Dream Star Fighting Marigold: First Dream January 3rd 2025

So they finally removed the delay on the show and I can watch it with my basic Wrestle Universe subscription, so that’s what I’m going to do. This is the big show for Marigold and we got 1800 people here in Ota City General Gymnasium. We have pretty slick video production and we’re off.

Hamuko Hoshi vs. Nightshade vs. Misa Matsui vs. Momoka Hanazono vs. Yuuki Mashiro vs. Naho Yamada vs. Hummingbird vs. Rea Seto vs. Riara vs. Minami Yuuki vs. Flying Penguin vs. Nagisa Tachibana vs. Ryoko Sakimura – New Year’s Dream Rumble

Background: It’s a rumble with random people in it, just gonna sorta explain them as they come out.

The Match: Flying Penguin is out first, she’s wearing blue, has a mask, and sings her own entrance I guess, also a student of Super Delfin. Next up is Naho Yamada who also sings her entrance theme and has long black hair and sorta iridescent gear. The two of them lockup and do some basic sequences with a Naho dropkick setting up a flip neckbreaker for 2 as we have pinfall submission eliminations as well. Double dropkick and next up is Rea Seto, who doesn’t sing and whose vibe is ‘creepy goth doll.’ Seto makes a very awkward entrance with a diving facebuster and then some kicks to Penguin. Ryoko Sakimura is next and she has asymmetrical silver and red gear and I guess she’s from an idol group? Ryoko with an awkward dropkick and she looks SO rough out there with some horrible knee lifts and then Ryoko follows with a terrible rolling cradle into some sorta neck crank on Seto. Next up is Nagisa Tachibana, who also apparently just debuted and has long black hair and blue and red gear and does a cartwheel on her way to the ring. Nagisa gets a schoolgirl on Ryoko and then a backslide and then a la magistral and Nagisa is moving okay. Riara is out next as we’ve still yet to have any eliminations, Riara apparently has had some experience and she’s wearing a sparkly top and has a shawl and a bedazzled bottle of champagne with her. And she immediately starts swinging with the bottle but the ref takes it away. Undeterred, Riara gets a cutter on Naho and then Rea. Flying Penguin and Riara then put the rookies in paradise locks before it’s time for Yuuki Mashiro who is white with short hair and has some Ice Ribbon belt (?!). And commentary even cracks about how ridiculous it is that Ice Ribbon is collaborating with a Rossy promotion and IR fans are probably upset at this. Yuuki with a forearm to Penguin and then when Riara is posing on the ropes, instead of SHOVING her outside, she goes for a schoolgirl for 2. Still no eliminations. Mashiro with some basic joshi offense but the dropkicks look okay at least. Riara and Yuuki are the only ones in the ring and they do a sequence before it’s time for Hamuko Hoshi! Another Ice Ribbon wrestler who is a legend of sorts, or at least she’s been around a while, she’s dressed in blue with a fan and does some comedy spots as she bounces people off her stomach and smothers Rea in the corner as well, I will say this all worked better when she was still big, she’s slimmed down and it’s not the same. Minami Yuuki is next in the green hex patterned gear, and apparently she won the rookie of the year tournament and she starts posing, and Ryoko and Nagisa pose against Hamuko before we get a big exaggerated point and then all the other wrestlers run back into the ring to beat up Hamuko. Next up (still with no eliminations) is Hummingbird, who has pink hair, a pretty cool mask, and white and blue gear. She sprints to the ring and immediately gets stomped down by Rea and Naho…but her partner Flying Penguin helps her and we get a nifty double armdrag. Next up is Misa Matsui, who is an actual name for Marigold and the speedstar has blue and white gear (popular combo) and blonde hair. Meanwhile they’re doing a long headscissors crab spot, and we get a pretty neat spot that almost works when Misa runs across the bodies to dropkick Penguin who is doing the crab. Misa delivers running crossbodies to piles of women in the corners as we STILL have not had an elimination. Momoka Hanazono runs out as I think she’s our second to last member, and she’s a sort of goofy lady in pink and black zebra pattern with bubble guns and she’s blowing bubbles everywhere. And then we get the big group picture of them all strangling each other before we reset to an actual match. Momoka goes for a tornado DDT on Penguin but gets suplexed off the ropes instead. And now comes our last member, Nightshade, a British woman in a black singlet that was a heavy in Pro Wrestling EVE back in the day. Nightshade wrecks shop and gets a senton on Yuuki and we get a pin attempt but the other wrestlers break it up? LIke…why. They storm Nightshade, she tosses everybody back, samoan drop on Rea and we have our FIRST elimination. Thank the heavens.

