By: Jeff Brown

Photos: Masahiro Kubota

Marigold finished off a run of shows at Korakuen Hall for New Year’s Golden Garden. The TwinStar Tag champs were tested for their first title defense, Mai Sakura took on her old tag partner Chanyota for the UN title and the new unit Darkness Revolution wanted to make their mark in the company with a newly converted Misa Matsui at the center. MIRAI and Bozilla battled it out to decide the number contender for the Marigold world title. Nao Ishikawa delved into comedy with Megaton while the younger members showed off their progress.

Here are some impressions from the media table at Korakuen Hall.

Rea Seto & Riara vs. Minami Yuuki & Ryoko Sakimura

Seto and Riara are a good team that has cool energy, and they both have huge personas that help them stand out early in their careers. Riara gets a Paradise Lock and involves the crowd while also focusing on the fundamentals in her matches, she’s piecing together a match style that will take her far.

Erina from Best Body Japan addressed the audience and said she will be participating in Marigold. She had previously worked with many of the Marigold roster in AWG, so this makes sense. She has a great presence and an unreal jump kick. 

Megaton vs. Nao Ishikawa (Gigaton)

Pure comedy and a perfect addition to the show. Megaton was in an orange jumpsuit with a ball and chain. Ishikawa was dressed similarly to Gigaton with almost Gene Simmons face paint and mannerisms. Ishikawa is quite good at cosplaying her opponents. There was a lot of growling, appealing to the crowd, wild hair, face paint, and convict outfits. A Mongolian chop battle before Ishiikawa knocked out the referee with the ball and chain.

Megaton hits a splash on the ropes and gets a visual pin. While she revived the referee, Gigaton got a roll-up and won the match.

Chika Goto, Miku Aono & Natsumi Showzuki vs. CHIAKI, Misa Matsui & Nagisa Nozaki (Darkness Revolution)

Misa has new gear (including a little hat) and a massive chip on her shoulder now that she is a member of the Darkness Revolution. Natsumi also had new gear that included fur, a tail, and vivid contact lenses.

Tommy was the referee for this match. While Misa and Natsumi stared each other down to start, everyone quickly joined in, and the fight went to the floor while Darkness Revolution isolated Natsumi. Miku gets the tag and cleans house, as her way of telling everyone she is still a top player after losing the UN Title. Misa gets beaten up all over the place but fights back dirty by using a chair on Goto and then hitting a running knee to pin her.

This was about establishing the new version of Misa and Darkness Revolution gaining momentum as a new faction. 

MIRAI vs. Bozilla – Marigold World Title #1 Contendership Match

A test of strength and a slower pace as Bozilla dominates. MIRAI gets the advantage, and the action spills out of the ring. MIRAI slams Bozilla into the East sign. After fighting back, Bozilla carries MIRAI and slams her into the West sign.

That was the story of the entire match, it was a continuous back and forth as neither would quit. For example, MIRAI hit a backdrop off the top, and Bozilla appeared to be in trouble, but she got an armbar, and MIRAI quickly answered back with an armbar of her own. Bozilla tried to put MIRAI through the mat with a monstrous powerbomb for the three count.

The final stretch of this match really got cooking; MIRAI is so good at these evenly paced feuds like she had with Miku last year. Bozilla got the final blow and is the new number one contender. 

Mai Sakurai vs. Chanyota – Marigold United National Title Match

Much like the previous match, this had a deliberate pace with chain wrestling and a feeling-out process. When Mai got the best of her, Chanyota fired back by using her strength advantage. They quickly shifted gears and were going for big moves minutes into the match.

Even though they have tagged in the past, they weren’t playing nice and had a nasty forearm exchange. Chanyota went for the crossface, but Mai countered into the STF. The fierceness continued with repeated open hand slaps, the crossface gets applied and Chanyota lands the Jackhammer. Mai was kicked out of a dramatic nearfall as the crowd believed a title change was imminent. Mai hits the Glorious Driver and once again locks in the STF to tap out Chanyota and retain the UN Title.

A very good match, and Mai, much like Giulia, is great at personal rivalries with little callbacks and spots. 

Nanae Takahashi & Seri Yamaoka vs. Utami Hayashishita & Victoria Yuzuki – Marigold Twin Star Title Match

Seri faced off against Yuzuki; these two young champions are likely going to play big parts in Marigold’s future. Seri plays to her strengths with amateur-based offense. Utami and Nanae knocked each other around with huge strikes; Utami and Yuzuki worked well together. Yuzuki dove to the floor and back in the ring; a dropkick into a German suplex further cemented the chemistry of the challengers. Exhaustion was setting with Yuzuki and Seri which is to be expected, one big German suplex into a clutch pin and Seri pinned Yuzuki to retain the Twin Star Titles.

A fantastic main event with all four really looking strong.

After the match, the roster of Marvelous was in the balcony and taunted Nanae with chants of “passion!”. Bozilla came out and got in Utami’s face as the next challenger to her Red Belt. The show really delivered in the main event; Seri, for such little experience, is living up to the billing as a super rookie. Nanane and Utami can always be counted on, while Yuzuki is making big moves with a hunger to make it to the top of the card. Darkness Revolution got kickstarted with a victory; Bozilla and MIRAI had a heated war; there was some nice comedy, and a lot of pieces were being placed on the board for 2025. Recommend show all around.