Even though I am a big fan of tournaments and enjoy most of the wrestlers, this year I opted not to try to watch the entire 5 STAR GP as I simply didn’t have the time. But I didn’t want to skip out on the finals, so here we are, playing quick catch-up. All 16 wrestlers in the tournament will have a match on this show, with the winners of each group meeting in the main event. Going into the show, here were the standings:

• 5 STAR Grand Prix Blue Stars Block: Jamie Hayter vs. Saki Kashima
• 5 STAR Grand Prix Blue Stars Block: Kelly Klein vs. Nicole Savoy
• 5 STAR Grand Prix Blue Stars Block: Hazuki vs. Natsu Sumire
• 5 STAR Grand Prix Blue Stars Block: Mayu Iwatani vs. Momo Watanabe
• 5 STAR Grand Prix Red Stars Block: Kimber Lee vs. Rachael Ellering
• 5 STAR Grand Prix Red Stars Block: Konami vs. Utami Hayashishita
• 5 STAR Grand Prix Red Stars Block: Jungle Kyona vs. Natsuko Tora
• 5 STAR Grand Prix Red Stars Block: Kagetsu vs. Tam Nakano
• 5 STAR Grand Prix Finals: Winner of Blue Stars vs. Winner of Red Stars

As I mentioned above, I am watching the show on Samurai TV which is a two hour program, so some (if not most) of the matches will be clipped. All the wrestlers have a profile on Joshi City, you can click on their names above to go straight to it. Let’s get started.

Jamie Hayter vs. Saki Kashima

Jamie acts like she wants to shake Saki’s hand but slaps her instead, Saki fires back at her with kicks and goes up top, hitting a diving footstomp for a two count. Saki picks up Jamie and applies a satellite armbar, but Jamie gets out of it by slamming Saki to the mat. Knees by Jamie and she delivers a running knee, but Saki reverses the cover into one of her own for two. Stunner by Saki and she hits a double underhook facebuster followed by a bridging butterfly suplex for two. Saki goes off the ropes but Jamie catches her with a side slam onto her knee, she then hits a vertical suplex onto her knees for the three count pinfall! Jamie Hayter wins and gets two points in the tournament.

They clipped a really short match even shorter. This is the first time I’ve seen Jamie wrestle, she seems fine, lots of quality knees. Saki looked fired up as well, since it was a sprint they were going all out. Obviously too short to recommend but a solid two minutes of wrestling.

Kelly Klein vs. Nicole Savoy

This one is joined in progress with Kelly cranking Nicole’s neck, knees by Kelly and she knees Nicole in the back of the head for a two count. Kelly picks up Nicole but Nicole elbows her back, Nicole charges Kelly but Kelly moves and chokes Nicole in the corner. She chokes her some more as the referee tries to get her to stop, Nicole gets free and knocks Kelly off the turnbuckle so she is hanging by her leg. Kelly gets herself free but is holding her knee, leg kicks by Nicole and when Kelly picks up Nicole she collapses due to her bad knee. Cross kneelock by Nicole into a single leg crab hold, and Kelly has no choice but to submit! Nicole Savoy wins and ends the tournament with 8 points, which likely also eliminates Kelly from winning her block.

I am not going to lie, these rapid fire matches are fun to watch. Don’t get me wrong, you aren’t going to get any real substance when three minutes of a match is shown (it was only a six minute match anyway), but Nicole Savoy is fantastic and Kelly Klein played her part very well here. I enjoyed this, I won’t be able to really recommend these sub-five minute matches but its making me wish I had watched more of the tournament if this is the type of action I missed.

Hazuki vs. Natsu Sumire

To prove that point, Natsu chokes Hazuki while they are still doing the Oedo Tai dance before tossing her out of the ring to the floor. So the match starts with Natsu attacking Hazuki on the floor as she throws Hazuki hard into the chairs at ringside, she slides Hazuki back into the ring and boots her in the back of the head while she is tied up in the ropes. Stomps by Natsu, she picks up Hazuki but Hazuki hits a running elbow in the corner. Swandive dropkick by Hazuki and she gives Natsu some bootscrapes in the corner before delivering a running boot. Full Nelson Slam by Hazuki and she puts Natsu in the armtrap crossface, but Natsu gets a foot on the ropes for the break. Hazuki charges Natsu and nails a Pump Kick, Natsu tries to come back with a boot of her own but Hazuki slides under it and schoolboys Natsu for two. Hazuki charges Natsu but Natsu moves and whips her, she sets up Hazuki in the corner and hits her thrusting bronco buster. Hard elbows by Natsu and she delivers a running boot, bridging scoop slam by Natsu but it gets a two count. Natsu grabs Hazuki but Hazuki pushes her off and the two trade elbows, inside cradle attempt by Natsu but Hazuki reverses it into La Magistral for the three count! Hazuki wins and has nine points in the tournament.

This match wasn’t clipped as Oedo Tai is one of the main focuses of the promotion so we got their full presentation. I enjoyed this as well, I loved Natsu choking out Hazuki during the dance to get the upper hand and there was certainly no indication that either was going easy on the other. Natsu is 90% character work but its a quality character, and Hazuki continues to get better. For a short match they delivered something memorable, which is all you can ask for.  Mildly Recommended

Mayu Iwatani vs. Momo Watanabe

They start fast as they charge each other and trade suplex attempts, kick by Mayu and they trade armdrags until they reach a stalemate. Momo goes for a dropkick but Mayu moves, dropkick by Mayu and she dropkicks Momo again while she is against the ropes. Momo falls out of the ring, Mayu goes up top but Momo quickly rolls back in. Mayu jumps off the turnbuckle but eats a dropkick, kicks by Momo and she twists Mayu’s arm in the bottom rope. Mayu rolls out as she holds her arm but returns after a moment, more kicks to the arm by Momo and she knocks her into the corner. Momo goes off the ropes but Mayu catches her with the Sling Blade, Momo fires back with an elbow and two trade shots. Spinning headscissors by Mayu but Momo avoids her charge in the corner, Mayu rolls Momo to the mat and delivers a dropkick for a two count. Mayu picks up Momo but Momo slides away and kicks Mayu in the chest, more kicks by Momo but Mayu finally catches one and hits a dragon screw. Momo recovers and puts Mayu in a modified armbar, she releases Mayu after a moment and kicks her out of the ring. Momo goes for the Somato off the apron but Mayu moves, they both go for suplexes on the floor but they are blocked. Momo eventually gets Mayu up and drops her with a B Driver on the floor, she then gets on the apron and hits the Somato. Momo slides Mayu back in the ring and delivers the traditional Tequila Sunrise, but Mayu kicks out. Momo goes for the Peach Sunrise but Mayu blocks it and rolls up Momo for two. High kick by Mayu and she nails the dragon suplex hold, but the bell rings as the time limit has expired. Mayu and Momo both get one point, and Mayu Iwatani advances to the Finals with nine points!