Nagisa is next and Nightshade puts her on the outside and then headbutts her off, second elimination. Riara is next and gets the Chris Harris Catatonic before going up…and now everybody swarms her again, knocks her off the turnbuckle ends up on the apron but just pushes them away. Hamuko grabs on though, and a double Naho/Misa dropkick eliminates Nightshade. Naho and Misa do a rolling cradle sequence but Momoka shows up, slaps Naho and they toss her off the top, this sets up a Misa Matsui cross-legged Fisherman’s Driver and that’s 3 on Naho. Flying Penguin and Hummingbird try to double team Misa but it turns into a miscommunication spot and Misa gets Penguin in a la magistral for 3. Hummingbird tornado kicks Misa immediately though and that sets up Riara for a diving stomp but…Hummingbird breaks it up? Hummingbird gets lowbridged to the outside, then Hummingbird lowbridges Matsui out, and Matsui goes for the mask…and Riara double dropkicks them to hang off the ropes…and then we get a Riara/Momoka double baseball slide to eliminate Hummingbird and Misa. And then Momoka immediately jackknife pins Riara for 3. Okay eliminations just flying in now. Yuuki back in and she works an eyepoke sequence with Momoka and then a handshake…but Hamuko comes in to cause trouble and we have a double brainbuster on Momoka who starts crying and the crowd is just BOOING them. Yuuki don’t care and holds her up for more of a beating and Momoka obviously ducks and we get the miscommunication spot. But Hamuko just rolls over Momoka for 3…and now Ryoko and Minami fly in to beat up the vet with a double boot, but they immediately turn on each other and Ryoko just hits the worst stuff. Minami reverses a bodyslam and then gets a russian legsweep for 2 and Minami gets a wrist-clutch backdrop for 3. And now Yuuki and Hamuko beat up the Rookie of the Year before Minami reverses it, commentary talks about how all three of these ladies are technically Ice Ribbon connected. Hamuko now goes up, Yuuki breaks it up with an eyepoke, Hamuko ens pon the apron, we get an almost elimination with a Minami dropkick, and Yuuki tickles the vet for her to lose her grip. Okay, clever spot. And Minami immediately goes for a schoolgirl for 2.5 More Minami pin spamming but Yuuki lowbridges Minami to the outside, Minami barely holds on, the other Marigold wrestlers try to help her…and Yuuki just gets another baseball slide and Minami is out.

*¼

Okay, the last bit was actually decent with some clever spots (quarter star for tickling) but the first bit was just an extended entrance with no eliminations or anything of note happening and I just don’t understand agenting a rumble like that.

MIRAI vs. Seri Yamaoka – Seri Yamaoka debut match

Background: So Seri is an amateur wrestling standout that was scouted and emphasized pretty heavily by Marigold (was part of Giulia’s last match and is very much presented as a future star). MIRAI is sort of a measuring stick gatekeeper despite being only 25 and a 5 year vet herself, MIRAI is also the head trainer from what I understand. Oh, also there’s a 15 minute time limit. MIRAI has multi-colored hair and you guessed it, white and blue gear with a bit of a dragon-theme. She also has a cape with some red highlights and it’s pretty dope looking, oh commentary is also letting us know that MIRAI is the Soul Child. Seri has short dark hair and a rainbow singlet that shows the midriff, and also giant, multi-colored fuzzy boots that she slips off for more sensible wrestling shoes.

The Match: Lockup to start and Seri takes the back and drops MIRAI then works her on the mat. MIRAI reverse into a mount and goes for an armbar but Seri slips free and they trade guards. A few quick pin attempts but mostly jockeying for position as MIRAI keeps scouting the arm. Seri goes for her armbar but MIRAI blocks it while commentary puts over MIRAI as a trainer and a mentor for the younger women, and then Seri breaks the grip and we get a juji-gatame but MIRAI immediately makes the ropes…and Seri stomps on the arm in the ropes anyway. Back up and Seri goes for a wristlock again but MIRAI reverses and tries to get a hammerlock but Seri is too quick and skilled and keeps control before MIRAI slips out and tries a chop before Seri drops her again and keeps wearing out the arm before MIRAI reverses…while selling her arm. Good stuff. MIRAI gets a side choke and now Seri breaks and it’s her time to sell. And they keep that going as MIRAI throws a kick and takes her down and just leans on her. Seri switches and goes back to the armbar and tries to break the grip again…but MIRAI turns that into a rear naked choke attempt. Seri slips out and does some ground and pound and goes for the juji-gatame again but can’t get full extension.More trading for back control and Seri mixes it up and goes for a heelhook instead and MIRAI immediately breaks. More grappling and MIRAI grabs a Boston Crab, and then switches to a single leg. Seri screams in agony, almost makes the ropes, and MIRAI drags her back inside. And when Seri crawls her way back MIRAI snatches the arm extended but Seri eventually reaches with the other and gets there, she’s just dripping sweat here and can barely make her feet and MIRAI just puts the boots to her. Seri tries some weak, desperate forearms, collapsing after MIRAI no-sells each one. MIRAI cranks in another single-leg crab as Seri seems totally gassed out and is just crying in pain as MIRAI torments the rookie. Seri makes the ropes again and slowly gets up…only for MIRAI to knock her down with some forearms, and the next time Seri gets up she drops MIRAI with one forearm, and then another. And then a flurry of some more! Both of them trading stiff strikes. MIRAI runs the ropes but Seri snatches her with a half-double leg, half-spinebuster and goes back to the ground and pound. A pair of body slams follow from Seri, and then a gutwrench suplex for 2 as we’re getting some of the amateur stuff again. Now Seri gets a Boston crab and asks MIRAI if she wants to give up! MIRAI makes the ropes though, and a float-over and rolling kick set up the twisting Vader bomb for 2. MIRAI goes for the Miramare Shock but Seri elbows out, sets up a German suplex, but MIRAI turns that into an Argentine Backbreaker drop. Miramare Shock attempt number 2 is sunset flipped out of, and Seri turns that into a German suplex, Alabama Slam attempt by the rookie but MIRAI reverses into a rebound off the ropes backdrop driver multiple 2 counts but Seri stays alive. MIRAI just forearms the heck out of Seri, but the rookie guts up and ducks the follow up lariat and gets a bridging German right as time expires.

