STARDOM NewYear Stars 2020
Event Date: February 15, 2020 (12:00 JST)
matches published individually on Stardom World
City: Koto, Tokyo, Japan
Venue: Shinkiba 1st Ring
Attendance: 356
Series: NewYear Stars 2020
Commentary: none
Ring Announcer: Yurie Kozakai
Match 1
Itsuki Hoshino & Saya Kamitani vs Hina & Leo Onozaki
(referee: Daichi Murayama)
Result: Itsuki Hoshino pins Leo Onozki with La Magistral
Time: 6:12
Match Thoughts
This was a good opener. Leo Onozaki recently announced that she would retire due to nagging injuries, so this would her final match teaming with Hina as part of Queen’s Quest. Onozaki wanted to get a win tonight (and maybe a little revenge from her recent singles loss to Hoshino), but Hoshino and Kamitani are both on very good rolls. The action was good, and it did up being Onozaki versus Hoshino at the end of the match. I liked it.
Ring Area
After the match, Leo Onozaki hugs Hoshino and Kamitani before bowing to the crowd and leaving.
Match 2
High Speed Grand Prix Round Robin Match
Zoey Skye (2 pts – 1:1:0) vs AZM (2 pts – 1:1:0)
(referee: Daichi Murayama)
Result: AZM wins via pinfall with Azumi Sushi
Time: 5:43
Match Thoughts
Very good match. Zoey Skye got pretty mean and dirty in this match. She repeatedly AZM with some vicious moves like a hanging DDT on the apron and just kicking AZM’s head into the ring post. That definitely put the crowd behind AZM for a comeback. In the later stages of the match, it was all AZM could do just to survive and try to find a quick pin attempt here and there. I think this might have been one of the better matches in the High Speed Grand Prix.
Match 3
Natsu Sumire & Saki Kashima & Natsuko Tora vs Leyla Hirsch & Ruaka & Hana Kimura
(referee: Barb Sasaki)
Result: Saki Kashima pins Ruaka after My Emblem (and a few bucket shots to the head from Natsuko Tora)
Time: 8:20
Match Thoughts
Good match. Saki Kashima began the match against Ruaka, and Kashima ended up taking a lot of punishment from every member of Tokyo Cyber Squad. After a lengthy segment of isolation for Kashima, she finally tagged out to her Oedo Tai teammates. The momentum started to shift as Natsu Sumire and Natsuko Tora took turns in the ring, and that allowed Kashima to have enough time to regain her composure. Kashima ended up finishing the match against Ruaka, and by that time Oedo Tai finally figured out how to work as a team in the match.
Match 4
Maika & Syuri & Giulia (Artist Champs) vs Saya Iida & Tam Nakano & Riho (High Speed Champ)
(referee: Daichi Murayama)
Result: Syuri submits Saya Iida with a kneeling armbar
Time: 11:38
Match Thoughts
Very good match. There were a lot of good match-ups throughout this match, and I enjoyed them all quite a lot. Both teams worked very well as units, and even though there was a fair amount of chaos during the breakdowns, you could see each team working together towards a goal. It wasn’t just every person for themselves like is what happens a lot of times when everyone is fighting. Donna del Mondo continued to show how strong they are. I think it’s kind of funny that all the other units don’t seem to take them too seriously, but Giulia, Maika, and Syuri have been a dominant force since the day they arrived. I like them a lot. I also really enjoyed seeing Riho back in a Stardom ring. It hasn’t been too long since she was last here, but I liked seeing her get involved in a match against Donna del Mondo.
Match 5
Utami Hayashishita (Future Champ) & Momo Watanabe vs Bea Priestley (Goddess Champ) & Jamie Hayter (SWA & Goddess Champ)
(referee: Barb Sasaki)
Result: Momo Watanabe pins Bea Priestley with Peach Sunrise
Time: 12:07
Match Thoughts
Very good match. Watanabe and Hayashishita wanted some revenge after Priestley attacked Momo and left Queen’s Quest last month, and they came for a fight. Priestley and Hayter were as confident as ever, but they probably should have taken Queen’s Quest a little more seriously tonight. Once Priestley and Hayter realized the fight they were in for, Watanabe and Hayashishita were already gaining some serious momentum in the match. It ended up being Priestley and Watanabe in an extended sequence to end the match, and I thought it was quite satisfying.
Ring Area
After the match, Momo Watanabe says Queen’s Quest wants and deserves a shot at the Goddess of Stardom titles. Priestley slaps Watanabe, and the ensuing brawl is quickly broken up.
