September 17, 2026
Sareee held a press conference in Tokyo on Thursday, September 17, to announce the full match card for her self-produced event, “Sareee-ISM ~Chapter 12 SHINJUKU FACE COUNTDOWN SERIES~,” scheduled for Saturday, September 26 at Shinjuku FACE in Tokyo. The highly anticipated main event was confirmed as a special tag team match featuring Sareee & Takumi Iroha against VENY & Hazuki.
Although tickets for the event are already sold out, seating adjustments have been made, and a limited number of additional tickets will be released. Standing-room tickets are also scheduled to be sold on the day of the event. PPV streaming tickets are on sale starting today.
At the start of the press conference, the leading lady herself, Sareee, took the stage and shared her thoughts on the “Last FACE” show: “Sareee-ISM started here at Shinjuku FACE. I have so many memories here, and it honestly makes me feel incredibly lonely knowing this will be the very last time. But precisely because it’s the last time, I want to etch an even more passionate battle than ever before into the history of Shinjuku FACE.”
The comments from the wrestlers who attended the press conference are as follows:
▼ Match 5 (30-minute time limit): Sareee & Takumi Iroha vs. VENY & Hazuki
Sareee: “What do you all think? The main event is going to be a tag team match with this lineup. Personally, I chose the wrestlers who I felt would provide the most stimulation for the current Spark Rush. This will be my second time facing Hazuki, and during our last match, we just beat the absolute hell out of each other. I knew I definitely wanted to do it again somewhere. And I’ve been keeping a close eye on her recent success, you know? She’s doing great in America with AEW, and she’s the wrestler with the most momentum right now. I think that makes her an incredibly juicy target. And VENY… it frustrates me to admit it, but no matter how you look at it, VENY is ridiculously strong, skilled, and has such tricky movements. You really just never know what they’re going to do. They always bring the heat, no matter when we fight. You’re coming up on your 11th anniversary soon, right? VENY has so much momentum heading into that, so by facing them now, we can firmly carve our own strength into both of them in a fiercely passionate battle. For the final Shinjuku FACE show for Sareee-ISM, I truly believe the four of us can show a match that represents joshi puroresu. This is a card you’ll only ever see at Sareee-ISM, so please look forward to it.”
Takumi Iroha: “Honestly, when I first heard this card, I was surprised. I thought, ‘Oh, we’re doing this combination?’ As for Hazuki, we had that match in Stardom with Spark Rush taking on Hazuki & Fuwa-chan. It hasn’t been that long since then, but that match ended pretty quickly, so I think this time I’ll really get to take my time and face off against Hazuki. I’m looking forward to it. As for VENY, they’re someone I’ve been highly aware of for quite a while. We face each other regularly, but the memory that stands out the strongest in my mind is losing a singles match to VENY six or seven years ago. So, while this is Sareee’s self-produced show, and it’s the final Shinjuku FACE event, whether as Spark Rush or simply as Takumi Iroha, I intend to leave a lasting mark on this last FACE show.”
VENY: “I’m truly happy to be participating in Sareee-ISM again. I’m basically an essential roster member at this point. Lately in joshi puroresu, because of my strength, I often get booked under this concept of being a ‘wall’ for the younger wrestlers to overcome. But I don’t do pro wrestling because I want that. So, being able to face Takumi Iroha and Sareee again after a while, two people I can just violently slug it out with, is great. (Turning to Sareee) Wait, was our last match when you lost to me in singles, Sareee-chan?”
Sareee: “I don’t think we’ve wrestled since then. So yeah, it did end with me losing. But you just mentioned being a wall for the rookies—I’ve honestly thought the exact same thing for a long time. I always thought, ‘You should be fighting stronger people.’ You felt the same way?”
VENY: “I did.”
Sareee: “Well, that’s great then. Come at me with everything you’ve got.”
VENY: “So, I don’t know what other matches are on the card that day, but the other wrestlers should really watch our match. Watch and learn. I’m looking forward to it.”
Hazuki: “This will be my first time participating in Sareee-ISM. I’m Hazuki from Stardom. Well, regarding this card, Sareee called me the most ‘juicy’ target? I’d say she’s right on the money. I’m definitely the most appealing target right now. Obviously, right? I’ve been leaving quite a mark and getting results in AEW. (Turning to Sareee) Including in that Owen Hart Foundation Women’s Tournament that you couldn’t compete in. Looking at the current Sareee, I personally don’t find her appealing or juicy at all. However, I do think Spark Rush makes for good opponents. I love a stimulating fight, so I’m looking forward to seeing what kind of stimulation I can get from those two on the day of the show. This is my second time teaming with VENY, and since we’re both incredibly strong individually, I know we’ll function perfectly as a tag team. I hope the fans look forward to that aspect as well. Please support us.”
