By: Jeff Brown

Photos courtesy of Actwres girl’Z

Korakuen Hall

Korakuen Hall, as always, is a special time in AWG; it’s where big matches are fought, Princess Tenko puts on a concert, rookies make their debuts, and roster members like Sakura Mizushima and Marino Saihara try to reach the greatest heights in AWG by winning championships. The company spent the better part of a year rebuilding and has patiently put new pieces on the board, with this show being an opportunity to show what exactly this new era is capable of.

Here are some impressions from the show and some background information on various roster members. To see this and more, go to AWG Nets, which you can subscribe to here for roughly 1,000 yen a month, or you can opt for the YouTube membership. 

Haruka Ishikawa & Kyoka Iwai vs. Anri & Erisa Nagai

Anri and Erisa have been rejuvenating additions to the roster this last year. Anri has been in main events and proved she belonged when she challenged for the AWG title in her tenth match. Erisa adds new and exciting moves to every match and is a ball of energy the moment she walks out.

Kyoka got busted open after Anri hit 100,000 volts. Kyoka hit an Olympic Slam to pin Anri–good solid action to open the show.

ACT & Rio vs. Asako Mia & Chii Aoba

Rio has been somebody helping behind the scenes with SNS (producing TikTok videos) and is at the arenas helping as a staff member. She has worked in stage and television production and script writing, so her video skills have come in handy at AWG. That all changed as she made her in-ring debut, tagging with ACT against Asako and Aoba.

With a distinct size advantage over most of the roster, Rio was quick to utilize power moves and be a bulldozer between the ropes.

In her post-match comments, courtesy of Battle News, Rio said she came to AWG to change her life and found the training to be hard even with 14 years of basketball training. She hopes to one day write a script and have a stage production about pro wrestling (with a ring on stage), so she definitely joined the right promotion for that dream. 

Rio got the win with an Attitude Adjustment variant on Asako. Since Asako and Chii lost, ACT announced they were disqualified or eliminated from the Act Games (a tag tournament of sorts to determine the tag champions).

Yui Tensho vs. Yukina Uehara

Uehara is a super rookie, but Yui is someone who came into AWG with a lot of momentum herself, so it wasn’t going to be a walk in the park for Uehara. Good back-and-forth, but Uehara hits a Jackhammer to pin Yui. Yui did kick out at about 3.2 and, in typical Yui fashion, was very animated while arguing that she didn’t lose. 

Selling a loss helps make winning meaningful, and it’s slightly ironic that a company that presents itself as a show has a roster that treats each win as sacred, and wins/losses probably have more importance here than in a traditional joshi company. 8-12 months from now these two could be even more important pieces for AWG, and a rematch would be special. Important enough to be the free YouTube match choice:

Nanami Togi & Toiro Hina vs. Hinata Senya & MARU

Togi has strong ties to MARU even though they are seemingly on opposing sides in the ongoing war started by the Actress Killer’Z. Togi has shown signs of being a heel while tagging with MARU, so the jury is still out on her allegiance. What is known is that Togi has a really unique and cool entrance as she plays her bass guitar in the ring. It’s another way the company showcases the many talents the roster has and further highlights the massive creativity just waiting to be discovered by new fans.

While a tag match, this was mostly about the continuing battle between Togi and her mentor, MARU. After repeated comebacks, Togi got trapped in the Stretch Muffler as MARU got the tap-out victory. Long-term emotional feuds are MARU’s specialty in this company, and this is another chapter from the masterful storyteller. 

Ayano Irie, Nene Arahata & Yufa vs. Nagisa Shiotsuki, Naru & Riko Fukunaga

Yufa is a beloved member of the roster and was someone that helped keep the company together in the last year. She was a nurse prior to joining AWG, and it’s fitting that she was an important part of the roster’s healing process. Brightly colored ring outfits and a selfie stick turned into mischievous use of the pico pico hammer and laughter at her chosen victims when she joined the Actwres Killer’Z. She is one of a kind and will be missed.

The match was more a celebration and send off for Yufa, and that was the right decision. Nagisa, after a butterfly suplex, pinned Yufa, and then she had her chance to say goodbye to everyone post-match.

Mari vs. Sakura Mizushima – AWG KING Of Ring Entertainment Title Match

Mizushima was a breakout of the 2022 rebranding as AWG transformed into Action Entertainment. She quickly had people talking that she was rookie of the year for 2022, and with only a few matches under her belt, she pinned ACT, cementing those thoughts. She is part of the Genki Sentai Actress 5, which fits with her love of Toukatsu, especially Super Sentai or Power Rangers, as it’s known here in the West, and Ultra Man (which inspired the old Update+ pose). 

Mari is a legitimate ninja who has been the heart of AWG for years, one of the most important members in AWG. She wears many hats in the ring and behind the scenes, and her King title run was one of the best in wrestling or entertainment. As their previous match to crown the inaugural champion was a war, this felt like another chapter in their rivalry. 

Mari hit Mizushima with everything, but she refused to quit and kept getting back up. As Mari went for the surefire finish with the Crucifix Bomb, Mizushima countered and landed a flash pin to win her first title.

Mizushima has come so far in three years. An undersized babyface who received guidance from Wild Bunny before her debut to use her unique flexibility to her advantage, she was shown the Muta Lock, which looks inhuman when performed by the former gymnast. She became a fast-moving rookie that was full of flashy counter moves, which made her a fan favorite. Those early wins against Act/Wild Bunny did so much to elevate her and showed a confidence in her ability that is rarely shown in wrestling.

