Homare for the right to be the 54th Champion. U-T defeated Ryoya Tanaka in the semi finals whilst Homare put away Hyo to reach the final.

Jason Lee will challenge YAMATO for the Open the Dream Gate Championship whilst BxB Hulk, Susumu Yokosuka and Kagetora will defend their Open the Triangle Gate titles against Strong Machine J, Kzy and Flamita.

The card will be headlined by a 6 way cage match between D’Courage and Z-Brats, in the culmination of a feud which began in February. Dragon Dia, Madoka Kikuta and Yuki Yoshioka will hope to cause further chaos in the Z-Brats ranks, who will be represented by ISHIN, Kota Minoura and Shun Skywalker.

© Dragongate english on X

The match has a unique set of rules with participants only able to escape the cage by capturing one of the flags on the top. The participant who fails to escape will lose either their hair or their mask.

© Dragongate

Dream Star Fighting Marigold

Marigold made perhaps the most unsurprising announcement of the year on Thursday, with an emergency press conference to reveal the signing of Mayu Iwatani to the promotion.

Speculation that her arrival in the promotion was imminent had been heightened following the announcement of a Nanae Takahashi vs. “X” for this Sunday’s “Rising Spirit” show at Korakuen Hall. Those suspicions were confirmed on Thursday and Iwatani will, indeed, debut in the main event on Sunday. The wrestler cited an ambition to recreate her Stardom Grand Slam in Marigold and also targeted the GHC Women’s Championship.

Also on the docket appears to be a matchup with WWE Women’s Champion IYO SKY. Iwatani expressed this as a will but it is our understanding that plans for this match are already being made between Marigold and WWE.

Iwatani’s opponent on Sunday, the soon retiring Nanae Takahashi, has also expressed a wish to face Guilia before her career comes to an end.

Jungle Kyona returned to pro wrestling in her native Nagoya on April 27th for a five minute exhibition match with Takahashi. Upon its conclusion she exclaimed that she would now like to make a full time return. Serious injury meant that this was her first pro wrestling match since April 14th, 2023.

The highlight of recent Marigold shows was the 5 v 5 elimination match against rival promotion Marvelous at Korakuen Hall on April 25th.

© Sendai Girls

Japanese Indies

Sendai Girls
SATOMURA: THE FINAL
29/04/25
Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
Company Announced Attendance: 1,660
Watch On: Wrestle Universe

The 30 year career of Meiko Satomura came to an end this past Tuesday at Korakuen Hall as she wrestled her last scheduled match for the promotion she helped form. The “final boss” of women’s wrestling went out in perfect fashion, teaming with Manami against her protege Chihiro Hashimoto as well as her greatest rival in Aja Kong. Manami appeared to be visibly moved to have been picked by Satomura for the occasion, with the younger wrestler doing everything she could to make this match as special as possible.

It was the exchanges between Satomura and long term rival Kong which felt the most special even if it was Hashimoto who could have claimed victory over her mentor, only to find herself mentally unable to do so. In the end, it was Maiko Satomura who got the win (in what will be one of the cleanest victories over Aja Kong you will ever see) with one final Scorpion Rising. Or was it?

In a post match twist, Aja Kong requested to team with Satomura for one single time and an impromptu tag match took place as the pair took on Mika Iwata, YUNA, Senka Akatsuki, and Takumi Iroha and Hashimoto. The match went to the 5 minute time limit, and with that Satomura’s career was truly over.

Aja Kong was deeply emotional in the aftermath and had these words for her
former rival:

A ceremony for the retirement followed with tributes paid from the likes of IYO SKY, Chigusa Nagayo, Lioness Asuka and Akira Hokuto before a legendary 30 year career was declared over.

Sendai Girls announced a crowd of 1660 for the event, which is the biggest number for a Korakuen Hall show so far this year.

Results

YUNA & Yurika Oka defeat Senka Akatsuki & Yura Suzuki (7:32)

Jaguar Yokota & Mayumi Ozaki defeat Jinsei Shinzaki & Shin Sakura Hirota (7:38)

Ryo Mizunami won a Battle Royal (20:14)

DASH Chisako, Mika Iwata & Sareee defeat Lena Kross, Nina Samuels & VENY (14:10)

Meiko Satomura & Manami defeat Aja Kong & Chihiro Hashimoto (22:55)

Aja Kong & Meiko Satomura vs. Chihiro Hashimoto, Mika Iwata, Senka Akatsuki, Takumi Iroha & YUNA. Time-Limit Draw (5:00)

Big Japan will hold their biggest show of their year at the Yokohama Budokan on May 5th as they celebrate their 30th Anniversary. Akira will battle Dale for the BJW Death Match Heavyweight Title on the card. Leyton Buzzard will also return to the promotion after injury on this show.