— Did you want to hype up the main event of the final Shinjuku FACE show by featuring Spark Rush? Sareee: “When I put together a match card, I always rely on my intuition. Whether it should be a singles match or a tag match, I just go with whatever pops into my head first. This time, when I thought about who would be the most perfect and stimulating opponents for the current version of Spark Rush, those two faces just immediately came to mind.”
— What are your thoughts on the younger wrestlers participating? Sareee: “Let’s see. Earlier in the press conference, we announced the first four matches. Hearing the words from all the wrestlers, it makes me genuinely happy to see they all have such burning passion. Tsukasa Fujimoto is in a slightly different category, of course, but there are so many young wrestlers here, and I truly believe they are the future of joshi puroresu. We have to be role models for those wrestlers. If we aren’t constantly having incredible matches and burning with passion, the younger generation won’t follow our lead. I really want everyone to see that fire in us.”
— How do you feel about Hazuki’s success in the AEW Owen Hart Foundation Women’s Tournament? Sareee: “It’s incredibly frustrating. I wasn’t able to leave my mark there, even though I was supposed to. If I had been in that tournament, maybe we would have faced each other in the semifinals, and I know deep down I absolutely wouldn’t have lost. I’m so frustrated, but I believe this is the moment where I take all that frustration and let it explode. Hazuki’s comments just now really pissed me off and rubbed me the wrong way, so my feeling right now is just, ‘You better remember this.'”
— What are your impressions of the opposing team? VENY: “Eh… I don’t really watch pro wrestling so I wouldn’t know. (Turning to Hazuki) But we teamed up before, right? Back then, we didn’t have any coordinated tag moves set up at all. We’re just truly strong individuals. But (Turning towards Sareee & Iroha), you two are just singles players, right? I’ve never even seen Spark Rush.”
Sareee: “Huh? Hey, doesn’t it piss you off that they say they’ve never seen us? What is with this person?”
VENY: “Nope, never seen it.”
Sareee: “We’ve been all over the place as Spark Rush this year…”
VENY: “Nope.”
Sareee: “Huh? No, come on, we literally tagged at the last Sareee-ISM.”
VENY: “Didn’t see it. I was fixing my makeup. I don’t know about tag team coordination or anything, but (Turning to Hazuki) we’ve got this, right?”
Hazuki: “Yes. I figure we vaguely understand what the other wants to do, so I want to just go with the flow and try various things in the moment.”
— What do you want the younger wrestlers to learn from the main event? VENY: “For me personally, there are just far too few wrestlers out there where I can feel that they genuinely think, ‘Do I really want to beat this opponent?’ or ‘Do I want to absolutely destroy them?’ Honestly, there’s no stimulation. When I was wrestling against these two in the past, it was incredibly fun. Looking back on it now, I realize their presence was huge for me. So I want the younger girls to encounter wrestlers like that. I want them to get in there and just throw hands.”
Sareee: “You’re actually making some really great points. What’s gotten into you?”
Takumi Iroha: “I was expecting you to say something completely off the mark…”
Sareee: “I’m genuinely impressed. It’s a bit surprising.”
Hazuki: “If I start talking about this and that, saying ‘I want you to do this’ or ‘I want the younger girls to see this,’ people will just complain again and say ‘There goes Hazuki’ or accuse me of ‘power harassment.’ It’s annoying to deal with. So just watch the match and learn from it. Honestly, I think that’s the best way.”
— What are your thoughts on VENY saying they haven’t seen any Spark Rush matches? Takumi Iroha: “I think it’s weird that they haven’t seen us, and they really need to pay more attention. But on the flip side, maybe that means our reach hasn’t extended to them yet? So in this match, whether they like it or not, we’ll make sure they see it.”
VENY: (To their opponents) “Are you two actually in sync? You’re both singles players, so I bet you don’t mesh well.”
Sareee: “Lately, our synergy is insanely good.”
VENY: “Your individual personalities are too strong. You both have too much ego.”
Sareee: “Even if we aren’t perfectly in sync, we’re still so strong that it’s a breeze for us.”
