JPN
Hanako and Sakura Aya, who debuted on the same day, faced off in a one-on-one match at the Yokohama Budokan, a venue popular with fans. They faced off in the first round of the tournament. Both had experienced a lot over the past year, and they put all that experience to the test in this tournament.
Sakura threatened with low kicks, then locked up for a test of strength. Hanako tried to push her into the ropes and throw her down. When Sakura held on and charged forward, Hanako sent her flying with a shoulder tackle and unleashed a barrage of stomps. Hanako delivered a series of body slams. When Sakura countered, Hanako applied a reverse crab hold. Sakura escaped and went for an elbow. Hanako taunted, saying, "Is that all you can do?", "Are you serious?", and "Try and give it back." Sakura lashed out with elbows, but Hanako took her down in one hit. Sakura dodged Hanako and delivered a dropkick. However, Hanako refused to fall, taunting her with "Bring it on!" and taking her down with a single elbow strike. Hanako drove Sakura into the corner and slammed her with her shoulders. When Sakura returned, Hanako delivered a high body slam and a knee drop. When Sakura returned, Hanako threw her into the corner. Sakura turned around and delivered a knee attack followed by a dropkick. Hanako prepared for a brainbuster from the apron. Sakura countered and climbed to the corner. Sakura jumped, but Hanako dodged. They exchanged elbows under the ring, and Hanako slammed her into the steel post. When Sakura charged in, Hanako taunted her with "Come on!" and took her down. Hanako delivered a brainbuster to the mat outside the ring. Hanako returned at the count of 16, and Sakura also barely survived. Sakura delivered a slap and a series of middle kicks. Hanako catches it and elbows her knee, then chokes her with an Argentine backbreaker. She slams her into the corner and charges in with a thrust. Sakura dodges and lands a series of knees, a thrust spinning kick, and a soccer ball kick. She launches a diving knee attack from the corner, but Hanako returns. 10 minutes have passed. Sakura throws a high kick, but Hanako dodges it. Hanako dodges it, but counters with a lariat. Hanako screams, "I'm going to finish you!" and hits an Argentine JP Coaster. Sakura lands and lands a kick. Both wrestlers are down. They get up at the count of eight, with three minutes remaining. They exchange elbows, and Sakura lands a series of hits. Hanako doesn't let her run away, but she attacks with a body attack, followed by a dropkick. Hanako stops Sakura's charge and hits a Shirasagi. She lifts her up, swings her, and slams her to the mat. Two minutes remaining. Hanako countered with another Argentine. Sakura rolled her up, but only got a two count. Sakura also got a bazooka, but she went for a triangle choke. Hanako lifted her up and slammed her to the mat, but Sakura wouldn't let go. One minute left. Hanako escaped, and Sakura hit her with left and right middle kicks and high kicks. She also hit a spinning kick, but Hanako's shoulders rose. As Sakura charged, Hanako hit a big boot, then grabbed Sakura's middle kick and slammed her down. The time ran out, and the match ended in a draw, with both women disqualified. After the match, Hanako showed off the NEW BLOOD Tag Team Championship belts. When Sakura tried to snatch them, Hanako brushed them off.
"Last year I was absent for a long period and was unable to compete in Cinderella, so I was really looking forward to today, but I'm very disappointed that I lost. However, Hanako debuted on the same day as me and has always been ahead of me, and I've fought her many times, but today I finally felt like I got to see the look on her face that shows she's not at ease. In the next NB tag match, I will absolutely, absolutely take the belt from Hanako!"
"(While bleeding from a nose) My first match is against Sakura Aya, and we made our debut here, cried a lot here last year, and just before that I won my first match here, so for better or worse, this is the venue that holds so many memories for me, and I think this is my third time facing Sakura. We had a singles match, and at the press conference Sakura didn't seem motivated, so to be honest, I wondered how the match would go. But during the match, I don't know, but it felt like it's been a while since I saw Sakura's serious face. On March 27th, I'll be fighting Sakura for this belt, and even if today's match ends in a draw, I will definitely beat Sakura next time and defend this belt."