September 2, 2026, “The Lord Has Lost His Mind: Unagi Sayaka, 40 Years Old and Still Belonging to No One.”, Tokyo Dome City Attractions Viking Zone Lawn Area, Attendance: 336 (Sold Out).
Match 1: No Time Limit, One Fall Andreza Giant Panda def. Unagi Sayaka (11:21) via Body Press (Tai-gatame)
Panda makes its entrance while lying down, barely managing to reach the ring. When the bell rings, Unagi yells, “Panda, I missed you!” and launches a fierce attack. Furthermore, along with the Papapa Reiwa Party, she hits a train attack, concentrating their offense on Panda. Next, she aims for a rubber band snap attack (gomu-pacchin), but Panda lets go of the rubber band first, causing Unagi to take the damage.
The fight spills to the outside, where, for some reason, Unagi and Panda take a commemorative photo involving a child from the audience. Afterward, Unagi grabs a bamboo branch and repeatedly strikes Panda with it.
Back in the ring, Unagi successfully executes the rubber band snap attack this time. However, Panda mows Unagi down with a devastating lariat. The Papapa Reiwa Party launches back-to-back train attacks, but Panda easily repels them one by one. In the end, Panda crushes Unagi under its massive frame with a Body Press to score the three-count.
Match 2: Papapa Reiwa Party vs. ZAMAS Faction (20-Minute Time Limit, One Fall) Kiku Miyamoto, Daria Abe, Annabel Mogami, Veronica Ueki & Kurumi Tateba Shakuyaku def. Unagi Sayaka, Ayame Sasamura, Kakeru Sekiguchi, Misa Kagura & Hikari Noa (8:59) via Fisherman Buster (Tai-gatame)
The match starts with a surprise attack from the Papapa Reiwa Party. Kurumi becomes the target of concentrated offense from the Papapa members.
Amidst a back-and-forth battle, Daria blasts Misa Kagura with a vicious big boot. Misa retaliates by unleashing her signature “Shu! Shu!” strikes. In response, Daria fires back with her own “Shu! Shu!”, leading to a fierce exchange between the two.
Kakeru Sekiguchi traps Kiku Miyamoto and launches a missile dropkick from the corner.
Next is an exchange between Hikari Noa and Annabel Mogami. Annabel gets hit with a train attack from the Papapa Reiwa Party. The Papapa members relentlessly attack, backing Annabel into a corner, but the ZAMAS Faction pulls Papapa’s legs from the outside and drags them out of the ring.
Then, Ayame Sasamura executes a plancha onto the ZAMAS Faction on the outside. Diving in all at once, she wipes them all out.
With momentum shifting dizzily, members from both teams repeatedly enter the ring, turning the match into a chaotic melee.
In the midst of the scramble, Noa rolls up Annabel for a pin, but the count is two. The ring clears to Noa vs. Noa vs. Annabel again, and they clash intensely, putting everything on the line. Ultimately, Annabel pins Noa, scoring the three-count with a Fisherman Buster.
Match 3: 20-Minute Time Limit, One Fall Aja Kong, Hiroyo Matsumoto & Ryo Mizunami def. Cohaku, Haruka Umesaki & Nanami Hatano (11:23) via Diving Elbow Drop (Tai-gatame)
The bell rings with Haruka Umesaki facing Aja Kong. Umesaki hits a dropkick and tries to pull Aja’s arm to throw her, but Aja won’t budge an inch. Cohaku jumps in to help, but Aja mows them both down at the same time.
Ryo Mizunami unleashes a flurry of chops on the turnbuckle pad (Shin Sakura Hirota). Taking massive damage, the turnbuckle pad tumbles to the outside. Cohaku and Umesaki land double-team moves on Hiroyo Matsumoto and Mizunami, then Cohaku hits a plancha to the outside. She follows up with a missile dropkick on Mizunami from the corner.
Matsumoto whips Cohaku into the corner and squashes her with a body press, hitting the turnbuckle pad as well. Caught in the crossfire, the turnbuckle pad retaliates against Matsumoto with a Kancho attack.
