00:00...fight is the battle of the Japanese idols, and it's set for one call with a 30-minute time limit.
00:07Introducing first, from Kanagawa, Japan, Wakana, Uehara!
00:15Saves to Durant, lighting a fire under Templario, as he wants a shot at the MLW middleweight title still remains
00:23to be seen.
00:23When and how we're going to solve the vacancy there, Templario, of course, previously fitting Mystico in MLW.
00:31Take a look at Wakana Uehara now, the dream-chasing one herself, J-pop shooting star in this battle of
00:39the Japanese idols.
00:40Wakana Uehara, the least experienced of the two, debuted New Year's Day 2023 as we spotlighted in that video.
00:47But as won the Next Generation Tournament 2023, meet Himawari in the finals.
00:52And as, uh, in addition to her success in the ring, has been part of several different J-pop bands.
00:58So, a very large, loyal fan base from multiple different mediums.
01:02Yeah, I love her music.
01:05Really? You can send something nice on somebody?
01:08All the time, just not you.
01:10Oh, okay. Mine is good.
01:13We'll see if, uh, the support of Austin Harry's can help motivate you.
01:18And her opponent.
01:18Also hailing from Kanagawa, Japan, Yuki Kamifuku!
01:26She's known as the casual beauty.
01:29Yuki Kamifuku is right at home on the runway, dominating the presence, making everybody soak in the moment.
01:39All eyes on her, the spotlight bright.
01:41And Kamifuku has taken that into pro wrestling as an eight-year pro, a Tokyo Joshi Pro original.
01:50She won a tournament in 2020 to become international princess champion,
01:55defeating eight other women in that bracket to fill that vacancy.
01:59She also was the champion in VPW, which, by the way, is Vietnam pro wrestling.
02:05So, she's seen success in multiple countries, and you can tell by the poise, the presence, the timing.
02:11This is far from Yuki's first time in front of a camera.
02:17Taking her time working the runway on the way down.
02:23And there's something to be said about a poise, a comfort zone, a confidence when you're used to being in
02:30high pressure situations.
02:32And certainly, both of these athletes are in and out of the ring, but there just seems to be something
02:39about Yuki that puts her on another level.
02:42Oftentimes, things move so fast when you're in there in competition.
02:45If you can slow things down in your mind, it works out well.
02:50The results speak for themselves so far.
02:53Well, we talked about, also in that video look, that these two athletes have been partners in a tag team
02:59called Uber Eats.
03:01But we'll see who delivers a victory for their win-loss record.
03:04You say Uber Eats?
03:06Oprah?
03:09I'll get you the closed captioning later.
03:12And looking for an eye poke is Yuki Kamabuku.
03:14There we go, I love it.
03:15Yeah, she's not going to be able to read the closed caption after that.
03:17But Uihara able to use her size and quickness.
03:21I'll have a chat with her and let her know if you use your thumb, it's a little more effective.
03:25Yeah, that's the kind of coaching we need here in pro wrestling.
03:28As you can see on the bottom of your screen, MLW on Tour upcoming fights.
03:32Get your tickets soon, trust me, because we have been on a sellout streak that is second to none throughout
03:392025, back into 2024.
03:42And I guarantee you, if you wait too long, you're going to be left in the dark of some of
03:46the upcoming MLW events for the rest of 2025.
03:49Yeah, sold out every show that I've been commentating.
03:52Thanks for the house.
03:53Look at that athleticism right there, that cartwheel.
03:56It's been happening long before that, Austin.
03:59Let Austin live in Austin's world.
04:02And a handful of hair.
04:03I know, so apologetic is Yuki Kamifuku.
04:09You know, both these women, because of their backgrounds, are used to performing in front of large crowds.
04:15Yes.
04:16The atmosphere is not going to be too big for them.
04:18Tom, as you were saying, it's not going to be too fast in there.
04:22You can see the comfort level of both of them in that ring.
04:27Oh, nice straight boot.
04:28I don't know how comfortable Uihara is after that boot.
04:32Those long, supermodel legs put them to good use.
04:36Yuki Kamifuku.
04:37Oh, nicely done with a drop kick.
04:39I actually grew up for a period of time in Ohio, believe it or not.
04:42Into the cover, two count only, where family relocated for a time to the United States.
04:47So, not her first time over here in the U.S.
04:50No, she really had to overcome some adversity.
04:53What do you mean?
04:54Ohio.
04:55Oh.
04:56Nice people in Ohio.
04:59Nice shot.
05:00And there you see, we were talking about it a bit ago, I believe you touched on it, Tom.
05:03Just the reach advantage that comes with the side.
05:05Oh, but a nice explosive drop kick by Wakana Uihara.
05:10There's no reach advantage when you're down to the ground.
05:12That's true.
05:13You're just wondering if she kind of like sucked her in there.
05:15A little false sense of security.
05:17Lured her in with that drop kick.
05:18And what a great matchup this is when you think about the MLW featherweight division.
05:25Certainly these two athletes, Miyu Yamashita, Persephone from CMLL.
05:29We know Shotzi's on our way to MLW.
05:32And so many others that won a shot at the MLW featherweight championship.
