Hikaru Shida vs Naomichi Marufuji, 10th anniversary match, presence not revenge

10th October 2018
Yahoo Japan

The OZ Academy Champion, Hikaru Shida (30, MAKAI), met with Naomichi Marufuji (39, Noah) for her 10th anniversary commemorative match for the first time in six months. She was defeated in eighteen minutes and one second via a knee kick.

Although she could not get revenge, it was a firece battle that caused the spirit of "Hikaru Shida exists here!" to be carved into the history of the intergender match in history in twenty-one years.

Although it was a humiliating loss after 108 seconds on April 17th 2018 in Shinkiba,  proved to be Shida's evolution in the ring. In her 10th anniversary year she became the OZ champion in June, and in September won her first victory over Aja Kong. It was a huge boost in confidence for a rematch.
She attacked with a variety of knee attacks to reproduce the war with Aja and struck four missile attacks from the corner. Marufuji fought back with "bangs which echoed in the heart" chops to the chest, of which she received nearly 20 and she grew red-black and swollen. Knocked down, she was exhausted by taking two knee kicks in a row from the back of the head to the front.

Shida said, "It was fixed in my mind, and a rematch was decided on. I was scared, which could not be helped, but I wanted to get revenge for myself".
After becoming champion she has suffered anxiety due to the pressure, and therefore the match with Marufuji was a big pending issue, but she has taken a further step forward with such a satisfying match.

Marufuji said encouragingly about the match, "if nothing had changed since last time, I intended to finish it in a short time. The match was fun, and with so much potential, I want you to be the top girl".

The match between men and women began in July 1997 in Nagasaki between Hiromichi Fuyuki and Lioness Asuka. The difference between men and women is obvious in terms of physical abilities, but the battle transcends the difference, and becomes romantic, which is unique to pro-wrestling.

Link to original article from Yahoo Japan (in Japanese)