World Wonder Stardom 5 Star Grand Prix August 20th 2024

Well after a small diversion, it’s back to Stardom as we’re approaching the end of the tournament and we are in front of 500 odd people in Osaka. This is a shorter show but we’ll be working through the Blue Block for this one.

Anna Jay [2] vs. Miyu Amasaki [2] – Blue Block A Match

Background: So these two are not exactly stars. Anna Jay is on excursion from AEW and is mostly here to eat pins and Miyu is the pin-eater for Neo Genesis. So in the battle between the resistable force and the movable object, who will be the victor? Anna is in black and red with a long coat on and Miyu is in turquoise.

The Match: Lockup and Anna uses her superior size to toss down Miyu. So Miyu gets a kick and then grinds in a headlock before Anna runs her into the ropes to break. They trade horrible forearms and Miyu gets a DDT. Running corner attacks but Anna shrugs it off and rams Miyu’s head into every turnbuckle and chokes her in the corner. Miyu reverses a whip into a low dropkick, a low DDT, and then another dropkick and they’re at least doing power vs. speed. Miyu with a can opener but they’re too close to the ropes and they break. Amasaki tries to slingshot in and gets rocked with a forearm and we get the Queenslayer in the ropes and then through the ropes as Anna tries to finish Miyu. Anna with the short-arm heel kick and then a Gory Stretch but Miyu slips out and gets the jumping DDT for 2. Miyu goes for something but Anna gets the short-arm heel kick and then a Complete Shot into the Koji Clutch that just looks terrible. Miyu eventually makes the ropes and Anna does the disrespect kicks but Miyu fires up with a running back elbow and they do some rope-running until Miyu hits a tornado reverse STO and then the hammerlock DDT for 2.8. Miyu loads up the jumping double-underhook facebuster but Anna reverses into the Gory Bomb for 2.9. Queenslayer is locked in and Miyu gets the bodyscissors for the rear-naked choke and that gets the tap.

**

Well…the work was mostly horrible but Anna actually worked her size and Miyu pinballed for her. I feel rough saying this was fine but probably Anna’s best performance I’ve seen that was because of her.

Risa Sera [4] vs. Ranna Yagami [2] – Blue Block B Match

Background: Risa is a hardcore tweener who does some bully vet stuff and Ranna is a dorky karate fighting rookie. Risa is in her blue ice queen outfit with the blue hair and Ranna is very pale with bleached hair and a yellow outfit that does her complexion zero favors.

The Match: Ranna starts with a strike combo but RIsa blocks a kick with a knee…and then runs into a high kick for a nearfall and then the vet powders. Yagami follows outside and RIsa was apparently goldbricking as she calls Ranna an idiot before sending her through some chairs, beats on her around the ring, and then it’s back inside for a Risa standing crab into a rocking horse and Ranna is at least hollering wonderfully for the sell. Risa keeps up the abuse on the rookie Ranna finally gets a dropkick, a strike flurry and teases the juji-gatame before a ropebreak but Risa takes back over with some running stuff but misses the vader bomb knee drop and Ranan unleashes more karate before RIsa takes the leg out and goes back to the crab. Ranna makes the ropes but Risa doesn’t care about that comeback and gets the swinging air raid crash and now the vader bomb knee drop…for 2. Risa seems just further dedicated by this and goes for another air raid crash but Ranna gets a sunset flip attempt…and Risa just sits on it for 2. Strike off and Ranna gets a dropkick for a cover and is firing up and trying to be all wobble-legged and bless her her heart it’s adorable as Risa just gets a Samoan driver anyway and then an air raid crash and that’s 3.

**½

Risa was a bully heel, Ranna was a scrappy face. Twas pretty solid.

Post-match Ranna keeps throwing hands and gets put down and stomped. Can’t say that’s a shocking development.

Syuri [4] vs. Koguma [2] – Blue Block A Match

Background: Syuri is a top star, won it all, now trying to be a morally pure veteran babyface guiding her God’s Eye stable to martial arts success and being decent people. Koguma is a goofy trickster babyface who does a bear dance but is a successful tag contributor. Koguma is in orange and blue and Syuri is in a multi-colored getup with lots of silver.