But hold on a second, Seri wants more time! She wants a finish, and I guess they agree to it! And Rossy says yes so it’s on. Seri takes the legs and goes the mat and just does a ton of freestyle wrestling stuff and cranks in a pseudo-crab. Seri is still sucking wind here but MIRAI is trapped in the middle of the ring. MIRAI finally crawls to the ropes and gets up, Seri tries a boot but MIRAI legsweeps her and grabs a rebound dropkick. Wheelbarrow suplex attempt by MIRAI but Seri gets a victory roll and goes back to the cross-leg crank. MIRAI again makes the ropes so Seri just double legs her up and slams MIRAI into every set of turnbuckles. And we go back to the Alabama Slam position but it’s more of a Beach Break type move as Seri just falls backwards onto MIRAI. Seri back for another German suplex attempt but MIRAI rolls through with a hiptoss and tries to set up a keylock/triangle choke, ropebreak and Seri looks completely toast here. Backdrop driver by MIRAI and she vows to do more. Wheelbarrow lift into a half-nelson slam, but just 2. Miramare Shock attempt 3 and Seri slips out again, but basically stumbles away from it and attempt number 4 lands…for an one count. MIRAI seems legitimately confused here and we get a Seri German out of that…but MIRAI pops up for a lariat to shake Seri’s fillings. Miramare Shock with the full airplane spin before it, but MIRAI picks her up and gets a full rope-run lariat and that’s 3 for MIRAI.

***½

About as good of a debut match as you can have. Yes it wasn’t the fastest, but the build of them trading holds and it getting gradually more pro wrestling-y with big move exchanges and Seri begging for more until she’s put down. Really, really quality stuff and Seri is going to be one to watch.

Post-match MIRAI pulls up Seri to give respect and the rookie throws a forearm! Oh snap. Seri is pretty clearly choked up here and MIRAI grabs a mic and puts her over. Seri cries through her own promo and vows to reach the top.

Natsumi Showzuki (c) vs. Victoria Yuzuki – Marigold Superfly Championship

Background: Marigold’s attempt at a cruiserweight championship, the Superfly title is less about weight (cause basically everybody is in the same class) and more about a go-go-go attitude. This is a generational fight as Natsumi Showzuki was a tag champion with Kairi back in 2013 and then stepped away from wrestling for about a decade before stepping back in. Natsumi is a vicious kick devil who tears her opponents apart with strikes. Victoria is a super rookie who is more athleticism based with springboard ropewalks and other forms of flashy offense. Natsumi has short dark hair and is dressed in black and red with a gold baroque gold filigree pattern on it and two sorta wing looking things on her back. Victoria in white and gold with long-ish blonde hair and is making an entrance with one of those tiger masks Rossy loves so well. They have gone to time limit draws the last two times they’ve wrestled.

The Match: We start with aggression with a double hair pull and then them trading live rounds that has Yuzuki hammering away in the ropes, and then Natsumi reverses and gets her own forearm flurry in the ropes before cranking on a headlock before they do some cruiser roperunning and leapfrog stuff before Victoria gets a headscissors and dropkick to send the champ outside. Awkward spot when Natsumi just hops back on the apron and Victoria stands there on the ropes not doing anything before she gets tossed off to the outside and thrown into some chairs before Showzuki gets a running double knee drop off the apron and then a big run-up Somato on the mats. Victoria pops up when Natsumi is rolling back into the ring though and gets a dropkick to the head to stun the champ. Tornillo off the middle ropes to the outside follows as we’re getting lucha Victoria today. Yuzuki almost slips on a springboard dropkick back in but catches enough of Natsumi and gets a rebound single-leg dropkick to continue the beating. Spinning sole kick, corkscrew uppercut and the rookie is in total control five minutes in. Northern lights by Yuzuki gets 2, but Victoria gets caught going for something and Showzuki gets a manji-gatame and then transitions to a Fujiwara armbar after Yuzuki tries to slip out. Victoria makes the ropes so Natsumi hits her with a trio of her slingshot knee drops and then a running somato against the ropes. Natsumi can’t get a brainbuster so she settles for a knee to the gut and then some ground and pound with some pretty vicious shots and a plain ole bounce your head off the mat thing. A PK gets 2 for the champ and Natsumi tries to fight back but keeps being backed into the corner with forearms. Showzuki puts Victoria on the top as they struggle through the entire process in a nice touch. Natsumi gets a suplex off the top rope anyway (not a superplex, Natsumi is on the ground) and then goes up herself but Victoria cuts her to attempt her own superplex but she slips on the ropes and they all kinda tumble to the mat. It at least doesn’t look business exposing bad, they just whiffed the move. Victoria gets a snap suplex but they both reset to a standing position and trade forearms again. High kick from Natsumi! Superkick from Yuzuki! Backdrop driver from Yuzuki! Fisherman’s buster from Natsumi! Nothing gets a cover as Natsumi goes back up to the top and gets a meteora from the second rope and tries for a buzzsaw heel kick to the kneeling Victoria, but the youngster ducks it and transitions into her signature Rolling Arrow cradle for 2.9. Natsumi gets a kick and then a Blizzard suplex for 2. Natsumi goes up again with a diving double knees but Victoria gets her knees up in a spot that could not have been fun to take. Natsumi follows with the world’s slowest step-up enzuigiri that Yuzuki thankfully blocks and now the blonde gets her own kick and then a Shutdown German suplex but she does it too fast and can’t keep the bridge so she has to fall on top and Natsumi gets out at 2.7. Victoria fires up and roars in defiance rolling cradle from somebody (unclear who was on top) gets 2 and then Yuzuki gets a series of low kicks and then a bridging fisherman’s buster for 2.8. Standing moonsault by Yuzuki and Natsumi is completely overwhelmed by her more athletic opponent. Yuzuki goes up with a moonsault off the bottom rope, then a moonsault off the middle rope, and an almost botched BME gets the 3 and a new champion.

