"Show Time Femme Fatales" Live New Year's Eve Special

This episode constitutes week 23 of Show Time Femme Fatales. The episode began with a video package highlighting Io Shirai vs. Kairi Hojo from Clash of the Champions "Season's Beatings," where Manami Toyota interfered, costing Hojo the match, and revealed herself to be the "Joshi Mafia Boss."

Madusa Miceli: "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the hottest hour on television, Show Time Femme Fatales! I'm your hostess Madusa Miceli. With me are my two luscious co-hostesses, Melissa Santos and Noel Harlow. We are live and in living color tonight! We are ready to ring in the new year with a bang! Ladies, it's been a wild ride for the last twenty-three weeks. I couldn't have picked two better people to share it with!"

Melissa Santos: "We've made history here, Madusa. A brand new company, a brand new television show, and women's wrestling on a major cable TV network for the first time ever! And, I get to call the action alongside one of my wrestling heroes! Can it get much better than that?!"

Noel Harlow: "Girls, I'm like a kid in a candy store every week! I'm in the presence of wrestling greatness, both in the ring and behind this desk! I couldn't ask for a better job!"

Miceli: "With that, let's get this thing rocking! Nina (Samuels), take it away!"

Before the first match could commence, the "Joshi Mafia" theme song played to bring out the entire group, including "The Boss" Manami Toyota. Awesome Kong, who acts as a translator for the group, had a microphone.

Awesome Kong: "I'll bet you people thought we'd be coming out here with our heads held low, having been disbanded by Kairi Hojo. Ha! Well, if that was your new year's wish, you can forget about it! We're here and we're stronger than ever! Allow me, once again, to introduce our 'Boss,' the 'Queen Bee' herself, Manami Toyota!" (the crowd booed vehemently)

Manami Toyota: "Ha ha ha. Surprise! I'm da 'Boss!'"

Kong: "People have been asking all week, 'Why, Manami, why? You have battled 'Joshi Mafia' from day one in this company. How could you have been their 'Boss' the whole time?!' It's very simple. The entire thing was an elaborate plan. Manami Toyota is the greatest women's wrestler of all time. She deserved to be the first ever Women's Champion in Show Time. She deserved a nice, long reign with the belt. Do you think it's a coincidence that 'Joshi Mafia' won every title BUT that one?! No! We wanted it to look like she was your conquering hero. You thought we were chasing her, singling her out, beating she and her friends up, all to try and take the title from her! That's what we wanted you to think! We've been swerving you people form the get-go! Manami really did take those beatings. We weren't pulling punches. But, that was on purpose too. It had to be as real as possible to make the whole thing work. And you idiots fell for it, hook, line, and sinker! Now, 'The Boss' has two more very important announcements that she wants to make, in English!"

Toyota: "There is weak link in 'Joshi Mafia!' Mika must go!"

"Joshi Mafia" proceeded to decimate Mika Nagano and then threw her out into the crowd, where "Kunoichi Blade" appeared from the shadows. Nagano was scooped up and thrown over the shoulder of Black Lotus, who carried her to the dressing room area.

Toyota: "Last thing--I am retiring from ring tonight. I give the belt to Io."

Toyota then presented the NWA: Show Time Women's Championship to Io Shirai and strapped it around her waist.

Miceli: "What?! Am I hearing what I think I'm hearing?! They kicked out Mika Nagano AND Manami Toyota is retiring?!"

Kong: "That's right, people! 'The Boss' is retiring from the ring. She has accomplished all she needs to in this sport. She will continue to run 'Joshi Mafia.' She is leaving the wrestling to us. Io Shirai will proudly fulfill Manami's legacy as champion! Long live 'Joshi Mafia' and all hail the 'Queen Bee!'"

As "Joshi Mafia" saluted Manami Toyota, Commissioner Yuzuki Aikawa and Deputy Commissioner Fuka Kakimoto approached ringside.

Yuzuki Aikawa: "This will not stand! Manami, we accepted your retirement notice earlier today, but championships are won and lost in the ring. You cannot give a title away! If Io wants the title, she will earn it! Tonight, the top two contenders will wrestle for the Women's Championship! It will be Io Shirai versus Kair Hojo! 'Joshi Mafia' has cheated Kairi many times. This cannot happen in such an important match. It must be fair for both sides!"

Aikawa paused and spoke briefly with Deputy Commissioner Kakimoto away from the microphone.

Aikawa: "We decree that the title match will be inside a steel cage!"

"Joshi Mafia" was livid as the crowd howled with delight.

Miceli: "We've got the first ever 'Steel Cage' match in Femme Fatales history, and it's live tonight! Nina, please get this first match underway!"

Match One ~ "Eight-way Tag Team Number One Contender's" match ~ "Deadly Down Under"--Tenille Averil and Jessie McKay vs. "Gothic Goddeses"--Buggy Nova & Annie Social vs. "Belleza Escondido"--Lluvia and Shani vs. "The Dollhouse"--Santana Garrett and Taeler Hendrix vs. "Double Inoue"--Takako and Kyoko Inoue vs. "Joshi Mafia"--Hikaru Shida and ACT Yasukawa vs. "Shin'yū (Best Friends)"--Tsukasa Fujimoto and Arisa Nakajima vs. "The Jumonji Sisters"--Sachiko and Chisako

This was one of the wildest matches in recent memory. There were two teams at each corner of the ring, with two women wrestling at all times. Anyone could tag anyone else. The first team to record a fall of any kind became the new number one contenders to the NWA: Show Time Women's Tag Team Championship. Every team had at least one moment of brilliance. There was so much action, the commentators couldn't keep up. Neither could the cameramen. Three different "Tope' Suicidas" were landed. The spot of the night belonged to "Belleza Escondido," when Lluvia and Shani both scaled the ropes in adjacent corners and delivered stereo "Moonsaults" to a crowd of competitors below. This gave "The Jumonji Sisters" time to throw McKay into the ring and deliver an aided "Standing Shiranui," which they call the "Jumonji Jackknife." Chisako got the pinfall before Fujimoto, Shida, or Nova could make the save (they all dived in the ring at once).

