STARDOM
5STAR GRAND PRIX 2024 DAY 3
AUGUST 12, 2024
Gentle Dice Utsunomiya
Tochigi, JAPAN
Watch: STARDOM WORLD
This can be a cut up evaluation with Alex Richards reviewing the Day Present and Scott Edwards reviewing the Night Present of the 2024 STARDOM 5STAR Grand Prix.
Day Present Reviewed By Alex
Blue Stars-A
Starlight Child (2) def. Anna Jay (2)
Advantageous match to start out us off. Child focused Anna’s leg early and used that to arrange a submission win with the Leg Destroyer. Once more, Jay has tailored to the pacing higher than I believed she would so credit score to her. **½
Blue Stars-B
Suzu Suzuki (3) def. Saki Kashima (0)
Star rankings won’t ever actually be capable to seize how entertaining I discover Saki Kashima. After saying in previous years that she didn’t wish to do the GP anymore, she was coaxed again in for the 2024 one. And we all know why, she’s bought sponsorship cash to make dammit! Her attempting to go away after selling her sponsorship was an actual spotlight as was her attempting to flee Suzuki at each flip. **¾
Blue Stars-A
Xena (3) Def. Koguma (0)
Entertaining match that went via a few phases, Xena was actually pure working off of Koguma’s extra eccentric character which is an actual development from the place she was at a yr in the past. Past the character stuff it was a well-done match with Xena utilizing her energy and chops to get the win over the spry and wily bear. ***
Blue Stars-B
Saya Kamitani (4) def. Thekla (0)
Whoever greenlit this match may should be docked pay or one thing. These two wrestled for 13 minutes whereas the group sat on their fingers not realizing what to do. They type of tried to make Saya work babyface which doesn’t work when she will get louder boos than H.A.T.E’s personal chief so that you simply had a whole viewers sat awkwardly in the course of the match. The group being useless actually exacerbated the weaker parts of this Saya gimmick, all of her sluggish, unrefined, awkward actions had been placed on full show.
You can’t spend months begging (and I imply BEGGING) your viewers to lastly react to your heels in a correct manner after which serve them up this, a minimum of Konami vs Ruaka was brief and so they had been attempting to simply out-tyrant one another. This? This was a multitude.
Gained’t say it’s a dud as a result of among the strikes had been respectable and Saya growling in Thekla’s face whereas they sat dramatically on the highest rope made me chortle. *
Blue Stars-A
Saori Anou (2) def. Syuri (2)
There’s one thing so satisfying in regards to the calm and virtually easy nature at which Syuri was beating the shit out of Saori Anou. It was a pleasant change to see Anou firmly on the again foot particularly when it’s Syuri on the opposite finish to beat her up. The end got here out of nowhere and caught me off guard with an prompt reversal into the Pottering for the shock win. ***¾
Blue Stars-B
Hanan (3) Def. Risa Sera (0)
Good hometown win for Hanan over Sera. Sera is offered as a heel in STARDOM and is fairly nicely revered throughout the Joshi scene so she was anticipated to waltz and get the win right here. Though Sera was utilizing the entire methods in her guide the resilient Hanan was capable of come again and get the win. Properly advised story and the fitting alternative for the principle occasion. ***½
Last Ideas
The one blip apart this was a positive present. Tournaments normally tail off a bit after they stray away from the larger venues so I’ll take a superb Syuri match and a stable important occasion to maintain issues ticking.
Evening Present Reviewed By Scott
Crimson Stars-A
Natsupoi (2) def. Yuna Mizumori (0)
A match like that is the way you begin a present. The 5STAR Grand Prix is in regards to the large matches more often than not, however they’re additionally in regards to the bouts the place undercarders step up in opposition to the principle eventers. This was a Cosmic Angels battle in the long run, and it was a superb one at that.
Natsupoi is utilizing this event to determine her Armbar end, and she or he used it to perfection on this match. After she slowed down the thrilling energy of Mizumori, she was capable of nab her first W of the 5STAR. ***¼
Crimson Stars-B
Tomoka Inaba (4) vs. AZM (4) resulted in a double countout
All the pieces about this match was thrilling… besides the end. And I really feel I might say that greater than as soon as via the primary three days of this event.
AZM and Tomoka Inaba labored nicely collectively. The 2-time Excessive-Velocity Champion blended velocity with strikes to attempt to match Inaba, who can sluggish anybody down with a singular strike. As we’ve seen in her first two matches, the JTO product is a power to be reckoned with. These two wrestled a robust match forwards and backwards, however the issue was that the end of this was a double countout. After wrestling and competing, it immediately grew to become “time to get out of the ring and get counted out.” That severely harm a match that was on its approach to being probably the greatest within the tourney. The attracts are including as much as being an excessive amount of. ***
Crimson Stars-A
Konami (4) def. Hazuki (4)
As inconsistent as H.A.T.E. matches could be primarily based on the primary two days of this event, I didn’t doubt Hazuki. I knew she would carry out probably the greatest this event has seen from the H.A.T.E. crew — and Konami was able to play ball.