I really need to go watch the Stardom World version of this match as they cut out about six minutes on Samurai TV which is a shame. That being said I did enjoy everything that they showed us here, Momo has really turned into an ass kicker and its really putting Stardom in an interesting spot as they currently have several wrestlers with a legitimate claim to being the “Future Ace” of the company. Mayu continues to be a bump machine and makes everything look deadly, she was dominated here (or at least with what made TV) but never felt out of it as being a rag doll is her style. Really entertaining but I think the full version needs to be seen to really get a feel for the match.  Recommended

Kimber Lee vs. Rachael Ellering

We join this one in progress as Rachael picks up Kimber, Kimber pushes her off and hits a series of kicks before covering Rachael for two. Kimber picks up Rachael but Rachael throws her into the ropes and delivers a swinging side slam. Rachael picks up Kimber and puts her on the top turnbuckle, she then joins her but Kimber headbutts Rachael back to the mat. Kimber goes for a senton bomb but Rachael moves out of the way, Rachael grabs Kimber and gets her on her shoulders but Kimber applies a sunset flip with extra gusto and she picks up the three count! Kimber Lee wins and knocks Ellering out of the finals.

This probably is the first match I would say wasn’t entertaining to watch. Part of it was just the sheer shortness of it but even with what they showed it didn’t really feel fluid. Too short to be offensive but nothing to see here.

Konami vs. Utami Hayashishita

Konami and Utami tie-up and trade standing submissions until Konami takes Utami to the mat with an armbar. Konami rolls Utami out of the hold and kicks her twice, snapmare by Konami and she kicks Utami in the back for a two count. Konami picks up Utami but Utami elbows her off, back kick by Konami but Utami hits a hard shoulderblock. Utami goes for a slam but Konami blocks it, Irish whip by Konami but Utami reverses it and hits a dropkick in the corner. Scoop slam by Utami and she hits another shoulderblock, she goes for a sleeper but Konami slides away and applies an armbar. Buzzsaw Kick by Konami and she delivers a sliding kick to Utami’s midsection, fisherman suplex hold by Konami but it gets a two count. Konami goes off the ropes but Utami hits a judo toss, she gets Konami up but Konami puts her in a sleeper hold. Utami throws Konami off of her and applies a Camel Clutch, but Konami rolls out of it and applies the cross armbreaker. Utami gets a foot on the ropes to force the break, Konami picks her up but Utami delivers a trio of STOs for a two count. Utami goes up top but Konami avoids the missile dropkick, she goes for a submission but Utami blocks it so Konami applies a sunset flip for two. Seated armbar by Konami but Utami gets out of it and applies a sleeper hold into a takedown. She keeps the sleeper applied but Konami gets close to the ropes so Utami releases it and puts Konami in the Argentine Backbreaker before slamming her to the mat. Utami picks Konami back up and puts her in the Argentine Backbreaker again, and this time Konami submits! Utami Hayashishita wins and now has 10 points as well as the lead of the Red Stars block.

Sometimes a wrestler can be labeled as a super rookie of sorts and the hype train is excessive, but in Utami’s case it is completely justified. For someone that just officially debuted two months ago, she is so smooth on the mat and she looked completely at home exchanging holds and positions with Konami. Between her submissions and power moves she is the total package, and she is a great seller as well. This was a shorter match but was a good small sample of what she brings to the table, and while it may annoy some that she is picking up wins over wrestlers years her senior, sometimes when you have a hot act you just have to run with it. A really tight and well-worked match, no complaints whatsoever outside of the length.  Recommended

Jungle Kyona vs. Natsuko Tora

Natsuko immediately starts the match with a spear, she goes for a second one but Kyona catches her and they get into a shoulderblock battle. Kyona wins the exchange, she picks up Natsuko and hits a scoop slam followed by a running body press for a two count. Back up they trade strikes, Kyona chops Natsuko in the corner and hits a body avalanche, but Natsuko fires back with a hard shoulderblock. Elbows by Natsuko, she goes off the ropes but Kyona catches her with a lariat. Sliding lariat to the back by Kyona, she picks up Natsuko and puts her on her shoulder before spinning her down onto her knee for a two count. Crab hold by Kyona but she lets go after a moment and stomps on Natsuko’s back, Scorpion Deathlock by Kyona but Natsuko gets to the ropes for the break. Kyona goes up top but Natsuko hits her before she can jump off and flings Kyona to the mat. Running knee by Natsuko, she gets Kyona on her shoulders and hits a rolling fireman’s carry slam. Natsuko goes up top but Kyona smacks her and goes up top as well, she goes for a powerslam but Natsuko slides down and hits a powerbomb for a two count. Natsuko picks up Kyona but Kyona gets away and clubs her in the head. Spear by Natsuko, she picks up Kyona and hits a side slam for a two count. Natsuko goes up top and she nails a diving body press, she goes up top and immediately delivers a second one before following up with a third diving body press for the three count cover! Natsuko Tora wins and knocks Jungle Kyona out of the tournament.

The most interesting thing here is not that Natsuko won, but how she won. Since Natsuko is basically the #2 wrestler in Jungle Assault Nation while Kyona is the leader, any win would have been worth noticing but if it was a fluke win it wouldn’t mean much big picture. But Natsuko didn’t just win the match, she literally crushed Kyona at the end to win it emphatically. Up to that point the match was fine, your typical strength-based battle, but its the ending that left an impression. Maybe it meant nothing and will be forgotten, but in the moment it felt like a big deal and a big win for the less experienced wrestler. A fun match overall, a few parts weren’t completely smooth but still a solid match with an unexpected ending.  Mildly Recommended

Kagetsu vs. Tam Nakano

Tam immediately goes for a head kick but Kagetsu ducks, she goes for one as well with no luck as they both trade kick attempts back and forth. Tam elbows Kagetsu but Kagetsu elbows her back as they trade blows, Tam jumps on the second turnbuckle and applies a dragon sleeper while in the ropes. The referee gets her to stop, cutter by Tam and she hits a cartwheel kneedrop for two. Kagetsu elbows Tam off of her and goes off the ropes, but Tam catches her with a head kick followed by a German suplex hold for two. Tam goes up top and nails the Takako Panic, she picks up Kagetsu and goes off the ropes, but Kagetsu connects with a head kick. Tam is up first but Kagetsu delivers a kick combination, Kagetsu gets Tam on her shoulders and hits a Samoan Drop, but the cover gets two. Kagetsu quickly picks up Tam and hits a vertical suplex, crab hold by Kagetsu but Tam gets into the ropes for the break. Stomps by Kagetsu, she picks up Tam and delivers a pair of Ebisu Drops. A third Ebisu Drop by Kagetsu, but Tam barely kicks out of the cover. She slams Tam in front of the corner before going up top, but Tam joins her and hits a superplex. Sliding Knee by Kagetsu, but Tam gets her hands on the rope when she goes for the cover. Kagetsu picks up Tam and slaps her, she goes off the ropes but Hana Kimura hits her from the floor with a chair. This gives Tam a chance to cradle Kagetsu and she picks up the three count! Tam Nakano wins and Kagetsu is eliminated!