The Match: Koguma ducks out of a lockup and does a bear taunt before Syuri goes at her and then runs into some Koguma trickery for a quick pin and then a camel clutch with her doing a bear taunt on Syuri…who is uh, not pleased. Syuri swings at her opponent and is once again manipulated into a position where Koguma can do the bear taunt but Syuri tosses her off and stomps her down. Syuri does the regular on Koguma as she’s suitably irked by Koguma’s nonsense. Armbar tease by Syuri that’s blocked with a ropebreak and Koguma continues to get stomped out. Koguma does the bear taunt in defiance…and gets stomped out even harder…but that loads up a Koguma-Cutter. Koguma does more silly offense…but walks straight into a Syuri armbar for a spell before Koguma reverses to a rollup. Syuri’s dropkick loads up more of the regular though and the vet is looking increasingly bothered by the Koguma silliness. Syuri goes up but is cut off and eats a necksnap off the top as she sells big bouncing off the top rope. Koguma follows with a crossbody from the apron…into a Syuri kick. Back inside and Syuri kicks Koguma about and loads up an armbar that Koguma breaks via the ropes and Syuri looks absolutely exasperated. Koguma cuts off a Syuri climb to the top and gets a cutter off the top rope and we tease a double-down. Syuri fires up and goes for the Ryuen…but Koguma slips out and gets her signature cradle for 2.999. And they trade Germans after both express bewilderment but Syuri recovers first and lands the Ryuen…for 2.8. Another Ryuen and Koguma rolls it over for an inside cradle and that’s 3.

*¾

I did not like this match and mostly it’s based around how seriously it took Koguma? Koguma is fine goof but as a serious wrestler she just doesn’t really have the stuff to be going this long

Saki Kashima [2] vs. Saya Kamitani [6] – Blue Block B Match

Background: Saki is a cowardly babyface with a tricky finish and a history of big upsets in tournaments, Saya was a heroic babyface who just turned into a vicious heel in the H.A.T.E. stable and has gone undefeated in the tournament so far. Saki is in red and black and Saya has her all black feathered outfit.

The Match: Saya looks like she’s not stressing Saki at all and quickly kicks the older wrestler down…and then bails to taunt Saki from the outside. Kashima falls for it and gets beaten down outside (odd spot but I guess Saki is trying to be valiant here). Kashima gets posted and Saya goes back inside with a chair that she poses on while taunting Saki. Kashima comes back in and Saya drops her on the chair and kicks her down. We get a camel clutch and then some rope choking as Saya plays to the crowd. I dunno, there’s something just so…try-hard about her, too much, too over the top, not natural. Saki defiantly kicks out from the arrogant cover so Saya chokes her with her boot some more. Saki gets some desperate strikes but Saya keeps the taunting up and stomps her down. Saki finally makes a comeback with a flipping headscissors (almost a victory roll) out of the corner, then a flying headscissors as Saki is selling the desperation well and Saya is entertainingly bamboozled. And then Saki unleashes some Muay Thai knees (?!) and a right hook to knock Saya tail over teakettle…but then when Saki runs the ropes she eats a dropkick from the Dark Phoenix. But runs into a Saki savage kick (?!) that drops her. Saki charges in with a knee into the corner but Saya gets the spinning heel kick and a northern light’s suplex and signals for the end. Star Crusher is blocked but Saya drops Saki with some strikes anyway and Kashima seems finally dead, just laying on the ground. Saya picks Saki up again, goes for the Star Crusher and REVIVAL! Saki steals the win!

***

Wow this was very fun. It was mostly Saki, and it was new Saki, she was busting out some Syuri offense and overall using the martial arts background of God’s Eye to show that hey, she is learning something there, and when the chips are down she always has the Revival to steal wins. Saya was also working like a heel, taunting, being arrogant, I think it’s a bit corny most of the time, but the instincts are showing themselves a little bit and she’s not doing all speed all the time, instead using her high-flying to gain control/cut off comebacks and then mostly stomping and taunting. She finds a way to more naturally taunt and heel it up and maybe this heel turn wasn’t such a bad idea…if she’s working smart workers like Saki.

Suzu Suzuki [3] vs. Thekla [2] – Blue Block B Match

Background: Suzu is the odd-woman out in her Neo Genesis stable, being a brawler with a hardcore side, but she still represents the youth of the company and is a blue chipper despite having a relative now-year compared to last one. She’s facing another HATE member in Thekla who is one-half of the Goddesses of Stardom champions, who has turned heel after being babyface (ish) with Donna Del Mondo. Thekla is a junior with bleached hair and is a heat machine. Neither are really in the running for the block but Suzu kind of has to win to have a chance.

