JWP Joshi Puroresu

JWP Joshi Puroresu
Acronym JWP
Founded April 3, 1992
Style Joshi puroresu
Headquarters Adachi, Tokyo[1]
Founder(s) Masatoshi Yamamoto
Owner(s) Kiyoshi Shinozaki
Website JWP-Produce.com

JWP Joshi Puroresu (JWP女子プロレス JWP Joshi Puroresu), also known as JWP Project (JWPプロジェクト JWP Purojekuto) or simply JWP, is a Japanese joshi puroresu or women's professional wrestling promotion, founded in 1992 as a splinter promotion of Japan Women's Pro-Wrestling. Celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2012, JWP is the oldest joshi puroresu promotion in Japan and its Openweight Championship is the oldest championship in all of joshi.[2][3] Command Bolshoi, who has worked for the promotion since the beginning, serves as the current president of JWP.[4] The promotion's slogan is "Pure Heart, Pure Wrestling".[1]

History

Current JWP president, Command Bolshoi

JWP Joshi Puroresu was founded in early 1992, when Japan Women's Pro-Wrestling (JWP), ravaged by internal politics, split up into two camps, dubbed the "shooters" and the "entertainers",[5] and eventually folded on January 18.[6][7] The "shooter" side went on to form Ladies Legend Pro-Wrestling (LLPW), while the "entertainer" side, led by Jackie Sato and financed by Masatoshi Yamamoto, founded JWP Project, later renamed JWP Joshi Puroresu, which held its first event on April 3, 1992.[5][8][9] Already the following year, JWP managed to sign a television deal with the WOWOW channel.[10] In 1994, Jaleco published the JWP Joshi Pro Wrestling: Pure Wrestle Queens (JWP女子プロレス ピュア・レッスル・クイーンズ JWP Joshi Puroresu Pyua Ressuru Kuīnzu) video game for the Super Famicom game console.[11]

JWP's goal from the start was to rival All Japan Women's Pro-Wrestling (AJW), the top joshi puroresu promotion in the country, but always remained in its shadow.[12] After closing the gap between the two promotions in 1996, JWP was hit hard in 1997, when two of its top workers, Candy Okutsu and Hiromi Yagi retired, Dynamite Kansai was sidelined with health problems and finally, when, on August 16, another top worker, Plum Mariko, died in the ring during one of its events.[12] These were followed by Jackie Sato's death from stomach cancer on August 9, 1999.[5] After a co-promoted event with AJW in February 2000 turned out to be a failure, JWP closed its doors at the end of the year.[5] However, the promotion returned just a few months later, now under new management, headed by wrestler Command Bolshoi.[4] JWP continued working with former rival promotion AJW until the promotion folded in April 2005. JWP then adopted AJW's premier wrestling tournament, Tag League the Best,[13] and also inherited the promotion's old sponsor, the Daily Sports newspaper, which led to JWP most notably introducing the Daily Sports Women's Tag Team Championship in August 2008.[14][15]

JWP has not only trained a large number of wrestlers, but has also been able to recruit wrestlers from other folding joshi puroresu promotions, including Arisa Nakajima, Leon and Sachie Abe from AtoZ, Kazuki from JDStar and Hanako Nakamori and Tomoko Morii from Ito Dojo, while also employing freelancers such as Emi Sakura, Kana and Misaki Ohata.[16] Currently, JWP has a close working relationship with the Ice Ribbon promotion.[17] JWP also has a relationship with American promotion Chikara, with Hanako Nakamori, Tsubasa Kuragaki and Kaori Yoneyama, a replacement for an injured Command Bolshoi, representing the promotion at Chikara's JoshiMania weekend in December 2011.[18][19] JWP has also participated in Chikara's premier tournament, the King of Trios, on two occasions, with Bolshoi, Kuragaki and Yoneyama participating in 2012,[20][21][22] and Bolshoi, Hanako Nakamori and Manami Katsu in 2016.[23]

Roster

Wrestlers

Ring name Real name Notes
Arisa Nakajima Nakajima, ArisaArisa Nakajima[24] JWP Openweight Champion
Command Bolshoi Unknown[24]
Eri Eriko Susa[25] Inactive; brain hemorrhage
Hana Kimura Hana Kimura JWP Junior Champion
Princess of Pro-Wrestling Champion
Freelancer
Hanako Nakamori Hanako Kobayashi[24] Daily Sports Women's Tag Team Champion
JWP Tag Team Champion
Ibis Sara Itsuka Fukuda[26]
Kazuki Kazuko Fujiwara[24]
Kyoko Kimura Kimura, KyokoKyoko Kimura Daily Sports Women's Tag Team Champion
JWP Tag Team Champion
Leon Takase, RenaRena Takase[24]
Manami Katsu Katsu, ManamiManami Katsu[24]
Morii Tomoko Morii[24] Inactive; arm injury
Rabbit Miu Miyuki Shioda[24]
Rino Rino Orikono[27]
Rydeen Hagane Noriko Matsumoto[24]
Tsukasa Fujimoto Fujimoto, TsukasaTsukasa Fujimoto Ice Ribbon
Yako Fujigasaki Yako Fujigasaki[28]
Yua Hayashi Yua Hayashi[28]