Post match, Hana fights Oedo Tai and is officially leaving the faction, after teasing it for most of the tournament.

There are a few ways to look at a match like this. On one hand, Hana breaking away from Oedo Tai is an important story, and long term maybe more important than winning the GP, so it overshadowing the final match (and leading directly to who is in the Finals) isn’t a big deal. On the other hand, if you were looking for a clean back and forth (well as clean as Oedo Tai gets) with a conclusive ending, this probably wasn’t it, so your opinion of this match will be based on if you enjoy Hana turning on her group since that was the focus. I am neutral on it, and at least leading up to that ending the match was entertaining. Tam and Kagetsu have solid chemistry and both of their strikes were on point, and Tam was extra fired up which got the crowd engaged. So while it ended up being a storyline match, which is a bit of a shame, it still had good action as well so no complaints.  Mildly Recommended

Mayu Iwatani vs. Utami Hayashishita
Stardom 5☆STAR GP Final

Tie-up to begin, Utami quickly takes Mayu to the mat but Mayu kicks her in the head and stomps her against the ropes. Mayu starts on Utami’s arm, continuing the work that Konami began earlier, she hiptosses Utami to the mat and twists her arm while covering her for two. Mayu keeps on the arm but Utami finally gets away and applies a sleeper, but Mayu slides out of it and applies a seated armbar. She lets go and stomps on Utami, she sets up Utami near the ropes and dropkicks her out of the ring. Mayu goes up top but Utami jumps on the apron and gets Mayu on her shoulders before tossing her down to the floor. Utami slides Mayu back into the ring and puts her in a modified Camel Clutch, but Mayu inches to the ropes to force a break. Utami picks up Mayu and starts on her arm, she tosses Mayu into the corner but Mayu rebounds out of it with a triple jump dropkick. Stomps by Mayu and she dropkicks Utami twice while she is against the ropes, cover by Mayu but Utami kicks out. Diving footstomp by Mayu and she goes for the dragon suplex, but Utami grabs the top rope to block it.

Mayu goes off the ropes but Utami catches her with a judo toss and puts her in a sleeper, but Mayu gets a toe on the ropes. Utami gets Mayu on her shoulders but Mayu quickly slides off and hits a high kick, lariat by Mayu but Utami rocks her back with a lariat of her own. Mayu recovers first and nails the standing crucifix bomb, she picks up Utami and delivers a strike combination followed by a release German. Mayu goes up top but Utami gets up and knocks her down to the apron, Utami chokes Mayu over the top rope and drags her back into the ring, keeping the hold applied until Mayu makes it to the ropes to get the break. Utami gets Mayu in the Argentine Backbreaker and slams her backwards into the mat, cover by Utami but Mayu gets a shoulder up. Utami goes up top and hits a missile dropkick, she goes up again but this time Mayu hits her before she can jump off and climbs up as well. Frankensteiner by Mayu and she kicks Utami in the chest, high kick by Mayu and she delivers a thrust kick to the head. Cover by Mayu, but it gets two. Mayu goes up top and nails the Frog Splash, but Utami kicks out of the pin attempt. Mayu picks up Utami but Utami blocks the dragon suplex, Utami goes for an elbow but Mayu ducks it and nails her version of the dragon suplex hold for the three count! Mayu Iwatani wins the match and the 5☆STAR GP!

Another great match for both tonight, if there were still any doubts about Stardom’s future they can be put to rest. The action was very fluid and fast paced, and completely captivating as Mayu is not only a master at selling but really laid in with the strikes here and asserted herself as the dominate wrestler at times which she doesn’t always do. I liked the callback on Utami’s arm but it was very quickly forgotten, its like both wrestlers felt obligated to tip their cap to the wounds from the prior matches but were not dedicated at all to following through. The fact Utami had two matches of this caliber on the same card just a few months into her career is scary, she is definitely one that is going to make an impact sooner than later. Overall a high end match with all the drama and ‘moments’ one could hope for, it didn’t feel like a MOTYC for various small reasons but still a great display by both wrestlers.  Highly Recommended

The post Stardom 5☆STAR GP Finale on 9/24/18 Review appeared first on Joshi City.

It is that time of the month again that Stardom has aired on Samurai TV and we catch up on what they are up to. While I don’t currently have the time/desire to watch all of Stardom’s smaller events, they really do their best to stack their Korakuen Hall shows. This one is a bit more iffy because the current crop of Gaijins are a bit more iffy, but there are still some big matches. Plus, this will be my first time seeing Sumire Natsu since she started in Stardom, I wasn’t ever really impressed with her in WAVE but in a new promotion and with a new attitude anything can happen. Here is the full card:

• Hanan vs. Ruaka
• Jungle Kyona, Kaori Yoneyama, and Natsuko Tora vs. Konami, Shiki Shibusawa, and Starlight Kid
• Kris Wolf vs. Momo Watanabe
• AZM and HZK vs. Chardonnay and Scarlett
• Hiromi Mimura vs. Sumire Natsu
• Goddesses Of Stardom Championship: Hana Kimura and Kagetsu vs. Bea Priestley and Kelly Klein
• Wonder Of Stardom Championship: Yoko Bito vs. Io Shirai

Since I am watching the Samurai TV version, I assume the undercard will be mercifully clipped. Per usual, all wrestlers above have a profile on Joshi City, you can click on their names above to go straight to it.

Hanan vs. Ruaka

They lock right up to start, trading holds and elbows until Ruaka hits a reverse STO. Ruaka goes off the ropes but Hanan does too and cradles her for a two count, charging STO by Hanan but that gets a two count as well. Big Boot by Ruaka and a second one, she hits the Fisherman Suplex Hold and picks up the three count! Ruaka wins!

This was only a four minute or so match but was clipped in half from that, probably just highlighting the bigger moves in the match. Sometimes these two can have some awkward moments but none here, so either they were clipped out or they are improving. Just a standard Stardom rookie match, nothing particularly memorable was shown.