Legends do not often lose, but Act knows when the right time to strike is, as she has seen it all, and AWG is the absolute best in wrestling or otherwise at getting new talent up and running. Her being in Actress 5 has given her a chance to feel like a main eventer, and she hasn’t even shown the world the best version of Sakura Mizushima. 

Natsuki vs. Marino Saihara – AWG Title Match

Natsuki shined in the second half of 2025 whilst carrying the company on her back. She stepped up when the company needed her and had a grand title run. She is technically part of the new era, but her debut did take place in the old system as a pro wrestler, and her ARG run goes back to 2020. Regardless, she is in the upper echelon of in-ring performers in 2025. 

If Mari is the heart, then Marino has become the soul of AWG, in much the same way Tae Honma was during the old system. It’s fitting, as both have portrayed Shinobu Hagakure in ARG and have similar styles with an emphasis on submissions. Another less obvious similarity is that Marino and Tae both suffered leg injuries early in their runs (Tae in 2015 and Marino in 2024) and tried to power through the match; both were undeterred and returned stronger than before.

Lots of wicked kicks from both, with Natsuki landing many kicks to the head and face. Marino is really using her martial arts training and putting together a style of match that is technical but also heavy on emotions. They fought all over Korakuen, and in the final stretch, Marino blasted Natsuki in the face and hit her with a bridging German suplex to become the new AWG Champion. 

Both Marino and Mizushima posed in the ring to close out the show. If Natsuki beating ACT last year signaled a new era, this show was a hard underlining of that point. For fans unfamiliar with the company or who perhaps stepped away for a while, this is the time to sign up and see the buzz that is starting to grow again from the Actrwes girl’Z roster.

The 2024-2025 rookie class is hitting the ground running, and their early matches are on par or better than the 2022 class or even the inaugural 2015 roster. Like those previous eras, the characters are strong and well defined on day one, with each member having a legitimate claim at being a future star. Marino and Mizushima winning felt right and necessary, as the image of both holding belts defines the newest chapter in AWG.

Shinkiba 1st Ring

AWG was at Shinkiba 1st Ring as they followed up a big Korakuen Hall show; new challenges await the champions, and the young roster continues to grow with each outing. Here are impressions from the most recent Actwrestling event.

Nene Arahata vs. Nanami Togi

Good showing for both, Nene is a “just too cool for you” heel with a great sneer. A quick match that saw Nene pretty much dominate and get the win. Togi’s struggles continue, and it will be interesting to see how she handles the frustration of loss, as there are many paths she can choose.

Act & Ayano Irie vs. Erisa Nagai & Toiro Hina

Hina is closing in on double digits for matches, and she fit right in when debuting in a tag with a returning Momo Tani. As fans get to know her and her life story, the single mother will no doubt become an inspiration to fans worldwide. 

ACT and Ayano are two veterans and are a well-oiled machine as they reignited their old BE∀STZ REBELLION team. Ayano hit her Olympic Slam to get the victory and remind everyone that she is a threat.

Riko Fukunaga vs. Yukina Uehara

Shoot-style greatness and highly recommended. It was understandably chosen as a free match offering on the AWG Youtube Channel so click on it and see for yourself.

As Riko becomes less timid with her kicks, her star shines brighter; Uehara already has a nice move set and never buckles under the pressure of being a super rookie. This is actually back-to -back AWG shows to feature her match as the YouTube offering which shows how big of a deal she has already become.

Riko gets a mean STF, but Uehara, not wanting to quit, is starting to go unconscious, so Atsushi Ishiguro calls for the bell. Utilizing a ref stoppage is a wonderful tactic; if you watch combat sports, it’s not uncommon for a ref to call off a fight with controversy as a fighter argues that they could have continued. It makes Riko look like a threat; Uehara can have a chip on her shoulder and seek a rematch.

Now the audience is being trained that even if the wrestler isn’t ready to tap, the referee may make a judgment call and end it. Submissions or a series of unanswered strikes can carry more drama after this match outcome.

Mari & Maru vs. Nagisa Shiotsuki & Natsuki

Fantastic tag match and a great way for Natsuki to follow up the Korakuen Hall main event title match. With the Act Games underway, Nagisa could really benefit from a sustained run with Natsuki as Midsummer Sea Breeze. The duo are a classic babyface team high-fiving the crowd during their entrance in the manner of 1980s tag teams like Strike Force (tropical shirts in lieu of shiny jackets).

Oftentimes a former champion can seem rudderless when their reign ends, but this could keep Natsuki moving forward in 2025. After a series of pin attempts and tandem moves, MARU hit the double foot stomp on Natsuki to get the pinfall victory. These two teams should have a rematch in the future with belts on the line.

Marino Saihara & Sakura Mizushima vs. Ninja Girl URAN  & The Great Asako

A fun match featuring the two new champions as they enter the chaotic world of The Great Asako. Marino and Mizushima both shined and felt like main eventers. Ninja Girl URAN was a cool way for Naru to lean into her ARG moves as she helped Asako get the upset win on Marino.

Given that Asako is unpredictable and her previous AWG title challenge was so good, it makes for an exciting first defense for Marino. Having a champion lose in a tag match is quite common, and Asako winning is a very Asako-style outcome. Follow-up is always very important, so the next few shows will be interesting as Mizushima and Marino now have targets on their backs and the tag division is gaining a purpose with title belts on the horizon.

New fans should be going to AWG on X for the newest information about upcoming shows and more.