Dream Star Fighting Marigold: Burning Desire 1st Anniversary Series 07.16.25

Well it’s been a while since I’ve done Marigold but I’m a bit All Japan’d out at the moment so I figure I’ll do a Marigold show just to justify my Wrestle Universe subscription. I joke but honestly WU is a fantastic deal, the Yen is still weak, so for 10 bucks American you get access to NOAH, Marigold, DDT, TJPW, Marvelous Michinoku Pro, Sendai Girls, and other promotions nobody cares about as well. We got 1000 people in Korakuen for this one, as we seem to be getting a show built around Marigold talent facing off against Marvelous talent. To speak on Marvelous a little bit, their full name is Marvelous That’s Women Pro Wrestling and it was founded by living legend Chigusa Nagayo (of the Crush Gals and basically the Hogan of joshi) and while they haven’t been a star factory they do have some notable folks to come through their doors.

We get some of Marigold’s always good production work as they run down the card.

Erina Yamanaka, Kizuna Tanaka, Kouki Amarei & Miku Aono vs. Chika Goto, Hummingbird, Minami Yuuki & Nao Ishikawa

Background: Alright so some of these names are new, some I already know. Erina is some fitness model/yoga instructor type that has had a handful of matches (seemed to miss all of COVID) wearing a black pleather outfit, Kizuna is Minoru’s daughter and is rocking blue and white, Kouki is the Amethyst Butterfly and has short blonde hair and a purple get up, Miku is a former singles champion of decent importance and is a kick devil with red and white gear. The other side has Chika Goto, a tall ‘giant’ wrestler who was partners with Kouki back in the day and has pink hair, Hummingbird is a masked wrestler with genie pants and is the smallest on her team, Minami Yuuki, is on the taller side, has long dark hair and is one of the poached Ice Ribbon talent and has green and red gear and also apparently was the 2024 rookie of the year, Nao had a sort of bratty gimmick where she felt slighted by the bigger stars but I think has turned babyface as one of Nanae’s proteges with the passion gimmick, she’s wearing orange with black notes in a skirt sorta deal. Anyway, this is just an eight-woman.

The Match: Hot start with Chika’s team getting the jump on Kouki’s team and then isolating Miku and beating her before doing some aggressive posing (it uh, kinda makes sense in context). We reset to an actual match though and it’s Nao and Miku and Aono just kicks the spirit out of her with a pair of Sareee-esque dropkicks and then some shoot kicks. Nao gets a schoolgirl for 2 and tries to speed it up and gets a shoulder out of the corner and then a bodyslam before bringing in Yuuki for a couple dropkicks that Miku shrugs off and then gets a Tour of the Islands (?!) for 2 and brings in Kizuna with…a dropkick. Minami gets a flurry of forearms but Kizuna takes Yuuki down with a Fujiwara armbar and then we get everybody doing submissions for the magazine shot before it’s back to Tanaka and Yuuki…and the taller wrestler gets another dropkick, and another dropkick. But Tanaka gets her own and it comes Kouki to get a corner charge and a low boot but when Amarei goes for the facewash Chika runs in for a clobbering lariat and drags Minami into the corner for a tag. Goto with a big ugly shoulder and a big ugly slam and then a gutwrench into a powerslam position but Kouki floats out and gets a cutter and a falling splash. Kouki with a backdrop driver attempt but Goto slips out, gets a tilt-a-whirl slam and the giant swing for 13 rotations. Double tag and we get Hummingbird and Erina and they’re going FAST…and yeah, kinda sloppy as they trade kicks, Erina bridges into a rollup but Hummingbird gets a running one-handed bulldog that looks…well that move always looks bad. A flying kick gets 2. More dosey-do stuff and Erina gets a corner knee and then a slingshot bronco buster and an X-Factor…I guess Erina got everything she ever wanted and she won’t give it back. Chika’s team runs in though and now it’s Erina’s turn to get bludgeoned and Hummingbird gets a hanging triangle armbar but Kouki boots her off the top and Kizuna/Miku deliver a double roundhouse kick to the masked woman before Yamanaka gets a Rider Kick before they break that upland Yuuki and Chika help senton Hummingbird onto the Waltman fan. It’s all just breaking down with everybody running in and doing kicks and suplexes until it gets back to Hummingbird and Erina who trade kicks. Bird gets 3 covers in a row but Erina keeps kicking out and then gets another Rider Kick into a Shining Wizard for 2.9 and then Erina gets an inverted DDt dropping into a splits and that gets the 3.

