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STARDOM GODDESSES OF STARDOM
NOVEMBER 24, 2019
TOKYO, JAPAN AT SHIN-KIBA 1ST RING
AIRED ON STARDOM WORLD
REPORT BY HARLEY R. PAGEOT, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Hoshino said she just debuted yesterday and she’s still nervous. Hina said she seemed kind of shy but they’d work hard together. Onozaki drew attention to AZM’s new trios title and said it was a sign that’s reliable.
(1) QUEEN’S QUEST (Artist Of Stardom Champion AZM & Leo Onozaki) vs. HINA & ITSUKI HOSHINO
AZM with a top rope double-stomp to Hina.
WINNERS: AZM & Onozaki in 6:30.
(Pageot’s Perspective: Interesting that it wasn’t the new girl who took the pin but rather their fellow QQ member.)
-A text screen said that Miyagi refused to comment on the match. (But it’s not like she ever says anything anyway?) Priestley said she didn’t have much to say either. Kid said her opponents were bigger than her but she’d use her brains.
Both opponents shook hands with Kid to the surprise of the audience and even shook with one another.
(2) BEA PRIESTLEY vs. STARLIGHT KID vs. ANDRAS MIYAGI
Priestley pinned Miyagi with a bridging back suplex.
WINNER: Bea Priestley in 3:53.
(Pageot’s Perspective: What the hell is going on? I assumed Miyagi turned heel by betraying Oedo Tai but then she comes out shaking Kid’s hands. Was that supposed to be a face turn? I know Oedo Tai are kind of a heel faction but not really. And then she loses clean in under four minutes? This is supposed to get me hyped to see her and Kagetsu face off? Bizarre.)
-Martina woke up to see Hayter sipping from a can. She stole it from her and took a sip before realizing it was Red Bull, not beer. She was disgusted and stormed off in a fit. Kimura was excited to team with Mini-Hana (Rina) again. She got her protégé to admit their opponents were flying pigs. Kimura said she was interested in someone recently and wondered if she should approach them.
(3) TOKYO CYBER SQUAD (Hana Kimura, Zoe Lucas, & Rina) vs. OEDO TAI (Natsuko Tora, Jamie Hayter, & Session Moth Martina)
TCS attacked during the introductions. Tora pinned Rina with a swing-out side slam.
WINNERS: Oedo Tai in 9:30.
(Pageot’s Perspective: No response from this Oedo Tai trio to Miyagi’s departure brings the whole thing down a notch. Kimura’s line about being interested in someone was, I think, a reference to her storyline on Terrace House and nothing to do with wrestling, though I suppose it could be foreshadowing of TCS picking up a new recruit like Miyagi, Hoshino, or Saya Kamitani.)
-Iida said they won yesterday and wanted to carry it over to another win today. Watanabe said they were fighting two green girls who couldn’t match up with them.
(4) ARTIST OF STARDOM CHAMPIONS QUEEN’S QUEST (SWA World Champion & Future Of Stardom Champion Utami Hayashishita & Momo Watanabe) vs. 3838 TAG (Saya Iida & Saya Kamitani)
Iida tried to counter a bridging German suplex into a small package but Hayashishita powered her over into the pin.
WINNERS: Queen’s Quest in 7:05.
(Pageot’s Perspective: Hayashishita hasn’t defended her SWA World title since July 20 or her Future title since August 3. I could see Priestley taking the SWA title from her. As for the Future title, you have to be under the age of 20 or have less than two years’ experience to challenge. None of the teens have been shown to be in her league at all and neither have the rookies like Iida and Kamitani. I’m guessing she holds the title until next August and vacates it on her two-year anniversary.)
-Kagetsu was excited to face Riho. Sumire was excited to grind on her face. She didn’t even care about Kashima being in the match. Iwatani was drying her nail polish. She said Oedo Tai seemed to have problems.
(5) STARS (World Of Stardom Champion Mayu Iwatani, High Speed Champion & AEW Women’s Champion Riho, & Saki Kashima) vs. OEDO TAI (Kagetsu, Hazuki, & Natsu Sumire)
Oedo Coaster from Kagetsu to Iwatani but Kashima and Riho broke it up. They took out Kagetsu and Iwatani hit her moonsault. Hazuki broke up the pin this time. She and Kashima traded flash pins. Revival! Hazuki kicked out at the last second. Sumire with the placard to Kashima behind the ref’s back. Hazuki with a brainbuster.
WINNERS: Oedo Tai in 14:13.
(Pageot’s Perspective: Does this mean Riho is officially a part of Stars now? She remains unpinned in Stardom and I wonder/worry if this is the same situation as when Toni Storm was here from NXT UK this summer. Will AEW not allow her to lose outside their promotion? She definitely shouldn’t have lost any of the matches she’s been in thus far but she’s also almost exclusively done fluff tag matches. I’m ready for a big singles match against a credible opponent.)
-Hazuki took a mic to the audience’s surprise. She said today was full of excitement and she had an announcement. They cheered. December 24 at Korakuen Hall… she will retire. One person started to cheer before the entire crowd fell into stunned silence. They waited for a punchline but it never came.
