STARDOM EXPLODE IN SUMMER 2020
Event Date: July 17, 2020 (18:30 JST)
matches published on Stardom World
City: Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan
Venue: Korakuen Hall
Attendance: 264
Commentary: none
Ring Announcer: Yurie Kozakai (1 – 4, 6, 7), Yoritaka Ando (5)
Match 1
Rina vs Hina
(referee: Duke Sado)
Result: Rina wins via submission with the Hydrangea
Time: 4:29
Match Thoughts
This was a nice opener. We’ve seen Rina and Hina fight a lot, but they’re always a good match-up. I don’t know the actual stats, but Rina seems to be beating Hina a lot. That makes me wonder if Hina might do something to try to change that.
Match 2
Natsu Sumire & Saki Kashima vs Riho (High Speed Champ) & Utami Hayashishita
(referee: Duke Sado)
Result: Utami Hayashishita pins Natsu Sumire after a torture rack bomb
Time: 8:59
Match Thoughts
Good match. Riho and Hayashishita were kind of an odd pair, but they worked well together. Kashima and Sumire attacked first, and that put Riho on the defensive to start the match, but Riho used her high-speed skills to avoid attacks and hit a lot of attacks of her own. The match was pretty much broken up into two main segments. Riho fought for a while with a little help from Hayashishita, then Hayashishita fought with a little help from Riho. Kashima and Sumire tagged a lot though, and that helped keep the pace up in this fun match. My favorite moments were between Riho and Sumire. Sumire went for her bronco buster on Riho early in the match, but Riho avoided it. Sumire tried again later in the match and basically asked Riho to stay down so she could get the move. It was pretty great how it all played out. Also, Hayashishita was campaigning hard to get Riho to join Queen’s Quest. We’ll see how that works out.
Match 3
DEATH Yama-san & Jungle Kyona vs Himeka & Syuri (Artist Champ)
(referee: Duke Sado)
Result: Syuri pins DEATH Yama-san after a buzzsaw kick
Time: 9:06
Match Thoughts
Very good match. Any formation of Donna del Mondo is going to be strong, and Syuri teaming with Himeka was no exception. This might be the strongest tandem in DDM because of Syuri’s experience and Himeka’s size and strength. They showed off their power as a team in a pretty dominant performance against Tokyo Cyber Squad. Yama-san spent a lot of time in the ring, and even though she’s a ton of fun to watch, she was overpowered tonight. Yama-san did well to avoid what she could and get in a few strikes here and there, but TCS didn’t really start going until Jungle Kyona tagged in. Kyona did really well, and I’d like to see her wrestle Syuri one on one. Tonight though, Himeka and Syuri had the advantage, and Kyona couldn’t keep up with both of them at the same time.
Match 4
AZM & Momo Watanabe vs Starlight Kid & Mayu Iwatani (World Champ)
(referee: Duke Sado)
Result: Starlight Kid pins AZM with the Ki-chan Bomb
Time: 13:44
Match Thoughts
Great match. Kid and Iwatani mentioned before the match that this tag felt like two one on one matches, and it really did feel like that lot of the time. AZM and Starlight Kid have a High Speed Title match in a three-way with Riho coming up, and Momo Watanabe has made it clear that she’s coming after Iwatani’s World of Stardom title, so yeah, it’s pretty clear why this match was made. I think it’s just a bonus that both teams already have really good chemistry with each other. The matchups were great throughout this match, and other than a scary moment when Kid fell off of Iwatani’s shoulders during a big move they were attempting, I loved everything about the match. Starlight Kid and AZM got a big spotlight towards the end of the match as they fought each other with Iwatani and Watanabe essentially staying out of the way. I think this was very good buildup for the upcoming High Speed title match.
Match 5
Future of Stardom Title Tomoe-sen Battle
Maika (Artist Champ) vs Saya Kamitani vs Saya Iida
(referee: Daichi Murayama; Title Match Official: Rossy Ogawa)
Result: Maika wins and becomes the new Future of Stardom champion
Time: 20:18 (total with rest periods)
Falls
1. Saya Kamitani pins Saya Iida after a running shooting star press (5:03)
2. Maika submits Saya Kamitani with a cross armbreaker (4:09)
3. Saya Iida pins Maika with la magistral (1:36)
4. Saya Kamitani pins Saya Iida with a bridging O’Connor Roll (1:40)
5. Maika pins Saya Kamitani after an STO (2:45)
6. Maika submits Saya Iida with a rear naked choke (3:01)
Match Thoughts
This was a fun match. The rules of a tomoe-sen battle are kind of like a variation of a gauntlet match. Two wrestlers have a one on one match while the third wrestler waits at ringside. When someone wins, the winner faces the wrestler who was waiting, and the loser waits at ringside. This repeats until a wrestler gets two consecutive wins. Whoever beats both of their opponents in back to back matches is the winner.
