Dream Star Fighting Marigold: Dream Star Grand Prix 09.02, 09.06, and 09.07

Okay, finally back! We’re in Shinjuku FACE for the show on the 2nd with about 390 in the crowd. Oh and if you don’t remember, I’m JUST doing tournament matches. I’ve watched enough Rossy-booked meaningless six-woman tags in my life.

Chanyota [4] vs. Chika Goto [3] – Star League

Background: So a battle of sorta body wrestlers trying to prove their credibility. Chanyota and Chika have both had eclectic pasts but now they seem to be settling in as goliath (of a sort) faces. Chanyota getting the flexing and posing while Chika has her catchphrases and emphasis on height.

The Match: Big lockup is won by Chika and then Goto calls for a test of strength that Chanyota wins. Shoulderblock battle stalemates but Chika wins via a headlock and some STRATEGY before she calls for the giant swing and Chanyota does a sit-up to break free…well at least that is her working the fitness model deal. Chanyota gets some corner shoulder thrusts and a running elbow drop before locking in an abdominal stretch but Goto uses HEIGHT to reach the ropes. More brawling and a whip reversal lets Goto land a hip-charge into the corner but then whiffs a bodyslam and finally lands it, they recovered well at least. Now we get the giant swing for 2. Chanyota fires back, goes for the rack, can’t land it, and gets THE POUNCE for 2. Both get up and trade just running into each other before Chanyota gets a lariat…and runs into one of her own and sets up her gutwrench powerslam but Chanyota reverses to a rear naked choke. Goto breaks but Chanyota gets the rack into a slam and then a sliding lariat for 2.8. Chanyota’s followup is turned into the gutwrench slam and Chika capitalizes with a chokeslam attempt that is blocked, but a lariat lands and now she gets the chokeslam…for 2.9. Goto with a big boot but Chanyota gets a discus lariat and then a running lariat for 2.9. Chanyota tries a pumphandle something, but Goto slips out and gets a hammerlock chokelsam for 3.

**

This might be generous but they both mostly did what they knew how to do, focused on their strengths, and they had a decently okay mini-King’s Road finale for the end. Still, both these ladies are very, very green and I question if a tournament is the best time to give them reps.

Maria [2] vs. Seri Yamaoka [4] – Dream League

Background: After a hot star Seri has sorta stalled out where while her athleticism and amateur cred shine through, she’s still a rookie prone to basic mistakes and easy counters from more experienced wrestlers. Maria is one of those crafty vets so…y’know…Maria is an invader tag-champ but has gotten whalloped by a ton of top faces in the company but she’s still presented as VERY capable.

The Match: Maria kind just sorta vamps and avoids contact and Seri is selling nerves as she’s not sure hot to engage as Maria just sorta refuses to lockup and just poses and prances. Seri tries amateur stuff that doesn’t really get anywhere as Maria squirms into a headlock and rides that out before Seri takes the back and does more amateur stuff into a pin for 2. Seri tries to capitalize by speeding it up but Maria gets a spinning slam (Norman Smiley style) and then a falling splash to spam covers, oh and Maria throws a picture at Seri to ramp up the Pro Rasslin’ stuff. Maria focuses on the arm and cranks it a few times and works it in the ropes in between just slapping the rookie around. Maria gets a flying armbar for fun and gets it cranked in before Yamaoka gets a foot on the ropes. Maria follows with a facewash and a slingshot stomp for repeated covers. We return to a slugfest and Seri gets a dropkick and a double-leg slam into the corner as she loads up her comeback. Another double-leg slam is countered into Maria’s armbar and then an octopus stretch before Seri gets the ropes. Maria tries a move and Seri goes back to the double-leg and gets repeated covers but she can’t get a finish going with a bad arm so she just throws rights and then they trade run and gun stuff before Maria gets a dropkick for a nearfall. Seri with a spear and then a Karelin lift suplex to set up the full-nelson cradle for 3.

**¾

Okay I actually really liked this. Where Seri was weirded out by Maria’s mind-games, but Yamaoka stayed focused and Maria got a bit too lost in trying to just fool and trick her younger opponent and Seri was like “no, I can win this match by just pinning you” and got that going again. A heel outsmarting themselves is good stuff.

Miku Aono [3] vs. Kizuna Tanaka [2] – Star League

Background: Miku is a stable, girl next door style face, she’s got some kicks, she’s technically sound, she has a definite look, but I’m not sure what she is exactly. Meanwhile Kizuna is a very green rookie, the second-gen of a respected family who does some kicks, is very generic princess-y in her look, and is basically a punching bag.