Sonoko Kato has announced her retirement for November 23rd. The 48 year old announced she wishes to bring her career to a close after celebrating 30 years since her debut in Korakuen Hall last month. She is a 3 time OZ Academy Openweight Champion and a 7 time Tag Champion.

Also announcing her retirement is Risa Sera. Sera is most recognised for her work in Ice Ribbon and as the leader of deathmatch faction Prominence. Her retirement is set for January 12th, 2026.

Pro Wrestling: Wave’s “Regina di Wave” tournament will begin on May 4th, made up of 36 participants in 9 blocks of 4. The tournament is for a shot at Saya Kamitani’s Wave Championship.

Mei Suruga missed last week’s ChocoPro show as a precaution after sustaining an injury in training.

RUSH and Action Andretti are the latest names that you could never predict that will be appearing for GLEAT in May.

Ryogoku Kokugikan played host to “Lucha Fiesta” on April 27th, which centered around the return of the Hayabusa gimmick after the family of Eiji Ezaki gave their blessings for it to return. The “Hayabusa Revival Match” headlined an eccentric card that felt ambitious from the outset, with one of the men behind it, Masato Tanaka, standing across from Hayabusa in the final match. After victory, Hayabusa agreed to team with Jinsei Shinzaki against Mammoth and Tanaka. The tag match is set for Kawasaki Stadium on May 7th.

© SPW

Other News from Asia and Oceania

The events of this week’s upcoming TJPW shows will spill out across the region over the next month as Alexis Lee will return to Singapore Pro Wrestling on May 30th to take on Yuki Kamifuku for the Queen of Asia Championship. Her TJPW tag partner in Japan on May 5th, Matcha, will challenge for the SETUP All Asia Championship on May 31st against the winner of the Raku- Noir “Phoenix” Diana match, also on the TJPW Osaka show.

SETUP’s May 31st show has been entitled “The Fallen Kingdom” and alongside Matcha’s challenge will be a tag match which the promotion are dubbing “the biggest in Thai Wrestling history” featuring Jonathan Johnson and Jack De Leon facing Andruew Tang and Shivam.

Tang and Shivam will also team in Singapore the night before. Zack Sabre Jr. will also wrestle on SPW’s “Mayhem” show, where Aiden Rex will be his opponent, as well as for SETUP the night after.

Mighty Eddie Emil wil challenge APAC Malaysia Wrestling Champion Dreamkiller Azrox on May 10th after cashing in his earned match contract.

Korean comedian Yoon Hyung-Bin will debut at PWS Korea’s “Project 3000” event at the KBS Arena in Seoul on May 10th. Japanese veteran Tajiri will be the welcoming party.

Yuto Nakaahima and Oskar Leube worked the NJPW TAMASHI show in Hamilton, New Zealand last weekend after returning from their excursion with wXw.

Vietnam Pro Wrestling are holding a watch party in Saigon on May 3rd for the VPW Championship match taking place on the TJPW show on that evening.

BCW in Melbourne, Australia have announced that Keiji Muto will be their special guest for BCW 63 on May 23rd for their show in Burwood East.

In ring action will include BCW Heavyweight Champion Gore defending against Famous B as well as The Natural Classics (Tome and Stevie Fillip) challenging The Super Grouse Bogans for the BCW Tag Championships. Tarlee will be challenging Frankie B for the BCW Women’s Title.

WRESTLEROCK have band The Chevaliers performing live for their next show in Richmond on May 9th.

Caveman Ugg will wrestle on the show that will also see a scramble match with Locky Hendricks vs Tyson Reed vs Tarlee vs JXT and Krackerjak taking on Jake Taylor for the Wrestlerock Title as he looks to hold the Championship for the 3rd time.

48 hours in Las Vegas

Chris Whitehead takes us along with him on a whistle stop tour of the independents and global promotions who made Las Vegas their home during Wrestlemania week.

Recommendations From A History Man

Peter Edge is back for round 3 of his history tour, as we begin with a topical trip back to 1994.

Wrestlemania 41

The first night of this year’s Wrestlemania was a mostly subdued affair, with a crowd that lacked energy, noise and motion for most of the proceedings. For a lot of the matches, it reflected issues in the builds that the performers were unable to turn around in the ring.