The Puppets Dance (CVerse '20 - 5SSW)

Hashasheen · September 27, 2020

All right, read through the last few updates this page. Still don't quite have a feel for what the midcard matches should be rating, but I'm guessing 55 to 65 is the range? So you're doing good on that front, I guess?

Simony Sentinel held up her end of that main event, or is that really just how good Fuyuko Higa is? Your gaijin signings seem to be doing really well at holding their own for the most part, which I'm not sure if its just how good a scout you are for women's wrestling or if its just them being the top acts around.

And the Alicia Strong thing is fine. I've seen her leave USPW in 2016 a LOT, but I just never had the ability to take advantage it because I never ran a mixed or women's-only show. I think someone brought her into WEXXV in a dynasty when they turned it into a mixed promotion and that blew my mind.

When I used to play USPW in 2010 and 2013 I used to push the women hard between Belle Bryden and Alicia, and she's definitely one of those generational standouts that can define a dynasty. So even if she doesn't enter 5SSW, I'm curious to see what you do with her.

White Dolphin · September 28, 2020

(OOC: Thanks to everyone who posted for the kind words! Hopefully all the lurkers out there like this as well!

Prediction key will be up on Tuesday, 4th card of the current tour on Thursday

Simony Sentinel held up her end of that main event, or is that really just how good Fuyuko Higa is? Your gaijin signings seem to be doing really well at holding their own for the most part, which I'm not sure if its just how good a scout you are for women's wrestling or if its just them being the top acts around.

It's all Higa. Sentinel's an okay worker, but is like 20-21 overness in Kansai or something, while Higa is low 40s and one of the best workers in the entire world if we're being honest.

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Saturday/Week 1/May/2020

Sushi Nogoroh Restaurant

Osaka, Japan

"I mean, I thought you all were joking, I thought Higa was ribbing us, but it was exactly like the girls said in the locker room. Higa is such a BITCH! Like, for the first 3 minutes she gave me NOTHING! You saw that right? When I go screaaamin across the ring, and dropkick Higa right in the teeth, and shes fighting to stay on her feet and basically not sell it. And then I think she reamed me out in Japanese for putting her in a hold afterwards and telling her to sell. How does ANYONE put up with her?"

"You know, I stopped asking that last question a long time ago."

Simony and Erin were sitting in a sushi restaurant that had a conveyor belt setup, finishing the last of their dinner while Ted covered the cheque. It was the day after their 3rd show on this tour, and Simony was still a bit hot over her match with Fuyuko Higa. Simony got introduced to Higa-world, only one star wrestler allowed, all else can go screw themselves, and Simony had to get rough with Higa a bit to get her selling, something she didn't like to do.

"I mean, look, Higa's probably the best wrestler I've ever worked with. She's probably better than a lot of the CWA guys too, let alone the girls. But it just goes straight to her head! Like, a good match requires the other person too ya know! You can't just wrestle yourself!"

Erin had seen some wrestlers who were so bad that their opponents might as well be wrestling themselves, but she let that slide for the moment. Both of them knew this bluster distracted from the real big issue for them in thir corner of the wrestling world.

Alicia Strong was coming to 5SSW.

Or at least, they were fairly sure. Six months ago this would've been regarded as the most improbable occurence in wrestling, so it was still hard for people to wrap their head around it. But Alicia Strong was for sure out of USPW for good, and given that she was trained by Sensational Ogiwara and burned a bridge to CWA quite spectacularly........ there weren't many other options for her.......

Alicia Strong in USPW was supposed to be guaranteed. Even when Sam Strong left, there would be no reason for Packer to fire her. Why would he? There were not that many better women's wrestlers to build a division around. Yes, the hardcore wrestling fans didn't like her act and thought she was overrated, but she was the best woman in the world at what she did. Things should've been rosy.

Until they weren't. It seemed Alicia wanted to be treated as a legitimate main eventer instead of a sideshow. She had gotten one main event on a blowoff show on Reverie, then Packer and new booker Rich Money relegated her and the belt to the middle of the card, and women's matches seemed to go back down to 1 or 2 per USPW show. Alicia was frustrated, words were exchanged, and she was buried and then fired.

The concern of course was that Alicia had seemed to go off the deep end sometime around the start of the year, and started going off on people that weren't necessarily part of the problem, like exchanging bon mots with Steve DeColt and Adrian Garcia. They had nothing to do with USPW, but it seemed like Alicia was just going crazy and burning bridges over this issue with the women's division.

Which made the gaijin in 5SSW a bit anxious. After all, they were in the minority, and for some of them this was their only gig. If Alicia came in and blew things up here, and took the gaijin down with her, then that could possibly lead to people losing their careers. Or even more than that. This was a foreign land, and despite some efforts to learn none of them could speak the language yet. Yes, Japan was nice and civilized, but they could still get arrested or disappeared at any time, and not be able to even communicate their circumstances to anyone. That's why they banded together, and treated Ted and Kinuye Mushashibo with the utmost respect, because they could breach the language barrier. You needed to go along to get along here in Japan. Would Alicia do that?

That was a question Paige Croft and Talia Quinzel were desperately trying to get answers to, reaching out to any source worth a damn (mostly former AAA talent in USPW) to see what was really going on behind the scenes. Would Alicia mess it all up for them if she came in? How much of this raving prima donna bit was the current Alicia Strong?

They had to find out. And it was on everyone's mind as the tour's 4th show came fast approaching......

Hashasheen · September 28, 2020

Two Women Power Trip with Alicia Strong and Fuyuko Higa incoming....

Meglo92 · September 28, 2020

I've been really enjoying this series! I've always wanted to write one of my own but I've never had the motivation and commitment to get started! I've been using Erins story as a proxy for my own! I'm really looking forward to seeing how the story progresses and see Erin hopefully topple Fuyuko one day!

Keep it up!

White Dolphin · September 29, 2020

Shogun TV Presents:

5SSW Women of Wrestling Tour Night 4

Monday/Week 2/May/2020

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We're onto the final show before the Women of Wrestling tour comes to an end. You can watch at the Nekketsu High School Gymnasium in Osaka, or on Shogun TV!

Our opening match sees Queen Amazon continue to blaze a path of destruction through 5SSW, taking on veteran Otsune Tsumura.

Next up is a six woman tag match, which will see one half of the Tag Team champions Talia Quinzel teaming with fellow countrywomen Simony Sentinel and Debbie Rose. They'll take on the trio of Machiko Matsuda, Yukiko Matsumara, and Hana Ajibana!

Etsuko Arihyoshi is in singles action next, taking on Kinuye Mushashibo.

A Triangle title eliminator is up next. 6 women enter, and are eliminated by pinfall or submission until 2 girls remain. It will be Eri Sato, Chiyeko Kita, Sae Akutagawa, Chitose Ariwara, Rika Tsujimura, and Kate Lilly fighting for a shot at the Triangle title!

Shiori Jippensha is in singles action next, taking on Unstoppable Tai in an intriguing matchup.

Next up is a possible Tag Team title eliminator, with All Heart taking on Torment and Sorrow. Will determination overcome brutality?

Finally, our main event sees two issues clashing in a six woman tag match. Yuma Maruya teams up with the luchadora duo Double Pink to take on Fuyuko Higa and the European duo known as Lethal Strike. All 6 of these women will be involved in big matches at the final show of the Wrestle Challenge, but who will come out on top here?

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PREDICTION KEY:

(OOC: Time limit draw alert!)

Queen Amazon vs. Otsune Tsumura

Talia Quinzel / Simony Sentinel / Debbie Rose vs. Machiko Matsuda / Yukiko Matsumara / Hana Ajibana

Etsuko Arihyoshi vs. Kinuye Mushashibo

Triangle Title Eliminator (pick 2 winners): Eri Sato vs. Chiyeko Kita vs. Sae Akutagawa vs. Chitose Ariwara vs. Rika Tsujimura vs. Kate Lilly

Shiori Jippensha vs. Unstoppable Tai

Gemmei Oonishi / HEART Saitoh vs. Yu Hashimoto / Maki Yoshifumi

Yuma Maruya / Pinky Perez / Mystery Pink vs. Fuyuko Higa / Thea Davis / Zofia Jankovic

KyTeran · September 30, 2020

Queen Amazon vs. Otsune Tsumura

Talia Quinzel / Simony Sentinel / Debbie Rose vs. Machiko Matsuda / Yukiko Matsumara / Hana Ajibana

Etsuko Arihyoshi vs. Kinuye Mushashibo

Triangle Title Eliminator (pick 2 winners): Eri Sato vs. Chiyeko Kita vs. Sae Akutagawa vs. Chitose Ariwara vs. Rika Tsujimura vs. Kate Lilly

Shiori Jippensha vs. Unstoppable Tai

Gemmei Oonishi / HEART Saitoh vs. Yu Hashimoto / Maki Yoshifumi

Yuma Maruya / Pinky Perez / Mystery Pink vs. Fuyuko Higa / Thea Davis / Zofia Jankovic

ampulator · September 30, 2020

Queen Amazon vs. Otsune Tsumura

Talia Quinzel / Simony Sentinel / Debbie Rose vs. Machiko Matsuda / Yukiko Matsumara / Hana Ajibana

Etsuko Arihyoshi vs. Kinuye Mushashibo

Triangle Title Eliminator (pick 2 winners): Eri Sato vs. Chiyeko Kita vs. Sae Akutagawa vs. Chitose Ariwara vs. Rika Tsujimura vs. Kate Lilly

Shiori Jippensha vs. Unstoppable Tai

Gemmei Oonishi / HEART Saitoh vs. Yu Hashimoto / Maki Yoshifumi

Yuma Maruya / Pinky Perez / Mystery Pink vs. Fuyuko Higa / Thea Davis / Zofia Jankovic (Draw)

Strech · October 1, 2020

Queen Amazon vs. Otsune Tsumura

Talia Quinzel / Simony Sentinel / Debbie Rose vs. Machiko Matsuda / Yukiko Matsumara / Hana Ajibana

Etsuko Arihyoshi vs. Kinuye Mushashibo

Triangle Title Eliminator (pick 2 winners): Eri Sato vs. Chiyeko Kita vs. Sae Akutagawa vs. Chitose Ariwara vs. Rika Tsujimura vs. Kate Lilly

Shiori Jippensha vs. Unstoppable Tai

Gemmei Oonishi / HEART Saitoh vs. Yu Hashimoto / Maki Yoshifumi

Yuma Maruya / Pinky Perez / Mystery Pink vs. Fuyuko Higa / Thea Davis / Zofia Jankovic

I have been casually keeping up with this as I've been swamped with my own diary, but this awesome!

Ready for an Erin / Simony tag team already but Simony seems to be in a different league / push!

Plus Evil Higa promos are amazing! She's far too talented in ring but I'd be down with her on colour commentary having a rant all night!