The Match: Kizuna with a handshake and she immediately pulls Miku in for an inside cradle for a nearfall. Ha! A schoolgirl and a backslide get the same before Tanaka spams some dropkicks but Aono responds with one of her own…and eats another. Kizuna tries an anklelock but Aono rolls through but she whiffs a dropkick into the ropes and Miku boots her in the ribs and now the vet goes to work. Kizuna tries a flashy roll-up out of a kick but Miku sits on her for the half-crab and keeps at the boots. Miku goes up and gets cut off with a Tanaka kick, and rookie gets another on the apron and gets a brainbuster on the floor. Back inside for a cover and then a whacky rolling anklelock. Miku makes the ropes but eats a kick to the gut and then Kizuna goes back to the fisherman’s suplex for 2 and a running knee for the same. MIku catches a kick and gets a cloverleaf before Kizuna makes the ropes. Aono with some dominating brawling but she gets a kick blocked and Tanaka hits her jumping cradle but eats a lariat, a high kick and a double-arm suplex for 2.7. Aono with a backdrop driver and a buzzsaw kick gets 3.

**¼

Rookie goes for the hot start desperate spam and then gets crushed. Honestly a better match if it was like 2 minutes shorter as they repeated the same notes.

Rea Seto [2] vs. Victoria Yuzuki [8] – Dream League

Background: So Rea is the rookie junior jobber of Darkness Revolution but she has some promise and a fun gimmick where she comes out with a sketch of her opponent indicating what she’s going to target in a match and generally she will target that part. Victoria Yuzuki is the flashy athletic acrobatic prodigy babyface of Marigold.

The Match: Rea brings out a picture to represent Victoria and then rips it in half and chews it, so uh, I expect some biting here. Both charge at each other and Rea gets the better with a dropkick and they trade ground and pound and hairmares and Yuzuki stomps Seto out in the corner before Rea goes to the hair to toss her around and gets a choke in the corner and then an eyerake across the ropes before she forces the other half of the sketch into Yuzuki’s mouth…well then. Yuzuki powders and Rea follows to toss her around before getting the attempt inevitably countered, they brawl through the crowd and and Kizuna hits a crossbody from the stands to the floor, okay, pretty cool visual there. Yuzuki goes back in but Seto yanks her off the apron, missile dropkick to follow as Rea slips back inside and when Yuzuki crawls in she gets a half-crab and punches the knee, Rea wraps the knee in the ropes and gets a dropkick to it and then a Flair-style knee drop (?!). Yuzuki gets a leg up to stop a charge…but Seto catches for a leg stunner. Seto just sorta slips up though and Yuzuki busts out a judo-style hiptoss and then a bridging Northern Light’s (c’mon lady…) and now Victoria sells the leg as she limps climbing to the top turnbuckle and Rea cuts her off and they brawl in the ropes. Yuzuki knocks Rea off but she’s still too slow so Seto tosses her off the top and gets a heel hook that Yuzuki reverses into a cradle for 2. Victoria with a rolling elbow to set up the double-down. Seto is up first and goes for another kneebreaker but Yuzuki howls and they trade elbows and Yuzuki takes the arm and we get a crossface of all things and after rolling through Yuzuki transitions to a scissored armbar that Seto finally squirms out of, she gets three attempts at her double-chickenwing rollup and after a CRAZY close nearfall on the third Yuzuki just superkicks her and gets a running dropkick against the ropes and goes back to the crossface and then the scissored armbar before Seto gets a foot on the ropes. Rea goes back to the knees though and even lands a fireman’s carry kneebreaker before getting a calfslicer of sorts. And when VIctoria almost makes the ropes before Rea pretzels Yuzuki by just grabbing random limbs but Victoria gets the break regardless. Rea can’t get a suplex but Yuzuki can…only for a 1 count. Another rope-run sequence and Rea gets a dropkick out of it and then hits what I think is her finish as she gets a short-arm into a belly-to-belly suplex and then locks in a kneebar as time expires.

**½

So I like a lot of this, and especially what Rea offers, she’s a sorta…brainy wrestler who comes in with a strategy, executes it well, but doesn’t have the offense/killer instinct to put people away, but she frustrated Yuzuki who is full of babyface fire but kinda lacks patience/strategy at this point in her career. It’s a good dynamic between two people that have everything the other doesn’t have, but when they were obviously going for the time limit and they kept doing the “submission for a while, reach the ropes” and just trading that sequence with neither really selling the damage from those submissions it was annoying. Still, despite the TIME LIMIT DRAWS Rossy loves so much, it had some proper psychology at times. Seto is promising even if Yuzuki gets more buzz/flash.

