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NOV.20.2022

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KAIRI’s voyage ends with women’s title in Ariake

KAIRI becomes the first ever IWGP Women’s Champion

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The main event of Historic X-Over in Ariake Arena on November 20 saw KAIRI face Mayu Iwatani, with the right to be named the first IWGP Women’s Champion on the line.

KAIRI was entering the bout having wrestled to a thirty minute draw with Saya Kamitani just one day earlier, and was a hair slower than Iwatani in the opening moments, the Icon landing a dangerous tope suicida before a crunching missile dropkick. Carrying on a vicious period of control, Iwatani targeted the injured right arm of her opponent in an attempt to disarm KAIRI of the Cutlass backfist and Insane Elbow. 

KAIRI would create an opening with a left shouldered spear, and gritted her teeth to deliver some violent strikes. After a sprinting knee on the entrance ramp, KAIRI uncorked a flying forearm from the top rope. As blows delivered between the two women grew more intense, Iwatani’s zombie mentality saw her continue to move forward, and after a hard fought struggle on the top strand, a top rope Frankensteiner would set up for a Frog Splash for two. 

Iwatani would try for a moonsault but KAIRI would move inward to the corner, leaving the Icon to taste empty mat. Moments later, she would taste the corner, driven into the neutral pad with an explosive spear from the Pirate Princess, who followed with the Anchor submission; only the weakened right arm and a lost grip would save Iwatani from a tap out defeat. 

KAIRI set for the Insane Elbow,  Iwatani sensing danger and rolling to the floor. Still, KAIRI was determined to score big, and a plancha did just that. On the back foot and spaghetti legged, Iwatani somehow laughed off a Cutlass backfist in ring to land a thrust kick, Tombstone Piledriver and a Dragon Suplex, but still only got two from the official. As Mayu again picked up motion, it would be Kairi cutting her off at the neck with the Cutlass, but Iwatani kicked out of the Insane Elbow that followed. 

Kicking the arm of the charging KAIRI, Iwatani got another 2.9 call from the referee as her bridge gave way on a Dragon Suplex, before a two step version of the move putting her foe into the ropes rather than Mayu in the win column. As both women rest, KAIRI met Mayu with the Cutlass once more, and as her unconscious foe fell to the canvas, the Insane Elbow led to the three. 

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