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STARDOM 5 Star Grand Prix: Night 5 Review

2 years ago

STARDOM 5 Star Grand Prix: Night 5 Review

STARDOM 5 Star Grand Prix: Night 5 Review

By Trent Breward
Suzu Suzuki never tapped out, but the record books will show that MIRAI came away from their hotly anticipated rematch with the victory via her Miramare submission.

Head referee Daichi Murayama made the call the end the match with Suzu’s future in the tournament in mind. Suzuki entered the 5 Star GP with an injured shoulder sustained during the Catch the Wave Tournament, and it served as a massive target for MIRAI who took every opportunity to attack this vulnerability. Suzu survived one Miramane attempt, but wrapped up in the middle of the ring with no real chance to escape, it felt like if the match wasn’t called when it was MIRAI might have brought her 5 Star Grand Prix run to a premature end.

It hasn’t been the ideal build to this tournament for the Prominence youngster. Suzu had to miss the opening weekend due to a positive COVID test, and with her damaged shoulder she’s coming in far below 100%. Still she put up a valiant effort, but MIRAI couldn’t be swayed from her strategy of targeting the arm. When Suzu tried to turn it into a slugfest trading headbutts, MIRAI aimed her response squarely at the shoulder. It demonstrated a level of poise that goes beyond her years in the ring. It was the key that separated this match from their NEW BLOOD draw a month prior.

It wasn’t a good night in general for Prominence, with both their entrants falling short in their respective matches. Risa Sera couldn’t bring down Utami Hayashishita in a match that seemed to mirror the latter’s wars with Syuri. Risa’s experience and savvy kept her one step ahead of Utami through much of the match, even emboldening the former Ice Ribbon champion to mock Lady C at ringside with a giant swing, but the Red Queen was able to change momentum in an instant. In a few moves the match dynamics were turned on its head, and Utami hit her Hi-Jack Bomb to hand Sera her first loss of the tournament.

Hazuki continued her impressive start to the 5 Star GP, remaining undefeated with a big win over Natsupoi in what served as something of a preview to their upcoming Goddess of Stardom Tag Championship match. The two former High Speed Champions started off fast, but in the end Hazuki’s punishing offence got the better of Cosmic Angels’ newest member. Her many boots to the face left some blemishes on Natsupoi’s face, in stark contrast to Hazuki’s unblemished tournament record so far.

There was no honor among thieves in the lone Oedo Tai vs Oedo Tai tournament match. Momo Watanabe and Starlight Kid might be 2/3rds of the Artist of Stardom Champions, but that didn’t stop them from puling every trick in the book in order to gain those precious points. In the end it was Momo with the wrench stuffed down her boot that produced the nastiest but most effective trick. With a sickening thud that made the clap-only Korakuen crowd collectively gasp, the subsequent Peach Thunder served as mere formalities to bring Watanabe the win. It was the kind of devious move that could have driven a wedge between partners, but Kid seemed to understand that the Oedo Tai way doesn’t stop when you stand across from another member.

It was an electric night for STARDOM, with Korakuen Hall filled to them brim with 1528 fans in attendance. Packed crowds are looking to be a pattern for these tournament shows, and after two and a half years of pandemic restrictions we’re starting to see just how much the company has grown in that time. The tournament is still in its early days but the roster is already delivering on a high level as they look to eclipse the previous year’s, which stands as one of the best in the company’s history.

Full Match Results

  • Blue Stars Block: Ami Sourei (4) def. Hanan (0)
  • Red Stars Block: Himeka (6) def. Momo Kohgo (0)
  • Red Stars Block: Mai Sakurai (4) def. Saki Kashima (0)
  • Red Stars Block: SAKI (4) def. Koguma (4)
  • Blue Stars Block: Mayu Iwatani (4) def. Saya Iida (0)
  • Red Stars Block: Syuri (4) def. Unagi Sayaka (0)
  • Red Stars Block: AZM (4) def. Tam Nakano (2)
  • Blue Stars Block: Momo Watanabe (2) def. Starlight Kid (2)
  • Blue Stars Block: Hazuki (6) def. Natsupoi (4)
  • Red Stars Block: Utami Hayashishita (6) def. Risa Sera (4)
  • Blue Stars Block: MIRAI (6) def. Suzu Suzuki (0)

Rapid Fire Takeaways:

  • For someone who lives off of flash pins, Saki Kashima certainly seemed dumbfounded to be on the other end of one against Mai Sakurai. It’s never nice to be beaten at your own game.
  • Koguma couldn’t get the win over SAKI, nor could she win over NJPW star “Filthy” Tom Lawlor, who was in attendance but is not a fan of the bear dance.
  • Iwatani hasn’t gone easy on her STARS youngsters, beating up Hanan on Day 3 with some nasty forearms and then busting out her special Hanging Dragon Sleeper for Saya Iida. It’s not a move she uses on just anyone.
  • Unagi has had her share of misfortunes against the Red Belt Champion, but this was her best showing against Syuri. She endured the early strikes and even had the champ on the backfoot with some big moves on the outside. If her finisher had a less complicated setup she might have been able to pull off the shock win, but it gave Syuri enough time to regain her senses and bring the fight back to Unagi.
  • Speed kills, which is something Tam found out the hard way when she went up against the High Speed Champion. AZM is just on another level when she hits top gear and overwhelms her adversaries. Not even a sickening headbutt and cutter off the apron could shut down her engine for long enough.
  • While not relevant to the match itself, Risa Sera and Utami Hayashishita look made to compete against one another with the contrasting blue and red color schemes of their gear.

5 Star Grand Prix Standings (after night 5):

RED STARS BLOCK
6 – Utami Hayashishita
6 – Himeka
4 – Risa Sera
4 – Koguma
4 – Syuri
4 – SAKI
4 – Mai Sakurai
4 – AZM
2 – Tam Nakano
0 – Maika
0 – Unagi Sayaka
0 – Momo Kohgo
0 – Saki Kashima

BLUE STARS BLOCK
6 – MIRAI
6 – Hazuki
4 – Mina Shirakawa
4 – Saya Kamitani
4 – Natsupoi
4 – Ami Sourei
4 – Mayu Iwatani
2 – Starlight Kid
2 – Momo Watanabe
0 – Giulia
0 – Saya Iida
0 – Suzu Suzuki
0 – Hanan

Date:

August 15, 2022

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