Mayu Iwatani [5] vs. Kouki Amarei [6] – Dream League

Background: Mayu is Mayu, the biggest star in the company and trying to prove she can still compete despite her age (she’s not old but she has a ton of miles on her) Kouki is another of the “kinda prospects” and was the big acquisition they got from AWG. Kouki is tall, somewhat athletic, and while her ring-gear and presentation is rock solid, she’s still struggling to find a real identity besides “looks really cool.”

The Match: The code of honor is respected before the match! We get some careful dancing around before Kouki goes a bit comedic with a full extension test of strength that the smaller Mayu can’t match…so Iwatani just unleashes some rapidfire kicks and then a dropkick to a rope-hung Amarei. The vet stomps and plays to the crowd as she’s controlled the match. Kouki stuffs a suplex and tries a slam but Mayu slips out and just keeps kicking Kouki in the head. Amarei with some loose-goosey wobble-leg forearms but Mayu gets an elbow and an awkward crab as Mayu’s Gumbi body is just weird to try to lock up Amarei in a hold. A break and Mayu is being full jerk vet as she slaps Kouki, asks for a receipt, ducks, and slaps back. Finally Iwatani’s arrogance is punished with a big boot and then a yakuza kick from the taller rookie. Kouki gets a running crossbody and a double-arm crank but Mayu makes the ropes and Kouki gets a boot against them and a back suplex. Kouki goes up, but plays to the crowd letting Mayu toss her off the top and hit a missile dropkick and a diving stomp with an arrogant cover. Kouki gets space with a cutter though and tries for an omoplata (?!) but Mayu makes the ropes. Mayu slips out of a dominator and then blocks another attempt with a dragonscrew. Running low dropkick and Kouki powders. Mayu follows with a tope to the adulation of the crowd and it’s back inside where the Icon lands a frogsplash for 2.8. Iwatani sets up her dragon suplex, but we gets a victory roll for 2 from Amarei and then a jackknife hold for another nearfall, low boot and we have some good desperate wobble-legged selling from Amarei…who runs into a superkick and then a dragon suplex (though Kouki kinda falls on her side during the bridge) for 2.7. A moonsault gets 3.

**¾

Very much a Mayu carryjob but Kouki at least had a few moments of desperate comebacks that made it work. She needs an identity as her own performer though, and Mayu being so much more charismatic and interesting than her throws that into sharp contrast.

Well, that wasn’t great, but nothing was PUTRID at least.

Onto the September 6th show in Toyama at the Bolfert Toyama 2F Multipurpose Hall, a Mecca in the sport of pro wrestling as we got almost 350 people here!!!

Misa Matsui [6] vs. MIRAI [3] – Star League

Background: Misa is one of the dirtbag heels in Darkness Revolution, and overall the most successful this tournament and is a sorta tricky rollup artist. MIRAI is a well-established singles who just hasn’t gotten out the block and commentary talks about how she’s unfocused and un-clutch. But she’s a very sound technician/power wrestler.

The Match: Some clean technical wrestling to start before a MIRAI shoulder. International and some armdrags leave Matsui in control before she powders to bait out MIRAI. MIRAI feints a dive and then rolls back and Misa gives Halpert face to the camera while MIRAI poses in the ring and is like “yo, you’re getting counted out here.” Misa returns, MIRAI now tosses her and then brawl in the crowd with MIRAI taking a header off the ring post and the Darkness Revolution member can get to work. Some very lenient referee work as Misa just blasts MIRAI with a chair. Back inside and Matsui gets a cover and then goes for a figure-four and MIRAI tries a reversal but that gets turned around and she gets the rope. Misa blasts away on the ropes before MIRAI gets a reversal and just hammers away in a righteous babyface fashion and then reverses more of Misa’s business into a rope-hung armbar. Missile dropkick gets 2 and they settle for a slugfest. Funny spot as Misa tries to distract MIRAI…who just blasts her in the face regardless and sets up the twisting Vader Bomb in the corner…and Matsui rolls away, but this lets them speed it up against and run the ropes and Matsui gets a few kicks and a low crossbody into the ropes. Now Misa goes up and MIRAI rolls away…but not far enough as Matsui gets a diving stomp for 2. They trade reversals and MIRAI gets a backdrop suplex, Misa gets the Busaiku knee, and MIRAI comes back with a lariat for a double-down. Corner charge by Misa is reversed by MIRAI and they trade roll-ups until Misa gets her cross-legged FIsherman’s driver for 2. A running knee follows but MIRAI turns the cover into an inside cradle for her own 2 count. Another series of reversals sets up MIRAI’s wheelbarrow slam and a running lariat gets 3.