The Match: They both wave off a lockup and just start with a hockey fight that Thekla loses, but the Austrian low-bridges Suzu (after some work) over the top rope and they brawl outside with Thekla whipping Suzu with a sign and taunting the crowd. Brainbuster on the mats and then a whip into the chairs has Thekla go for the countout win but Suzu rolls back in and gets stomped and kicked by Thekla…who goes for a crossface, transitions into the rings of saturn, and then…Britt’s finish? Suzu really didn’t sell any of them and breaks easily…and then she gets up and just demolishes Thekla with strikes, then gets the drive-by dropkick, tosses Thekla outside, runs her into the chairs and slams her on the mats. It’s like…total domination in 20 seconds. Thekla is just lying in a puddle outside as Suzu beats her like a rented mule. Back in and Thekla continues to flop around for all of Suzu’s strikes. Thekla comes back with a solid forearm and some running boots…but runs into a Suzu brainbuster and we have a double-down. They slug it out and Suzu wins and climbs up but is cut off. We get a slapfight on the top rope and Thekla gets the hanging superplex and a diving stomp to Suzu’s back. More kicks to a kneeling Suzu finally drop her but Thekla doesn’t go for the pin, showboating more and wanting to implement more pain…but she misses the buzzsaw and Suzu gets a leg cradle for 2, then Thekla gets an O’Connor roll for 2, then tries a cazadora but gets German’d instead. More reversals and Suzu gets her own kick combo and Thekla goes flying for. We get the bridging resurrection though and Thekla blocks a kick…only to run into the Tequila Shot and that gets 3.

***¾

Wow this was a lot of fun. I will say that Suzu had a few moments of no-selling, and Thekla was maybe flopping around a bit too much but a really good match that was bringing the workrate and you had two people trying to out jerk each other, with Thekla cheating more but Suzu is just crazy and she can’t be beat like that.

Post-match Thekla tries to choke out the ref in rage and then Suzu challenges for the tag belts I think. And THekla responds and goes for a handshake and Suzu slaps her, okay, I laughed.

Saori Anou [5] vs. Xena [4] – Blue Block A Match

Background: Xena is the power wrestling enforcer of ExV and Saori is the secondary (though maybe tertiary) singles star of Cosmic Angels so they’re actually relatively similar in position here.

The Match: Lockup and we’re taking is slow as they fight over it before Xena obviously wins. They both go for chops and miss and Xena works over Saori’s arm until Anou breaks by using the ref to flip out of it. Ha. Saori counters though and we get a headlock with Xena going for the hair as the Aussie is playing heel here. Shoulderblock time and Xena obviously wins that exchange. International into an armdrag and then Saori uncorks some chops but gets powered down again. Saori tries to use speed but Xena dropkicks her down, then gets a double-arm suplex and shows off her own athleticism with a kip-up and a handspring and gets the hesitation dropkick in the corner. This has been ALL Xena so far as she’s been stronger, faster, and meaner than Saori. Saori tries a brainbuster but Xena just powers her up and delivers her own and goes to work with running strikes and then Xena locks in a crab. Xena switches to a single-leg while Saori makes the ropes and the ref is really particular about Anou having full control of the ropes before breaking, giving Xena like…10 extra seconds of crab. But Saori manages to fire back with the snap brainbuster…but gets gets dumped on the apron and Xena gets a high kick and then a springboard roundhouse to drop Saori to the floor…and she follows with a pescado (?!). Back inside and a cover only gets 2.6. Saori fights from her back foot a bit and we get a slugfest and they trade chops with Xena winning and Saori begging off in the corner. Saori gets a desperate enzuigiri though and then a missile dropkick but runs into Xena’s argentine backbreaker rack drop and we get a double-down. Xena goes for a few slams but Saori slips out, gets a Fisherman’s buster and then a cross-armed choke before the Aussie breaks on the rope. Saori goes for a German, Xena breaks and after eating three straight boots finally gets a spinning lariat. Headbutt by Xena sets up a full-nelson lift into an elevated German…but Saori rolls through and gets her own German for 2. Flying lariat by Xena gets the same and the Touch of Thunder is feeling it…but Saori ducks a charge, Xena rebounds off the ropes and Anou gets the bridging backslide for 3.

**¾

Somebody getting clobbered for 90% of the match only to squeak away with a win can work, but Saori isn’t that level of seller. Xena might be that level of offense as it was varied, fun, logical, and built around what we knew. She’s stronger, meaner, and faster, but Saori is quicker and able to adjust speed more often, setting herself up for a tricky victory over an otherwise superior opponent.

A pretty good short little show from Stardom even if nothing necessarily grabs me. But good wrestling and a variety of matches means I’ll give this a thumbs up at least.

Standings!

Blue Block A:
Saori Anou 7
Starlight Kid 7
Syuri 4
Xena 4
Koguma 4
Anna Jay 4
Miyu Amasaki 2

Blue Block B:
Saya Kamitani 6
Risa Sera 6
Suzu Suzuki 5
Hanan 5
Saki Kashima 4
Ranna Yagami 2
Thekla 2

Red Block A:
Natsupoi 6
Manami 5
Maika 4
Konami 4
Hazuki 2
Ruaka 1
Yuna Mizumori 0

Red Block B:
Mayu Iwatani 6
AZM 6
Tomoka Inaba 6
Mei Seira 4
Saya Iida 2
Tam Nakano 0
Momo Watanabe 0