I think this style of match would work really well in a high-speed match where pinfalls can come quickly and often, but I think it worked well here as well. All three match-ups in this match were interesting, but I think my favorite had to be Maika versus Saya Iida. I like Saya Kamitani fine, but Iida and Maika just match up better in my opinion. Iida getting really good, and Maika already has an effortless confidence about the way she moves in the ring. I also just liked seeing Iida and Maika try to match power and holds. I was happy the way the match went, and I’d definitely like to see either of the losers challenge for the title in the future.
Match 6
Wonder of Stardom Title Tournament Semifinal Match
Konami vs Giulia (Artist Champ)
(referee: Daichi Murayama)
Result: Giulia wins via pinfall after two Glorious Drivers
Time: 19:04
Match Thoughts
Great match. I know Giulia and Tam Nakano have a big rivalry going on, so that match is the most likely scenario for the finals of this mini tournament, but this match between Giulia and Konami was good enough to be a title match on its own. Both women started cautiously, and the slowly worked their way into an extended sequence of mat wrestling. Neither wrestler really seemed to have too much of an advantage for a while, but Konami started to pull ahead on the mat. Konami has a great mix of grappling and strikes, and she started to frustrate Giulia early in the match. Giulia decided to roll to the outside to regroup, and Konami made the mistake of following her to the floor. That started a back and forth momentum to the match that had both women dominating for large segments of the match.
I loved the way this match built up and up. There was no single moment that changed the course of the match, it just came down to sustained work from both women on wearing their opponent down. I think this match was good for both wrestlers, and especially for Giulia. Giulia has a big personality and she loves to talk, but this match shows that she can back up her words with one of Stardom’s most skilled and consistent competitors.
Match 7
Wonder of Stardom Title Tournament Semifinal Match
Natsuko Tora vs Tam Nakano
(referee: Daichi Murayama)
Result: Tam Nakano wins via pinfall with a schoolboy
Time: 12:43
Match Thoughts
Very good match. Tora started her attack before the bell by hitting Nakano with a chair while she was making her ring entrance, and that started a good few minutes of Tora beating up Nakano all around the ring and ringside. Tora cheated early and often, and she had the help of her Oedo Tai faction-mates Saki Kashima and Natsu Sumire. Partway through the match, Nakano kicked Tora right on the top of her head, and that started to open things up a little. Nakano had a chance at a comeback, but Tora’s cheat-filled attacks continued to dominate the ring.
I think this was a very good way to build up interest in the final match of the Wonder of Stardom tournament, and the finish didn’t hurt either wrestler. Nakano showed her perseverance and her ability to change the course of a match with just a few kicks, and Tora showed that she is a master of cheating (and with Oedo Tai on her side, they always fight as a team no matter what kind of match it is). I’m definitely looking forward to the final match of the tournament.
Ring Area
After the match, Oedo Tai attack Tam Nakano. Stars try to help Nakano, but Oedo Tai fights dirty, and they keep the other members of Stars out of the ring. After they’re done with Nakano, Oedo Tai leave the ring.
Nakano struggles to her feet with the help of Starlight Kid. She laughs about how scary the match she just had was, and she vows to win the Wonder of Stardom Title. Nakano then calls out Giulia.
Giulia slides into the ring, and Nakano screams that she will not let Giulia have the Wonder Title. Giulia calmly goes over and picks up the Wonder title and sets it down in the ring. She says that in Nakano’s universe, winning the Wonder title is about greed. Giulia hopes everyone else will soon see Nakano for who she really is. Giulia then walks away.
Nakano calls Giulia a thief for coming into Stardom and thinking she can take whatever she wants. Nakano says she will protect Stardom, and she hopes everyone will continue to support Stars. Nakano sets an Arisa Hoshiki wristband on the Wonder Title as she calls the rest of Stars into the ring. Nakano then closes the show with “we are Stardom!”
Show Impressions
This was a really good show. It got better and better as it went along, and even though I think it peaked at Giulia versus Konami, the main event was heavy on some very good story stuff. I think the finalists of the Wonder tournament were super easy to pick beforehand, but I’m still glad they went with this mini tournament. Giulia’s match showed a side of her we don’t see too terribly often. She was technical in her abilities, and she quietly went about her business in the ring. The match also showed that she can compete well against someone like Konami who loves to kick. Tam Nakano certainly loves to kick, so tonight’s match set Giulia up well for the final match.
For Nakano, her match showed her incredible determination to win the title. I like how in the ring and in her backstage promos, some of the other members of Stars give her strange looks at times. Nakano is cute and bubbly, but there’s a lot of anger just underneath the surface. I think we’re seeing a lot of that anger bubble up in this feud with Giulia, and when Giulia just smiles at her and walks away it really seems to get to Nakano. I could see Nakano getting really violent, especially if she doesn’t win the Wonder title.
Match of the Night
Konami vs Giulia
This is probably my favorite match of Giulia’s, and possibly my favorite match of Konami’s. I liked it a lot.
Official Results (Japanese): https://wwr-stardom.com/news/20200717-2/