Stardom doesn’t slow down. Just as the 2022 5-Star GP began in late-July a joint show with New Japan Pro Wrestling was announced for late-November, where the first IWGP Women’s Champion would be crowned after a 7-person tournament. Alpha Female beat Ava White at Royal Quest II in the first Round 1 match while KAIRI got a bye based on I think vibes.
Tonight at Korakuen Hall were the other two Round 1 matches, with the winners headlining a PPV tomorrow in one of two Semi-Finals. Also scheduled for that PPV? The start of a tag team tournament. They don’t slow down!!
0. Artist of Stardom Title: Momo Watanabe, Starlight Kid & Saki Kashima [c] vs. Utami Hayashishita, Saya Kamitani & AZM (10/9/22)
Before Korakuen, I checked in with a Trios Title match from early October in Nagoya that looked too good to not check in with. They delivered, too, keeping the action coming from all directions a whole half an hour. Any downtime was quickly replaced with an elaborate rope-running exchange or just a new face diving into the match, though the lack of crowd noise and 30-minute draw result kept it from hitting an extra gear. Still, great work from five of Stardom’s most spectacular wrestlers and Saki Kashima. ***3/4
Back at Korakuen Hall, Stardom boss Rossy Ogawa showed off the new IWGP Women’s Championship. My scientific, peer-reviewed analysis is that it looks cool.
1. STARS vs. Oedo Tai: Hanan & Momo Kohgo vs. Saki Kashima & Ruaka
Here was a light-hearted opener, with a brief heel beatdown then double crossbody presses from the babyfaces before Kashima sort of credibly took back control. Hanan took down Ruaka so easily it might surprise you. It surprised me. **
2. DDM vs. Oedo Tai: Maika & Thekla vs. Starlight Kid & Rina
Thekla is back in Japan and her exchanges with Starlight Kid had a real ZAZZ to them; let’s get a singles match going. Otherwise this was a good, basic, solid, and occasionally good collection of PRO wrestling moves. **3/4
3. Queen’s Quest vs. Cosmic Angels: Saya Kamitani, AZM, Lady C & Hina vs. Tam Nakano, Natsupoi, Mina Shirakawa & Waka Tsukiyama
Tam and Natty showed off the teamwork while Mina continued to give the business to Kamitani, who she challenges in a couple weeks for the Wonder of Stardom Title. At one point AZM jumped over Natsupoi in a Giant Swing like she was jumping rope, then she stood on Lady C’s shoulders and jumped off for a splash. There was a lot of fun stuff like that, which all built-up to a lukewarm tag from Waka Tsukiyama. Nothing must-see but sometimes what they were doing was so freakin’ impressive. ***1/4
4. God’s Eye vs. STARS: Syuri, MIRAI & Ami Sohrei vs. Hazuki, Koguma & Saya Iida
The presence of God’s Eye brought a more serious tone to the Hall, even against two jokesters like Koguma and Iida. Iida tried to lift her partners on her back and… fell, so they repeated it. It was an awkward moment in an otherwise fun match controlled by the babyface squad before Syuri’s squad found a way. Iida capably survived a few near falls at the end until she couldn’t anymore. ***1/4
5. Nanae Takahashi & Yuna Mizumori vs. Giulia & Mai Sakurai
Yuna Mizumori is from Gatoh Pro (or Choco Pro) and with a half-mask, green hair extensions and loud green-pink-yellow attire, she had no problem standing out. When the match started Giulia just grabbed her and tore the mask off, which was kind of rude. Yuna embraced it and showed her face to the crowd, then Giulia pushed Sakurai towards her to begin the match. All that attitude ended up sort of the peak however, even if Nanae vs. Giulia has a vibe to it and mad lad(y) Nanae took a butterfly suplex from the top rope. ***
6. IWGP Women’s Title Tournament – Round 1: Utami Hayashishita vs. Himeka
This was a battle of will. I guess most matches are, but only a few get the point across. Hayashishita has felt pretty quiet since losing the World of Stardom Title and she revealed some vulnerability dropping five losses in the 5-Star GP (including one to Himeka on opening night). Long story short she had something to prove. I guess most wrestlers do, but only a few get the point across.
They began trading matwork then hands then shoulderblocks then clotheslines, a series of collisions between two pro by god wrestlers. Signatures followed – Himeka’s half-crab and clothesline, Utami sleeper and German suplex hold – the battle of will continuing until Utami was finally able to get a win that felt well-deserved. I guess most wins are… ***1/2
7. IWGP Women’s Title Tournament – Round 1: Mayu Iwatani vs. Momo Watanabe
Mayu Iwatani had her big run (several of them actually) before I began watching Stardom last year, though it hasn’t been hard to at least get a sense of her greatness. That greatness was on full display anytime she was called up for a big title match with Tam Nakano (last October) or Syuri (earlier this year), but this felt like a kind of re-emergence for her own thing and I really enjoyed it.
She and Momo (also still good) had a fun main event match so much cooler when Mayu finally superkicked a chair in Momo’s face then did a jumping reverse hurricanrana out of the corner that was too precise, too brutal and too breath-taking to not end the match (and it did!). Great wrestling, mind-blowing finish, effective re-building — love when that all happens. ***3/4
Happy Thoughts: What I like about Stardom is that they’re consistent but not in a repetitive way, just the good way. Low key but quality show. 3.5 / 5.0
