Dream Star Fighting Marigold: Dream Star Grand Prix 08.02.25 Evening

So we’re in the same building as the prior show with somehow less people and it’s overall a pretty gray and dour experience as these erstwhile superstars walk out in front of a pretty meagre group. Regardless we have dropped even more pomp and circumstance and we’re ready to finish this night out.

Chanyota [2] vs. Kizuna Tanaka [0] – Star League

Background: Chanyota has had an interesting life but most notably she’s a former fitness model that is busting out into wrestling (and kind of never got a chance in Stardom due to some of her spicy work) but Rossy don’t care about that so she’s this new hosette (I do wonder if these matches she’s getting were earmarked for Bozilla before she slipped free), she’s wearing the purple and blue getup. Kizuna is so far a second-gen super goober who is here to look sympathetic and get clobbered. She’s wearing white and blue in a skirt deal that’s very frilly and oh boy she looks like red meat here.

The Match: We get a handshake of respect and it’s Kizuna who breaks that with forearms before Chanyota wipes her out with a shoulder and shrugs off offense. We get some brawling before Chanyota pulls off a big slam and elbow drop and gets multiple covers off of that. Kizuna gets a flying lariat and a fisherman’s neckbreaker for 2 but goes for it again and Chanyota stuffs and slams her before eating a dropkick. Armbar is attempted by the rookie but Chanyota reverses…only to open herself up for a Kizuna fisherman’s buster and back to the armbar but she can’t land it so it’s a rollup attempt to set up the armbar. Uh…lotta shine for Kizuna who rolls through holds on our goliath (who isn’t that much bigger than Kizuna but shush). Triangle is attempted now and Chanyota breaks with a powerbomb. Now Chanyota rolls with some corner clotheslines and a torture rack into a slam for 2. Chanyota just kinda forearms Kizuna next who goes for an armbar that gets blocked, then they stop and go for another armbar spot that whiffs, and then Chanyota just sorta charges and falls backwards into Tanaka’s rollup. Oof. Buzzsaw kick is shrugged off by Chanyota who gets a sidewalk slam, then gets up and Kizuna gets an armbar and Chanyota checks her hair while ‘selling’. Ropebreak and Chanyota gets stomped before she just gets up and lariats Kizuna…who gets up and hits her La Magistral driver for 2 and then Chanyota gets a lariat, a terrible Jackhammer and a terrible crossface that Kizuna taps on.

½*

Oh man, if something COULD go wrong, it did go wrong. Overall they…at least put over that Chanyota is strong and Kizuna is quick, but that’s all I gotta say. Chanyota got kinda rocked by a goober rookie so she looked bad, the execution and transitions were horrendous in how sloppy they were and it just didn’t really make sense. I guess Chanyota is supposed to just weather the storm and come out and clobber people at the end but she doesn’t really sell or act dominant so it’s just a mess. Really, really poor showing from both of them.

CHIAKI [0] vs. Victoria Yuzuki [0] – Dream League

Background: So CHIAKI is a chaotic brawling cheater with a wild, punkish look and demeanor who is part of the nasty heel stable Darkness Revolution. Victoria is our high-flying athletic prodigy ace of the future who is coming off a crazy upset victory over the world champion. CHIAKI has short dyed hair, spiked sunglasses, a fur-lined leather jacket, and an outfit that consists of baggy multi-colored pants and excessive chains and straps, she looks like a Final Fantasy character and does a little breakdance deal on her intro. Victoria has long blonde hair and a feathery robe with white, gold, and blue gear beneath it in a two-toned pattern.