Kyona, Yoneyama, and Natsuko Tora vs. Konami, Shiki Shibusawa, and Starlight Kid

We join the match very much in progress, with Natsuko and Shiki getting hot tags to become the legal wrestler. Natsuko and Shiki trade elbows, face crusher by Shiki and she puts Natsuko in a headscissors armbar. It quickly gets broken up but all six wrestlers end up in the ring, Team Jungle throws their opponents into each other before hitting body avalanches. Kyona, Kaori, and Natsuko go up top but all three are knocked off before they can jump, leaving Natsuko isolated in the ring. Natsuko is triple teamed in the corner, cover by Shiki but it gets a two count. Shiki gets on the second turnbuckle and hits a missile dropkick, she goes all the way up the next time but Natsuko avoids the second missile dropkick. Running knee by Natsuko, but Shiki gets her shoulder up on the cover. Natsuko picks up Shiki but Shiki sneaks in an inside cradle for two, Konami comes in to help and Shiki cradles Natsuko for another two count. Kaori and Kyona come in and clear the ring, Kaori hits a diving senton with Kyona following with a diving body press off the second turnbuckle. Natsuko then hits a diving body press off the top turnbuckle, and she covers Shiki for the three count. Team Jungle is victorious.

Even in heavily clipped form, they had some minor communication issues. Shiki isn’t very smooth and probably never will be, I see her more likely going the Hiromi Mimura route than ever elevating all the way up the card. Not enough shown to really give an opinion on, but I did like how Team Jungle worked together.

Kris Wolf vs. Momo Watanabe

Momo dropkicks Kris right as the match starts, Momo stomps on Kris and whips her down by the arm. Irish whip by Momo but Kris springboards away and avoids her dropkick. They trade armdrags before reaching a stalemate, Momo asks for a handshake but Kris won’t return the gesture so they go back to trading holds. Snapmare by Momo and she kicks Kris repeatedly in the back, Tam gets on the apron but Kris knocks her back to the floor by accident. Momo kicks Kris in the back but Kris avoids her next kick and hits a dragon screw. Crab hold by Kris but Momo gets out of it and kicks her in the chest, more kicks by Momo but Kris gets back in control. Kris puts Momo against the ropes but Momo avoids her charge, Momo runs at Kris but Kris catches her leg on the second rope and kicks it. Kris goes for a running kick but Momo ducks it, vertical suplex by Momo but it gets a two count. Enzuigiri by Kris and she hits a suplex, but Momo kicks out of the cover. Kris goes up top but Momo dropkicks the top rope to send her back to the mat, Somato by Momo but Kris rolls through it for a two count. Kris goes off the ropes but Momo dropkicks her, Mom charges Kris in the corner but Kris moves out of the way. Momo jumps up to the second turnbuckle and hits a missile dropkick, diving Somato by Momo and she picks up the three count! Momo Watanabe is your winner.

Momo’s injury last January came at the worst time for her, as she was finally hitting her stride and putting everything together. She looked a little rusty here, some shaky transitions, but I’m sure she’ll get back into it once she gets a few more matches in. The “high speed” sections Kris does so well weren’t too high speed in this case, but they worked together well and have good chemistry. Kris is fun to watch and it was an important win for Momo so she can continue moving up the card like she was late last year. A good match with solid action, but I expect to see more from Momo shortly.  Mildly Recommended

AZM and HZK vs. Chardonnay and Scarlett

Scarlett and HZK start the match but AZM comes in to take HZK’s place, AZM kicks Scarlett while she is dancing and goes off the ropes before hitting a hurricanrana. AZM poses to the crowd but Scarlett attacks her from behind, hip toss by Scarlett and she hits a scoop slam followed by a senton for a two count. Scarlett goes off the ropes but AZM trips her, HZK runs in and she dropkicks Scarlett in the head. AZM tags in HZK, bootscrapes by HZK but Scarlett recovers and the two trade elbows. Scarlett gets the better of the exchange and she hits HZK some hip attacks, cover by Scarlett but it gets two. Snapmare by Scarlett and she knees HZK in the back of the head, but that gets a two count as well. Scarlett finally tags in Chardonnay, Chardonnay rams HZK into Scarlett’s and hits a lariat followed by a dropkick. Body avalanche by Scarlett in the corner and Chardonnay hits one as well, hip attack by Scarlett and they both suplex HZK. Chardonnay goes off the ropes and boots HZK, but HZK responds with a pump kick and makes the hot tag to AZM. AZM dropkicks Chardonnay and Scarlett, hanging armbar by AZM and she schoolboys Chardonnay for a two count. AZM goes off the ropes and applies a tilt-a-whirl schoolboy, but she gets another two. Chardonnay catches AZM and hits a backbreaker, double underhook suplex by Chardonnay and she covers AZM, but HZK breaks it up. Scarlett comes in and hits a modified brainbuster onto HZK, scissors kick by Chardonnay to AZM but AZM gets a shoulder up. Chardonnay picks up AZM and puts her on the top turnbuckle, London Tower by Chardonnay and she picks up the three count! Chardonnay and Scarlett win!

I will say that this was better than I was expecting. That’s not to say it was great, the wrestler quality was going to be a bit of a blockade, but they worked well within their limitations and there weren’t any noticeable miscommunications. Chardonnay and Scarlett have a fair amount of ass-based offense and controlled the action, but HZK and AZM’s comebacks were well done and the match flowed along without any hiccups. I wouldn’t say it was a good match necessarily, but it was definitely watchable.

Hiromi Mimura vs. Sumire Natsu

Sumire beats down Hiromi to start but Hiromi dropkicks her back, sending her out of the ring. Hiromi goes out after her and gets up on the stage, but Sumire elbows her as she comes back to the floor. Sumire throws Hiromi back on the stage but she talks too much, giving Hiromi a chance to recover and hit a diving crossbody. Back to the ring, Sumire takes back over and even gets a chance to drink some water in the ring before drooling it onto Hiromi’s face. Bronco Buster by Sumire and she elbows Hiromi, but Hiromi keeps getting back up. Knee by Sumire and she boots Hiromi in the head, but Hiromi delivers a DDT. Acid Drop by Hiromi and she dropkicks Sumire, covering her for a two count. A La Magistral by Hiromi also gets two, she goes up top but Sumire avoids her diving crossbody. Hiromi cradles Sumire and they trade flash pins, with Tam providing some assistance from ringside. Tam elbows Hiromi, cover by Sumire with her feet on the ropes, but the referee notices. Bodyscissors roll-up by Hiromi for two, boot by Sumire and she hits a bridging suplex. Shining Wizard by Sumire, she picks up Hiromi and delivers a capture DDT for the three count! Sumire Natsu is the winner.

