Hey this looks familiar. You know between 9-5 work drama, a few personal hiccups and general disinterest, I definitely fell off the wagon here. But things seem to be turning the corner, and we had a decent week of wrestling, with entertaining results.

Now let’s assess May. There was only 2 articles, so we’ve got either Wrestling Dontaku: Will Ospreay vs Shingo Takagi or WrestleMania Backlash: Roman Reigns vs Cesaro. This should be a fun heads up. Maybe…just maybe I’ll allow 2 wildcard entries at the end of the year to make up for my personal setbacks.

Out of the heads up duel, I’m voting for Ospreay vs Shingo since that is currently my top match of the year.

But let’s get started with these June matches!

Quick Top 5:

1. CyberFight Festival: Princess of Princess Title: Miyu Yamashita (c) vs Yuka Sakazaki
   Rating: **** ½
2. Road to Dominion: 6.2.2021: NEVER 6 Man Championships: CHAOS (YOSHI-HASHI, Tomohiro Ishii & Hirooki Goto) (c) vs LIJ (SANADA, Tetsuya Naito & BUSHI)
   Rating: ****
3. CyberFight Festival: KO-D Openweight Championship: Jun Akiyama (c) vs HARASHIMA
   Rating: ****
4. CyberFight Festival: GHC Heavyweight Championship: Keiji Mutoh (c) vs Naomichi Marufuji
   Rating: ****
5. Dragon Gate: King of Gate Finals: Kzy vs Kota Minoura
   Rating: *** ¾
6. Road to Dominion 6.1.2021: IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championship: G.o.D. (c) vs Dangerous Tekkers
   Rating: *** ¾

Honorable Mentions:

• NXT: NXT Tag Team Championship: MSK (c) vs Legado del Fantasma
  Rating: *** ½
• IMPACT: X Division 2 out of 3 Falls: TJP vs Josh Alexander (c)
  Rating: *** ½
• NXT UK: Ilja Dragunov vs Noam Dar
  Rating: *** ½
• WWE Raw: Drew McIntyre vs Kofi Kingston
  Rating: *** ¼

5t. Road to Dominion 6.1.2021: IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championship: G.o.D. (c) vs Dangerous Tekkers

This match signified the return of Miho Abe and Taichi’s first match as he’s on the mend from covid. Thankfully Red Shoes throws out Jado and DOUKI at the beginning, so we get as close to a fair fight as possible.

The Guerrillas really do a lot to sell Taichi’s vulnerability. They throw a ton of moves at them, isolate Taichi at different points and gas out Holy Emperor fairly early. But he really takes on more of his Kawada characteristics when he hits the Dangerous T, Jumping High Kick and generally seems sick of their shit at some point.

Every tandem move that used to earn G.o.D. vicotries was used. Guerilla Warfare, Assisted Powerbomb, Flying Splash & Headbutt, Magic Killer…all for one of the Suzuki-Gun members to kick out. Finally Tama calls for the Super Powerbomb, but it gets stopped. Jado comes back out with Gedo, they look to cheat on behalf of G.o.D. but DOUKI makes a save! It wasn’t pretty, but it was effective enough.

Taichi tries to clean up hitting Zack Mephisto on Loa and then Zack urges Taichi to fight his burning lungs, and they hit Holy Zack Driver on Tama for the victory!

Post-match Taichi is very humble and even Zack takes a step away from his prick persona at times to be humble, while they both seem to really enjoy Miho’s presence. Are we seeing Suzuki-Gun face turns?

Winner: Tekkers via Holy Zack Driver

5t. Dragon Gate: King of Gate Finals: Kzy vs Kota Minoura

King of Gate is Dragon Gate’s G1. Kzy has fought for years just to be the perpetual underdog, but with Shingo leaving a few years ago, Mochizuki freelancing, Yoshino retiring and YAMATO & Doi being on the veteran side of the game, Dragon Gate needs to finally pull the trigger on younger talent.

This was an interesting match that was paced nicely. Both men keep up with the other’s agility and both are adept at submissions. They would both chain a trip or springboard miss into a submission attempt. While Minoura was looking for a Crossface, Kzy kept trying to get in his Spider Twist (a Koji Clutch/Cobra Twist/Shoulder Lock combination).

As the pace quickened it was hard to see where the dust was going to settle. Minoura had a great rolling Head and Leg cradle attempt to counter Kzy, but it wasn’t until Kzy locked in the Spider Twist again that Minoura saw no way out and tapped.

Now can Kzy win the Open the Dream Gate title?

Winner: Kzy via Spider Twist

2t. CyberFight Festival: GHC Heavyweight Championship: Keiji Mutoh (c) vs Naomichi Marufuji

This was easily Mutoh’s best match as GHC champion and it played on a lot. We saw quickness and familiarity since they’re friends, both seemed to really enjoy just trading shots. Mutoh definitely tried to work the submissions early, even locking in a Scorpion Deathlock (Riki Choshu special) and then he drops the feet to fake the Muta Lock, but he just leans back into more of an awkward Indian Deathlock.