The Match: CHIAKI looks giddy to start and evades a lockup with a hairpull and then a headlock before Yuzuki gets rollup and CHIAKI beats her down, Yuzuki’s flying headscissors is turned into a slam and the crowd chants along with CHIAKI’s vocalizations as we get a facewash sequence and then the Dark Wolf goes outside to whip Yuzuki through some chairs. More whoopings but CHIAKI gets overconfident and eats her own whip through the chairs. Yuzuki goes up though for a plancha and CHIAKI stifles that with a claw and tosses her off the top. More claw action as CHIAKI shuts down comebacks and just leans on Yuzuki in the ropes but CHIAKI runs the ropes and gets caught with a flying headscissors and then a dropkick against the ropes. Yuzuki powers up and sets up a big suplex but CHIAKI stuffs it and goes for the ropes. Yuzuki breaks the break though and gets the leg-hook backdrop driver, but her follow-up has CHIAKI pull the ref in front for protection and the Darkness Revolution member gets a cheapshot behind the refs back and we have a bump, so CHIAKI grabs a chair, almost gets it kicked in her own face, but swats Yuzuki, gets a fisherman’s buster on it and then just fastballs it at her face. Torture rack sets up the Kiss of Death and a lazy pinfall lets Victoria almost steal one with a victory roll and then a low thrust kick for two. Yuzuki gets a belly-to-back suplex into a sideslam (it’s slicker than I’m describing) but ignores a cover and sets up a running twisting splash for 3.

**¼

I don’t find Yuzuki enough of an interesting seller to really buy her totally, but her comebacks are good. CHIAKI also has some nice sequences but can’t consistently keep me engaged with her heat segments. That said, the finishing sequence with the ref bump and introducing the chair that blows up in CHIAKI’s face is good stuff.

Maria [0] vs. Kouki Amarei [2] – Dream League

Background: Maria is from Marvelous and is one half of the Marigold tag-champions as an evil invader, she dresses like a chola and has shaved eyebrows, bleached hair, a jersey for a top, pleather pants, and tattoos. She’s a dirty cheat and a sort of Memphis-style stalling heel. Kouki is of course the Amethyst Butterfly, a sorta Superwoman, she’s tall, she’s strong, she can do cartwheels, she can fly, she has a superhero gear setup with a very detailed “a million shades of purple” setup and dirty blonde hair cut short and wavy.

The Match: Maria immediately dropkicks the snot out of Kouki, gets a quick cover, and it’s armbar time until Amarei breaks. More arm stuff and then Maria just tosses Kouki into things and biels her across the ring and chokes her in the corner. Maria grabs…something from the corner and hits Kouki with it a few times and then gets a camel clutch, the ref is like “hey what’s up!” and I guess it’s eyeliner that Maria applies aggressively to the ref for…no DQ? Maybe he just needed the extra shaping. Kouki and Maria slug it out with big boots (with Amarei selling her neck between hits) and she wins the exchange and gets a delayed cutter (like she gets the cravate like she’s going to do a snapmare and sorta sits in it for a beat before falling down for the cutter) and then a standing falling splash. Kouki tries her backdrop driver but Maria slips out and tries her own suplex before settling for an octopus hold. Amarei breaks by falling into the ropes and stays there so Maria facewashes her and gets the big running boot and Kouki is selling well here as she gets wrapped up in the ropes, choked, and hit with the mascara for humiliation. More abuse as Maria is pretty fun as the taunting heel, but she hotdogs too much and gets her armbar turned into a rollup and then eats a spinebuster and some ground and pound, and in a nice touch Kouki, who has has had her arms damaged, settles for headbutts on the grounded Maria and now the Butterfly gets the backdrop suplex for the 2.7. Kouki goes up for the diving splash but Maria makes her feet and cuts it off and goes up and we get some awkward climbing/fighting on the top rope thing that has Maria get an armbar up there and then tosses Amarei off. Dropkick by Maria gets 2.8 but Kouki turns that into a pin for 2.8 to follow. Octopus and then a full-on flying armbar is cranked in and Maria gets the tap.

**¾

Kouki sold well, hit her comeback spots with efficiency and competence, and Maria paced the heel work well, always mixed up cheating, brawling, taunting, ref stuff, and actual wrestling.

Misa Matsui [2] vs. Chika Goto [0] – Star League

Background: Misa is another Darkness Revolution member though she’s a bit more of a cruiser, she’s trying to up her cheating in her matches. Chika is big and tall but not that big and tall. Misa has the purple gothic Victorian getup while Chika is in her traditional trunks and top of various blues.

