STARDOM 5★STAR SPECIAL in KORAKUEN
Event Date: September 28, 2020 (18:30 JST)
matches published on Stardom World
City: Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan
Venue: Korakuen Hall
Attendance: 407
Commentary: none
Ring Announcer: Yoritaka Ando
Match 1
Hanan vs Riho
(referee: Barb Sasaki)
Result: Riho wins via submission with a crossface
Time: 5:11
Match Thoughts
Good match. Hanan is getting better and better, and Riho helped her look look strong tonight. The pace was high throughout the match, and even though Riho was never really in trouble, Hanan still gave her a good fight. This was a fine opening match.
Ring Area
In the ring, Itsuki Hoshino apologizes to everyone who was looking forward to watching her final match before her retirement tonight. She has been in treatment for an unexplained physical condition since she’s been a part of Stardom, and the only way for her to recover is to step away from the Stardom ring. Not everyone can be a professional wrestler, but Hoshino is happy that she was able to be one for at least a little while.
After Hoshino finishes her speech, Rossy Ogawa enters the ring and hands her a gift. Hoshino leaves the ring and bows one last time before heading backstage.
Match 2
Bea Priestley vs Saya Kamitani (Goddess Champ)
(referee: Barb Sasaki)
Result: Bea Priestley wins via pinfall with Plan Bea
Time: 9:32
Match Thoughts
Good match. Despite being one-half of the tag champs, Kamitani was the underdog in this match. So even though the finish wasn’t surprising, Kamitani looked good against Priestley. This did feel like the first step towards an eventual tag title match and I’m cool with that.
Match 3
Himeka & Maika (Artist & Future Champ) vs Saya Iida & Starlight Kid
(referee: Barb Sasaki)
Result: Maika pins Saya Iida after Enka Otoshi
Time: 9:59
Match Thoughts
Very good match. Maika and Himeka were teaming together for the first time, but they were supremely confident that they could handle Saya Iida and Starlight Kid. For a good while, Maika and Iida isolated Iida had were having fun slamming her over and over. They got a bit complacent though, and that opened the door for Iida and Starlight Kid to fight back. Iida took the fight to Maika with some help from Kid while Himeka was kept out of the ring. Maika took some damage, but after a short while she regained her control of the match. Iida fought hard, but Maika proved to be too difficult to handle for her. This was a fun match, and I’d like to see any combination of these wrestlers go at it again.
Match 4
Captain’s Fall Match
Natsu Sumire (Captain) & Saki Kashima & Natsuko Tora w/ Bea Priestley vs DEATH Yama-san & Konami & Jungle Kyona (Captain) w/ Ruaka, Rina
(referee: Barb Sasaki; stipulation: If Tokyo Cyber Squad [Kyona’s team] loses, they must disband.)
Result: Tokyo Cyber Squad wins (Kyona & Konami survive)
1. DEATH Yama-san pins Saki Kashima with a reversal to Kishikaisei (5:44)
2. Natsuko Tora pins DEATH Yama-san after Ascension (6:35)
3. Natuko Tora is disqualified when she hangs Jungle Kyona over the top rope by the neck with a chain (12:30)
Time: 12:30
Match Thoughts
Very good match. The action was fun, but a lot of the tension was built around the stipulation of Tokyo Cyber Squad having to disband if they lose. It felt like it might be time for the members of TCS to go in different directions, but it would also be sad to see them break up.
A Captain’s Fall match is a type of elimination tag match. Before the bell, one captain is selected for each team. The match is contested under normal tag rules, but there are two ways to win. A team must either eliminate their opponent’s captain, or they must eliminate both of the opposition’s team member who ARE NOT captain. It’s a neat concept for a match, and it made following along interesting. It was also interesting that Oedo Tai chose Sumire as their captain. Sumire is great, but Natsuko Tora is the leader of the group. I thought they might have a strategy with that decision, but Tora seemed to go off on her own with little regard to the rules or stipulations. That led to a fairly brutal finish, but a finish that continues this faction feud rather than ending it. If Tora’s strategy was to just make Kyona even more angry, then it worked.
Ring Area
After the match, Jungle Kyona isn’t happy with the way TCS won. Kyona wants Tora in a No Rules Match at the Yokohama Budokan show with the stipulation that whoever loses, their faction must disband. Tora doesn’t react, so Kyona attacks her. After a brief scuffle, Oedo Tai leaves. Kyona rages as she and the rest of TCS head to the back.