Notable alumni

Staff

Championships

Current

Championship Current champion(s) Reign Date won Days held Previous champion(s)
JWP Openweight Championship Arisa Nakajima 4 November 3, 2016 38 Kyoko Kimura
JWP Tag Team Championship Zenryoku Batankyū
(Hanako Nakamori and Kyoko Kimura) 		1 August 14, 2016 119 Best Friends
(Arisa Nakajima and Tsukasa Fujimoto)
Daily Sports Women's Tag Team Championship
JWP Junior and Princess of Pro-Wrestling Championships Hana Kimura 1 September 18, 2016 84 Rydeen Hagane

Defunct

Championship Final champion(s) Date won
JWP Korakuen Tag Team Championship Kanako Motoya and Tomoko Kuzumi September 20, 1997

Tournaments

Tournament Last winner(s) Last held Notes
JWP Tag League the Best /
JWP Tag Tournament 		Makafushigi
(Hanako Nakamori and Makoto) 		February 21, 2016 Round-robin tournament, with a head-to-head final match between the top two teams.[29] Held in a single-elimination format in 2016.[30]
Natsu Onna Kettei Tournament Hanako Nakamori and Maki Narumiya July 28, 2012 Single-elimination tournament; every other year for tag teams and every other for singles wrestlers.[31]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "グッズ情報 JWP激闘史2008 ～Pure Heart Pure Wrestling～". JWP Joshi Puroresu (in Japanese). FC2. April 3, 2009. Archived from the original on February 10, 2012. Retrieved July 1, 2012.
  2. ↑ "JWP (Japan Women Project)". Puroresu Representin'. Retrieved July 1, 2012.
  3. ↑ Meltzer, Dave (July 13, 2011). "Wed.update: Rock's return, Punk on Ice Cream bars,WWE back on NBC, Marquardt update, Ratings, doc". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Archived from the original on July 15, 2011. Retrieved July 1, 2012. Haily [sic] Hatred, the first American to win the JWP title (which is actually the longest running women's title in Japan)...
  4. 1 2 Martin, Adam (November 16, 2011). "Indy News #3: Chikara's JoshiMania in December". Chikara. Wrestleview. Archived from the original on November 22, 2011. Retrieved July 1, 2012.
  5. 1 2 3 4 "Lipstick, Dynamite and Glowworms, Part 13". Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved July 1, 2012.
  6. ↑ Meltzer, Dave (January 20, 1992). "Jan 20 1992 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: 1991 year-end awards issue, Herd leaves WCW, more (back issue)". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Campbell, California: 11. ISSN 1083-9593. The biggest news of the week in Japan is that after Sunday afternoon's show at Korakuen Hall, the JWP promotion announced it was folding. The death of the group, the least popular of all the promotions running full-time schedules in Japan, wasn't unexpected and had been rumored since late last year. It is expected that with the ending of the JWP group that two of its wrestlers, Rumi Kazama and Shinobu Kandori, were going to approach Hachiro Tanaka (who already owns SWS and PWF and apparently is going sponsor Antonio Inoki in some ways) about financing a new women's promotion which would employ most of the old JWP women. No word if All Japan Women will hire any of the JWP wrestlers who are now out of wrestling work.
  7. ↑ Meltzer, Dave (January 27, 1992). "Jan 27 1992 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: Flair wins Royal Rumble, more awards, WCW courts Bret (back issue)". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Campbell, California: 15. ISSN 1083-9593. JWP finishing up its final tour before it goes out of business drew 1,132 on 1/18 in Hiroshima as Pink Cadillac & Cutie Suzuki beat three girls in a handicap match and Harley Saito & Devil Masami beat Eagle Sawai & Dynamite Kansai.
  8. ↑ Meltzer, Dave (March 30, 1992). "Mar 30 1992 Observer Newsletter: No buzz for 92 Mania, WWE steroid symposium, Donahue fallout, more (back issue)". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Campbell, California: 8. ISSN 1083-9593. JWP, after closing down for re-financing, starts back in business on 4/3 in Tokyo's Korakuen Hall headlined by Dynamite Kansai & Hikari Fukuoka vs. Cutie Suzuki & Mayumi Ozaki and they'll be back 4/11 in the same building with Kansai vs. Plum Mariko in the main event.