**¾

Well they were VERY slick but my goodness the reversal, reversal, reversal stuff got old for me. I’m sure some people will love this but it just hit a point of slickness that made my eyes roll.

Nagisa Nozaki [7] vs. Miku Aono [5] – Star League

Background: Another Darkness Revolution match with jerkwad cheating kick devil vet Nagisa facing off with virtuous non-cheating kick devil vet Miku.

The Match: Immediate hot start with Nagisa just clocking her with a (tiny) briefcase before the bell and beating her butt in the crowd. Nagisa gets her whacky kick on the apron and after rolling inside Miku finally fires back and we get a brawl cooking, Miku takes over with kicks before Nagisa cranks a sleeper in. Miku breaks and we get Nagisa going up for a missile dropkick. And then a second and some more low kicks as Nagisa does her bored vet heel deal. She tries a slam but Miku slips out and then gets a big kick for space and a lariat to set up a double-down. Obviously Nagisa gets up first. Nozaki low-bridges Miku outside, lands a kick and they brawl outside with Nagisa landing a brainbuster out the mats. Nagisa tries to go back inside and eats a pair of kicks from Miku and then Aono gets the Styles Clash on the mats before Miku sends Nagias back inside. Aono goes up for a missile dropkick and a sliding lariat gets 2.7. Another Style’s Clash attempt but she settles on a tiger driver instead. We get some kicks by MIku but Nagisa is like “okay I’m on offense now” and that’s what we get. Cobra clutch suplex gets 2.9 and Nagisa sets up her low kick, Miku dodges and gets a buzzsaw kick. Another sliding lariat is turned into a cradle by Nagisa and she lands her low dropkick, but MIku pops out, running lariat, Style’s Clash…and 2.6? Oh wow I thought that would finish. And Miku debuts a new finish with a hammerlock Emerald Flowsion for 3.

**¼

I am really not big on Nagisa, but her worst instincts were mostly in check here. I’m also not high on Miku but hey, jerk heel, heroic face, we had the comebacks, we had the stuff, it was…I dunno, blasse? Still, it didn’t offend me but even Nagisa at her best just irks me with her poor selling.

Mayu Iwatani [7] vs. CHIAKI [2] – Dream League

Background: Would you believe we have ANOTHER Darkness Revolution match? CHIAKI is the erstwhile leader and eliminated from the tournament, but she’s a classic spoiler setup as Mayu can actually win the whole thing and is a big heroic babyface and CHIAKI is a crazy brawling heel.

The Match: We start with an eyepoke from CHIAKI and then she powders and they chase each other around the ring leading into the Dark Wolf catching Mayu stepping inside and getting stomped, hairmared, and then tossed into the corner for more stomping. We continue with CHIAKI twisting hair and tossing Mayu around. We settle on a slug fest and Mayu actually gets some offense here before the Dark Wolf gets a hair-assisted STO of sorts and drops a leg for 2. We get an attempt at a Claw Slam by CHIAKI but Mayu wriggles out and turns a corner charge into a schoolgirl pin and a knee strike. Now Mayu is rolling with a kick combo and a flying headscissors. Mayu goes for a suplex but CHIAKI grabs the ref and then we get a bump when Iwatani accidentally enzuigiris the official. CHIAKI tries to use the chair and it goes poorly for her until she just chucks it at the Icon and brainbusters Mayu on it. CHIAKI with a rack but she goes for the facebuster, Mayu flips into the landing, buzzsaw kick! Frog splash! Only 2.8. Mayu isn’t flustered though and she goes for the Dragon suplex, CHIAKI elbows out but eats a superkick and rolls outside, Mayu sets up a dive but she gets tripped up and literally headlocked to the back by CHIAKI. We then wander into the crowd and it’s CHIAKI who takes a rolling bump down a flight of stairs and Mayu looks SO happy at this I’m cracking up a bit. We eventually try to get back to the ring but CHIAKI hurls a chair at Mayu and rolls her up for the double countout.

***

Y’know after so many false “oh they reach 19 and fly in” finishes I’m okay with a big brawl outside actually ending in a double count-out! This was fun, CHIAKI is good as a cheating dirtbag brawler heel and I for one don’t need her to do more moves than pulling hair, throwing chairs, and punching people in the face. Mayu is great in this context as the scrappy vet babyface who can a bit of her own cheating. Kind of a house show special but a very fun one that was done by people who know their role and their purpose!

