Ice Ribbon 12/31/2023 RIBBONMANIA 2023
There's not a lot of people here sadly, though I get it. I'd say they are lucky if they had over 300 people here.
They did their usual intro with the whole roster. They singled out The Challenger girls and seemed to do some kind of ranking thing with them. Some guy who then seemed to be a higher up spoke. Mifu spoke and everyone threw balls out to the fans.
Elimination Match - Yuko Sakurai, Mayuka Koike and Yuu Hanaya vs Momo Tani, Saran and Nanae Furukawa
Yuu hasn't wrestled since her debut in August. Mio Shirai's the ref. Saran and Yuu trade armlocks. Saran side headlocks her and takes her down. Yuu headlocks her and they stand off. Koike and Momo go at it. Momo armdrags her then double knee drops her for 2. Yuko and Nanae get in. Yuko shoulders her over then Momo kicks her on the ropes. Saran is lifted and double boots Yuko.
Yuko takes a triple team powerbomb then her partners are stacked on her. Momo then drops down on all of them and does her taunt. Nanae shoulders Yuko over several times then Yuko cobra twists her. Yuu and Koike also put submissions on. Momo then puts Yuu in an octopus stretch and is face kicked by Yuko. Yuko slams Nanae and Yuu leg kicks Nanae.
Nanae takes corner attacks then Nanae does a nasty armbar on Yuu. Yuu submits and is eliminated. Koike boots Nanae and facebusters her. The two trade forearms and Nanae slams her for 2. Nanae rolling sentons her then armbars her. Koike ropebreaks. Koike rolls up Nanae and pins her.
Yuko and Momo go at it. Momo flying knees her then double knees her on the ropes. Momo knees her in the gut then Yuko slams her. Yuko dragon sleepers her and does a body slice on her for 2. Momo codebreakers her then tags in Saran. Saran top rope crossbodies Yuko then Momo top rope knees Yuko for 2. Koike breaks it up and is thrown out. Yuko is pulled over the top to the apron then all 3 opponents pull her to the floor to eliminate her.
Koike is the last one left for her team. She forearms Momo and Saran then Momo and Saran forearm her over. Koike crossbodies both for 2. Momo fisherman suplexes Koike then is pulled out. Saran 2nd rope double stomps Koike for 2. Koike rolls her up a few times and Saran gets a 2 count on her. Saran slides between her legs and pulls her arms to pin her and win the match.
It wasn't great but it was okay for the experience level of some of the girls. Yuu has personality but is still pretty green. No one botched anything but no one hit anything that looked that great either.
Arisa Shinose vs Yuuki Minami
Yuuki's last singles match was a disaster. Hopefully this one is better. They trade forearms. Yuuki dropkicks her then does a strangle hold alpha on her. Arisa slams her then Yuuki dropkicks her 3 times. Yuuki snapmares her and they botch something with Yuuki going down. Arisa rolls her up for 2. Yuuki 2nd rope dropkicks her.
Arisa slams her then shoulders her over twice. Arisa hits a shining wizard and wins it.
It was short. Yuuki had one botch and didn't take slams very well. Her dropkicks were okay though.
Yuki Mashiro comes out. She's crying and says she will return on 1/27, which is great news.
Yappy and AKARI vs Crea and Tsukina Umino
Crea has purple hair and pink chaps on. She's also a good 30 pounds heavier since I saw her last and just looks awful. Akari armdrags her and basement dropkicks her. They trip each other and Crea boots her then shoulders her over. Akari double armbars hers Umino and Yappy pushes the ropes away on her.
Yappy spinning guillotine chokes Umino. Yappy and Akari avoid corner attacks then do double hanging chokes in the corner. Umino hits a terrible chair shot on Yappy that barely hits. Crea then boots Yappy in the face. Crea running boots Yappy in the gut.
Crea hits chest forearms then they both fall over after a shoulderblock. Yappy corner hip attacks her and splashes her. Yappy then splashes her on the mat for 2. Yappy bronco busters Crea on the bottom rope then legdrops her for 2. Akari tries to put a tarantula on Crea on the ropes. Crea blocks it then Akari does it on the middle and bototm ropes instead. Akari 2nd rope dropkicks her.
Crea one legged codebreakers Akari then northern lights suplexes her for 2. Crea is laid on the top rope and kicked then Akari double foot chokes her in the corner. Umino springboard dropkicks Akari then crea face kicks Akari for 2. Crea spinning high kicks Akari then Akari spinning lariats her.