Hazuki: “But if you’re going to wrestle out of sync, there’s absolutely no point in teaming up, is there? You just said, ‘Lately we’re in sync. But even if we aren’t, we can still do it,’ didn’t you?”
Takumi Iroha: “Sareee did, yeah?”
Hazuki: “Isn’t it bad that you two can’t even get your opinions straight? As a tag team, I mean.”
Takumi Iroha: “What’s going on with you, Hazuki? You used to be kind of a cute junior to me, but now you’re talking like this. Well, regardless, we are in sync to a surprising degree. I want you both to feel that by watching the match on the day of the show. We are already perfect together. Yes, we are perfectly fine.”
— How do you view Hazuki’s growth? Takumi Iroha: “She just said all that to me, but if I say too much back, I’ll get accused of power harassment again, right? So I can’t really say much. I do think she used to be a somewhat better junior, but in pro wrestling, the ring is everything, regardless of the senior-junior dynamic. So I honestly think she’s an incredibly reliable, amazing wrestler. As for her success on the global stage, Sareee actually told me, ‘Hazuki is out there doing all this amazing stuff,’ so I’m looking forward to it.”
— What kind of ‘ISM’ do you want to show at this final Shinjuku FACE event? Sareee: “While this may be the final show at Shinjuku FACE, my journey will continue. I also believe the Sareee-ISM events will keep going. I made my return here at Shinjuku FACE after coming back from America, so I hold a tremendous amount of emotion for this venue. I want to convey my deep gratitude by delivering the greatest battle possible for the finale.”
▼ Match 4: Singles Match (20 Minutes): Chi Chi vs. MIRAI
Both competitors were absent from the press conference due to scheduling and injury but submitted written statements to address the semi-final.
Chi Chi (Written Statement): “I apologize for missing today’s press conference. At the previous Sareee-ISM, my singles match with Senka Akatsuki ended in a draw, and the crowd reaction wasn’t great. I am truly frustrated that Sareee didn’t call me into the ring at the end of the show. Now, a singles match with MIRAI has been set. MIRAI seems to enjoy herself during matches; she fights with a smile, making her the exact opposite type of professional wrestler from me. But I am no longer allowed to fail. I will push her and push her until MIRAI’s smiling face turns into a face of absolute despair. I will definitely win.”
MIRAI (Written Statement): “I apologize for not being able to attend. I am sending my thoughts today from Iwate. I recognize Chi Chi as the ‘Fighting Barbie Doll,’ a wrestler who is currently gaining a lot of momentum. However, growing up, I used to play with my sister’s hand-me-down squid doll, so I am firmly in the squid doll faction. I hear Chi Chi is currently out with an injury, so please heal up completely and stand before me in perfect condition. Then, hit me with everything that makes the Barbie Doll great, and everything that makes Chi Chi great. One day I’m exchanging slaps with Shinobu Kandori, and another day I’m getting covered in water and powder by the Brahman Brothers. I have absolutely nothing to fear right now. Bring it on.”
▼ Match 3 (15-minute time limit): Tsukasa Fujimoto & Yuuka vs. LINA & Sayaka Toyota
In Match 3, the team of Sayaka Toyota & LINA faces off against Tsukasa Fujimoto & Yuuka. While much of the attention is on the first-time encounter between Sayaka (whose aunt is the legendary Manami Toyota) and Manami’s protégé Fujimoto, Yuuka is burning for revenge against LINA after losing to her in a three-way match at the previous event. For LINA, who wrestled as Nori DATE during her time in Ice Ribbon, this marks her first-ever match against Fujimoto—whom she affectionately called “Boss” (Kumicho)—nine years after they first shared a ring in May 2017.
Sayaka Toyota (Statement read by proxy): “I am Sayaka Toyota of T-HEARTS. I first wrestled Yuuka at Sareee’s 15th Anniversary show, and I remember us having a fiercely hard-hitting fight. Knowing there was such a strong-willed wrestler in Ice Ribbon made me want to clash with her again, so I am thrilled to have this rematch. This will be my first time facing Tsukasa Fujimoto. She is the only pro wrestler to inherit the ‘Flying Fairy’ legacy from my aunt, Manami Toyota, and I always felt this day would eventually come. Sayaka Toyota, who carries the blood of Manami Toyota, and Tsukasa Fujimoto, who carries the legacy of the ‘Flying Fairy.’ Isn’t our encounter what everyone is looking forward to the most? I cannot contain my own excitement. I intend to carve the name Sayaka Toyota into the body of Tsukasa Fujimoto.”