**¼

So…this wasn’t…bad? It was chaotic but they kept the pace moving and I have to say that while Miku is her usual solid self, Chika is a lot better with her big bully moves and Erina might have something. Fun energy if nothing else. Solid and a bit better than that.

Chanyota, Megaton, MIRAI & Yuuka Yamazaki vs. Darkness Revolution (CHIAKI, Misa Matsui, Nagisa Nozaki & Rea Seto)

Background: So Darkness Revolution is the spoopy violent goth faction in Marigold from what I understand. CHIAKI is a wolf-enthusiast dressed like a post-apocalyptic biker, Misa is a former high-flying babyface turned evil harlequin, Nagisa Nozaki looks like budget Giulia, dresses like a 90s raver, and is a jerk who kicks people, and Rea Seto is…well she looks like an evil doll. MIRAI is an up and comer who is the chief trainer for Marigold and a technically solid power wrestler with a dragon motif in her gear, Chanyota is a fitness model type and a jacked up, lilac clad babyface, Megaton was kicked out of Darkness Revolution, and they’re and older, bigger wrestler who has switched out her evil getup for a pink jumpsuit and rainbow facepaint. No real idea who Yuuka is but she’s y’know, wearing purple and is some Osaka native.

The Match: Rea and Yuuka start, and apparently Yamazaki has only been in the game for a month but commentary put her over as a badass street fighter which is something. Rea starts with an eyepoke and some forearms but Yuuka gets a dropkick but runs the ropes and gets tripped up by Darkness Revolution and she is our rookie in peril as they all demolish Yamazaki in the corner and then choke her on the ropes for the magazine shot. Nozaki tags in and tries to brainbuster Yuuka but Chanyota breaks that up with a shoulder and Yamazaki gets an enzuigiri before tagging in MIRAI…who eats a drop toehold and then choked on the ropes. Man that was not a great hot-tag! Also apparently Nozaki is a 20 year vet (?!) and they take MIRAI to the outside and all attack her…but MIRAI just batters them all and she gets tempted to use some of Darkness Revolution’s plunder but the ref breaks that up and it’s back to the ring. MIRAI just absolutely rolls over Nagisa with lariats and a back suplex but Nozaki blocks a second lariat with a kick and unleashes a strike flurry…until she runs into another MIRAI lariat for a double-down. CHIAKI and Chanyota next and we get a shoulderblock battle that stalls out so CHIAKI goes to the eyes…and then loses the rebound shoulder and goes for a power move before CHIAKI yanks at the hair and lands a legdrop. But CHIAKI goes for a rack, Chanyota slips out and gets her own rack drop and in comes Megaton and Misa! Megaton immediately slips after eating a kick from the Speed Star and CHIAKI helps with a stereo dropkick and then a big slam by the Dark Wolf. CHIAKI goes up but gets cutoff by Yuuka and MIRAI gets a double-team wheelbarrow facebuster/bulldog combo to set up a Megaton splash for 2. Misa gets double-teamed but foils it to set up a CHIAKI double spear and then the Dark Wolf gets a cartwheel double knee drop on Megaton. Rea now in with a dropkick on Megaton into an armbar but the older wrestler gets to the ropes…so Rea takes off her belt to choke out Megaton. Chanyota tries to break it up though but Misa blocks that. MIRAI finally clears the ring with lariats and it’s back to Rea and Megaton. Dropkick and back to the armbar as I don’t think Megaton has taken a real bump or done a real move this entire match, and I guess she keeps that streak going as she taps to Rea.

*

Okay so there was some competent parts of this, but Megaton literally can’t do anything and a lot of these acts are green. MVP is clearly MIRAI who at least showed off a character beat by being distracted by the temptation of using plunder. Poor match but whatever, it’s just dirtbag cheating heels getting an easy win as they wipe the slate clean from their past.

Post-match Darkness Revolution puts MIRAI on their cart and slams it into the ring post. Well then.

We get the blocks for the Dream Star Grand Prix and they’re…well nothing that crazy.

Dream League is Utami, Mayu, Yuzuki, Amarei, Yamaoka, CHIAKI, Rea Seto, and Senka Akatsuki from Marvelous.

Star League is Mai Sakurai, Aono, MIRAI, Goto, Tanaka, Matsui, Nozaki, and Chanyota.