Okay now we’re onto the show on the 7th in the Mie Prefectural General Bunka Center with like 400 people in the crowd and this room is SMALL.

MIRAI [5] vs. Kizuna Tanaka [2] – Star League

Background: MIRAI has kinda disappointed this tournament with lots of losses, but Kizuna is in the “first tournament rookie” mode and has mostly been beaten pretty badly. Still, MIRAI has a few banana peel losses here. Both of them are also SUPER taped up here.

The Match: Big lockup that MIRAI wins and gives a clean break on. Kizuna tries some grappling and MIRAI easily counters and takes her down and then gets a few slams. MIRAI with a cover and it’s all basic rookie/vet stuff here with MIRAI making sure to throw in a few stomps to the taped-up back of Kizuna to keep the heat on her. A few desperate forearms go nowhere for Tanaka so MIRAI gets a crab and cranks that in. Kizuna breaks and out of a rope-run gets a shoulder, a bridging suplex, and a few strikes as she fires up. Tanaka goes up and when MIRAI moves to toss her off we get a rolling armbar by the second-gen star. She goes up again and this time MIRAI foils it but once again walks into a Kizuna armbar and the rookie even grabs both arms for a scissored stretch. MIRAI makes the ropes and now is wobble-legged as Kizuna tries to unload rights on her…but she goes to run and MIRAI grabs her and gets a fancy torture rack slam before a fireman’s carry is turned into a sunset flip by the younger worker. MIRAI with a sliding elbow to the spine and a wheelbarrow slam for 2. Rainmaker is blocked but a followup lariat lands…and then MIRAI goes for the cover and Tanaka gets an armbar out of that. MIRAI looks cooked before she gets a foot on the ropes. A Kizuna buzzsaw kick sets up another brainbuster…but it gets blocked and the rookie reacts with a flying knee and a triplet of nearfalls off of it. Back to the brainbuster and MIRAI gets an inside cradle for two and then her whacky rolling pin for 3.

**½

Well that was one of the better Tanaka matches! Kinda mean jerk tries to dominate, gets caught, has to come back with a bad arm and uses veteran slickness to get the win. Like she did dominate but she didn’t gobble up Tanaka either. One of the better Kizuna matches as MIRAI is just so fundamental she can elevate some uh…lacking talent to some special stuff.

Miku Aono [7] vs. Chika Goto [5] – Star League

Background: Miku is a solid early 90s Bret Hart rising babyface technician that’s pretty edgeless and is in place to win the whole block. Chika is a tall personality first lady that uh…is developing her in-ring identity outside of “tall.”

The Match: Big lockup to start and it stalemates. So Chika gets a single-leg and drop an elbow on the knee (?!) before Miku goes to the mat and we get some grappling with Chika using her size to smother Aono. We get up and get some shoulderblock stuff and it stalemates before Chika finally wins, with Miku kipping up into another shoulder and then we get a crab from Goto. Miku makes the ropes and Goto gets a hip-attack and goes for the swing but Miku sits up while in the hold and gets some kicks to take down Goto, more kicks and a Fisherman’s suplex and we tease the Style’s Clash before Goto slips out. More Miku kicks but Chika starts a lariat battle she EVENTUALLY wins. And then Miku comes back with her own and an armbar/choke. Chika gets the ropes and Miku kicks more and then goes up for a missile dropkick for 2. But Chika hulks up and gets some lariats and then loads up the giant swing. Chika follows with a running low boot and a multitude of covers to no avail. Gutwrench slam is slipped out of and Miku gets a buzzsaw kick for a double-down. Now a sliding Miku lariat, a double-arm suplex, but her follow-up is turned into the gutwrench slam which gets 2 for Chika and she loads up the chokeslam. Rainmaker by Miku only gets 1 and Chika gets 2.8 with her own lariat though. Backdrop driver from Miku, buzzsaw kick, cloverleaf and Goto taps.

*¾

Look…Goto…maybe she doesn’t have it. They’re trying to book these AJPW matches for her and it doesn’t work. They’re doing these big finisher trading deals and it just doesn’t have the heat. Also to knock Miku, her trading lariats with a lady twice her size is absurd. Aono makes sense as just Aono but she just doesn’t adjust to who her opponents are and it stinks. Bah. I dunno man.

Look, Marigold has continued to have the same flaws, lots of prospects, lots of people who might turn into something, but they deeply lack just a reliable core of people that can just fill in the gaps. So you get Nagisa Nozaki getting a super push when she’s about as capable in 2025 as Rosemary. The whole thing is somewhat saddening to be honest. Still, I will push on and finish the deal.