LINA: “Yes. I am LINA, representing LLPW-X. Thank you for having me participate in the final Sareee-ISM show at Shinjuku FACE. I was originally scheduled to compete at the last event as the tag team ‘MikuLINA’ with Miku Kano, but Miku is sidelined again for this show. I knew I just had to keep looking forward and push on by myself, and then this match card was announced. I am deeply indebted to Tsukasa Fujimoto from a long time ago during my Ice Ribbon days, but I don’t really have any memories of us actually fighting each other. I always called her ‘Boss,’ and it was mostly me fighting alongside her, looking at her back. Today, I stand here with the pride of carrying LLPW-X on my shoulders. Because of that, in the ring, I want to fully savor fighting the wrestler Tsukasa Fujimoto, not ‘the Boss.’ Since this is our first time meeting since I became LINA, I want to etch the name LINA into Tsukasa Fujimoto. And Yuuka… last time, an unexpected accident turned our match into a 3-way, but ‘luck is also a skill,’ and I won. I don’t want you making a bunch of messy complaints about it. Our next encounter is a tag team match, but let’s settle this definitively so there’s zero room for excuses.”
Yuuka: “First off, I’m so happy to be participating in Sareee-ISM again. I faced Sayaka Toyota in a tag match at Sareee’s 15th Anniversary show; it was incredibly hard-hitting and fun. I wanted to wrestle her again, so I’m thrilled to have this opportunity. As for LINA, last time, you basically stole the spotlight in a match I should have won, and it pisses me off how smug you are about it. Your kicks really hurt last time, so this time I’m going to snap your legs in half with my elbows. Also, there are three Ice Ribbon wrestlers in this match, but I am the ultimate masterpiece of Ice Ribbon. I plan to stand out the most and claim the victory.”
LINA: “Former Ice Ribbon. I’m not anymore.”
Tsukasa Fujimoto: “Yes, it’s been a while. I’m Tsukasa Fujimoto from Ice Ribbon. During my two-year hiatus, it seems Sareee has transformed into a natural heel. I’m genuinely delighted that the world has finally realized Sareee’s true nature. However, I also recognize that it was Sareee who was monopolizing all the buzz in the joshi puroresu world while I was away. Even late at night while I was breastfeeding, Sareee would constantly show up in my recommended feeds. Her and Saya Kamitani. I truly think those two were the main ones driving the conversation. Also, lately Yuuka hasn’t stopped saying ‘Sareee is so cool.’ Sure, Sareee in the ring is cool. I’ll admit that. But the moment she steps out of the ring, she’s a total klutz, you know? (Fujimoto pulls out a traditional Japanese congratulatory envelope). Please look at this. The day has finally come for me to reveal this to the public. I received this congratulatory gift from Sareee a while back. Look closely. She misspelled her own name on it (written as ‘SARRYA’). Um… you lived in America, right? I looked closely, and it wasn’t even the ring name she used overseas, so I was left wondering who on earth I received this gift from. I’ve made it a family heirloom in our house. Sareee has that kind of goofy, clumsy side to her. Although nowadays, I find that clumsiness quite endearing, and I actually like it.
Regarding my participation in this Sareee-ISM show, I honestly thought the matchmaker was a genius. It brought together wrestlers I have deep connections with. First, LINA. She used to be in Ice Ribbon, and she was the very first girl I taught pro wrestling to. Truly, whatever you taught her, she absorbed it instantly and put it into practice right away. She was incredibly flexible but threw sharp kicks, and I thought she was undeniably cut out for pro wrestling. She was forced to quit suddenly, against her own will, and that made me deeply sad at the time. Back then, her identity was shrouded in various veils, but you’re wrestling under your real name now, right?”
LINA: “Yes.”
Tsukasa Fujimoto: “So, the prospect of facing the true, unfiltered LINA for the first time has me incredibly excited. And then, Sayaka Toyota. It just makes me smirk. The niece of my mentor, Manami Toyota—I don’t think there are many first-time matchups where you can feel the lineage of pro wrestling being passed down so strongly. My former student (LINA), the niece of my mentor (Sayaka Toyota), and Yuuka, someone I want to entrust my everything to. I truly feel like the entirety of my 18-year career is intersecting in this ring. I am overwhelmingly excited. Therefore, to both of my opponents: please allow me to make you dance in the palm of my hand to my heart’s content.”
