Posted March 8, 201510 yr comment_5657555 A couple notes about this match. First, it's a High Speed Title match, which is usually work more like an MPro or DG style match than a usual joshi one. Second, the ref is wearing a GoPro camera strapped to his head, while this looks goofy it actually catches some good shots. For the match itself, it starts out as your typical vet/rookie match with Io controlling things. Koguma does manage to get control with a pretty awesome chain of spots. She gets knocked out to the floor and Shirai tries to follow up with a moonsault to the floor but Koguma grabs her ankle and yanks her down with Io smacking her head on the floor. She then follows that up with a tornado DDT off the apron and a plancha. After that, the match stays fairly competitive while still keeping the experience dynamic. Even when Koguma pulls off the upset it feels like she legitimately earned it rather than it coming of as a fluke win. Definitely a MOTYC that people should check out. ****1/2
May 20, 20169 yr comment_5753779 This is a tricky match for Shirai to pull off, as Koguma is so comparatively young and inexperienced. But pull it off she does. Shirai convincingly makes Koguma look like a credible opponent whilst never undermining her own position as a top star in the company. While I didn't personally think it was quite at the MOTYC level, it was a fantastic and giving performance by Shirai to make Koguma look like a star, and Koguma certainly carried her end of the bargain despite her tender age. Too bad she seems to have disappeared--she had potential!
May 22, 20169 yr Author comment_5753988 The official line is that she initially left due to a "family emergency" and was suppose to come back after a month or so but never did so they ended up firing her. I think her parents freaked out over the Yoshiko/Act Yasukawa shoot incident on this same show and talked her out of being in wrestling.
May 22, 20169 yr comment_5754009 That seems like as good a guess as any. Such a shame. Her continued presence would have added some much-needed depth to the roster. It's too bad that Yoshiko's departure didn't assuage their concerns.
April 16, 20178 yr comment_5797226 Io controls Koguma in early portions of the match due to her experience edge - Koguma focuses on every opening she gets & tries to put Io away as quick as possible by throwing big bombs at her w/ a wonderful sense of urgency. Fantastic match. ****1/2
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