I watched four Stardom shows the first two months of 2023, and while I didn’t have many thoughts I did have a few.
1. Triangle Derby I: Giulia, Mai Sakurai & Thekla vs. Ram Kaichow, Maya Yukihi & Maika Ozaki (New Year Stars 1/3/23)
This was from night one of Stardom’s new trios tournament, and before the show all the teams got the coolest intros that felt like a Select Fighter screen from an arcade game. They ended up the best part of a quiet show, with this main event being the best match based a little on effort and a “good closing sequence” but mostly because DDM entered through what looked like a fire-ravaged alternate dimension. Actually, did I dream all this? Giulia was intrigued by the face-painted Ram, whose Wikipedia page and career arc overall is pretty intriguing. Yukihi stood out too, like when she rose up after a superplex or fought through a DDM kick barrage. ***1/2
2. New Year Special Tag Match: Mayu Iwatani & Syuri vs. Utami Hayashishita & Maika (Triangle Derby I in Nagoya 1/8/23)
This was a tag of partners-who-aren’t-partners and there was a hesitancy to Mayu and Syuri’s game, until Mayu kicked Utami’s arm really hard and they found a common bond. Utami was throwing bombs whenever she could, especially at Mayu who sold big and made a great comeback fighting (paddling!) out of a German suplex. Mayu and Syuri rallied back like the Rock & Roll Express before an Utami elbow knocked Mayu loopy. She escaped Utami’s Hijack Bomb and hit a Dragon suplex hold for 2, then went for a moonsault only for Utami to move and hit the Hijack Bomb. It got a quality near fall, just as the bell rang for a 30-minute draw. Packed with enough good wrestling to validate the whole thing. ***3/4
3. Wonder of Stardom Title: Saya Kamitani [c] vs. Ami Sohrei (Triangle Derby I in Nagoya 1/8/23)
This wasn’t a top-tier Saya title defense, but it was a mid-range white belt defense that knew its’ place and had both wrestlers come out looking better than before. I mean this was freaking solid. Saya’s flying vs. Ami’s power was the obvious approach, but the way they kept adapting and finding new ways to catch each other created some tremendous back-and-forth before the inevitable. Ami moving to avoid Saya’s 450 splash, hitting Saya with a lariat then countering a hurricanrana into a crab hold was a colossal sequence of wrestling. ***3/4
4. Special Singles Match: MIRAI vs. Chihiro Hashimoto (12th Anniversary Stardom Supreme Fight 2/4/23)
Sendai Girls’ Hashimoto hasn’t wrestled for Stardom since 2017 but showed up here and got to work. She had such an edge on the early holds that MIRAI got a pop for a wristlock, then she used size and timely cut-offs to stay up. MIRAI’s comebacks lacked energy but in the good way, the way that makes you root for her and yell “hit her!” When she caught Hash in a sleeper she held on for dear life, and though she lost her starting to tee off on Hash with slaps was the moment of the match. ***3/4
5. Wonder of Stardom Title: Saya Kamitani [c] vs. Momo Watanabe (12th Anniversary Stardom Supreme Fight 2/4/23)
Compared to Saya’s Ami defense they had a bigger crowd, bigger stakes (Saya broke Momo’s title defense record if she won), and tried more things in general – tables! interference! kickouts! – it just wasn’t as freaking solid. There were a couple sloppy moves that caused the match to just halt too, like Saya whiffing a reverse rana but Momo still taking the bump and a Peach Sunrise counter right at the end. ***1/2
6. World of Stardom Title: Giulia [c] vs. Suzu Suzuki (12th Anniversary Stardom Supreme Fight 2/4/23)
This was Giulia’s first title defense and a rematch from the 5-Star GP Finals, which she won despite being held to a 15-minute draw by Suzu Suzuki earlier in the night. With 10 more minutes and a main event spot, they kept it mostly interesting with physicality or something weird like Suzu responding to a boot to the back of the head by getting up and hitting a standing Spanish Fly. The spot of the match (night? year?) was Suzu’s German suplex hold off the top rope, not just for how insane that is but for the brief crisis in Giulia’s eyes as she had a millisecond to decide whether to continue on with the bridge for a near fall or writhe in the legitimate pain she had to be in. ****
7. Raw Exclusive High-Class Kobe Beef Contest 3-Way Elimination Match: Mayu Iwatani, Hazuki & Koguma vs. Utami Hayashishita, Saya Kamitani & Miyu Amasaki vs. Natsuko Tora, Momo Watanabe & Starlight Kid (Stardom in Showcase Vol. 4 2/26/23)
Stardom in Showcase Vol. 4 was the worst Stardom in Showcase, most notable for how much louder the sound of air being pumped into the inflatable cow by the entrance was than anything on the show, audience included. I still feel like it’s my duty to tell you that the main event was pretty good and the winners got to take home some high-class Kobe beef. ***
