Stardom’s 2022 was already busy and productive with more events and bigger crowds than ever, more gimmick matches and new faces and a tournament running pretty much always. New Japan ran a lot too though that wasn’t out of the ordinary, and they’ve been hesitant to move much at all since 1972. Somebody got talking to someone though and in late-July their parent company Bushiroad announced two things: 1) an inter-promotional show by both Stardom and New Japan, and 2) the IWGP Women’s Championship.
NJPW and Stardom presented Historic X-Over from the Ariake Arena in Tokyo. Scheduled were three mixed tag matches pairing talent from both companies, Will Ospreay defending the IWGP U.S. Title against Shota Umino, and the finals of a tournament to crown the first IWGP Women’s Champion.
0. Oskar Leube Debut Match: Kosei Fujita, Ryohei Oiwa, Yuto Nakashima & Oskar Leube vs. Clark Connors, Alex Coughlin, Gabriel Kidd & Kevin Knight
Oskar is New Japan’s newest Noojie, a tall and pale young man from Germany who began at Bad Luck Fale’s New Zealand Dojo before moving to Japan’s. He teamed with fellow young lions against four from the LA Dojo and everyone worked it like an inter-promotional grudge match, packed with shoves and armbars and other community-based toxicity. Fujita hit Coughlin (a freaking unit) with a dropkick then tagged in Oskar, who quickly ceded to a Kevin Knight showcase: high dropkick, big Stinger splash, and – once Coughlin lifted Oskar on his shoulders – an even higher dropkick! That’s right: he did a high dropkick, and then he did a higher dropkick! ***
0. Stardom Rambo
As notable as most Rambo’s, which isn’t very though most of the Stardom roster not otherwise booked got an appearance (or two). Order of entry was Mirai, Ami Sohrei, Saya Iida, Natsuko Tora, Hanan, Hina, Rina, Hazuki, Koguma, Momo Kohgo, Waka Tsukiyama, Saki Kashima, Ruaka, Miyu Amasaki and Super Strong Stardom Machine (Saya Iida). Kashima rolled up three people in a row and though Super Strong Stardom Machine entered last, it was #1 entrant MIRAI that went the distance when she clotheslined the shit out of her. **
1. Tomohiro Ishii, YOSHI-HASHI, YOH & Lio Rush vs. EVIL, Yujiro Takahashi, SHO & Dick Togo
YOH and Lio are teaming for the Super Jr. League and entered like they were rolling into the club. Lio’s stayed amazing too, adding flashes of greatness to what could’ve been any old House of Torture tag. YOSHI and Ishii each took a beating before YOH and Lio used the power of tag team wrestling to pin Dick Togo. ***1/4
2. Saya Kamitani, AZM & Lady C vs. Himeka, Thekla & Mai Sakurai
This was bumping, with everyone trading off except for Lady C who was limited to a single giant swing. There was a double torture rack and springboard crossbody before the near falls started even kicking in, ending when Saya lost the bridge on a suplex and hit the 450 – the whole Stardom experience! ***1/2
3. Mixed Match: Zack Sabre Jr. & Giulia vs. Tom Lawlor & Syuri
Lawlor, who entered dancing in star-shaped sunglasses and jean shorts, felt like a weird match with Syuri until I remembered how progress reveals itself in unexpected ways. Anyways, this was incredible. ZSJ and Lawlor leglocked each other for a while then Giulia and Syuri threw hands. It really got cooking when Lawlor pulled Syuri away from a scrap with Giulia only for both to respond by beating him up for interrupting then going back to hitting each other. Lawlor and ZSJ went back to leglocks and really had a whole swell wrestling match to the very end too. It went from amusing fun to one of the better mixed tags I’ve seen, up there with that Emma/Santino one and the other one. ****
4. Mixed Match: Taichi, Yoshinobu Kanemaru, Tam Nakano & Natsupoi vs. El Desperado, DOUKI, Momo Watanabe & Starlight
Suzuki-gun split for the night to team with the Cosmic Angels or Oedo Tai, and can I interest you in a conversation about Yoshinobu Kanemaru’s casual walk to the ring followed by Taichi standing by the Cosmic Angels’ for their whole glamorous entrance? Momo challenged Taichi straight-up before Natsupoi and Starlight Kid got things moving. Kanemaru and Desperado did the same (briefly), while Nakano was clearly aware of the stage and firing off great exchanges left and right. Every guy but DOUKI grabbed someone’s hair too only to be quickly mobbed with kicks or slaps that sent them careening into sweet, sweet regret, so it was about justice too. Or something like that. ***3/4
5. Mixed Match: Hiroshi Tanahashi & Utami Hayashishita vs. Hirooki Goto & Maika
Maika is ascending: she beat Utami the opening night of the 5-Star GP and almost won the World of Stardom Title earlier this month, now she was on PPV teaming with Hirooki freaking Goto. They entered together like a brother and sister who only talk if visiting family, while Utami looked like more of a mark for her partner (who isn’t??). Before the bell she gave Tanahashi a rose, which didn’t stop him from becoming the monster that can appear in any inter-promotional scenario: HEEL TANAHASHI.
