DarK_RaideR

Well met. See you around January again, I suppose. Kajahara-sama only drops by occasionally these days for a masterclass, like "how to get maximum skin flakes when raking your opponent's face with a cheese grater". The day-to-day operations are run by Mirai Kajahara, Fujiko Mushashibo, Naoko Majima and whatever road agents are working for the company at any given time. Annibelle the Cannabelle will drop by sometimes Minoru Suzuki style, to haze rookies or punish trainees.

End of the Line Saturday, Week 2, December 2023 Miyagi Athletic Field, Tohoku Region, 2.000 fans in attendance (51.995 viewers on WrestleWorld Japan) Mirai Kajahara opened the final show of the year, once the announcer was done running down the card first; the night would be headlined by Yu Hashimoto against Lady Lotus for the Internet championship, the only title match of the night since the show arguably served as a comedown after the Warrior Queen’s biggest annual event, Queen’s Quest last month. Still, Kajahara wasn’t there to talk about that. She did not appear as the newly crowned Queen of the Deathmatch but in her official capacity as the promotion’s owner. Kajahara thanked the fans for their continued support and said she had a big announcement to make. For starters, she was aware the cat was out of the bag and social media were buzzing with news of Koichi Kajiwara turning in his resignation notice. While officially confirming this was the case, she told fans not to worry, because she had already found the man who would succeed him in helping with production. Out came… Mamoru Nagahama! Beloved WEXXV and PGHW alumni, the recently retired Nagahama got a big reaction from the audience, but of course him simply being hired by WQ2020 did not justify all this fanfare before the start of the show. Indeed, Kajahara had a little something to add. Not only was Nagahama brought in to help run shows and put matches together, he was about to also help with the company’s continued mission to help, promote and cultivate women’s wrestling. Step one was setting up the Queen’s Court, the company dojo, just months after Warrior Queen’s first ever show. Now, Nagahama would be responsible for step two, the project that would help bridge the gap between the young lions, their excursions and their presence on the WQ2020 roster… Battle Angels Joshi Pro Wrestling, an all new Tohoku based developmental promotion! 3 vs 3 Tag Team Deathmatch Gaijin Wrecking Crew & Shion Ayasato vs Naoko Majima, Pinky Perez & Ai Kon Zero story going into this match, zero reasoning for the teams to be set up like this or fighting, but none of it mattered because the opening match still got the crowd going thanks to some solid in-ring action. The tag team champions alongside powerhouse Ayasato controlled most of the match from offence, working much better as a collective despite brief comebacks thanks to the individual brilliance of Perez or the sheer tenacity of Majima. Still, it was Ai Kon who scored the win for her team when she surprised Ayasato with a roll up. Could be the start of something down the line, especially if WQ2020 are resetting their storylines after Queen’s Quest. Rating: 54 Individual performances: Gross 53, Morgan 52, Ayasato 50, Ai Kon 61, Perez 73, Majima 55 Dr. Yumaniac, Piper Hale, Annibelle The Cannabelle, Jessica Boone and Stabby The Clown marched down to the ring next, making their entrance together in a show of unity. The five women took turns on the mic, stronger talkers covering up for their weaker counterparts with the message essentially being “We’re putting the Hand back together”. With Dr. Yumaniac having lost her title last month, it was about time for the stable to regroup and retaliate. 3 vs 3 Tag Team Deathmatch The Bloody Hand (Annibelle The Cannabelle, Jessica Boone and Stabby The Clown) vs Monster Ishimura and Cannibal Crew The promo was followed by a six person match, in which Dr. Yumaniac and Piper Hale stayed at ringside to support their allies, another show of unity in the group. Their three bulldozing opponents were out for blood this night and much of it flowed, with Stabby the Clown even put through a stack of light tubes laid out between two tables. It was this that really turned the match around, as Stabby emerged all blood soaked with a manic smile on her face, as if the pain had awoken something inside her. Thanks to a quick burst of essentially invulnerability, Stabby mounted a comeback and hit Maneater with her Clownin’ Around finisher, before she collapsed on top of her for the three count. Rating: 36 Individual performances: Maneater 48, Etelka 45, Ishimura 44, Stabby 51, Boone 48, Annibelle 50 Singles Deathmatch Helena Hooligan vs Piper Hale Piper Hale then climbed into the ring and out came Helena Hooligan, who got herself a decent amount of heat thanks to her sneaky antics during the Queen’s Quest Royal Rumble. Annibelle the Cannabelle sure hadn’t forgotten how she got eliminated so she ran back outside to attack Hooligan during her entrance. Another show of the Bloody Hand back on track working as a unit, this gave Hale the early advantage, before Hooligan once again had to resort to cheap tricks in order to stop the onslaught. More than once it seemed like Hooligan almost had it, but Hale persevered and eventually hit the Danger Drop for the three. Rating: 58 Individual performances: Hooligan 57, Hale 58 Tag Team Deathmatch Deadly Alliance vs S&M Semi main event saw two experienced and popular teams go at it in what could very well turn out to be a show stealing performance. Very much the first truly competitive match of the night with both teams getting an equal share of offence in, all the way up to the extended finishing stretch of bomb dropping. The match ended with Skulletta using a rana to escape from the electric chair setup of a doomsday device, before she rebound to deliver the Skull Crushing Finale on Mushashibo for the pin as Masakist dragged Kajahara out to prevent an interception. Rating: 60 Individual performances: Kajahara 78, Mushashibo 53, Skulletta 52, Masakist 54 WQ2020 Internet title match Lady Lotus vs Yu Hashimoto Hashimoto has been slowly but steadily building herself a reputation as a badass, thanks to an unmentioned but noticeable undefeated streak since her debut. This would be her third defence of the Internet title and long time Queen’s Heart champion Lady Lotus made for a solid contender, although word has it’s been at least as much politics as it has been skill that gave her that long title run as well as keeping her around despite the company’s shift away from the high flying junior style the masked competitor is known for. Still, Lady Lotus delivered the goods between the ropes here and was every bit up to par, giving Hashimoto something to worry about as the two women clashed. While not stellar, the difference in styles made for some interesting spots and match structure, all building up to Hashimoto catching Lotus with her spinning back fist finisher mid-air as the challenger was coming down off the top rope. This floored Lady Lotus but Hashimoto still pulled her up for another shot of The End Game, before making the cover to retain. Rating: 68 Individual performances: Lotus 66, Hashimoto 66 Show rating: 61

Travelling, mostly. Quit my job. Preparing to move to another country. Possibly get married sooner rather than later. You know, typical August summer break stuff.