Both men blocked signatures and finishers left and right, then Muta played around in the sequence that beat Shiozaki, just in a different order. Three Shining Wizards, a double clutch Emerald Flowsion, but Marufuji kicked out. Mutoh hits the backbreaker and climbs the ropes. The move he couldn’t pull off at Budokan, HE HITS THE MOONSAULT! I’m nearly positive that’s his first one since the knee surgery.

But Marufuji writhes and Mutoh can’t make the cover as he hurt himself, favoring his surgically repaired knees. Marufuji takes advantage and the kicks fly. Five Hole, Hook Kick, Round Kick, Hook Kick, True Tiger King, but Mutoh kicks out. KO-OH, but Mutoh refuses to go down. So Marufuji pulls out the KO-Zero, and we have a new champion!

The Genius of NOAH is back on top!

Winner: Marufuji via KO-Zero

2t. CyberFight Festival: KO-D Openweight Championship: Jun Akiyama (c) vs HARASHIMA

DDT’s main event has a beloved protégé of the Pillars as the defending champion and someone who has been on the rise for years. HARASHIMA has been on of DDT’s brighter lights after Tetsuya Endo for good wrestling.

HARASHIMA took a lot of aggression to Akiyama early. Strikes and speed were on the younger man’s side, but Akiyama always managed to find an Exploder to slow the match down and slowly fight he way back into the match. After a great back and forth, Akiyama locks in the King Crab Lock, wrestles HARASHIMA down and the referee has to call for the bell.

Winner: Akiyama via King Crab Lock

2t. Road to Dominion: 6.2.2021: NEVER 6 Man Championships: CHAOS (YOSHI-HASHI, Tomohiro Ishii & Hirooki Goto) (c) vs LIJ (SANADA, Tetsuya Naito & BUSHI)

You all remember when the 6 Man titles were a joke? I mean they aren’t super serious since YOSHI-HASHI has one, but I’ll give credit where it’s due, these matches have exceeded previous expectations. If LIJ don’t win this match, you have to expect it will be BUSHI eating the pin, even though Goto and SANADA have had tension while Naito and Ishii seem to be building something.

We see this match play on a lot of previous things, including Goto hitting the Goto Shiki on SANADA (which pinned him in the preliminary tag the day prior) but SANADA kicked out and didn’t take it kindly. Ishii wanted Naito from the beginning, but Naito played coy with tagging in and out, so when Ishii finally got him; he made every strike count.

As is usually their dynamic, Goto and Ishii do most of the impressive heavy lifting, but YOSHI-HASHI is in at the end to reap the rewards and the rub. HASHI is still lame, and Kota Minoura from the earlier match has a much more convincing Butterfly Lock, but I guess we have to tolerate more of HASHI with a title. But the match is still pretty damn solid.

Winner: YOSHI-HASHI via Butterfly Lock

1. CyberFight Festival: Princess of Princess Title: Miyu Yamashita (c) vs Yuka Sakazaki

Tokyo Joshi Pro’s main event, and this was impressive. Many know Yuka from her brief stint in AEW, and the bubbly Magical Girl is accurate. But whatever the lead in for this was, Yuka does NOT like Miyu. Miyu on the other hand is TJP’s Ace and a damn impressive wrestler in her own right.

While I almost expected some fun from Yuka, there was none to be had. They struck, and kicked and Yuka was looking for blood. The usually smiling Magical Girl didn’t even so much as smirk once. There were apron drop spots, heavy collisions, hell Yuka went for her springboard Stuka Splash, and she crashed into Miyu as soon as Miyu entered the ring, but Yuka wasn’t happy with it, so she gets up, shakes her head and holds up one finger, just to hit a cleaner one.

This was violent, vindictive, and vengeful…I may need to go back and read what the build was. Because Yuka was already good, but angry Yuka may be my new favorite incarnation. Yuka may have lost since Miyu’s strikes just hit home one too many times, but this felt more like a SEAdLINNNG match. I think this is my top rated women’s match of the year so far. Just gorgeous.

Winner: Miyu Yamashita via Running Knee Strike

Three amazing champions! @jun0917start, @miyu_tjp and @noah_marufuji_ stand tall at the end of an unforgettable first-ever #CyberFightFes! #ddtpro #tjpw #noah_ghc #wrestleUNIVERSE

➡️ https://t.co/We9tIR15pi pic.twitter.com/AnBq7Hku3y

— TDE Wrestling (@tde_gif) June 6, 2021

Thoughts:

Wow, I picked a good week to remember where my smile was. SO much good wrestling, and I may just cover all of the CyberFight Festival later in the week if I have time. That was really damn good for a super show.

As for best match of the week? I have to give it to my number one. Miyu and Yuka really impressed me, especially since TJP is kinda of like Stardom lite most of the times. They go for more cute and silly than awesome, but I really need more of angry Yuka in my life.

These are all great matches, so none of them are a bad answer. TJP just wins for me. How about you?