Less than a month after the 5-Star GP Tournament Finals, Stardom was back on Pay-Per-View with both IWGP Women’s Title Tournament semi-finals and the first seven matches of their annual Tag Team Tournament – is this ideal? Has anyone asked this, thought about this, or brought this up before? I like pro wrestling stakes and mathematical criteria as much as anyone, but you’ve got to pace yourself!
Sixteen teams entered the 12th annual Goddesses of Stardom Tag League, split into the red-and-blue Goddess blocks below:
Blue Goddess Block:
– FWC (Hazuki & Koguma)
– MaiHime (Maika & Himeka)
– Kawild Venus (SAKI & Mina Shirakawa)
– 02 line (AZM & Miyu Amasaki)
– wing★gori (Hanan & Saya Iida)
– 7Upp (Nanae Takahashi & Yuu)
– BMI2000 (Natsuko Tora & Ruaka)
– The New Eras (Mirai & Ami Sohrei)
Red Goddess Block:
– AphrOditE (Utami Hayashishita & Saya Kamitani)
– meltear (Tam Nakano & Natsupoi)
– Mafia Bella (Giulia & Thekla)
– Karate Brave (Syuri & Tomoka Inaba)
– Peach☆Rock (Mayu Iwatani & Momo Kohgo)
– Black Desire (Momo Watanabe & Starlight Kid)
– Mai Fair Lady (Mai Sakurai & Lady C)
– We Love Tokyo Sports (Saki Kashima & Fukigen Death★)
0. 3-Way Battle: Momo Kohgo vs. Rina vs. Waka Tsukiyama
A match featuring Japanese comedian Fuwa-chan teaming with Hazuki and making her wrestling “debut” against Saya Kamitani and Hina tragically did not make Stardom World, but this 3-Way Battle between 3 Stardom Rising Stars did. It was, as most are, fine. Everyone made an earnest attempt to win, usually while one of the three was out on the floor, and after 5 minutes someone did. **
1. Goddess of Stardom – Red Goddess: Saki Kashima & Fukigen Death★ vs. Mai Sakurai & Lady C
The tournament’s participants were introduced and Fukigen Death was ready to go – finally, this show could freaking begin!
It was rough start, at least as far as chemistry and quality goes. The clown went for an absolute ride on a Giant Swing; otherwise the heels beat up Sakurai using mostly humor: wry smiles while doing choking, or moves assisted with newspapers – one of which won. **
2. Goddess of Stardom – Blue Goddess: Mina Shirakawa & SAKI vs. Natsuko Tora & Ruaka
Natsuko Tora is back and beating people up on the floor with stuff she shouldn’t be. Mina got beat up for a bit here before SAKI got a mild tag, which led to leg work and box attacks and a DQ finish. Shirakawa ended up being replaced in the tournament by Waka Tsukiyama a couple weeks later due to injury. **1/2
3. Goddess of Stardom – Blue Goddess: AZM & Miyu Amasaki vs. Hanan & Saya Iida
It was a match of four likable babyfaces but the people didn’t seem to prefer anyone over the other – they were here for the ACTION. Iida did a cool stalling bodyslam, Hanan bullied Miyu, and AZM will just rip it up with anybody. The last one was extra true with such game opponents and especially with Iida who fought with her over an armbar for an impressive amount of time at the end. ***1/4
4. Goddess of Stardom – Red Goddess: Syuri & Tomoka Inaba vs. Momo Watanabe & Starlight Kid
Most of the Stardom matches I’ve seen that went to time-limit draws (15 minutes here) have a pretty obvious tell in how they’re paced early, but they put in some interesting and hard-hitting work for the duration. Syuri vs. SLK could definitely be a thing and Inaba again looked good. Sold that leg. ***1/4
5. Goddess of Stardom – Blue Goddess: Maika & Himeka vs. MIRAI & Ami Sohrei
Would it be rude to say, “big meaty women slapping meat”? This was incredible, non-stop beefing and colliding that was politely kept under 10 minutes. ***1/2
6. Goddess of Stardom – Red Goddess: Giulia & Thekla vs. Tam Nakano & Natsupoi
Both teams used the occasion of arena Pay-Per-View to enter like superstars, Giulia and Thekla as stone-cold sunglass-wearing gangsters dressed in black followed by Nakano and Natsupoi singing to the ring like heavenly cosmic… angels. The match itself was all attitudinal, especially the new rivalry created when Thekla tried to choke out Natsupoi a minute in. ***1/4
7. Goddess of Stardom – Blue Goddess: Nanae Takahashi & Yuu vs. Hazuki & Koguma
Koguma played games before Hazuki started getting beat up by Nanae and Yuu, who work like Heisei Ishingun with an unpleasant but effective offense. Yuu teased a plancha before just rolling under the ropes, then Hazuki and Koguma popped the crowd with double topes. The tag tournament portion of the show closed up with another good match, leaving me impressed with how distinct all seven felt from one another. ***1/4
8. IWGP Women’s Title Tournament – Semi Final: KAIRI vs. Alpha Female
Alpha Female still has credibility, or so Stardom thinks so. KAIRI worked a David/Goliath match around her, delivering cool moves and big bumps (on the floor and in the ring) and, when Jazzy paused to talk shit, the best “this bitch…” face.
Jazzy is past any athletic prime but was effective as she both stood tall like a brick wall and impressively managed to be in the right place for (almost) everything. Her run of offense at the end didn’t look great or even feel necessary, but who knows how many times she’ll be back to Japan – get that shit in. Too much holding it back but KAIRI is still doing great pro wrestling. ***1/2
9. IWGP Women’s Title Tournament – Semi Final: Mayu Iwatani vs. Utami Hayashishita
Both qualified for this match the night before.
Utami Hayashishita held the World of Stardom Title with dignity all last year while Mayu Iwatani still wears a squirrel tail on her gear – it does not matter. They were equals fighting for the Finals and set a tone right away as Utami tortured Mayu with a camel clutch then when Mayu flubbed a dropkick (maybe) Utami just chucked her down in disgust.
Utami worked over Mayu’s BACK until Mayu rallied back with a casadora, tope suicida, and double foot stomp – the last one was preceded by a wave to the crowd. Utami tried to get back to work with a side slam but Mayu was feeling it and not letting go: she responded to an Utami German suplex with one of her own, though Utami responded to her superkick with a clothesline that put them both down. For the IWGP. For the IWGP!!!
What followed was one of the best Stardom closing sequences in a while, especially for a match without the World or Wonder Title on the line. Their ability as Top Guys was re-asserted as they countered and kicked out of basically everything, packing in so much stuff that I was practically astonished when I saw the 14:51 runtime. ****1/2
Happy Thoughts: Seven (six) good tags were followed by a very good match and one of the best matches anyone will wrestle this year. Stardom, guys! 4.0 / 5.0
