It is an oft-told tale in the ring. A scrappy-but-overmatched wrestler faces a foe they can’t possibly defeat, but they do so with great fervor until they can no longer lift their limbs. And that is why we watch to see that struggle play out, to witness that heart on display.

In this version of that story, CatMASK Calico is that wrestler.

Calico is a quick and agile member of the Actwres girl’Z roster. The fun, happy-go-lucky prospect wears a cat mask with large, bright pink ears. She’s wiry and not exactly physically imposing.

The Teppen faction member is essentially still a rookie, having debuted at the end of 2022 but with only two matches on her resume that year. To this point, Calico has two wins to her name, per CageMatch.net.

We’re talking big time underdog here. Particularly considering the challenge that faced her on AWG’s Teppen Produce Show on January 19.

Calico would have to face three women on the same night in succession: Natsuki, Kanamic and Mari.

This was a daunting gauntlet especially with the powerful Mari waiting at the backend. It felt like some punishment handed down by the gods. An impossible assignment.

That setup itself created some intrigue. And Calico would go on to wring all manner of drama from it.

The masked wrestler’s first opponent at Shin-Kiba 1st RING that night was Natsuki.

Natsuki is one of the better wrestlers in AWG, a promising member of the faction, The Royal. She’s a hard kicker with a radiant smile who wrestles in orange and white gear.

While Natsuki has only been wrestling for just as long as CatMASK, she’s clearly higher on the AWG hierarchy. Compare her 19 wins in 2023 to Calico’s 1 to drive that point home.

Once the bell rang, though, things looked pretty even at first. Calico was able to use her quickness to evade her opponent. She did a backbend to dodge Natsuki; she cartwheeled out of a hold.

Calico was smooth and graceful, and things looked promising. Temporarily.

Then the kicks came. Natsuki nailed her with boots to the chest and thigh kicks that brought Calico to her knees. This was always Natsuki’s match; Calico was only delaying the inevitable.

A kick to the head and a slam and it was all done. In just over five minutes.

The climb would only grow more steep from here. The underdog now faced her second opponent with her body still aching from the first showdown. When the bell rang for match two, Calico was still seated, leaning on the bottom turnbuckle, looking dazed and distraught.

Kanamic, meanwhile, was fresh legged and ready to throw down.

Kanamic, of the Update Plus crew, is a fiery blonde who wears a pink shirt and black stockings. Her look is more anime cosplay than fearsome warrior, but don’t be fooled by her aesthetic. Kanamic kicks ass, as we saw early in this match.

Every burst of offense Calico offered was met by a stronger counterpunch. The cat slapped at Kanamic’s face; the response was an avalanche of forearms.

Still, this was the least mismatched of the three bouts.

Calico was able to use her swift kicks to great effect. She flew at her foe. She was impassioned and compelling.

Kanamic just had the edge.  

A senton from the top rope left Calico unable to kick out, instead barely nudging her shoulders off the mat. Soon, the two combatants went back and forth trying to roll the other one up for a flash pin until Kanamic eventually jackknifed Calico for a three-count.

You don’t want to be out of breath heading into a battle with Mari. You don’t want to be sore and worn-down before Mari’s first attack. You don’t want to be devoid of momentum, walking in with an 0 for 2, when Mari is standing on the opposite side of the ring.

But that was Calico’s fate, weakened and humbled before having to face one of AWG’s best.

Mari, who closed out 2023 by winning the AWG Championship, is an ass kicker on a roster filled with colorful, fun-loving characters. She’s an ice-cold warrior with kicks that overwhelm, that batter flesh. While Calico is still looking for a victory total she can’t count on one hand, Mari is approaching 100 wins with AWG.

Only the boldest of gamblers would put money on Calico at this point.

There’s a different energy to this match immediately. Mari wants to crush her opponent. She sprints into the ring with cruel intentions, seemingly giddy about the violence that she is about to dole out. Mari crack Calico’s head on the security rail. She flings her onto a row of chairs.

Calico has no hope.

She’s barely able to roll over. Mari, meanwhile, is spry, strong, reigning supreme. Calico hits back with flaccid forearms. The AWG champ toys with the underdog, ironically enough, like a cat playing with a half-dead mouse.

The fury Mari unleashes is plenty entertaining, but it’s Calico valiance that is the core of this story. She thrives as the never-say-die protagonist. She’s believable when she is suffering and magnetic when she tries to come back.

At one point, Calico stands up to fight and rips off the legs of her pants. She’s a roaring animal forced in a corner. She’s the knight holding tight to her sword knowing full well that dragon is going to devour her.

Mari is too strong. Too much of a beast.

She kicks with relentless force. In agonizing fashion, she cranks Calico’s limbs. She knocks down the plucky masked hero and gets the expected win.

Calico has to settle for the moral victory of never giving up, of winning the crowd over.

With this performance, Calico changed my perception of her immediately. She’d always seemed like another kooky part of the circus. But here, I believed in her, rooted for her, felt her struggle as if it were my own.

That is the mark of a remarkable babyface, to be able to reach into the audience’s chest and alter the workings of their hearts.

Actwres girl’Z says it is not a wrestling company and their performers aren’t wrestlers, but actors. Bullshit. Be semantic as you want about your own company verbiage, but this was wrestling 101, underdog versus favorite, the journey of a warrior whose will is strong and unyielding.

Combine this series of matches with Miku Aono’s entertaining title reign last year, and all the quality shows AWG has put out already in 2024, it’s getting clearer that you cannot dismiss this company.

Never mind how little experience some of these women have. Never mind how much comedy and dancing they do. Under all that window dressing lies moving stories like this one.

Give me more of Calico’s grit. Give more beatdowns from Mari. Give more retelling of classic stories on the off-off-off Broadway stage that is Actwrest girl’Z.