***

Overall the youth vs. experience story only really shined in the final moments, and there were some pretty hideous slip-ups in the match but they were sold as slip-ups so it bothers me less, andI think they worked at a pretty blistering pace and the contrast between them was solid. A good match but definitely room for improvement.

Post-match Victoria cuts a promo and cries a bit. And then Yuuki Mashimo comes out and challenges her.

Dark Wolf Army (CHIAKI & Nagisa Nozaki) (c) vs. Bozilla & Tank w/ Megaton – Marigold Twin Star Championship

Background: CHIAKI and Nagisa are a pair of vicious brawlers that use chairs and sneak attacks. Bozilla is a big jacked up German lady with a white and black entrance setup with a smoking mask in the style of Vader, her partner is a tremendously inexperienced big and tall lady in cheap black gear. Two big gaijin monsters who are accompanied by Megaton, a short and stout Japanese lady with crazy Bull Nakano inspired hair and makeup and dressed like a prisoner with black and white striped gear and a chain with her. Bozilla wanted to run this solo so her and Tank aren’t really getting along. The champs are two wild brawlers that use chairs, cheating, choking, and everything else to win, CHIAKI is a relative rookie but her look is dynamite with spiked sunglasses, short hair, tattoos, and a gear that’s a mishmash of chains, fur, leather, studs, and various other materials, like if a Final Fantasy character was a skatepunk, Nagisa is pretty experienced and looks sorta like budget Giulia and dresses like she killed and skinned a flock of Furbies, she has long hair in a ponytail. Dark Wolf Army are the default babyfaces here by being cooler looking and Japanese.

The Match: Hot start as the champions try to jump the challengers but get foiled, Tank no sells everything and Bozilla tosses CHIAKI outside to brawl. Tank throws forearms and continues to no-sell and pose. Tank misses a charge and Nagisa gets a boot…that gets no sold and she’s shouldered down. Meanwhile commentary is telling us that Bozilla tosses CHIAKI through some chairs but we haven’t y’know…seen that. Nagisa finally gets a boot that drops Tank to her knees and then throws a chair at her while the ref is distracted. Tank no-sells though, shoulder, shoulder, and brainbuster on Nagisa. And now we cut to the outside as Bozilla and Megaton are choking CHIAKI on the ring post with a chain before Bozilla hops up and tags in. Corner avalanche to Nozaki and a running senton and she’s SO much smoother in the ring than Tank it’s insane. Vader bomb is attempted by Bozilla but Nagisa blocks her for a second and then CHIAKI gets her with the Iron Claw and that lets Nagisa suplex her off the top and follow with a running knee to send Bozilla into the corner. CHIAKI tags in and gets the running boots into a facewash to Bozilla who is selling well here. CHIAKI goes for the spear but Bozilla stuffs in and picks up CHIAKI…who turns that into a sleeper but Bozilla does the Vader counter but Nagisa pops in with a boot, Tank runs in and it’s breaking loose in Ota City! Tank whiffs a charge and just gets caught in the ropes so Nagisa can do her wacky kicks on the apron to send Tank outside. CHIAKI with a schoolgirl on Bozilla for 2 but the German phenom just cuts the Dark Wolf’s head off with a lariat and then an ugly Shouten Kai as CHIAKI falls to her feet before stumbling down for the back bump. Ooof. Nagisa breaks it up and Tank comes in now and the challengers get a double flapjack on Nagisa and Tank tanks Nozaki outside to choke her or something while Bozilla and CHIAKI brawl. CHIAKI throws a chair at Bozilla twice, but the third attack is caught and returned on CHIAKI, Bozilla drags the Dark Wolf to the corner and goes up for a vader bomb…but no, she calls for a moonsault and we gets the Bozillasault! It actually looks okay even if she doesn’t get full perfect backflip rotation, 1-2-CHIAKI gets her hand on the rope. Rookie move from the German and a tolerable way for CHIAKI to survive. Bozilla tosses CHIAKI to Tank for a chokeslam and then Bozilla gets the powerbomb for 3.

*¼

Okay I heard this match was a worst match of the year contender, and while it was bad, it wasn’t like…THAT bad. Bozilla herself is worth a star and she showed out. Tank is absolutely horrible though, and I don’t think she can even bump as she just staggered around. CHIAKI was pretty sloppy here too and she showed her inexperience and Nagisa can’t really carry stuff. So a bad match that had a nice finish for a quarter star. Eh I’ve seen worse but this was bad.

