[9.0] "Awesome match as expected. Nakajima understands wrestling on such a different level than most of the wrestlers and that's why her matches are always rated so high - she makes every fight as believable as possible, everything has a point, nothing feels unnecessary, she has answers to any move that is thrown at her. I also really like how Shoko was selling her knee, even in small moments that many would say didn't matter she didn't forget to sell it - a TRUE wrestler! I'm not even gonna talk about her in-ring abilities because she's simply the best TJPW has. Tatsumi also shined here more than i was expecting she will, her offense looked impactful and she was throwing some great stuff at Shoko but in the end she fell short to Big Kaiju after devastating Swanton. Overall it was just an amazing main event with phenomenal action. ****, 5"
[9.0] "Instant classic. A thrilling match that offers a no-nonsense body of work, even the back-and-forth cliche forearm exchange makes sense thematically. Everything had an answer for the next thing that happened. In terms of rhythm, it coalesced well. The sense of desperation that was created and the suspense in the near-falls, as we reached its conclusion, was awesome. Both traded control periods and managed to put forth compelling work and when it was time to switch the tides, it was done logically. Shoko would find herself in control by using her speed or craftiness while Rika turned the tide as she built cache by targeting Shoko's legs, and other times she would undercut Shoko off their differential in strength. I believe this was the first time Rika countered Shoko's second attempt at a 619 with a Dragon Screw; well, at least in singles competition but it is amazing and the Hip Attack to the outside from the top rope is insane because it seemed like it rocked Shoko. Oustanding match. ****1/2"
[10.0] "My favorite match of 2022. Had everything we could ask for, great media leading up to the match, history between the two and the right setting. They had a 10/10 match where Rika tried to put the champion to the test with her limb targetting technique. Shoko is the best in the company, and as such, had something under her sleeve at every moment. Brilliant reversals and high flying moves whenever she was not showing her impressive mat wrestling skills. She sold Rika's offense amazingly, managed to slip out of the dragon sleeper and defeated her with the Senton Bomb to retain her championship. The two best performers in TJPW having a memorable match in what is, in my opinion. The best "big show" in TJPW history."
[9.0] "Nakajima's great reign continues with this awesome defense against Tatsumi. Really well built match. Nakajima's offense is well focused and convincing. Tatsumi has great fluidity to her movements and offense."
[8.0] "Crisp and fluid action early on with Nakajima's two dives looking really awesome. Rika goes to work over Shoko's knees, including nasty looking drop kick of the knees into the ring post. The 619 sequence into the Figure Four was so damn good-- amazing, amazing stuff. Tatsumi's Dragon Sleeper looked great-- SANADA could learn a thing or two from her."
[6.0] "This was solid but I didn't get as much out of it as I was hoping too. I don't know Rika too well but if you're gonna mostly do ass offense, I'd expect someone to have some stronger hits."
[9.0] "This ruled. Nearly 20 minutes of nonstop action. So many great spots in this match. Shoko's early nonstop dives to the outside, the missed middle rope tiger feint kick -> missed bottom rope tiger feint kick -> dragon screw leg whip -> figure four sequence, Rika's hip attack from the top rope to the outside, the entire finishing sequence... just a great, great match. Rika came so close to winning and both wrestlers came out of this looking great. MOTN by far. What you want out of a champion."
[9.0] "This was fantastic and absolutely delivered. They both brought their A game and there were great spots throughout. I just wish the finish looked a bit more devastating. ****1/4"
[8.0] "This was another great main event from TJPW, as has been costumary this year. I think they've put on better matches but this one is still up there. Only thing that bothered me is when Shoko paused when she landed on her knees to sell the damage, Rika just standed there waiting for the move anyway and this happened more than once, looked a bit akward. Apart from that this was great. The double 619 countered into the Dragon Screw, the top rope Hip Attack to the floor and many other cool moments. I don't who'll beat Shoko but if I was booking it would be either Mizuki or Miu Watanabe. ****"
[8.0] "Really nice, tight match that flew by. The little stuff they did had purpose and the big stuff mattered and changed the trajectory of the match. Very good selling by Nakajima."
