By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
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Tokyo Joshi-Pro Wrestling’s “TJPW Live in Philly”
Streamed on TrillerTV+
April 5, 2024 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at The Auditorium at Penns Landing Caterers
This event is among the dozen events that took place as part of The Collective during WrestleMania weekend. Attendance is 700-800. Dave Prazak and Veda Scott provided commentary. Veda’s passion for women’s wrestling really comes through in her commentary here, and she’s invaluable, as I don’t really know the Japanese-based wrestlers on this show.
1. Arisu Endo and Suzume defeated Yuki and Zara Zakher at 11:06. I have really been impressed with what I’ve seen of Zara and the best way to describe her is to say she is the female version of Shane Taylor; there is just a toughness to her. Endo has short hair and wore light purple. Suzume wore yellow, while Yuki is in red. Zara and Yuki worked over Endo early on, and Zara hit a basement dropkick to her back at 3:30. Endo hit a dropkick that sent Yuki from the corner to the floor, and those two traded forearm strikes on the floor. Yuki hit a second-rope superplex back into the ring on Endo. Zara and Suzume tagged in at 7:30, and Suzume applied a sleeper. Zara fired back with a spinebuster for a nearfall. Suzume hit a top-rope crossbody block for a nearfall. Zara hit a stunner on Suzume at 10:30 and that popped the crowd. They traded rollups, and Suzume got a folding press for the pin. Good opener.
2. Billie Starkz (w/Athena) defeated Hyper Misao at 6:02. This show took place early in the day Friday, before Starkz and Athena both competed on the ROH PPV that evening. Misao’s mask and overall look is like a green-dressed Batgirl; she’s dressed like a superhero. She got on the mic and introduced herself. She has a present for Billie; it’s some sort of ball, but she hit Billie with it to start the match. She hit a crossbody block for a nearfall. Billie has a clear height and size advantage. Misao tied Billie in a pendulum and rammed Billie’s head into the bottom turnbuckle at 2:00.
Billie hit some kicks and a German Suplex for a nearfall. Misao hit a kneestrike to the back as Billie was tied in the ropes and she got a nearfall. Misao put Billie’s rotten rabbit head on her own head! Billie hit a backbreaker over her knee, then a Swanton Bomb for a nearfall at 4:30. Billie set up for her version of One-Winged Angel but Misao rolled through and got a nearfall. Misao got a nearfall, but Athena put Billie’s foot on the ropes. Misao sprayed a cannister into Athena’s eyes! Billie hit a second top-rope Swanton Bomb for the pin. Really action-packed for how short this was.
3. Viva Van and Yuki Kamifuki defeated Raku and Trish Adora at 8:53. Veda said Trish was a last-minute replacement; she didn’t say who was out. Raku carried a pillow (does she think she’s Wendy Chu?) and wore a yellow, traditional outfit. Yuki wore a more modern outfit, glittery, metallic blue top and bottom. I consider Viva a top-five indy female talent in the U.S., and she opened against Raku. However, Raku repeatedly struck Viva over the head with the soft pillow but the crowd treated it like they were chairshots. Funny. She put her opponents to sleep and got a nearfall. Viva tossed the pillow into the crowd at 2:00 and was loudly booed!
Viva and Yuki are the heels and they worked oveer Raku. Trish got the hot tag at 3:30 and hit a running crosbody block on Viva, then a Bubba Bomb for a nearfall. Viva and Trish traded forearm strikes. Viva hit an enzuigiri. Yuki hit a Helluva Kick on Trish Adora for a nearfall at 5:30. Trish tied Yuki in an Octopus, but Yuki reversed it and stretched Trish. Trish hit a Mafia Kick to the chest and they were both down and we got a “This is awesome!” chant. Raku got in and she hit a Sling Blade clothesine, and she applied a front guillotine choke on Yuki. He came off the ropes, but Yuki caught her with a kick. Yuki then hit a Fame-asser legdrop to pin Raku. Fun action.
4. Mizuki and Vertvixen defeated Aja Kong and Pom Harajuku at 10:30. Pom has short, blonde hair and is dressed like a Swiss yodeler. Mizuki wore a white outfit and to me, looks very much like AEW’s Riho in this gear, and she has long brown hair. Massive pop for Kong, who also was a late addition to the show, replacing Max the Impaler. Vertvixen and Pom opened. Aja and Mizuki entered at 1:00 and it goes without saying that Aja has the height and size advantage. Mizuki tied up and tried to push Aja, but Kong didn’t budge. So, Mizuki bit Aja on the arm! Kong missed a buttdrop. Aja threw Pom onto Mizuki at 2:30. Pom hit a shin kick on Mizuki and this has been a lot of comedy.
