Catch the Wave


Catch the Wave is an annual professional wrestling tournament promoted by the Pro Wrestling Wave promotion. It has been held since [|2009] and takes place between the end of April and the beginning of August. As up until March 2013 there were no singles championships in Pro Wrestling Wave, Catch the Wave was effectively the top singles achievement in the promotion. The tournament is contested in round-robin format with the winners of each block advancing to the semifinals. From [|2010] to [|2012], the tournament included a "Loser Revival" battle royal, where already eliminated wrestlers battle for the fourth and final spot in the semifinals of the tournament. This system allowed the tournament to be won twice by a wrestler, who was originally eliminated in the round-robin section. From [|2011] onwards, the tournament has concluded with an award ceremony. The winner of the main tournament earns the title of "Nami Onna" and ¥1,000,000. Since [|2014], the tournament occasionally held a separate competition for rookie wrestlers, running concurrently with the main blocks.

List of winners

;Main tournament
YearWinnerTotal
won
Ref.
2009Yumi Ohka1
2010Gami1
2011Kana1
2012Ayumi Kurihara1
[|2013]Misaki Ohata1
2014Hikaru Shida1
2015Yumi Ohka2
2016Ryo Mizunami1
2017Rina Yamashita1
2018Rina Yamashita2
2019Takumi Iroha1
2021Miyuki Takase1
2022Suzu Suzuki1
2023Asuka1
2024Saya Kamitani1
2025Kohaku1

;Rookie tournament
YearWinnerTotal
won
Ref.
2014Kaho Kobayashi1
2015Meiko Tanaka1
2016Yuka1
2019Hiro'e1
2021Tomoka Inaba1
2024Honoka1

2009

The 2009 Catch the Wave took place over nine shows between May 27 and August 11. The tournament included sixteen participants split up into four blocks titled "Comical", "UK", "Visual Technical" and "Young". Matches in the UK block could only be won by knockout or submission and had a ten-minute time limit as opposed to fifteen-minute time limits in the other blocks. Outside participants in the tournament included freelancers Apple Miyuki, Bullfight Sora, Kaoru and Kyoko Kimura, JWP Joshi Puroresu's Pinky Mayuka and Sendai Girls' Pro Wrestling's Ryo Mizunami.
ComicalBullfight SoraCherryGamiRan Yu-Yu
Bullfight SoraXDraw Draw Draw
CherryDraw XDraw Draw
GamiDraw Draw XDraw
Ran Yu-YuDraw Draw Draw X
UKKanaKyoko KimuraMisaki OhataShuu Shibutani
KanaXDraw Kana Kana
Kyoko KimuraDraw XKimura Draw
Misaki OhataKana Kimura XOhata
Shuu ShibutaniKana Draw Ohata X
Visual
Technical
Apple MiyukiKaoruToshie UematsuYumi Ohka
Apple MiyukiXKaoru Uematsu Miyuki
KaoruKaoru XDraw Ohka
Toshie UematsuUematsu Draw XOhka
Yumi OhkaMiyuki Ohka Ohka X
YoungAyumi KuriharaMoeka HaruhiPinky MayukaRyo Mizunami
Ayumi KuriharaXKurihara Draw Draw
Moeka HaruhiKurihara XHaruhi Mizunami
Pinky MayukaDraw Haruhi XDraw
Ryo MizunamiDraw Mizunami Draw X

