World Wonder Stardom 5 Star Grand Prix August 18th 2024

So apparently I missed this show somehow and I’m going to review it now, my bad! We got 500 in Kobe for this one and while it’s a nice building, it could clearly seat like…1100 and it looks kinda bad.

Ruaka vs. Maika – Red Block A Match

Background: Both power brawlers, Maika has more strength and technique, Ruaka has more size and viciousness.

The Match: We get a bit nice lockup to start to a stalemate and then Ruaka just chokes Maika before running into a shoulder. See how they’re using the early lockup to establish character notes? Maika can’t slam Ruaka and then HATE trips her and they all stomp Maika outside the ring and then Ruaka stomps Maika inside the ring and gets a BIG FAT SPLASH! Ruaka goes for a brainbuster but Maika reverses after a struggle and we get a big reaction off of that. Maika with some run and gun stuff and both are trading clotheslines now and no-selling them until Maika knocks Ruaka down, but Ruaka gets up and knocks Maika down! Ruaka with a reverse STO and then a crossface as she grinds down the Strong Girl. Maika makes the ropes though and comes back with a backdrop driver and a sliding lariat. Ruaka stops the rally though and gets the running low crossbody and then the delayed fisherman’s buster. Ruaka sets up the diving splash but Maika rises up and gets the superplex and a STO for 2.5. Saya interferes so Ruaka can get a luggage shot…but Maika just lariats the second shot out of the air, gets a discus lariat for 2.5 and then the Michinoku Driver for 3.

***¼

Man, this was just like…Maika doing a Hogan match? Just really solid and fun babyface action against a big evil cheating heel. Both played their characters great and Maika just knocking the luggage out of the air on the second shot was fantastic and worth a quarter star for me. Ruaka kinda rules, that’s all I gotta say.

Hazuki vs. Yuna Mizumori – Red Block A Match

Background: Hazuki is the strict technical mean-girl of the overall babyface STARS stable, okay she’s not a mean-girl, she’s a lady and she’s more aggressive and brutal than the others but it’s because she really cares. Yuna is a happy fun-times tropical themed brawling lady…and that’s all she is, she’s a pretty flat character.

The Match: Lockup and immediate wrist work and then some standing switches, hammerlocks, and headlocks as they do the technical stuff. But Hazuki uncorks a snapmare and some running boots to the mush and Yuna just fires up and gets a jumping shoulder, a crossbody, and more running power stuff, ending with a legdrop to the back and a reverse crab. That goes for a while as Yuna works it and Hazuki makes the ropes but gets clobbered in the corner and then dumped outside…but Hazuki gets a DDT through the ropes on the apron and Wildheart makes her comeback with a missile dropkick and then an arm-trap crossface. Ropebreak and Hazuki does some disrespectful stuff and that fires up Yuna to come back and we have a slugrfest won by Hazuki. But Yuna fires up and backs Hazuki into the corner and demolishes her there and then goes to lariats. Hazuki tries to get going with a running boot but Yuna catches it into a suplex and then after some struggle gets a fireman’s carry driver and the crowd is fired up at least. Yuna goes for the lariat but Hazuki gets the codebreaker to block it and climbs up for a diving senton…which misses. Springboard reverse lariat by Yuna capitalizes on it and then she loads up an electric chair…but Hazuki slips out and gets a backstabber to lead to a double-down. And Hazuki gets the big boot, Yuna gets the lariat, and then Hazuki puts Yuna up top to land the elevated codebreaker and now she gets the diving senton. Hazuki gets the delayed brainbuster and the arrogant pin and that’s 3.

**¾

So this is where I have some issues here. Very well worked, crisp stuff, a fun sprint where both folks showed off their own style, but the idea of like…who was I rooting for, who did I want to see went through the match. Hazuki played arrogant jerk veteran in the match and after the match and also total sympathetic face. Just felt confused in the storytelling even though, well it was all VERY crisp stuff.

Mei Seira vs. Saya Iida – Red Block B Match

Background: Mei is a very fast worker, probably the smallest and quickest. Saya is also small, but she’s a powerhouse that just happens to be four foot nine. Both are faces but Mei is definitely more important in general.

