How Actwres girl’Z Continues To Shape Joshi Pro Wrestling TEXT & PHOTOS* BY ISSA MARIE (*except where noted) IN PRO WRESTLING, the desire for viewing alternatives may be at an all-time high. Fans and analysts consistently speak on the need for promoters and wrestlers to provide something truly different. And yet, in Japan, you will notice that most companies share a similar structure in their training and business models … and that is why Actwres girl’Z stands apart. Sixteen years ago, AWG President Keiji Sakaguchi created one of the most innovative concepts in the industry: a school and p ..read more

ALTHOUGH WE ARE not always able to react to such sad events so soon after they occur, we felt it was important to commemorate the late “Superstar” Billy Graham, who passed away yesterday, May 17, 2023, at the age of 79. Standing at 6’5” tall and weighing in at a muscular 275 pounds, Graham profoundly impacted the industry with his memorable promos and one-of-a-kind ring presence. His big day came on April 30,1977 when he captured the title from Bruno in Balt. & afterwards Superstar rose to even greater heights. In his career Graham influenced countless stars & helped transform the sp ..read more

Following her stay in WWE NXT, “Sarray” is gone … but Sareee has returned to Japan to rejoin the fight! TEXT & PHOTOGRAPHY BY ISSA MARIE IN MARCH 2023, Sareee confirmed her departure from WWE, where she had competed on the NXT brand for the better part of three years under the name of “Sarray.” Now, she has returned to her original home of Japan with a reignited purpose: to show what pro wrestling, from her perspective, is all about. Ahead of her much-anticipated produce show, Sareee took the time from her busy schedule to meet up with PWI Japan correspondent Issa Marie at TERA CAFÉ SHIEN ..read more

Dragongate’s Madoka Kikuta Gets Deja Vu, Challenges Shun Skywalker A Second Time TEXT & PHOTOS BY ISSA MARIE TWO YEARS TO the date of his last Open the Dream Gate challenge, Madoka Kikuta finds himself in familiar territory as he is, once again, challenging Shun Skywalker—the man he faced that fateful night for Dragongate’s top prize. And the self-proclaimed “Game Master” has not only reminded Kikuta of his inability to finish that match, he has also “demanded” that Kikuta earn the opportunity and privilege to face him. Skywalker has put the Kikuta through the “SSW Quest,” a series of game ..read more

DESPITE HER YOUNG age (and two years missed due to early retirement), Stardom mainstay Hazuki has already created a glowing reputation amongst pro wrestling fans in all parts of the globe. After returning to the ring and teaming with fellow Stardom vet Koguma to win the 2021 Goddesses of Stardom tag league tournament, this talented grappler out of Fukuoka, Japan, re-established herself as something of a tag team specialist. At the same time, the 25-year-old Hazuki remains a formidable challenger to any singles gold, memorably challenging Mercedes Mone for the IWGP Women’s title in a triple-thr ..read more

The Actwres girl’Z Star Brings Her “Evil Actress Spirit” To WrestleMania Weekend TEXT & PHOTOGRAPHY BY ISSA MARIE THE “JAPANESE DRUNKEN Samurai” with the “Evil Actress Spirit” is headed to Hollywood, and you do not want to miss out on seeing her! The former Act Yasukawa, better known for wrestling in STARDOM as a member of Oedo Tai, wants fans to meet ACT (pronounced AKUTO), the current incarnation of Yasukawa representing ACT Wrestling (popularly known as Actwres girl’Z, or AWG).  “I am ready for the fans to meet this current and revolutionized version, ACT, who is very different fro ..read more

ON HEELS (Digital Edition) for 03-09-23 BY POLLO DEL MAR TAKE THIS AS literally as you like, but I never saw it coming. I certainly didn’t foresee JR Kratos heinously attacking me during a recent National Wrestling Alliance broadcast. Likewise, I could never have predicted the outpouring of fan support that followed. POLLO DEL MAR WAS ADMITTEDLY AGHAST AFTER COMING INTO CONTACT WITH KRATOS ON AN EPISODE OF NWA POWERRR. (PHOTO BY HIBAN HUERTA/NWA) On a February episode of the flagship program NWA Powerrr, “The Thrillbilly” Silas Mason again faced Kratos. It was the second match in a rivalry tha ..read more

#DGinSingapore Will See Dragongate Wrestlers vs. Singapore All Stars TEXT BY ISSA MARIE THE GODFATHER OF South Asian pro wrestling, Ho Ho Lun, is bringing Dragongate back to Singapore after a lengthy absence—continuing in his quest to show the beauty of pro wrestling across Asia! This latest outing comes on the heels of an action-packed #ChampionGate2023 weekend, where we saw Jason Lee be crowned Open the Brave Gate champion in a must-watch match against Minorita, Shun Skywalker leverage his experience to escape with the win over Killer (Strong) Machine J, and D’Courage lose after an impressi ..read more

Dragongate’s BIG BOSS Shimuzu Tours The U.S. TEXT & PHOTOGRAPHY BY ISSA MARIE NATURAL VIBES POWERHOUSE, BIG BOSS Shimizu, is on his first U.S. tour. Dragongate’s chameleon, due to his ability to transform and embody every personality he has been given since his debut, is hoping to show the new fans who are getting to meet him for the first time what he is all about.  “I am hopeful that the fans will be able to feel my passion and see my strength through my pro wrestling,” Shimizu said last Saturday at MLW’s #SuperFight. That passion was felt on February 3 at #GardenStateV, in his ma ..read more

IT IS KZY TIME … AND THE U.S. IS ABOUT TO GO CRAZY! TEXT & PHOTOS BY ISSA MARIE DURING THE MONTH of February, the leader of Dragongate’s NATURAL VIBES, Kzy, and the unit’s powerhouse, BIG BOSS Shimizu, will be wrestling throughout the U.S.—East to West Coast and some in between! When I was still in Japan, I had the opportunity to speak with Kzy just days ahead of the tour announcement. He is the man in charge of Dragongate’s most beloved faction, NATURAL VIBES, known for its feel-good energy, music, and, most importantly, being the blueprint for what a cohesive unit should be. “We stay t ..read more