White Dolphin · October 2, 2020

<div style="text-align:center;"><img alt="GYUe7nb.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/GYUe7nb.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" />

Shogun TV Presents:

5SSW Women of Wrestling Tour Night 4

Monday/Week 2/May/2020

Nekketsu High School Gymnasium

Osaka, Japan

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After the opening package and announcer chat Kaiya Kuwahara opens the show by running down the card as usual and promising us a great main event tonight, signing off with the usual thanks for coming out tonight.

<div style="text-align:center;">Rating: 66

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<img alt="25lCuQx.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/25lCuQx.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /> vs. <img alt="iobILVo.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/iobILVo.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" />

Queen Amazon vs. Otsune Tsumura</div>

Queen Amazon shows more of her brutality in a vicious squash, with the announcers talking up the possibility of a title match against Maki Yoshifumi. Amazon certainly looks up for the challenge, peacocking with a bunch of nice power stuff, shrugging off a desperation leaping fullbody attack from Tsumura, and putting her down with the Amazonian Powerbomb (Spinning Gutwrench Powerbomb), followed by a second for good measure cause why the hell not. That gets 3 and Amazon is 4-0 on the tour.

<div style="text-align:center;">Result: Queen Amazon def. Otsune Tsumura via pinfall at 4:37

Rating: 39

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<img alt="UqJvBag.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/UqJvBag.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="7aqiaVS.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/7aqiaVS.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="RVtNxzG.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/RVtNxzG.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /> vs. <img alt="APlokTw.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/APlokTw.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="BjC1KJ8.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/BjC1KJ8.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="EgHhLyR.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/EgHhLyR.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" />

Talia Quinzel / Simony Sentinel / Debbie Rose vs. Machiko Matsuda / Yukiko Matsumara / Hana Ajibana</div>

Gaijin vs undercard faces battle here, and its not half bad. Matsuda and Matsumara stumble out the gate a bit but it's covered fairly well, and the action is decent if a little short. The face team get opportunities, generally on Debbie Rose, to strut some stuff, with Matsuda getting a close two count on an Alley-Oop Rana combo with Ajibana before Quinzel makes the save.

Generally though the gaijins are in control for the majority of the match, with no one on the face team having any answers for Quinzel's power as she blasts through the competition. Simony Sentinel comes off the top with the Sentinel Strike (Twisting Top Rope Splash) onto Hana Ajibana, then tags in Quinzel for the Spinal Trauma (Overhead Press Front Slam Backbreaker) that almost folds Ajibana in half. That gets the 3 count with ease as the gaijins take the win.

<div style="text-align:center;">Result: Team Gaijin def. Team Undercard via pinfall at 10:26

Rating: 56

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As the commentators talk about the next match, the lights in the arena go out and a mysterious video plays on a mounted projector to a pull-down viewing screen in the gymnasium. The video is in black and white, and shows a shadowy female beating up another shadowy female in a brick room with a wrestling ring. The dominant shadowy figure is merciless, slamming, piledriving, and striking the bejesus out of their opponent, before hitting them with a running attack that causes them to do the 360 degree McFly oversell bump.

Some words then appear on the screen saying that 5SSW's Wrestle Challenge tour will play host to a very special guest. Some of the hardcore fans are ahead of the plot already and pretty much know who this is, drawing a roar of approval from them.

<div style="text-align:center;">Rating: 60

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<img alt="zaZg1I3.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/zaZg1I3.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /> vs. <img alt="JGHhvtW.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/JGHhvtW.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" />

Etsuko Arihyoshi vs. Kinuye Mushashibo</div>

The announcers wonder what the hell that was all about, and Kinuye Mushashibo seems a bit distracted by it, looking out to the projector screen several times as if expecting the video to come back up with some answers.

It costs her dearly in the early going, as Etsuko Arihyoshi comes out with a game face and no such distractions, taking Kinuye down to the mat and working her over like she stole something. Arihyoshi really shines in this match as the submission bully, while Kinuye does a passable job as the test dummy that takes it.

Kinuye on offense is less impressive, and the match comes to a screeching halt when Kinuye makes a slow-ish comeback that makes it looks like Arihyoshi is wrestling herself. Nonetheless, Arihyoshi does a hell of a job with what shes given and launches into a good comeback, including a rolling series of 4 suplexes (Back, German, Tiger, Full Nelson).

Arihyoshi then caps off her extended workout by putting Kinuye in the Arihyoshi Lockdown (Seated Abdominal Stretch Dragon Sleeper) and choking her into unconsciousness for the win.

<div style="text-align:center;">Result: Etsuko Arihyoshi def. Kinuye Mushashibo via referee stoppage due to a submission hold at 9:31

Rating: 61

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<img alt="kFF47yY.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/kFF47yY.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /> vs. <img alt="I5FBwBx.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/I5FBwBx.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /> vs. <img alt="IVupCz6.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/IVupCz6.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /> vs. <img alt="EgTzSr5.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/EgTzSr5.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /> vs. <img alt="UZfACG4.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/UZfACG4.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /> vs. <img alt="dt6Nodk.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/dt6Nodk.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" />

Triangle Title Eliminator

Eri Sato vs. Chiyeko Kita vs. Sae Akutagawa vs. Rika Tsujimura vs. Chitose Ariwara vs. Kate Lilly</div>

Another wild 6 woman eliminator ensues, and the announce desk remind us of the rules: Eliminations by pinfall or submission and last 2 survivors both get the Triangle title shot.

Sato and Akutagawa square off pretty much right away, with Kita and Tsujimura looking for their spots to attack and Lilly and Ariwara doing their own thing. Sato and Akutagawa end up brawling alone with all changers knocked out to ringside, and their exchange leads to ringside. Eventually the revived other competitors being their own fight around ringside, only for 5 of them to be taken out like dominoes by Chitose Ariwara doing a Shooting Star Press to the outside!

Everyone recovers and the match action resumes with Ariwara planting Lilly in the rign with that weird joshi suplex lift scoop slam, before going up for a Shooting Star Press. Lilly moves at the last minute though, Ariwara crashes and burns, and then Rika Tsujimura appears out of nowhere to hammer Ariwara with the Razor Knee (Shining Kenka Knee)! That eliminates Ariwara from the contest.

ELIMINATION #1: Chitose Ariwara

Eri Sato gets into it with Tsujimura and the to scuffle around for a bit. Sato has Tsujimura in the corner, crushes her with the Sato Tornado spinkick, and then turns around right into a Chiyeko Kita Superkick and gets pinned in a bit of a surprise!

ELIMINATION #2: Eri Sato

The match then goes to Akutagawa v Tsujimura and Lilly v Kita, and both duos fight around ringside. Lilly takes down Kita and asks Akutagawa to help her hit an improvised Poison Thorn (Enzuigiri/Reverse STO), but as Lilly holds Kita in position for the STO part Akutagawa decides to just clothesline them both instead in a funny spot. Akutagawa throws Lilly around with a coupld belly to belly suplexes, before hauling Lilly to the turnbuckles and hitting the big middle-rope Northern Lights Suplex for the 3 count!

ELIMINATION #3: Kate Lilly

This leaves Akutagawa, Kita, and Tsujimura. Tsujimura and Akutagawa team up at first, but Tsujimura cannot resist just turning on Akutagawa and blindsiding her for no reason, much as her partner Lady Lotus has done in these situations. Akutagawa's response to the turn is to suplex Tsujimura around with reckless abandon, and Kita eventually recovers to help Akutagawa take out Tsujimura with an improvised Kaenhousha (Total Elimination)! Kita covers Tsujimura for 3, and we have our Triangle title contenders!

ELIMINATION #4: Rika Tsujimura

<div style="text-align:center;">Result: Chiyeko Kita and Sae Akutagawa survive after 11:29

Rating: 61

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Post-match we get very brief separate promos from Sae Akutagawa and Chiyeko Kita promising to take the title from MAYA and become the new 5SSW Triangle champion.

<div style="text-align:center;">Rating: 43

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<img alt="ytBvNDA.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/ytBvNDA.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /> vs. <img alt="AFBofo7.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/AFBofo7.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" />

Shiori Jippensha vs. Unstoppable Tai</div>

As the match gets underway, the announcers let us know that Jippensha issued an open challenge to any interested 5SSW competitors via Twitter for a match at the final show of the Women of Wrestling tour, and no doubt there will be quite a few queued for a showcase match like that.

Jippensha plays it smart as expected against her bigger opponent, wearing down Tai with dropkicks and chop blocks to the legs to take out the bigger girl's base. Tai's seen these tactics before, but not executed at as high as level as this. Jippensha shows no fear and dissects Tai in the early going, looking great and being great.

Fuyuko Higa (now complete with a very poorly equipped parody of a tactical team as her bodyguards) comes out and parks herself at ringside watching the match, which seems to throw Jippensha off her rhythm a bit. Tai takes over and unleashes some punishing blows onto Jippensha, throwing her into the corner and crushing her with a couple avalanches.

Tai plays to the booing crowd a bit though, and it backfires, with Jippensha reviving out of nowhere when Tai goes for the Tai Bomber (Double-Handed Choke Bomb) and gets reversed into a flying armbar/chokehold. Tai fights like a bear caught in a trap and works her way out of the hold through sheer power rather than finesse to force the break.

Jippensha starts getting back into the groove, especially after Higa leaves (with Higa noticeably blowing a kiss to Jippensha on the way out.) Jippensha's repeated leg attacks eventually bear fruit when Jippensha finally cinches in the Jippensha Leglock (Grapevine Ankle Lock). Tai fights her way to the ropes, but Jippensha re-applies the hold. Tai battles out with power again, and Jippensha re-re-applies the hold, and eventually Tai is left with nowhere to go and no way to get there as she taps out to save her leg from serious injury.

Jippensha picks up a hard-fought win, and we'll see who she faces in her open challenge to end the tour!

<div style="text-align:center;">Result: Shiori Jippensha def. Unstoppable Tai via submission at 13:09

Rating: 65

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Gemmei Oonishi cuts a FIRED UP promo, saying that shes got a title shot on lock if her and Saitoh get the win over Torment and Sorrow. Dispositions aside, Oonishi has respect for their ability and knockout power, and vows to stay conscious through anything to get the win and the opportunity on the final show of this tour.

<div style="text-align:center;">Rating: 72

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<img alt="S5zYtKU.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/S5zYtKU.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="eqRIrjY.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/eqRIrjY.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /> vs. <img alt="zUFAzFy.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/zUFAzFy.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="K34xbzQ.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/K34xbzQ.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" />

All Heart (Gemmei Oonishi / HEART Saitoh) vs. Torment and Sorrow (Yu Hashimoto / Maki Yoshifumi)</div>

This match comes across pretty well, even if its still a bit of a discount Hike/Ogiwara vs. Destruction Inc. match. All Heart badly want to prove themselves, and Torment and Sorrow badly want to inflict pain, and that becomes the story of the match.

