SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
STARDOM NO PEOPLE GATE
MARCH 8, 2020
TOKYO, JAPAN AT KORAKUEN HALL
AIRED ON STARDOM WORLD
REPORT BY HARLEY R. PAGEOT, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
It has been three weeks since the last Stardom event, an unheard of length of time for Stardom. Unfortunately fears around the corona virus led the promotion to cancel the latter half of their February shows and all of their March shows outside of this one, which is taking place inside of an empty arena. To make up for it this show is also being broadcast live and free on the Stardom YouTube page for anyone and everyone.
We opened with a shot of the empty bleachers in the silent arena. The Japanese commentators checked in, including special guest Jushin Thunder Liger. There was one sole camera man in the rafters working the hard cam.
-A video package ran down tonight’s card (or, rather, this afternoon’s card as it is currently 11:30 a.m. Sunday in Tokyo).
(1) SPECIAL TIME CHANGE BATTLE ROYAL
Stardom battle royal rules meant you could be eliminated via pinfall, submission, or over the top rope and both feet touching the floor. This was Royal Rumble-style with staggered entrances.
#1 was Death Yama-san. #2 was Saya Iida! With no audience to play to Death went right up to the camera and got into the lens to chant. Iida took advantage to unload with some chops. At roughly the one-minute mark the next entrant came out.
#3 was AZM. AZM Sushi and Iida was pinned and immediately eliminated.
#4 was a masked figure in jean clothing. She was billed as retired All Japan legend Momoe Nakanishi. She did the Death chanting at Death. Death and AZM had their doubts it was her but they unmasked her and it appeared to actually be her.
#5 was Ruaka. Death tried to get Nakanishi over the top rope.
#6 was Rina. Rina, Death, and Ruaka (all Tokyo Cyber Squad members) worked together on the other two.
#7 was Hina. She went right after her twin sister. Nakanishi rolled up Death and everyone else dog-piled to get the pin. The twins worked together, hoping for a double armbar on AZM. Nakanishi coached from the apron.
#8 was a masked person in a green outfit with a shield. Captain Stardom? The teenagers went right after her and tried to unmask her but Nakanishi helped the new entrant.
#9 was Starlight Kid. Ruaka was eliminated at some point.
#10 was Leyla Hirsch. She had no idea what to make of things but put down her TCS stable mate Rina with a body slam. Body slams for everyone! Nakanishi sold as if she had already been slammed so that Hirsch wouldn’t go after her.
#11 was Konami, a strong favorite to win this one. TCS with a big numbers advantage now.
#12 was Tam Nakano, the other favorite to win. A leg scissors chain broke out with everyone in the match. Nakanishi walked across them all.
#13 was Natsu Sumire! Nakanishi put the first person in the chain in a Boston crab and turned the whole chain over. Sumire went under the ring to get a bottle of water and stood by while the others fought. She walked the line spraying people in the fact with cold spray, then spit water on all of them.
#14 was Saya Kamitani, debuting her new Queen’s Quest mask for the first time. Captain Stardom caught Rina with a roll-up for a pin. Kid rolled up Hina and eliminated her too. Captain and Hirsch traded roll-ups. Hirsch got the three. Stardom left without ever being unmasked.
#15 was CMLL and Diana star Mima Shimoda, carrying a steel chair. The announcers went berserk. Konami tapped out Hirsch. Sumire with the crotch assault to Konami! Shimoda wrapped the chair around Sumire’s head and pinned her.
#16 was another petite masked figure, Super Strong Starlight Machine. Conspiracy theorists might suggest that she and Captain Stardom were both Saya Iida in disguise. Nakanishi with a top rope moonsault to Kid for the pin. Wow. Konami and Nakano battled. Konami went over the top rope to the apron but caught Nakano with an armbar over the top rope. Konami was knocked off by Nakano for the elimination.
Everyone took turns walking across Shimoda’s back. Nakano went over the top rope but pulled Shimoda over to her side. They fought on the apron and Shimoda kicked her off. The others hit a dropkick train on Shimoda but she hung on. Release German suplex from Nakanishi to Shimoda! Kamitani with the running shooting star press. Nakanishi broke up the pin? She and Shimoda hugged. The Stardom wrestlers united against the two guests.
Kamitani went up top but Shimoda cut her off and yanked her down. Shimoda went up top but Kamitani recovered and dropkicked her to the floor for an elimination.
The final four were AZM, Kamitani, Nakanishi, and Super Strong Starlight Machine. Kamitani took down Super Strong Starlight Machine but SSSM avoided the shooting star press and hit a headbutt. Bridging suplex and she pinned Kamitani.
AZM and Nakanishi double-teamed SSSM but AZM turned on the veteran. They ended up on the apron and tusseled. SSSM dropkicked them both off.
WINNER: Super Strong Starlight Machine in 24:21.
-She took a mic and called out Natsuko Tora. The new Oedo Tai leader made an elaborate entrance in full gear complete with fog machine. We cut to a graphic for a moment, then came back to a singles match??