Post-match Megaton (though commentary doesn’t call her that) cuts a promo about how this is the strongest tag-team in the world.

Meiko Satomura & YUNA vs. Passion Sisters (Nanae Takahashi & Nao Ishikawa)

Background: So Meiko is a pretty legendary wrestler who of course runs Sendai Girls and has been a top-notch pro wrestler for decades she wrestled Roxanne that one time, she has announced his retirement, she’s with YUNA who is one of the Sendai trainees. They’re up against other veteran legend Nanae, though of course Takahashi has a less critical acclaim from western smarks but Nanae has probably drawn more money in her career, she’s also retiring and is with her young girl, Nao. I don’t know if there’s any specific heat other than Nanae and Meiko having wrestled a fair amount in the past as opponents and partners, but you got serious Meiko and her assuredly serious trainee versus louder, brasher, more sports-entertainment-y Nanae and Nao, who has a sort of rambunctious boastful rookie gimmick where she challenged more established wrestlers and got trashed and is now taking on Nanae’s quest for PASSION. Oh and Nao used to have a Tam Nakano impersonator gimmick, irrelevant but I wanted to bring it up. Yuna has long hair and maroon gear, Meiko is in her red singlet, Nanae is in her 90s graffiti jumpsuit and Nao is in her peach and saffron getup.

The Match: Nao starts against YUNA with power stuff, shoulders and such, but she runs into YUNA’s dropkick and a second and a third one but a spear is stuffed and Nao takes it to the mat and crank a chinlock. YUNA gets to her feet with a wristlock and they fight over that for a while. Nao with another shoulderblock, YUNA with another dropkick and that sets up a crab on Nao but the Marigold wrestler makes the rope but YUNA tags in Meiko and we get a lockup into the ropes. Clean break but Meiko armdrags Nao into an armbar that Ishikawa eventually breaks and after a Meiko uppercut we get the Nanae tag and the big-time staredown. Greco-Roman knucklelock and the big test of strength that Nanae wins. Meiko grabs a headlock though to slow down her bigger opponent and then Satomura takes it to the mat, she gets the better then throws some strikes…but Nanae catches her off the ropes for a sidewalk slam. Meiko gets cornered and Nao comes in with Nanae to chop the heck out of the Sendai talent. But when Nao leaves Meiko drives Nanae to the corner and brings in YUNA to unleash her dropkicks that Nanae mostly no-sells…and then a YUNA slam is reversed into one of Nanae’s. More strikes from Nanae but YUNA does some fancy footwork into an armbreaker. YUNA follows with another dropkick, but that doesn’t really do anything and Nanae takes over (?!) to set up a double team clothesline/backdrop suplex with Nao. And Ishikawa keeps stomping and then busts out a crab, YUNA breaks but Nao gets a slam and a handstand splash before landing her release double-arm suplex that looks just horrible as YUNA bumps feet first. A followup suplex gets turned into an inside cradle by YUNA though and she hits another, you guessed it, dropkick, and then goes up for a missile dropkick. Meiko now tags in and gets a kick then a springboard armdrag out of the corner into a STF as Meiko has turned Nao into a pretzel here. Nanae comes in to break it with stomps and slaps and Meiko slaps Nanae back before demolishing Nao with kicks, Meiko gets distracted going at Nanae again though and Nao gets two on a schoolgirl into a bridging cradle. More strikes on Nao by Meiko, but the youngster fires back before a flying forearm from Satomura gets control, but Nao reverses a slam and goes up a diving crossbody for 2. Nanae tags in and is fired up but misses a charge and her and Meiko trade clotheslines. And Nanae gets a low jump kick for 2. Nanae goes up and gets the Fridge Bomb for 2.7, and then goes up again but Meiko kicks her to cut her off and lands the Pele to take her off the top. The two legends recover and trade slaps until Nanae gets a an anklelock into a figure-four and Meiko is screaming in pain. Nao sprints to cut off YUNA but Meiko drags herself to the ropes for a break. Nanae doesn’t let up and peppers a still struggling Meiko with shots before a backdrop driver attempt, but Meiko breaks it up and they go back to the slugfest before Meiko gets a DDT and then the Satomura Special but Meiko sells the knee and can’t capitalize. This lets Nanae come back with a Saito Suplex for 2, but when Nanae goes to finish Meiko gets the Death Valley Driver…for 2.8 and we have a double-down. Up for another slugfest but Meiko gets a Pele kick and brings in YUNA to spam dropkicks…before getting lariated by Nanae for 2.8. Nao cuts off Meiko and a Northern LIghts Bomb (?!) from Nanae gets 3 on YUNA.

***

Abrupt finish aside, this was a good match. Basically half a four star bout between two craggy veterans having a clash of the ages, and half rookies in a two star trying their stuff bout. I will say Nao has gotten a lot better from when I saw her last but YUNA…I dunno. Anyway, a fun tag-match that made me want to see more of Meiko and Nanae for sure.