This wasn’t totally bad which is about as positive as I can be. The beginning of the match was weird and didn’t get them off to the best start, and Sumire is far from convincing in the dominate heel role which was the middle portion of the match. Hiromi certainly tried her best in the underdog role and she is pretty good at it, it just would have worked better against a true “monster” and not a wrestler just trying to be one. The ending helped put over Sumire as a wrestler to be reckoned with, which was the true point of the match anyway. About as good as it could have been but still not a particularly well structured match.

(c) Hana Kimura and Kagetsu vs. Bea Priestley and Kelly Klein
Goddesses of Stardom Championship

Kelly and Bea attack before the bell rings but they both eat a dropkick for their trouble, Kelly and Bea throw their opponents into each other before Kelly press slams Hana out of the ring (well on the apron). Kelly then tosses Kagetsu out of the ring as well, Bea manages to get herself to the apron and hits a cannonball down to the floor. Back in the ring, Kagetsu is double teamed, Bea stays in as the legal wrestler and she covers Kagetsu for two. She tags in Kelly but Hana blind tags herself in, which Kelly doesn’t see as she hits a Northern Lights Suplex on Kagetsu. Hana sneaks in and schoolboys Kelly for two, Hana and Kelly go back and forth until Hana rolls up Kelly and tags in Kagetsu. Kagetsu comes in the ring with a diving footstomp, punches by Kagetsu in the corner and Hana comes in to distract the referee while Kris and Tam help by kicking Kelly. Kagetsu wraps up Kelly in a submission but Kelly gets a foot on the ropes, Kelly is put between the ropes and all of Oedo Tai pose around her. Kagetsu tags Hana back in, vertical suplex by Hana and she covers Kelly for a two count. Hana gets on the second turnbuckle but Kelly avoids her dive and hits a Samoan Drop for two. Hana spits I assume water into Kelly’s face, although she drank no water so many she just blew on her, and she knees Hana in the corner.

Kelly quickly regains the advantage and with Bea they kick Hana in the corner, slingshot splash by Kelly and she makes the tag to Bea while Kagetsu is tagged in as well. Bea goes for a suplex but Kagetsu blocks it, Hana runs in but she dropkicks Kagetsu by mistake. Kelly elbows Kagetsu, cyclone suplex by Bea but Hana breaks up the cover. Kelly returns and hits a fallaway slam, PK by Bea to Kagetsu but Kagetsu barely kicks out. Kagetsu fights back and trades elbows with Bea, side suplex by Kagetsu but Kagetsu springs up and hits a kick combination. Ebisu Drop by Kagetsu but Bea reverses the cover into a pin attempt of her own for two. Sunset flip with a jackknife by Kagetsu, but Kelly breaks it up. Kelly elbows Kagetsu but Tam hits her from the apron and Hana boots her in the face. Hana picks up Bea and feeds her to Kagetsu on the second turnbuckle, and Kagetsu hits an avalanche powerbomb for two. Kagetsu and Hana both hit running boots to Bea, Ebisu Drop by Kagetsu and she nails the Oedo Coaster for the three count! Hana Kimura and Kagetsu are still the champions!

I saw some love for this match online, and maybe the Samurai TV clipping didn’t do it any favors but this never went past just “good” for me. Kelly and Bea have some ability for sure but some sections of this match didn’t look very smooth. I also really didn’t like Kagetsu randomly no-selling the suplex, which Bea had been building up to, with really no return to the no-sell. In the ‘old days’, two wrestlers would no-sell each others moves and then collapse to the mat, I like that type of thing but when a wrestler just no-sells a move and stays in control it just comes across to me as a really lazy transition. On the plus side, Kagetsu was otherwise fantastic and helped tie the match together, and Bea was impressive on the Gaijin team. More good than bad as the match was generally exciting, it just wasn’t without its faults.  Mildly Recommended

(c) Yoko Bito vs. Io Shirai
Wonder of Stardom Championship

They take it to the mat after a brief feeling out process, Bito gets Io up while locking in a headlock before snapping her to the mat and kicking Io in the back. Io returns to her feet but Bito does it again, PK by Bito and she covers Io for two. Bito kicks at Io but Io backflips away from her and hits a dropkick, sending Bito out of the ring. Io dives out onto her with a plancha suicida, she briefly returns to the ring before sliding back out to kick Bito and toss her into the crowd. Io removes the mat off the floor and goes for a suplex, but Bito blocks it and kicks her in the head. Bito grabs Io and delivers the B Driver on the bare floor, the referee tends to Io while Bito gets back into the ring. Io manages to beat the 20 count, Bito puts her in the ropes and chops Io repeatedly in the chest before dropkicking her in the upper leg for a two count. Bito throws Io into the corner and kicks her in the chest, running knee by Bito but Io dropkicks Bito in the knee in return. Io picks up Bito but Bito elbows her in the head, she goes off the ropes but Io elbows her back and dropkicks her in the head for a two count. Io charges Bito but Bito boots her in the chest, she goes for the B Driver but Io blocks it and puts her in a stretch submission hold. Bito gets out of the hold after a moment, Tiger Feint Kick by Io and she delivers the swandive dropkick for a two count. Bito comes back with a big boot to the chest, she then goes up top and hits the missile dropkick.

Bito nails a brainbuster, cover by Bito but Io gets a shoulder up. Bito goes for the B Driver again but Io wiggles away and hits a palm strike, Io charges Bito in the corner but Bito gets Io on her back and finally hits the B Driver for two. Bito picks up Io but Io slides away from her and hits a dragon screw leg whip. Double knee strike by Io, she goes up top but Bito hits her from behind before she can jump off with a moonsault. Bito pulls Io back to the mat, Io gets Bito’s ankle and puts her in an ankle hold. Io snaps down onto Bito’s leg before putting her in a Texas Cloverleaf, but Bito gets to the ropes. Io kicks Bito in the head as she gets up, she goes to the top turnbuckle and goes for a moonsault, but Bito gets her knees up. Both wrestlers slowly get up, elbows by Io but Bito elbows her back to send the Ace to the mat. Head kick by Bito and she delivers a killer German suplex, Buzzsaw Kick by Bito but Io barely kicks out of the cover. Doll B by Bito, she gets Io on her shoulders and hits the Splash Mountain, but again Io gets a shoulder up on the pin. Bito picks up Io and puts her on the top turnbuckle, she joins her as she gets Io on her shoulders, but Io reverses the avalanche Splash Mountain attempt into a Frankensteiner. Io waits for Bito to get to her knees and hits a running double knee strike to her back, rolling German suplexes by Io and she hits a final package German for a two count. Both wrestlers get up, tiger suplex hold by Io but that gets a two as well. Io goes up top and nails the moonsault, cover by Io and she gets the three count! Io Shirai is the new champion!

