SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
STARDOM GROW UP STARS
MARCH 21, 2019
OSAKA, JAPAN AT OSAKA WORLD PAVILION
AIRED ON STARDOM WORLD
REPORT BY HARLEY R. PAGEOT, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Iida said she’d like to co-operate with Tora to pick up her first single victory. Tora pointed out this was essentially the same match she was in on the previous show. AZM said they’re both fat so she’ll pick up the win.
(1) NATSUKO TORA vs. AZM vs. “THE LITTLE GIANT” SAYA IIDA
The JAN members worked together for the opening minutes before Iida turned on Tora (just as Leo Onozaki did in Tora’s three-way on the previous show). AZM pinned Iida after a top rope double-stomp.
WINNER: AZM in 5:50.
(Pageot’s Perspective: Just an opening match. I thought Tora would win to continue to build her up for her Women Of Honor title match but I suppose AZM needed some credibility after losing all the tag matches for her teams recently.)
-Kel said she’s the only American on the roster right now and they’ll need a step-stool to face her. Kid said she’s 30 centimeters taller than her, which is crazy.
(2) STARS (Artist Of Stardom Champion Saki Kashima & Starlight Kid) vs. XIA BROOKSIDE & REBEL KEL
Kid got a fair amount of offense in on Kel and even hit her twisting splash finisher but Brookside broke up the pin. In the end Kel hit Kid with a chokeslam and pinned her with one foot on her chest.
WINNERS: Brookside & Kel in 8:58.
(Pageot’s Perspective: Decent match. It’s just a shame how far Kid has fallen since losing the Future Of Stardom title. She’s basically just enhancement again, losing every match she’s in. I’d imagine Kel’s being built up for a big title match, maybe against Momo Watanabe for the white belt.)
-Kyona said she’d been looking forward to teaming with Onozaki since her return from injury. Priestley talked up her team with Konami and dubbed them Kona-Bea.
(3) QUEEN’S QUEST: KONA-BEA (Konami & Bea Priestley) vs. JAN (Jungle Kyona & Leo Onozaki)
Priestley pinned Onozaki off of her straitjacket electric chair drop.
WINNERS: Kona-Bea in 7:45.
(Pageot’s Perspective: Another predictable one. Apologies if I sound less than enthusiastic about these past few shows. I think I’m suffering from Stardom burnout. They just do so many events that it becomes more of a chore trying to keep up rather than a pleasure to sit down and watch the next show. The traditional American TV model of one one-hour show each week seems like a good amount of content to me. These weeks where they do three two-hour+ shows is a lot to keep up with.)
-Iwatani said she’s the WOH champion but she’d like the red belt or high speed title too. Hoshiki said Hazuki made her mad the last time they fought so she wants to beat her up. Kagetsu said her neck was still hurting from her afternoon battle with Goya Kong so she was leaving this one to Hazuki.
(4) STARS (WOH World Champion/Artist Of Stardom Champion Mayu Iwatani & Arisa Hoshiki) vs. OEDO TAI (World Of Stardom Champion Kagetsu & High Speed Champion Hazuki)
Kagetsu did not wrestle like she had an injured neck. In the end Kagetsu got knocked to the floor. Iwatani hit a high crossbody on Hazuki and Hoshiki followed with her side kick to the head from off the top rope. As she connected, the bell rang for the time limit draw.
DECISION: Time limit draw in 15:00.
-Hazuki and Hoshiki had to be dragged apart by the rookie squad post-match. One of them yelled at the other to face her in a hair vs. hair match. Iwatani and Kagetsu finally managed to separate them. The ring announcer came into the ring and said she didn’t think there should be a haircut match in Stardom. If they wanted to see someone cut their hair, she’d do it right now. She pulled out a pair of scissors and started to cut off her long hair but Kagetsu grabbed the scissors away. Iwatani and Hoshiki escorted her to the back. As they left Hazuki challenged Hoshiki to a singles match.
(Pageot’s Perspective: Good match, as you’d expect from these four. It felt like they were building up a Hoshiki-Hazuki match for the high speed title so I bought into Hoshiki pinning her when the time ran out. The post-match was interesting. The hair stipulation came out of nowhere and it wasn’t clear whether it was then dropped again or not. They’re definitely having a singles match soon. But with the high speed title on the line? With their hair on the line? Or just Hoshiki’s hair vs. Hazuki’s title? The ring announcer being so upset about the idea of either woman having to cut their hair that she would sacrifice her own locks instead was pretty funny.)
-Our next contest was billed as a battle of the super heavyweights. Kong cut a promo in Spanish. Viper said it’s unusual for her to be the smaller woman in a match.
(5) GOYA KONG vs. VIPER
After some tests of strength and both women missing splashes they fought to ringside. Viper sat Kong in a chair and hit her with a running cannonball. Kong threw her into the ring post. They continued to brawl as the referee counted 20.
DECISION: Double count out in 7:07.
-They also had to be separated by the rookies post-match.
(Pageot’s Perspective: About what you’d expect. If the idea was to make Kong look impressive going into her title match against Kagetsu I’m not sure this achieved that. If anything seeing her in the ring with Viper just underscored how slow and lumbering Kong is. Also very strange to do two non-finish, pull-apart brawls in a row. I get that Triple H probably doesn’t want Viper losing a random match like this right at the same time she’s debuting on NXT UK but why do the Hoshiki-Hazuki finish on the same show then?)
-Sumire put over her and Miyagi as being freelancers and said they’re going to make history. Watanabe also described this as a preview of her white belt defense against Miyagi.
(6) QUEEN’S QUEST (Wonder Of Stardom Champion Momo Watanabe & SWA World Champion/Future Of Stardom Champion Utami Hayashishita) vs. OEDO TAI (Andras Miyagi & Natsu Sumire) – GODDESS OF STARDOM CHAMPIONSHIP
Watanabe and Miyagi fought a lot but it was Watanabe pinning Sumire with the Peach Sunrise.
WINNERS: Queen’s Quest in 14:58 to retain the tag titles.
(Pageot’s Perspective: Good main event.)
If you’re getting burnt out, maybe consider skipping some of the more filler shows each month? Admittedly it’s not always easy to tell in advance which those are. But the daytime Osaka shows on the day-night doubleheaders are usually pretty skippable. And I can tell you in advance that the Niigata show they did a day or two ago is pretty much a house show.
Not sure if you realized, but they do also have a full schedule (in Japanese) on their website, if you want to know in advance how often they’ll be running shows:
http://wwr-stardom.com/schedule/