The Match: They do some furious mat wrestling and quick amateur style covers at first before the standstill and acknowledgement. Mei offers a handshake and Saya accepts and it’s…clean before Mei ambushes Saya in it and then they all dodge each others strikes until it’s time for Iida to slang some chops. Saya calls for a breather and then Mei takes advantage with a whacky rolling kneebar and then some hair pulling to set up a chinlock. Saya breaks on the ropes but Mei takes the chance to attack her with a variety of dropkicks as Iida flops around. Saya blocks a suplex at least and gets some slugging as she fights with her extensions. Mei somehow wins the fight…until Saya gets a jumping chop, twisting back elbow, and jumping elbow drop. Saya cuts off Mei’s comeback with a diving shoulder and then goes up again for another diving clothesline and then sets up a suplex light that Mei fights out into a German and then her headshot dropkick. Mei goes to finish with a crucifix bomb (I think) but gets lariated by Saya twice and then they trade rollups for some nearfalls. Saya goes for the Muscle Buster but Mei gets a sunset flip and holds on and that’s 3.

**¼

If you don’t trust your talent to work long, have them work short and fast! Totally fine, all involved feel the same to me. Just a fine match and I appreciate they had a few big/little stuff and it didn’t overstay its welcome.

Konami vs. Natsupoi – Red Block A Match

Background: In the battle of the mononymous wrestlers, we have dirty kick-boxing arm-savaging Konami, and flighty, emotional, acrobatic, counter-wrestling, biting Natsupoi. It’s darkness vs. light, but light is going to bite darkness.

The Match: Hot start as Poi takes it to Konami early with strikes and evasions and I do appreciate that you’re not going to lock up with a bigger, meaner opponent. Konami however dodges the running dropkick into the ropes, snaps Poi’s arm on the top-rope, and then tosses her off a ledge/elevated area that’s right next to the ring. Konami follows with just a savaging at ringside, tossing the Ring Fairy through all the chairs and such, and then Konami tosses Poi back inside…only to immediately throw her out of the ring again. Haha. Konami uses a chair-assisted armbar on the outside that the ref breaks up and it’s back to more legal stuff with arm snaps…but Poi counters a German with a cazadora bulldog and then goes up for a plancha. Poi rolls back in and tries to stretch her arm out and Konami follows so NOW Natsu lands the dropkick through the ropes and follows with a crossbody…and then Poi goes to her own armbar but Konami quickly reverses that…and they reverse again. Konami fulls locks a Fujiwara ambar and gets small joint manipulation to boot but Poi escapes to the ropes and then gets caught again with a hanging armbar. A diving stomp to the arm keeps up the pressure by Konami who then just gets an Exploder suplex for 2. Poi tries to get something going with kicks but Konami traps her again with the armbar and we get another break. Konami with a German suplex and follows up but a flash inside cradle gets 2.5 for Poi and then some kicks finally give the Ring Fairy some space. Poi goes high risk and goes up and Konami manages to toss her off, and we get the interference as Ruaka runs in with the luggage and Konami grabs the spraypaint but Poi kicks it out of her hands and gets the Fairial Gift for 2.8. They fight over some kicks but Natsupoi lands the Fairy-ing Ring (yes the name is dumb) and that gets 3.

***

I think I could have stood to see Poi sell the effects of the armwork more, but a very hard-fought, well-worked heel-face matchup where Natsupoi’s babyface spirit and fire and grit was able to overcome the dirty cheating of Konami. Good match!

Post-match Konami stomps Natsupoi out and leaves in a huff.

Momo Watanabe vs. Tam Nakano – Red Block B Match

Background: Momo is my MVP of the tournament and just a surly kick devil that is different and unique than Konami’s surly kick devil. It’s a different vibe okay! Tam Nakano is the biggest star in the company and has gone totally win-less in the tournament so far, so the big babyface ace vs the midcard heel gatekeeper.