Seri Yamaoka & Victoria Yuzuki vs. Senka Akatsuki & Sora Ayame

Background: So we’re going to get some Marigold vs. Marvelous action here with Senka (who will be in the Grand Prix) in red and Sora in blue, both seem young lion types so far and the gear is ULTRA 80s throwback singlets with no kneepads. Seri is the super rookier for Marigold, an amateur standout who got a mega push and a long run with Nanae in her retirement tour, she’s got a singlet and has started implementing some of Nanae’s raver cowgirl gimmick with the crazy colors and the tassled cowboy hat. Victoria was a big rookie get from Stardom who went to Marigold when the split happened and is more of a high-flyer with long blonde hair and a traditionally gold and silver puffy feathered princess gear. Seri I am insanely high on and is my rookie of the year so far.

The Match: Senka goes at Seri before the bell and we get a bell and it’s Sora and Victoria doing very fundamental stuff while Senka and Seri brawl outside. Yuzuki gets a slam and a dropkick as they talk about Ayame debuting against Aja Kong. Yamaoka tags in and everything she does is SO snug with a dropkick, a series of slams and some stomps…but she gets distracted by Senka ringside and Sora takes advantage with a rollup for 2. Senka in and she goes for a whizzer but Seri sprawls and they just tear at each other on the mat and trade ground and pound. Then some run and gun as they trade strikes against the ropes. Senka finally uses her bigger size to just run Seri over with shoulders but Yamaoka gets a spinebuster and more double-leg slams and then cuts off Senka’s charge with a spear and a Karelin lift suplex for 2. Victoria in now and she hits a series of dropkicks and tries to muscle down Senka for a pin but the Marvelous gear is too strong for that and Sora runs in for an attempted double but Seri cuts them off with a double dropkick and it’s back to Victoria who gets 2 out of a fisherman’s suplex but snatches Yuzuki out of the air for a slam and then a delayed brainbuster that Seri breaks up. Sora takes Seri outside and Senka gets a lariat for 2 as the Marvelous wrestler is portrayed as the physical superior of the high-flying Yuzuki. Sora tags in now and tries a suplex that gets blocked so she settles for a small package. Another series of rollups by Sora leads to another Seri breakup sets up an Air Raid Crash (Seri)/Dropkick (Victoria) combo for 2.6. Sora fires back with forearms and Victoria responds in kind and they just slug it out and then try to trade slams in a battle Ayame wins…but Yuzuki shuts down that flurry with a dropkick and then another against the ropes and goes up, and now Senka cuts her off and tosses her off the top. Senka tries to cut off Seri’s breakup but she flies in anyway and then Yamaoka German’s Akatsuki. Finally back to Victoria and Sora and Yuzuki gets a backdrop driver for 2.8. Victory roll by Sora into a Gedo clutch and then a reverse prawn hold gets 2.999 and a big reaction. Yuzuki with a low superkick and a cross-armed German gets 3 though.

**½

Fun match! All involved are still pretty green still though the physicality of Senka and Seri was the best part of the match. Sora just needs more, more of an offense and more personality but she’s clearly got some skills. Fun battle with Seri constantly playing spoiler on the outside and Senka trying to cut that off which left the weakest wrestler exposed to Victoria. Very solid stuff.

Ai Houzan & Mio Momono vs. Komomo Minami & Mayu Iwatani

Background: Ai Houzan is a tiny karate lady with a yellow kung fu outfit and a silver robe/mask getupt, Mio is even tinier and has a pretty loud, colorful outfit. Komomo is another of the Stardom rookies that went to Marigold where she’s dropped her black and gold attire for a more traditional pink getup. Mayu of course is a big star, one of the original members of Threedom with Io and Kairi and was the icon of Stardom for a long time but now is going to Marigold to be with her mentor, Rossy Ogawa, she’s wearing the big multi-colored coat as normal. Iwatani is a giant star, Mio is a pretty big deal, the other two are young rookies.