Tagging in, Nanami Hatano mows Matsumoto down with a shoulder tackle and lands a barrage of elbows. Nanami dodges Aja’s charging attack, causing Aja to accidentally splash the turnbuckle pad.
Umesaki hits a missile dropkick on Aja from the corner, and Nanami follows up with a diving body press. Cohaku then hits a missile dropkick from the top rope, with all three ganging up to corner Aja.
On the outside, Matsumoto shoves the turnbuckle pad off the apron. Back in the ring, Aja hits Nanami with a uranage and finishes her off with a Diving Elbow Drop from the corner for the three-count.
Match 4: 20-Minute Time Limit, One Fall Dick Togo & Jun Kasai def. Kuroshio TOKYO Japan & Junjie (9:56) via Pearl Harbor Splash (Kata-ebi-gatame)
Dick Togo launches a sneak attack during Kuroshio’s entrance, and the match immediately begins as an outside brawl. After a fierce ringside battle, both men return to the ring. Kuroshio toys with Togo using his signature nimble movements and takes control.
However, Kasai and Togo hit Kuroshio with a double shoulder tackle, knocking him down with force. Kuroshio endures a relentless assault, writhing in pain. Togo catches Kuroshio in a sleeper hold and viciously chokes him.
Tagging in, Junjie retaliates with a flurry of strikes on Togo. Kasai steps in and knocks Junjie down with a devastating lariat. Even so, Kuroshio and Junjie double-team Kasai, raining down blows. Junjie goes for a pin on Kasai, but the count is two.
Togo and Kasai trap Kuroshio and launch him with a massive double backdrop.
Kasai then hits Junjie with a Backslide Bomb, followed by a vicious lariat. Meanwhile, Kuroshio and Togo resume their intense brawl on the outside.
In the ring, Kasai corners Junjie and finishes him off with a Pearl Harbor Splash from the top rope for the three-count.
Match 5: 30-Minute Time Limit, One Fall Taiji Ishimori & Rina Yamashita def. Unagi Sayaka & Minoru Suzuki (19:15) via Splash Mountain (Ebi-gatame)
The bell rings with Unagi vs. Ishimori. They lock up, and Unagi immediately uses the rubber band snap (gomu-pacchin) attack on Ishimori. She tries for a second one, but this time Ishimori lets go first, causing Unagi to take the damage.
The fight spills to the outside, where Unagi also uses the rubber band snap on Rina Yamashita. They trade blows back and forth, and Unagi smashes Yamashita with an elbow. Meanwhile, Ishimori and Suzuki engage in a fierce striking battle up on the stage.
Yamashita repeatedly slams Unagi into the turnbuckle pad (Shin Sakura Hirota) and stomps on both Unagi and the pad. Unagi retaliates with a flurry of elbows, a big boot, and a brainbuster.
The action in the ring shifts to Yamashita vs. Suzuki. Despite eating a barrage of Suzuki’s brutal strikes, Yamashita stands her ground with a flurry of elbows. Next, Ishimori and Suzuki face off, engaging in a furious elbow exchange.
Unagi hits Ishimori with her Daifuhensha-Zan, but Ishimori counters with a brainbuster. Unagi fires off rapid elbows, but Ishimori flattens her with one devastating strike. Still, Unagi manages to drop a leg drop on him.
Yamashita hits Unagi with a backdrop, but the count is two. As loud “Unagi!” chants echo through the venue, Unagi traps Yamashita in a modified sleeper hold.
Suzuki blasts Yamashita with an elbow, and Yamashita fires back with rapid chops. Suzuki and Unagi hit a double-team move on Yamashita. Unagi then follows up with a big boot out of her Daifuhen-gatame, but it only gets a two-count.
Yamashita throws an elbow at Unagi, but Suzuki traps Yamashita in a sleeper hold. Ishimori rushes the ring, and the match devolves into an all-out melee.
Yamashita hits a diving body press on Unagi from the corner, but the count is two. Finally, Yamashita hits Splash Mountain on Unagi to secure the three-count.