After the match, Yoko Bito announces that she will be retiring in December, which helps explain the result. This was an entertaining match with a lot of memorable moments, as is generally the case in Io title matches. Bito has always been less smooth than the other wrestlers at the top of Stardom this year and in-ring I wouldn’t consider her a Top 5 in the promotion, however her kicks were on point here. There were a couple awkward moments where the moves didn’t look quite right, but they overcame that in the final stretch as the last five minutes or so were very exciting. Io pulled out everything she had and looked great as usual, while Io doesn’t “need” a belt I am glad she has one again as it means more big singles matches like this one. A fitting main event and a quality title match, it wouldn’t make my MOTYC list but an enjoyable match nonetheless.  Recommended

The post Stardom Best Of The Goddesses on 11/19/17 Review appeared first on Joshi City.

Even though Stardom has way too many events for me to watch them all, I do try to catch their Korakuen Hall events since they tend to deliver. This is an odd show and probably the least star-powered one they have had in awhile. Kairi Hojo is gone, Mayu Iwatani is hurt, Hiroyo Matsumoto isn’t used as much anymore, and Toni Storm isn’t on the tour so Stardom looked outside the promotion for a bit of help. In her first singles match in Stardom since leaving the promotion in 2015, Takumi Iroha from Marvelous takes on Yoko Bito for the Wonder of Stardom Championship. We also get a ‘match series’ between Queen’s Quest and Oedo Tai, plus this is my first look at Chardonnay and Scarlett. Here is the full card:

• Ruaka and Hanan vs. Starlight Kid and Shiki Shibusawa
• Elimination Tag Match: Chardonnay and Scarlett vs. Jungle Kyona and Natsuko Tora vs. Mimura and Konami vs. Kelly Klein and Bea Priestley
• AZM vs. Kris Wolf
• Hana Kimura vs. Io Shirai
• HZK vs. Kagetsu
• Wonder of Stardom Championship: Yoko Bito vs. Takumi Iroha

I added profiles for the Gaijin wrestlers, so everyone above has a profile on Joshi City. You can click on their names to go straight to it. As I am watching the Samurai TV version, some matches may be clipped, which I am putting up with in the interest of saving time. Plus its prettier on Samurai TV and I like replays.

Ruaka and Hanan vs. Starlight Kid and Shiki Shibusawa

Hanan and Starlight Kid start the match, they do a fast paced exchange but neither gets a clear advantage. Shiki and Ruaka tag in but Ruaka tags right back out for reasons unknown, elbows by Hanan to Shiki but Shiki strikes her back. Ruaka runs in to try to help but Shiki dropkicks them both in the corner before tagging in Starlight Kid. Hanan avoids Starlight Kid’s dropkick and throws her down by the mask, leading to Shiki tagging back in. Shiki elbows Hanan but Hanan kips up, dropkick by Shiki and she puts Hanan in a crab hold. Hanan eventually gets to the ropes for the break, Hanan tags in Ruaka while Starlight Kid is also tagged in. Ruaka and Starlight Kid trade elbows before Ruaka hits a reverse STO, cradle by Ruaka but Starlight Kid reverses it and they trade flash pins. Starlight Kid goes off the ropes but Ruaka catches the crossbody and they trade pins again. Jumping crossbody by Ruaka, but Starlight Kid kicks out at two. Hanan comes in and they hit dual fisherman suplexes onto Starlight Kid, but that gets a two count as well. Ruaka goes off the ropes but Starlight Kid ducks the boot, Shiki comes in and she drops Ruaka with a face crusher. Standing moonsault by Starlight Kid, she picks up Ruaka but Ruaka blocks the Shiranui. Hanan comes in and hits a STO onto Starlight Kid, Shiki comes in and with Hanan they roll out of the ring as they elbow each other. Back in the ring, schoolboy by Starlight Kid to Ruaka, Shiki returns and they both dropkick her. Shiki gets on the second turnbuckle and hits a missile dropkick, Frog Splash by Starlight Kid to Ruaka and she picks up the three count! Starlight Kid and Shiki Shibusawa win!

This was a bit awkward. Shiki isn’t good yet, doesn’t mean she can’t be good but she isn’t a natural and it will just take time and practice if she is going to get it (I don’t have high hopes). Ruaka and Starlight Kid got a bit confused too, and when a match is this simple those little mistakes really stick out. A very skippable opener.

Chardonnay and Scarlett vs. Kyona and Natsuko Tora vs. Mimura and Konami vs. Kelly Klein and Bea Priestley

Scarlett not having red hair is throwing me off and likely will the entire match. She and Jungle start the match, running elbow by Scarlett in the corner and with Chardonnay they double team Jungle by pushing their asses into her face. Kelly isn’t amused by this and comes in to clear the ring, she offers Jungle a handshake but elbows her in the chest and throws her from the ring as well. Natsuko comes in but Kelly elbows her also, Natsuko comes in and dropkicks Kelly but Kelly doesn’t go down. Kelly puts Hiromi on her back but Konami saves her, double Irish whip to Kelly but she lariats them both to the mat. They finally get Kelly hurt in the corner, dropkick by Konami but Kelly boots Hiromi when she goes for one as well. Kelly tosses Konami out of the ring before going back to Hiromi, she covers Hiromi but for whatever reason all the other wrestlers break up the pin. Kelly stacks them all in the corner but Hiromi then dropkicks Kelly and Bea into the same cover, Hiromi charges them all but everyone moves when she goes for a dropkick. Hiromi lands on the apron but she moves when everyone tries to knock her to the floor, Chardonnay ends up in the ring with Hiromi and Chardonnay hits a butterfly suplex for a two count. Final Cut by Chardonnay, but Konami breaks up the pin. Chardonnay and Hiromi trade flash pins, until Scarlett boots Hiromi in the head and Chardonnay holds her down for the three count! Hiromi Mimura is eliminated.

Jungle comes in the ring and has some success until Scarlett catches her with a Codebreaker, they botch a spinning headscissors before Scarlett hits a side Russian Leg Sweep for a two count. Jungle smacks Scarlett and they trade lariats, Jungle lariats Scarlett onto the apron before knocking her down to the floor. Scarlett is eliminated.

Chardonnay comes into the ring but Kelly promptly press slams her to the floor. Chardonnay is eliminated.

Konami comes in the ring but  Bea and Kelly double team Konami, hitting a spinning slam to the mat. Kelly boots Bea by accident however, schoolboy by Konami but Kelly kicks out at two. Konami gets Kelly’s back and goes for a sleeper, but Kelly throws her off. Kicks by Konami and she delivers the sliding kick, but Bea breaks up the cover. Kelly and Bea both boot Konami, fallaway slam by Kelly and she picks up the three count! Konami is eliminated.