Torment and Sorrow control early with some vicious striking, battering Saitoh from pillar to post early with some serious fisticuffsmanship. Hashimoto threatens early with the End Game (Spinning Backhand Blow to the jaw) but Saitoh manages to duck it each time, forcing Hashimoto to play it smart and not go for big shots. Likewise Yoshifumi keeps going for the kill with the HEAD KICK but it keeps getting blocked or dodged.

Saitoh takes a sustained beating from the opening bell and bleeds from her nose and mouth, drawing some freakout sympathy from the crowd. Saitoh keeps fighting though, and eventually manages to duck, dip, dodge, and dive past both members of Torment and Sorrow to tag in Oonishi! ........But then Oonishi gets clobbered by punches from Yoshifumi and the comeback halts in its tracks. Torment and Sorrow give Oonishi plenty of torment with their fists, and Oonishi takes serious damage.

Oonishi almost breaks free twice, but is reeled in desperately each time, until finally Oonishi ducks an errant End Game and its a tag to Saitoh! Leaping Clotheslines! Flying Forearms! Rube Goldberg Neckbreakers! Running Back Brain Kicks!

Saitoh tags in Oonishi for the Double Back Superplex. They get setup, Yoshifumi runs in to make the save and gets tossed....... and the Double Back Superplex drives Hashimoto neck-first into the canvas! 1......2......NO! Hashimoto kicks out!

Oonishi doesn't know what to do, but as Hashimoto rises she puts her back down with a dropkick, before hitting a Springboard Legdrop! 1......2......NO! Oonishi then decides to tag in Saitoh and tells her to hold Hashimoto in position for a big move........ and its the Birds of Prey finish Death From Above (Veg-o-matic)! 1......2......3!

A big win for All Heart, and it looks like a Tag Team title shot awaits!

<div style="text-align:center;">Result: All Heart def. Torment And Sorrow via pinfall at 14:45

Rating: 69

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Backstage we get promos from Fuyuko Higa and Yuma Maruya while their teams warm up in the background. Both women are focused, hostile towards their opponents, and ready for victory. Higa also makes sure to get in an extra verbal barb in on Oonishi, because Higa.

<div style="text-align:center;">Rating: 75

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<img alt="aDF3DSi.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/aDF3DSi.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="4LKURYk.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/4LKURYk.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="mXmc58q.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/mXmc58q.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /> vs. <img alt="ZoM1wH5.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/ZoM1wH5.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="xI8mrAU.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/xI8mrAU.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="wQ9Yzya.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/wQ9Yzya.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" />

Yuma Maruya and Double Pink (Mystery Pink / Pinky Perez) vs. Fuyuko Higa and Lethal Strike (Thea Davis / Zofia Jankovic)</div>

This is a great, great match, quite possibly the best one 5-Star has seen since Ogiwara's retirement. Sure, the heat isn't as great, as the people just want to see Maruya vs. Higa without the riffraff. But said riffraff actually really helps the match quality. All 6 women involved bring their A-game, and go at it hammer and tongs to get a result and a rise out of the crowd.

Predictably, Maruya makes a beeline for Higa and we're off to a flying start, with Higa complaining to the referee about the ambush (and then 30 seconds later predictably cheapshotting Maruya and claiming innocence when the crowd boos it. The match starts proper with Jankovic taking on Perez in some good action to start, with Perez managing to get a roar of laughter from the audience by busting out the humiliating Rolling Cradle spot for 2. Zofia is not pleased with that, and after looking around disgusted at the crowd proceeds to blister Perez with some brutal kicks.

Team Higa takes over early, and lay it into Double Pink, with Maruya being kept out of the match for quite a while. The momentum does swing when she comes in, but the fans get concerned when the haughty Higa actually does get the better of Maruya in an extended mat wrestling sequence, seeming to be one step ahead at all times. Jankovic and Davis gleefully join in on the fun, and 5-Star's idol is in trouble!

Roundhouse Kick! 1......2.....NO! High Fly Elbow! 1......2.....NO! Maruya keeps fighting, but Higa's cheapshots and Lethal Strike's ability prove formidable barriers. Finally, Maruya gets away and tags in Perez, and Perez makes a big comeback on Team Higa! Headscissors for everyone! Spinning Flying Forearm! Tilt-a-Whirl Rib Breaker! Perez hits the big Pink Butterfly Powerbomb (Spinning Tiger Bomb) on Davis! 1......2......Higa saves! Perez continues the offensive, but Davis flies into the wrong corner after a Springboard Dropkick and Higa tags in!

Higa takes control with strikes and suplexes, mocks Perez with headslaps while shouting abuse at a recovering Maruya in the corner, then Higa arrogantly tries to finish Perez off with Perez's own Pink Butterfly Powerbomb...... but Perez reverses into a hurricanrana! Mystery Pink gets tagged in! Vertical Suplex/Twisting Crossbody combo incoming.....but Higa slips out and shoves Perez into the turnbuckle! Mystery Pink falls off the top rope and into the ring!

Higa gets up slowly with a grin on her face, and picks up Mystery Pink for the Higa Green Driver (Emerald Flowsion Kai), only for Pink to slip out and hook Higa up for a German Suplex, only for Higa to counter that by flipping and landing on her feet! Dropkick puts Pink down! Perfection Sweep (Skull Crushing Finale) to Pink!.......

........and we are desperately outta time! 20 minutes have expired and this one's a draw before Higa can make the cover! Higa is furious!

<div style="text-align:center;">Result: Team Higa drew with Team Maruya in 20:00 when the time limit expired

Rating: 79

---

OVERALL SHOW RATING: 76

ATTENDANCE: 325</div>

ampulator · October 2, 2020

I'm beginning to feel like the smark in the front row behind the announcers. That Triangle Title Eliminator is tailored for people like me (though not necessarily just me) to throw me off (because that is exactly what I *might* do too <img alt="

" data-src="//content.invisioncic.com/g322608/emoticons/redface.png.900245280682ef18c5d82399a93c5827.png" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" />).

White Dolphin · October 3, 2020

<div style="text-align:center;">OOC SHOW NOTES:</div> -Character update tomorrow, next card prediction key on Monday, show on Wednesday/Thursday! -Pretty good show in terms of match rating, but I had a hard time writing it. Definitely going to try and scale down the writeups again going forward. I think part of the reason it ran long was because I had a plot thread with Jippensha and Higa in the Tai match, so I had to make the better matches just as long/longer and ugh. -In case you're wondering what Erin was up to, I believe it was a tag with the female Avatar against Ochiyo Iijima and Toku Kijmuta in my leftovers match. -I'm noticing that I have a really hard time booking the Uprising in tour shows for some reason. I have a lot that I want to accomplish and its hard to work them into every match. Same with Maki Yoshifumi. Maya's a bit easier to work in I think because I constantly need the Kanto Express to do fill-in jobs. -Arihyoshi taking offense from Mushashibo's gotta be a bad look for the Japanese fans. Mushashibo really should be better in this game even if shes 35, or just leave her on the independent scrap heap. -Triangle title eliminator was fun on a bun. I love writing the Razor Petals in these matches cause i have a character trait for them where they just turn on people with ridiculously poor timing cause its in their nature. -Yu Hashimoto is really starting to fall into the jobber to the stars quicksand now, so I've gotta remember to feed her a win every now and then. -Main event didn't quite come off the way I wanted, not sure why. I think the finish I wanted was Higa about to beat Maruya before the limit and not Mystery Pink. Oh well, point came across and we've built nicely to the title match I hope. <blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="49448" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>Two Women Power Trip with Alicia Strong and Fuyuko Higa incoming.... </div></blockquote> I'm not sure the diary section is ready for a team like that. Not even in good USPW diaries. The pretentiousness and hypocrisy would be too much to handle (although it would take Higa a few months to learn how to talk the good in English, like what I do.) <blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="49448" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>Ready for an Erin / Simony tag team already but Simony seems to be in a different league / push! Plus Evil Higa promos are amazing! She's far too talented in ring but I'd be down with her on colour commentary having a rant all night!</div></blockquote> Erin/Simony tag might happen by accident but probably not. Simony will still be very important to this diary though. Higa on commentary might be too American of an idea for even 5SSW. (Has New Japan ever done this? With like Naito on comm during an Okada match?) That being said there is an interesting dynamic at play here. Higa and Umeko Karube are two very similar people and Karube is probably seeing Higa play out her career arc right in front of her: Betraying a friend and becoming a spiteful bitch obsessed with the title and success as a result. As Karube has lived that, I suspect that she wants Higa to get past this phase and onto the redemption part. Higa, on the other hand, probably just believes that well shes better than Karube was anyways so she can do whatever and it'll be justified unlike when Karube did it. Thats gotta be painful for a former heel, right? Seeing a heel make your mistakes again? So if Higa did comm there'd be some stuff there to work with. I don't have my commentators chime in much at all in the writeups though, except Karube a bit. <blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="49448" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>I'm beginning to feel like the smark in the front row behind the announcers. That Triangle Title Eliminator is tailored for people like me (though not necessarily just me) to throw me off (because that is exactly what I *might* do too ). </div></blockquote> Kita/Akutagawa were pencilled in for the next Triangle defense, but I was sorta considering giving a shot to Lilly. Maybe next time. <div style="text-align:center;">--- PREDICTION STANDINGS ampulator: 66/67 KyTeran: 51/60 medla: 14/23 joshbrady91: 8/8 Teasenityrn: 8/8 Strech: 8/8 (Welcome aboard!)</div>

Mokoa · October 4, 2020

Tadaima

I just finished reading the diary from where I left off(late june) and the Maruya vs Higa feud is pretty intense. And it feels worthy of main eventing a Joshimania as it's a match between two of the very best in 5SSW and both are bringing it.

Alicia Strong debuting to help Higa defeat Maruya for the belt would be great if this was a sports entertainment company. It'd be the two-woman Power Trip no one is really ready for.

Oonishi actually fits well with Saitoh. Good call pairing them up.

I had Kate Lilly in a 5SSW game I played. She is a great talent who can be easily build up to hold midcard belts and give the main eventers a good match. I use her as one of my main ring generals to help out the developing talent.

Finally, I'm glad you're still going strong with this diary as it's still the one that I've enjoyed the most here. I plan to resume following and posting here as I did months ago. Should be fun.

White Dolphin · October 5, 2020

Monday/Week 2/May/2020

Nekketsu High School Gymnasium

Osaka, Japan

A great main event was going on, the crowd was jacked up enough on the nearfalls that you could hear it through the walls, and the commentary team was excited.

The gaijins in the ring may be having the time of their lives, but backstage the gaijin there were distracted from this good match by the issue at hand.

Alicia Strong was coming.

Kinuye Mushashibo had confirmed it. They were getting Alicia Strong. Promo packages would air leading to the debut, which is why that video went up before Kinuye's match with Etsuko Arihyoshi. Alicia would be coming in hot out the gate with a big push, and now the gaijins had a decision to make.