Kouki Amarei (c) vs. Chika Goto – GHC Women’s Championship

Background: So GHC is the NOAH organization, and as NOAH and Marigold share an ownership company in CyberFight and a streaming platform in Wrestle Universe, they I guess decided to do some crossover stuff and they created a GHC women’s championship to be defended on their fake 1996 Monday Night Raw show, Monday Magic (NOAH is a very weird promotion). Anyway, this is a battle between friends and tag-partners, two ex-AWG wrestlers that are tall, glamorous ex-models. Kouki is the Amethyst Butterfly, dressed in purple and white with short blonde hair. Chika is taller and more ground-based, but she has a catchphrase and posing and is definitely trying hard to improve as a worker, she’s got a bob with red-dye and is rocking blue gear with white highlights and a jean jacket. THey were both in the same tournament earlier and white Chika lost a lot more than Kouki did…she did beat Chika in their match together.

The Match: Chika of course starts with her “This way? That way? My way!” taunt. We get a big monster lockup that Kouki wins. Clean break and Chika then gets Kouki in the ropes and is a very reluctant break into a slap and then Chika throws some shots, just tearing Amarei apart and countering her until Goto runs into the champion’s big boot…but Chika reverses an irish whip and gets a knee to the gut in the corner. Chika goes for a giant swing and Kouki fights it until Goto eventually gets it going and we get a dozen rotations or so. Stomps from the challenger and then a hip attack into the ropes and then Chika gets a really awkward spot where she scoop lifts Kouki up and places her in the corner before going for a springboard butt drop (like Jaida Parker) but my word she is not strong enough to place Kouki right so it takes like 20 seconds. She misses the followup hip-attack and eats another big boot from Kouki and then a yakuza kick…and another big boot. Backdrop driver attempt from Kouki but Chika breaks and gets a forearm before Kouki gets a…Jumbo Knee? Huh. I will say there’s a 30% chance she botched a big boot given how this match is going. And Kouki is down for a while after delivering the knee, Chika gets a few forearms to her and Amarei eventually rolls outside and we have a LONG break. Kouki goes back in and gets stomped down and she can’t make her feet so Chika just hits ground and pound until they tied up and Kouki gets her own and this match is hideous so far. Kouki with a backdrop driver but a slow cover for 2. Kouki is still one-legged though and is just totally wobble-legged but she goes up to the top and gets an Amethyst Butterfly splash for 3.

DUD

So uh, this is the match that Kouki legitimately tore her ACL in and that clearly messed it up. Now props I guess to finishing the match but it was hideous beforehand. Honestly consider this a No Rating as Kouki got badly injured in it. Yeah this was ugly. Don’t love throwing shots when there’s an injury at play, but both women had better matches before this, I dunno if they had butterflies due to the bigger stage or what but yeah. Not fantastic from either of them and I think it’d behoove both to dial back their singles showcases until they get more seasoning…or just make peace with them being what they are and keep pushing them for their other attributes regardless.

Miku Aono (c) vs. Mai Sakurai – Marigold United National Championship

Background: This is the secondary Marigold belt, though it’s still new enough that it doesn’t quite have a reputation, Miku is the first champion and she’s been a steady presence as a respectable midcard babyface, she does some kicks, she finishes with the Styles Clash, she does some mat work and won Best Technical Skills in the year-end awards. Mai of course is a much more dynamic character, late start, former model, kinda broke in as Giulia’s little buddy but after leaving Stardom and going to Marigold has been establishing herself a bit as a singles act with some credibility after getting over as a goofy undercard act with her Lady of the Ring gimmick of obnoxious rich goof, though she still has the obnoxious braggart persona as in the build-up to this match Mai called Aono boring and said she needed to save the title from her. They went to a tie in the Dream Star. Mai is out with iridescent white and a pretty magnificent coat. Miku is definitely shorter and out in white and red with a pretty decent if a bit more demure robe.