05:40Big Bad Kaiju, Shoko Nakajima, the reigning champion, has to be watching closely because the contenders, as always, are beginning
05:47to assemble.
05:52And there's that Manjika Tommy that we saw focused in that video.
05:57And the leg strength, the ability to wrap around the smaller frame of Uihara.
06:01Austin, Tom, tell us what this does, what this feels like.
06:05I mean, listen, she's got the limbs to perform this move to a next level.
06:10But you're pulling the body in all different directions, right?
06:13So it's going to take away your core strength, your breath.
06:16It's pulling on your shoulders.
06:18Just a real effective submission.
06:21Uihara was able to get to the ropes.
06:24Maybe a little bit of desperation, a little bit of luck.
06:26But now finds herself throwing to that boot scrape right across the side of the face.
06:32Kamifuku switched to a sort of a choke with her legs, which actually allowed Uihara to get to the ropes
06:38there.
06:38But didn't allow her to take advantage.
06:42Kamifuku about a four or five inch height advantage on Uihara and uses every bit of it to get the
06:49shots off at a near ball.
06:51I mean, Uihara can't even fight back at this point because Kamifuku can connect with her outside of striking distance.
07:00I think what I'm most amazed by is Kamifuku's hair is barely moved.
07:04It still looks fantastic.
07:05Just like when she walked out here.
07:07She really is a supermodel.
07:09When you're a supermodel, you know that perception is reality and image is everything and not a hair out of
07:16place.
07:17And Uihara doesn't care right now because she is an opening to fire on all cylinders.
07:23But you can see that Kamifuku has her legs under her.
07:27And Uihara just trying to string something together.
07:34Notice Kamifuku hasn't been able to turn left.
07:37Perhaps some of that supermodel training.
07:39There it is.
07:40Yeah, the Aries special followed by the straight boot.
07:43Thumb right to the eye. Works every time.
07:47And that speaks to the competitive nature because, keep in mind, former tag team partners, good friends, but all that's
07:54out the window here.
07:55Yeah, not tonight.
07:56Oh, nice reversal by Uihara. I got underneath Kamifuku.
08:02There's a triangle lancer.
08:03Yeah, the triangle lancer. I haven't seen this in a long time.
08:06That's one of Uihara's special. She calls that the banana pillow.
08:11I have a banana pillow.
08:13Please don't elaborate.
08:15And there you see, quickly, the ropes.
08:18Kamifuku, of course, these athletes being former partners, she knows the damage that Uihara can do.
08:23What a smart maneuver. What a smart maneuver.
08:26Used the bottom ropes to break and then sucked her in and countered her right there.
08:31Smart and a level of dexterity and leg strength that we really don't see very often.
08:38Once again.
08:40Yeah, Kamifuku is able to, you know, use techniques that I've, quite frankly, never seen before.
08:44I've never seen anybody else use that tactic.
08:46Pull her in with a head scissors and just drive her face first into the mat.
08:50Maybe she learned it on the runway.
08:52I think she was looking famouser that time.
08:54Uihara was able to slip out of harm's way.
08:57Comes through with a sunset flip.
08:58Shoulders down. Stacks up the weight.
09:00And a kick out.
09:04Now rolls through, jackknife style, and couldn't put her away.
09:08This becomes the issue when you talk about size discrepancy.
09:12How do you position that weight to keep the shoulders dressed?
09:16And keep her in the center of the ring so she doesn't have the ropes as an escape.
09:21And two count only again.
09:24And that was her best opportunity right there to get the win.
09:26Because she had her in the center of the ring, just like you mentioned.
09:28And J-pop idol, Uihara is resilient.
09:31She's been in, in three different bands.
09:35Oh, workout suplex.
09:37But is in the lead position here to try to fend off Kamibuku.
09:42But that size and that leverage continues to play a factor as now Yuki measures her.
09:54Bring that space.
09:55There it is.
09:57And a leg lariat connects.
10:00Hooks the leg deeply.
10:01And Yuki Kamibuku gets the win.
10:05Here is your winner, Yuki Kamibuku.
10:11Great outing for both these athletes.
10:13I love the competitive spirit in our featherweight division.
10:19There it is.
10:19That's what did it.
10:20A long reach of that leg wrapping around the neck.
10:23Really nowhere for Uihara to go.
10:27Yeah, each woman was willing to pull out the stops.
10:30Go into their bag of tricks to try to get the win despite, obviously, their mutual respect for one another.
10:36Oh, you love to see it.
10:37Still friends afterwards, Austin.
10:39Do you love to see it?
10:40I don't know if somebody poked me in the eye.
10:42I would be their friend 20 minutes later.
10:44No, I meant I'd love to see you get poked in the eye.
10:47Well, why don't you try it?
10:49You're wearing sunglasses.
10:49Check out the flowers.
10:51The show of respect.
10:53Handed to both of these.
10:54Absolutely incredible athlete.
10:57These bonafide Japanese idols.
10:59As the appreciation is rained down from New York City as well.
11:04But I hope Choko Nakajima is watching.
11:06MLW featherweight champion.
11:08Because Yuki Kamibuku with an impressive debut.
11:11And I wonder how the big bad Kaiju can stack up to the leg stretch of Yuki Kamibuku.