No one in 5SSW really cared about their specific spot. Some just wrestled in 5SSW for money, others did it to keep sharp because they didn't have a gig elsewhere, still others did it because they loved Japanese wrestling and the respect for their craft they had here, and most did it for varying combinations of the three. Its not like Alicia was going to take away a world title push for anyone, because none of them expected one.

But Alicia coming into a locker room with her baggage from the past 4 months, on top of the fact they had a Fuyuko Higa-sized tumour in their locker room already, and that might cost them their place in the company entirely. There was a period of history where 5SSW eschewed gaijin entirely, under the thought that they were too much of an expense to work with. If 5SSW decided to use the nuclear option and fire all the gaijin in the blowback of Alicia Strong being a rabblerouser...... it would hurt them.

Paige, the Uprising, and Erin would be REALLY hurt too because they would have no place to go, aside from small-time indy shots with greaseball promoters. The others had gigs to fall back on at least. So it was of particular concern for them.

As the great main event raged on, so did their inner turmoil. Hopefully the next tour wouldn't be that bad.......

---

FURTHER OOC NOTES:

-Might be pushing prediction key to Tuesday.

-In case anyone is curious, the TV ratings have dipped down noticeably because of the patch, but are climbing up a little I guess? 26k-29k-26k-30k. Final card, which I've already played in-game, did 32k.

-In case anyone is also curious about this, heres a snapshot of the Kansai overness of the big players in this diary. First number is game start, second is right before Women of Wrestling. Note for predictions that these will not be a determining factor for who wins or loses, and sometimes it is in a reverse manner anyways (such as 26 beating 30 to get over):

Maruya 42 > 52

Jippensha 40 > 43 (tells ya a lot about the importance of promo skills eh?)

Higa 31 > 44

Oonishi 32 > 42

Yoshifumi 25 > 35

Nakajima 38 > 40 (Was 42 before she did a job to Higa I think)

Katsukawa 25 > 35

Quinzel 18 > 33

Svelte 18 > 31

Sentinel 1 > 22

Double Pink some low number idk > 26/27

Lethal Strike whatever > 26/27

Marcelin 0 > 18 (there's an invisible barrier at 17 overness and its hard to dip below that)

-Other fed news: SWF is putting on some shows that are being undone by hidden AI penalty BS but are still kinda derp. Scythe vs Rocky Golden is the new hotness now, and Golden got a 100 rating in his match, but it got a 79 overall (and Scythe got an 84 so it's not his fault). What gives? Ah well, I guess thats karma for hiring geeks like Sammy the Shark.

Oonishi actually fits well with Saitoh. Good call pairing them up.

Yeah the 5SSW tag team division is loaded with potential pairings, its really great, and that was one I earmarked both here and in TEW 2016 once the Higa turn happened. I've got a ridiculously deep tag division now and it's fantastic.

I had Kate Lilly in a 5SSW game I played. She is a great talent who can be easily build up to hold midcard belts and give the main eventers a good match. I use her as one of my main ring generals to help out the developing talent.

Lilly has really impressed me (I think she gets 57 match ratings at around a dozen overness in Kansai or so?). I sorta slept on a lot of the AAA talent, but when you look closer they had a pretty deep roster before the absolutely arbitrary meltdown they had (How the hell did Reece and Wells win their tag belts anyways?). Lilly and Rose were two people I never even considered, but they'll be a bit more important to me now.

Finally, I'm glad you're still going strong with this diary as it's still the one that I've enjoyed the most here. I plan to resume following and posting here as I did months ago. Should be fun.

Glad to have you following along!

White Dolphin · October 6, 2020

Shogun TV Presents:

5SSW Women of Wrestling 2020

Saturday/Week 2/May/2020

---

From the Osaka East Volleyball Centre, 5SSW bring you a climactic event of action on Shogun TV: The final show of 2020's Women of Wrestling tour!

Our opening match sees tag team action, featuring the veteran duo of Shining Force taking on the young lion duo known as the Canadian Cats.

Punk-haired gaijin Simony Sentinel has a match afterwards, taking on big brawler Toku Kijmuta.

Ten woman tag action follows that, and it will feature Yu Hashimoto, Paige Croft, Romi Yamato, and Lilly & Rose take on Eri Sato, Machiko Matsuda, Chitose Ariwara, and the Stone Soliders!

The tag teams Lethal Strike and Double Pink have been at odds recently, and on this tour they get a definitive chance to settle their difference in a match with no time limits, one fall to a finish. Which team will come out on top and possibly stake a claim to a future title shot?

Shiori Jippensha had issued an open challenge on social media, and it will be answered by Etsuko Arihyoshi. The match will take place under Submission rules...... which technician will reign supreme?

We then proceed tot he title matches section of the show, leading off with Maki Yoshifumi defending her All-Asian title against the monstrous Queen Amazon in whats sure to be a hard-hitting encounter!

Then we have the 5SSW Triangle Title on the line, with MAYA defending against challengers Sae Akutagawa and Chiyeko Kita! Who will prevail?

The co-main event sees the Tag Team champions from overseas, the Uprising, taking on the newly formed acclaimed duo of All Heart. Gemmei Oonishi has resolved to win the title with her new partner HEART Saitoh, a former tag champ herself! Will the new team dethrone the gaijin champs?

Finally, our main event sees a heated rivalry coming into play, with 5SSW World Champion Yuma Maruya taking on the challenger Fuyuko Higa. Higa has promised to see Maruya's reign end and the company burn in the process, but despite her talents has never claimed World championship gold. Is tonight the night for the leather-clad villain, or will 5-Star's idol defend the title and the company's honour?

---

PREDICTION KEY

(OOC: Time limit drawin' happenin' again! Every match has a time limit EXCEPT Lethal Strike vs Double Pink, which will be one fall to a finish.)

Shining Force (Otsune Tsumura / Yukiko Matsumara) vs. Canadian Cats (Erin Marcelin / Kate Avatar)

Simony Sentinel vs. Toku Kijmuta

Yu Hashimoto / Paige Croft / Romi Yamato / Kate Lilly / Debbie Rose vs. Eri Sato / Machiko Matsuda / Chitose Ariwara / Kaede Sugiyama / Kinuye Mushashibo

No Time Limit Match: Lethal Strike (Thea Davis / Zofia Jankovic) vs. Double Pink (Mystery Pink / Pinky Perez)

Submission Match: Shiori Jippensha vs. Etsuko Arihyoshi

5SSW All-Asian Title V4 Defence: Maki Yoshifumi © vs. Queen Amazon

5SSW Triangle Title V6 Defence: MAYA © vs. Chiyeko Kita vs. Sae Akutagawa

5SSW Tag Team Title V5 Defence: The Uprising (Talia Quinzel / Selina Svelte) vs. All Heart (Gemmei Oonishi / HEART Saitoh)

5SSW World Title V7 Defence: Yuma Maruya © vs. Fuyuko Higa

KyTeran · October 6, 2020

Shining Force (Otsune Tsumura / Yukiko Matsumara) vs. Canadian Cats (Erin Marcelin / Kate Avatar)

Simony Sentinel vs. Toku Kijmuta

Yu Hashimoto / Paige Croft / Romi Yamato / Kate Lilly / Debbie Rose vs. Eri Sato / Machiko Matsuda / Chitose Ariwara / Kaede Sugiyama / Kinuye Mushashibo

No Time Limit Match: Lethal Strike (Thea Davis / Zofia Jankovic) vs. Double Pink (Mystery Pink / Pinky Perez)

Submission Match: Shiori Jippensha vs. Etsuko Arihyoshi

5SSW All-Asian Title V4 Defence: Maki Yoshifumi © vs. Queen Amazon

5SSW Triangle Title V6 Defence: MAYA © vs. Chiyeko Kita vs. Sae Akutagawa

5SSW Tag Team Title V5 Defence: The Uprising (Talia Quinzel / Selina Svelte) vs. All Heart (Gemmei Oonishi / HEART Saitoh)

5SSW World Title V7 Defence: Yuma Maruya © vs. Fuyuko Higa

ampulator · October 6, 2020

Shining Force (Otsune Tsumura / Yukiko Matsumara) vs. Canadian Cats (Erin Marcelin / Kate Avatar)

Simony Sentinel vs. Toku Kijmuta

Yu Hashimoto / Paige Croft / Romi Yamato / Kate Lilly / Debbie Rose vs. Eri Sato / Machiko Matsuda / Chitose Ariwara / Kaede Sugiyama / Kinuye Mushashibo

No Time Limit Match: Lethal Strike (Thea Davis / Zofia Jankovic) vs. Double Pink (Mystery Pink / Pinky Perez)

Submission Match: Shiori Jippensha vs. Etsuko Arihyoshi

5SSW All-Asian Title V4 Defence: Maki Yoshifumi © vs. Queen Amazon

5SSW Triangle Title V6 Defence: MAYA © vs. Chiyeko Kita vs. Sae Akutagawa

5SSW Tag Team Title V5 Defence: The Uprising (Talia Quinzel / Selina Svelte) vs. All Heart (Gemmei Oonishi / HEART Saitoh)

5SSW World Title V7 Defence: Yuma Maruya © vs. Fuyuko Higa (Time Limit Draw)

Mokoa · October 6, 2020

Shining Force (Otsune Tsumura / Yukiko Matsumara) vs. Canadian Cats (Erin Marcelin / Kate Avatar)

Simony Sentinel vs. Toku Kijmuta

Yu Hashimoto / Paige Croft / Romi Yamato / Kate Lilly / Debbie Rose vs. Eri Sato / Machiko Matsuda / Chitose Ariwara / Kaede Sugiyama / Kinuye Mushashibo

No Time Limit Match: Lethal Strike (Thea Davis / Zofia Jankovic) vs. Double Pink (Mystery Pink / Pinky Perez)

Submission Match: Shiori Jippensha vs. Etsuko Arihyoshi

5SSW All-Asian Title V4 Defence: Maki Yoshifumi © vs. Queen Amazon

5SSW Triangle Title V6 Defence: MAYA © vs. Chiyeko Kita vs. Sae Akutagawa

5SSW Tag Team Title V5 Defence: The Uprising (Talia Quinzel / Selina Svelte) vs. All Heart (Gemmei Oonishi / HEART Saitoh)

5SSW World Title V7 Defence: Yuma Maruya © vs. Fuyuko Higa

White Dolphin · October 8, 2020

Shogun TV Presents:

5SSW Women of Wrestling 2020

Saturday/Week 2/May/2020

Osaka East Volleyball Centre

Osaka, Japan

---

The show opens up with a decent video package narrated by Kaiya Kuwahara breaking down tonight's action. 5SSW's production values are still slightly shy of the pros, but this was alright.

Rating: 68

---

vs.

