Phrederic Reviews Stardom

Okay, so after a week’s plus worth of moving and stress and dealing with ISPs, I am back and here we are, the end of the blocks before the ‘post-season’ starts for the tournament. A shame that they only moved 479 tickets for this one, but it’s Yamagata which isn’t exactly home turf for them. Anyway, let’s get to it.

Suzu Suzuki [5] vs. Ranna Yagami [4] – Blue Block B Match

Background: This is just a battle for pride as both of them are eliminated, but Suzu definitely doesn’t want to lose with less points than rookie and first time tournament member Ranna. Ranna is just gravy at this point as she’s done pretty well as a rookie. It’ll be Suzu’s craziness and creativity versus Ranna’s fundamentals and striking.

The Match: We get a hot start…but now how you expect as Ranna is the one that goes at Suzu with a dropkick and some strikes, but the vet takes her down quick and then chokes her on the ropes. Suzu follows with the run-up drive-by kick and then we get some rope-running until Ranna nails Suzu with a dropkick and unleashes more chest kicks until Suzuki catches one and drops her. Suzu unleashes more heavy forearms and Ranna desperately fires back with some of her own…before Ranna remembers she can kick so she does that to much more success. Ranna then tries to go for an armbar next Suzu breaks and gets to the corner where she reverses a whip attempt with more running body stuff and then a knee. Ranna with a flash rollup attempt and then a leg lariat as the rookie is holding her own here. Ranna’s high kick misses and Suzu goes for the German and they fight over that with some roll-throughs before Suzu nails it and then cuts off a Yagami hulk up with a buzzsaw kick and then her Tequila Shot finishes it.

**¼

This match was fine, just one of those early opening card Stardom matches where a vet wrestles a rookie and they show something and then the vet wins. That’s what this was and y’know, Ranna is a bit better than the average rookie, but there was still nothing special about her that told me why she deserved this run in the Five Star.

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

Ruaka vs. Maika – Red Block A Match

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

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

***¼

Well we’re back to Stardom as I try to complete my contractual obligations here, and it appears that the fans are just as cold on the show as I am because only 300 of them showed up.

Hanan [5] vs. Ranna Yagami [2] – Blue Block B Match

Background: The battle of the blonde, yellow-clad rookies! Hanan is much more established and wrestles an athletic, almost southern rasslin’ style with bulldogs and some judo stuff, while Ranna utilizes her martial arts background to throw kicks and such. Both are babyfaces but haven’t won nothing yet.

The Match: They lockup and do some standing switches and my goodness Hanan is like…WAY bigger than Ranna. Hanan takes over with a headlock, dropkick, and then a flying crotch attack on the ropes (look I’ve tried to find a better name but I can’t) and then a crab. We work that for a while and Ranna makes the ropes before Hanan stomps her down as she’s playing quasi-heel here with some chops in the ropes. And Ranna does some Sting stuff and no-sells them before Hanan slams her down and does some repeated covers. And we cut to Rina (Hanan’s sister who is a heel) on the outside loving this. Yagami finally gets some forearms to mount a mini-comeback but Hanan cuts her head off. But Ranna powers up and gets some running corner kicks into a cross armbar that has Hanan getting a rope break. More big kicks as Hanan flails around for them before countering with some judo stuff. But a springboard reverse crossbody is countered with a kick, and we get more kicks, and more kicks, and more kicks but Hanan reverses an armbar into a rollup before charging into another armbar and another ropebreak. Ranna tries to keep it up but runs into a leg lariat from Hanan…but Yagami throws more kicks before missing a high roundhouse and eats the blizzard suplex and a famouser from Hanan. Backdrop driver attempt is blocked and Ranna goes back to the armbar and then transitions into a cradle pin for 3!

We’re back with more fantastic Stardom action, or kinda simply okay Stardom action as we’re in Sendai with an audience of 304…eeesh. Well we got a bit more star power as it’s Red Block time. Let’s get to it! Oh and once again, only reviewing block matches and I’m like…2 months behind and I feel ancient already. But undercard stuff I do not care about.

