Assorted Ice Ribbon

 

Kiku vs Tsukasa Fujimoto, Ice Ribbon 4/12/2022

I liked Kiku in the one match I’ve seen of her, and I know Tsukasa is a pretty respectable wrestler, so I decided to check this out. This is at the beginning of Kikus career so she is still taking rookie punishment, i.e. 5 dropkicks from Kiku can’t knock Tsukasa down and so on. However just when she looks hopeless Kiku is able to hit a surprise body slam, allowing her to go for her signature submission, which Tsukusa resists against with all her might. Kiku In a smart move drags Tsukasa to the floor and locks in a figure 4, which Tsukasa sells as actually damaging. This sets up the surprisingly intense second half with both of them slapping the shit out of each other and hitting some hard kicks. Basic stuff but very well done.

Asahi vs Tae Honma, Ice Ribbon 6/11/2022

Pretty different type of match for Ice Ribbon. No comedy or time wasting, instead they grappled and stubbornly went for the armbar. Asahi in particular had lots of slick ways to tie up her opponent and try to bend her arm out of the shoulder, though Honma does also look good. Some really well timed flash submissions and roll ups here, which is kind of the best case scenario for an Ice Ribbon match. There was also a great struggle over a Tiger Suplex at one point. Won’t make you forget ARSION, but it’s a fine unique piece of pro wrestling.

Chon Shiryu vs Kiku, Ice Ribbon 5/6/2023

Another great little match from Chon Shiryu, what are the odds? The man just keeps on delivering every chance he gets. This is pretty rad 7 minute match. It’s almost all Shiryu, though Kiku is cool too. Kiku now has a frying pan that she hits people with for the obligatory once-per-match comedy spot (god I hate Japan sometimes), but Shiryu turns that frying pan against her, hitting Kiku spine-first with the frying pan against the apron in an actually painful looking spot. I really buy that a kung fu master would know how to use a frying pan to hurt someone in unique ways. Shiryu then does a real workmans job working over Kikus spine with nasty elbows and a cool springboard stomp. Shiryu just keeps doing cool shit. Kiku only has two brief comebacks, although they are fun. Finish is fucking great as Kiku get Shiryu down and desperately goes for her signature submission but Shiryu pulls her over, locking in a submission of his own for the tap.

Asuka Fujitaki vs YuuRI, Ice Ribbon 6/8/2024

Really fun 8 minute match that had a lot of good stuff packed into it. Fujitaki is a thickly built girl, who has both fun ways to crash into her opponent as well as some skill. Fujitaki displays some cool submissions, and YuuRI tries to beat her in ratty ways. YuuRI actually has some pretty fun well timed kicks of her own. Apparently Fujitaki has gone under several different names notably as Grizzly Fujitaki and now Asuka Goda, I should probably watch more of her because this was cracking.

Asahi vs Saori Anou, Ice Ribbon 12/31/2022

Really good stuff here, no doubt. Starts really nice with an intense lock up. They move through some actually impressive slick sequences with some cool bridging spots. Asahi eventually gets Anou in an armbar which Anou sells as a big deal and Asahi takes control working over Anous arm. Really nice control segment with well done attempted comebacks and cutoffs. The build from Asahi being firmly in control to the match slipping away from her was really good I thought, as such I didn’t even have a huge problem with her no selling because it gave the sense that she was desperate to maintain control. It was a bit iffy when they did the chest forearms but then Asahi did these cool double handed blows to Anous face and Anou retaliated with a thudding enzuigiri of her own. Last couple minutes actually felt gritty due to Asahi trying her damndest to snap Anous arm. There is some sloppiness and they do get carried away with an assload of nearfalls but that’s joshi sometimes, the build and substance here were a lot better than your typical joshi movesfest though. Thought Asahi looked quite good here, she put some real heft into her forearms and the arm attacks were cool, I wonder what she’s been up t- oh, apparently she died in an accident not long after this. Bummer to say the least.