Shining Force (Otsune Tsumura / Yukiko Matsumara) vs. Canadian Cats (Erin Marcelin / Kate Avatar)

Shining Force has had a rough go of things in 2020, seemingly going downhill since winning a tag title shot in January and losing it against the Uprising. Tsumura looks slow, Matsumara looks okay, Marcelin and Avatar look green, and the match is mediocre. There's some effort involved at least, and the match goes surprisingly even with the Canadian Cats getting more offense than usual against the veterans, with the small but vocal Erin Marcelin fan-club thinking the upset might happen.

It falls short, however, as Kate Avatar get hit with the Shine Spark (Backstabber followed by Codebreaker), with Tsumura covering for the 3 count while Matsumara wipes Marcelin out with a plancha.

Result: Shining Force def. Canadian Cats via pinfall at 8:02 (Tsumura pins Avatar)

Rating: 52

---

vs.

Simony Sentinel vs. Toku Kijmuta

An undercard match with not much going on honestly, and Kijmuta appears to be working on an entirely different planet at various points in the match. Sentinel covers up with her fundamental skill and some athleticism, but there are sections of the crowd who don't buy her against a bigger girl in Kijmuta and tune out a bit from things.

Still, there's hard work by Sentinel to make this watchable, and Kijmuta picks up the pace towards the end. The finish sees Kijmuta missing a Spear and plowing right into the turnbuckles, before Simony plants the hurt Kijmuta with running double knees to the back followed by a Sentinel Strike (Twisting Top-Rope Splash) for the pinfall.

Result: Simony Sentinel def. Toku Kijmuta via pinfall at 9:31

Rating: 53

---

Yu Hashimoto checks in for a brief promo and is in an unpleasant mood over the lack of success she's been having lately. Tonight she intends to lead her team to victory in this ten woman tag, and then Maki Yoshifumi will defend her All-Asian title tonight, and then Yu Hashimoto will bring more pain than ever to anyone she faces in the Wrestle Challenge tour.

Rating: 53

---

vs.

Yu Hashimoto / Paige Croft / Romi Yamato / Kate Lilly / Debbie Rose vs. Eri Sato / Machiko Matsuda / Chitose Ariwara / Kaede Sugiyama / Kinuye Mushashibo

A surprisingly fun and energetic big tag match. The heel team shows some serious chops, and Kate Lilly once again impresses with her skill, working the modern American technical cruiserweight style to its utmost.

Romi Yamato and Yu Hashimoto show some chops in this match, sometimes literally in Hashimoto's case, using high-impact offense thrown out with bad intentions that the crowd reacts too. Hashimoto gets in a particular sequence where she hits multiple people with the End Game (Spinning Backhand Blow to the Jaw), including her own teammate Debbie Rose by accident as she gets a little too overexcited.

Eri Sato tries to bring her team to her opponent's level, but the power difference is too much, and the gaijins get in their cheapshots to take momentum anytime the face team gets rolling. The match eventually comes to a close with Lilly and Rose hitting their tandem finish knwn as the Poison Thorn (Enzuigiri/Reverse STO) on Sugiyama for a 3 count.

Result: Team Heels def. Team Faces via pinfall at 11:24 (Lilly pins Sugiyama)

Rating: 62

---

As the wrestlers file out after the match, the arena goes dark and a black and white clip airs once again on the projector, showcasing a shadowy girl beating up a luchadora in the brick-walled environment we saw last show. The shadowy figure eventually destroys the masked opponent with a running elbow to the head that hits with familiar brutality, followed by a big piledriver that leaves the luchadora unconscious, with her neck at an odd angle.

Text appears on the screen once again, saying that the upcoming Wrestle Challenge tour will play host to a very special guest. The shadowy figure that was delivering the beating steps into a light in such a way to reveal........

.......ALICIA STRONG!

Alicia smiles, and says in Japanese "The legacy continues." before picking up the groggy luchadora and landing the running elbow to the temple known as the Strong Arm Tactic once more, before the movie cuts to white and the lights in the arena come back on.

This could've used better production and buildup, but was a fairly well-received angle and the crowd seems intrigued to see what Sam Strong's offspring will bring to the table.

Rating: 63

---

vs.

No Time Limit Match

Lethal Strike (Thea Davis / Zofia Jankovic) vs. Double Pink (Mystery Pink / Pinky Perez)

This one is anticipated quite a bit by some fans. Lethal Strike and Double Pink were formed at nearly the same time, won matches at a similarly high rate, faced each other once and drew in 15 minutes of close action, split singles matches between the partners, were on opposite sides of a draw on the go-home show, and now the gloves are off with no time limits, one fall to a finish, there must be a winner. These two want to beat each other to climb the tag team ladder, and something's gotta give.

And early on that something turns out to be Mystery Pink, who takes a real beating to start. Zofia uses strikes and more than a little sadism, while Thea uses all-around abilities, size, and methodical control. Things get a little too slow and methodical though, giving Pink enough time to rally for a tag to ease the early pressure. Pinky Perez comes in, sends Thea fleeing to the corner after a brief sequence, and then goes at it 1v1 with Jankovic. These two go at it HARD, with no quarter asked for or given. Perez uses all her athleticism and technique to hold down the dangerous Jankovic, and it's enough to a point...... until Jankovic rocks Perez with a spinkick to the ribs and then the tempo goes back to Lethal Strike.

Jankovic batters Perez. Davis controls methodically. Perez breaks free. The match swings back and forth between the European hard-hitting and Mexican athleticism. High Fly Elbow on Pink! 1......2.....NO! Twisting Backflip Cross Chop to Jankovic! 1.....2.....NO! Roundhouse Kick to Perez! 1......2.....NO! Jackknife Cradle on Davis! 1......2.....NO!

The match finally comes to an end past the 15 minute mark where the two teeams originally drew, and it sees a desperate Double Pink working in tandem to try and get the win. Double Dropkick to Davis, Double Rolling Clothesline sends Jankovic over the top rope and out, and then the Twisting Crossbody/Vertical Suplex combo finishes Davis off to cap a good match! Double Pink get the win, and a possible future tag title shot may await!

Result: Double Pink def. Lethal Strike via pinfall at 17:21 (Mystery Pink pins Davis)

Rating: 68

---

vs.

Submission Match

Shiori Jippensha vs. Etsuko Arihyoshi

For a rather hastily put-together match with no real build, this one gets quite a lot of buzz from the Osaka faithful, and turns into a hell of a match.

Arihyoshi and Jippensha start the match with a fairly aggressive lockup, picking and wrenching at any available limbs until they get a break. Second luckup, same result. Third lockup, also same result. The feeling out process is a lengthy one, and its hard for either gal to gain an advantage.

Jippensha goes for a surprise flying kneebar to break the equilibrium, but Arihyoshi fends it off to make the ropes. Arihyoshi works in some SMALL JOINT MANIPULATION~!, but Jippensha calmly works through the holds and makes the ropes. The two staredown for a while and go at it again. Slowly but surely, Jippensha starts getting the upper hand in the exchanges, threatening with a Buffalo Sleeper and several armbar variations, causing Arihyoshi to take a powder outside and think things over.

Jippensha might've continued to dominate, had it not been for Fuyuko Higa coming out (with a considerably smaller security detail this time.) to pull up a chair, sit ringside, and eat some formerly fan-owned Pocky. Higa starts cheering on Jippensha during certain moments in the match, and this seems to really disconcert Jippensha, who looks outside in confusion to Higa's positive heckling.

Arihyoshi is not one to pass up such largesse, and takes advantage of the distractions to start putting some hurt on Jippensha. Arihyoshi works hard to get the Arihyoshi Lockdown (Seated Abdominal Stretch Dragon Sleeper), but Jippensha wildly fights out of it and starts panicking. As the time limit approaches, both start going for it and throw ground and pound strikes to try and break the equillibrium. Eventually, Jippensha and Arihyoshi get each other in ankle locks, rolling around the ring, wrenching, rolling around the ring.......and they roll under the ropes and fall to the outside!

Jippensha and Arihyoshi gets into a heated and vicious grappling exchange on the floor with rabbit punches aplenty. Higa cheers on the action in obnoxious fashion, but before a result can be reached...... WE ARE DESPERATELY OUTTA TIME! Time limit draw and both wrestlers are furious with the result!

Result: Shiori Jippensha drew with Etsuko Arihyoshi in 20:00 after the time limit expired

Rating: 77

---

Post-match, a frustrated Shiori Jippensha goes down the entranceway to head backstage, but Higa grabs a mic and tells her to stay a while and listen. Higa asks if Jippensha is satisfied playing second banana to Maruya like this. Higa knows Jippensha is better, and tells her that things don't have to be this way. Jippensha looks disgustedly at Higa and blows her off, but Higa seems unperturbed, and jaunts back down the entrance hall to make way for the next match.

Rating: 74

---

5SSW All-Asian Championship

V4 Defense

vs.

Maki Yoshifumi (Champion) vs. Queen Amazon (Challenger)

Queen Amazon comes in full steam ahead for this title tilt, although the response to her entrance is rather muted, with some of the big event goers not seeming to really know who she is.

Unsurprisingly, this contest is all about powerful brawling and hard hitting. However, there is a wrinkle, as its established early that Amazon holds a significant power advantage. Yoshifumi has to compensate with tactical nous, and decides that leg kicks are the order of the day.

Amazon gets the club and throw around Yoshifumi quite a bit, but not before taking some stinging leg kicks that leave Amazon wincing. Amazon eventually goes for the Amazonian Powerbomb (Spinning Gutwrench Powerbomb), but her legs give out from underneath her. Yoshifumi tries to seize the moments right there by applying a heel hook, and almost gets a tapout before Amazon guts her way to the ropes.

Amazon gets a big moment later, when after another rope break she slaps Yoshifumi so hard it sounds like a gunshot reverberating through the arena. Yoshifumi certainly sells it well, but Amazon is too wounded to follow up, and after being reduced to her knees with leg kicks, Yoshifumi finishes it off with the HEAD KICK to knock Queen Amazon unconscious and get the 3 count. Another successful title defense, but it wasn't plain sailing.....

Result: Maki Yoshifumi def. Queen Amazon via pinfall at 13:02

Rating: 58

Maki Yoshifumi retains the 5SSW All-Asian Championship (V4 Defense)

---

Before the next Triangle title match, we get a brief promo package with the three women involved, MAYA the champion, and Chiyeko Kita and Sae Akutagawa the challengers.

Rating: 46

---

5SSW Triangle Championship

V6 Defense

vs. vs.

MAYA (Champion) vs. Chiyeko Kita (Challenger) vs. Sae Akutagawa (Challenger)

Another pretty decent Triangle title match. The usual theme of "Which alliance forms first?" is present in this match, and its both Kita and Akutagawa double-teaming the champion, before Akutagawa turns on Kita and brutalizes them both, dominating the match early.

Of course, MAYA and Kita realize this is a problem for them, and the cycle starts anew with them teaming up on the bigger girl, before turning on each other for pinfall opportunities on the weakened Akutagawa, and on-and-on the dilemma goes. It is said though that Akutagawa spends a fair bit of the match being double-teamed, although Kita is occasionally suckered into an alliance with Akutagawa to decent effect.