  9. ↑ Meltzer, Dave (May 4, 1992). "May 4, 1992 Observer Newsletter: NWA Title tourney, Luger lawsuit, early Russo heat,Wrestlemarinpiad (back issue)". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Campbell, California: 9–10. ISSN 1083-9593. Next major JWP show is 5/23 in Yashio. The new JWP consists of ten women and it's like PWF and UWFI where they pretty much have the same match-ups all the time. Of the ten, the major names are Devil Masami, Cutie Suzuki, Plum Mariko and Dynamite Kansai. The other three major names from the old JWP, Harley Saito, Rumi Kazama and Shinobu Kandori are trying to start up their own company which is tentatively scheduled to open in June.
  10. ↑ Meltzer, Dave (July 26, 1993). "July 26, 1993 Observer Newsletter: Beach Blast, WWF and WCW booking discussions, tons more (back issue)". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Campbell, California: 13. ISSN 1083-9593. JWP's first television show aired on WOWOW channel on 7/10 featuring a hot 27:00 main event with Dynamite Kansai & Plum Mariko vs. Devil Masami & Cutie Suzuki that was in the four-star range.
  11. ↑ "JWP女子プロレス ピュア・レッスル・クイーンズ". Super-Famicom.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved July 28, 2012.
  12. 1 2 Zavisa, Chris (January 31, 1998). "5 Yrs Ago: Zavisa ranks the top Japanese promotions (part two)". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved July 1, 2012.
  13. ↑ １月７日更新ニュース. Ringstars (in Japanese). Ameba. January 7, 2011. Retrieved July 1, 2012.
  14. ↑ デイリースポーツ創刊６０周年記念・女子プロレス「サマードリーム２００８」チケット発売のお知らせ. JWP Joshi Puroresu (in Japanese). FC2. March 12, 2008. Retrieved July 1, 2012.
  15. ↑ (結果)8月3日（日）デイリースポーツ創刊60周年記念大会「サマードリーム2008」東京大会. JWP Joshi Puroresu (in Japanese). FC2. August 4, 2008. Retrieved July 1, 2012.
  16. ↑ 選手紹介. JWP Joshi Puroresu (in Japanese). FC2. Retrieved July 1, 2012.
  17. ↑ "【大会情報】7/28横浜大会は『J Ribbon-2012夏女決定ﾄｰﾅﾒﾝﾄ』!!". Ice Ribbon (in Japanese). June 19, 2012. Retrieved July 1, 2012.
  18. ↑ Meltzer, Dave (November 16, 2011). "Wed. update: Record audience for Dos Santos vs. Cain; Ratings, Spike adding new TV show; TNA cancel". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Archived from the original on November 19, 2011. Retrieved July 3, 2012.
  19. ↑ Magee, Bob (December 2, 2011). "JoshiMania tonight in Phily with Toys for Tots". Wrestleview. Archived from the original on December 6, 2011. Retrieved July 3, 2012.
  20. ↑ "King of Trios 2012". Chikara. Retrieved July 3, 2012.
  21. ↑ Namako, Jason (September 15, 2012). "9/14 Chikara "King of Trios: Night 1" Results: Easton, PA". Wrestleview. Archived from the original on September 19, 2012. Retrieved September 15, 2012.
  22. ↑ Namako, Jason (September 15, 2012). "9/15 Chikara "King of Trios: Night 2" Results: Easton, PA". Wrestleview. Archived from the original on September 19, 2012. Retrieved September 16, 2012.
  23. ↑ "9/2-9/4 Chikara King of Trios Results – three-night tournament featuring CWC & former WWF/E Women's Teams". Pro Wrestling Torch. September 5, 2016. Retrieved September 5, 2016.
  24. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 選手紹介. JWP Joshi Puroresu (in Japanese). FC2. Archived from the original on April 4, 2013. Retrieved April 4, 2013.
  25. ↑ 瑛凛. JWP Joshi Puroresu (in Japanese). FC2. Archived from the original on December 18, 2014. Retrieved December 18, 2014.
  26. ↑ 【試合結果】７月１７日（日）両国・ＫＦＣホール　１３時. JWP Joshi Puroresu (in Japanese). July 17, 2016. Archived from the original on July 17, 2016. Retrieved August 3, 2016.
  27. ↑ 選手紹介. JWP Joshi Puroresu (in Japanese). Archived from the original on August 3, 2016. Retrieved August 3, 2016.
  28. 1 2 選手紹介. JWP Joshi Puroresu (in Japanese). FC2. January 1, 2014. Archived from the original on October 20, 2014. Retrieved November 12, 2014.
  29. ↑ "2015.3.22 神奈川・ラゾーナ川崎クラブソル 13時半　試合". JWP Joshi Puroresu (in Japanese). FC2. March 24, 2015. Retrieved March 25, 2015.
  30. ↑ 【試合結果】２月２１日（日）ラゾーナ川崎プラザソル 13:30. JWP Joshi Puroresu (in Japanese). February 21, 2016. Archived from the original on February 21, 2016. Retrieved February 21, 2016.
  31. ↑ (結果)７月２８日（土）横浜ラジアントホール　. JWP Joshi Puroresu (in Japanese). FC2. July 28, 2012. Retrieved July 28, 2012.
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