Is this AI art? Looks like it, but I'm liking it for Foxxy

Queen’s Quest Sunday, Week 2, November 2023 Miyagi Athletic Field, Tohoku Region, 2.000 fans in attendance (53.887 viewers on WrestleWorld Japan) 10 Woman Royal Rumble Winner receives a shot at the WQ2020 Queen of the Deathmatch title Participants: Ai Kon, Annibelle the Cannabelle, Helena Hooligan, Jessica Boone, Lady Lotus, Masakist, Monster Ishimura, Naoko Majima, Shion Ayasato, Skulletta All ten participants made their entrances in quick succession, as the match was set to begin with all of them already in the ring. Soon as the bell rang, everyone tried to pile up on Ishimura, which caused the classic spot of her disappearing under all the bodies only to burst out again. From there, Bloody Hand members Annibelle and Boone teamed up to clear up some space without eliminating anyone, only to end up standing against the team of Masakist and Skulletta, a moment between the two regular tag teams that got a good reaction and might be a glimpse of the future. After a short but wild brawl, the teams broke into pairs of two and took to the corners for a fistfight, only for an opportunistic Helena Hooligan to swoop in and assist Boone in throwing Masakist over the top rope for the first elimination of the match. Boone seemed thankful but surprised, her momentary lapse being just what Hooligan needed to clothesline her over the top rope as well. Competitors started getting back into the ring and it didn’t take long before once again they all focused on trying to eliminate the massive Ishimura. The scales were tipped once Ayasato joined in, showing her freakish power as she lifted several tangled up bodies off the mat before the others were able to dump Ishimura out. This quickly backfired though, as Ayasato was now the biggest, strongest and baddest woman in the match, marking her as the biggest threat. The youngster held her ground valiantly against all comers, until a chop block from former ally Lady Lotus brought her down to one knee and Hooligan connected with a kick to her head that made her wobbly enough to be eliminated. The fight went on for a bit with no further eliminations, until Annibelle got Ai Kon on the top for what seemed to be a superplex. However, Lady Lotus kicked the rope to throw them off balance and a running dropkick from Hooligan knocked them both to the outside, eliminating them. This brought it down to the final four: Helena Hooligan, Lady Lotus, Naoko Majima and Skulletta. From the following exchanges, fans seemed to be behind Majima and certainly rejected any notion of Lady Lotus gaining any sort of advantage. This was the perfect setup for the finishing sequence, in which Hooligan hit a low blow on Majima and eliminated her, gaining herself a ton of heat. Between that and several other sneaky eliminations that Hooligan had managed to pull off since the beginning, when Skulletta eliminated her, fans roared in approval. Skulletta was now their chosen one, even more so as she was fighting against the hated Lady Lotus. In the final stretches of the match, both women hit each other with everything they had and for a moment, it seemed as though Lady Lotus had it in the bag. With significantly less risk of elimination at this point, Lady Lotus ascended to the top rope for her finisher, but came up empty on the senton, which in turn began Skulleta’s comeback, all the way to the triumphant end of her launching her opponent out of the ring to win the match and a title shot of her choosing. Rating: 59 Individual performances: Ai Kon 61, Annibelle 41, Hooligan 55, Boone 48, Lotus 66, Masakist 46, Ishimura 50, Majima 55, Ayasato 46, Skulletta 49 Clown Carnage Deathmatch Stabby the Clown vs WILDCARD Stabby’s mysterious attacker last month was introduced as WILDCARD and despite the catchy name, this Clown Carnage Deathmatch featured no special stipulations but was simply a deathmatch between two competitors working clowin-ish gimmicks. Although it was more of a storytelling based bout, Stabby used a more varied arsenal of moves than usual and displayed considerable improvement, whereas WILDCARD looked consistent enough in her WE2020 debut and even drove her opponent spine first through a table. After that spot, it looked as though the newcomer had this in the bag, but a desperate Stabby rolled through the pin and held onto the tights to steal the victory. Rating: 44 Individual performances: Stabby 52, WILDCARD 42 Yu Hashimoto came out next with a mic in hand and repeated her frustration about being sidelined for so long during the Tournament of Death. Fighting again last month, said the WQ2020 Internet champion, reminded her of what it was like and she was out here tonight in order to feel that rush again, to do what she does best, against anyone willing to take her on. It didn’t take long for Pinky Perez to come out and answer the challenge, thus setting a title match between the two of them. WQ2020 Internet title match Yu Hashimoto © vs Pinky Perez This match was destined to be good and neither woman held back either. While it wasn’t the usual crazy Hashimoto brawl all around the venue, the strikes were still stiff, the intensity turned to eleven and everything done with a sense of urgency. This fast pace from start to finish had fans on the edge of their seats, cheering for every move in a match that featured zero stalling or rest holds. A purist’s paradise, the contest went on maybe a little shorter than it could have at just about fifteen minutes, before Hashimoto delivered her End Game spinning back fist to secure the pinfall win. Rating: 66 Individual performances: Perez 66, Hashimoto 65 WQ2020 Blood Sisters tag titles match Gaijin Wrecking Crew © vs Cannibal Crew Returning from injury after a concussion prevented her from finishing the Tournament of Death, Etelka the Hun reunited with Manhunter as the first ever WQ2020 tag team champions took on the reigning champions. The match was decent and mainly served to hype up Etelka’s return, with Cannibal Crew taking turns as they beat down Gross. It was all of course building up to the hot tag, although after making it, Gross seemed to essentially stand on one toe on the apron, perhaps having suffered some legitimate injury to her foot. Still, she gritted her teeth as Morgan cleaned house to deliver the Mouth Of Madness on Maneater for the pin. Rating: 46 Individual performances: Manater 49, Etelka 45, Gross 61, Morgan 58 WQ2020 Queen’s Heart title deathmatch Fujiko Mushashibo © vs Piper Hale After rescuing Kajahara at the end of Reach For The Mountain, Mushashibo found herself in this semi main event match, defending her title against The Bloody Hand’s arguably number two behind Dr. Yumaniac, “Punisher” Piper Hale. The two women maintained a methodic pace to what was essentially a classic fighting spirit bout, even if the striking contests were way more than displays of technical prowess. Each woman would invite the other to hit her as hard as she can, whether it was in or out of the ring, with strikes or with weapons. Mushashibo took an atomic drop onto the barricade which seemed to clip her foot on the way down, but she pushed through the pain and even took a death valley driver onto the exposed floor. Hale had the chance to gain the upper hand while on the outside, but Mushashibo wouldn’t stay down for the three count, forcing her opponent to try bigger and bigger moves after each near fall. Eventually, Hale climbed up top for a superplex, but Mushashibo reversed into what seemed to be an improvised DDT onto the top turnbuckle (assuming she wasn’t going for something else and just slipped). Either way, the spot created an opening for Mushashibo who fought tooth and nail in order to get back into the match and stay on the driver’s seat, until she was able to connect with a Fujiko Valentine for the win. Rating: 50 Individual performances: Mushashibo 62, Hale 53 During entrances for the main event, Dr. Yumaniac introduced a new routine to go with her new “Bride of Frankenstein” inspired look, which seemed to go down pretty good with the fans. WQ2020 Queen of the Deathmatch title match Dr. Yumaniac © vs Tournament of Death winner Mirai Kajahara Kajahara came into this match with all the momentum of being the tournament winner, but also all the wear and tear that comes from simply completing it. Dr. Yumaniac had clearly done her homework and immediately zoned in on all of her opponent’s weak spots that had been worked over during the tournament, perhaps in an attempt to wrap this up quick before her own potential ring rust could become a detrimental factor. Still, Kajahara was not caught by surprise and soldiered on, keeping things fast and exciting at breakneck speed. In a moment of utter insanity, Kajahara tried to set her opponent’s hair on fire (which, judging by its looks, was full of highly flammable hairspray) and although she almost made it, Dr. Yumaniac turned herself into a living weapon with a head first spear that hurt Kajahara, while also extinguishing the flames and giving her an even wilder look in that half burned coup. The spot got a huge reaction, but in terms of storytelling, the fire was lit -metaphorically- under Kajahara. The more damage she took, the wilder things seemed to get, the happier she appeared to be and even a powerbomb through a sheet of glass wasn’t enough to stop her. With a deranged look in her eyes, Kajahara kept fighting, perhaps past a point where she should have collapsed, especially after she did her signature spot of applying the Kajahara Claw on herself to pump up the adrenaline. Looking like an utter maniac, Kajahara simply kept on coming and after surviving inhuman amounts of punishment, finally managed to slap on the Claw onto her opponent, who was forced to tap out. Your winner AND NEW Warrior Queen 2020 Queen of the Deathmatch, Mirai Kajahara! Rating: 71 Individual performances: Yumaniac 47, Kajahara 78 Show rating: 65 Prediction results: KyTeran: 5/6 (Congratulations!) Willr0ck: 3/6 MidKnightDreary: 2/6

Goddamit, stop making me like Harker!