The match picks up a bit with some close nearfalls. Fallaway Slam from Akutagawa to MAYA gets 2. Superkick from Kita to Akutagawa gets 2 before MAYA saves. Slingshot Spike DDT to Kita from MAYA, Akutagawa saves at 2. It's still a wide open match, but Kita seems to take a bit more of the beating than the other 2, and fades a bit as the match goes on.

Kita goes for a Head and Arm Choke on MAYA, only for MAYA to work out of it and reverse into her Triangle Choke, but Kita makes the ropes to break. MAYA starts working over Kita, before Aktuagawa comes thundering in with a big clothesline to fully take Kita out. MAYA then makes a fatal mistake of agreeing to a big double team with Akutagawa, as Akutagawa and MAYA hit the Hell Raisers's tag finish Kaenhousha (Total Elimination) on Kita! MAYA gets picked up by Akutagawa afterwards and tossed throat-first on the top rope! Akutagawa covers Kita! 1......2......3!

We have a new champion, as Sae Akutagawa wins the Triangle title for the 2nd time!

Result: Sae Akutagawa def. Chiyeko Kita and MAYA at 14:18 (Akutagawa pins Kita)

Rating: 65

Sae Akutagawa wins the 5SSW Triangle Championship!

---

While Sae starts her celebration, we cut backstage to Gemmei Oonishi for a pre-tape promo. Gemmei is fired up for the big chance at the Uprising. Oonishi mentions that the Uprising did beat the Birds of Prey en route to winning last years Dynamo Tag League, but today is another day! Oonishi pledges to defeat the Uprising with her new partner, take home the tag gold, and make a legend in 5SSW!

Rating: 71

---

5SSW Tag Team Championships

V5 Defense

vs.

The Uprising (Talia Quinzel / Selina Svelte)(Champions) vs. All Heart (Gemmei Oonishi / HEART Saitoh)(Challengers)

Another anticipated clash with good heat behind it, although it has to be said that the action is merely good, and not quite as good in comparison to Double Pink vs Lethal Strike with some of its sequences. Still, there's hard work involved, and a never-say-die babyface team desperate for a title facing the champions playing a subtle heel role.

The Uprising take the advantage early, mostly due to Quinzel physically imposing herself on the match. Quinzel hits an impressive array of backbreakers on Oonishi, but Oonishi counters the Spinal Trauma (Overhead Press Front Backbreaker) with an attempted Guillotine Choke. Quinzel stumbles into the corner and batters Oonishi to get the break, but Oonishi blind tags Saitoh and then All Heart get a window of opportunity.

All Heart try to take the fight to Quinzel and do a credible job isolating her in the corner. Saitoh runs to take out Svelte while Oonishi lands a Backflip Corner Splash on Quinzel! The two haul Quinzel up for the Double Back Superplex and drive her into the canvas! 1......2.....NO! Quinzel kicks out!

All Heart throw everything they can at the Uprising to try and get a win. Samurai DDT gets 2 on Quinzel. Flying Dagger Legdrop (Top Rope Front Flip Rough Ryder) gets 2 on Svelte before Quinzel saves. All Heart work over Quinzel, but Oonishi gets backdropped over the ropes by Quinzel when she runs to clothesline her over the top. Saitoh comes in with a full head of steam though, and stuns Quinzel with a running dropkick to the teeth! Complex Neckbreaker! Back Brain Kick!

Quinzel rises groggily to her feet as Saitoh goes for the Flying Tiger Knee (Top Rope Busaiku Knee), but Svelte sneakily reaches over the ropes and yanks Quinzel out of the way just as Saitoh makes the leap! Saitoh crashes and burns, and referee Odaka didn't see it due to looking over the fallen Oonishi on the outside!

As referee Odaka turns around, a groggy Quinzel tags in Svelte, who delivers several suplexes followed by a Blue Thunder Bomb to Saitoh! Quinzel recovers enough for Svelte to tag her in for the big finish......and they hit the Rising Tide (Modified Sky Lift Slam)! Svelte baseball slides into Oonishi on the outside while Quinzel covers Saitoh! 1......2.......3! Uprising retain!

Result: The Uprising def. All Heart via pinfall at 15:19

Rating: 68

The Uprising retain the 5SSW Tag Team Championships (V5 Defense)

---

Post-match as the Uprising celebrate up the entranceway, we cut to a video package playing before the main event, going over the big grudge match for the World title between champion Yuma Maruya and challenger Fuyuko Higa. Higa has promised to burn 5SSW down, slay the idol, and take the title, while Maruya promises to defend 5SSW at all costs. Much is made of the fact that Higa, despite several opportunities, has never won the World title. Could tonight be the night?

This was well done and hyped up talented people with a clear issue of contention between them, and a good lead-in for the main event.

Rating: 78

---

5SSW World Championship

V7 Defense

vs.

Yuma Maruya (Champion) vs. Fuyuko Higa (Challenger)

The heat for this is greater than any match 5-Star has had in years, and the match is good enough to justify it. On a pure technical level there have been better matches, but none with this amount of heat. The entrances have Higa being booed unmercifully as her security force watches for any attempt at sabotage, while Maruya's entrance has fangirls screaming and fanboys telling her to beat down the villainous Higa.

The start is slow despite the hot crowd, as Higa has her gameface on and takes this match super seriously from the outset. It becomes obvious early that if it goes to the mat, Maruya is in huge trouble, as Higa outwrestles her in the early going, shouting loudly at the crowd every time she wins a mat sequence that sends Maruya to the outside.

Higa clearly wants this badly and uses any means necessary, even when they aren't strictly necessary. More than one thumb makes its way into Maruya's eye without the referee's knowledge, and something that looks almost like fish-hooking takes place too. Referee Odaka catches that one and gives Higa a warning, but it only serves to make Higa more careful, instead of more honest.

Higa takes Maruya down to the mat and starts slapping the taste out of Maruya's mouth, and these aren't catfight slaps either, they're the real deal. Higa starts screaming abuse at Maruya in between moves, saying that she should be 5-Star's shining light instead, and that Maruya should just surrender already. Maruya politely refuses the request by slapping the taste out of Higa's mouth, and that just escalates things further.

Maruya's brief comebacks keep getting snuffed out by Higa, and the crowd starts panicking a little. Could Maruya lose? Could the idol of 5-Star go down to Miss Perfection after all? Is this the night 5-Star burns?

Maruya finally manages to take advantage of Higa's follies to make a big-time comeback! Headscissors! Snapdragon Suplex! Arm Dragon Screws! Split-Legged Moonsault! 1......2......NO! Maruya stays on the attack though! Arm Dragon Screws! Shoulderbreaker! Maruya drags down Higa and applies the Skywing Lock (Leg-Applied Full Nelson)! Higa fights hard, fights hard........ and schooches over to the ropes for the break!

Maruya keeps fighting hard for the win, but Higa cuts off further offensive with a vicious Spinning Back Kick to the solar plexus that clouds Maruya's face over with pain. No-Touch Headbutt! Glittering Warlock! Backdrop Driver! Higa continues to beat down Maruya in almost apoplectic rage, and then goes to finish her off with the Higa Green Driver (Emerald Flowsion Kai). After 10 seconds or so of good badmouthing towards the horrified Maruya fans in attendance, Higa finally lifts Maruya up........

........and Maruya drops down quickly and small packages Higa! 1......2.......3! MARUYA RETAINS!

Result: Yuma Maruya def. Fuyuko Higa via pinfall at 20:26

Rating: 82

Yuma Maruya retains the 5SSW World Championship! (V7 Defense)

---

Post-match Maruya celebrates as Higa is on all fours in stunned disbelief. As the streamers come in though, the disbelief doesn't last long. Higa takes the title belt from referee Odaka and blasts Higa in the face with it! Higa grabs a mic from Maruya's limp hand and berates Maruya for ruining her perfect vision with one lousy move, before Higa starts kicking Maruya viciously in the ribs! Higa grabs a bunch of the streamers in the ring and tries to use them as a makeshift garotte to choke Maruya with, as 5SSW babyfaces flood in and clash with Higa's security group! The show goes off the air amidst in-ring chaos!

Rating: 74

---

OVERALL SHOW RATING: 79

ATTENDANCE: 1,200

Mokoa · October 8, 2020

Good show

I missed most of my predictions, but I must say I'm happier with the true outcomes than I'd be with the ones I predicted.

I really liked that Akutagawa got the win and the Triangle Title. She deserves some love in the midcard.

The opener was a surprise. My Girl Otsune Tsumura getting a win is always a moment to be cherished. Finally the biggest underdog in 5SSW got to celebrate something. Sure, it was on a young lioness, but a win is a win.

Kate Lilly getting the pinfall was also something that I personally enjoyed. She is a great talent and it is good that she's getting some spotlight.

I didn't expect the Uprising to retain as you mentioned they weren't really over. I thought at first that the team of Saitoh and Oonishi would be fine getting the belts, but I see that it wouldn't make much sense due to their status as underdog faces who always fail before clawing their way to a huge satisfying victory. Who knows if this is in the store for them.

Higa's failure against Maruya is actually a breath of fresh air. Most people who play 5SSW would put the strap on Higaenbottom in the first opportunity. Maruya scoring a pinfall win over her did raise my eyebrows. It was a nice twist to what felt like an obvious outcome. I'm hoping Maruya will hold on to the title until Joshimania.

All in all, it was an enjoyable PPV. Much better than it would be had my predictions come to fruition.

White Dolphin · October 8, 2020

OOC SHOW NOTES:

-Boy, did this show handcuff people from a prediction standpoint. To be fair it was mostly unintentional. Quite a few of these results were planned out well in advance. One or two weren't, but we'll get to that.

-Opening match was much better than the sum of its parts thanks to Open Match road agent note. Avatar and Tsumura both had ratings lower than Erin, and Matsumara had to carry the match. It stayed above the 50 rating dangerline so it worked, but eeech. Tsumura got the win in a futile bid to keep her momentum high enough to not complain later.

-Simony's performances have gotten a little worse since her previous tour for some reason. I blame patches . Actually it might be momentum too, since it resets when a person leaves. and comes back. Simony's going to pop up more later.

-We'll see some tour appearances from Lilly and Rose later, although it'll be hard for them to get a ton of traction in this ludicrously good tag team division. Poor Eri Sato keeps being either the best on the jobbing teams or the worst on the main event jobbing teams.

-Alicia Strong's segments are a bit of a dud to start, given what Higa and Maruya and even Oonishi are doing. Its not like Strong is that incomparable in terms of pop or momentum or general entertainment ability, so I'm guessing its momentum.

-Lethal Strike vs. Double Pink was a bit disappointing to me. I wanted to work more callback spots in but ran out of room, and I thought with more popularity they could break 70 ratings. Match also tanked Zofia's pop more than Thea's for some reason, but theres corrective action for that. I think it was an okay feud considering that no one could cut promos for it......

