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STARDOM WORLD CHAMPIONS WARS
OCTOBER 14, 2019
TOKYO, JAPAN AT KORAKUEN HALL
AIRED ON STARDOM WORLD
REPORT BY HARLEY R. PAGEOT, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Kamitani said it was exciting and nerve-wracking to wrestler her first singles match in Korakuen Hall. Nakano said it was being called a master-pupil relationship but she didn’t think of it that way. They just see things from a similar point of view.
(1) TAM NAKANO vs. SAYA KAMITANI
Kamitani looked for a lion-tamer but she leaned back too far, allowing Nakano to escape. (Rookie mistake.) Nakano with a single-leg crab but Kamitani made the rope break. Roles reversed but Nakano made the rope break. Kamitani with a series of flash pins but Nakano kicked out of each. A roundhouse kick leveled the rookie.
WINNER: Tam Nakano in 9:24.
(Pageot’s Perspective: I love that the rookie who’s been wrestling for two months gets to have longer matches than the top women in a lot of American promotions.)
-Kid said she’s been in many gauntlets and won a few. She’s something of a specialist. She and Iida reminded that you could lose via over the top rope elimination. Konami showed off the new black and gold TCS shirt. Lucha rules were also in effect for this one.
(2) GAUNTLET MATCH
(2a) TOKYO CYBER SQUAD (Goddess Of Stardom Champion Konami & Death Yama-San) vs. QUEEN’S QUEST (Leo Onozaki & Hina)
Hina had a new haircut, a shorter style that makes her look older, as well as a half-skirt over the right side of her shorts. Onozaki and Death started. Death tumbled over the top rope. Onozaki tried to dropkick her off but she fought her way back in. Death pinned Hina off a running back senton.
WINNERS: Tokyo Cyber Squad in 2:22.
(2b) TOKYO CYBER SQUAD (Goddess Of Stardom Champion Konami & Death Yama-San) vs. STARS (Starlight Kid & Saya Iida)
Double-team dropkicks from Stars. Konami with a cloverleaf submission to Iida and bridging pin to Kid at the same time. Death photobombed them. With Kid down Death went up top. Kid hit a dropkick that sent her to the floor, though.
WINNERS: Stars in 2:28.
(2c) STARS (Starlight Kid & Saya Iida) vs. OEDO TAI (Artist Of Stardom Champion Andras Miyagi & Jamie Hayter)
Hayter has died all the hair on the left side of her head copper. The heels overpowered the smaller babyfaces. Falcon arrow backbreaker from Hayter to Iida.
WINNERS: Oedo Tai in 2:34.
(2d) OEDO TAI (Artist Of Stardom Champion Andras Miyagi & Jamie Hayter) vs. OEDO TAI (Hazuki & Natsuko Tora)
Hazuki and Tora double-teamed Hayter. Face wash from Hazuki. Hazuki pump-kicked Miyagi off the top rope to the apron. Tora yanked her off from the floor.
WINNERS: Hazuki & Tora in 2:00.
(Pageot’s Perspective: Fun little gauntlet match. It’s interesting to have every new team win in their first match.)
-Tyler cut a YouTube promo before Lucas interrupted to remind her that they’re actually on Stardom World, not their YouTube channel. Sumire and Martina were pre-drinking in their leopard print coats and already a little rowdy. They chugged another two beers as they partied around ringside, frightening poor tween Rina.
(3) THE DRUNK QUEENS (Artist Of Stardom Champion Natsu Sumire & Session Moth Martina) vs. TOKYO CYBER SQUAD (Bobbi Tyler & Zoe Lucas) – BLUE GODDESSES BLOCK
Martina tried to smuggle another beer into her corner, insisting to the referee that the can was empty. She handed it off to Luca and told her to drink but she threw it to ringside instead. Oedo Tai took out both women and hit a stereo crotch assault. TCS rebounded and isolated Sumire. Atomic drop to Tyler. Diving headbutt from Martina to the injured groin region. Spingboard codebreaker for a two-count. Abdominal stretch slam from Martina to Tyler for the win.
