Three PPVs in November continued Stardom’s busy year. Mid-November’s Gold Rush came between early November’s Hiroshima Goddess Festival (where Syuri and Saya Kamitani successfully defended their Red and White belts) and tomorrow night’s Historic X-Over (where Stardom and New Japan were co-promoting their first show).
Scheduled for tonight were Syuri and Saya Kamitani defending their belts again vs. impressive opponents: KAIRI, who was challenging Kamitani for the Wonder of Stardom Title in a match originally scheduled for August, and Utami Hayashishita, who was challenging Syuri for the World of Stardom Title after beating her in July and losing it to her last December.
Those two matches could carry a whole card but there was a High Speed Title match and Goddess of Stardom tag tournament matches too, plus the — well, there was also the Moneyball Tournament: a 1-night 4-team trios tournament that would end the show with a TLC match where the prize was cold hard cash… in a ball.
It all took place at the EDION Osaka Arena before 1,620 fans.
0. 3-Way Tag Match: Lady C & Miyu Amasaki vs. Saya Iida & Momo Kohgo vs. Natsuko Tora & Ruaka
Tora and Ruaka dropped senton bombs on Miyu, Momo and Iida fired folks up, and Lady C did a double chop to the head which was followed Miyu doing a double DDT. Everyone did things, and who doesn’t like things? **
1. High Speed Title: AZM [c] vs. Momoka Hanazono
Momoka Hanazono was making her Stardom debut after two New Blood shows and a few years freelancing, mainly with OZ Academy and Osaka Pro offshoot Colega Pro. Sometimes she impressed by keeping up with AZM’s high-speed or an awesome Chris Hamrick (eek) dropkick bump to the floor, but in between was a lot of silly — a big fake flower, bubble machine, ref-assisted dropkick — that didn’t help her stand out, just brought the match down. AZM brought the flash and soared across the ring for a double footstomp but was trading eye pokes and shit too much. ***
2. Moneyball Tournament – Semi Final: Tam Nakano, Natsupoi & Waka Tsukiyama vs. Giulia, Thekla & Mai Sakurai
The Moneyball semi-finals were just regular trios matches; each was fun but saving something for later. Tam did double teams with Natsupoi and briefly killed it with both Giulia and Mai, but Waka Tsukiyama was the story which is notable because she rarely is. Waka threw down with Mai, endured a DDM triple-team (Giulia lifted Mai for a Thekla Backstabber then threw her into a Mai Northern lights suplex), and when the Angels made the save they tried to prop her up for a plancha… only for everyone to get pushed down. Waka lost but she went down swinging, too.***1/4
3. Moneyball Tournament – Semi Final: Mayu Iwatani, Hazuki & Koguma vs. MIRAI, Ami Sohrei & Tomoka Inaba
Tomoka Inaba continues to look impressive against anybody; here she bummed up Koguma’s arm and stayed even in sequences with both Mayu Iwatani and Hazuki. She tried to wrap it up with a kick followed by MIRAI lariat followed by Ami Sohrei Blue Thunder bomb, but Hazuki countered Ami’s finish with a cradle to send STARS to the Finals. ***1/4
4. Goddess of Stardom – Red Goddess: Momo Watanabe & Starlight Kid vs. Saki Kashima & Fukigen Death★
The Goddess of Stardom tag tournament ran through November as two teams from Odeo Tai faced off. Was it any good? That depends on what your definition of good is. The Kashima/Death duo attacked first before the bell, Kashima managed some cradle near falls, Momo and Death traded eye pokes, and honestly the finish over-delivered enough to the point that it really was at the very least good. ***
5. Goddess of Stardom – Blue Goddess: Maika & Himeka vs. Nanae Takahashi & Yuu
Stardom tag regulars took on a pair of rugged freelancers, though a while ago Nanae was Stardom’s big star (and a Goddess of Stardom Tag Team Champion). This was really good and played to everyone’s strengths, with Nanae and Yuu bullying the DDM duo who fought back with Himeka’s power and Maika having this whole new confidence around her as a person. Himeka and Yuu hossed out all match and the good vibes kept going until Maika and Nanae seemed to lose the buzz in a few cradles towards the end. ***1/2
6. Wonder of Stardom Title: Saya Kamitani [c] vs. KAIRI
KAIRI was one of Stardom’s big stars. After she left, Saya Kamitani became one of Stardom’s big stars. Now, KAIRI was back. Can you feel it?
