Zoe Lucas & Christi Jaynes vs Natsuko Tora & Kaori
Yoneyama vs Arisu Nanase & Hiromi Mimura vs Queens Quest (Azumi & HZK)
This is an elimination match, with eliminations by
submission, pinfall and going over-the-top rope. Pretty much a fun spotfest
opener, which puts some of the greener members of the roster in a position
where they only have to hit their moves and get out, which keeps everyone
looking good. I liked the gaijin Jaynes and Lucas working big against Nanase
and Mimura – neither are huge, but there was a notable size difference which
I’m glad was played up. Dug the Queens Quest girls hitting a swank double
facewash into the same corner from opposite angles. Lucas pins Nanase after a
series of big kicks, but is quickly pinned by HZK after a seated senton.
Yoneyama and Tora had played it smart by staying outside a lot, and I loved
their control on Queens Quest – Yoneyama hitting a dropkick on HZK and
simultaneously landing a senton on Azumi looked killer. However, they make the
mistake of going up top, and Queens Quest bundle them to the floor to win.
Konami vs Yoko Bito
Konami impressed in her Stardom debut in December, and I
thought she looked excellent here. Liked the cagey opening with both wrestlers
trying to sneak in a kick or find an opening. Konami is really tenacious here,
quickly going to work on Bito’s leg and on release not giving her a moment’s
recovery before pouncing with another submission hold. Bito tries a
Jig’N’Tonic, but Konami is able to grab the injured leg whilst upside down and
roll through into another sub. Bito’s comeback felt a bit premature, and she
felt like the weaker link in the bout, as she picks up the win with a second
try at the Jig’N’Tonic.
Toni Storm vs Deonna Purrazzo
This is for Storm’s SWA title. Nice little sense of
one-upsmanship to start, with both sneaking little bits of offense in as they
work the mat for superiority – Purrazzo sneaks in a quick headbutt to the torso
on a rope break, Storm holding her hands on the mat to stomp the fingers. Storm
takes a really nasty spill on a suicide dive, looking like her feet caught the
ropes, but she seems to recover quickly, hitting a nice running hip attack and
a decent Fisherman’s suplex for two. Purrazzo seems to have a gameplan of
working Storm’s arm, and I liked how that same into play when Storm tries a
suplex, Purrazzo finding it easy to counter and go right back to an armbar. My
only complaint is that the end seemed to come from nowhere for the second bout
in a row, as Storm suddenly hits a backcracker and a piledriver to win.
Mayu Iwatani vs Kris Wolf vs Kagetsu
This is for Iwatani’s High Speed title, and the deck is
stacked against her – not just because she’s facing two members of Oedo Tai,
but because a third member in Hana Kimura is outside the ring, which we realise
as she trips Iwatani in the early stages after Oedo Tai lure her outside for a
foot chase round the ring. Fun comedy spot as Kimura and Kagetsu hold Iwatani
in the ropes and tie some elasticated tape to her, and Wolf runs off into the
crowd with the other end, letting the roll ping off into Mayu’s face. I dug
Iwatani’s gameplan of trying to isolate one Oedo Tai member, hitting an
Iconoclasm on Wolf onto Kagetsu. The obvious problem of which member of Oedo
Tai will get the win is addressed as Kagetsu ties Wolf by the tail to one of
the ropes, and even when Wolf gets free, her pin attempt is thwarted by Kagetsu
hurling a briefcase at her. In the end, it doesn’t matter, as Wolf lets Kagetsu
hit a sitout driver on Iwatani, then hurtles across the ring to cover both
ladies and win the title. Fun match, felt like a big moment for Wolf.
Kairi Hojo vs Jungle Kyona
Absolutely loved this. This is for Hojo’s Wonder of Stardom
title. Real big match feel, as Kyona rushes Hojo as soon as the bell ring, taking
any legal advantage possible. Hojo is the smaller wrestler here, and noticeably
her offence here is based around quick impact moves, but this costs her early,
as she takes an insane high speed charge into the ring post on the outside. She
just splatted into it with Kyona moving just in time. Kyona works over the back
of Hojo, with a backdrop on the floor and an Argentine backbreaker, and there’s
a big red mark appearing early on Hojo’s lower spine. Hojo makes a comeback
with her quick offence, a spear looking surprisingly good considering the size
difference, and a big crossbody to the floor looking immense. Hojo works over a
body part herself, hooking an ankle pick on Kyona, and I loved how Kyona sold
it. After escaping, Kyona is on one knee trying to level Hojo with strikes, but
the injury means she can’t put pressure on the leg and as such means she hasn’t
got a base to put any real force behind the blows, which Hojo barely feels.
Kyona is able to get up to meet Hojo on the top rope, hitting a top rope
powerslam to further hurt the back. This is followed by two awesome deadlift
gutwrench powerbombs that get a real close nearfall. Hojo hits some big
backfists (and one that looked a bit duff, sadly) and goes back up top, but
soon has this great look of shocked horror as Kyona AGAIN gets up to meet her.
This time, Hojo sends her back down with a double stomp and hits her perfect
top rope elbow for the win. Incredible bout, felt like a real breakthrough
performance by Kyona.
Io Shirai vs Shayna Baszler
This is for Shirai’s World of Stardom title. Really good
stuff here right from the get-go, as Shirai fires off a blow right from the
handshake, only to get caught in a big sleeper right away, showing how
dangerous Baszler can be. Baszler works Shirai’s arm early door, and I love how
they kept coming back to the injury throughout the match. Shirai sells it
throughout, just little touches like not being able to properly grind her elbow
into Baszler’s ribs on an abdominal stretch or giving it a quick shake in between
moves so you know it’s still bothering her. Baszler locks another sleeper in on
Shirai, this time in the corner from the top rope, and Io does this amazing
limp body hanging sell. They fight outside, which is where Shirai takes over,
dropkicking Baszler’s head through a chair, blasting her with a thrown chair
and hurling her into the crowd, where Baszler only just makes the 20 count back
into the ring. Shirai challenges Baszler to strike her, fighting through Shayna’s
kicks to the leg, but not being prepared for Baszler to mix it up and kick the
injured arm instead, which puts Io down. Baszler gets this amazing Falcon Arrow
into a sleeper, and this leads to probably the only weak point of the match –
the ref checks on Shirai, who is out, and rather than award the match to
Baszler, he makes her break the hold and pin Io, only getting a two count. Very
odd. Baszler lets herself get distracted talking to the ref, and this is her
downfall, as Shirai hits a straitjacket German suplex, a tombstone and a
moonsault to pick up the win. Great stuff.