How much lower, compared to previous versions? Because I'm totally VPN downloading it as many times as needed to boost those rates and keep you going 😚

Digging the music pics on the entrance themes. The production values are solid too, just as all willr0ck diaries. Appreciate you taking the time to write out the promos, that's some great stuff.

I have read & understood the terms and conditions and wish to continue BOOK IT, YA COWARD!

Now all that's missing is a cowboy wizard character to bring that sweet Tex arcana to the ring...

This was good while it lasted. I've had save files go bad on me so I know what it's like, don't let it deter you from picking up and moving on!

SAME Also, I'm accepting bets on how long Voeltz will manage to keep this new project going for 😛

It's time for the biggest show of the year on the WQ2020 schedule (though not technically a season finale), Queen's Quest! To celebrate me getting back in the diary groove, selling out the Miyagi Athletic Field and breaking through the 50.000 viewer milestone, I'm doing a little prediction contest for funsies. Queen's Quest 2023 show card Main Event: Dr. Yumaniac © vs Tournament of Death winner Mirai Kajahara for the WQ2020 Queen of the Deathmatch title Deathmatch: Fujiko Mushashibo vs Piper Hale WQ2020 Blood Sisters tag titles match: Gaijin Wrecking Crew vs the reunited Cannibal Crew WQ2020 Internet title match: Pinky Perez vs Yu Hashimoto © Clown Carnage Deathmatch: Stabby the Clown vs whoever attacked her in that ladder match 10 Woman Battle Royale for a title shot opportunity: Ai Kon, Annibelle the Cannabelle, Helena Hooligan, Jessica Boone, Lady Lotus, Masakist, Monster Ishimura, Naoko Majima, Shion Ayasato, Skulletta

Reach for the Mountain Saturday, Week 2, October 2023 Miyagi Athletic Field, Tohoku Region, 2.000 fans in attendance (50.614 viewers on WrestleWorld Japan) Brutalizer vs Local talent With the Block stage of the tournament over, fans poured into the -sold out for the first time for a WQ2020 show- Miyagi Athletic Field ready for fresh and exciting things after almost a year of singles bouts. The opener sure was a singles bout, but it took all that anticipation and threw it out the window. The debuting behemoth known as Brutalizer did little to excite the audience as she took about four minutes toying with a local up-and-coming wrestler before she put her away for the three count. Probably should have been a dark match. Rating: 13 Individual performances: Brutalizer 32 Tables Tag Team match Ai Kon & Pinky Perez vs Monster Ishimura & Shion Ayasato Tag team matches are back and so is the hardcore gimmickry. The flashy, high flying team of Ai Kon and Perez was up against the twin towers of Ishimura and Ayasato in what turned out to be an interesting matchup. Fortunately, the bout was all the crowd needed to get back in the right headspace and all four women put on a great performance that ended with Perez reversing a powerbomb into a hurracanrana that launched Ayasato in the air and through a table. Rating: 58 Individual performances: Ai Kon 63, Perez 72, Ishimura 48, Ayasato 43 Yu Hashimoto then came out with a mic in hand, spoiling for a fight. The WQ2020 Internet champion talked about how she shares the Hooligan Sisters’ frustration about being sidelined for so long, but also about how she can’t stand being the Internet champion while the online community seems to be obsessed with the Sisters’ drama. Therefore, Hashimoto laid down the belt as well as the challenge for the match, right there and then. WQ2020 Internet title match Yu Hashimoto © vs Helena Hooligan Helena Hooligan answered the challenge and in her first ever singles match put on a surprisingly competent performance. The two ladies slugged it out in and out of the ring, as well as in the fan stands for a bit, but the audience reaction wasn’t as crazy as you would expect. Perhaps a better build-up would have served this thing better, but it was still a very good and competitive match. In the end, Hooligan’s inexperience as a singles wrestler showed and she made a couple of crucial mistakes, which allowed Hashimoto to hit the End Game spinning back fist from out of nowhere. Initially it led to near falls, but after a few attempts, Helena was laid down for the count, marking Hashimoto’s first ever defence since winning the title. Rating: 58 Individual performances: Hooligan 58, Hashimoto 57 Three Way Stairway to Hell match for the WQ2020 Blood Sisters titles Gaijin Wrecking Crew vs INSANITY vs S&M Speaking of the Hooligan Sisters, up next was a three way tag team match to crown the new champions, with the belts hung up above the ring. This was the first proper deathmatch of the night, with all sorts of weapons and stunts thrown into the mix. Every participant put on a solid performance, with Boone and Stabby’s connection shining through, to the point where they had a good chance of retrieving the titles. However… …a harlequin-looking figure rushed down into the ring and knocked Stabby the Clown off the ladder just as she was reaching out for the belts. Disqualifications aren’t a thing in WQ2020, so the match went on and it came down to Gross on top of the ladder, teasing a crazy dive but ultimately playing it wise as she looked up and grabbed the titles instead. Your winners AND NEW WQ2020 Blood Sisters champions, Gaijin Wrecking Crew! Rating: 51 Individual performances: Gross 60, Morgan 56, Stabby 50, Boone 52, Masakist 53, Skulletta 53 Lady Lotus made her entrance next, a bit more elaborate than usual thanks to a long, impressive kimono she had on. Mirai Kajahara came out next, her entrance even more overproduced than her opponent’s but both serving to hype up the fans and emphasize the importance of the main event, the finals of the first ever WQ2020 Tournament of Death. Kajahara walked out wearing her old Kitsune Danger mask... ...which she quickly removed to reveal her face, already bleeding! Kajahara had that mad gleam in her eye and the live audience gave her a great reaction. WQ2020 Tournament of Death finals Lady Lotus vs Mirai Kajahara This bout was built around a clash of styles, Lady Lotus bringing the classic aerial junior style while Kajahara kept it hardcore. In essence, this made the masked one the heel in this match, both because WQ2020 have left this high flying style behind and because it is now mostly related to “the enemy”, 5SSW. In contrast, Kajahara came across as the defender of all that is deathmatch and Warrior Queen, making her the de facto babyface.However, the subsequent cat and mouse chase meant that the match outstayed its welcome as it went past the twenty minute mark, making it hard for the short attention of deathmatch fans and something more akin to classic puroresu, minus the psychology and slow burn escalation. Fortunately, both women were willing to get involved in risky stunts that popped the audience. First, Lady Lotus got some impressive hang time in a suicide dive to bridge the gap between the ring and the fans where Kajahara was, only for Kajahara to grab her neck mid-air and reverse into a cutter that landed her throat first onto the barricade. This was probably the turning point in the match as well, but Kajahara wasn’t gonna stop the insanity; instead, she ended up laying her opponent on the announcers’ table, ran back to the far end of the ring, grabbed a chair, dashed across the ring and hopped onto the top rope, launching herself out for a splash while hugging the chair, that drove Lady Lotus through the table. From that point on, it was just a matter of time. Lotus swung for the fences but just couldn’t get back into the match, while Kajahara fought to maintain control and bring things back between the ropes, where she was able to slap on the Claw for the submission victory. Rating: 67 Individual performances: Lotus 70, Kajahara 65 In the post match celebration (big omission, no trophy or physical award for the winner) Kajahara cut a promo and after the standard thank yous to the fans, she said she’d already made up her mind about cashing in her title shot next month at Queen's Quest. Her friendship with Mushashibo was not to be tested, so the Warrior’s Heart title was safe. Instead, her plan was to take the Queen of the Deathmatch title from Dr. Yumaniac. This did bring out the champion in a brand new “Bride of Frankenstein” inspired look, who cut a counter-promo, basically reminding Kajahara that she wasn’t just up against one woman, but against the five fingers of a death punch. As if on cue, Piper Hale and Annibelle The Cannabelle ran down to put the boots on the outnumbered and already exhausted tournament winner. Fujiko Mushashibo then came out for the save, once again highlighting her well known real life friendship with Kajahara and ending the show on a high note. Show rating: 61

