3/21 STARDOM GROW UP STARS afternoon results: Stars vs. Queen’s Quest in a trios tag, Kagetsu & Andras Miyagi vs. Goya Kong & Rebel Kel

STARDOM GROW UP STARS
MARCH 21, 2019
OSAKA, JAPAN AT OSAKA WORLD PAVILION
AIRED ON STARDOM WORLD
REPORT BY HARLEY R. PAGEOT, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR

Onozaki said JAN has the advantage in the opening three-way because there are two of them. Tora respectfully disagreed, saying everyone’s your opponent in a three-way. Konami also felt she was at a disadvantage.

(1) NATSUKO TORA vs. KONAMI vs. “LIONHEART” LEO ONOZAKI

Konami made Onozaki tap to an arm submission.

WINNER: Konami in 5:44.

(Pageot’s Perspective: Not great. There were a couple moments of clear air with dropkicks and other moves that just did not come close to connecting. I don’t want to wrongfully place the blame on Onozaki but I can’t recall any other matches from Konami or Tora that were this awkward.)

-Kyona said “We’re not going to lose, right?” to Iida. Kid said it had been a while since she’d teamed with Brookside but they were going to evolve their team.

(2) STARS (Starlight Kid & Xia Brookside) vs. JAN (Jungle Kyona & Saya Iida)

Brookside Bomb to Iida for the win.

WINNERS: Stars in 8:25.

(Pageot’s Perspective: Formula match. Brookside’s challenging for the high speed title soon and Iida loses every match she’s in.)

-Sumire complained that she has her tag title match later in the day (our next show) but in the afternoon they make her fight Viper? Are they trying to kill her? She told Hazuki she was leaving Viper to her. NXT UK star Viper was back to team with AZM. Viper said she loves to beat up Sumire.

(3) OEDO TAI (High Speed Champion Hazuki & Natsu Sumire) vs. QUEEN’S QUEST (AZM & Viper)

Sumire tried her best to avoid facing Viper while Hazuki and AZM continued their rivalry. She ended up being splashed a couple times but caught AZM with an inside cradle for the win.

WINNERS: Oedo Tai in 8:58.

(Pageot’s Perspective: First good match of the show, thanks to the Sumire-Viper comedy and hard-hitting speed and action of the younger women.)

-The American Kel said (in English) that she and Kong are the two biggest people on the roster. Kagetsu said this was a preview of her red belt defense against Kong but she didn’t want to face her here. Kel entered to Bikini Kill’s “Rebel Girl” while looking like the pick up truck-riding cheerleader who would have talked smack about all the riot grrrls in high school.

(4) OEDO TAI (World Of Stardom Champion Kagetsu & Andras Miyagi) vs. GOYA KONG & REBEL KEL

The highlight was Miyagi being out-monstered by Kong and dwarfed by the six foot Kel. In the end Kong caught Kagetsu with a weak cradle slam and pinned her.

WINNERS: Kel & Kong in 9:56.

-The referee, Miyagi, and Hazuki had to help Kagetsu to the back.

(Pageot’s Perspective: For once I genuinely didn’t know who was going to win a Stardom match going in. I get wanting to put over Kong strong ahead of her title match but Kagetsu came away too weak here. That finish was flat and we’ve seen her kick out of far worse punishment in other matches. I also don’t think anyone buys the possibility of Kong winning the title so the experiment is flawed from the start.)

-Watanabe said this is just a warm-up for the tag title match on the next show. The Stars trio sang “we’ll do our best” and danced out of the shot.

(5) STARS (Women Of Honor World Champion/Artist Of Stardom Champion Mayu Iwatani, Artist Of Stardom Champion Saki Kashima, & Arisa Hoshiki) vs. QUEEN’S QUEST (Wonder Of Stardom Champion/Goddess Of Stardom Champion Momo Watanabe, SWA World Champion/Future Of Stardom Champion/Goddess Of Stardom Champion Utami Hayashishita, & Bea Priestley)

Priestley pinned Kashima with a straitjacket electric chair drop.

WINNERS: Queen’s Quest in 12:11.

(Pageot’s Perspective: Fine match but it suffered from a lack of stakes. It didn’t feel like it mattered who won, which was somewhat true of this entire show. Very much a filler card.)