WINNERS: The Drunk Queens in 5:58.
(Pageot’s Perspective: A little bit of an upset in my books. I thought their inebriated state would be their downfall but instead it kept them powered up. This was a fun showing from Sumire and the Brits. Natsu Sumire is in first place in a tournament! Okay, there’s only been one match so far but don’t ruin her good time.)
-AZM said Watanabe has beaten both Iwatani and Kashima before and she’s beaten Kashima so she was aiming for Iwatani in this one. Kashima was excited to team with Iwatani just like they did last year.
(4) STARS (Mayu Iwatani & Saki Kashima) vs. QUEEN’S QUEST (Momo Watanabe & AZM) – RED GODDESSES BLOCK
Iwatani and Kashima were wearing each other’s gear for some reason. AZM and Kashima started. Things broke down around the five-minute mark and remained that way for the rest of the match. Kashima got a near-fall on Watanabe off a flash pin at 7:00. Iwatani with a top rope Frankensteiner to Watanabe. Kashima with a double-stomp. Iwatani with a frog-splash. AZM tried to break up the pin but failed to do so in time. The ref stopped his count anyway and waited for her. Iwatani with a top rope moonsault to Watanabe for the pin.
WINNERS: Stars in 10:22.
(Pageot’s Perspective: For everyone hoping that Watanabe dropping the white belt meant she was heading to the main event picture and a future with the red belt their hopes just keep getting dashed. She’s certainly not being protected in the same way as some of the main eventers.)
-Kagetsu said she was finally back in a singles title match. It had been a long time since she wore her white gear. (May 4 was her last defense of the red belt when she lost it to Priestley.) Hoshiki was giddy about facing Kagetsu. She was disappointed by their draw in the Grand Prix and could picture a better outcome.
(5) ARISA HOSHIKI vs. ARTIST OF STARDOM CHAMPION KAGETSU – WONDER OF STARDOM CHAMPIONSHIP
Kagetsu hit two suicide dives and followed them up with a leaping splash off the top rope onto Hoshiki and her seconds at ringside. She spat a mouthful of water in Hoshiki’s face. Springboard missile dropkick. Top rope double-stomp to Hoshiki’s right knee. A second to her left elbow. A third to the spine. A fourth to the stomach. Kagetsu went for a lazy cover and Hoshiki kicked out. Hoshiki came back with some kicks that left both women down at 10:00.
Springboard cutter from Hoshiki but Kagetsu kicked out. Step-off kick for a two-count. Hoshiki climbed to the top but Kagetsu pulled her off and into a German suplex. Kagetsu hit a flurry of offense culminating in an Oedo Coaster that Hoshiki avoided. She hit a knee strike but collapsed from fatigue. They traded kicks. Kimura lock from Kagetsu. Kagetsu with a step-off kick of her own. Hoshiki with a death valley driver. Both women were down again at 15:00.
More trading of kicks. Two jumping knee strikes landed and a running knee strike but Kagetsu kicked out. Kagetsu shoved the referee to the mat and misted Hoshiki. Death valley driver. Oedo Coaster. Kick out from Hoshiki. She looked for the mist again but Hoshiki avoided it and hit a knee strike. Brazilian kick for the win.
WINNER: Arisa Hoshiki in 17:43 to retain the white belt.
-Hoshiki sat up and wondered why her music was playing. The referee informed her that it was good for a three-count. She was in disbelief that she won her sixth successful title defense. She offered a handshake and Kagetsu shook. Hoshiki said she respects her even though they’re in different units. Kagetsu was the one person she felt she had to beat to prove herself as champion. She didn’t know who would be next but then remembered the consequences of the Grand Prix. Jamie Hayter beat her first. Hayter came out. She told everyone to congratulate Hoshiki and officially challenged her for the white belt. Hoshiki of course agreed.