Mayu Iwatani [6] vs. Mei Seira [4] – Red Block B Match

Background: Mayu is the aging ace and the leader of Stars. Mei is the fastest of the cruisers in Stardom and being really fast is her like…thing, she’s in the cocky young upstart stable of Neo Genesis (though they’re pure face).

The Match: We go fast to start with both doing high-speed stuff and it ending with a double dropkick and then a standoff. Mei goes for the handshake and Mayu double crosses to get the cheapshot and then after more go-go-go stuff we get the vet stomping down the smaller wrestler and doing snapmares into soccer kicks and then a camel clutch to grind things down. Mei breaks by licking the hand and then Mayu just stomps her down and and tees off on her in the corner before dropkicking her. The Icon of Stardom follows with some rope choking and then the two of them slug it out. More physical match than I was expecting so far. And Mei heard me does some tricky stuff and gets the reverse dropkick out of the ropes before getting an STF-esque hold and uses Mayu’s gear to choke her. Iwatani slips out and gets another stiff elbow and then a spin kick. But Mei stomps Mayu’s foot and gets a running blockbuster to set up her climb to the top…where Mayu cuts her off and they fight on the top, and Mayu puts down Mei with a slap and then a superplex and follows with a sloppy missile dropkick. They trade running moves and Mayu is tossed outside after a dropkick but recovers enough to trip Mei mid apron run and the smaller wrestler goes flying to the mats…but back inside and Mayu’s own dive gets cut off with a springboard dropkick. Sloppy German follows from Mei who sets up whatever her finish is (I don’t think I’ve seen it yet) and then both trade rollups and Mayu gets a crucifix driver for a nearfall. Buzzsaw kick follows and Mayu signals for the end and loads up the Dragon Suplex but Mei gets a cazadora…but Mayu reverses that into a sloppy (that word again) O’Connor Roll for the win.

**½

Well after a small diversion, it’s back to Stardom as we’re approaching the end of the tournament and we are in front of 500 odd people in Osaka. This is a shorter show but we’ll be working through the Blue Block for this one.

Anna Jay [2] vs. Miyu Amasaki [2] – Blue Block A Match

Background: So these two are not exactly stars. Anna Jay is on excursion from AEW and is mostly here to eat pins and Miyu is the pin-eater for Neo Genesis. So in the battle between the resistable force and the movable object, who will be the victor? Anna is in black and red with a long coat on and Miyu is in turquoise.

The Match: Lockup and Anna uses her superior size to toss down Miyu. So Miyu gets a kick and then grinds in a headlock before Anna runs her into the ropes to break. They trade horrible forearms and Miyu gets a DDT. Running corner attacks but Anna shrugs it off and rams Miyu’s head into every turnbuckle and chokes her in the corner. Miyu reverses a whip into a low dropkick, a low DDT, and then another dropkick and they’re at least doing power vs. speed. Miyu with a can opener but they’re too close to the ropes and they break. Amasaki tries to slingshot in and gets rocked with a forearm and we get the Queenslayer in the ropes and then through the ropes as Anna tries to finish Miyu. Anna with the short-arm heel kick and then a Gory Stretch but Miyu slips out and gets the jumping DDT for 2. Miyu goes for something but Anna gets the short-arm heel kick and then a Complete Shot into the Koji Clutch that just looks terrible. Miyu eventually makes the ropes and Anna does the disrespect kicks but Miyu fires up with a running back elbow and they do some rope-running until Miyu hits a tornado reverse STO and then the hammerlock DDT for 2.8. Miyu loads up the jumping double-underhook facebuster but Anna reverses into the Gory Bomb for 2.9. Queenslayer is locked in and Miyu gets the bodyscissors for the rear-naked choke and that gets the tap.

Okay and welcome back to more of the Five Star Grand Prix as we are in my all-time favorite wrestling venue, KBS Hall in Kyoto, Japan. We got 500 here which is pretty decent. Let’s get to it!

