Step right up for RESURA ROUNDUP, your monthly dose of top-tier joshi wrestling. From gritty slugfest to electric sprints, we’ve got match recs that’ll stick with you long after the bell.
Our writers bring you a lineup that blends the buzzworthy with the overlooked. Big stage blockbusters? Check. Intimate indie bangers? You bet.
Let’s get started.
Shoko Nakajima vs Kaya Toribami, TJPW – Spring Tour 2025 In Shinagawa Vol. 1 (June 7)
When this match was announced, I hoped it would be good. However, I didn’t expect to be at the edge of my seat.
Kaya Toribami had an impressive win last month and challenged Shoko Nakajima for her MLW Women’s title in her first ever championship match, and it was clear that The Bird went out there determined to have the match of her life, and The Big Kaiju was the perfect opponent to do so. Both women showcased their abilities, with Shoko serving as the skilled veteran and Kaya as the fierce up-and-comer. False finishes only added drama in the final moments of the match where Kaya fought all she could before Shoko hit the Northern Light Suplex to end the bout.
Kaya may have been unsuccessful in her four year anniversary, but after this display, let’s hope she gets many opportunities in the future.
Recommended by: Fernando
Sareee vs. Ranna Yagami, STARDOM – STARDOM in Korakuen (June 8)
There’s nothing like the bloodlust that fills Sareee’s soul when she faces off against a young talent.
This has all the usual ass-kicking from the Sun God that you’d expect, but it also features Ranna hitting back hard. This was a shot for Yagami to make a statement going up against the best wrestler in the world, and boy did she ever. From moment one, she looks intent on making her mark on this show and on Sareee’s flesh.
A sprint that should absolutely be on your watchlist from June.
Recommended by: Ryan
Mika Iwata & Miyuki Takase vs Yurika Oka & Unagi Sayaka, Sendai Girls (June 8)
Sometimes, two wrestlers are meant to fight for eternity, mainly because Yurika Oka is willing to go to the end of the world in order to annoy Mika Iwata.
With Mio Momono still out of action, the Banana Girl needed a partner to challenge Red Energy for the Sendai Girls Tag Team title, so Unagi Sayaka stepped up and the bout main evented the June 8th Shinjuku FACE show. In a weird way, Unagi and Miyuki mainly served as minor characters to the story Iwata and Oka were telling. These girls were having a mini match inside this tag team title bout à la Shawn Michaels vs The Undertaker at the 2007 Royal Rumble. Endless false finishes, each more dramatic than the last, kept the crowd at the edge of their seat. It was only until Mika drove Yurika’s head to the mat that she was able to pick up the win and retain the titles.
Red Energy looked like the dominant champions that they are, but one can’t help but wonder if Bob Bob Momo Banana will be the ones to beat them once Mio comes back.
Recommended by: Fernando
Sareee & Takumi Iroha vs. Senka Akatsuki & Sora Ayame, Marvelous – Marvelous (June 27)
I LOVED this match. I went in with high expectations considering the talent involved, and everyone in the bout helped exceed those big time.
Sareee and Iroha thrive on beating the snot out of rookies. Senka and Sora thrive as fiery underdogs. What a magical combination when you put those two squads together.
It was a very physical bout that had momentum from start to finish. This AAAW Tag Team Championship contest had a lot of moments that deserved to be savored/replayed: Senka refusing to get off the pin attempt, Sora twice nearly pulling off the upset, Sareee hitting Senka so hard the ref nearly collapsed.
Run this back in a year, Marvelous.
Recommended by: Ryan
Suzume & Arisu Endo vs Mahiro Kiryu & Gabai Ji-chan, TJPW – Inspiration #9 (June 28)
Yes, this event featured Mizuki and Miu Watanabe vs. Haru Kazashiro and Uta Takami, and it was great. Then there was that other tag team match with Miyuki Takase and Tae Honma facing Kaya Toribami and Yoshiko Hasegawa. However, let’s talk about the other tag team match on the card instead.
The last time Gabai Ji-chan appeared at TJPW was at Inspiration #6 (more than two years ago), against Mahiro Kiryu; now the two of them had a big challenge in front of them in the form of the former Princess Tag Team champions Daisy Monkey.
The duo of Suzume and Arisu Endo were the big favorites… until they realized they had to beat up a senior citizen, which is why they were booed every time they were on the offense.
For a brief period of time, all Gabai could do was hit his opponents with his cane, but Daisy Monkey was able to regain control, which earned them another round of boos,enraging Suzume to the point she told the crowd to shut up, making Gabai Ji-chan the biggest babyface ever. The old man surprised everyone when he pulled some high speed maneuvers out of nowhere…until his back gave up. At one point, he countered a Ring a Bell by hitting an Electric Chair on Suzume and threw his cane to The Bee, aging her 100 years instantly. Lucky for her, Arisu helped her partner by taking the cane and throwing it away (hitting a fan in the process).
In the end, the International champion finally hit her finisher on Mahiro to win the match.
A cheesy, well-executed comedy match where everyone played their part perfectly.
Recommended by: Fernando
Vert Vixen vs. Miyu Yamashita vs. Airica Demia, SPARK Joshi – Ignite Texas (June 29)
Yamashita and Demia both vied for the SPARK Joshi Pacific Championship in Baytown, Texas.
This is an action-packed slugfest where all three wrestlers got to shine. The bout gives you a number of creative spots that use the three-way gimmick in fun ways, Yamashita’s signature kicks aplenty, and good chemistry all around.
The pacing and intensity helped make this the match of the night at SPARK Joshi’s Texas debut.
Vixen always seems to be at her best when she’s battling a joshi wrestler. She has done some short-term stints for TJPW, but it’d be great to see her get a lengthy run there or somewhere else on the joshi scene. Sendai Girls, you down?
Recommended by: Ryan
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