He held Maika so Utami could get in a shot and raised his hands like a bastard; he responded to a slap to the face from Maika with one of his own! But like the charming kind that was funny because everyone was in on the joke. Right? When Utami hit a Sling Blade on Goto towards the end that piece of garbage tried one on Maika, only to get backdrop suplexed on the back of his head. Surrounding this were the finest strikes and dragon screws from the New Japan guys and fine tackles and clotheslines from Stardom’s girls. Up there with the mixed tag classic from earlier. ****
6. Tetsuya Naito, Shingo Takagi, SANADA, Hiromu Takahashi & BUSHI vs. Mark Davis, Kyle Fletcher, TJP, Francesco Akira & Gideon Grey
This felt like a break in quality and/or fun, even if the entire LIJ gang was here to beat up nerds then pop everyone for the finish. As for Unired Empire: Grey managed a double crossbody, Akira showed up with a big tope con hilo, and Aussie Open practiced some heavyweight wrestling pre-Tag League en route to a win. ***1/4
7. Great Muta New Japan Pro-Wrestling Last Match: Kazuchika Okada, Great Muta & Toru Yano vs. Great-O-Khan, Jeff Cobb & Aaron Henare
O-Khan was tremendous here, selling for the Great One before blocking the Shining Wizard and using The Claw on Muta’s famously decrepit knees. After he sprayed green mist in Cobb’s eyes by mistake, he turned into a red mist from Muta who himself turned into a spin kick from Henare – weird way to wrap that up, though it brought in Okada for a very crowd-pleasing dropkick to Shining Wizard to Rainmaker finish. The match was historically notable if not must-see, though Cobb’s post-match promo at a wall because he was still blinded from the mist sure is. ***1/4
8. IWGP U.S. Heavyweight Title: Will Ospreay [c] vs. Shota Umino
Their non-title match last month Royal Quest II exemplified a fact: Shooter can go. He can work, wrestle, smoothly go move to move and keep up with an Ospreay while evoking a babyface double threat where he’s both sympathetic and a total badass.
This title match was a bigger league version of the last match, which was already good. The Aerial Assassin tried to keep it grounded – the ultimate twist! — before about 10 minutes when they really started heating up, cued when Ospreay cracked Umino in the face with an elbow only for Umino to smile and throw one back.
When Ospreay upped the pace, Umino looked prepared – until he got caught with the Omega/Okada powerbomb counter. When Ospreay tried to end it, Umino kept coming. When Umino looked in and out of consciousness, he grabbed referee Red Shoes (his actual dad)’s leg and pleaded with him to keep the match going, a Real Moment during a great finish that both embraced some of modern wrestling’s annoying tropes while introducing a new exciting combatant to do them. ****1/4
Kenny Omega appeared on the big screen after to announce a return for Wrestle Kingdom and challenged Ospreay, a challenge Ospreay fumed at it before accepting.
9. IWGP Women’s Title Tournament – Final: Mayu Iwatani vs. KAIRI
KAIRI’s 2022 has delivered all the charisma and violence that made her famous but with an extra mean streak from a couple years in America playing a Kabuki Warrior. Mayu Iwatani’s 2022’s has been even better, though a lot of it involved KAIRI: when they teamed for KAIRI’s return match in March (which came a night before Mayu challenged Syuri for the World of Stardom Title in a great match), when they were on opposite teams on Night 2 of the grueling 5-Star GP tournament (which KAIRI didn’t enter), when she had two more great matches on back-to-back nights in the first two rounds of the IWGP Women’s Title tournament (which KAIRI got a bye in).
They opened like any good match, respectful exchanges and arm work that quickly gave way to — I’m sorry — ruthless aggression. All their strikes were all nasty enough for the occasion and outside of an uninspired trip up the entrance ramp their moves had intent, flashy risks early that became more dangerous later before KAIRI’s strategy became just trying to KO Mayu with spinning backfists. Also: Mayu usually wears a tail on her wrestling attire, but tonight she did not. I cannot emphasize enough how important that felt.
When KAIRI winded up and just wrecked Mayu with a first backfist to the face, Mayu didn’t go down – she stumbled against the ropes and stood tall — then received another. KAIRI hit the ropes but Mayu caught her with a superkick, then tombstone piledriver and Dragon suplex for 2 before Mayu hit the ropes and KAIRI caught her with a backfist. Mayu stayed competitive to the end, managing a crucifix bomb and another couple Dragon suplex holds, but KAIRI stayed consistent and a final backfist to the face put Mayu in the corner and seemed to end her for good. KAIRI’s followed with the Insane Elbow to become the first IWGP Women’s Champion. Pretty basic match structure, pretty incredible piece of business. ****1/2
Happy Thoughts: Great wrestling, fun wrestling, this is a must-see show from New Japan and Stardom that made the case for many more. 4.75 / 5.0