Jungle and Natsuko come into the ring and apply small packages to both opponents, but they both get a two count. Double dropkick to Kelly and a double shoulderblock to Bea, and Jungle slams Bea in front of the corner. Natsuko goes up top but Kelly elbows her from the apron and pulls her out with her. Jungle tries to pull Natsuko back into the ring but Bea dumps Jungle over the top rope onto the apron as well, Bea then goes off the ropes and dropkicks Jungle, and Jungle falls to the floor. Jungle Kyona is eliminated.

Spear by Natsuko to Bea, and she covers her for two. Natsuko picks up Bea but Kelly returns and they both suplex Natsuko for a two count. Bea picks up Natsuko but Natsuko fights back as she elbows both her opponents, high kick by Bea and she delivers a modified cyclone suplex for the three count! Natsuko is eliminated, and the winners of the match are Kelly Klein and Bea Priestley!

I didn’t see any website that had the match structure of this correctly laid out, so I was a bit confused at first. I think some of the wrestlers were confused too but in an eight wrestler match that tends to happen anyway. We need to get Kelly Klein in training with Mari Apache stat, she wrestles too soft for someone that does the “I destroy everyone” gimmick. She has the size and attitude, she just doesn’t bring the pain. Hiromi still did her comedy spots which isn’t a big deal on lower matches, but is a reason why I don’t take her seriously. Too chaotic and random to get excited about, however some wrestlers (mainly Jungle, Konami, and Bea) did look pretty good.

AZM vs. Kris Wolf

They start the match quick, as expected, although not necessarily as smoothly as one may hope. Kris stomps down AZM in the corner but AZM goes off the ropes and delivers a dropkick. AZM charges Kris in the corner, Kris tosses her out to the apron but AZM quickly gets back in the ring and goes for a dropkick. Kris avoids it but AZM returns the favor, and they both end up trading flash pins on the mat with neither having any luck. Takedown by AZM but Kris gets away and they return to their feet again. Kris twists at AZM’s ankle but AZM gets out of it and hits a dropkick, she goes off the ropes but Kagetsu trips her from the floor. All of Oedo Tai get in the ring and stomp on AZM while the referee is distracted by Tam Nakano, but AZM fights them off and applies the hanging armbar. AZM lets go and hits the satellite schoolboy, but it gets a two count. AZM goes for the hurricanrana but Kris blocks it and powerbombs her into the turnbuckles, running knee by Kris and she kicks AZM in the back for two. Kris gets on the second turnbuckle but AZM avoids the diving double kneedrop, AZM goes for a leg sweep but Kris jumps and kicks AZM in the head. Kris picks up AZM and goes for a suplex, but AZM reverses it into a roll-up for two. La Magistral by AZM, but Kris gets a foot on the ropes. AZM goes for a backslide but Kris reverses it for two, kick to the head by Kris but AZM reverses her cover attempt. AZM goes off the ropes but Kris avoids her dropkick and applies a modified Japanese Rolling Clutch for the three count! Kris Wolf wins and Oedo Tai is up 1-0 in the series.

Oedo Tai beats down AZM after the match, until Momo Watanabe returns and clears the ring! Queen’s Quest fifth member has finally healed up and will be returning to action soon.

I can’t say that AZM’s style is really one I like, as she still basically wrestles in a similar style as she has for the last few years. Which is lots of flash pins and simple offense. And I get she is 15 but they have put her higher on the card so I expect more from someone in this match than I would from Hanan or Ruaka in the opener, I still am not sure she was ready for the elevation. I also don’t love any faction openly cheating in the middle of the ring, referees are pretty lax in Japan on what happens on the floor but having a beat down in the ring is pushing it a bit. So while I love Kris, and she looked good here, not really a match I’d recommend as it is basically every AZM match with not a lot interesting going on.

Hana Kimura vs. Io Shirai

Hana asks Io for a handshake to start but obviously doesn’t mean it so they pull each other’s hair instead, armdrags by Hana but Io hits a flapjack and puts Hana in an armtrap crossface. Hana gets a foot on the ropes for the break, Io goes for the Tiger Feint Kick but Hana blocks it. Both wrestlers end up on the apron but on opposite sides of the ring post, Hana goes for a suplex to the floor but Io doesn’t budge. Hana rams her into the post instead, she goes for another suplex but Io pushes her back into the ring. Hana returns to the ring also and dropkicks Io, stomps by Hana and she elbows Io against the ropes. Irish whip by Hana but Io hits a backflip dropkick, Hana falls out of the ring and Io goes to the top turnbuckle, but Tam throws a board at her before she can jump off. Io falls to the apron, Hana goes to the other side and superplexes Io over the top rope down onto the floor (and onto a blob of wrestlers). Back in the ring, Hana gets on the second turnbuckle and she hits a missile dropkick. She goes back up top and hits another missile dropkick, cover by Hana but Io kicks out at two. Stomps by Hana and she hits a big boot, she picks up Io but Io gets away and hits a series of palm strikes. German suplex hold by Io, but it gets a two count. Tiger Feint Kick by Io, swandive missile dropkick by Io and she hits the running double knee in the corner. Io picks up Hana and hits the double underhook facebuster, she goes up top but Hana catches her from behind and joins her. Superplex by Hana, but Io kicks out of the cover. Hana goes off the ropes but Io snaps off a hurricanrana, palm strike by Io and she hits a tombstone piledriver. Moonsault by Io, and she picks up the three count! The Queen’s Quest vs. Oedo Tai Series is tied 1-1.

A bit disjointed in some places, but overall entertaining. Io and Hana don’t usually run in the same circles as this is just their second ever singles match, and Hana has become so popular that it is easy to forget she is just in her second year. But Io is good enough to overcome these type of issues for the most part, so while the chemistry wasn’t there I still enjoyed it. I was glad they delivered on the suplex spot to the floor since it was teased twice, and Hana had a few convincing nearfalls so it was far from a squash. Solid mid-card match, not much more than that but it had some good spots and was a fun watch.  Mildly Recommended