The Match: We get some standing grappling while they both trade wristlocks and then wristlocks as it’s pretty calm. Mai gets a springboard to roll into a headlock takeover, Miku gets a headscissors to break that. Mai then takes Miku down with an armbar and then they both reverse facelocks. Back up and they start trading kicks and Mai gets a big boot and whiffs it but we get a phantom bump anyway…luckily nobody tore their knee. They roll outside and brawl on the mats and this isn’t very heated so far. Mai plays heel I guess by tossing Miku’s head off a table and then drags her up the entrance ramp. Miku gets a slam on the ramp though and then a running kick and Mai tumbles down the ramp, ah decent spot I guess. More kicks and MIku sends Mai back inside. More kicks by Miku, a knee breaker, kicks to the leg, and then a pretty slick figure-four turned into a single-leg crab. Commentary talks a bit about the jab about Miku being boring and basically admits that’s the case as Aono is quiet and prefers to ‘talk in the ring.’ Uh, not the best thing to admit there! Mai screams in agony and eventually makes the ropes. That doesn’t stop though as Aono continues to wrap up Mai’s leg in the ropes and then hit a dropkick against it, slap Mai, and then just steps on her head as I guess Miku is the jerk champion and Mai is the brash challenger. Miku drags Mai to the center for an expolder suplex but Mai fights out with a big boot. Mai reverses a corner charge into a lift onto the ropes to set up a boot to Miku’s stomach and then a Yakuza kick and I guess Mai just uh, isn’t going to sell the leg. Sakurai gets a juji-gatame attempt until Miku breaks on the ropes but the challenger keeps up the aggression with some facewashes and a running boot to Miku over the ropes. Inverted facelook legdrop attempt by Mai but Miku breaks with a leg kick and runs the ropes…into a Mai backdrop driver and then she lands the facelock legdrop for 2. Mai’s gourdbuster is stuffed though and Miku gets her spinning body slam and returns to the leg-capture single-leg crab. Another ropebreak and Miku ties Mai in the ropes for a running lariat and then kicks the challenger outside. Miku gets the running punt on the apron and then goes for a double-arm suplex but Mai breaks, gets a headbutt and then a tombstone piledriver onto the ringside mats. Mai follows with a plancha that Miku eats and man that looked like somebody catching a sack of cement. Miku crawls back in and Mai helps her up…to the top rope so the Lady of the Ring can hit a pretty gorgeous superplex. Mai follows with a missile dropkick and I guess her leg is totally fine! Mai goes up again with her elbow drop and THIS one Miku blocks. Now MIku goes up, Mai tries to cut off with a super rana…and Miku catches that for an avalanche Styles Clash. Miku can’t make the cover and they milk it for about a minute at least. They’re both punch-drunk and stumble to their feet while trading forearms for a while. When they both make their feet we get slaps from both of them with some real pepper on ‘em. Mai runs the ropes…into a Miku lariat and then the champ goes with a series of shoot kicks to Sakurai. Miku goes for a running punt but now it’s Mai’s turn to pop-up with a jump kick and then the gourdbuster lands for 2. Mai puts Miku on the top and takes her down with a super rana, low dropkick for 2.7 follows and Mai is relentless with a body slam and the diving elbow lands now for 2.9. Mai goes for the STF…but Miku reverses into a crossface instead. Mai eventually breaks but Miku gets the full 4.5 count and then lands the double-arm suplex and sliding lariat. Another double-arm by Miku but Mai blocks it…only for Miku to go to the knee again, running punt to the ribs, and then a Tiger Driver (?!) for 2.8. Texas cloverleaf follows, but Miku gets a swing first and then steps into the submission and then goes into another Styles Clash, but Mai reverses into the STF and over-rotates it into a pretty sick looking hold while Mai is on her back (but not pinnable!) and Miku eventually grabs the ropes. Another gourdbuster attempt from Mai but Miku gets a lariat instead and runs the ropes…to run into a Mai frankenstiener for 2, but Miku gets another lariat and then a Styles Clash…for 1 as Mai gets the defiant kick-out. A high-kick drops Mai, and then a buzzsaw drops her, she defiantly pops up again and blocks a third kick…but eats another anyway for 2. Another lariat attempted by MIku but Mai gets a STO and then a backbreaker rack…something that looks hideous by Mai gets 2. Sakurai keeps it up with a cut-throat STO…and that gets 1. This match might be going too long and just as I say that Miku taps.

**

Look, I know they were going for extended epic, but this sorta match was just not what Mai is good at, she has gotten LOADS better in the ring and I actually enjoyed her Dream Star run, but building around her as a feisty fighter and downplaying her personality and gimmick stuff is just, not great, plus she didn’t really sell the leg at all which will always irritate me. Miku remains, solid, plain, and a little boring, and while her execution is fine, I think that the personality stuff didn’t really click and there wasn’t enough heat to play into the sorta thing Mai is good at. Just a bad mishmash of styles that had its moments but ended up as just a sorta mediocre slog.

Post-match Mai talks and then Nagisa comes down to challenge her.

Sareee (c) vs. Utami Hayashishita – Marigold World Championship

Background: The two most credible wrestlers in the company, with anti-idol Sareee playing the role of anti-company heel (despite being their inaugural champion). Sareee is the youngest grumpy vet in history and has abandoned her fluffy babyface background for full on crusty jerk. Utami is the expected ace of Marigold, as she filled that role in Stardom (mostly) before booking/motivation sorta faltered and she floated around for the year before Marigold got off the ground. Interestingly despite her late start and beloved-by-the-company status, Utami has pretty legit athletic credentials as a judoka, so her role as un-serious idol wrestler isn’t really on the table, she’s still a relative rookie, debuting late and being somewhat young, but she’s racked up a host of awards, titles, and acclaim. Utami of course won the Dream Star to get here and is looking to bring the belt back to a signed Marigold wrestler and prove that she’s the best of the best. Both wrestlers are wearing red of course, but Utami’s gear is mostly white, the Red Queen bringing a rose to the ring and a tiger mask, epaulets and a military-style jacket as she’s just rocking the Rose of Versailles cosplay. Sareee of course has less impressive size than the challenger, but she’s got a gold and red getup that looks quite fantastic, she’s also won a host of awards and prizes and is probably the biggest freelancer in the joshi scene right now.