Savage Slam Saturday, Week 2, September 2023 Miyagi Athletic Field, Tohoku Region, 1.845 fans in attendance (49.797 viewers on WrestleWorld Japan) Piper Hale and Skulletta joined Tsugi Minami for the final tournament show’s introductions. This was because once she was done welcoming fans and running down the card, Minami had one more announcement to make. Etelka the Hun had not been cleared by the doctors to compete on this night, while Onryo who’d been absent ever since she was stretchered away was nowhere to be seen. Therefore, the two women’s remaining matches would be counted as victories for their opponents. Etelka would be missing her final match against Piper Hale, while Onryo did not have her scheduled matches against Petra Forsberg, Piper Hale and Skulletta. Just like that, Skulletta ended her tournament run with a final +3 to her points, Forsberg gained 3 and would have the chance to earn 3 more if she won her final match, while Hale suddenly got a +6 point boost, mixing up the scoreboard before the final round of matches. Block B match Jessica Boone (3 pts) vs Suki Flash (0 pts) No surprises here, go-away heat for Flash in a quick, dirty match that gave Boone a much needed win for a more decent finish to her tournament run. Rating: 25 Individual performances: Boone 42, Flash 29 Before the next match, Helena Hooligan came out, holding both WQ2020 Blood Sisters title belts. As if attacking her sister Hannah not long ago wasn’t odd enough, seeing Helena with both titles had fan interest piqued leading up to her promo. Indeed, Helena confirmed that her sister had signed with 5SSW, but never really put in the effort to have her signed as well. This was the reason she turned on Hannah, she said, before announcing she would be vacating the tag titles. Helena was done with tag team wrestling, perhaps -she said- this was a blessing in disguise and finally she was free to start her career as a singles competitor. Block B match Annibelle the Cannabelle (10 pts) vs Mad Millie Morgan (15 pts) Annibelle was pushed to do some actual wrestling here, though it’s not her strong point and certainly not against someone as technically skilled as Morgan. It took a bit for Annibelle to notice her approach wasn’t working and how she’d been tricked into fighting the type of match that suited her opponent, but by then it was too late for course correction; Morgan was able to build up a good string of offence leading into her finisher and score the pin. Rating: 57 Individual performances: Annibelle 49, Morgan 55 Block A match Masakist (18 pts) vs Shion Ayasato (10 pts) Who’d have thought these two would make such great opponents. Out of nowhere, this unreal chemistry elevated this bout into the next level and it won’t be surprising if WQ2020 tap into this and spin a feud between the two women. For now, Masakist asserted herself against the hungry youngster and managed to get the pinfall win for 3 more points. Rating: 46 Individual performances: Masakist 49, Ayasato 36 Block A match Naoko Majima (13 pts) vs Stabby the Clown (0 pts) On the flip side, these two just wouldn’t click together and the timing was way off. To make matters worse, for all their ultraviolent tendencies, neither Majima nor Stabby have a good enough grasp of psychology to make this more than a weapons whackfest. Decent performances but a bad outcome, in a match that Majima ended up winning with a Coiling Strike. Rating: 35 Individual performances: Majima 48, Stabby 36 Block B match Lady Lotus (24 pts) vs Petra Forsberg (9 pts) As mentioned, Lady Lotus has already won the B Block but her last few matches were all about pride and not taking a loss to people theoretically much below her on the WQ2020 totem pole. Forsberg tried, her morale boosted by the extra 3 points she would be awarded in the final tally, but her best efforts just weren’t enough to get her a victory or even a draw here. One Senton Bomb later, Lady Lotus ended her triumphant run in the Block stage with another victory. Rating: 57 Individual performances: Lotus 65, Forsberg 37 Block A match Ai Kon (7 pts) vs Monster Ishimura (10 pts) After several mid to disappointing performances and equally meh results, Ishimura found herself in a much more comfortable setting as the big monster here. However, Ai Kon still managed to steal the show thanks to her mix of infectious charisma and actual in-ring ability. She couldn’t steal the win as well though, Ishimura flattened her with a Running Butt Avalanche and sat on top for the three count. Rating: 53 Individual performances: Ai Kon 56, Ishimura 42 Block A match Pinky Perez (13 pts) vs Róisín Gross (18 pts) Perez probably began as a favourite in the tournament, but a few early missteps ended up costing her in the end. Meanwhile, Gross initially was another face in the crowd, but she was able to break ahead from the pack thanks to a series of consistently good performances. Thus, it was interesting to see these two wrapping it up in a match against each other. Great action bell to bell, a good mix of brawling, hardcore action and the occasional aerial spot with Perez coming out on top in the end thanks to a Pink Butterfly Powerbomb. Rating: 64 Individual performances: Perez 69, Gross 47 Block A match Maneater (3 pts) vs Mirai Kajahara (22 pts) By this point, Kajahara had also mathematically won her Block, so even a loss here wouldn’t be knocking her off the top of the scorecard. Not that she is the type to take things easy, but still her match against a deathmatch veteran in Maneater served as a test of character, resilience, fighting spirit as well as a final celebration of her inevitable Block victory. Seeing her submit Maneater with the Kajahara Claw was just the icing on the cake and her victory was celebrated with confetti as the show reached its finale. Rating: 67 Individual performances: Maneater 51, Kajahara 73 With the matches over, it was time for the go-home promo. First, the official final results of the tournament were announced Block A 25 Mirai Kajahara (WINNER) 21 Masakist (Runner-up) 18 Róisín Gross 16 Naoko Majima 16 Pinky Perez 13 Monster Ishimura 10 Shion Ayasato 7 Ai Kon 3 Maneater 0 Stabby the Clown Block B 27 Lady Lotus (WINNER) 19 Skulletta (Runner-up) 18 Mad Millie Morgan 18 Piper Hale 12 Onryo 12 Petra Forsberg 11 Etelka the Hun 10 Annibelle the Cannabelle 6 Jessica Boone 0 Suki Flash With the above done and dusted, it was confirmed that the following month, Mirai Kajahara and Lady Lotus would be facing each other to determine the final winner of the first ever WQ2020 Tournament of Death. Just then, Dr. Yumaniac, Fujiko Mushashibo and Yu Hashimoto all made their entrances, brandishing their respective title belts to remind fans and viewers that the winner of the tournament would be getting a shot at the title of his choice, thus teasing the various potential matchups. Last but not least, referee Kyoko Okuda and backstage producer Koichi Kajiwara took their final bows, as it was announced they would be leaving WQ2020. The show ended with the announcement of their replacements and WEXXV alumni... ...Isao Takemura and Mamoru Nagahama! Show rating: 62