Match 5
Mei Hoshizuki & Rin Kadokura & Takumi Iroha vs AZM (High Speed Champ) & Utami Hayashishita (Goddess Champ) & Momo Watanabe
(referee: Daichi Murayama)
Result: Mei Hoshizuki pins AZM with a reversal to a backslide
Time: 20:36
Match Thoughts
Very good match. Mei, Rin, and Takumi are from the Marvelous promotion, so this was a special challenge match of sorts. It was also a whole lot of fun. People were pairing off before the match even started: Takumi with Momo, Mei with AZM, and Rin with Utami. The match started with Rin versus Utami, but Utami walked right past Rin and started going for Takumi. Utami’s intentions were clear, but Rin brought her back to the center of the ring with an attack to start the match.
The momentum shifted back and forth a lot throughout the match, and neither team really seemed to have an extended advantage. For me though, I think Utami stood out for Queen’s Quest and Mei stood out for Marvelous. Utami spent a lot of time in the ring for her team, and she looked very strong against all three of her opponents. On the other side, Mei showed some nice high-speed skills and held her own against Queen’s Quest despite being one of the smaller competitors in the match. This match was fast and fun, and I quite enjoyed the variety of styles on display.
Ring Area
After the match, Takumi Iroha gets on the mic. She looks over at Momo Watanabe and says Momo has gotten stronger. Takumi looks forward to the day she and Momo will meet in the ring again.
Takumi then addresses Utami Hayashishita. As the winner of the 5 Star GP, Utami will face the winner of the World Title match between Mayu Iwatani and Syuri. Takumi made a promise though, and she wants to face Mayu next (if Mayu retains against Syuri). Takumi asks for Utami’s cooperation in stepping ahead of her in line. Utami says that if she were next in line, then Takumi wouldn’t be facing Mayu for the title, so she agrees to let Takumi be next. Utami says she is in the best spot now, because Mayu, Syuri, and Takumi are just going to increase the value of the title when she finally gets her title match.
AZM takes the mic and challenges Mei Hoshizuki to a High Speed Title match. Mei says she’s often told that she and AZM are a lot alike. Mei agrees to a title match, but she would also like to form a tag team with AZM. Mei holds out her hand, but AZM doesn’t shake. AZM says Rossy Ogawa will decide that.
Match 6
Syuri (Artist Champ) & Giulia (Artist & Wonder Champ) vs Tam Nakano & Mayu Iwatani (World Champ)
(referee: Daichi Murayama)
Result: Time Limit Draw
Time: 30:00
Match Thoughts
Great match. This was a preview of two title matches coming up at the Yokohama Budokan show: Nakano vs Giulia for the Wonder Title, and Syuri vs Iwatani for the World Title. Both matches were previewed extremely well.
The match started with Syuri versus Iwatani, and they started with a grappling session. Neither woman had a clear advantage, though Syuri did seem to be a bit more calm and in-control. After that, Giulia and Nakano tagged in and went to war with each other. Every encounter between them has been rather violent, and this was no exception. The pace of the match picked up considerably at this point, and after Nakano and Giulia beat on each other for a while, everyone started to get involved with everyone. After everyone had some good exchanges, Nakano and Giulia once again ended up battling. Their strikes were heavy and plentiful, but it was a kick from Nakano to Giulia’s head that really changed the tone of the match. Giulia was rocked, and Nakano tried to press the attack. Giulia survived though, and the fight went on with Iwatani and Syuri helping their teammates from time to time.
The final section of the match went back to Syuri and Iwatani. Iwatani took a lot of damage, but she dealt a lot of damage as well. Before the match Iwatani said she was nervous about Syuri’s kicks. Syuri did kick Iwatani quite a lot, but Iwatani gave some back as well. The two women fought and fought, but neither could keep the other down. The match ended with no resolution, but if the matches in Yokohama are even better than the battles we saw tonight, then we’re in for a great night of wrestling.
Ring Area
After the match, Giulia says there will be no draws in Yokohama. To ensure that, she suggests that their title matches have no time limits. Syuri likes the idea, but Nakano says Giulia can’t just decide that. Nakano is okay with no time limits though. Iwatani is also fine with it, and she tells Syuri to kick and kick and kick her. Syuri assure Iwatani that she will be kicked many times. Iwatani and Nakano leave, so Donna del Mondo closes the show.
Show Impressions
This was a really good show. It definitely got better and better as it went, and the main event was great. It got me even more excited for the Wonder and World Title matches (and I didn’t think that was possible).
Match of the Night
Syuri & Giulia vs Tam Nakano & Mayu Iwatani
A great match on its own, and a great preview of what’s to come.
Official Results (Japanese): https://wwr-stardom.com/news/20200928korakuen/