The Match: Mio and Mayu start and Mayu whiffs a few kicks and Momono gets a flash rollup and they slug it out. Mayu gets a dropkick and calls in Minami for a double-team but Mio foils it and gets a double dropkick and tags in Houzan to go at Komomo and they slug it out until Ai gets a feint strike to set up a kick and then a stomp on the Marigold girl. Quick tags let the Marvelous team tee off on Komomo but Mayu throws a kick on a rope-run and that lets Minami get a kick and a slam and Mayu comes in legit. Iwatani does her junior stuff and just kicks the karateka around. But Ai flies to take out Mayu…but she turns that into her double-springboard armdrag to a double-dropkick. Ai with yes, a dropkick and then a rolling double chop for 2 and she brings in Mio for a diving crossbody, and yes…a dropkick. Fakeout by Mio into a low kick and then a brainbuster attempt that gets countered as we’re go, go, go here. Mio’s second diving crossbody is countered with a Mayu kick and then the Icon gets a dropkick into the ropes for 2. Mayu tags in Komomo with some running kicks and yeah, we gotta diversify some movesets here. And Komomo was listening as she lands the running low reverse STO, but AI runs in with a Tiger Feint Kick to set up a Mio missile dropkick but she goes up again and Mayu blocks that. Komomo tries a superplex but Ai stops that and we get a tumble to the outside Komomo goes up and a big plancha on everybody. Mio and Komomo back in and the Marigold rookie gets a hammerlock DDT for 2.7. Mio squirms out of another one but eats a Mayu superkick and that sets up a Komomo Fisherman’s Neckbreaker but Ai dives in at the last second to break the count. Mio responds with a heavy right to drop the rookie and Komomo fires back with her own slaps but Mio dodges a charge and gets a big German for 3.

**¾

Look this match was basically 100% people going super, super fast, but they did go fast. Props to Komomo for keeping up here, Mayu is her usual good self, and Mio was quite impressive as well. Yes this was 90% dropkicks but the pacing and teamwork was very, very solid. It was dizzying to watch but not a bad display of what these can do.

Post-match Mio cuts a promo about how this is her comeback after a year out with an injury and she’s challenging Mayu for the Superfly championship. And then Erina Yamanaka pops in to say she wants a title shot too. Mayu plays to the fans and says she’d be fine facing Mio or Erina but wants to face Erina and then if she wins she’ll face Mio. And Mio disses Erina but accepts.

Mai Sakurai (c) vs. Riko Kawahata – Marigold United National Championship

Background: Riko is a Marvelous talent and is a trainee of Yumiko Hotta of all people though I gather she’s more of a high-flyer with a moonsault finish and a gothy look with a red-dyed ponytail and a dark, street sorta getup with a jersey for atop and belted pleather pants deal with a headband, unsure of a Japanese lady dressing like a chola Raiders fan but here we are. She’s also Great Sakuya in NOAH as the Muta knockoff that spits mist and does all the Muta business. Mai is our white belt champion and a big success story for Rossy, she started as an utterly hopeless model that busted her buns to get more and more credible and finally got a gimmick of a ridiculously accented (from my understanding she was basically using medieval Japanese) arrogant rich model that would talk about how she would enjoy the finest things in life while you ate microwaved noodles from a convenience store. Later on she turned that into a homegrown blue-collar (okay work with me) almost DDP grinder gimmick where she’s this sorta mid-30s rookie that’s just trying really hard and while she has zero athleticism is over as a hard-scrabble brawler type but still has the regal looking outfit with light blue and white with a big feathery, leopard print, furry coat.

The Match: Riko offers a handshake and Mai slaps her and then delivers a kick and Riko powders. When Mai goes to followup her leg gets caught in the rope and Riko snaps on it and moves in on the leg while dancing around. Kicks to the thigh, elbow drops to the knee and then they get in the ropes where Riko’s tag-partner, Maria, shows up and Riko pulls out a razor (apparently Mai offered up her eyebrows if she lost) until Victoria Yuzuki at ringside breaks up that disfigurement. Mai uses this to snap Riko’s neck on the ropes and land a running boot before she gets the Paradise Lock and poses and gets the running dropkick. Riko goes to the eye and gets a legsweep to set up a lionsault that kinda whiffed and Mai tries to turn that into her STF but Riko slips into her own. Mai reaches the ropes and fights up but Riko goes for a German before Mai elbows out for a shining enzuigiri for 2. Mai fires up but runs into a roundhouse and a superkick from Riko but she whiffs a buzzsaw kick and Mai snaps in her STF and works it before Riko gets the ropes. Sakurai gets a slam and then goes up for her elbow but Riko nails her with a kick on the top and we get a superplex for 2.7. Riko calls for her finish and goes up and Mai gets up to cut that off with a super back suplex for 2.8. Both trade kicks while running the ropes and we get a double-down. Mai up first and she’s just throwing hands and then gets a jump kick off the ropes, backdrop suplex for 2.8, snap suplex and then a diving elbow for 2.9. Mai gets a STK (legsweep forward neckbreaker) for 2.7 and then goes for a Glorious Driver but Kawahata slips out and gets a Bridging German at 1. Riko with a series of thrust kicks and then a spinning heel kick for 2.9 and she loads up the moonsault…into Mai’s knees and then the champ locks in the STF again, and when Riko is almost within the ropes reach Mai breaks the hold, gets a Glorious Driver and cranks in the STF again for the tap.