The Match: I think I’ve figured out something that bugs me about Misa in her heel presentation, the music is pure babyface. Chika goes for the ‘too tall for you’ test of strength so Misa goes for a gut shot (which honestly feels fair) and we get Misa tossed outside, Chika follows…only to get tagged with a chair (which is legal outside I guess) and then Goto is whipped into the seats outside. Chika is bounced off the post and we’re back in for an armbar from Misa. Goto eventually uses her reach to get the ropes but Matsui keeps the beating up with some disrespectful slaps. Chika fires back with a forearm and calls for the wing but Misa squirms free into the ropes, only to eat a hip-check into the ropes and then Goto gets her with the same across the apron. Powerslam attempt by Goto is avoided with an eyepoke by Misa who goes for a cazadora that Goto turns into an inverted swing for six rotations before Misa turns it into a victory roll and a series of stomps anyway. Misa goes up, Chika cuts her off and gets the regular swing for like ten rotations. Much better outing that time. Chika gets a gutwrench into a powerslam for 2 and then goes for a chokeslam but Misa slips out, Goto’s boot doesn’t miss though, but the followup is turned into a manji-gatame by Matsui. Misa works the arm on the ropes and goes for a missile dropkick that gets 2, she goes up again and gets a diving stomp for 2.8. They do some rope-running and Chika cuts Misa in half with a lariat and then picks her up off the ground for a chokeslam (nice spot!) for 2.9 as Misa then pushes over for a pin for 2.9 and swings in for a la magistral that Chika sits down on and gets 3.

**
Look both these ladies are pretty green and for their experience this was fine. Chika actually looked a bit more competent here even though her power stuff isn’t the most impressive (yeah she’s tossing around Misa who might be 90 pounds) but she’s getting a bit of presence in the ring. I don’t love Misa’s heel whatever, but she’s at least using her speed in an annoying way so that’s good.

Utami Hayashishita [0] vs. Rea Seto [0] – Dream League

Background: So Utami of course is the top champion (though she got upset her first match) and is a strong, stoic, judoka who can also just knock the heck out of you and outweighs and outsizes Rea. Seto is another of the Darkness Revolution’s group and she’s the youngest and least experienced. She’s the Black Diamond and is rocking a journal thing where she posts sketches of the people she’s about to face in a desire to be creepy or something. She’s in black and white with fishnets while Utami has the red and white gladiator gear.

The Match: Hot start as Rea dropkicks Utami while she’s still taking the robe off and we go outside where Rea goes at a bamboozled Utami and then it’s back in for some rope-assisted choking. Rea hits the ropes and immediately gets sidewalk slammed by Utami who follows up with her own rope run…and CHIAKI trips her up and lets Rea attack Hayashishita with a belt and choke her before the ref breaks it up. Rea goes to the arm with a juji-gatame but Utami makes the ropes and now gets rolling with her own dropkick and then a rack but Rea gets the arm out of that and even bites the champs fingers. Utami powers up with a samoan drop and a sliding lariat for 2 and then an Air Raid Crash as Utami is just whooping the rookie. Seto tries to crawl away but Utami just scoops her off the mat for a massive release German and follows in for the kill before Rea hides behind the ref and blasts Utami with the red belt and then gets an arm-wrench kneedrop bulldog off the top rope. A Rea dropkick sets up a bridging double-chicken for a 2.8 count (like an O’Connor roll but with the double arm hold) and then shifts into a Cattle Mutilation. CHIAKI is pretty funny at ringside trying to stop the ropebreak but Utami pulls it off and then gets a big o goshi (judo hiptoss) but the bad arm means she can’t follow up immediately, though when Rea gets up she drops her again with a lariat but Rea does the big dramatic no-sell and pops up…only to get lariated again for 2.8. Ha. Utami gets the delayed German and that’s good enough for 3.

**¾

Well this was really fun. Rea is an enjoyable dirtbag little weasel who while tiny at least finds ways to believably get heat on Utami and her being so small leads to her taking these massive bumps for the babyface comebacks. Utami remains stellar as well but that isn’t a shock.