[10.0] "It was stunning. Definitely one of the best singles matches of this year for me and I don't even know Rika good enough. Tatsumi failed to secure dominance at the very beginning, and Shoko showed some outstanding athletic spots, for which Rika began to destroy her right leg. That double reverse of 6-1-9 from Rika into Dragon Skrew is one of the best I've seen in a while. Shoko, in response, tried to deliever her submission holds on her opponent's neck. Rika shone brighter. The hip attack to the ringside was beautiful and Dragon Sleeper was really intense. It was almost perfect. I say almost because I think it would be cooler if during Dragon Sleeper Rika also tried to attack Shoko's leg. But perhaps this is exactly what Tatsumi lacked to win."
[9.0] "Rika Tatsumi is a tremendous pro-wrestler, this match was all about her excellent individual performance. It was so good that when Nakajima got the 3-count it felt like peak 'CENAWINSLOL' bullshit. Can't say that I care about Nakajima as PoP champion after this match, Tatsumi totally overshadowed her."
[6.0] "Rika carried Shoko to her best title match yet during this reign. Shame the finish came out of nowhere and flat just like all the other Shoko matches."
[8.0] "I see Shoko as the ultimate player who has the key to winning each time. I love that she has a finishing combo that seemingly works every time, because for what she lacks of true, engrossing energy, like Rika Tatsumi displayed in the match, she has in strong booking that consistently reinforces the notion that she is a force. And champions really need that one key thing and she has it. That? s a rare trait to have. Now Tatstmi was amazing in the match. While it? s unfortunate that she did the Goto under the waterfall gimmick and lost just the same, she came out like a star in defeat. She picked Shoko apart, using the dragon suplex, then hip attacks (some from the top rope to the outside of all things) before transitioning to the dragon sleeper which may have been the best use of a submission in the closing stretch of the entire year. The crowd and I were hooked into thinking that was the moment but that killer combo of the DDT & top rope senton was inevitable. ****"
[7.0] "8.85 is a bit of a high rating for this match, but don't get me wrong, it still is good and enjoyable. Even though I don't watch a lot of TJPW and barely know the wrestlers, I still know these two could deliver more and turn this into a way better Main Event. The match was fine, and the closing stretch was absolutely the best part, especially when Rika locks the Dragon Sleeper and it looks like the match it's about to end, but Nakajima finds her way and gets the W. ***3/4"
[10.0] "This was one of the most crisp and creative matches this year. There was one weird spot with Nakajima's hesitation after flipping off the top rope, but the rest of this was absolutely brilliant. This was the individual performance of both Tatsumi's and Nakajima's career. The hip attack from the top rope to the floor, along with the counter sequence leading to the dragon screw and figure four, will stick in my mind for a long time. ****3/4"
[9.0] "The best match of both Joshi big shows. Rika continues to show she is a fantastic wrestler, and her submission work was really good here. Shoko having this great of a match makes me happy for her reign, because honestly she deserves it. ****1/2"
[10.0] "Rika has shown a remarkable degree of storytelling skill in her big title matches, both as challenger and during her 2021 reign as champion. Her strong emphasis on psychology worked extremely well here, forcing Nakajima to slow down and be more thoughtful instead of trying to sprint all the way from start to finish. Put it all together, and I think you have one of the very best matches (maybe even THE best) for either competitor in their TJPW careers."