***

Okay, so like…both didn’t sell for nothing really, but they just did a ton of stuff and had a very fun, truncated (barely over ten minutes) heavyweight epic brawl. Mai has good instincts on offense despite her awful athleticism, but if she just figures out the selling she could be a reliable contributor in the main-event scene with her presence. Riko is very spotty but her spots generally look good at least. This was not my most comfortable 3 stars, but it felt like a big deal at least and delivered. But seriously, just like…sell a person’s move and don’t just immediately go into your own.

Mai cuts a promo about how much she put on the line and how Riko put up nothing. So Riko takes a pair of scissors to cut off part of her hair and says she still has some left. Mai does her ladyship business and promises to take Marigold to the top and to win the Dream Star Grand Prix.

Takumi Iroha (c) vs. Utami Hayashishita (c) – GHC Women’s Championship/Marigold World Championship

Background: So there’s a lot here as two super credible, workers workers that maybe aren’t like big-name superstars outside of their promotions. Takumi of course had a good series with Mayu in Stardom back in the day but has always maintained a pretty outsider vibe. Both are tremendously serious babyfaces that fit an intense and legit vibe. Takumi is perhaps a big flashier and relies more on big throws, high-flying, and flashy kicks, while Utami bases herself more on her judoka background and does more fundamental technical stuff, both are definitely power wrestlers though. Takumi is in her full-body Elvis-style tasseled bodysuit in white with red highlights and a robe over it while Utami, befitting her nom de guerre as the Red Queen is also rocking red and white but has a silver and red mask befitting her Tiger Mask fandom. Utami has just an absurd amount of gear on but eventually gets down to a much more reasonable red, white, and gold gladiator getup.

The Match: We start with a pretty great line from Stu Fulton who talks about how this is a battle between Marigold’s Heart and NOAH’s Spark and I am a sucker for that ridiculous commentary wordplay. And we get a fun reference to Evolution and all the other great women’s wrestling that exists around the world, and yet again if you’re talking a real sports feel, people just talking up the business as it is. Anyway here we start and we get the big staredown between the two. Lockup and a break into another feel out and then a big Greco-Roman knuckelock test of strength deal and we get Takumi winning and landing a headlock that Utami counters into a headscissors and we just are grinding this out until we heat up into a sequence and then some traded strikes and then back to the staredown and more grappling as this is is so first gear I think I could get my order in the drive-thru without tapping my brakes. Takumi grinds out a headlock and calls spots. Commentary gets across their dissertation and we finally heat up into a shoulderblock war and Takumi gets a hold that Utami breaks on. More physicality goes for Takumi and she starts to control with kicks. The Marvelous worker rocks in a crab next. And then a fancier crab. Yay. It’s time for more back stuff as Takumi just abuses Utami here and then cranks in a sasori-gatame. Takumi grabs an arm to stop the ropebreak but Utami uses her other to force the break. Utami gets a surprise dropkick for a break and then tries a power move and gets stuffed and Takumi gets another backbreaker rack for a while before dropping it, Utami breaks free, makes some space and gets a rack drop but Takumi just rips her apart with a kick combo before Utami fires off another dropkick and Iroha powders and we get a double-down. Utami crawls outside to take advantage but collapses for a spell and we get a slug fest where Takumi WIPES Utami out with a forearm that gets a fantastic spinning three stooges bump on. Honestly didn’t know Hayashishita had that in her. Utami fires back an elbow, obviously calls a spot, whips Takumi into some chairs and then sets up a brainbuster…that Takumi turns into a DDT and we’re back inside with a Takumi suplex and more work as the outsider wears down the champ. We set up a top-rope deal and Utami gets a super Air Raid Crash but she’s selling her back and can’t cover and we’re twenty minutes in. Utami finally gets something going with a few lariats and she’s making a comeback while selling her back like the pro she is and gets a German but can’t make the bridge with the bogus back. We try a rack deal but the back is bad and Iroha elbows free and unleashes the strikes and we get a slug fest. Utami tries for a run and gun setup but gets wiped out by a high kick and a running knee for 2.8 and the Marvelous champ chops down the Marigold ace with kicks before setting up the Running Three before Utami slips out and goes for a heel hook (?!), which like, okay Utami is a judoka but she’s not really a submission lady. We get a break and Iroha sells the leg big as we get Utami on offense wearing down the knee and now it’s Takumi’s turn to make the ropes. Hayashishita with a big slam and some stomping as the Red Queen hacks at the leg again. We finally settle on some slugging and Iroha tries to heat it up with a spin kick but Utami snatches her, slams her, and it’s anklelock time and another slam on the knee and Iroha powders. Utami follows and sips some bottled tea while the ref checks on the knee and Utami gives the break…and then immediately goes the knee when the ref lets it continue, okay, that was funny. And we brawl through the crowd and we get a tribute to Mayu as Iroha rolls down the stairs and then it’s back to a heel hook before we make it back to the ring and they fight on the apron and tease a countout before we get the big double slide back inside.

