Gatoh Move is back. The company behind ChocoPro is busting out of the studio and into bigger halls with an actual audience once again. For the past two years, ChocoPro has been giving people an escape by fighting it out on the Chocolate Square. Now, it was time to take to the show on the road again, starting with this massive return show. We had five matches to look forward to featuring some of the absolute favourites of the Gatoh Move roster alongside heavy hitters from other companies. We’d see, six-person warfare, a triple team battle, Sayaka vs Tokiko Kirihara, Baliyan Akki taking on Hikaru Sato, and the main event spectacle between the teams of Haruka Umesaki and Mei Suruga and Chie Koishikawa and Kaori Yoneyama. There was a lot to break into so let’s get this review started.

Antonio Honda & Trans-Am Hiroshi defeated Dragon Ninja (Choun Shiryu & Sayuri) & Hagane Shinno & Toru Owashi via Roll-up on Sayuri

Everyone take a bow?#ChocoPro #gtmvReturns pic.twitter.com/GQHDaU40LH

— Rylino (@FlyingVTrigger) May 5, 2022

We opened the show with some manic three-team tag action. It would be Dragon Ninja taking on the ragtag teams of Antonio Honda with Trans-Am Hiroshi and Hagane Shinno with Toru Owashi. It promised to be a wild concoction of ninja magic, yoga, and deadly kicks with Owashi stunting everyone. We opened with clapping and dancing as Owashi, Honda, and Shiryu all found the rhythm. Their partners took over and Shinno watched in horror as Hiroshi trapped Sayuri with the power of yoga. Sayuri was locked in place and could only gaze as Hiroshi and Shinno continued to wrestle beside her. Shinno freed her and felt the wrath of the Ninja as she could finally come to life. Hiroshi used his telekinetic powers to disrupt the match and Shinno ended up taking out both Hiroshi and Honda with a springboard crossbody. Owashi got tagged and bulldozed through everyone before he and Shinno felt the wrath of Dragon Ninja. Sadly, they couldn’t pick up steam as Honda and Hiroshi started a dancing jab battle. All the teams got involved and everyone cut into a choreographed dance routine. Honda and Hiroshi took full advantage of the distraction and levelled everyone with knees and elbows. Dragon Ninja gave Honda one final lashing but it wasn’t to be as Sayuri attempted a roll-up and Honda countered into one of his own, trapping her for the three-count. Yoga Honey had taken the win here, playing it smart amongst the minefield of competition. It made for an entertaining opening encounter with all three teams getting in on the silliness.

Sayaka defeated Tokiko Kirihara via Bridging Suplex

Next up was a fourth-gen exhibition match as Sayaka took on Tokiko Kirihara. These two are familiar foes and friends so they should be able to bring out the best in each other. Plus, both love nothing more than striking and technicality as Comaneci met the newly dubbed smiling violence. This was exactly what you’d want. The pair started civil enough and quickly brought out all the moves and moments that make them both unique. Sayaka went for her knee drop bow and arrow and Kirihara gave Sayaka the Comaneci world tour. Both fighters meshed well to put on a technically-charged slugfest highlighting how their moves translate to a ring and taking full use of it. it was competitive to the end with both continuously countering and keeping the crowd on their toes. It was equal parts power and personality as the pair put everything they had out into the ring. They pushed the match as far as it would go and Sayaka took the win with less than a minute to spare. It had been a fun re-introduction for the pair to a crowd and they both made the most of it. They gave us an excellent bout that showed off all their usual tricks in new ways.

Ken Ohka, Yuna Mizumori & Sayaka Obihiro (w/Minoru Fujita) defeated CDK (Chris Brookes & Masahiro Takanashi) & Shin Suzuki via Supergirl on Mizumori

HUGE lariat from Yunamon?#ChocoPro #gtmvReturns pic.twitter.com/0CJARo0puW

— Rylino (@FlyingVTrigger) May 5, 2022

The chaos picked up again as we went into an anarchic six-person tag bout. It would be Ganbare’s big boss, Ken Ohka joining the Pineapple Fairy Monster Yuna Mizumori and the Iron Chef Sayaka Obihiro against the forces of CDK and the Headstand King Shin Suzuki. There were a lot of different personalities in that ring and they were all going to clash. Even Minoru Fujita had come along to support Mizumori and co. There was to be no sportsmanship here as both teams were too busy throwing shirts and shushing each other. Obihiro started strong against Takanashi, running the ropes to catch him off-guard and unleashing a series of one-on-one encounters between the teams. Suzuki and Mizumori compared tropical Yahhos and Brookes mixed it up with Ohka, trying to make the big boss feel small. Brookes was triple-teamed for the world’s strongest headlock but CDK quickly took control by singling out Obihiro. They were in full control now, even if they couldn’t work out how to properly integrate Suzuki into the group. Their work was smooth and their tags quick, trapping Obihiro in their half of the ring. She eventually escaped and unleashed Ohka who slammed and slugged his way through Shin-DK. It wasn’t to last and he too found himself the victim of CDK bullying. He kept fighting back though and the match exploded into a free-for-all as everyone got involved in the action. Suzuki and Mizumori continued their rivalry with every jumping in when the moment seemed right. Everyone busted out their killing moves until Suzuki got himself caught in the Supergirl. It was a flash end to an absolutely frantic match. Everyone had come to fight and put on one hell of a showcase. Ohka is always fun when he’s around and his team had brought the fire to the kings of the division. I don’t think Shin Suzuki is getting invited to the next CDK party though…

