This day, July 4, 2021: America celebrates something or another and Stardom is at the newly built Yokohama Budokan with another pay-per-view less than a month after their last. There, Natsuko Tora and Saya Kamitani both declared their dominance and now they challenge for championships.
Personally, I am beginning to follow what is going on here.
1. Gauntlet Tag Match: Konami & Fukigen Death vs. Maika & Lady C vs. Saki Kashima & Rina vs. Hanan & Hina
Like most wrestling organizations, Stardom has not yet cracked the match designed to just shove more people on the card. There’s decent action mixed with a general silliness, but every gauntlet pairing is the same generic match. If anything this is worth it for the match graphic of all these ladies then Fukigen Death clown just chilling. Maika does a cool deadlift suplex and the clown triumphs in the end. *3/4
2. Queen’s Quest vs. Oedo Tai: Momo Watanabe & AZM vs. Starlight Kid & Ruaka
Starlight Kid is with the bad guys now and it’s like Rizzo in a Yankees uniform: my eyes tell me it exists but I still don’t understand. In addition to a 619 she pulls hair now too, the absolute range. AZM has serious pop on all her offense but somebody should talk to her about the double foot stomp where she lands on her knees. She and Momo bring the quality babyfacing all match before the heels bring the interference, though that interference creates a closing sequence that absolutely comes together. ***
3. Future of Stardom Title Tournament – Final: Mina Shirakawa vs. Unagi Sayaka
Yes, the future sounds about right. There are small chunks of this that don’t work but it’s a match about raw potential, two up-and-comers doing cool matwork and throwing nasty elbow strikes before an exciting close. For someone so bubbly, Sayaka absolutely will rip your face off if she finds an opening too. ***1/4
4. Goddesses of Stardom Title: Giulia & Syuri [c] vs. Mayu Iwatani & Koguma
Giulia and Syuri headlined the first two Stardom shows I watched and it turns out they are tag champions together too – this is a use of a roster I can respect. Their match has the structure of an epic tag if not the execution of it, though there’s enough fun stuff to carry it: Mayu is the ultimate babyface, Syuri will kick your ass, and Giulia is just fun to watch. Koguma stays quiet then shows up big for the finish, completely there for all sorts of quality counters and near falls. ***1/2
5. Wonder of Stardom Title: Tam Nakano [c] vs. Saya Kamitani
Kamitani is on the upswing and here she is again in another big match, handsprings and springboard planchas mixed with elbows and kicks to Nakano’s stomach all on the menu in her pursuit of gold. The kick to the stomach is the real X factor with Kamitani: at first she is this fun and majestic pro wrestler until it’s time to just explode with rage and throw down.
They have a battle of slaps so wild it reaches Kobashi/Sasaki levels until Kamitani says enough and hits a dropkick. Nakano replies with a German suplex and they throw elbows until Kamitani just starts smacking Nakano’s shoulder in the coolest move of the match yet.
What sets this apart is it’s not just good wrestling but interesting wrestling, a generational battle despite only a couple years difference in experience. Kamitani wants to get “there” while Nakano already has been, and every slap she throws not only hurts but seems designed to send a message.
Kamitani isn’t always polished either but that’s kind of the point; she finds a way to use that to her advantage and create something different from the norm. It makes for a wonderfully ridiculous finish, near falls and screaming and the further emergence of a wrestling star. ****1/2
6. World of Stardom Title: Utami Hayashishita [c] vs. Natsuko Tora
The new ace headlining opposite a solid mid-range heel was a cool setup, but it unfortunately ended in disappointment as Tora was legitimately injured 13 minutes into the match. The splash to the outside through a table does not do it, but getting down from the apron does. The work here early on is solid if not waiting for a closing stretch that does not come. N/A
Happy Thoughts: Would have liked to see a main event with a conclusion, but what came before it was a very good show. After the gauntlet the wrestling got good and kept getting better. The Stardom journey began with the big shows and the big shows were very good. 4.0 / 5.0