Match 6
DEATH Yama-san & Konami & Jungle Kyona vs Starlight Kid & Arisa Hoshiki (Wonder Champ) & Mayu Iwatani (World Champ)
(referee: Daichi Murayama)
Result: Jungle Kyona pins Starlight Kid after a hammer throw powerbomb
Time: 8:26
Match Thoughts
Very good match. Stars were good individually, but Tokyo Cyber Squad was easily the better team tonight. Hoshiki and Iwatani each had strong performances, but they were both pretty brief. Starlight Kid spent a whole lot of time in the ring, and even though she did well, the teamwork of Tokyo Cyber Squad started to catch up to her as the match went on. This was mostly a preview for Kyona versus Iwatani, and even though they didn’t interact a ton, the match definitely displayed Kyona’s strength.
Ring Area
After the match, Jungle Kyona gets on the mic and says she is going to take the World of Stardom title from her in Nagoya. Kyona has been working on a new technique that she will unleash on Iwatani in their title match.
Match 7
Kagetsu vs Stardom
(referee: Barb Sasaki; stipulations: Kagestu will face multiple opponents, one after another, in singles matches with 1 minute time limits)
Opponents
1. Saya Iida – Draw (1:00)
2. Rina – Kagetsu submits Rina with a cross arm breaker (0:34)
3. Hina – Kagetsu submits Hina with a cross arm breaker (0:59)
4. Ruaka – Kagetsu submits Ruaka with a cross arm breaker (0:42)
5. Itsuki Hoshino – Draw (1:00)
6. Leo Onozaki – Kagetsu submits Leo Onozaki with a cross arm breaker (0:58)
7. Saya Kamitani – Draw (1:00)
8. Starlight Kid – Draw (1:00)
9. DEATH Yama-san – Draw (1:00)
10. Jungle Kyona – Draw (1:00)
11. Hana Kimura – Draw (1:00)
12. Konami – Konami sumits Kagetsu with the Triangle Lancer (0:39)
13. Giulia – Draw (1:00)
14. Syuri – Draw (1:00)
15. AZM – Draw (1:00)
16. Utami Hayashishita – Draw (1:00)
17. Momo Watanabe – Momo Watanabe pins Kagetsu with Peach Sunrise (0:59)
18. Saki Kashima – Draw (1:00)
19. Natsuko Tora – Draw (1:00)
20. Jamie Hayter – Draw (1:00)
21. Bea Priestley – Bea Priestley pins Kagetsu with Queen’s Landing (0:21)
22. Tam Nakano – Draw (1:00)
23. Hiroyo Matsumoto – Kagetsu pins Hiroyo Matsumoto with a lateral press (0:59)
24. Arisa Hoshiki – Draw (1:00)
25. Mayu Iwatani – Draw (1:00)
Match Thoughts
This was fun. It’s kind of a tradition for top Stardom wrestlers to go out with a match like this where they basically just get beat up for around thirty minutes, so I’m glad Kagetsu got to do it. Everything is very brief and the match is really just about paying tribute to whoever is leaving, but there are always some moments that stand out.
For me, I enjoyed a few of the mini-matches more than others. Saki Kashima, Arisa Hoshiki, DEATH Yama-san, and the surprise appearance from Hiroyo Matsumoto were my favorites here. Everything was good though, and even though there were lots and lots of people involved, it never dragged or got too repetitive. Everyone brought something a little different to the ring, and I thinks that’s how they all thanked Kagetsu.
Ring Area
After the match, slowly gets up and jokingly says everyone was really terrible to her with Jamie and Bea being the worst. Kagetsu then thanks everyone.
The rest of Oedo Tai is in the ring, and Kagetsu tells them to run things as they see fit. She calls over Natsuko Tora and hands over her jutte in a symbol of passing the leadership of Oedo Tai to her. Kagetsu then calls everyone else into the ring. She tells Hanan that she used the jumping arm bar to repeatedly beat people tonight as a message. Kagetsu would like for Hanan to use the move going forward.
Kagetsu then tries to hold back tears as she thanks Hiroyo Matsumoto for being here tonight. She goes on, saying that she is Stardom’s. She says it’s been strange working as a freelancer over the past few weeks after her last Stardom match as a member of the roster. Until she retires, no matter where she goes, she is Stardom’s Kagetsu. She then brings everyone in close and closes the show with “we are Stardom.” Everyone tosses Kagetsu in the air (without dropping her this time), then she leaves with Oedo Tai.
Show Impressions
This was a good show. Extra time had to be made for Kagetsu’s main event, so some of the other matches that would’ve likely gone on longer on any other night were cut down somewhat, but it was all still very good. Plus, Kagetsu’s match was emotional. I liked that Kagetsu essentially got to have two final matches in Stardom, and they were both very different.
Match of the Night
Donna del Mondo vs Iida & Nakano & Riho
Kagetsu’s match was definitely the most memorable of the night, but as far as normal matches that I’d watch again just for the action, I think this trios match was tops for me tonight. I really enjoyed the different match-ups we got to see, and I really enjoyed how both teams worked.
Official Results (Japanese): https://wwr-stardom.com/news/2020%e5%b9%b42%e6%9c%8815%e6%97%a5%e3%80%80stardom-newyear-stars-2020/