Matches from Itigaya Ice Box

 Shuichiro Katsumura vs Shota, Ganbare 2018/10/26

Very nice technical match taking place on a tiny mat in that same space where Emi Sakura runs her shows. The story is pretty simple, Katsumura is the shooty grappler and Shota is the oldschool grappler, so Katsumura will force Shota to break with dangerous submissions, and Shota would short arm scissor the fuck out of Katsumura. Shota actually has lots of compelling Short Arm Scissor work, and there were some great slick reversals including an absolutely spectacular armbar counter from underneath from a test of strength/bridge spot. I loved how Shota got pissed and made it a point to force Katsumura to use the out of bounds to escape from the short arm scissor. Pretty nice crafty pro wrestling.

Fumihito Kihara vs Yumehito Imanari, Ganbare 2013/5/10

Before this match, I wasn’t familiar with Fumihito Kihara. Apparently he has been AJPWs ring announcer for ‘several years’. His history of matches that he had according to Cagematch is thinly spread out and confusing, only making a handful of appearances in companies as different as K-Dojo or the reborn PWC throughout the years. He walks out here tanned as hell and wearing some neon orange trunks. He does not look like someone who only wrestles sparringly, he looks like someone who has been grinding himself to dust in the pro wrestling business for decades. Looking quite literally as tough as a human brick. And he wrestles kind of like a WAR guy! Immediately they go for an uncooperative vibe, blocking some strikes and then Kihara goes to choke Imanari and kick him in the face. Kihara cinches basic holds with the intent to tap Imanari out, really torturing him and giving him a hiding. The actual match is not quite as great as those first couple minutes promised, but its fun. Uncooperative, stiff, different. Eventually Imanari starts firing back with some kicks of his own and running into Kihara with repeated Shining Wizards, and the finish is great. I think Kihara vs Keita Yano would’ve been an awesome matchup.

Mai Ichii vs Miki Ishii, Ice Ribbon 2/22/2008

Brutal stiff fight where they both didn’t hold back on any strike and fought really hard, which is kind of the best kind of no-ring wrestling there is. Way better and more passionate than a lot of matches in big arenas. Ichii is a legit MMA fighter with some wins and she’s a monster with the kicks, kind of the last breath of the Toshiyo Yamada/Kumiko Maekawa type fighters. She’s a gem and clearly someone I need to look up more because everytime I see her she brings the fight. Ishii is 2 days away from retirement and she really uses that momentum to go as intense as she can. Ishii doesn’t have the martial-artist moves like Ichii, but her basic dropkicks, kicks and forearms landed insanely hard and you have to love that. She also had some really cool leg submissions, and is tough enough to take some absolutely insane kicks from Ichii. Here jumping move of the wall was also impressive. There was a short joke where Ishiis tag team partner(?) came in to help but it lasted only about to 30 seconds and it lead to Ichii thrust kicking them hard. Great 10 minute fight.