Of course we got some thrilling joshi action from WrestleMania week. It’s now tradition that the women from Japan make a big impact abroad during this stretch. It’s JoshiMANIA, ba-baby!
But we also got great joshi wrestling from all kinds of sources this past month. From SEAdLINNNG’s best show of the year. From Tokyo Joshi Pro-Wrestling’s trip to Vancouver. From an event held outdoors amid the beauty of cherry blossoms.
It was a month of big stars doing big things (*tips his hats to Miyu Yamashita*), as well as rising stars like YUNA shining, and gaijin like Angel Hayze adding depth to the scene. Read on for a look at our writers’ collection of April match recommendation from STARDOM, Marigold, and beyond.
HANAKO vs. Aya Sakura, Stardom (April 4)
I get that people get excited for epic storylines culminating in big events, I do too, that’s why we like wrestling after all. However, sometimes you just want to see two people wanting to prove who is the best.
HANAKO and Aya Sakura fought face off with the only goal of beating the other, and it feels so fresh when two stars at, arguably, the same level fight with nothing to lose and a lot to gain. They performed with so much liberty, like a pitcher who just lost a perfect game in the seventh inning knowing he can relax now. HANAKO’s power and Aya’s striking gave us a fun match that saw the giant getting the win.
With all the drama and seriousness that Stardom gives us sometimes, it’s good to know that they can also deliver good wrestling just for the fun of it.
Recommended by: Fernando
Miyuki Takase & Utami Hayashishita & Takumi Iroha vs. Mio Momono & Mika Iwata & Mayu Iwatani, Pro Wrestling NOAH – Monday Magic (April 9)
If you like dropkicks that pop people in the mouth, I have a treat for you. A fast pace, hard hits, and a star-studded set of trios made for a show-stealer in the middle of the Monday Magic card.
Every woman was clearly having fun out there and it showed. Mio Momono was being her explosive self; Mayu was being effortlessly great. Iwata and Utami had strong chemistry every time they faced off here. Takase had her boots doing some big damage.
If you’re not checking out NOAH’s Monday shows where the cards are all surprises, you might want to reconsider. Bangers like these are commonplace on the show.
Recommended by: Ryan
Haru Kazashiro, Shoko Nakajima & Yuki Aino vs, Aja Kong, Mifu Ashida & Mizuki, Ryuichi Sekine Produce Gaisen Sakura (April 11)
Just the landscape around this match makes it worth watching.
In what, thankfully, has become a tradition, Joshi wrestling becomes even more beautiful when Sakura flowers blossom and make this match look like a painting. Taking place at the Shinjo village, at the Okayama prefecture, BASARA’s Ryuichi Sekine produce show featured three TJPW matches, including this six-women tag team, where Yuki Aino (an Okayaman herself) picked up the win for her team.
Everyone performed their as well as always, but those cherry blossoms made this encounter a thing of beauty.
Recommended by: Fernando
YUNA vs. Miku Kanae, Sendai Girls (April 12)
Sure, we can talk about FWC vs. Red Energy, Chihiro Hashimoto vs. Syuri or the tag team title match main event, but I’d like to highlight the opening match of this Korakuen Hall show.
Miku is gaining a lot of experience, wrestling lots of matches for different promotions and independent shows, and her underdog spirit shines every time. YUNA is on the rise, but she needs to do what Miku is doing to grow as a performer, to learn different styles, while representing her home promotion.
YUNA got the win here, and once again proved she is ready for bigger things.
Recommended by: Fernando
Miyu Yamashita vs. Nicole Matthews, TJPW – TJPW in Vancouver Day 2 (April 18)
The rubber match. Matthews defeated Yamashita in Vancouver two years ago before Miyu bounced back with a win DEADLOCK Pro event in New Jersey. Here, they could settle who was best with one more collision. The simplest type of wrestling storytelling.
Yamashita and Matthews were evenly matched here, locked in a tense struggle that mixed slugfest action with forceful mat wrestling. We got a bit of fighting in the crowd and some palpable animosity between the ropes.
This will be too slow-paced for some fans, but the grinding nature of it worked for me. I believed in these women’s dislike of each other and was caught up in their battle to do decide the superior wrestler of the two.
Highlight of the short Vancouver tour in my mind.
Recommended by: Ryan
Miyu Yamashita vs. Miu Watanabe vs. Mizuki, TJPW – TJPW Live in Las Vegas 2026 (April 16)
I mean, these three could go out there and have a good match with each other with their eyes closed.
For the second year, and as part of a big North American tour, TJPW visited Sin City, and they certainly didn’t hold anything back when booking this triple threat match with, arguably, the best three wrestlers in the promotion. Miyu, Miu, and Mizuki know each other perfectly and delivered big time, getting over with the Vegas crowd. Miyu took a chance and hit the Crash Rabbit Heat to pin Mizuki and get the win.
Western fans are noticing TJPW more and more, and they continue to prove why they are right in doing so.
Recommended by: Fernando
Syuri vs. Miria Kouga, SEAdLINNNG – Jump Up! 2026 (April 17)
Standout match on a really good SEAdLINNG show. Some people will prefer the grimy, chaotic tag team title bout, but this one hit me harder.
Syuri and Kouga battle on the mat for much of it early on. It’s technical wrestling with purpose and urgency. The two serve as mirror images of each other—hard-nosed, vicious kickers, crisp technicians.
There’s a clear story of Kouga trying to prove herself to someone she looks up to, the student trying to take down the master. You can feel how much this means to her. But Syuri’s ferocity will make it hard as hell for Kouga to get that happy ending she’s looking for.
Recommended by: Ryan
Seri Yamaoka vs. Angel Hayze, Marigold – Spring Victory Series, Day 14 (April 25)
Opinions are split on the quality of Marigold’s Korakuen Hall show, but as someone who was in the crowd: it was a solid event. The undercard chugged along very nicely, with Chika Goto vs. Kouki Amarei standing out. And the main event was stellar, but could have done with five minutes less.
Those five minutes should have been added to the already pretty excellent semi-main event of Seri Yamaoka challenging for Angel Hayze’s British Empire Wrestling Women’s title. The two women went hard for almost 12 minutes in an excellent battle that showcased why so many British promotions have put belts on former NXT prospect Hayze as well as the unlimited potential of Seri Yamaoka.
Seri is an excellent prospect and will definitely be the future of the company. Her winning her first singles championship is a huge milestone. And the match itself is a testament to how good Yamaoka already is after just one year in the business and how good she will be in the future.
Recommended by: Dave
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