Bloodied Yet Unbound Saturday, Week 2, August 2023 Miyagi Athletic Field, Tohoku Region, 1.749 fans in attendance (49.675 viewers on WrestleWorld Japan) Block A match Shion Ayasato (7 pts) vs Stabby the Clown (0 pts) Show kicked off with a match that didn't quite matter in terms of points as both women are mathematically out of the chase by this point with just one more round of the tournament to go, but this still delivered a good mix of violence and wrestling to get the crowd going. Unfortunately, the timing was all over the place and the outcome was sloppy at best. Ayasato wrapped it up with a Sendai Stampede and got herself another another win, while Stabby remains happily at zero. Rating: 36 Individual performances: Ayasato 30, Stabby 36 Block B match Petra Forsberg (6 pts) vs Suki Flash (0 pts) Things took a nosedive after that and it wasn't because of timing but fans disliking both competitors. Sadly, the action itself wasn't that great either, so the end result was a stinker, no two ways about it. For the record, Forsberg won clean. Rating: 34 Individual performances: Forberg 34, Flash 28 Block B match Annibelle the Cannabelle (10 pts) vs Skulletta (13 pts) Deathmatch action finally picked up with this bout. Skulletta is still technically in contention and apparently this is what kept her focused enough throughout the match. On the flipside, Annibelle got carried away trying to inflict as much damage as possible instead of trying to win the match, which exposed her to a good counter and the end sequence of the Skull Crushing Finale. Rating: 50 Individual performances: Annibelle 44, Skulletta 49 Block A match Ai Kon (7 pts) vs Masakist (15 pts) Surprisingly competitive match here, a good mix of grappling and hardcore action. Ai Kon seemed like she could be the obstacle to deny her opponent a few points or at least take things to a time limit draw, but she ended up tapping out shortly after the ten minute mark. Rating: 53 Individual performances: Ai Kon 52, Masakist 46 Block A match Maneater (3 pts) vs Róisín Gross (15 pts) Gross came into this match as the favourite, but Maneater was just there to take her frustrations out on someone and it upped her intensity. Despite taking a beating early on, Gross perservered and used a good mix of hit-and-run tactics coupled with riskier high flying moves to control the pace of the bout until she was able to pull off the Battery Driver and get the pinfall win. Rating: 58 Individual performances: Maneater 46, Gross 59 Block B match Etelka the Hun (11 pts) vs Mad Millie Morgan (12 pts) Etelka tried to pull off the upset win here and cost Morgan some higly valuable points just before the finish line, but her attempt came at a great cost. A poorly cradled head during a brainbuster attempt on Morgan's part saw her take a rough landing, to the point where she was visibly disorientated afterwards. This caused the women to rush immediately to the finish of Morgan hitting In The Mouth Of Madness for the pin, just as doctors rushed in to check on Etelka. It was announced after the show that Etelka had indeed suffered a concussion and would most likely be missing out the final round of the tournament. Rating: 45 Individual performances: Etelka 47, Morgan 58 Block B match Jessica Boone (3 pts) vs Lady Lotus (21 pts) Lady Lotus has, at this point, mathematically won the B Block so this was mostly about bragging rights and making sure she wouldn't take the L against a rookie. Boone was well aware of the situation and really put in the effort, but it just wasn't gonna happen on this night. Rating: 56 Individual performances: Boone 41, Lotus 60 Block A match Monster Ishimura (10 pts) vs Naoko Majima (13 pts) Two former champions clashed here and it was painfully obvious how one of them has grown since while the other seems to have slumped a bit. Indeed, Ishimura is clearly nowdays struggling to pull off anything that isn't a short squash, when she used to deliver proper deathmatches in the past. On the flip side, Majima is getting more and more comfortable with each match. Majima may have won the performance aspect of the match, but it's the pin or submission that counts in the end and that's what Ishimura got after a Running Butt Avalanche. Rating: 58 Individual performances: Ishimura 40, Majima 63 Block A match Mirai Kajahara (19 pts) vs Pinky Perez (13 pts) With Masakist and Gross winning their matches earlier, the top spot of the A Block was still very much in contention as the main event rolled around. Perez is out of the race at this point, but this was all about scoring a win over Kajahara, so she brought her A game from bell to bell. The former Kitsune Danger found a great dance partner in the masked luchadora and the two of them put on a great match, that shockingly enough saw neither woman able to put her opponent away before the 15 minute mark, resulting in a time limit draw. Rating: 73 Individual performances: Kajahara 60, Perez 72 Show rating: 63 Rankings Block A 22 Mirai Kajahara 18 Masakist 18 Róisín Gross 13 Naoko Majima 13 Pinky Perez 10 Monster Ishimura 10 Shion Ayasato 7 Ai Kon 3 Maneater 0 Stabby the Clown Block B 24 Lady Lotus 16 Skulletta 15 Mad Millie Morgan 12 Onryo 12 Piper Hale 11 Etelka the Hun 10 Annibelle the Cannabelle 9 Petra Forsberg 3 Jessica Boone 0 Suki Flash

