"Hana Kimura" Pinx (5/23/2023)
Mika Iwata & Mio Momono vs. Aja Kong & Sareee
Sareee brought the heat with hard hits, while Mio Momono showed her resilience and fought fiercely against overpowered opponents. Mika Iwata, the only wrestler here who had a real connection to Hana Kimura as her rival, was great in her own right and added an emotional layer to the match. However, it was disappointing to see Iwata lose and not get the closing microphone. Aja Kong's performance was good, but I couldn't help but feel that the match result was political in nature. This may be a controversial thing to say, but I truly believe Aja Kong embodies why joshi pro-wrestling had collapsed and why it took a promotion that abandoned old traditions to bring it back. She is a way past her prime veteran coasting on name value who refuses to lose to younger wrestlers, even under special circumstances like this. The story would have been much more affecting with Mika Iwata winning and closing the event. Why is an aged out veteran the main character of an event like this? Baffling decision making. Nonetheless, the match itself had its merits, featuring dynamic action from all involved. Sareee, in particular, brought a refreshing energy in her second match since returning to Japan. ***3/4
