The Five Star Radar is the Five Star Network’s weekly series highlighting the best matches from all of pro wrestling throughout the week. This week’s edition takes a look at AEW, AJPW, and NOAH!
Jungle Kyona & Saori Anou vs. Maya Yukihi & Natsu Sumire — NOAH (1/22/23)
The excitement of a potential GHC Women’s Championship has come to light because of this match right here. Not only did these four talented women get the time to show what they’re all about as well as Joshi, but they showed why times should be and are changing in puro promotions in Japan. Saori Anou shined the brightest in this match as she often does when she gets herself an opportunity but that’s not to take away from these three.
Jungle Kyona getting the moment in her return to Japan to not only win but be the one winning the match for her team… that’s perfect.
Not only should this be the beginning Joshi in NOAH but it should be the beginning for many fans getting to know these undeniable talents. Bravo to all four for putting on what was arguably the match of the night on The Great Muta’s retirement show.
NOAH’s first-ever Joshi match and they kicked it off with a bang. At nearly 15 minutes long, all four women got a chance to shine. Anou’s MVP-level performance, Natsu’s charisma and character work, Yukihi’s strikes, and Kyona’s return to Japan being on such a big stage all came together to make a special match. Should NOAH venture into creating a GHC women’s championship like the IWGP women’s championship, this was a fantastic affair to kick off that journey. — Amy (@amyhay___)
WHERE TO WATCH: Wrestle Universe
Kento Miyahara & Takuya Nomura vs. Yuma Aoyagi & Naoya Nomura — AJPW (1/22/23)
One of the best tag team matches you’ll see in quite some time. The beauty of what All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW) does is in the main event scene and more often than not featuring Kento Miyahara in some form. Well when the tag team gold was on the line in a match featuring the four best talents in AJPW, there was no doubt this would be fantastic. Just how fantastic makes it another story. The work between the Nomuras in this match was breathtaking in many ways as they hit each other hard and often. The magic though to solidify this match as a Match of the Year Contender was the closing sequence through former NEXTREAM duo turned perfect rivals Miyahara and Yuma Aoyagi.
Every time Aoyagi reset his feet on his End Game submission, the more the crowd got into it and you felt the intensity. And when he was able to finish Miyahara with The Fool Fisherman Buster, there was no doubt what we witnessed was a tremendous pro wrestling match.
If there’s any match on this list all fans should go out of their way to see for their MOTY lists, it’s this one right here.
WHERE TO WATCH: AJPW.TV
Mark Briscoe vs. Jay Lethal — AEW (1/25/23)
Pro wrestling is magical sometimes and this was one of those times. A week after the passing of Jay Briscoe, we got a chance to see Mark Briscoe on AEW television for the very first time. One of the best parts of it all was seeing Mark walk out there as “Reach for the sky, boy” played through the arena. Mark was unbothered, driven, and ready to go out there a put on a show. He relaxed all of us watching and brought this match that was full of emotion to the elite level that The Briscoes have done for years.
The tragedy of the death of Jay Briscoe weighed on many, if all Dynamite viewers as all of our eyes, minds, and hearts were locked on the Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky. After over two decades in wrestling, Mark Briscoe got to be in a main event on a major cable TV wrestling show. Sadly, he wrestled on his own but was spiritually representing the Briscoe Brothers along with Jay as the ROH Tag Team Champions, while facing one of Jay’s top rivals for the ROH World Title in Jay Lethal. Briscoe and Lethal put on a great match regardless of the emotional stakes that deserved its spot, but from the video package on the life of Jay Briscoe earlier in the show to the tribute at the end was masterful from Mark, the excellent ROH commentary team, the fans, the locker room coming out, and the fans. They all came together for an unforgettable moment in the history of wrestling that I can only hope granted Mark some reprieve from losing his brother he rode with through everything, even if only for a few moments. I hope and believe in my heart Jay was proud of his brother for representing him so strongly, on what would have been Jay’s 39th birthday no less. I was proud to have just watched it and proud it gets recognized as among the best matches as it deserves. — Dylan Fox (@Viva_Zero)
Jamie Hayter vs. Emi Sakura — AEW (1/27/23)
Emi Sakura finally got on AEW television and she proceeded to deliver one of the best women’s matches in AEW history. Fitting for the Joshi Legend who has done nothing but shine in all the opportunities she’s ever had. Working with Jamie Hayter, who has established herself as one of the best in America, they made magic reminiscent of the AJW days with violent chops and dropping each other on their heads. That’s pro wrestling! That’s the best of the best!
Hayter is well on her way to being the best AEW Women’s World Champion yet but we can only hope this match is far from the end of great ones for Hayter in her reign.
Many AEW fans look at us with doubt and confusion when we say Emi Sakura is a Joshi Legend who stands shoulder to shoulder with icons such as Jaguar Yokota, Manami Toyota, Chigusa Nagayo, Lioness Asuka and Aja Kong. To the west, Emi Sakura is the idiosyncratic person that cosplayed as Freddy Mercury and suffered vulgar insults on commentary at the hands of Jim Ross. They look at Emi’s Cagematch profile and balk at her 9.16 rating. But Hayter vs Sakura is the match we have been waiting for. A showcase of the woman that founded both Ice Ribbon and Gatoh Move. Who has held titles for AJW, DPW, DDT, Gatoh Move, Ice Ribbon, IWA, JWP, NEO, and EVE. A woman whose legacy is carried on by over 50 students all of which are industry renowned for their skill and excellence.
Hayter vs Sakura is the match we have been waiting for, the match we have been telling you about, and Hayter’s biggest challenge to date. — Jamie Goulding (@void_of_opinion)
For more on AEW, make sure to check out the Five Star Network’s AEW podcast — All Elite Cast!
Stay tuned to the Five Star Network for all updates on the world of Joshi, Puro, and more!