Counterculture Saturday, Week 2, July 2023 Miyagi Athletic Field, Tohoku Region, 1.755 fans in attendance (47.266 viewers on WrestleWorld Japan) Block B match Annibelle the Cannabelle (7 pts) vs Suki Flash (0 pts) It was out of nowhere, but not even the slick chemistry between these two could save the match from being an absolute stinker. Flash just can't seem to find a way and be accepted by the fans, not even a vicious beatdown and taking Annibelle's finisher was enough to draw in the audience. Not the greatest of starts to a show, but even six minutes felt like forever for this glorified squash. Rating: 35 Individual performances: Annibelle 34, Flash 31 Block A match Maneater (3 pts) vs Shion Ayasato (4 pts) Quick and dirty match, hard hitting as it should be and Ayasato was able to conquer the veteran after a tough battle. Maneater continues to struggle while the youngster is slowly getting comfortable being more and more on the attacking side of the match. Rating: 49 Individual performances: Maneater 52, Ayasato 36 Block B match Etelka the Hun (8 pts) vs Jessica Boone (3 pts) Unlike her usual tag team partner, Etelka did well here and won the bout against the reckless youngster that is Boone. For all her limited arsenal of moves, Boone seems to have the weirdest of connections to the audience and it's greatly elevating her matches. Rating: 53 Individual performances: Etelka 51, Boone 49 Block A match Ai Kon (7 pts) vs Róisín Gross (12 pts) Timing was a bit off here and the match wasn't as good as it could have been, but the two women delivered a decent bout still. Ai Kon held her own and Gross once again showcased some actual wrestling amongst the usual WQ2020 deathmatch madness (how weird is it that by now it's no longer surprising to see Ai Kon in deathmatches?) but Gross ended her night with +3 points when she hit her opponent with the Battery Driver. Rating: 55 Individual performances: Ai Kon 52, Gross 50 Block A match Masakist (12 pts) vs Stabby the Clown (0 pts) Stabby's managed to stand out as the premiere psychopath on the WQ2020 roster and that's an achievement unto itself; seeing her against the enjoyer of pain that is Masakist made for an interesting matchup, but the delivery itself could have been way better if there was even a whiff of psychology on display. Very much a case of untapped potential and an otherwise predictable outcome, keeping Masakist high up on the scorecard and Stabby square at the bottom with zero points. Rating: 35 Individual performances: Masakist 49, Stabby 42 Block B match Piper Hale (12 pts) vs Skulletta (10 pts) With both competitors on the upper end of the scoreboard, this match felt like it mattered and both women sure wrestled like it did. Things were pretty competitive with neither woman ever gaining firm control of the situation for long, so in the end it almost came down to sheer luck and the Skull Crushing Finale out of nowhere for a Skulletta win. Rating: 50 Individual performances: Hale 57, Skuletta 50 Block A match Naoko Majima (13 pts) vs Pinky Perez (10 pts) Consistently great in her performances, Perez is starting to climb the rankings and even took another step here as she managed to take out Majima, but it may just be too little too late after her bad start to the tournament. To her credit, Majima is also turning into a fine performer herself, but on this night Perez just would not be denied. Rating: 58 Individual performances: Majima 51, Perez 65 Block B match Lady Lotus (18 pts) vs Mad Millie Morgan (12 pts) Unlike Perez, Lady Lotus has been more than consistent, she's been undefeated in the tournament so far, winning all of her matches save for her time limit draw against Onryo. Morgan put up a valiant effort but ultimately became the latest victim of LL's hot streak. Rating: 59 Individual performances: Lotus 62, Morgan 52 Block A match Mirai Kajahara (16 pts) vs Monster Ishimura (10 pts) Kajahara had to work for a victory here, both when she struggled to take down the big monster or get any offence through her thick skin, as well as when she had to play defence and endure. Ishimura did her best but up against Kajahara, her shortcomings were painfully obvious and it clearly hurt her performance. In the end, Kajahara was able to slap on the Claw and force the submission, maintaining her spot on top of Block A as it seems she's headed for a one on one clash against Lady Lotus. Rating: 66 Individual performances: Kajahara 73, Ishimura 41 Show rating: 61 Rankings Block A 19 Mirai Kajahara 15 Masakist 15 Róisín Gross 13 Naoko Majima 13 Pinky Perez 10 Monster Ishimura 7 Ai Kon 7 Shion Ayasato 3 Maneater 0 Stabby the Clown Block B 21 Lady Lotus 13 Skulletta 12 Mad Millie Morgan 12 Onryo 12 Piper Hale 11 Etelka the Hun 10 Annibelle the Cannabelle 6 Petra Forsberg 3 Jessica Boone 0 Suki Flash

Holy crap, I'm honoured to even be in the conversation! Might as well send my own nominations while I'm here...

Indeed, draws are there for storytelling purposes, G1 style (only I'm dragging it along the entire year with monthly shows instead of a tour). I should point out though, they're all time limit draws to go with the deathmatch atmosphere; no double countouts or ref throwing the match.

The Grappling Observer www.protonlockwrestling.com New Graphics, New Names 5 Star Supreme Wrestling continue to reign supreme in the joshi scene. Though technically uncontested, the promotion is facing a heated rhetoric from an unexpected rival in Warrior Queen 2020, an all-female spiritual successor to Ryu Kajahara's Warrior Engine XXV promotion, complete with his daughter Mirai running it. Thus far, 5SSW have chosen to mostly ignore WQ2020 and not aknowledge the much smaller, edgier's promotion existence, save perhaps for the failed experiement that was Fujiko Mushashibo in 5SSW before she had a falling out with those in charge and quit the company to return to Tohoku. However, 5SSW now seem to be headed towards a less traditional approach, as they recently revealed their new, edgier graphics. Furthermore, 5SSW made a series of contract offers to unusual talent, many of which, according to our sources, have been working for WQ2020. This would be in line with their new sharper feel while also landing a blow on the opposition and judging from the latest WQ2020 show "Fight For Freedom" it appears that The Hooligan Sisters and Onryo may have been written out already. Speaking of which, it was confirmed that Hannah Hooligan tore her meniscus during that table spot in the opening segment, the injury likely to require surgery and keep her out for a whole year.

