wrestling / TV Reports
Pantoja’s STARDOM Golden Week Tour Night 2 Review 4.30.23
Image Credit: STARDOM
Loading...STARDOM Golden Week Tour Night 2
April 30th, 2023 | Fukuyama Industrial Exchange Center Big Rose in Fukuyama, Hiroshima | Attendance: 615
I was hoping to have much more STARDOM reviewed so far in May, especially their big show from 5/4. However, their streaming service has been taking extra long to get these events uploaded so I’m doing my best. I also heard the announcement for the main event of the upcoming May 27th (I believe is the date) PPV and that sounds like a big goddamn deal.
Aya Sakura vs. HANAKO vs. Xena
It’s the classic three-way opener for STARDOM featuring at least one relatively new worker. Xena has kind of been booked as the most serious member of Club Venus. She doesn’t seem to get involved in as much of the taunting or shenanigans, which was mostly the case here. Xena started hot but got sent outside to give us some Sakura vs. HANAKO exchanges which were fine. Xena came back in with moves like a Samoan Drop before beating Sakura with her gutbuster after 6:11. Typical little opener here and nothing more. [**]
Hana and Saya Iida vs. Waka Tsukiyama and Yuna Mizumori
Again, the focal point here seemed to be on Hanan and the fact that she has a new look and theme. While this is technically a house show, only a few matches really come off as house show bouts. This was one of them. The teams had a perfectly fine wrestling match with fun spots like Hanan hopping on Saya’s back for a double splash of sorts but they never did anything special. It was simply entertaining and that’s okay for what it is. While Hanan was the focal point at times, her team didn’t prevail. Instead, Waka continued her winning ways after surviving offense from both opponents and pinning Saya following a lariat from Yuna and her tiger suplex in 7:25. Again, I enjoyed that for what it was. [**½]
Lady C, Miyu Amasaki and Utami Hayashishita vs. Momo Watanabe, Natsuko Tora and Saki Kashima
Oedo Tai is the one stable in STARDOM that feels like they’re kind of just there. Miyu started for her team and took a bit of a beating. I liked the more aggressive style Momo utilized here. It’s not totally new for her but something about it felt more motivated here. Maybe there’s a push incoming. Utami got the hot tag and traded shots with Tora for a bit. I liked Lady C getting the third tag in as it felt like she was getting a moment to shine and she’s been an underrated part of STARDOM shows in 2023. Though she had a solid run here, she was the one to eat the pin after a series of moves by her opponents capped by Kashima’s double stomp off the top. This went 6:18 and was another decent match. [**½]
Natsupoi and Tam Nakano vs. Ruaka and Starlight Kid
MELTEAR WITH TWO RED BELTS! MY HEART! Starlight Kid attacked Tam during her introduction, sending her over the top and kicking this off with a brawl outside. She was really taking it to the top champ, including throwing her into the sea of chairs in the audience. I loved that SLK avoided metlear’s tandem move where they run the ropes and do cartwheels. It always bugged me that people just stand there in confusion when it happens. Tam was isolated for a bit before Natsupoi came in with a cross body off the top. Natsupoi vs. SLK was a treat even if it didn’t last very long. This broke down as it progressed like most tag matches. Stereo Germans saw mealtear pick up a near fall before it came down to Tam and Ruaka. Our champion weathered a bit of offense and won with her Tiger Suplex in 8:44. Starlight Kid remains a star, Ruaka has continued to improve, and meltear is excellent as always. [***]
AZM and Saya Kamitani vs. Mei Seira and Suzu Suzuki
On paper, this felt like the match with the most potential. AZM shines on every show, Kamitani is very good, Suzuki is ridiculously good, and Seira has impressed in her few matches back. As usual, the pace here was absurd, with every exchange being filled with energy and excitement. It’s the kind of stuff that didn’t feel like it belonged on a house show. After watching them together in this one, I am all in on a possible AZM vs. Suzu Suzuki match/program down the line. Hell, I just want to see AZM wrestle everyone. It’ll never not be amazing to me that they’re both only 20. The Suzu/Saya stuff ruled too but the real treat was AZM/Seira ahead of their title match on 5/4 (I really wish that show was on the streaming service now). The last five minutes of this were breathtaking with tons of action and plenty of flash pin near falls. As that was going on, time expired at the 15:00 mark, capping another really fun time limit draw. I could watch these high speed matches all day. [***¾]
Hazuki, Koguma and Mayu Iwatani vs. Jessie, Mariah May and Mina Shirakawa
The IWGP Women’s Champion across the ring from the Wonder of Stardom Champion. Pretty cool. As usual, Koguma was there for the comedic stuff and Mariah played right into it, making for a lighthearted but fun back and forth that included Mariah twerking. Once that segment was over, things picked up as you’d expect, Mayu is one of the best, Mina is on a great run, and Hazuki is hella underrated so it all came together nicely for a blast of a match. The Mayu/Mina section as my favorite despite it not lasting all that long. Both stables got runs where they got to hit tandem moves and showcase their chemistry. I keep mentioning it but it has been beneficial for Mariah to stay in Japan for basically the entire year. She has become quite comfortable in there with almost everyone. Mayu threw herself into everything down the stretch from a sick looking missile dropkick to an impressive moonsault on Jessie that won this in 12:12. The goofy start was fun and then it blossomed into a hell of a bout. [***¼]
Ami Sourei, Konami, MIRAI and Syuri vs. Giulia, Maika, Mai Sakurai and Thekla
Right from the start, this gave me Giulia vs. Konami, which was a welcome sight. This match also gave me a bit more Syuri vs. Giulia after their legitimate five star main event at the end of last year. The in-ring work from everyone throughout was strong and I liked getting another glimpse at the chemistry of the new tag champs, Ami Sourei and MIRAI. Ami had a good exchange with Maika and I wish I got to see Mika and Himeka against our current champs. For the most part, this main event was a simple multi-woman tag where everyone got a chance to shine and I continued to gain an appreciation for the undercard ladies like Thekla. I dig her teamwork with Giulia, like on their modified Hart Attack. Syuri’s team had a spot where they all had submissions on at the same time. Again, things broke down late and Thekla ended up submitting to Konami’s armbar in 13:55. A very good house show main event with a fair bit of action. [***¼]