The Match: Hot start as Tam immediately explodes with a Violet Shoot to knock Momo out of the ring and then Nakano goes up for a plancha but HATE cut her off. Watanabe goes for a B-Driver on the apron but Tam slips out with another Violet Shoot, but Momo blocks the apron kick and sweeps Nakano down and then teases a bat shot. We got Momo working Tam’s knee now and it feels like we skipped through ten minutes of match to get here. Rolling kneebar by Momo gets a rope break from Tam and Momo is in full arrogant heel mode here kicking Tam around and taunting her while Tam powders. Nakano eventually rolls back in and Momo immediately stomps her out. Nakano fires back a little bit but HATE trip her up and post her and Momo stomps on her some more and then goes outside for a kneebar. Tam gets back inside and sells big and Momo stalks her. And we get more kneebars and more Tam selling big. Momo runs into the corner and Tam gets a hanging guillotine and then a diving crossbody as she’s selling the leg decently here (if it’s a bit over the top). Tam can’t take advantage with the bum leg so Momo kicks the leg out of her leg. Tam finally gets a few spin kicks, but Momo gets the meteora…but Nakano gets a bridging German (forgetting about the knee damage here). Tam goes to finish but Momo goes at the leg again, and then lands a high kick…but runs into another Nakano spin kick. Nakano guts up for another charge but she’s too slow and Watanabe goes at the legs again and we get a standing inverted figure-four into some sort of deathlock deal. Tam makes the ropes so Momo attacks Tam’s leg which is wrapped in them…but this lets Nakano slip free and get a Violet Shoot in those same ropes. Plancha follows and Tam is still heavily limping as she drags Momo back inside for a bridging Tiger Suplex. Nakano goes up…but crashes and burns as she’s too slow to the top and Momo ducks. Nakano’s knee buckles and Momo takes advantage of the refs distraction to go at Tam with the bat…but Nakano sniffs it out and kicks it away and almost takes out Momo with a superkick. Tam is undaunted and lands the Violet Screwdriver and Momo is basically dead to rights before Ruaka throws luggage in the ring to break the count, Momo gets the bat and takes out Tam’s leg again, but almost runs into a small package. Momo gets a punt for 2.8, and then wraps up the legs again with her inverted figure-four and Nakano submits.

**½

Well I guess this is maybe the formula to follow. Tam isn’t good at the early portions of the match, so immediately dump her into the ‘epic selling’ and the big emotions and see what happens. The pacing was all out of whack, but Tam mostly sold well and Momo is a great jerkwad.

Mayu Iwatani vs. AZM – Red Block B Match

Background: Mayu is the aging former ace who is being a bit more a cheeky heel recently. AZM is a technical high-flyer who is aging out of her punk kid age to now be a punk adult. They’re both faces but have a heelish bent, so it’ll be interesting to see where that lands.

The Match: Handshake of respect is offered by AZM and Mayu settles for a finger-touch of respect instead. AZM starts fast with some rope-running and dropkicks and immediate finisher attempts and we get armdrags and whiffed kicks and we get the applause break. Mayu eventually tags AZM with a kick and stops for a breather to put over AZM’s cardio. Mayu slows it down a bit with some irish whips (yes that’s slowing it down, relatively) and gets an honest to goodness bodyslam and some stomps. AZM fires back a bit but Mayu just kinda exhales and whomps her with a spin kick and then stomps on her some more. AZM finally gets going by cutting off Mayu’s charge with a legsweep, a kick on the apron, and then a diving stomp to the outside. Back in and another diving stomp/low missile dropkick by AZM sets up an armbar. AZM runs through many permutations of said armbar before Mayu makes the ropes. AZM goes up, Mayu cuts her off, and while they struggle on the top rope AZM tries to go for the hanging stomp but Mayu flips out and then superplexes the younger wrestler. Both pop-up and trade kicks before we get a proper double-down. AZM goes for the cross-legged German, but after that fails goes for a Gedo clutch, Mayu goes for a Tombstone but AZM gets a cazadora out of that and then Mayu goes for the roll-ups too until AZM gets a kick and then another diving stomp…that runs into Mayu’s boot. Now the Icon of Stardom gets aggressive. Mayu lands a German and then a low kick before doing an exhausted climb to the top…and misses a moonsault so AZM immediately goes for the armbar again but Mayu slips free and gets the Dragon suplex for 2.7. Buzzsaw kick by Mayu follows and the vet sets up the elevated German suplex…and AZM gets a really loose Canadian destroyer afterwards and then her own kick. AZM gets a double-underhook destroyer and then AZM Sushi for 3.

**¼

Not a lot to like her. Mayu was kind of playing bully heel but it was so exaggerated in certain moments and then totally forgotten later. I still don’t have a strong sense of AZM as a babyface, even still they worked hard and I’d have gone higher…but AZM’s terrible Canadian Destroyers just totally killed me on this one. I dunno, it wasn’t quite babyface vs. babyface, but it wasn’t really a heel vs. face run either so it was…muddy and unfocused despite some crisp work.

Well that’s my catchup show and I swear I’m going to be down with this tournament very soon, just busy with life and all that. Anyway, this was quite fun and I’m glad I saw it and I hope to see you very soon for the next review.