by Daniel Johnson
Syuri and Kyoko Kimura vs. Dump Matsumoto and Mima Shimoda
Syuri is a 25 year-old joshi wrestler with over six years of experience. Despite having so much ring time at such a young age she was hanging with some of the best joshi wrestlers the world had to offer when she wrestled at a Wrestling New Classics (WNC) and Universal Woman’s Pro Wrestling REINA (UWWR or REINA) joint show. Taking place on April 27, 2014, the WNC/REINA Tag Team Title Tournament was held for the then vacant REINA World Tag Team Championship. In the show’s opener Syuri teamed with Kyoko Imura to take on Dump Matsumoto and Mima Shimoda.
Syuri was the only performer in this match to not have at least a decade of experience. Yet, she is still a standout in part from having trained with the likes of former WWE star Yoshihiro Tajiri and less known, but capable wrestlers like Hajime Ohara and Akira Shoji. Also, though the four wrestlers in this match can be capable athletes this is not exactly an athletic bout.
Case in point before anything else Matsumoto canes the referee in the backside. Matsumoto then canes Syuri and there is fighting on the outside before getting back to the ring. Syuri attempts to battle back by kicking Matsumoto’s gut, but Matsumoto completely no sells it.
Eventually Syrui dodges a cane shot and kicks the weapon into the crowd making me think of The Karate Kid. Yet, this bout is about as even as Ralph Macchio fighting Predator. Matsumoto soon gets back a cane, but good thing for Kimura and Syuri she feels more inclined to cane the referee than her opponents.
There are some hope spots like Kimura nailing Shimoda with a spinebuster and nearly getting the win, but every time something like this happens Matsumoto just keeps caning the referee. It is a fun, if slightly annoying dynamic to the match.
For the finish Syuri and Kimura get fed up with the referee not having more order and just attack him. Perhaps Syuri has the same kind of moxie outside of the ring, which is why she is currently a duel champion holding the REINA World Women’s Championship and the CMLL World Women’s Championship. At any rate despite being caned a ton by Matsumoto the referee disqualifies Syuri and Kimura instead as Matsumoto and Shimoda advance.
The full match can be seen right here:
WNC is no more since merging with WRESTLE-1. The next WRESTLE-1 show will be WRESTLE-1 Tour 2014 Final on December 22 in Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan. Click here for tickets (site is in Japanese). The next REINA show will be on December 26 in Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan. Click here for more information (site is in Japanese).
For the full results of the WNC/REINA Tag Team Title Tournament click here.
For more in the 25 and Under series featuring some excellent action from Asia click here and here.
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