HZK vs. Kagetsu

HZK throws her sucker at Kagetsu before the match, Kagetsu goes to give it back to her but HZK greets her with a slap. HZK goes for a full nelson bomb but Kagetsu blocks it, HZK flings Kagetsu to the mat before stepping on her throat. Back up, Kagetsu pushes HZK against the ropes and chokes her, but Kagetsu gains control of the match and stomps at HZK. HZK tries to fight back with elbows but Kagetsu returns fire, jumping elbow by Kagetsu in the corner and she hits a vertical suplex for a two count cover. Kagetsu quickly applies a cross-arm submission, she then puts HZK in the ropes and with the other members of Oedo Tai they attack/tickle HZK. Kagetsu dumps water on HZK’s head and goes off the ropes, but HZK hits a springboard dropkick. HZK sends Kagetsu out of the ring, she then gets on the second turnbuckle and dives out onto her. Back in the ring, HZK picks up Kagetsu but Kagetsu blocks the slam. Knee to the stomach by HZK and she hits a running elbow in the corner, she then straddles Kagetsu over the second ropes and drops her with a Codebreaker. Bombs Away to the back by HZK and she puts Kagetsu in an armtrap crossface, but with Tam’s help she makes it to the ropes for the break. Kagetsu pushes HZK back and delivers a strike combination, Ebisu Drop by Kagetsu but HZK kicks out of the cover. Both wrestlers are slow to get up and they trade elbows, HZK goes off the ropes but Kagetsu kicks her in the head and nails a chokeslam. Buzzsaw Kick by Kagetsu, but HZK bridges out of the pin. She goes for another chokeslam but HZK gets out of it and hits a Pump Kick, more Pump Kicks by HZK and she covers Kagetsu for two. Full nelson bomb by HZK, but that gets a two count as well. HZK picks up Kagetsu but Kagetsu gets away and throws HZK into the referee, HZK slams Kagetsu in front of the corner and nails the Bombs Away, but Kagetsu spits water in her face as she is on the way down. Ebisu Drop by Kagetsu, she goes up top and delivers the Oedo Coaster for the three count! Your winner is Kagetsu, and Oedo Tai wins the match series 2-1.

To be a wrestling fan, you have to accept that wrestling does things that aren’t logical. But sometimes they do things that are so illogical that even in the context of wrestling, its just too much. When Kagetsu spit the water on HZK, HZK still completed the move and hit the Bombs Away, but Kagetsu basically no-sold the finisher and went straight to the end like nothing happened. It was just a poorly thought-out spot, have Kagetsu jump up and do the mist so she can avoid the move, not take the move in its entirety and ignore it. Beyond that it was a good enough match, although I find it odd that in a match series only one faction was helping their teammates (Oedo Tai) while the other (Queen’s Quest) was just politely watching. On the plus side, Kagetsu is great and HZK has really come along this year, so when they were just focused on wrestling it was fast paced and captivating. Far from a must see match and I didn’t like the structure of the ending, but the nine minutes of action before that were well done.  Mildly Recommended

(c) Yoko Bito vs. Takumi Iroha
Wonder of Stardom Championship

After a long star down they finally lock-up, Takumi gets Bito in the corner but she gives a mostly clean break. Scoop slam by Takumi but Bito shoulderblocks her to the mat, Bito kicks Takumi into the corner but Takumi avoids her scissors kick and kicks Bito in the leg. Takumi applies a kneelock, but Bito gets back to her feet and delivers a lariat. Knees by Bito and she hits a vertical suplex, Takumi charges her in the corner but Bito ducks and hits a B Driver for a two count. Takumi rolls out of the ring holding her head but Bito goes out after her, hitting an ax handle from the apron. Bito throws Takumi into the chairs at ringside and then into the ring post, Bito charges Takumi but Takumi catches her with a powerslam on the floor. Back in the ring both wrestlers slowly recover and trade elbows, snapmare by Bito and she kicks Takumi in the shoulder. Takumi tries to bail out of the ring but Bito grabs her and puts Takumi across the second rope before kicking her in the back. Takumi delivers a kick combination and hits a butterfly suplex hold, but Bito kicks out at two. Takumi goes up top but Bito joins her, Takumi knocks her back down but Bito kicks her in the head and delivers the superplex. Bito goes back up top and hits a missile dropkick, she goes off the ropes but Takumi catches her with a heel kick. Knees by Bito and she hits a running elbow in the corner, but Takumi hits an elbow of her own before delivering a half hatch suplex. Swinging guillotine by Takumi and she puts Bito in a sleeper, but Bito gets to the ropes for the break. Takumi quickly hits a backdrop suplex and kicks Bito twice in the head, cover by Takumi but Bito barely gets a shoulder up.

Another kick by Takumi, she goes up top and delivers the diving body press before going right back up top again to hit the Swanton Bomb, but again Bito kicks out. Takumi stays on the offense and tries to get Bito up for the powerbomb, but Bito blocks it. Release German by Bito and she hits a scissors kick before delivering a second release German Suplex. Buzzsaw Kick by Bito and she hits a heel drop, but her cover only gets a two count. Bito goes for the B Driver, Takumi reverses it and goes for a powerbomb, but Bito reverses that into a hurricanrana. Bito manages to hit the B Driver on the second try, but Takumi kicks out. Both wrestlers connect with high kicks before hitting simultaneous shoulderblocks, and both wrestlers are down on the mat. They recover and trade mid-kicks, dragon screw by Takumi and she puts Bito in a figure four leglock. Takumi drags Bito to the apron and kicks her in the head, Bito kicks her back and they trade blows. They return to the ring and continue going back and forth, Bito wins the battle and she hits another B Driver. Doll B by Bito, she is slow to make it to Takumi for the cover, and Takumi manages to get a shoulder up. Takumi gets Bito in the corner and nails the Running Three, cover by Takumi but Bito barely kicks out. Takumi picks up Bito but Bito hits a high kick, Takumi strikes her back and they both fall to the mat. Before either can budge, the bell rings, as time has expired. The match is a Draw, and Yoko Bito retains the championship!

About five minutes or so was missing from the Samurai TV broadcast but not a big deal with a match of this length. They tried to do more a power/striking match than you usually see in Stardom, and I think they did a good job of it. Their styles are similar enough that they had some natural chemistry as they both are kickers with some suplexes and power moves tossed in. Unless it was clipped out, there weren’t really miscommunications, even though not everything was hit smoothly since Bito in general can be a bit awkward sometimes. The Draw was predictable and I don’t mind it here since it was an inter-promotional match, hopefully it leads to more cooperation in the future. A bit slow at times but I liked the drama and both were giving if their all. A different style than you’d expect to see in a Stardom main event, and overall I think it was pretty entertaining.  Recommended

The post Stardom “True Fight 2017” on 10/17/17 Review appeared first on Joshi City.

Championships Held: CP Women’s Championship, EMERGE Women’s Championship, VOW Vixen’s Championship
Tournaments Won: None
Awards Won: None

Notable Matches in Japan:

• None

Signature Moves:

• DDT
• Lungblower
• Rainbow Cross
• Taste My Rainbow

In Action:

Coming Soon

Back to Gaijin Invaders

The post Kelly Klein appeared first on Joshi City.