The Match: We start with the big main-event lockup and they work the heck out of it with Utami winning but Sareee reversing it into the ropes and giving a hard if clean break. Standing grappling follows with both trading hammerlocks and headlocks and it’s very crisp. Sareee fights off the bigger and stronger Utami’s attempt to break the headlock for a while until Utami uses skill to slip out. Reset and Utami gets a shoulderblock and then an international into a dropkick and then they go outside for a brawl and Sareee whips Utami into some chairs and stomps her out, but Utami fights off another whip and reverses and now Sareee takes a tumble. Utami attempts a dropkick off the apron, Sareee dodges and then lands a diving stomp from the apron and now the champ is in control. Missile dropkick from Sareee, and then a second for 2. The champ gets a few kicks to the leg and then a Muta Lock after a decent amount of showboating. Sareee works that for a while before Utami breaks…but Sareee goes for a crab to continue the torment and let Utami howl in agony. Utami makes the ropes and Sareee uses the ropes to get some stomps to the Red Queen’s back. I will say while Sareee still looks totally fresh-faced and nervous she is wrestling like a jerk. Utami gets the defiant kick catch, her own ugly kick, and then some stomps in the corner and a “sit on them in the ropes” choke as Utami is filled with righteous anger, side-lift slam by Utami (musou I think?) and Hayashishita remembers to sell the back afterwards cause she’s a pro. Utami is still back to her feet first and sets up a whip but she took too long and Sareee blocks the whip, springboards off into an armdrag and gets a low dropkick, but now it’s time for Utami to reverse a whip and we get something between a backdrop and a Northern Light’s suplex before following with a sliding lariat for 2. Backbreaker rack by Utami but Sareee slips out and goes for a lariat but Utami blocks…but Sareee speeds it up with a cazadora into a stomp and then she goes up…and Utami cuts her off. A fight on the top rope leads to them both popping back to the mat as they’ve really ramped up the speed here, more counters from both so they just decide to start slugging away with forearms. Dropkick off the ropes by Sareee is met by a return back elbow, but another Sareee dropkick sets up the low dropkick in the ropes and then a Fisherman’s suplex gets 2.5 and we’re back to Utami selling like mad. Sareee goes up again, Utami cuts her off again, and this time it results in a superplex. Utami gets up, but grabs her back and is slow climbing up and now it’s Sareee’s turn to cut her off, they slug it out on the top and Sareee wins with headbutts and then a super fisherman’s suplex! Sareee follows with a diving stomp but Utami rolls out and gets a German, and of course Sareee pops up for her own, and then they trade that a few times. A few slaps by the champ load up something but she runs into a sidewalk slam, but when Utami loads up something Sareee gets an enzuigriri…and then Utami comes back with a lariat and then the Air Raid Crash for 1.5….and Sareee pops up for an arm-trap backdrop driver, also for 1. This has been an insane sprint and I’m not saying it totally works for me. They rest for a bit before stepping up to trade more forearms, and the champ wins the exchange, then gets a running stomp and goes up for a diving stomp that lands flush. Sareee’s uranage is elbowed out to set up a backdrop driver from Utami, but the Red Queen has the good sense to sell afterwards anyway and we have a very slow crawl into a cover for 2. Utami with a powerbomb attempt but it’s too slow and Sareee slips out again and goes back for the uranage, more elbow from Utami break it and then a northern lariat and a…regular lariat I guess follow, but only get 2. Snake Eyes from Utami sets up a Hijack Bomb out of the corner, but Sareee gets the Code Red for a 2.99999 in a marvelous nearfall. Sareee’s uranage gets 2.9 to follow, and she goes back to the well only for Utami to break again…but Hayashishita runs into another uranage anyway for 2.99. A third uranage is attempted, and when Utami busts out the elbows to break it, Sareee breaks that with a headbut…but that leaves the champ open to a sleeper and Utami cranks it in. Sareee tries to make the ropes but a hip-toss lets Utami crank in the full rear naked choke in the middle of the ring, we get the arm drops from the ref, 1, 2, Sareee wakes up and goes for the Bret pin but Utami just rolls through that and gets the Shocking Bazler (Karelin lift double-lifted into a front slam) for 2.5. Utami calls for the finish and gets the torture rack bomb for 2.8. Utami is in disbelief for a moment, but the Hijack Bomb follows and that’s enough for 3. Huh

****

So overall I do think this match creeps into being great despite me having some misgivings about it. I’ll talk about my issues first…and I think the big one is that the middle was WAY too fast. Utami actually is a really great seller who can extract a ton of value from just crawling around in agony and letting the fans get rabid for her comebacks, and I think that the early stuff with the more technical and savvy Sareee just torture her was a really strong part of the match. But in the middle when they do that mini-sprint it personally left me pretty cold and I think we can officially retire the “German suplex, opponent pops up and suplexes them back, rinse and repeat” spot. Additionally I’m not sure how I feel about the “person just hits 2-3 big offensive moves at the end for the finish and their opponent just kicks out but musters no comeback at all” finish as I don’t actually think it makes a person look as dominant as it’s supposed to. But still, they worked really hard, Sareee was a good jerk heel, Utami was a righteous babyface who sold big and they worked to get over that Utami is strong and has a deep offensive arsenal and Sareee is faster and more conniving in the ring even without her needing to cheat. I actually could imagine people watching this and declaring it their women’s match of the year if you didn’t mind the parts that I minded. Still, a great match and if this is how Sareee ends her run in Marigold…an excellent way to go out.

Utami gets all emotional after the match, holds up the title and a trophy and then cuts a promo thanking the fans and promising to entertain the fans for the rest of the year as she poses with Victoria and Mai to end the show. Utami is not a gifted promo but she knows her weaknesses and keeps it short and sweet.

Well overall I would not say this was a fantastic show, but there were a handful of good matches and one great one. I dunno, Marigold at least has a strong visual identity and some real talent on the roster, but it’s thin and I worry about the rookies developing, except for Seri, she’s gonna be awesome.