(2) NATSUKO TORA vs. SUPER STRONG STARLIGHT MACHINE
Tora took the newcomer into the stands. She continued to dominate in the ring. SSSM tried to fight back with chops. Nakanish dropped in with the commentators. SSSM with a missile dropkick. Iidabashi! Tora kicked out. Tora had a three-count but pulled SSSM up to stop the pin and prolong the punishment. Swing-out side slam.
WINNER: Natsuko Tora in 4:41.
-Tora spoke into the camera, presumably sending a threat to Arisa Hoshiki ahead of their title match later on.
(Pageot’s Perspective: Well, that was a full 45 minutes. Whew. The battle royal was more or less what I expected with all the big names already tied up in the other matches on the card. It was the rookie squad, the few midcarders not in big matches tonight, and two guest stars. Plus Saya Iida three times. With her not being unmasked in her two disguises, though, I’m not sure what the payoff is there. Also no idea why she called ou Tora and we got a singles match. One of the rare times I would have really liked some English commentary. I was on the edge of my seat in thinking that Iida was calling out Tora in order to pledge Oedo Tai but instead it was just a random squash match. Weird.)
-Two-thirds of our trios champions, Giulia and Maika, made their entrance for a tag match. Their partner Syuri was absent.
(3) ARTIST OF STARDOM CHAMPIONS DONNA DEL MONDO (Giulia & Maika) vs. TOKYO CYBER SQUAD (Hana Kimura & Jungle Kyona)
Retired Stardom great Yoko Bito joined commentary as a guest. Kyona and Maika started. Kimura and Giulia both strung the other person’s partner up in the ropes and held them hostage. Kyona fought out to end the stand-off. Giulia went to work on Kyona’s surgically-repaired shoulder. The heels double-teamed Kyona but she nailed Maika with a powerslam onto Giulia and made the tag to Kimura at 5:00. Kimura showboated on Maika but she managed to tag Giulia. The archenemies traded forearms. Giulia locked Kimura’s own octopus hold on her. Kimura powered out and slammed her down. Tags to Kyona and Maika. Maika wanted an arm submission but Kyona made the rope break at 10:00.
Armbar from Maika. Giulia jumped in and they slammed Kyona down. More double-team moves and another armbar from Maika. Rope break. Kimura with a big boot to Maika. Everything broke down with all four women in the ring. Kimura took out both of DDM with a split-leg dropkick. Kyona with a clothesline to Maika in the corner. Muscle buster!
WINNERS: Tokyo Cyber Squad in 13:06.
-Kyona spoke, then Giulia. With no subtitles on this live broadcast, obviously, I’m not sure what was said. They may have been setting up a singles match between Kyona and Giulia, though.
(Pageot’s Perspective: Donna Del Mondo have taken their first loss! The new faction falls to a 7-1 record in tag action now. This also opens the door for Kyona, Kimura, and Konami to go after the trios titles again if they choose to go that route. Good tag match and the Giulia-Kimura rivalry continues.)
-Up next was the traditional tag titles. Former champions Watanabe & Hayashishita were of course out first.
(4) OEDO TAI (SWA World Champion Jamie Hayter & Bea Priestley) vs. QUEEN’S QUEST (Momo Watanabe & Utami Hayashishita ) – GODDESS OF STARDOM CHAMPIONSHIP
The gaijins put down QQ at ringside, then ran a lap around the ring before high-fiving. Priestley started against Watanabe. Hayter tagged in and also worked on her until Hayashishita got the tag at 5:00. She battled with her rival Hayter with Hayter getting the upper hand. Priestley back in. Watanabe with a B Driver to Priestley on the apron. Hayashishita lifted Priestley for Watanabe to hit the double knees to the back of the head at 10:00.
Watanabe with another B Driver to Priestley. Peach Sunrise but Hayter broke up the pin. Priestley with a v-trigger. She dropped the knee pad and hit Watanabe with a knee to the back of the head. Queen’s Landing.
WINNERS: Oedo Tai in 13:41 to retain the tag titles.
-Saya Kamitani showed up and stood next to her new QQ stable mates. She spoke and passed the mic to Hayashishita. Hayashishita seemed to pitch the two of them challenging for the tag titles. Priestley asked if they’re joking. Hayter already took the SWA title from Hayashishita and they just faile to win the gold here. Now she thinks she has a chance teaming with the rookie? Priestley accepted but told them to fuck off.
(Pageot’s Perspective: As expected. An okay match but nothing really new from these teams. The post-match seems really insulting to QQ leader Watanabe. If I were her I’d be looking to dump both Hayashishita and Kamitani in the next draft for this insubordination. Anyway a lot of the wind has been sucked out of the show by the news that…)
-Word going around social media is that Arisa Hoshiki has been pulled from the card due to either injury or illness and, as such, there will be no white belt defense. That 5-minute squash with Tora earlier was apparently the replacement match.