2010

The 2010 Catch the Wave took place over ten shows between May 30 and August 11. The tournament included fifteen participants split up into three blocks titled "Rival", "Visual Technical" and "Young". Outside participants in the tournament included freelancers Asami Kawasaki, Io Shirai, Kana and Mio Shirai, JWP Joshi Puroresu's Senri Kuroki and Sendai Girls' Pro Wrestling's Ryo Mizunami. On July 4, Kuroki was sidelined with gastroesophageal reflux disease and was forced to forfeit the rest of her matches in the tournament. This tournament introduced the concept of the "Loser Revival" battle royal, where those that finished second and third in their blocks were allowed to compete for a spot in the semifinals of the tournament.
RivalAsami KawasakiAyumi KuriharaCherryMoeka HaruhiShuu Shibutani
Asami KawasakiXKurihara Cherry Kawasaki Kawasaki
Ayumi KuriharaKurihara XKurihara Kurihara Shibutani
CherryCherry Kurihara XDraw Cherry
Moeka HaruhiKawasaki Kurihara Draw XShibutani
Shuu ShibutaniKawasaki Shibutani Cherry Shibutani X
Visual
Technical
GamiKanaMio ShiraiToshie UematsuYumi Ohka
GamiXDraw Draw Draw Draw
KanaDraw XKana Uematsu Kana
Mio ShiraiDraw Kana XDraw Ohka
Toshie UematsuDraw Uematsu Draw XOhka
Yumi OhkaDraw Kana Ohka Ohka X
YoungIo ShiraiMisaki OhataRyo MizunamiSenri KurokiSawako Shimono
Io ShiraiXDraw Draw Shirai Shirai
Misaki OhataDraw XDraw Ohata Ohata
Ryo MizunamiDraw Draw XMizunami Mizunami
Senri KurokiShirai Ohata Mizunami XShimono
Sawako ShimonoShirai Ohata Mizunami Shimono X

  • August 10:
  • *Visual Technical block third place playoff match: Gami defeated Toshie Uematsu.
  • *Loser Revival battle royal: Gami defeated Asami Kawasaki, Cherry, Io Shirai, Kana and Misaki Ohata.

    2011

The 2011 Catch the Wave took place over eight shows between May 2 and July 24. The tournament included fourteen participants split up into three blocks titled "Technical", "Visual" and "Young". Outside participants in the tournament included freelancer Nagisa Nozaki, Kagetsu and Ryo Mizunami from Sendai Girls' Pro Wrestling and Nao Komatsu from Oz Academy. This was the first tournament, where all wrestlers eliminated after the round-robin portion of the tournament were allowed to enter the "Loser Revival" battle royal.
TechnicalAyumi KuriharaMio ShiraiMisaki OhataNagisa NozakiYumi Ohka
Ayumi KuriharaXKurihara Ohata Kurihara Ohka
Mio ShiraiKurihara XDraw Nozaki Shirai
Misaki OhataOhata Draw XOhata Ohka
Nagisa NozakiKurihara Nozaki Ohata XNozaki
Yumi OhkaOhka Shirai Ohka Nozaki X
VisualCherryKanaRyo MizunamiTomoka NakagawaToshie Uematsu
CherryXDraw Cherry Nakagawa Uematsu
KanaDraw XDraw Draw Uematsu
Ryo MizunamiCherry Draw XNakagawa Uematsu
Tomoka NakagawaNakagawa Draw Nakagawa XUematsu
Toshie UematsuUematsu Uematsu Uematsu Uematsu X
YoungKagetsuMika IidaNao KomatsuSawako Shimono-
KagetsuXKagetsu Kagetsu Draw -
Mika IidaKagetsu XKomatsu Draw -
Nao KomatsuKagetsu Komatsu XShimono -
Sawako ShimonoDraw Draw Shimono X-

  • July 24:
  • *Loser Revival battle royal: Kana defeated Ayumi Kurihara, Mika Iida, Mio Shirai, Nagisa Nozaki, Nao Komatsu, Ryo Mizunami, Sawako Shimono, Tomoka Nakagawa and Yumi Ohka.
  • Post-tournament awards:
  • *Best Bout Award: Ayumi Kurihara vs. Yumi Ohka, May 29
  • *Best Performance Award: Nao Komatsu cheering squad
  • *Fighting Spirit Award: Mika Iida
  • *Outstanding Performance Award: Mio Shirai
  • *Technique Award: Tomoka Nakagawa