Umino running dropkicks Yappy then crossfaces her. Umino face kicks Yappy on the ropes then pulls her neck down over the middle orpe. Umino then does a drive by kick. Yappy blocks her crossbody and suplexes her out of it. Yappy does a neat reverse ddt into an emerald flowsion. Yappy and Akari mess up a double team then Akari 619's Umino. Yappy leg drops Umino for 2.
Yappy takes a 2 person double chop then Umino slides, driving a chair edge into Yappy's throat. Umino springboard crossbodies her for 2. Yappy lariats her for 2 then Umino dropkicks her for 2. Umino top rope frogsplashes Yappy for 2. Crea high kicks Yappy then Umino chairs Crea on accident. Yappy goes for a chokeslam and does a half-nelson slam when Umino escapes. Yappy sitout chokeslams Umino and wins it.
It really wasn't a good showing for the experience levels of these girls. There were multiple sloppy moments here.
Totoro Satsuki and Asuka Fujitaki vs Sumika Yanagawa and Misa Kagura
They all charge at each other and Sumika hits forearms on Totoro. Totoro runs through a double clothesline then takes a double boot. Misa and Sumika take corner attacks. Sumika trips Totoro then axe kicks her back. Misa running shotgun dropkicks Totoro. Misa rolls Totoro up then Totoro slams her.
Totoro misses a falling splash then Sumika handstand double knee drops her. Misa elbow drops Totoro then splashes her for 2. Totoro bodyblocks Misa then falling splashes her for 2. Asuka running spears Misa then slams her for 2. Asuka crabs Misa then Totoro sits on Misa during it.
Misa boots Asuka then suplexes her. Sumika running knees Asuka against then ropes then ties up her legs while she headscissors her. Sumika jumping knees Asuka then meteoras her in the corner. Totoro lariats Sumi on the ropes then Asuka splashes Sumika for 2. Sumika is lifted by both opponents and Misa breaks it up. Misa and Sumika hit stereo dropkicks on their opponents.
Misa side kicks Asuka for 2 then Asuka hits a nice dropkick on her. Sumika takes a double backdrop then Asuka samoan drops her for 2. Misa and Totoro take shots while they are back to back. Sumika does a slingblade headbuster on Asuka then bridges on her neck and pulls her arms back. Sumika submits Asuka.
It wasn't anything special. Asuka had a good showing here and didn't looking like a rookie at all. It was an average match for the most part and didn't really have any botches which is good.
Makoto vs Hamuko Hoshi
Makoto double knee drops her then does grounded submission on her. Ham shoulders her over out of the corner then crabs her. Ham rubs her belly in her face on the ropes. They trade chest forearms. Makoto trips her into the 2nd rope then kicks the rope. Makoto double underhook suplexes her then pump kicks her.
Ham hits lariats to the front and back then knocks her over. Makoto face kicks her then running face kicks her on the middle rope. Ham hits a nice running lariat. Makoto spears her then Ham running lariats her. Makoto running larias her then hits boots to the face. Ham hits belly shots to the face then does a shining belly attack for 2. Ham samoan drops her for 2.
Ham misses a splash off the buckles then Makoto spears her for 2. Makoto does a sitout gordbuster for 2. Makoto rolls her up then Ham steamrollers her for a 2 count. Ham sliding lariats her for 2. Ham op rope splashes her for 2. Makoto rolls her up for 2, boots her in the face then axe kicks her in the head for 2. Makoto does a sitout double chokebomb then cradle shocks her for the win.
It went longer than it needed to but it was a decent match. Ham brought her usual entertainment and Makoto focused on booting her hard in the face.
Ice Ribbon Tag Titles - Ancham and Yuuri (c) vs Kyuuri and Mifu Ashida
An meteora's Mifu in the corner then footslaps her. Kyuuri jumps off Mifu's back and codebreakers An. Mifu then dropkicks An. Kyuuri running dropkicks An then hip throws her. Kyuuri backcrackers Yuuri and sentons An in the same move.
Kyuuri crossbodies An for 2 and they trade fujiwara armbars. Kyuuri bites AN's arm. An basement dropkicks Kyuuri then Yuuri dropkicks Kyuuri. An stunners Mifu over the top rope then bridging ddt's her over the middle rope. An bulldog facelocks Mifu then sits on her back and dragon sleepers her. Mifu ropebreaks.
An dropkicks Mifu against the bottom rope. Mifu rolls her up then high kicks and pump kicks her. Mifu goes up top and Yuuri pulls her down. Yuuri meteora's her for 2 then top rope dropkicks her. Yuuri running elbows her in the corner and basement dropkicks her.