(Pageot’s Perspective: This is disappointing on a number of levels. It was the sole non-gimmick singles match on the card and would have likely been match of the night. It was also likely going to be a big breakout match for Tora as the new leader of Oedo Tai. Things happen but for Stardom to not acknowledge on social media in the days prior to the show that Hoshiki wouldn’t be wrestling is suspect. And the best replacement match they could come up with was Tora vs. a masked Iida? That’s not even close to being on the same level. A big missed opportunity with this free live show reaching so many first-time viewers.)
-Saki Kashima entered alone for the main event grudge match. Her former best friend, the red belt champion and icon of Stardom Mayu Iwatani, was out next.
(5) WORLD OF STARDOM CHAMPION MAYU IWATANI vs. SAKI KASHIMA – NON-TITLE LUMBERJILL MATCH
The lumberjills were Natsuko Tora, Natsu Sumire, Jamie Hayter, and Bea Priestley of Oedo Tai and Tam Nakano, Starlight Kid, Saya Iida, and Hanan of Stars. No Itsuki Hoshino or Zoey Skye.
Kashima attacked before the bell. She got thrown to ringside but ran away from the Stars lumberjills. Iwatani was chucked to the floor and Oedo Tai attacked. Iwatani wound up wrapped in the ring apron and Tora hit her with an umbrella. Kashima was aggressive as she went after Iwatani’s legs. Iwatani was thrown to the floor and Oedo Tai attacked her again. Stars got involved and the two factions brawled around the ringside area. Kashima hit Iwatani with a turnbuckle pad. When Iwatani sent Kashima to the floor Oedo Tai stopped Stars from attacking her. Iwatani responded by going for a high crossbody onto the crowd but they all caught her. Hayter and Sumire carried the champ up into the stands. Kid and Nakano with the save. Iwatani with another crossbody, off the top of an entrance tunnel onto the Oedo Tai members. Kashima hit her in the back with a folding chair and dragged her up higher into the stands. She booted Iwatani and the champ rolled backwards down the entire height of concrete steps. Kashima with a pedigree in the ring at 10:00.
Iwatani with a drop toe-hold that sent Kashima face-first into the exposed turnbuckle. Crucifix bomb over the top rope onto Oedo Tai at ringside! Running dropkick to Kashima in the corner. Penalty kick to the spine. Kashima lost it and unloaded on Iwatani with slaps and stomps. Release dragon suplex from Iwatani. Kashima avoided a superkick and Iwatani nailed the referee. Ref bump!!
Oedo Tai swarmed Iwatani in the ring. Stars swarmed Kashima. Top rope dropkick from Iwatani but no one was there to count the pin. Top rope moonsault! The ref crawled over to count the pin. Kashima rolled the shoulder up at two and a half. Kashima blocked a dragon suplex and caught Iwatani with a Revival but the champ kicked out. Roundhouse kick from Iwatani. Dragon suplex but Tora pulled the ref out of the ring to prevent the three!
Iwatani with a barrage of forearms to Kashima. Sumire with a steel chair to Iwatani’s back as she ran the ropes. The tag champs looked for their stereo knee strikes but Iwatani rolled out of the way. Kid and Nakano disposed of the gaijins. Iwatani with a battering of kicks to Kashima. Tombstone piledriver! The ref was back. Top rope moonsault!
WINNER: Mayu Iwatani in 17:45.
-Stars closed out the show just after the two-hour mark.
-The commentators spoke briefly before the cameras went backstage to Iwatani on the promo set where she spoke some more.
(Pageot’s Perspective: Nice try, Saki, but you’re midcard for life. No, this was actually a strong showing for her even if she had all the shenanigans on her side and still lost. She’s been midcard for too long to jump straight to the top and get a pinfall over the champ. If she continues to grow steadily like she’s been doing, though, she could definitely be a candidate for a breakout Grand Prix performance later this year. I’m not sure what the next logical step is for her right now but I’m interested to see. Iwatani presumably still has a red belt defense against Kyona forthcoming since that was postponed by the corona virus cancellations.
Overall an okay show. Hoshiki’s match being cancelled really hurt things as it was a strong two-match card on paper with some undercard tags to pad things out and the battle royal for the rookie squad. With that one tent pole removed a lot rode on the main event. It was good enough for a regular Stardom World show but as an opportunity to reach a lot of new, first-time viewers it fell flat. I mean main event gimmick matches like this one are such a rarity in Stardom in general that it doesn’t paint an accurate representation of the product and I’d imagine all the bodies at ringside and all the factions in Stardom is hard to make sense of for a new viewer.
Barring any further show cancellations our next event should be the annual Cinderella Tournament on March 24 back here in Korakuen. The one night tournament is akin to how WWF ran the King Of The Ring back in the day in that it usually marks the elevation of a midcard talent to the upper card for the first time. Plus they also win a tiara, ball gown, and a wish of their choosing. Could Kashima make a big splash there?)
Find Harley on Twitter @yrechoheart and listen to he and his guests talk the week in women’s wrestling every Tuesday on the PWTorch Dailycast “Grit & Glitter.”
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