Unagi makes a major announcement at the end: “We’re doing a 1.4 show right before NJPW!”
Post-Match Comments
Post-match, Taiji Ishimori took the microphone.
Ishimori: “Unpleasant feelings, pain, frustration. I’m way too used to all that. And what else? Excuses for losing? Don’t make me laugh. So, since we’ve both survived our share of bloodshed, let’s pick up where we left off somewhere down the line!”
Suzuki: “Picking up where we left off just means you’re prepared to get your ass beat! Hey, I don’t care what promotion’s Ishimori you are. I’ve known Taiji Ishimori since you were a kid, and I am the King of Professional Wrestling, Minoru Suzuki. Bring it on! I’ll fight you anytime, anywhere.”
Ishimori: “Now then, Unagi. No, Sayaka. Listen to my thoughts. This is truly the blessing of God, yes! Grace! See ya!”
Unagi: “Whatever, I bet that’s the only thing he knows how to say.”
Yamashita: “You (Unagi) are always so damn resolved every time, it’s hilarious. Minoru Suzuki, does that ‘anytime, anywhere’ offer apply to other people too?”
Suzuki: “Anytime, anywhere, under any rules.”
Yamashita: “Understood. I’ll make sure to remember those words. And that means, by extension, this applies to you (Unagi) too. Whenever I want to have some fiery, hard-hitting fun again, I’m absolutely dragging you into it, so look forward to that. Anyway, happy birthday for today.”
Unagi: “Thank you. Rina Yamashita, you’re practically a dude, huh. Minoru, thank you as always. For some reason—for whatever reason—even when I try to hide it, Minoru always texts me when I’m having a hard time. I’m going to run even bigger venues, so we’ll do this together again then.”
Suzuki: “Wait, you mean me? Got it!”
Unagi: “But it’s not the kind of thing you all are expecting. I’d never choose a guy with two strikes against him (divorced twice) anyway. Even at 40, let’s keep fighting together, a lot. And hey, isn’t it about time you bring me a title match for an overseas belt? You’re popular overseas, aren’t you?”
Suzuki: “I sure am.”
Unagi: “Let’s go win them together as a tag team this year.”
Suzuki: “Well then, I’ve got one present for you right here.”
Suzuki sang the “Happy Birthday” song together with the audience.
Suzuki: “Let’s seriously go after them for real. Hell, even a major Japanese promotion would do.”
Unagi: “Exactly. I’m not gonna name names, but like, New Japan Pro-Wrestling, for instance.”
Suzuki: “I’m not gonna name names either, but maybe the ○○GP…”
Unagi: “I’m ready anytime, so we’ll be waiting.”
After that, a letter from Unagi’s mother was read.
Unagi’s Mother: “You were once so fragile I was afraid to even lift you in my arms, and now, seeing you celebrated by so many people in such a massive venue, welcoming the best birthday ever… my heart is so full of surprise and joy. Happy birthday, Sayaka-chan! To borrow Kuroshio TOKYO Japan’s line from the other day—you’re tired, you’ve been busy, you’ve worked so hard, thank you for everything. Please soak in a warm bath tonight and properly rest your body. I hope you walk through a wonderful year where you can continue to make your dreams come true and shine brightly. No matter where you are or what you do, I am always cheering you on. To my beloved Sayaka. From Mom.”
Next, Unagi read a letter to her mother.
Unagi: “You both might be surprised that I’m reading a letter like this from the ring. But I think this is very ‘Unagi Sayaka.’ On this special day, as I reach a major milestone in my life, I wanted to write a letter to express the gratitude I can never seem to say out loud. I’ve caused the two of you countless worries and troubles. Getting fired as an idol, getting fired from a wrestling promotion, instantly racking up 16 million yen in debt… hearing all that, you must really think you raised an outrageous daughter. Out of a sheer desire to stick to the path I believed in, I’ve run recklessly, gotten injured, caused you pain, and constantly chosen unpredictable challenges, giving you so many sleepless, anxious nights.