Winners and NEW number one contenders = "The Jumonji Sisters" in 15:20

The crowd stood to its feet in respect for the effort put forth by every woman. Dueling chants of "That was awesome!" and "That was wrestling!" rang out in the studio.

Miceli: "Sachiko and Chisako made their televised debuts and became number one contenders in one fell swoop!"

Santos: "Their reputation precedes them, and boy, did they deliver!"

Harlow: "That might have been the match of the year!"

Miceli: Fans, we're going to take a commercial break. When we return, we'll have the 'Steel Cage' match to determine the new NWA: Show Time Women's Champion!"

When they episode returned from commercial, the ringside crew was finalizing the cage set-up, which harkened back to the old school days of strapping each fence wall to the corner posts. During this break in the action, a video retrospective of the year in review was shown.

Miceli: "All right, fans! This is the moment we've been waiting for! Before we go off the air tonight, we will ring in the new year and we will celebrate a brand new Women's Champion! Let's do this!"

Match Two ~ NWA: Show Time Women's Championship (vacated earlier by Manami Toyota) ~ "Steel Cage" match ~ Io Shirai vs. Kairi Hojo

This a phenomenal match and very worthy of a championship main event. Shirai immediately established herself as a dastardly villain, slapping Hojo in the face and yelling, "Baka (idiot)!" at her. Then, she exclaimed, "Anata wa watashi o utsu koto ga dekimasen (You cannot beat me)! Watashi wa ēsudesu (I am the ace)!" Io hit a huge "German Suplex," dropping Hojo directly on the back of her neck. Hojo rolled over to the cage wall and underneath the bottom rope. She looked to be done for right then and there, but kicked out of a lazy pin attempt. Shirai took a running leap at Hojo, who ducked, which caused an unwanted introduction to the cage wall. Hojo took over with punches and kicks. She hit a "Step-up Enziguiri" for a two-count, then followed up with a "Missile Dropkick" for another two. Shirai took back over and nailed a beautiful "Standing Moonsault" for a long two-count. Io threw Hojo shoulder first into the corner, re-injuring the shoulder she worked over less than a week earlier. Shirai cinched in a "Kimura Lock," but Hojo eventually escaped by turning it into a pin attempt. Io viciously grated Hojo's arm against the steel mesh, then slammed her head into it several times, opening a gash on the top of Kairi's head. Shirai then locked on an "Octopus Hold" and "Armbarred" the injured shoulder. Hojo screamed in pain, but refused to give up. Shirai nailed a "Rider Kick" that flattened Hojo. She followed up with a "Moonsault Double Foot Stomp." Hojo looked to be out, so Shirai scaled the ropes for what appeared to be her "Moonsault" finisher. She paused to mock the fans and raise her hands in triumph. Hojo was able to get to her feet and fell into the top rope, knocking Io backward and dropping her into the "Tree of Woe" position. Kairi hit an insane "Diving Double Foot Stomp" onto Io’s face. At that time, "Joshi Mafia" stormed to ringside and several members attempted to climb into the cage. Chelsea Diamond, "Stardom Strong," and members of the "WAVE" faction all ran to the ring and thwarted the interference. Hojo, energized, leapt to the top rope and landed her vaunted "Flying Elbow Drop." Not satisfied, Kairi scaled the top rope again. She paused and then climbed to the top of the cage to deliver another death-defying "Flying Elbow Drop," which made a thunderous impact. Kairi hit the mat so hard, she couldn't even cover Io, but the force of the blow bounced her arm onto the chest of the prone Shirai. Senior Referee Carly Rae made the count to an ear-piercing ovation.

Winner and NEW NWA: Show Time Women's Champion = Kairi Hojo in 28:32

Miceli: "Kairi has done it! Kairi has done it! Oh my Lord, Kairi has done it!"

Santos: "She beat the odds and finally got a victory in a fair fight!"

Harlow: "That was amazingly good! Both ladies put on a show! What a match! Congrats to Kairi Hojo!"

Hojo's friends sprinted into the ring to congratulate Hojo, who had to be helped to her feet. Members of "Joshi Mafia" dragged Io's lifeless body out of the ring. Diamond and Mayu Iwatani placed Hojo on their shoulders and paraded her around the ring in a scene reminiscent of Ric Flair and Angelo Mosca at "Starrcade '83." Hojo then climbed to the top rope and held the championship high for the adoring audience to revel in her victory.

Commissioners Aikawa and Kakimoto stood and applauded. Owner and CEO Jordan Richards, who was in attendance for the episode, came to the ring and, in a rare moment of poignant emotion, shared an embrace with Hojo, then raised her hand.

Miceli: We have one minute left until midnight! Let's start the countdown!"

As the seconds ticked to zero, an explosion of confetti rained down in the ring as the crowd roared in the new year. The ring was still full and pulsed with excitement. The final scene of the broadcast was a zoomed-in shot of Hojo, who was visibly crying as she hugged Diamond.

Miceli: "Fans, we have to go! 2015 was fantastic, but 2016 is looking bright! For Melissa Santos and Noel Harlow, I'm Madusa Miceli, saying, keep on rockin' and rollin'! Happy New Year!"