Saya Kamitani [4] vs. Ranna Yagami [2] – Blue Block B Match

Background: Saya is evil now and trying to prove her evilness, and she’s facing scrappy kung-fu rookie Ranna here. Lets hope it gets hate filled and vile as Saya has not impressed in this run so far. Saya is tall and dressed in glittery black with tassels…of EVIL! Ranna is in yellow and black and is quite pale with short, bleached hair.

The Match: A credit to Saya who is trying to look cold and dismissive here. They work a headlock until Saya pulls the hair and the vet grinds out Yagami, Ranna does some counter stuff and and Saya slips out and just stomps on Ranna and chokes her on the ropes and then chinlocks her. Props to Saya for actually working like a heel here. More rope choking and a cover and more stomping and taunting. Ranna eventually firing back with some forearms before getting wiped out by a single Saya forearm. Run and gun and Ranna gets a dropkick and some tentative kicks to the chest before Yagami gets a kick in the corner, a kick to the back, and tries for a juji-gatame but Saya gets the ropebreak. Back up and Ranna with more forearms and an actually clever spot as Saya does a feint punch to set up a stomp to the foot but runs into a kick regardless. More of a strikeoff with them throwing big kicks and slaps and Saya actually has some cartoon bumping here that’s appropriate. They do a weird double-down where Saya goes for her rolling heel kick and Saya for a jump kick that collides…and then Ranna just gets up and kicks Saya down again. Ranna then gets more fancy karate and an unique if awkward armbar takedown. Saya eventually makes the ropes but Ranna still sets up a cross-armed…something but Saya breaks free, hits the spinning heel kick, the northern lights, and sets up the Star Crusher but Ranna gets a small package, another chest kick, and goes for a question mark kick but Saya gets a schoolgirl…and rolls it into a backdrop driver and then a Star Crusher follows for 3.

And we’re back with more Stardom as I’m trying to hammer through this for my adoring fans. I also plan on doing some Marigold/NOAH/All Japan stuff soon as we’re getting exciting things (well All Japan is doing exciting stuff, Marigold and NOAH feel more like obligations at this point), and I’m even looking at an absolutely insane GLEAT show that’s coming up soon (Parker Boudreaux! El Hijo del Vikingo vs. Ricochet vs. CIMA vs. some other guy! The Rascalz! Nakajima vs. Funaki…the MMA Funaki). Regardless, we’re back in Korakuen so Stardom is giving us some meatier matches. It’s supposedly 1400 in the hall and it looks good so let’s get down to it. Yet again, I’m just reviewing the block matches as I’ve seen enough Stardom random tags in my lifetime.

AZM [4] vs. Tam Nakano [0] – Red Block B Match

Background: AZM has been doing pretty well, not having lost a match yet in the tournament (1 win, 2 draws) and Tam has lost all her matches so far. In the past AZM used to make fun of Tam for being an old lady when AZM was a cheekier brat than she is now, and Tam of course is all the big emotions and high feelings of joshi, lots of tears and such though Tam of course has won the red belt and AZM hasn’t ever sniffed those heights. AZM is in her raver cat DJ outfit and Tam is in a lot of purple.

Hello and welcome back to more Five Star Grand Prix action and today we have an afternoon and night show, but since I’m just reviewing block matches it’s just 12 matches over both of them so I’m going to be combining the reviews instead of bowing before the feet of the Content God. We have 500+ in Utsunomiya here.

Starlight Kid [0] vs. Anna Jay [2] – Blue Stars A Match

Background: I’ve talked about who Starlight Kid is before, but the shorthand is she’s a very popular masked junior who is the most ‘traditional junior’ of the roster, she does moonsaults and big slams and has a super deep arsenal and as a heel she developed her submission skill. Anna Jay is of course here from AEW as well, I don’t really have much to say about her but she’s significantly bigger than Kid.