Vertvixen hit a diving elbow on Pom for a nearfall. Pom hit an airplane spin. Aja got the hot tag and she clotheslined Vert at 5:30, then a Saito Suplex for a nearfall. Vert ducked a spinning back fist. Mizuki came off the top rope but Aja punched her on the way down. Mizuki hit a doublestomp for a nearfall. Pom hit a second-rope missile dropkick on Mizuki. Pom missed a guilltoine legdrop. Mizuki hit a top-rope doublestomp on Pom, as Pom was tied in the ropes, for a nearfall at 9:30. Mizuki hit a top-rope doublestomp on Aja’s stomach. Mizuki hit a “Cutey Special” suplex with a high bridge to pin Pom. Fun with a good amount of comedy.
5. Shoko Nakajima defeated Rhio at 13:23. Again, this is not AEW’s Riho; she is Black and has long purple hair in braids that reach her rear, and she’s much taller than Shoko. An intense lockup and mat reversals early. Rhio hit a swinging uranage for a nearfall at 3:00, showing off her strength advantage, and she kept Shoko on the mat. She hit a backbreaker over her knee for a nearfall. Shoko hit a Frankensteiner at 5:00, and the crowd rallied for her. Shoko hit a slingshot senton for a nearfall, then a dive through the ropes. However, Rhio hit her own dive to the floor. They traded forearm strikes on the floor, but got back in before being counted out at 8:00.
Rhio hit a suplex but Shoko popped up and hit a Northern Lights suplex, and they were both down. Rhio hit a top-rope superplex, and they were both down at 10:00. Rhio set up for a package piledriver, but Rhio escaped and got a jackknife cover for a nearfall. Rhio hit a superkick, then an Angle Slam for a nearfall at 12:00. Shoko hit a missile dropkick to the back, then a 619, then a double-arm DDT. Shoko nailed a top-rope senton splash for the clean pin. “That was a fight!” Veda exclaimed, and I agree.
6. Maki Itoh and Miyu Yamashita defeated Miu Watanabe and Rika Tatsumi at 19:05. With Maki having appeared in AEW and is fairly regular in GCW, I am most familiar with her. Miyu always impresses and she’s clearly in the top-tier. Takumi is in black-and-white, while Watanabe is in pink. Miyu and Watanabe opened, and Watanabe hit a deep armdrag. Itoh and Rika tagged in at 1:30 and they played to the crowd and were having fun until Itoh slapped her in the face! Itoh hit a Kokeshi with some comedy fun mixed in. All four brawled on the floor. Miyu and Rika brawled toward a wall and a stage, far from the ring, while Itoh vs. Watanabe stayed at ringside.
Back in the ring at 8:00, Watanabe and Rika were in charge. Rika applied a Figure Four on Itoh, who reached the ropes at 10:00. Miyu made the hot tag and she hit some roundhouse kicks to Watanabe’s chest and got a nearfall. Watanabe hit a Bulldog Powerslam, then she did a Castagnoli-style Giant Swing on Miyu at 12:00. They brawled back to ringside with Itoh and Miyu in charge. In the ring, Miyu applied a Koji Clutch, but Rika reached the ropes at 15:30. Miyu hit a Death Valley Driver for a nearfall. Miyu accidentally hit a kneestrike on Itoh, and they were all down. Miyu and Rika traded forearm strikes. Itoh leapt off the second rope and hit a DDT on Rika; Miyu then hit a German Suplex on Rika. Miyu then nailed a roundhouse Skull Kick on Rika for the pin.
Final Thoughts: A fun show and I stress the value of having Prazak and Veda Scott on the call, as I’m sure there are many other viewers who are watching the Collective shows that don’t know the Joshi-Pro roster. I’ll go with Rhio-Nakajima for best match, ahead of the main event. Even though it was short, I liked Billie Starkz vs. Hyper Masao for third. If you liked the other Collective events, this one is worthy of viewing. The crowd is large and into this action.
Mizuki actually designed much of Riho’s ring gear as well as her own. They both have the same trainer as well.