Kyuuri gets in and snapmares Yuuri. She then top rope crossbodies her. Mifu spinning high kicks Yuuri. Mifu is tripped into the 2nd rope and takes a Yuuri 619. An legdrops her then Yuuri sentons her for 2. Yuuri flying neckbreakers both opponents then An dropkicks Kyuuri on the ropes. Yuuri fisherman suplexes Mifu then crossfaces her while hooking her leg.
Kyuuri rolls Yuuri and Mifu basement dropkicks Yuuri for 2. Kyuuri cradles Yuuri then Yuuri crucifixes her. Kyuuri rolls up Yuuri for the win.
It was an average match and maybe somewhat good. Mifu got beaten up for most of this and did okay selling her beating. Kyuuri didn't really get the hot tag in but did end up winning it soon after. Mifu cries as the title is put on her waist.
Ice x Infinity Title - Ibuki Hoshi (c) vs Kaho Matsushita
They shake hands. Kaho side headlock takeovers her, Hoshi headscissors her and they stand off. Kaho armdrags her and shoulders her over. Hoshi flying neckbreakers her then hits kicks. Hoshi footchokes her in the corner then bow and arrows her.
Kaho hits chest forearms then Hoshi does it back to her. Hoshi shoulders her over then crabs her. Hoshi ties her up in ropes and dropkicks her back. Hoshi hits facewash kicks on the ropes then Kaho shoulders her over. Kaho PK's her on the ropes then armdrags her. Kaho crossfaces her and Hoshi ropebreaks.
Kaho slams her and basement dropkicks her. Kaho tries to kick her from the apron but is powerbombed on the apron. Kaho is whipped into the chairs then Hoshi chairs her. Kaho is sat on a chair then Hoshi running crossbodies her. Kaho dropkicks her outside then PK's her from the apron. Kaho top rope dropkicks her for 2.
Hoshi dropkicks her and they trade chest forearms. Hoshi hits machine gun chops and pushes the ref over during it. Hoshi puts her in an octopus stretch. Hoshi top rope crossbodies her for 2. Kaho STO's her then PK's her for 2. Hoshi euros her then hits a lightning spiral for 2. Hoshi does a rolling snapmare for 2.
They fight up top and Kaho 2nd rope superplexes her. Hoshi hits a nice superkick for 2 then Kaho high kicks her. They high kick each other at the same time and both go down. Kaho germans her and Hoshi no sells it. Hoshi germans her. They trade forearms on their knees and hold each other's hand and trade.
Hoshi superkicks her then pumping knees her. Kaho side slams her then hits a f-crash for 2. Kaho falcon arrows her. Hoshi pumping knees her then crucifix bombs her for 2. Hoshi hits face kicks and stomps the back of her head. Kaho fires up and forearms flurries her. She stomps her in the back of the head then buzzsaw kicks her.
Kaho suplexes her for 2 then does a wristclutch suplex for 2. Kaho hits boots to the head then Hoshi rolls her up for 2. Hoshi high kicks her and hits a double chop for 2. Hoshi goes for a move and is put in 2 pin attempts. Hoshi meteoras her in the front and back for 2. Hoshi death valley drivers her for 2. Hoshi then hits a crucifix bomb and wins it.
I would have had Kaho win here. They don't have a lot of options and it would have elevated her. They opted not to do that here. It was an okay main that went a little longer than it should have and didn't get a lot of crowd support until the main. Kaho's spot where she fired up was good and they tried their best for this one. I would have liked to have seen more chops from Hoshi and I would have liked to have seen her give Kaho a bit more of a beating before Kaho's comeback.
Both Kaho and Hoshi talk after their match then the wrestlers go around and shake hands with the crowd.
They announce a one day tournament for a future show and Hoshi seems surprised by this. Hoshi talks on the mic and eventually hugs Kaho.
Overall thoughts: It wasn't an impressive showing from Ice Ribbon. They just don't have a strong enough roster after all of the departures and even the freelancers they have access to aren't that good. The vets didn't have great showings here while Mifu and Asuka did good in their expanded roles on this show. They tried to have a good one in the main and they were somewhat successful, but it wasn't memorable. If you're an Ice Ribbon fan, you just have to hope 2024 will be a better year for the company. Hopefully "The Challenger" rookies improve, hopefully Mashiro and Tsukasa come back and hopefully Ice gets some new rookies that can get this promotion back on track. I wouldn't recommend this one.
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