The Match: I will say that Starlight Kid now dressing in all the bright glittery blues again and having pink hair comes across as weird with her super heel-ish theme. Lockup and some wristwork follow as they’re being super basic to start. Kid goes for a pumphandle but Anna just hip checks her a few times before SLK gets a low dropkick that Anna just…bumps weirdly for. Starlight works the knee a bit but misses the standing moonsault so Anna gets a running blockbuster and then slams Kid into the turnbuckles. SLK with the flying headscissors and a springboard reverse crossbody. They do some more rope-running and Anna ends up on the apron and goes for a neckbreaker in the ropes but it’s blocked and Kid responds with a kneebreaker and then a dragonscrew in the ropes before teasing the Black Tiger Leg Destroyer but Anna makes the ropes. Anna gets a forearm, Kid kicks the knee, Anna gets more forearms, Kid kicks the knee, we get some more rope-running and Anna gets more forearms, and then a spinning heel kick into the corner and a backstabber after putting Kid in the ropes. Anna goes for her short-arm spin kick but Kid reverses and gets some cross-legged Fisherman’s Suplexes. Starlight goes up and goes for the 180 splash but Anna gets her knees up, she at least has the decency to limp a bit afterwards and then attempts the Queenslayer. Or not as she loads up a Gory Bomb instead, Kid sunset flips out, they do a few reversals there, and then the masked wrestler kicks the leg, and then gets leg lariat on a kneeling Jay. Kid gets her own Gory Special…and then drops down into a kneebreaker variant. More rope-running (seemingly the only way Anna can initiate offense) and Kid gets a tilt-a-whirl into the Black Tiger Leg Destroyer but Anna ‘reverses’ into a Koji Clutch. Short-arm spin kick by the American sets up a delayed gourdbuster and then the Gory Bomb gets 2.8. Queenslayer is attempted again but Kid reverses into the BTLD until Jay makes the ropes, now we get Starlight with a top-rope moonsault onto the injured leg and the Leg Destroyer is applied and Anna eventually taps.

We’re back with another leg of the Five Star Grand Prix and we go from 1500 to uh…417. Yeowch. Anyway we’re in Shibuya so let’s have a good time. One thing I want to tell you is that I won’t really speak on the outfits of the talent unless they change it up, which uh, is likely or perhaps even probable!

Yuna Mizumori vs. Maika – Red Block A Match

Background: So this is the first Yuna appearance in the tournament as they have odd numbers of people in the blocks so not everybody can wrestle each show. Yuna is a beefy brawler type that is tropical themed cause she’s from Kumamoto, anyway she has multi-colored hair and a tan and she’s actually a part of the Cosmic Angels stable and is their powerhouse of sorts. Maika is a former red belt champion and she’s in the red tights and short hair and she really does look like she’s ripping off Utami.

Whew. Okay, I’m finally here. I’ve been burned by NOAH recently, I’ve been burned by Marigold before that, I’ve been burned by New Japan after that, I’ve been burned by All Japan (okay All Japan is still great, they just don’t run many shows) so here I am, hat in hand, returning to Stardom. The Five Star is always fun, always a time for wrestlers to make the leap and hit the next level (or not). We’ve had a lot of big changes this year in the company, so let’s see what Stardom gave us (yes I’m way behind, shut up). We’re here in the Budokan with almost 1600 people in attendance, let’s get to it.

I do want to say that I’m probably going to skip over every non-block match, I’ve seen enough Stardom undercard tags to last a lifetime and I do not need to see any more.

Saori Anou vs. Anna Jay – Blue Block A Match

Background: So Saori is aloof and stoic and pretty credible, having held the secondary title and a number of big singles belts outside the company as well. Anna of course is from AEW and well, she hasn’t accomplished much in her career but it’s trial by fire time! Anna is in dark gear with black stars on them and a big coat and a ponytail. Saori is in her gossamer and feathered boa entrance gear and her ring gear is all white with some blue highlights on her top and a long stocking/belt thing on her left leg, looks pretty cool.

So, it’s about that time, isn’t it? I haven’t watched Stardom in a while after some frustration with their booking and the backstage power struggles that leaked in front of the camera, but the Five Star is basically always a good time and I’m excited to hop back in and share a bit of my opinions about it with you.