Stardom has a show in December at Sumo Hall that reads like the culmination of their year, but a month prior they were at Yoyogi National Stadium Gym for Tokyo Super Wars with a bunch of intriguing if not predictable championship defenses.
1. 3-Way Battle – Future of Stardom Title: Ruaka [c] vs. Mai Sakurai vs. Waka Tsukiyama
Five minutes of light-hearted fun to start the show, a little showcase from Mai and Waka before Ruaka reminded them who is the king of the Future (for now). Hanan challenged Ruaka for the December show after. **
2. Momo Watanabe & AZM vs. Unagi Sayaka & Lady C
More light-hearted fun with the occasional burst of something awesome and face-crushing. Beyond quality in-ring performances, I caught AZM’s explanation online last week of how to pronounce her name (“Azumi”) and she is officially an HWL Certified Athlete. Misplaced kicks by her and Momo led to a double jumping neckbreaker by Lady C, who fell soon after to an AZM diving footstomp. **3/4
3. STARS vs. Oedo Tai: Mayu Iwatani, Hazuki & Hanan vs. Saki Kashima, Fukigen Death★ & Rina
A match among matches, but the Stardom undercard tags have more energy, chances, and general noise than the similar offerings in New Japan I’ve seen again and again. Points for getting people on the card in a fun and inoffensive way, right? **1/4
4. 3-Way Battle – Wonder of Stardom Title #1 Contender’s Match: Saya Kamitani vs. Himeka vs. Natsupoi
If you want to think about how good wrestling can be, just take into account the way Himeka eyeballed Natsupoi here before attacking prior to the bell. It was so good. This 3-Way Battle was good too, generally because the three talents involved are good and kept it breezy. Natsupoi did a brilliant multi-rotation front cradle that, well, Kamitani countered for the win. ***1/4
5. High Speed Title: Starlight Kid [c] vs. Koguma
This didn’t really settle on a tone during its’ 8-minute runtime, but the wrestling was OK: Starlight with a heel veteran vibe was a fun deal before they began trading more complicated fare, which proved Koguma can go (at least briefly). ***
6. SWA World Title & World of Stardom Title Challenge Match – UWF Rules: Syuri [c] vs. Konami
They played this straight, cautious matwork and submission attempts as a 5-point tracker at the bottom of the screen ticked down any time they used the ropes or got knocked down. One may find it very cool and credible, another may honestly find it tedious. Once the points got low and exhaustion hit though, it became all cool and credible.
Stardom has done an outstanding job building Syuri up as a badass next-in-line challenger for the World of Stardom Title, and my evidence for that is I began watching Stardom earlier this year and all I want to see is Syuri calmly defeat the World of Stardom Champion and ascend to the top of Stardom’s throne. It might have actually taken away from the show a little, but this last-minute ass-kicking before the big match was quality build-up on top of everything prior. ***3/4
7. Wonder of Stardom Title: Tam Nakano [c] vs. Mina Shirakawa
Besides the finals of the Future of Stardom Championship tournament earlier this year (and a 2-week run with said championship), the Mina Shirakawa I had seen was just fine. She was perfectly pleasant and peppy enough to keep a midcard moving but not anyone that would, like, credibly semi-main event a big Stardom show in a title match. For most of this it seemed like that reputation would stay: she is nearly KO’d off a Nakano spin kick not once but twice (two times), and Nakano is right there with something (usually a kick) to thwart any attempt at offense.
The fight feels futile, but she just keeps going and in her selling manages this feel of desperation where she 99% cannot win… but also, maybe? Or at least, how is Nakano putting her down? Her cracking Nakano in the face with a backfist late in the match in a top tier highlight, and no matter the victor both came out looking like warriors. The Tam Nakano title match remains a great test of whether there’s a “there” there, and Shirakawa was able to prove there is and provide a unique perspective too. So good! ****1/4
8. World of Stardom Title: Utami Hayashishita [c] vs. Maika
What to do when you are in the championship match a month before the one people know is actually the big one? In Maika’s case, everything possible. She brought a bruiser style to what has become a quality though predictable main event formula from Hayashishita, with purposeful chain wrestling and stiff shoulder tackles and big near falls. None of Maika’s attempts to get a win felt totally possible, but her last-second rope grab on one of Utami’s late in the match was special. Maika throws a dropkick after it… then a clothesline… but she’s toast. It’s academic. Onto December. ****1/4
Happy Thoughts: An excellent final three matches made up for a spotty undercard as Stardom continued to provide the most consistent big shows in wrestling (that I personally keep up with). 3.5 / 5.0