-Jippensha/Arihyoshi was a snap decision to book (I think i came up with it mid-way through writing the Tai match), and a snap decision when I booked it to be a draw (which was right around me writing the Higa spot in the Tai match), and I can see why the predictions whiffed this one. Jippensha's really been lost in the shuffle, but she'll be involved in some proceedings next tour.

-Yoshifumi/Amazon would've been great with more time and Amazon allowed to actually get over, but what can ya do. Yoshifumi's on absolute fire at the moment, legendary gimmick, high momentum, and even progressing a little bit in the ring.

-I had planned a Triangle title change for May, but I wasn't sure who'd get it. Arihyoshi was considered, Lady Lotus was considered, and Kaede Sugiyama was the plan right up until I decided to give the Stone Soliders a tag title shot. It was almost Yamato but she can't quite cut a promo (I mean, no one except Maruya/Higa/Oonishi/Katsukawa/now Strong really can but Akutagawa is around 70s in entertainment states at least.) It's kind of a good thing I didn't go Lilly in the qualifier because she would've had to eat a pinfall here anyways, and Kita's a bit more disposable yet credible in that regard. MAYA had an ok reign and got over a bit, but I wanted to prevent title matches from being straight retains for months and months so I had a title change planned here to shake things up a bit.

-I like Akutagawa, but more as a part of the Hell Raisers than as a single. Don't expect a lot from this reign.

-Oonishi's been seeing a spike in her promo ability and I'm not sure why. It coincides neatly with her position in the save though, as she would be cutting more fired-up promos now that she's got her deal with Higa going on.

-I did a good job building up All Heart I guess, based on the predictions. Maybe with hindsight I shouldn't have booked this match.... but from what I hear its such a Japanese expectation to have a partner and allies in Japanese wrestling, which is why stable warfare is so omni-present in NJPW for example (and is now bleeding over into AEW, as opposed to WWE having few factions and making it so that they're either a big deal or a joke with no in-between).

I think this is very much a cultural thing. Japan had periods where warlords controlled their own small territory within Japan, and there were 40 of them fighting to have control of Japan's emperor. Factions would be created and dissolve in a rapid race for power. This is probably what led to stuff like Inoki group vs Choshu group, and then side groups that hated them both. In 5SSW we have no formal stables, but we see this in BHOTWG with their big-time factions (and they could go even harder with those if they wanted, I think there's a lack of a company defense faction right now on Day 1 of a save IIRC.). However, I am making it so that pretty much everyone in 5SSW has a tag partner or someone they're aligned with. With this in mind, if I'm doing a story where Higa feels shes "beaten" Oonishi and doesn't want to give her another chance, and if Oonishi can't get the world belt, and if theres no point in her getting the All-Asian or Triangle belts cause shes past that...... I guess a tag challenge was the only thing that made sense. And HEART Saitoh was available, and helped her out of her own volition when Higa betrayed Oonishi. So I kinda roped myself into doing this challenge.

-And it sucks, because Oonishi and Saitoh look like geeks for failing and basically proving Higa right, that they couldn't do it without Higa's genius. But I can't put the titles on them because the Uprising need them for the bigger story I'm trying to tell. Honestly, if the Uprising weren't champions theres no way I'd make them champions, in fact I'dve probably aimed for a breakup angle to exile Svelte from the company and replace her with someone better. But they are champions, and they were crowned right before the save started with a tag tournament win behind them, and tournaments are a cultural big deal in Japan. There'd be no point in instantly jobbing them out, which means they'd get continuity and flow right into the story I'm telling, and thus they have to be booked above my perceived vision for them.

Make no mistake: in a non-diary setting where I want to make the best numbers possible, the Uprising wouldn't be pushed seriously by me. They are growing on me a bit, much like fungus, and Svelte's getting better even if she still has a stupid name, mediocre-looking render, medicore selling, and stupid finisher name (I can't even figure out what a Prawn Armlock is supposed to BE, I've been searching Youtube and Googling MMA-related stuff and can't figure it out.) But they benefit SO much from circumstance, and we'll see why in the coming months.

So yeah, poor Oonishi. But better days might be ahead for her?

-Maruya/Higa was a bit disappointing to me as well. Couldn't get the match rating above 83 because it'd get dinged for commentary and Higa is still salty morale-wise over the draw to Oonishi a month ago (DRAMA QUEEN!). Even took out the spinal impact restriction, no such luck. A couple spots ended up on the cutting room floor for the writeup, like Higa using Kitozon Chops in a mocking fashion for heel heat.

-Having Higa get pinned here might not make sense, but it works for two reasons. The first is that, again, Higa hasn't won up to this point. We've established that shes not the best, but that she thinks shes the best. Her only main event career honour is winning the J Grand Prix in 2016, and presumably she went on to lose a title challenge to..... (checks lineage) ..... Tomoko Nagatsuka? So we know in kayfabe shes fallible. The second reason is that even if shes obtained a kayfabe powerup by going heel, she still has her weakness of pride and ego. If she just hit the Driver before Maruya had time to react she might've won. But she dithered and gloated instead.

So the question is, how long will it be before Higa overcomes that weakness, or just gets so talented it doesn't matter even against best competition? Who knows. But until she conquers that weakness, she needs to catch the athletic, no quit, surprisingly tough and durable Maruya on a bad day in order to win.

(This booking philosophy brought to you by Self, the user behind the legendary CGC and Frontier Combat Kingdom diaries.)

-That being said I could've totally done a draw here. And maybe I should've?

-Other than that, show went great! 1200 in attendance with higher ticket prices than normal, 32000 TV viewers, came sorta close to breaking even! We're doing the promoting gud! Would've liked to work in Megumi Nakajima or Miwako Katsukawa in somewhere but eh. Next tour's going to be sorta interesting, but I'm looking forward to the J Grand Prix!

-Thanks Mokoa for chiming in! And thank you to everyone whos predicted! Hope you all enjoyed the show, more to come next week!

---

PREDICTION STANDINGS:

ampulator: 71/76

KyTeran: 55/69

medla: 14/23

joshbrady91: 8/8

Teasenityrn: 8/8

Strech: 8/8

Mokoa: 3/9

ampulator · October 9, 2020

-Boy, did this show handcuff people from a prediction standpoint. To be fair it was mostly unintentional. Quite a few of these results were planned out well in advance. One or two weren't, but we'll get to that.

Events are where unpredictability can happen more often (if you are running a promotion with events that is), so I don't feel jipped at all.

-Simony's performances have gotten a little worse since her previous tour for some reason. I blame patches . Actually it might be momentum too, since it resets when a person leaves. and comes back. Simony's going to pop up more later.

-Alicia Strong's segments are a bit of a dud to start, given what Higa and Maruya and even Oonishi are doing. Its not like Strong is that incomparable in terms of pop or momentum or general entertainment ability, so I'm guessing its momentum.

-Oonishi's been seeing a spike in her promo ability and I'm not sure why. It coincides neatly with her position in the save though, as she would be cutting more fired-up promos now that she's got her deal with Higa going on.

What was Oonishi's momentum? Could be Momentum plays a bigger role in TEW2020 than it did in TEW2016.

-Lethal Strike vs. Double Pink was a bit disappointing to me. I wanted to work more callback spots in but ran out of room, and I thought with more popularity they could break 70 ratings. Match also tanked Zofia's pop more than Thea's for some reason, but theres corrective action for that. I think it was an okay feud considering that no one could cut promos for it......

Consider they pinned Davis, this is strange. Does Jankovic have lower Momentum/Popularity/Charisma/Star Quality than Davis right now? Also could be Destiny.

As for the match quality, one thing I noticed about performance-based promotions, its that they have more to overcome once you hit a certain range of grades.

-Jippensha/Arihyoshi was a snap decision to book (I think i came up with it mid-way through writing the Tai match), and a snap decision when I booked it to be a draw (which was right around me writing the Higa spot in the Tai match), and I can see why the predictions whiffed this one. Jippensha's really been lost in the shuffle, but she'll be involved in some proceedings next tour.

You make sound like you made a poor decision with regards to Jippensha/Arihyoshi, but to more performance-based fans, it's basically a C-Verse version of Bret Hart vs. Lance Storm. Both workers have main-event level talent but have a few things that hold them back. Booked together, they can put a heck of a match (and they did). Booking this match cold doesn't help, but Jippensha/Arihyoshi together can make it work.

White Dolphin · October 11, 2020

Sunday/Week 2/May/2020

5SSW Gaijin Boardinghouse

Osaka, Japan

Erin sighed as she stretched out on the bed. She had just finished packing for a fog-delayed Monday flight out of Osaka and back to Canada, and she was exhausted. This was quite the successful tour for 5SSW, with a good crowd for a hella awesome main event. As usual, Erin was on the fringes of things, but she felt she was starting to get better. They let her and her temp partner Kate Avatar get some offense in in the last match, Erin and Paige Croft worked together for the best match Erin ever had, and Erin was starting to stiff people a little less with her punches while retaining the on-camera quality. Things were coming together.

Of course, it wouldn't be a 5SSW tour without some backstage crap. Yesterday it was Unstoppable Tai, who was working with some younger Japanese girls brought in on the usual one-offs and was not happy about it. Tai felt she should've been on the main show winning matches. Ogiwara told her to drop it, and it wasn't dropped. Erin couldn't understand most of the argument she heard, but Ted translated it, and really some of the context was obvious in any language. God what a blowhard Tai was.

As soon as this fog cleared, she was back to Canada for hopefully a week, then hopefully back to Japan for another tour. Erin felt fairly confident she'd keep getting the tour call, although it was a little weird that she didn't have a formal deal yet, instead of a tour-by-tour one. Oh well, same difference anyways if she kept getting called back.

Erin's phone buzzed with a text message from Simony, who had discovered an arcade in a Toronto suburb with a brand new DanceDanceRevolution machine as good as the one in Osaka. Simony offered to drive down and have a girls night out with Erin later in the week when they were both back in Canada, and Erin was all for that.

This was a pretty good life for Erin, all things considered. she was in two cool countries with friends, good times, and a dream to chase. She still had a roof over her head courtesy of her Dad, and she had pocket money to spare. Times were good!

Erin watched the fog roll past her window before drifting off to sleep.

---

Sunday/Week 2/May/2020

Osaka Gates Road Tower

Osaka, Japan

The elevator containing Ted and his business associate Seishiro Munakata finally made its stomach-churning descent to the parkade. Ted and Seishiro got off, as Ted went to his company rental while idly chatting with Munakata. Ted had been doing his actual job for a change, taking a rare Sunday meeting to iron out a few details with the Japanese partners of Ted's investment firm, the belovedly reviled Strathcona-Fremont firm in Toronto.

"Munakata-san, thank you again for these fruitful discussions. I wish you and your business partners well in the future."

"And I wish yours well too, Ted-san. Oh, but before you go........"

