Satomura Hurt/New Osaka-based Group

Some more bad news in the world of joshi this week, with two injuries. Sendai Girls' ace Meiko Satomura is on the shelf with a reoccurence of the herniated disk in her back that has been giving her trouble for about the past five years. She missed the three shows Sendai Girls ran this weekend, and it sounds like she wanted to soldier on despite being in no condition to wrestle. However, Jinsei Shinzaki, KAORU (who I think was scheduled to wrestle Meiko), and ref Sachiko Ito talked her out of it. From Meiko's blog, it sounds like KAORU basically refused to get in the ring with her. There was another entry from just after Misawa's death where she had talked with both Chigusa Nagayo and Devil Masami, and I wonder if they were encouraging her to take a break. I guess it's good that people are stepping forward to protect others. It's too bad no one was able to keep Misawa out of the ring.

Sendai is down to four healthy workers, as Sendai Sachiko is also injured. They all did double duty, working a variety of matches with each other and guests KAORU, Ray, Esui, and Misaki Ohata. Ohata is getting booked pretty weakly as the JWP/POP junior champ, getting a series of draws. The most notable result was Ryo Mizunami pinning Hiren (in Sendai red) in Sunday's opener, but then Hiren returned the favor (in slutty OZ black) in the main event tag.

Ohata got beat at the JWP show midweek, losing to the team of Pinkie Mayuka and Esui, as the big Mongolian girl chokeslammed Ohata. Kyoko Kimura and her Revolucion Amandola partners continued to torment the JWP midcarders. Atsuko Emoto beat Tojuki Leon with aid from Tomoka Nakagawa's Green Mist. Kimura had a brawl/double count-out against Keito. Command Bolshoi got a victory over Kaori Yoneyama in a tag match. All three JWP belts are on the line at PURE SLAM from Korakuen Hall on July 19th. Kayoko Haruyama defends the JWP Openweight title against Kimura, Bolshoi & Megumi Yabushita defend against Yoneyama and Emi Sakura, and there will be a JWP Junior/POP match. Pinkie Mayuka and Esui battle on the 5th to become the #1 Contender. Ohata wanted her first defense in Ibuki, so that happens on the 12th against Io Shirai. The winners of those matches will then meet up.

NEO also lost a worker to injury. Nagisa Nozaki separated her shoulder, and that will probably knock her out of the NEO Midsummer Tag Tournament coming up on the 5th. She was to team with Aya Yuki, but I guess they'll probably call up someone from Ice Ribbon to fill in. The Nozaki/Yuki team was likely first round fodder in any event.

Basara (aka Tyrannosaurus Okuda) appeared in both MAKEHEN and Ito Dojo this weekend. The Basara/Apple Miyuki team lost to Kaoru Ito and Hanako Kobayashi. Although Basara is working out in the Ito Dojo, there were harsh words from Ito and her femullet after the match. Basara then got to lose in Ito Dojo, just like Ayako Sato and Hanako and Tomoko Morii always do. Basara teamed with Takako Inoue against Manami Toyota and Cherry, and got to eat a Japanese Ocean Queen Bee Bomb. Ayako Hamada was NOT on the card, so I think she really really really is going to TEE! ENN! AYE! Maybe she can wear a kimono or a poncho or a kimono and a sombrero (hey she's Japanese and Mexican!) and be Sarita's valet, sort of like how well TNA uses Melissa Anderson as "Raisha Saeed".

WAVE had some more Catch the WAVE league matches at an Osaka show. There were 2 more freaking time limit draws. The scheduling is very unbalanced, as Cherry is done with three time limit draws, while Ryo Mizunami hasn't had a league match yet. The current leaders of the 4 blocks are Ayumi Kurihara, Cherry, Kana, and KAORU. A non league match saw the debut of "Sakura Candle", yet another masked woman. I'm almost positive it's Yumi Ohka.

GAMI apparently found a money mark in her hometown of Osaka, as she's starting a new joshi group (groan) to be based in Osaka. In fairness, WAVE draws better in Osaka than Tokyo, but I'm pretty unconvinced another promotion is needed. There's going to be a press conference tomorrow with more details. I think the name is going to be Osaka Girls or Osaka Joshi Pro and it appears she has hired Rie "Bad Nurse" Nakamura to be the trainer. I don't remember her being very good. It sounds like the plan is to recruit new trainees and debut next March.