[10.0] "This is the best Princess of Princess Championship match in the history of TJPW. Rika and Shoko surpassed their 2018 and 2021 matches by far, taking their great in-ring dynamic to a whole different level. The lead up to the match, the interviews Rika did, the videos and the articles, all the clues were there to believe this was her night, but Shoko had a different idea. She worked a standard Shoko Nakajima match, in champion mode, just doing her stuff instead of trying to stop Rika from doing hers, while Rika went out there to cripple the big kaiju and stop her from doing some of her signature stuff. Rika did a few moves she had never done before while Shoko gave us a masterclass in selling. The final spot with Rika connecting the dragon sleeper and slowly switching it to the White Dragon Sleeper was fantastic, I was on the edge of my seat as referee Kiso Daisuke hinted a referee stoppage due to Shoko being out. The size of the big kaiju helped her tremendously, if she was any taller, the knee damage would've been too much for a counter in that position, where you need leg power to escape, but Shoko used her small size as an advantage, and squeezed out of the lock to hit her DDT followed by the Senton. If I had to nitpick, Shoko needed a much better comeback sequence after being almost out from a Dragon Sleeper, the DDT/Senton finisher is too sudden, quick and goes against the great selling she had been doing up until that point. But that doesn't stop this match from getting a perfect score. When you put "Big Match White Dragon" against the Best Wrestler in TJPW you can only get greatness. 10/10"
[8.0] "Really good main event. Wanted Rika to win but knew it was a long shot, so it's whatever. Don't like the senton as a finisher. Makes the endings of all of Shoko's matches feel abrupt."
[10.0] "Great match to cap off a great show. Shoko may be small but she projects a great aura about her that makes her feel like a vicious threat, and Rika played well into that."
[9.0] "Shoko and Rika both put on performances to remind everyone they're not to be overlooked. A great match and Shoko's best as champion in this reign thus far."
[10.0] "This may be the best PoP Title match in the history of the promotion. I'd have to go back and watch Yuka vs Mizuki and the build to Wrestle Princess 2020 but that is great company to be in. This is the best version of Shoko Nakajima I have ever seen. Her knee-selling performance in this match is glorious. She minds it while running, stationary, just in small little ways that most wrestlers wouldn't even care to try. She fights despite the pain and it always plays a factor. Rika is brutal to Shoko, the way she just throws everything she has into those hip attacks I felt she was trying to give NAK a concussion. OMG, the Dragon sleeper spot at the end was so good. I don't even wanna describe it for fear of spoiling how great it was. Just know that I went into this match more of a Rika fan than a Shoko fan and I just completely flipped. Little Kaiju is my gurl! What an absolutely tremendous performance, especially by Shoko. That is how you wrestle as a champion. You may say the ending was quite flat and I'd agree, but I was so pleased with this match and its result that it's getting the full 10."
[9.0] "Best match of the whole show and that says something. Incredible performance by Shoko Nakajima and Rika Tatsumi, who both had a big goal in this match. Nakajima wanted to prove herself as the champion, after beating Yamashita at Grand Princess she didn't have really difficult defenses. Tatsumi absolutely wanted to regain her title, lost one year ago against Miyu Yamashita like we could see in the video package. Tatsumi put an absolutely thrilling story to the match here, while she absolutely does everything for regain the Princess of Princess title. We obviously had the Figure 4 spot, which was incredibly intelligent since Tatsumi won her first Princess of Princess title with this move against Yuka Sakazaki back in january 2021. Nakajima succeeded to escape from it, so Tatsumi had to do bigger things, she went all out in this match, doing a Hip Attack from the top rope to the outside of the ring, also doing her Dragon Sleeper which was clearly presented as her last chance in this match, and which is logically just before the ending. Logical ending, even a bit similar in its building than the ending of Yamashita/Nakajima earlier this year, and I liked this too. I almost forgot to mention the performance of Shoko Nakajima, who's one of the best storytellers in wrestling today, and she did an enormous job but Tatsumi was the one who shined the most with the story of the match which was clearly around her. ****3/4"
[7.0] "Tatsumi's craftsmanship, emotion, and ingenuity were all on full display here. Shoko had some good moments and some creative counters, but she proved to be an inadequate dance partner. All the effort Tatsumi put into building the match was undone by Shoko's monotone comeback sequence and unconvincing senton finisher. After all of the damage Tatsumi had inflicted, Shoko's comeback could have been more hard fought and compelling. ***1/2"
[9.0] "This match was amazing. Rika and Shoko went at it for nearly 20 minutes, the final stretch was blazing and I really thought we'd get a title change. Even in defeat, Rika looked fantastic. It's the only match I got to catch live from this show and it was awesome from beginning to end. Definitely one of the best TJPW matches I've ever seen."
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