Nagisa Nozaki [2] vs. Mai Sakurai [0] – Star League

Background: Nagisa is the leader of Darkness Revolution and portrayed as the most capable, she’s a bit of a kick demon, but she also likes dirty tricks as well, she dresses like an evil raver. Mai is the secondary singles champ (white belt) and is a sort of do it all heroic brawler type with a few pieces of everything in her arsenal, she’s wearing her magnificent robe and pretty classic shimmering white gear.

The Match: Nagisa nails her running single-leg kick out the gate and boots Mai outside to kick her on the apron and then just punch her in the ribs a few times. Sakurai tries to come back but just drops Mai again. Nagisa tries to get Mai coming through the ropes but Sakurai gets a hanging triangle and then a running kick across the ropes and a missile dropkick for 2…and Nagisa just decides she’s going to immediately go for a choke and then boots Mai down and punts her in the ribs. Nagisa goes up, Mai cuts her off and gets a superplex…and Nagisa is up first and just blasts away before Mai backdrop drivers her and gets her own flying kick for 2 and cranks in a STF. Nagisa gets the ropes so Mai gets her STO and goes up for a flying elbow. Sakurai with another backdrop driver attempt but Nagisa slips out, blocks a Mai kick and fires her own kick flurry and ends with the flying kick to a kneeling Mai. Nagisa charges into a flying roundhouse from Mai and then Sakurai gets her whacky rolling crucifix for 2.9. Now Mai runs the ropes and gets blasted with another one of Nozaki’s flying single-leg kicks for 2.9, Nagisa tries something but Mai reverses into the Glorious Driver and then the STF in the middle of the ring and Nagisa goes asleep and the ref stops it.

**

Yeah they were hitting each other hard, good pace, but man neither were really selling anything and popping up immediately after moves just drives me nuts. Mai isn’t the best of sellers on a good day and Nagisa feels like she was actively not trying to put anything over in a loss. Still, not incompetent outside of that.

Post-match Nagisa continues this by popping up after being put to sleep and boots Mai down, yells at the ref, and just laughs in Mai’s face. I get her gimmick is “I don’t care I’m a mean jerk” but uh…maybe act like you lost?

Miku Aono [0] vs. MIRAI [2] – Star League

Background: So of course these two had previously had a big rivalry and a series of time limit draws over the white belt in a feud MIRAI ultimately lost. They’re both pretty traditional babyfaces, Miku is more of a kicker, MIRAI more of a power wrestler, both have solid fundamentals. Miku is in red and white, MIRAI is in white, orange, and blue with a fire design on her top.

The Match: Handshake of respect and then both throw strikes they dodge before they settle on a hockey fight with MIRAI taking Miku down and trading holds on the mats. It’s mostly a standstill but a MIRAI headlock forces a break from Miku. They trade standup until Miku kicks MIRAI’s leg out of her leg and gets a kneebreaker and more kicks to the hamstring and cranks in a single-leg crab. MIRAI actually yanks at the hair a bit to try to force a break. MIRAI eventually crawls to the ropes but Aono just cranks the knee over the ropes and then dropkicks it. More kicks to the legs by Miku as MIRAI is fighting desperately on her back. A whip reversal lets MIRAI get a dropkick and she clutches her knee and then stumbles over to follow up on Miku. And now MIRAI goes at the leg with some dropkicks and a basic crank. A standing leg-lace into a fall back (like a spinning toe hold but different) puts more pressure on Miku, but Aono gets up and kicks at MIRAI’s knee again, so MIRAI gets a deathlock and then stops it into the mat. Looks like we’re getting two one-legged women here. Both limp around and try to trade shoulders. They both just kind of collapse on a collision and make sure to sell the legs well, MIRAI goes for a flash inside cradle for 2 and then cranks on an ankle lock. MIku finally makes the ropes and MIRAI lands some stomps and now they heat up with some holds as Miku tries to get something but MIRAI reverses into a whacky across-the-back rack slam and then her wheelbarrow slam. The Miramare Shock is evaded and Miku gets her spinning scoop slam deal and then a running lariat and she stretches her kneecap out. Misses a buzzsaw kick but lands a shot to the thigh and Aono gets 2.6 with her double-arm suplex and then an Olympic Slam gets 2.7. Miku then locks in a cloverleaf but her knee can’t hold and she collapses. More reversals and MIRAI drops Miku with a headbutt of all things. Backdrop driver and MIRAI is firing up but Miku is matching her and they just lariat the heck out of each other and kind of collapse, definitely selling the war aspect. Another Miramare Shock attempt is blocked, Miku gets the Styles Clash but is backdropped out and sits on it for a two count. High kick by Aono gets 2.8 and the commentary is screaming that time is about to expire. MIRAI gets a whacky rolling cradle and time expires before it can get a count.

