Joshi Puroresu in the USA

You know a lot of us have always had to rely on YouTube and other internet sources to see joshi puroresu.
But thanks to Shimmer Women Athletes, ROH and Chikara, we are actually getting to see female Japanese wrestlers here in the US in action.

If you can make it to the Berwyn Eagles Club in Berwyn, Illinois (just outside Chicago), on Saturday and Sunday, March 26th and 27th, 2011 you'll get to see Ayako Hamada, Hiroyo Matsumoto, Misaki Ohata, Ayumi Kurihara and Tomoka Nakagawa
More info here: http://shimmerwrestling.blogspot.com/

If you can get to Ring of Honor's "Honor Takes Center Stage" on April 2nd, 2011 at the Center Stage Theatre in Atlanta, Georgia, you will get to see Hiroyo Matsumoto, Ayumi Kurihara and Tomoka Nakagawa there as well.
More info here: http://www.rohwrestling.com/news/atlanta-ga-april-2nd/

And on April 15,16 and 17th, if you can get to The Asylum Arena in South Philadelphia, Pennslyvania, you'll get to see joshi legend Manami Toyota team up with Mike Quakenbush and Jigsaw at Chikara's King of Trios 2011 tournament.
More info here: http://www.chikarapro.com/events.php

I havent said anything about the tragedy in Japan here, but I have been praying for the people there.
I am also glad to hear that just about all the wrestlers I have spoken with in the past are okay.
The hard times arent over in Japan yet people.
If you can help out, here's the Red Cross website:
https://american.redcross.org/
And if you cant afford it (I know times are tough), there's no price tag on prayers, positive energy and well wishes.

Ayumi Kurihara Vs Mai Ichii - Japanese Wrestling

Here is a match between Mai Ichii and Ayumi Kurihara, posted on YouTube by xkingx2009.

Ayumi Kurihara was born on July 13th, 1984 in Tokyo, Japan and was trained by Mariko Yoshida, AKINO, Michiko Ohmukai and GAMI.
She made her pro wrestling debut on April 24, 2005 and has worked for wrestling promotions like AtoZ, M's Style, NEO, JWP, Jd', Ibuki and Pro Wrestling SUN.

Mai Ichii was born on March 21st, 1980 in Saitama, Japan.
Besides being a wrestler, she is a MMA fighter with a 4-4-0 record.

This match starts off with Ayumi taking the offensive with a series of drop kicks that some of which I swear look pretty "stiff" to me.

After pummeling the fool out of Mai, Ayumi straddles her and clamps on a camel clutch.

Mai manages to bite her way out of it....yes...bite.
Undaunted, Ayumi turns and clamps on a double toe hold which Mai tries to unsuccessfully bite her way out of.

Failing the biting escape, Mai makes the ropes and opens up with a few dropkicks of her own.
Getting Ayumi down, she goes for a leg lock which Ayumi reverses.

Mai escapes, there’s another flurry of moves and Ayumi comes out on top with a headlock.

You can see this match and others like it on xkingx2009's YouTube channel here:
http://www.youtube.com/user/xkingx2009


Ayumi Kurihara Vs Mai Ichii - Japanese Wrestling, posted to http://joshipuroresu.blogspot.com/ on October 17th, 2010

Kana wrestling Ayumi Kurihara

Here is a video posted by kapengmabula on YouTube of Kana taking on Ayumi Kurihara at Passion Red's "2PASSION" on May 3rd, 2009.
Although kapengmabula posted it, he gives credit to another well known name on this blog nagashimark, so it's still "all in the family".
If I understand correctly, Passion Red started off as a stable, but began to hold their own shows and joshi star Nanae Takahashi runs Passion Red.
And I also read that back in January, Kana left Passion Red and is now a freelancer and she will be heading up her own wrestling promotion, KANA PRO.
You can check out Puroresu Represetin' for more info on Kana.

Anyway, this is part one of a really great match that highlights the best in joshi.
It starts out with a brutal face off with chops, punches, slaps, forearms, then goes into some high flying, then they go to the mat for some MMA style submission grappling.

I tell you, Kana can get VERY innovative with punishment, as she puts poor Ayumi's legs through the wringer.

As part one ends though, it looks like Ayumi may be starting a comeback.

Like I said, this is just part one.
To see part two, you can go to kapengmabula's YouTube channel and see the end of this match and some more great action.



Kana wrestling Ayumi Kurihara, posted to http://joshipuroresu.blogspot.com/ on 4-9-2010