Maika vs. Tomoka Inaba (JTO, 7/15/2024)

JTO - JTO 5th Anniversay (7/15/2024)

World of Stardom Championship: Maika (c) vs. Tomoka Inaba
The decision to put the title up for grabs in this match was controversial, but I think it addresses a key shortcoming of past joshi pro-wrestling crossovers: the failure to establish new stars. In some recent Stardom crossover matches, younger wrestlers have been given a spotlight, showing that past mistakes were hopefully learned from. Besides, Tomoka Inaba seized this opportunity brilliantly. Maika was pushed to her limits by her former JTO junior, who was a whirlwind of kicks, before mounting a strong comeback. The early shoot boxing and ground wrestling was quite a treat. Great main event. ****