▼ Match 2: Singles Match (15 Minutes): Miyuki Takase vs. YuuRI
Miyuki Takase was absent from the press conference but provided a written statement
Miyuki Takase (Written Statement): “The last time I faced YuuRI was over three years ago. Even now, I still remember how desperately she clung to me and fought back. I want to feel with my own body exactly what kind of path she has walked over these past three years. I am looking forward to the match and seeing what kind of fire is lit inside YuuRI’s heart today.”
YuuRI: “I am very honored to be participating in Sareee-ISM following my previous appearances. As Takase-san mentioned, it has been about three and a half years since our last singles match. I believe both the current me and Takase-san are completely different people now. Incidentally, on the day of the show, I will be wrestling at Shinjuku FACE at 2:00 AM, then in Tokorozawa at 4:00 PM, and then returning to Shinjuku for this singles match at 7:00 PM. That is three matches in one day.
“However, I absolutely do not want to use that schedule as an excuse. In fact, by fighting three matches and then facing Takase-san and winning, I want to prove my true strength. I have been thrown in with the men as if it were perfectly normal, stepping into environments with completely different physiques and power levels. I’ve been battered, bruised, and molded by that environment. I am a completely different person from three years ago. I don’t really like talking about my enthusiasm like this; I prefer to show everything in the ring. Let’s clash with our souls, Takase-san.”
▼ Match 1: Singles Match (10 Minutes): AKARI vs. Selene Misora
Selene Misora and AKARI took to the podium to discuss the opening contest.
Selene Misora: “I am very honored to participate in Sareee-ISM again. This will be my first time facing AKARI, and I intend to smash my soul of joshi puroresu right into her. Shinjuku FACE is the venue where I debuted, and since this is our final time wrestling here, I want to show my growth, display my soul, and leave a definitive result.”
AKARI: “Hello everyone, I am PURE-J’s AKARI. This is my third time appearing for Sareee-ISM, and I am very happy. Since some people might be seeing me for the first time, I will explain a bit: I came from Chile years ago, became a PURE-J trainee, and debuted in 2019. I am a foreigner, but my style is Japanese strong style. I want to show that strength. This is my first time facing Selene Misora. She has been taught by Arisa Nakajima and Nanae Takahashi, so I am really looking forward to it.”
When asked by the press how she planned to counter PURE-J’s established style, Misora noted her primary focus was raw emotion. “I’ve only been wrestling for a little over a year, so my goal is to push my feelings to the absolute forefront. That is what the ‘soul of joshi puroresu’ is all about,” Misora said.
AKARI closed by promising a hard-hitting opening bout. “Because it is the first match of the final Shinjuku FACE show, I want to deliver the kind of fierce, bachi-bachi fight that you can only see at Sareee-ISM.”
Translator’s Notes
- Boss / Kumicho (組長): During her stint in Ice Ribbon as Nori DATE, LINA affectionately referred to Tsukasa Fujimoto as Kumicho, a yakuza term for a syndicate boss or family head.
- Shrouded in various veils: Fujimoto is referencing LINA’s time competing as the martial arts-themed character Nori DATE (part of the Team DATE stable), prior to returning under her real name.
- SARRYA envelope: Fujimoto produces a goshugi-bukuro (a traditional, highly decorated Japanese envelope used to give monetary gifts for celebrations like childbirth or weddings). She pokes fun at Sareee for misspelling her own name as “SARRYA” instead of Sareee or Sarray (her WWE ring name).
- Flying Fairy (飛翔天女, Hisho Tennyo): The legendary moniker of Manami Toyota, which Tsukasa Fujimoto officially inherited.
- Hotel/Spelling Misunderstanding: During Tsukasa Fujimoto’s promo, an audio misunderstanding occurred where it sounded like she accused Sareee of misspelling her name on a “hotel” reservation. Given the context of holding up a physical gift/card and noting Sareee’s time in America, Fujimoto was explaining that Sareee misspelled her own name’s spelling (スペル – superu) on a gift, which Fujimoto playfully misheard/misspoke as hotel (ホテル – hoteru).
- Barbie vs. Squid: MIRAI’s bizarre response to Chi Chi’s “Fighting Barbie Doll” nickname references a literal stuffed squid toy (Ika-chan) she used to play with.
- Kandori & The Brahmans: MIRAI noted she has nothing to fear after taking slaps from Shinobu Kandori and getting covered in water and flour by the Brahman Brothers, referencing the extreme stylistic whiplash of her recent independent bookings.