-Kimura said Priestley can’t beat her happy flower power. Priestley said Kimura is just a little girl trying to get out of her mom’s shadow. The entire TCS army accompanied Kimura to the ring. Priestley entered alone.
(6) BEA PRIESTLEY vs. HANA KIMURA – WORLD OF STARDOM CHAMPIONSHIP
Even back and forth to start. Kimura asked for a handshake at the two-minute mark but Priestley gave her the finger. Kimura asked again, Priestley considered, and Kimura spat in her face. Kimura whipped her into the crowd chairs and beat her with a fan’s umbrella. She dragged her into the stands and slammed her head into the concrete wall. Back in the ring Priestley targeted Kimura’s right hand.
Kimura started to make a comeback at 10:30. Octopus but Priestley escaped. Chinlock from Priestley. Rope break. Queen’s Landing avoided. Springboard double-stomp to Kimura hung up in the ropes. She looked for another but Kimura fought back. Superplex. Ground octopus hold locked in at 18:40. Rope break.
Facewash. Missile dropkick. Kimura looked for a package piledriver to complete Tiger Lily. Priestley avoided it. German suplex from Kimura. Package piledriver avoided again. V-trigger. Kimura grabbed the bottom rope to prevent the three-count. Knee strike from Priestley. Another. She dropped her kneepad and hit a third to Kimura in the corner. Queen’s Landing for the win.
WINNER: Bea Priestley in 21:46 to retain the red belt.
-Priestley told her to get to the back of the line. She listed off everyone she’s beaten since winning the title. She asked who was next. Mayu Iwatani walked out. She issued a challenge for the next show in Korakuen Hall. Priestley agreed. Iwatani left and Priestley called out the rest of Queen’s Quest.
The ring announcer said Stardom president Rossy Ogawa had an announcement. He spoke from his perch at ringside. He said he had a new wrestler to introduce, somebody who expressed a passionate desire to come to Stardom. Out came contracted Ice Ribbon wrestler Giulia.
She introduced herself and said she came to Stardom to be at the top of the women’s pro wrestling world. She looked forward to setting the ring on fire. She posed with QQ to close the show.
(Pageot’s Perspective: I had the result of this match spoiled for me by social media but not the outcome. Can’t say I expected to see Kimura lose clean. I’m not sure where she goes from here but I’ve made it known that I believe it should be a strong babyface who defeats Priestley for the title as she’s one of the only true heels in the promotion. Iwatani definitely fits the bill but I can’t really see her winning the title back at this time unless they want her to be the top star with the top title ahead of all the advertising Bushiroad will be doing come January. Due to the outcomes of the Grand Prix Hoshiki still owes title matches to Hayter, Konami, and the injured Utami Hayashishita. Likewise Priestley also owes title shots to Kagetsu, Hoshiki, and Jungle Kyona.
The post-match was meant to be a big moment for Stardom but instead it just opened a huge can of worms. The short version is that Giulia requested her release from Ice Ribbon to sign with Stardom. They said they couldn’t give it to her until she finished her advertised contracted dates but apparently Giulia and Ogawa chose to ignore that and have her show up here anyway.)
Red Goddesses standings after night 1:
Stars (Mayu Iwatani & Saki Kashima) – 2
Oedo Tai (Hazuki & Natsuko Tora) – 0
Queen’s Quest (Momo Watanabe & AZM) – 0
Riho & Starlight Kid – 0
Tokyo Cyber Squad (Jungle Kyona & Konami) – 0
Top Gaijins (Bea Priestley & Jamie Hayter) – 0
Blue Goddesses standings after night 1:
The Drunk Queens (Natsu Sumire & Session Moth Martina) – 2
3838 Tag (Saya Iida & Saya Kamitani) – 0
DREAM*SHiNE (Arisa Hoshiki & Tam Nakano) – 0
Oedo Tai (Kagetsu & Andras Miyagi) – 0
Tokyo Cyber Squad (Bobbi Tyler & Zoe Lucas) – 0
Tokyo Cyber Squad (Hana Kimura & Death Yama-San) – 0
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