***½

Okay I was expecting a time limit draw but I’m okay with keeping this rivalry as it is and both did tremendous work with selling the leg and selling that they’re evenly matched rivals that are very different but have specific advantages over the other. It’s good stuff that they worked well and I don’t think the draw detracts at all from the match.

Mayu Iwatani [2] vs. Seri Yamaoka [2] – Dream League

Background: So Mayu is the most accomplished and famous wrestler in the company, big star in Stardom, peers with Iyo and KAIRI, won a ton of gold wherever she’s been, current Flyweight Champion in Marigold. Seri is a super promising rookie with pretty solid amateur bonafides and a huge stamp of approval from Giulia and then a long partnership with Nanae Takahashi. And like Nanae she has taken some of the 90s look with the airbrushed jacket, bedazzled cowboy hat and otherwise very…neon aesthetic while keeping the amateur style singlet. Mayu of course is dressed in the regular (though it’s a bit more sedate than she wore in Stardom) but she has the baseball she tosses to the crowd and then multi-colored pastel gear.

The Match: Seri immediately takes it to the mat and wraps up Mayu who reverses out but Yamaoka keeps just cranking stuff on her and goes for amateur style pins. Mayu now tries some standing grappling but quickly realizes she has to speed it up so she runs the ropes and gets a dropkick and then leans on Seri in the ropes and then uh…spanks her and dropkicks the rear? Well then. Iwatani kind of heels it up a bit and throws rights while Seri sells…and then just clobbers Mayu with a forearm. Mayu tries it again and Yamaoka continues to throw smoke. Iwatani gets some kicks, they do a rope running sequence and Seri collapses on hitting the ropes and Mayu just boots her down and lands more kicks before a second sequence has Seri fire off a dropkick and double-leg Mayu into multiple turnbuckles and then tries to send her into the dirt but Mayu gets away, lands a thrust kick and charges…into a lifting spinebuster and more ground stuff as Seri just eats Iwatani up on the mat and cranks in a bow and arrow, Mayu makes the ropes so Seri snatches her up for an Air Raid Crash and goes up (?!?) and is quite slow so Mayu can cut her off and toss her off the top and kick the rookies head in. Iwatani with a frog splash and Yamaoka dodges it and gets a spear for followup. And Seri goes up again and now she lands a Refrigerator Bomb (tribute to Nanae, her mentor) for 2.6. A German is attempted but Mayu turtles in the ropes and then drops a charging Seri with a kick. A running dropkick against the ropes stuns Yamaoka and Mayu follows up with a release German and calls for the finish. The Dragon Suplex is attempted but Seri gets a victory roll for two and then her full-nelson cradle for 2.8. Mayu’s superkick puts a stop to that flurry though and it’s bridging German time from the icon. Mayu climbs up and Seri crawls over to catch the leg and Iwatani just slaps her down. Mayu goes for the Buzzsaw kick, Seri ducks and gets three Germans in a row and then her full-nelson cradle gets 3.

***

Man Mayu was kind of a jerk this match. Like evading the grappling is smart, but the slaps, the stomps, the general disrespect, this is the meanest I’ve ever seen Iwatani work. Seri was very much game, showing resilience and seeming like she’s going to be the serious, hard-edged part of Marigold’s future.

Post-match Seri cuts a promo and seems hyped to have beaten Iwatani and I assume is promising to make her dreams a reality and then thanks the fans.

Well this was a better show than the morning deal and I’m more excited to continue this than I was after the first show.