“Even so, neither of you ever flat-out rejected my chaotic way of living; you were always my biggest allies. No matter how battered and broken I was when I came home, there was always a warm place waiting for me. Because you both continued to pour unconditional love into me, I’ve been able to keep standing proud in this ring without breaking even once. The older I get, and the more I learn how hard it is to take responsibility and live on my own, the more I realize the strength and depth of the two people who raised me. I can never thank you enough. I hear Dad asks Mom every day, ‘When is Sayaka getting married?’ But I’ll definitely, definitely, definitely get married somewhere down the line, so please live a long life and wait for it. And please watch over me until I properly retire. Mom, Dad… thank you so much for bringing me into this world.”
Afterwards, a cake shaped like the Tokyo Dome was presented to Unagi, who has set her sights on running the venue.
Finally, Unagi made a major announcement.
Unagi: “Starting at noon on January 4, 2027, at the Tokyo Dome City Attractions Viking Zone Lawn Area. We’re doing a 1.4 show right before New Japan Pro-Wrestling! January 4th will mark my 8th anniversary. So, I’m doing a 1.4 show outside over there. I’ll make absolutely sure it finishes before New Japan Pro-Wrestling starts, so please bring lots of friends and come watch on New Year’s!”
All the participants then entered the ring to close out the event.
Backstage
Unagi: “I’ve turned 40. I don’t feel it at all. I’m still operating with the exact same energy I had at 26. I honestly didn’t think he’d actually show up this time. To think Taiji Ishimori actually came. Finally, Unagi Kabuki is starting to get its hands on New Japan Pro-Wrestling. And next year on 1.4, for my 8th anniversary, I’ll be running a 1.4 show right before the 1.4 show at the Tokyo Dome City Attractions Viking Zone Lawn Area. I wonder if there will be people coming to watch pro wrestling for the first time there too? I don’t know, but I want to show the people coming for 1.4 that this kind of pro wrestling exists too, so we can expand the wrestling world even further. I hope to deliver a new kind of pro wrestling that is uniquely Unagi Sayaka.
“I also want to get married. I want to get married, so I’m totally accepting applications—I’ll be waiting. Sometimes I get messages in my merchandise shop DMs like, ‘Are you accepting marriage proposals?’ And yes, I am accepting them, so please send them to my merch DMs. And honestly, a normal happy life at 40 probably means having kids, making your parents grandparents, and bringing the grandkids over—I think that’s ordinary happiness. Sometimes I wonder if this path is really okay for me, but since I have so many people pushing me forward and supporting me, I want to do things that nobody else can do. The Tokyo Dome is an incredibly unknown world for me, and compared to the crowd size today, it’s what… 30 to 40 times bigger? (A reporter answers ‘about 100 times’.) Yikes! I still have a long, long way to go, so I’ll keep doing my best. We’ve got the Papapa Reiwa Party here too, and together we want to work hard and build from scratch once again. Thank you very much for today.”
Translator’s Notes
- The Lord Has Lost His Mind (Tonosama Go-ranshin): Unagi Sayaka wrestles under a “Tonosama” (Feudal Lord) persona, frequently using archaic samurai phrasing. This headline plays on classic period drama tropes.
- Turnbuckle Pad (Shin Sakura Hirota): In Match 3 and Match 5, the “turnbuckle pad/corner post” is actually veteran comedy wrestler Shin Sakura Hirota in cosplay. She spent the matches acting as a literal piece of ring equipment.
- Two Strikes (Batsu-ni): When Unagi jokes about Suzuki having “two strikes” against him, she is referencing the Japanese colloquialism for being divorced. A divorce on a family register is crossed out with an “X” (batsu), so being divorced twice is referred to as being batsu-ni.
- 1.4 and ○○GP: “1.4” is the universally recognized shorthand for January 4, the traditional date of New Japan Pro-Wrestling’s biggest annual Tokyo Dome event, Wrestle Kingdom. The censored “○○GP” in Suzuki’s promo is a thinly veiled reference to NJPW’s governing body, the IWGP.