Munakata reached into the breastpocket of his designer suit, and pulled out a manila envelope.

"It's in the nature of us Japanese to not trust outsiders. But you have respect. You speak our language well and share some of our values. Even in a world like this, some of us take care of each other. So, Ted-san, I hope this takes care of you."

Munakata handed Ted the envelope.

"As they say in your country, opportunity knocks. Hopefully the contents of this envelope help you answer the door........ Take care, Ted-san."

"You as well, Munakata-san."

Ted got into his rental. Before starting the car, he decided to take an early glance at what the hell was in this envelope. He opened it, and some interesting documents spilled out onto his lap.

The most interesting one was an Initial Public Offering investment oportunity for an online streaming service. It was yet another one meant to be a competitor to industry giant Reverie, owned by USPW magnate Allen Packer. Ted read through it with interest, and filed it away for later. Ted's instincts were often questionable, as seen in his poker career and prediction of his life path in 2020, but somehow, he had a good feeling about this one.....

White Dolphin · October 13, 2020

<div style="text-align:center;">Friday/Week 3/May/2020 Marcelin Residence Toronto, Canada <img alt="nr0H7y3.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/nr0H7y3.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /></div> Erin hummed as she packed up her suitcase. Another tour in Japan for 5SSW awaited. Erin got the call Wednesday to confirm it, and the hastily improvised gaijin group chat was happy to hear it. However, bigger conversations were being had. After a week of beating the bushes and working contacts, the new theory going around 5SSW's gaijin core was that Alicia Strong MIGHT have been working an angle backstage to intentionally get herself fired. It seemed to be the actual dirtsheet reason of her hating the company's direction with its women's division, and wanting no part of it. Alicia was frustrated at her and her brethren not being able to main event another big event for Reverie, and it seemed that when private discussions didn't work, she went public and set fire to her own career as a result. The source for this was former AAA and current USPW wrestler Wendy Anderson, who did get a couple clean wins over Alicia Strong on Alicia's way out of the company. Wendy wasn't harassed by Alicia, and Alicia was being professional in the ring through it all, except for the last match where she no-sold Charity Sweet's finisher after getting pinned and went straight backstage to ream out Allen Packer and Rich Money. It made almost enough sense to be true, but a few didn't buy it. The worry was that Alicia would come in and basically be Higa except they could understand her when she talked. Few people in the history of the business blew up a guaranteed spot quite like she did, and it couldn't be because of some weird shoot angle she was doing for herself, surely? It had to be the political Strong mask coming through, like it did with Sam strong in HGC before he found God and started his charity. But Erin was actually on the side of Alicia meaning it. For one, a lot of USPW wrestlers were absolutely terrible, and Alicia Strong vs Jaime Quine or Sara Marie or someone on that level was better than the undercard dreck USPW had, and better than some main events with a past-it Steve Frehley or James Justice or Enygma going at it. So Alicia was pretty justified in her position, and its not like her solitary big card main event drew terribly in terms of viewing figures if dirtsheets were to be believed (and besides, it's Reverie, and one could argue that USPW and Reverie were in the position of the brand drawing rather than the content. So why not put the women on top to make the brand look good?) Alicia had a point about wanting the women's division to be better featured, and it was shared by some sympathizers on Twitter and even talkshow TV who DID want to see more than a promo or two and a match or two each show. So Erin felt this was legit, Alicia had a point, and it might've gotten lost in how big of a deal her exit turned out to be. so in a company that was all about women's wrestling, with the goal of "Be seen on the same level as Burning Hammer or PGHW.", Alicia would fit right in with a girl power us against them mentality......right? It might've been naievete on Erin's part, but she believed it. Besides, Alicia was trained by Ogiwara and knew how the whole respect thing worked over in Japan, right........? <div style="text-align:center;">--- Friday/Week 3/May/2020 Strathcona-Fremont Offices Toronto, Canada <img alt="rBQxkob.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/rBQxkob.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="ARaIJZt.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/ARaIJZt.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /></div> "Alicia friggin Strong, I can't believe they got her......." Alexander leaned back in his chair while meeting up with Ted to discuss the latest in his daughter's wrestling ambitions with a smile on his face. "How the hell did they get her, and not the CWA? Aren't they still running a women's division?" "Well, yes, but Alicia burned them pretty badly by going on Twitter and......well......it basically degenerated into a keyboard fight with Steve Decolt about "My dad could beat up your dad!" and stuff like that. I get the feeling CWA would be the same position for her too, being second banana to the male top stars regardless of how hard you work. Plus the woman who trained Alicia? Sensational Ogiwara herself. So yeah, her going to 5-Star instead of CWA makes sense when you think about it." Alexander nodded. "This looks like a satisfactory investment. Keep an eye on things over there Ted, I'm counting on you." "Yes sir." ".......I wonder if Erin will get to wrestle her someday........" "Should I put in a request?" "......No, let it play out. They'll probably be putting Alicia Strong into the main events right away won't they. Erin's not at that level yet is she?" "No sir, but she's coming along. In 4 or 5 years she could be a pretty good wrestler, and beyond that....... if she keeps at it she could be a star anywhere. But right now she's still trying to learn how to punch people and make it look good without knocking them loopy." "That's my girl. Alright Ted, keep me informed of anything developing then, and have safe travels." Alexander got up and patted Ted on the shoulder, as Ted left the office and began to grab stuff before he left. Today Ted just had a meeting and some light paperwork to do, and he was loving it. It was tolerable enough even without his girlfriend Layla present in the office. Layla was out of town for family matters, which was a shame, as Ted was hoping to get another date in, and maybe another kiss in. Ted and Layla had kissed on the 3rd date, as was dictated by relationship law, and like the Nickelback song itself, Ted was so nervous that he nearly missed. Now though, they were an item, and Ted was hoping it would progress into something more serious. To that end, Ted was thankful for the contents of the envelope given to him by Munakata-san in Japan. As a result he got a wild hair and decided to start investing his savings, and went from 50 grand to 100 grand last night. The government would inevitably claw a little back, but it was time for Ted to start getting serious about his finances, instead of just squirelling away a little of his paycheque each month in his account. In the meantime though, he'd happily play babysitter and interpreter for Erin. 5SSW was getting really good, and even with the possible personality downside of an Alicia Strong hire, the upside was tremendous........ <div style="text-align:center;">--- OOC SHOW NOTES:</div> -Not bothering with a TEW.com post, so heres the new tour hires: Ursula Saez as a newcomer, and the return of the Gamma War Unit (Kaori Takenouchi / Mio Takasu) and Synchro Wave (Ava Anderson / Lily Snyder) <blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="49448" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>What was Oonishi's momentum? Could be Momentum plays a bigger role in TEW2020 than it did in TEW2016.</div></blockquote> Just checked and wow its Red Hot. I'd have thought she'd be lower because she took some losses that Higa didn't take, plus those pre-show time limit draws I run with leftover talent at times. I guess thats it. Well that and she might be getting stronger improv buffs than before. <blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="49448" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>You make sound like you made a poor decision with regards to Jippensha/Arihyoshi, but to more performance-based fans, it's basically a C-Verse version of Bret Hart vs. Lance Storm. Both workers have main-event level talent but have a few things that hold them back. Booked together, they can put a heck of a match (and they did). Booking this match cold doesn't help, but Jippensha/Arihyoshi together can make it work. </div></blockquote> I don't think it was a poor decision to book the match, my comments there were more about how no one would've thought it'd be a time-limit draw, cause Jippensha is a main event gal and Arihyoshi was approaching that spot before losing her one-off title shot. Logically Jippensha should've just walked over her in a tough fight, except theres storyline going on there. We'll see how it plays out! Prediction key up tomorrow or Wednesday! Hope you all had a good Canadian Turkey Day if you celebrate it, or a good normal weekend if you don't. Stay safe out there!

Teasenitryn · October 14, 2020

It may well be naïve on Erin's part over Alicia Strong but it's a naïve I understand. USPW has a fairly stacked women's scene, even if there is no more to poach from QAW (leave my Ronin 3 vs The Line feud alone Packer!) there are plenty of women out there a company the size of USPW could spend three to five years turning into a sizable undercard. (Pretty much the argument I make over other certain large companies).

I get the feeling there are reasons I will be very much less sympathetic towards Alicia Strong and that some of them involve our hero because this is all going far too smoothly for a potential troublemaker to not set off my narrative spidey senses, but looking forward to what is in store, especially with the wrench Commcast looking to be Reverie sized could throw in the works here.

White Dolphin · October 14, 2020

Shogun TV Presents:

5SSW Wrestle Challenge Tour Night 1

Monday/Week 4/May/2020

It's underway! 5SSW's run of greatness in 2020 continues with the first night of the Wrestle Challenge tour, coming from Shohoku Academy Gymnasium in Kobe, Japan! After the shock signing of a women's wrestling legend, the landscape in 5SSW is sure to start changing, heading into the J Grand Prix and the next edition of JoshiMania!

Our opening match of the tour sees another powerful Mexican brawler making her debut. "The Mayan Mauler" Ursula Saez makes her debut against a local competitor.

The Gamma War Unit return to 5SSW for another tour, but have a stern test ahead of them, taking on the dangerous tag team known as the TermiNation.

Zofia Jankovic takes to singles action on the 3rd match, and she'll face veteran high-flyer Yukiko Matsumara.

Paige Croft teams with Torment And Sorrow in our next match, against the gaijin trio of Erin Marcelin and the returning tag team Synchro Wave.

Alicia Strong makes her long-awaited debut in a 5SSW ring. The 9 time Women's champion from overseas takes her first step into Japanese waters, and it will be a match against British all-rounder Thea Davis.

Simony Sentinel teams up with the exciting luchadora duo of Double Pink in our co-main, and they will face Lady Lotus and the Stone Soliders.

Finally, our main event sees 5SSW Tag Team champions The Uprising allying with Romi Yamato for a six-women tag. Their opponents are some women with a lot to prove this evening: Shiori Jippensha, Megumi Nakajima, and MAYA. Who will prevail?

Also, we will hear from 5SSW VP Kaiya Kuwahara about how the 5SSW World title will be defended at the conclusion of the Wrestle Challenge tour!

---

PREDICTION KEY:

Ursula Saez vs. local competitor

Kaori Takenouchi / Mio Takasu vs. Unstoppable Tai / Toku Kijmuta

Zofia Jankovic vs. Yukiko Matsumara

Paige Croft / Yu Hashimoto / Maki Yoshifumi vs. Erin Marcelin / Ava Anderson / Lily Snyder

Alicia Strong vs. Thea Davis

Simony Sentinel / Pinky Perez / Mystery Pink vs. Lady Lotus / Kaede Sugiyama / Kinuye Mushashibo

Romi Yamato / Talia Quinzel / Selina Svelte vs. Shiori Jippensha / Megumi Nakajima / MAYA

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The Puppets Dance (CVerse '20 - 5SSW)

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