Stardom NEWYEAR STARS 2020
Event Date: January 3, 2020 (18:00 JST)
matches published individually on Stardom World
City: Koto, Tokyo, Japan
Venue: Shinkiba 1st Ring
Attendance: 453
Series: NEWYEAR STARS 2020
Commentary: none
Ring Announcer: Yurie Kozakai
Match 1
Natsu Sumire vs Ruaka vs Starlight Kid
(referee: Barb Sasaki)
Result: Starlight kid pins Ruaka with a moonsault press
Time: 5:23
Match Thoughts
Good match. I think Starlight Kid looked the best in the match, though Natsu Sumire added a lot of fun to it. Starlight Kid and Ruaka had a nice sequence against each other to end the match.
Match 2
Leyla Hirsch & Rina vs Hina & Leo Onozaki vs Itsuki Hoshino & Saya Kamitani
(referee: Barb Sasaki)
Result: Saya Kamitani pins Leo Onozaki after a running moonsault
Time: 4:17
Match Thoughts
This was a quick match, but I liked it. Leyla Hirsch seemed a bit out of place since everyone else in the match was so much smaller than her, but Hirsch’s power was a huge advantage for her team. This was a chaotic match that got a bit hard to keep track of, but it was fun. I liked the finish as well.
Match 3
Zoey Skye & Natsuko Tora vs Andras Miyagi & Giulia
(referee: Daichi Murayama)
Result: Giulia pins Zoey Skye after the Glorious Buster
Time: 6:34
Match Thoughts
Good match. Giulia and Andras Miyagi wrestle hard, but Natsuko Tora and Zoey Skye gave them some problems early on in the match. Miyagi wanted Tora, and Tora got beat up fairly well, but Skye came in and started a bit of a turnaround. As the match went on though, Skye got isolated. Miyagi and Giulia looked very good to end the match.
Match 4
Session Moth Martina & Jamie Hayter & Bea Priestley vs Death Yama-san & Konami (Goddess Champ) & Jungle Kyona (Goddess Champ)
(referee: Daichi Murayama)
Result: DEATH Yama-san pins Session Moth Martina with an O’Connor roll
Time: 8:50
Match Thoughts
Good match. Session Moth Martina brought a lot of comedy, but even she got sort of serious near the end of the match. This was a nicely fought match that served a preview for Jungle Kyona and Konami’s upcoming title defense against Bea Priestley and Jamie Hayter. The women involved in that title match all worked well together, and even though none of them were involved in the finish, I think this was a nice taste of what to expect at Korakuen Hall later this month.
Match 5
AZM (Artist Champ) & Utami Hayashishita (Future, SWA, & Artist Champ) & Momo Watanabe (Artist Champ) vs Saya Iida & Tam Nakano & Arisa Hoshiki (Wonder Champ)
(referee: Barb Sasaki)
Result: Utami Hayashishita submits Saya Iida with a Torture Rack
Time: 11:43
Match Thoughts
Very good match. Hayashishita and Hoshiki have a match coming up for the Wonder of Stardom Title, so that matchup got a lot of focus, but Saya Iida wanted to prove herself against Hayashishita as well. This was a fun and fast tag match with a a lot of back-and-forth action. Iida pushed hard against Hayashishita late in the match, but Queen’s Quest looked strong as a team tonight.
Match 6
Hana Kimura & Kagetsu vs Saki Kashima & Mayu Iwatani (World Champ)
(referee: Daichi Murayama)
Result: Hana Kimura pins Mayu Iwatani with a package piledriver
Time: 14:25
Match Thoughts
Very good match. It was so, so great seeing Hana and Kagetsu together again and in their old Oedo Tai gear. Their tag team is one of the things that helped me to fall in love with Stardom. It’s sad that we’ll never see them together like this again, but it was amazing seeing them tonight.
The match was fun, and after a while it became almost a one-on-one between Hana and Mayu. Kagetsu ran interference with Saki, letting Hana battle the World of Stardom Champ for a large part of this match. There was also a very interesting development between Saki and Mayu right before the end of the match. So yeah, there was a lot going on in this match, and I loved it all.
Ring Area
After the match, Saki Kashima laughs and asks Mayu Iwatani if she’s okay. Saki says she’s tired of having to support Mayu, and she doesn’t want to do the “stupid glittery” wrestling that Stars like to do. Saki calls Mayu a dog and steps on her head, prompting Tam Nakano to push Saki away. Stars take Mayu out of the ring, and Natsu Sumire enters with Natsuko Tora.
Sumire says she’s been saying it for a year. Saki is a degenerate, and she never belonged in Stars. Sumire says that Saki can can something more of herself by joining Oedo Tai. Sumire offers her hand to Saki. Saki says she just wants to be true to herself, and if she can do that in Oedo Tai…
Saki offers her hand to Sumire, but neither woman wants to be the one to walk over to the other so they can shake on it. Natsuko Tora walks over, puts Saki and Sumire’s hands together, and declares that Saki is now in Oedo Tai. Kagetsu joins them as they all raise their hands.
Saki, Sumire, and Tora leave the ring area together. In the ring, Kagetsu invites Hana Kimura to join her. Kagetsu jokingly wonders why everyone is excited for Hana when it’s Kagetsu’s retirement road. Kagetsu says Hana was her strongest and best tag partner. Kagetsu compliments Hana and what she’s accomplished, and she was happy that Hana accepted the offer to tag together tonight.
Hana says she was proud to be the best while in Oedo Tai. She knew that when she betrayed Oedo Tai that she’d be alone for the rest of her life. She thought she didn’t need friends though. Hana says she tagged with Kagestu tonight to get revenge on Saki and Mayu for losing their tag titles to them more than a year ago, and that’s just what they did. Hana then gets on her knees and bows to Kagetsu, and Kagetsu does the same for Hana. Kagetsu gets Hana to raise her head and pulls Hana into a hug. They talk to each other for a a few seconds as the crowd watches in respectful silence.
Kagetsu then leads the crowd in a chant of “Oedo Tai” to end the show.
Show Impressions
This was a good show. The matches started off good and got increasingly better as the night went on. The main event will be the thing I remember most from this show though. It was such an important and memorable segment for me.
Match of the Night
Hana Kimura & Kagetsu vs Saki Kashima & Mayu Iwatani
I loved this. It paid tribute to Oedo Tai’s past while adding to its future. I’m sad for what’s gone, but I’m excited for what’s to come.
Official Results (Japanese): https://wwr-stardom.com/news/2020%e5%b9%b41%e6%9c%883%e6%97%a5%e3%80%80newyear-stars-2020/