Limiting the surface interference was the supply of this match’s success, as Konami was using her kicks to attempt to decelerate Hazuki. The fantastic thing about STARDOM’s “Wild Coronary heart,” nevertheless, is that she’s so good at bringing herself and the group again right into a match. The block’s level chief battled again and appeared to be closing in on victory — till the dishonest of H.A.T.E. lastly kicked in. Konami would get the distraction, utilizing her now signature spray paint to blind Hazuki. Because the referee bought knocked out of the ring, Hazuki would get the Hazukistral roll-up on Konami, however there was nobody there to rely. With the deal with the ref, Hazuki misplaced focus, permitting Konami to brush in and hit her Ripcord Knee to win the match.
Ultimately, we’re going to get a second that actually brings out the perfect of what a H.A.T.E. match could be because the babyface will get the surprising win, however till then — that is the perfect we’re going to get. ***¼
Crimson Stars-A
Mei Seira (4) def. Momo Watanabe (0)
If you happen to’ve listened to or learn something I’ve accomplished over the previous yr or so, that my perception in Mei Seira has been as excessive as anybody. She’s been a official MVP for STARDOM since becoming a member of the corporate and this event is simply confirming that in each kind. This match in opposition to Momo Watanabe was her newest case.
Now, should you learn my evaluation for Konami’s match with Hazuki — I stated that was the excessive for a H.A.T.E. model match. That’s as a result of Momo Watanabe hasn’t gone down the trail to determined measures like Konami and Saya Kamitani have. As a substitute, she’s wrestled (largely) straight up, and is having a stable event due to it. This match was simply one other case of that occuring, as she and Mei Seira meshed higher than I anticipated. Sure, each are nice wrestlers, however the types generally is a drawback. However Watanabe has proven in opposition to AZM and Starlight Child prior to now that she will be able to compete tremendous nicely in opposition to high-speed wrestlers — this was the identical case of that.
Seira was capable of get the win right here to ship Watanabe to a stunning 0-3. That desperation could kick in for Watanabe transferring ahead, however for now, she’s delivering. As is Seira, who’s on the shortlist for event MVP. ***¾
Crimson Stars-B
Manami (3) vs. Ruaka (1) resulted in a 15-minute draw
To make this easy, this match was positive — however merely didn’t should be a 15-minute draw. Utilizing the draw has rapidly turn into a crutch on this event, as this grew to become the fifth in three days. It additionally matched the quantity we noticed in whole in the course of the 2023 5STAR Grand Prix. Manami and Ruaka are additionally not the mix to be wrestling quarter-hour in opposition to each other. It’s simply not a robust facet of Ruaka — or Manami for that matter until she’s in there with a important occasion tier expertise. This match was actually simply there, however you felt each minute of it whereas watching. **¼
Crimson Stars-B
Saya Iida (2) def. Tam Nakano (0)
The perfect match of the day was saved for final. In her second important occasion in as many days, Saya Iida took on the problem of a event favourite when she went one-on-one with Tam Nakano. And never solely did she stay as much as the spot, she is completely killed it as soon as once more.
Iida brings an depth that few, if any, can match in STARDOM. It’s what units her other than the remainder of the sphere and makes up for something she will be able to’t do. Her total output this yr has gone below the radar should you’re not watching each STARDOM present like me however her event is rapidly exhibiting why 2024 has been her yr at any time when the chance presents itself.
When watching Nakano, no story comes near matching hers — making every match all the higher. The knee is destroyed — one thing that H.A.T.E. made certain to do to her proper earlier than the beginning of the 5STAR. It’s turn into an ailing damage that’s rapidly turning into her downfall. As the favourite heading into this event, she wants to show issues round ASAP as a result of Iida knew what was bothering Nakano and took benefit.
The Lariats to the leg had been good, and it left Nakano crying in ache from begin to end. When Iida the shock win, all of it kicked in for her and Nakano. The arduous work of Iida earned her that win whereas it units Nakano again for what’s prone to be an thrilling comeback when this event is all stated and accomplished. Nice match and probably the greatest within the STARDOM event. ****
Last Ideas
Crimson Stars has utterly dominated when it comes to high quality, leaving me to marvel if there’s ever been this large of a distinction within the event’s historical past. Saya Iida deserves love and reward from STARDOM followers after back-to-back killer important occasions.
Because the event strikes into crucial matches, I hope that the drama kicks in for all of the blocks and inside the matches — even when Crimson Stars-B is just about unbeatable. General, a superb event that ought to step up over the subsequent week.
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