Victorious: Miyu Yamashita and Maki Itoh Win TJPW's Futari wa Princess MAX Heart Tournament and Set Their Sights on Princess Tag Team Championship!
Itoh and Yamashita set their sights on the next challenge: the current Princess Tag Team Champions
Written by: Jessi B
In the world of pro wrestling, anything can happen, and on the 11th, it certainly did. At Tokyo's Korakuen Hall, the "Futari wa Princess MAX Heart Tournament" culminated in a thrilling final match that saw the team, comprised of Miyu Yamashita and Maki Itoh, earn their first tournament victory. Their opponents, Shoko Nakajima and Hyper Misao, fought tooth and nail, refusing to yield even an inch.
From the get-go, both Yamashita and Itoh were caught off guard by the unpredictable tactics of Misao and Nakajima, with Misao's spray attack and Nakajima's Tope con Hilo proving particularly effective. Though Yamashita's signature kicks did manage to turn the tide briefly, Misao soon took advantage of an opening and struck her opponent's right leg on a steel pillar, then continued to focus on the injury with deadly precision.
It wasn't until the middle of the match that Itoh seized the initiative, attacking Nakajima and allowing Yamashita to land her Skull Kick to Misao's head. Together, the duo launched a double-team DDT on Nakajima, and in the end, Yamashita slammed her opponent with a German Suplex, while Itoh finished her off with the Itoh Deluxe, a modified Texas Cloverleaf, forcing Nakajima to submit.
Tears streaming down her face, Itoh declared after the match, "We won. Finally, we were able to produce results together. I'm so happy." She then looked up with a smile and added, "Seeing Shoko Nakajima's regretful face made me think we should work harder for all the players we fought in the tournament."
With the momentum gained from their tournament victory, Itoh and Yamashita set their sights on the next challenge: the current Princess Tag Team Champions, Max the Impaler and Heidi Howitzer. "Of course we're going to Ariake!" Itoh proclaimed, referring to the upcoming event at the Tokyo Ariake Coliseum on March 18. "We're going to defeat them!"
Yamashita echoed her partner's determination, saying, "I've been frustrated that I haven't been able to achieve results with Ito so far, but I want to showcase our best not only in Japan but also around the world."
But first, the current champions will have to defend their title against Yamashita and Itoh on the 25th of the month at "Deadlock Pro Wrestling" in North Carolina, USA. "It's meaningless if we don't defeat Max and Heidi," Yamashita said, punching her fist in the air. "We have to win against them!"
Will these two women, who have been leading the promotion with their charisma, also take the belt with their prowess in the ring? Only time will tell. But one thing's for sure: with their talent, tenacity, and heart, Yamashita and Itoh are definitely ones to watch.