Fight for Freedom Saturday, Week 2, June 2023 Miyagi Athletic Field, Tohoku Region, 1.656 fans in attendance (46.310 viewers on WrestleWorld Japan) The usual proceedings of welcoming fans and running down the card were interrupted this time, when the WQ2020 tag team champions made their unexpected entrance. The music cutting off the announcer was just typical gaijin rudeness and it got them plenty of heat from the audience, which the sisters took in as they grabbed the mic from the announcer to speak their mind. Hannah voiced their frustrations about being sidelined for so long, saying a few months off were fine but this damn tournament’s taking up almost the entire year and as champions, they just couldn’t sit by and be forgotten… so instead, they decided to go to a place that would allow them to showcase their talents to a much larger audience… 5 Star Supreme Wrestling! The announcement itself was enough to draw nuclear heat levels from the crowd who realized their tag team champions were off to the rival company, so much so that no one saw the next bit coming. As the sisters were taking in the hatred and giving the middle finger to the fans, all of a sudden, Helena turned around and floored her sister with a lariat! This was just the start to a vicious beatdown, that saw Hannah not just take a vicious penalty kick to the head, but elevated into a seated position on the top turnbuckle, from which her own sister launched her off with a hurracanrana, outside the ring and right through the announcers’ table! The segment ended with Helena taking both title belts before leaving, while the medical team had to rush in and stretcher Hannah out. Block B match Annibelle the Cannabelle (4 pts) vs Jessica Boone (3 pts) Fans were bloodthirsty after that opening segment and these two delivered. Despite the limited moveset in terms of actual wrestling, the match was well received as no one expected any chain wrestling from these two anyway. Short and sweet without outstaying its welcome, this bout delivered on the violence it promised and ended with Annibelle on top once she managed to hit her finishing move. Rating: 50 Individual performances: Annibelle 51, Boone 43 Block B match Mad Millie Morgan (9 pts) vs Suki Flash (0 pts) Things took a slight nosedive here, in large part thanks to Flash and how bad she keeps getting received. Even with Morgan more or less squashing her opponent, fans never seemed to get any sympathy for Flash, nor did her selling really do much to put the Englishwoman over; it was go-away heat, plain and simple. To no one’s surprise but some fans’ delight, Morgan eventually hit the Mouth of Madness and it was finally all over. Rating: 41 Individual performances: Morgan 49, Flash 21 Block A match Ai Kon (4 pts) vs Maneater (3 pts) Seeing Ai Kon right after Suki Flash was a stark contrast, two people playing similar overly gimmicky characters but one catching only flak while the other seems to be winning the audience over with each match. Maneater held things together and played her part as the powerhouse of the matchup, though in the end the veteran fell to the rising star and Ai Kon picked up three more points to her name with an Attitude Adjuster. Rating: 52 Individual performances: Ai Kon 50, Maneater 50 Block B match Etelka the Hun (7 pts) vs Skulletta (9 pts) Both ladies started the night in the middle of the pack, but with a bit of luck, Skulletta could rise up to 12 points and secure a good position if those on top stumbled. This possibility added an extra sense of urgency to her every move and despite her power advantage, Etelka had her work cut out for her given her opponent’s tenacity. Momentum shifted here and there without ever decidedly settling on one side to allow a sequence of moves that could build up to a really huge move to end the match, so the two took this to the 15 minute time limit, sharing a point each. Rating: 53 Individual performances: Etelka 52, Skulletta 49 Block A match Pinky Perez (7 pts) vs Stabby the Clown (0 pts) The points here didn’t tell the whole story, since Stabby the Clown has found a niche for herself in this tournament as the one out for carnage, not victories. The psychopathic one brought the violence and on many occasions attempted to rip her opponent’s mask, cutting it open enough to reveal that Perez was sporting some serious cuts to her face. It was a rough contest for the usually high flying luchadora, but just as she’s shown adaptability as a brawler, Perez found her way in this deathmatch and eventually managed to hit Stabby with a Pink Butterfly Powerbomb for the decisive pin. Rating: 50 Individual performances: Perez 63, Stabby 22 Block A match Monster Ishimura (9 pts) vs Shion Ayasato (3 pts) This was, in theory, going to be a classic hoss match, but the two women gave it a bit of a twist in execution. Ishimura was the big but slow monster, while Ayasato brought the muscular power to handle her weighty opponent as well as the inexperience so early in her career. With clearly defined advantages and weaknesses, the two women were able to tell a basic but interesting enough story between the ropes, with neither yielding nor dominating for the full fifteen minutes. Time limit draws are often disappointing, but this one felt like a big deal, both due to Ayasato’s win against a former champion, as well as Ishimura’s stumble that might come back to haunt her further down the road. Rating: 39 Individual performances: Ishimura 39, Ayasato 31 Block B match Petra Forsberg (3 pts) vs Piper Hale (12 pts) “Punisher” Piper Hale has been a silent force in this tournament, never quite delivering big fight feel matches or massive wins, but still climbing the ladder and staying up there thanks to sheer consistency. Her serious demeanor was a stark contrast to Forsberg’s theatrics, but when push came to shove, Forsberg was able to hold her own for a good amount of time and kick out of several pin attempts. This frustrated Hale just enough to throw her off point and allow Forsberg a quick roll up pin. Standing at 6 points after this one, Forsberg isn’t exactly a threat to win the thing, but she did manage to play spoiler for Hale who’ll be feeling the pressure to leave this loss behind and continue her successful run in the tournament so far. Rating: 42 Individual performances: Forsberg 37, Hale 52 Block A match Naoko Majima (10 pts) vs Róisín Gross (12 pts) Another killer performance, as one would expect from these two, made all the more exciting given the whole points situation so far. Gross showed how far she’s come from her backyard wrestling days and Majima is coming to terms with the concept of wrestling psychology, so they both put on a good show that ended with a Coiling Strike and Majima getting the better of Gross in a great contest. Rating: 63 Individual performances: Majima 59, Gross 55 Block B match Lady Lotus (15 pts) vs Onryo (12 pts) The two women on top of the B Block scoreboard clashed in the semi main event and what a fight it was. Not just because of the bell to bell action, but mostly because of the finish that involved the rare ref stoppage due to injury. The match was officially awarded to Lady Lotus, who pushed the envelope but shoving the medical team away in order to attack the injured Onryo. This turned the fans’ genuine concern into outright hatred for the disrespect, but Lady Lotus just didn’t care. In the end, the winner was convinced to walk away and Onryo was helped to the back. Rating: 63 Individual performances: Lotus 63, Onryo 48 Block A match Masakist (12 pts) vs Mirai Kajahara (13 pts) Much like the semi, the main event pitted the two women with the most points in Block A against each other. Kajahara was the fan favourite, but Masakist’s entire deal is loving the paying and never staying down. Coupled with her loss last month, Masakist had that extra drive to carry her through in this rough match against Kajahara and for a while, it seemed as though another time limit draw was about to take place. Barely into the last minute though, Kajahara went into full berzerk mode and ripped bits of her opponent’s mask in order to properly sink in the Claw and force a desperate tap out. Rating: 67 Individual performances: Masakist 48, Kajahara 74 Show rating: 64 Rankings Block A 16 Mirai Kajahara 13 Naoko Majima 12 Masakist 12 Róisín Gross 10 Monster Ishimura 10 Pinky Perez 7 Ai Kon 4 Shion Ayasato 3 Maneater 0 Stabby the Clown Block B 18 Lady Lotus 12 Mad Millie Morgan 12 Onryo 12 Piper Hale 10 Skulletta 8 Etelka the Hun 7 Annibelle the Cannabelle 6 Petra Forsberg 3 Jessica Boone 0 Suki Flash

Ah, the Wheeler Yuta treatment... Well, I won't spoil anything

Cry of War Saturday, Week 2, May 2023 Miyagi Athletic Field, Tohoku Region, 1.648 fans in attendance (43.623 viewers on WrestleWorld Japan) Block B match Piper Hale (9 pts) vs Suki Flash (0 pts) For some, Suki Flash has turned out to be a failed experiment and her booking follows her fan perception, though it remains unclear if she's going to get repackaged or outright terminated. What's also interesting is the teasing that she might just score her first win, or at least push things to a draw, thus costing her opponent valuable points, a loss that might come back to haunt them later in the tournament. This match built on this with some very close near falls, but eventually Hale delivered the Danger Drop and scored the pin to much cheering. Rating: 42 Individual performances: Hale 44, Flash 28 Block B match Etelka the Hun (4 pts) vs Petra Forsberg (3 pts) Another quick win for Etelka the Hun, Forsberg paid the price but at least was given enough offence to not make this a totally one sided situation. Eight minutes of action, one Hungarian Death Drop and Etelka left with 3 more points to her name. Rating: 44 Individual performances: Etelka 48, Petra 33 Block B match Jessica Boone (3 pts) vs Onryo (9 pts) By this point, it came as no surprise that these two put on a solid contest. What was probably lacking a bit was the drama, given the two ladies' significant difference in points and standing. It was a close call in the ring but not such a tense situation in terms of storyline, ending with the Final Judgement and Onryo pinning her opponent. Rating: 52 Individual performances: Onryo 47, Boone 52 Block A match Ai Kon (3 pts) vs Pinky Perez (6 pts) For all her flamboyant looks that scream sports entertainment, Ai Kon has done surprisingly well in WQ2020, even if this doesn't quite often translate into victories. This made her a considerable threat for Perez, who's struggled a bit in the early bit of the tournament. Turns out this match was no exception, great wrestling and 15 minutes that just flew by, resulting in a time limit draw and the contestants sharing one point each. Rating: 62 Individual performances: Ai Kon 54, Perez 61 Block B match Mad Millie Morgan (6 pts) vs Skulletta (9 pts) An interesting mix of deathmatch shock spots and slick technical wrestling with the occasional exchange of strikes, this turned out to be a pretty decent match with momentum often changing in favour of either woman. In the end, Morgan got the last laugh and took out Skulletta with The Mouth Of Madness, technically an upset win considering each wrestler's points coming into this. Rating: 49 Individual performances: Morgan 55, Skulletta 51 Block A match Masakist (12 pts) vs Róisín Gross (9 pts) Gross was off to a rough start here, perhaps being on a bad night, but she was aided by a great dance partner in Masakist who delivered a stellar performance, on top of the undeniable in-ring chemistry between these two. Suprisingly captivating deathmatch and a big win for Gross who was able to hit multiple Battery Drivers but ultimately held down Masakist for the three. Rating: 56 Individual performances: Gross 54, Masakist 60 Block B match Annibelle the Cannabelle (4 pts) vs Lady Lotus (12 pts) Short and sweet at around ten minutes, this match was a cat-and-mouse chase between the psychopath and the high flyer. It all built up to Annibelle going high risk, only to crash and burn. Lady Lotus wasted no time in getting up top to deliver the Senton Bomb, which earned her the pinfall win and 3 more points as she continues to dominate her block. Rating: 56 Individual performances: Annibelle 35, Lotus 60 Block A match Naoko Majima (7 pts) vs Shion Ayasato (3 pts) Maybe a bit too choreographed but still a passable match here, that felt a lot like Ayasato trying to slow down the pace with her power moves. Still, Majima would not be denied and a Coiling Strike sealed the deal for her at the expense of the youngster. Rating: 50 Individual performances: Majima 58, Ayasato 31 Block A match Mirai Kajahara (10 pts) vs Stabby the Clown (0 pts) Everyone expected Kajahara to win here, but much like the opener, it was teased that she might just let a few points slip. Still with zero to her name, Stabby is playing up the act of simply being around for the carnage without much care for wins and losses, so she brought blood by the buckets as she's turning into an obstacle that's not too hard to pass but leaves a mark for down the road. Kajahara was all too happy to engage in bloody shenanigans with no regard for her long term well being, which made for an exciting match. Luckily for her, she also managed to get the win. Rating: 63 Individual performances: Kajahara 71, Stabby 44 Block A match Maneater (3 pts) vs Monster Ishimura (6 pts) A weird main event, perhaps because Kajahara vs Stabby felt all too predictable, but in execution it was yet again a case of Kajahara's semi main event bout overshadowing the final match of the night. Maneater tried her absolute best here and in some points even carried the match, but Ishimura ended with the +3 points after she was able to get an opening and hit a few big moves to set up the Running Butt Avalanche. Rating: 50 Individual performances: Ishimura 41, Maneater 51 Show rating: 59 Rankings Block A 13 Mirai Kajahara 12 Masakist 12 Róisín Gross 10 Naoko Majima 9 Monster Ishimura 7 Pinky Perez 4 Ai Kon 3 Maneater 3 Shion Ayasato 0 Stabby the Clown Block B 15 Lady Lotus 12 Onryo 12 Piper Hale 9 Mad Millie Morgan 9 Skulletta 7 Etelka the Hun 4 Annibelle the Cannabelle 3 Jessica Boone 3 Petra Forsberg 0 Suki Flash