(Pageot’s Perspective: This was spoiled for me before I got a chance to watch. I waited, hoping there’d be more of an explanation, but nothing here. Maybe on the 24th. She’s as good as anyone in the promotion right now and could have been white belt champion in 2020. It’s baffling and really disappointing.)
-Nakano saw a shooting star. She and Hoshiki wished on it. Konami was somber while Kyona looked determined.
(6) TOKYO CYBER SQUAD (Jungle Kyona & Konami) vs. DREAM*SHiNE (Wonder Of Stardom Champion Arisa Hoshiki & Tam Nakano) – GODDESS OF STARDOM CHAMPIONSHIP
Kyona and Nakano started. Hoshiki tagged in early and Stars set about wearing down Kyona. They hit stereo knee strikes at 7:30 but she kicked out. She set up for a powerbomb on Hoshiki but Nakano came in to break it up. Tag to Konami for the first time at 8:30. She unloaded on Hoshiki with strikes. Cloverleaf to Hoshiki. Into a stretch muffler. Kyona held Nakano back at 10:00.
Hoshiki with an enziguiri. Tag to Nakano and she landed a bridging German suplex. Missile dropkick + powerbomb combo from the champs. Triangle lancer countered into a roll-up for two. Tiger suplex blocked by Konami. Ground abdominal stretch but Hoshiki broke it up. Stereo top rope strikes from the challengers to the champs followed by stereo high crossbodies onto them at ringside. Release German from Konami to Nakano. Triangle lancer in but Hoshiki broke it up again. Stereo knee strikes to Konami. Bridging tiger suplex from Nakano at 15:00 but Kyona kind of broke it up at what should have been the ref’s count of four. Forearm from Kyona. Triangle lancer from Konami. Hoshiki was nowhere to be found this time.
WINNERS: Tokyo Cyber Squad in 15:50 to retain the tag titles.
(Pageot’s Perspective: Whew. This could have been the latest in a year full of heartbreaking disappointments for Kyona but the tag champions survive. I’d be fine with her and Konami dropping the titles if I thought it meant she would move up the card or earn the red belt match she should have got after defeating Priestley in the Grand Prix but there’s a ceiling on certain types of wrestlers in Stardom and I don’t have faith that she’ll be able to climb any higher than where she currently is with Ogawa in charge. I always think back to his comments on Viceland’s The Wrestlers about how AZM will never be a top star because she’s not cute enough.
Anyway the match was good. TCS were definitely in the babyface slot with Kyona spending the first half building to the hot tag and Stars continually jumping in illegally to break up moves. Nakano insists she still hates Hoshiki and wants to take the white belt from her so maybe this builds to that. I could see her blaming Hoshiki for the loss because she wasn’t there to save her from the submission.)
-Konami said this was their second successful defense. She said the tragic look on Hoshiki’s face feels so good. She looks forward to seeing that face again on December 24. (I guess she’s challenging for the white belt then?) She licked the white belt. She thanked Kyona and said their strategy worked. Kyona said they tricked everybody! Kyona said their ambition is to take the tag titles worldwide. They haven’t had a challenge yet but they’re ready for the world.
Hana Kimura showed up. She congratulated them but said she’s not in any title matches on the Christmas Eve show. She addressed Ogawa at ringside and told him not to put her in any three-ways or trios tags. (Even she knows they’re filler.) She said again that she’s been interested in someone recently and wondered if it was love. She said she’s been a good girl lately but good girls get put in pointless trios tags and three-ways. She said she’d take some action.
(Pageot’s Perspective: Firstly, no idea what Kyona and Konami were talking about by tricking everybody. Were they supposed to be teasing dissension among themselves? That didn’t come across at all. Konami-Hoshiki has been one of the biggest feuds this year so them facing for the white belt on Christmas Eve is very fitting, though I don’t see Hoshiki losing it any time soon. The champs defending the tag titles outside of Stardom would be so fun. Kenny Omega said he wants tag titles in the AEW women’s division but he’s also not close with Stardom at all and seems to prefer a lot of other joshi promotions instead. Based on the gaijin representation on the roster England seems like the most likely landing point. Finally, Kimura going heel again out of a feeling like it’s the only way she’ll get any attention or decent matches is a fine story. She was annoyed she doesn’t have a title match at the show. Could she face Riho for the high speed?)
Konami and Kyona were arguing a lot on Twitter leading up to this match, each hinting that they were unhappy with their partner. Tam and Arisa in turn were talking about how maybe the champs aren’t on the same page like they now are. Then at the show prior to this when Kyona came down to confront Dream Shine, Konami walked partway down the ramp then just stopped and walked off.
Stardom’s Twitter posted that Hazuki was just ready to explore life outside wrestling, and after wrestling in MSG back at the NJPW/ROH show earlier this year, her main wrestling dream was accomplished and so she was happy with what she’s done and is just ready to move on.
12/24 shows already announced, Hana vs Giulia and Kid vs Riho for the high speed belt.