Baliyan Akki vs Hikaru Sato ends in a 15-minute draw

It was time to get serious. Baliyan Akki is the ace of ChocoPro and one of his duties as Ace is to show off the best the company can offer against outside forces. Enter Hikaru Sato, one of the best shooters on the Japanese independent scene. He’d even left the maid dress at home so he knew he was serious. Akki was in for one hell of a test here as Sato could kill him if he wanted to. What followed was 15 minutes of all-out warfare. It started cagey enough with a feeling-out process of kicks and grappling and quickly descended into a targeted fight for survival. Sato had pulverised Akki’s arm and Akki had destroyed Sato’s leg but neither would stop bringing out the big guns to keep the other down. Both men refused to break and just kept countering, keeping a high pace to the carnage on display. You couldn’t look away as they just kept upping the ante in their quest for victory. The time ticked away with neither finding a clear way to win. It got very physical, very nasty, and very desperate as neither guy seemed ready to quit. With mere seconds to spare, Akki landed the Namaste Press but couldn’t get the pin as time ran out. It was a valiant if futile effort as both men were handed the victory. The good news though, we now have a reason for a second encounter. Which is something I 100% want. These two nailed it here. This was the match that hooked me on this show and it delivered. They clearly wanted to go again so I say let them, with no time limit so I can watch them kill each other for even longer.

Haruka Umesaki & Mei Suruga defeated Chie Koishikawa & Kaori Yoneyama via Lucifer on Koishikawa

Last but not least, the main event. It was time for one of the hottest rivalries in Gatoh Move to take on a new form as Chie Koishikawa and Mei Suruga continued their battle for the top spot. Both had partners that had led them to success in tow as Koishikawa was with the equally hyperactive, Kaori Yoneyama, and Suruga was with one of her new top partners, Haruka Umesaki. It would be too much energy vs deviousness to close out this show in style. It opened traditionally enough with both teams going through the feeling-out process. Suruga fought Koishikawa and Yoneyama drilled Umesaki until Koishikawa could jump in for a double-team beatdown. They posed and even Suruga joined in with the Gatoh Move celebration. It didn’t last though and Koishikawa became the punching bag for the match, feeling the combined wrath of Umesaki and Suruga. Yoneyama also fell into the fray and became trapped as both Umesaki and Suruga went for cute poses. The punishment continued as Koishikawa was stretched, stomped, and thrown around by the devious duo. Umesaki gave Koishikawa the out she needed by letting her power up and finally got a break after a dropkick. Yoneyama came in hot and tried to get rough with Umesaki but was dragged down and stomped into oblivion. It was Yoneyama’s turn to feel the sting of Suruga and Umesaki’s teamwork as the pair gave her the same treatment, they’d given Koishikawa. Both teams kicked into another gear with both unleashing some sick double-team combos and Suruga unleashing the goblin with more bites.

Making apple slices??#ChocoPro #gtmvReturns pic.twitter.com/5vehtIzifU

— Rylino (@FlyingVTrigger) May 5, 2022

The Demon Chop came out despite Suruga’s best efforts and Koishikawa finally got to show off properly against Suruga. Both partners watched on as Suruga and Koishikawa just beat the hell out of each other. It became a battle of submissions for the duo as both put their signature holds to the test, Koishikawa being saved by the ropes. Everyone burst into action for the closing stretch as both teams went for broke and Umesaki and Suruga took to the air with Crossbodies, Umesaki flattening Yoneyama and Suruga flattening everyone in sight as Koishikawa dodged. The numbers whittled down until it was just Suruga and Koishikawa left. With one last rally, the pair tried to end each other with Suruga getting the win after twisting Koishikawa’s arm to pieces for Lucifer. It had been an absolute belter of a bout with both teams going hell for leather for nearly 20-minutes. Everyone killed it with Suruga and Koishikawa getting to highlight why they have so much of the spotlight within the company. Umesaki and Suruga make one hell of a team and managed to end the show with a massive win. Well damn, this was a fun one, wasn’t it? Gatoh Move made their return in style with a series of awesome matches all doing different things. Variety is the spice of life which means Gatoh Move must be one of the strongest spices. They also showcase the unique personalities within their company and ended things with a nice birthday celebration for Hiroshi. Gatoh Move is back and I hope they keep providing audiences with shows like this.

All images courtesy of Gatoh Move, FlyingVTrigger, Video courtesy of Gatoh Move YouTube