They were set to wrestle at Stardom x Stardom in August but KAIRI was pulled a couple days before the show due to maybe-COVID. A few months later it felt like just another match before KAIRI’s more important match the next night, a match that was ultimately better because 1) it was just better and 2) it wasn’t a 30-minute draw.
I dunno. So much of this was good: KAIRI wore dark red-and-black attire that put her on the heel side if her cockiness and general disgust with Saya wasn’t going to get it across. They had a great staredown at the bell (Stardom is so good at filming these) then KAIRI looked charmed getting worked in an armbar and charmed again when Saya out-paced her running the ropes. Saya stayed on the arm until a KAIRI backfist out of nowhere knocked her to the floor.
Heel KAIRI looked joyful in hyping the crowd up after trying to crater Saya’s face in with baseball dropkick, though Saya pretty quickly came back with a springboard plancha then caught KAIRI with an armdrag on a pile of chairs. Back inside KAIRI pretty quickly jumped back on offense herself, offense she took outside and up the ramp. I assume they were trying to get across the idea that neither could get a hold on the other for too long but it resulted in a lack of momentum, something these 30 minutes could’ve used sometime.
Saya ended up hitting a dropkick that sent KAIRI tumbling down the ramp and they beat the 20-count. Back inside they traded elbows and KAIRI got Saya down in a single-leg crab. She smacked her on the back then went up top only to jump into a dropkick. They continued to fight while exhausted, KAIRI enduring Saya’s Star Crusher and 450 splash as they headed towards a crescendo that never came because 1) it just never got that great and 2) it was a 30-minute draw. ***3/4
7. World of Stardom Title: Syuri [c] vs. Utami Hayashishita
Syuri beat Utami for the World of Stardom Title last December, then Utami beat Syuri in a non-title 5-Star GP match this past July. Now, two wrestlers scientifically proven to be among the best in the world during World of Stardom Title reigns that boasted nine defenses each faced off as Syuri embarked on a tenth. Can you feel it?
Utami asserted control early and kept it for a good while, preventing any real Syuri momentum but in a good way, one that gave the momentum to Utami and one that forced Syuri to start growling and gritting her teeth through all her kicks and any other choices very quickly. She slipped out of Utami’s first Hijack Bomb attempt to hit a knee, though Utami fired back quickly with a Codebreaker and sliding lariat that kept her in control until Syuri brought her off the top with a Hoverboard Lock – look at that wrestling.
Utami found the ropes and wrenched a neck lock which worked as both an offensive maneuver and something you do because you’re in pain and trying to figure out your next move. That next move was the Hijack Bomb, actually, but Syuri kicked out at 2. Utami headed back up top and was again punished, this time with a crucifix bomb on top of her head. As they neared the same 30-minutes as the last match they kept it compelling with a Syuri cross armbreaker struggle and actual winner, too. Should’ve been the main event probably. Great match. ****1/4
8. Moneyball Tournament – TLC Final: Mayu Iwatani, Hazuki & Koguma vs. Giulia, Thekla & Mai Sakurai
Born from ambition or maybe a less harsh word for desperation was a big clear ball, and it was filled with money. It was raised above the ring and a bunch of ladders and when the bell rang everybody — Mayu’s STARS in white t-shirts and black pants and Giulia’s DDM sticking with their wrestling gear — started climbing for cash.
A few minutes later, Hazuki dropkicked Giulia as she climbed the ladder and the Moneyball got knocked down. I don’t think that was supposed to happen.
After some scurrying for treasures and very obvious mid-match communication, an audible got announced and they continued, with Giulia promptly giving Hazuki a piledriver through a hard table. Mai took a table bump next but it didn’t break, then Mayu laughed before obliterating Thekla with a dropkick in the corner. Clearly, this was a match with a lot going on.
There were a few incredible spots — Hazuki AA’d Giulia off a table propped between the ladder and top rope then Koguma did the most amazing plancha off a ladder to the floor — otherwise it was a match that ended when the winners climbed the ladder to retrieve the, well, the empty top-portion of what used to be the Moneyball. ***1/2
Happy Thoughts: Standard great Stardom PPV held back by the Moneyball mess and KAIRI/Kamitani slightly under-delivering. Those matches are still kind of worth seeing, and the Syuri/Utami match absolutely is. 3.25 / 5.0