Back to the knee by Utami but Takumi gets a German, thrust kick and then a spinning heel kick off the ropes and the Marvelous champ sells the leg massively after her comeback for a double-down. Back at it and they slug it out before Takumi gets an armbar into a fancy hold and teases a pinfall before we break and we go back to the slugfest and Takumi slowly goes up to the top but she can’t land the move and Utami cuts her off and they just sorta fight on the top turnbuckle for a while before Takumi gets a sunset flip powerbomb for 2.7. The Marvelous champ goes up, slaps the feeling into her leg and lands the Swanton for 2.9. Takumi uses the ropes and turnbuckle to get Utami up for an attempt at the Running Three but Utami backflips out (?!?) and lands a monster lariat for a double-down as Hayashishita sells her busted arm. Takumi with a flash pin attempt, but Utami gets a choke sleeper and they work that for a while before Takumi gets a ropebreak again. Utami with a rack bomb for 2.8 and Hayashishita grabs the heel hook again, Iroha breaks, Utami with a Hijack Bomb attempt that Takumi slips out of and gets a kick combo and then whispers to the ref and the ref just walks over to Utami to relay some message. That’s either some elite Sports-Based (™) kayfabing or just the sloppiest spot call on planet earth. Takumi sets up another Running Three…but settles for Cheeky Nando’s and then goes for Running Three but Iroha’s leg is busted and she has to crawl to Utami who rolls out of the ring. Iroha sells the leg while Utami gets fed tea by her young girls. Utami tries to crawl in and gets booted as we are at minute 45. A few more kicks keep Utami out of the ring until she finally crawls in at 19 as Takumi seems to want to beat Utami and not just get the CO win. The Red Queen gets a big elbow and a belly-to-belly and yes, we do get a double-down before another slug fest. Utami gets a snake eyes and then a Hijack Bomb but now it’s Utami’s time to sell as her arm and back are cooked and when she makes the cover Takumi gets a foot on the ropes. Powerbomb is stuffed and they just trade strikes before Takumi gets a big kick and it’s time to fall over and sell. Slugging it out and Takumi gets a big kick for 2.8 and we yes, stall it out. Takumi attempts a kick combo that gets countered into Utami’s lariat and we double-down. We get them trading German suplexes for a nearfall and Takumi beseeches the Gods or something. Utami ducks a kick and gets a German for two as they sell and check their hair. Both trade start slapping the heck out of each other and yes, we get another double down as we have five minutes left, both try to reach their feet with the help of the ropes but neither can and we have a double…count down? Well…huh.

**½

ROSSY!!!! Well I was expecting the time limit finish so a double count down is at least new if totally lame for different reasons. Look, as far as nigh hour long stretched out matches to get out of stipulations this was one of the better ones cause both are top-tier sellers and Utami is a better in-ring heel than I remember her being, but I hate nigh hour-long stretched out matches to get out of stipulations. It was pretty clear where this was going given their pacing but they’re both good. I dunno, never want to watch this again but I’m not heartbroken that I saw it.

Post-match both kinda share a moment on the mat together and they do the ice packs and selling after the match thing as they stumble back to the locker room with the help of their young girls while the crowd’s reaction is at best civil applause. Yeesh, not a hit.

Well that’s Marigold and I’m not sure they’ve changed my mind on much, maybe I’ll do the Dream Star but probably not!