Buckets of Blood Saturday, Week 2, April 2023 Miyagi Athletic Field, Tohoku Region, 1.704 fans in attendance (43.811 viewers on WrestleWorld Japan) Block B match Etelka the Hun (1 pt) vs Suki Flash (0 pts) Eight minutes felt too long for what should have essentially been an even shorter squash match. Fans still hate Flash, so they were relieved to see her take a beating and lose to the Hungarian Death Drop. Rating: 44 Individual performances: Etelka 48, Flash 27 Block A match Maneater (0 pts) vs Stabby the Clown (0 pts) With both women still at zero points, something had to give and someone was leaving with their first ones on the card. Very much the violent spectacle one would expect from these two, it was kept short and sweet at about eight minutes, thus making it more intense until Maneater hit the Chop Top Drop on her bloodied opponent for the pin. Rating: 47 Individual performances: Maneater 52, Stabby 35 Block A match Pinky Perez (3 pts) vs Shion Ayasato (3 pts) To see these two with 3 points each is a testament to how well Ayasato has done given her experience level, or how much Perez has struggled thus far in the tournament, or probably both. Perez did of course call and carry the match as Ayasato couldn't help seeming a bit lost, but there was work to be done for the veteran luchadora against her powerhouse opponent. In the end, it was wits that won the day as Perez reversed a powerbomb attempt into a pinning rana for the 3 count. Rating: 53 Individual performances: Perez 63, Ayasato 32 A Block match Ai Kon (3 pts) vs Naoko Majima (4 pts) These two may not exactly gel well together, but they did make for an interesting clash of styles, both visually and character-wise, not to mention the actualy in-ring wrestling. A surprisingly solid and hard hitting match, which Majima won in decisive fashion after she caught Ai Kon coming off the ropes and nailed with a Yakuza Kick. Rating: 46 Individual performances: Ai Kon 41, Majima 47 B Block match Jessica Boone (3 pts) vs Mad Millie Morgan (3 pts) This match had no right to be as good as it turned out, but both ladies showed how fast they're developing their skills and winning over the WQ2020 audience. Hidden gem in the midcard and a clean win for Morgan, courtesy of her impressive finisher. Rating: 50 Individual performances: Morgan 50, Boone 45 B Block match Petra Forsberg (3 pts) vs Skulletta (6 pts) Forsberg's catching heat from the fans lately and it's hard to tell if it's due to her great heel work or whether the audience genuinely doesn't like her. Fan reaction aside, this turned out to be a quite passable match as Skulletta is finding herself in WQ2020. Skull Crushing Finale and three more points for the Living Dead Girl who's been doing pretty well in the tournament so far. Rating: 43 Individual performances: Forsberg 30, Skulletta 44 Block B match Annibelle the Cannabelle (4 pts) vs Onryo ( 6 pts) More ultraviolence, this time a bit more gimmicked-up due to the participants but still bloody enough to ellicit a reaction. Annibelle was in here element and Onryo has been on a roll since her return, so this was a solid bout through and through, with Onryo scoring the points when she managed to take out her opponent with a Final Judgement. Rating: 51 Individual performances: Onryo 49, Annibelle 50 Block A match Masakist (9 pts) vs Monster Ishimura (6 pts) The classic tale of unstoppable force meets immovable object, but subverted in its execution. Instead of playing the mountain, Ishimura was the one delivering the damage while Masakist simply refused to die and kept getting back up. An interesting twist, yet still the match overstayed its welcome a little bit, even with the blood gore and weapons. By the end, Ishimura lost focus and a well aimed shot with the timekeeper's bell rattled her cage long enough for Masakist to hit a chop block on her knee and steal a win. Rating: 42 Individual performances: Masakist 41, Ishimura 39 A Block match Mirai Kajahara (7 pts) vs Róisín Gross (9 pts) Arguably match of the night and not just because Kajahara is ridiculously over with the fans. The wrestling itself was superb and since Gross came in with a point advantage, she was presented as a proper threat that could realistically thwart Kajahara's plans in the tournament. Great stuff for almost 15 minutes and a dramatic end as Kajahara finally squeezed out a submission win via the Claw with less than a minute left on the clock. Rating: 68 Individual performances: Kajahara 72, Gross 55 B Block match Lady Lotus (9 pts) vs Piper Hale (9 pts) Hale and Lady Lotus had their work cut out for them following the semi main event and try as they might, they just weren't going to top it. With the crowd somewhat burned out, this time it was easy to tell that Lotus got that "go away" heat and it brought the feeling of the match down a notch. To her credit though, Lotus ran with it and even grabbed her opponent's tights to secure the pinfall win, then flipped off the audience before leaving the ring. Rating: 53 Individual performances: Lotus 64, Hale 40 Show rating: 58 Rankings Block A 12 Masakist 10 Mirai Kajahara 9 Róisín Gross 7 Naoko Majima 6 Monster Ishimura 6 Pinky Perez 3 Ai Kon 3 Maneater 3 Shion Ayasato 0 Stabby the Clown Block B 12 Lady Lotus 9 Onryo 9 Piper Hale 9 Skulletta 6 Mad Millie Morgan 4 Annibelle the Cannabelle 4 Etelka the Hun 3 Jessica Boone 3 Petra Forsberg 0 Suki Flash

Now that makes for an interesting mental image!