STARDOM in Showcase Vol.2 Review

STARDOM in Showcase Vol.2 Review

By: Trent Breward

On the surface the STARDOM in Showcase events might be designed to be a little bit more on the lighter and fun side, but Volume 2 certainly closed on a ominous note.

The two mystery Grim Reapers who had aligned themselves with Yuu turned out to be Yuna Manase and Nanae Takahashi. Both former STARDOM wrestlers and in Nanae’s case, the first ever World of Stardom champion. However that wasn’t all. As the show drew to a close Alpha Female appeared on screen, announcing an alliance between the four wrestlers under the moniker of Neo Stardom Army.

This new group certainly started on the right note, winning the main event against Rossy’s team of Lady C and storied rivals Syuri and Utami Hayashishista. It was an even contest for most of the match, but as the fight switched into its final stage Lady C found herself more or less trapped against Nanae Takahashi. She put up a valiant fight, but for as much improvement as she’s made since her debut in 2020, expecting her to survive for an extended period of time against a legend like Nanae was asking too much. As long as Yuna Manase could run interference against Syuri, it was only a matter of time until Lady C succumbed to the former champion.

Now the whole roster has a new threat to worry about, and with the Goddess of Stardom Tag League just a month away we already have our first confirmed entrants in Nanae and Yuu. Expect them to do some serious damage in the tournament, while Alpha Female will be hoping to become the first ever IWGP Women’s Champion.

There’s been a lot of outsiders make their mark on STARDOM in 2022, but never has Rossy directly been under fire quite like this. The Neo Stardom Army intend to destroy the company, and he’s come under frequent fire both backstage and during this main event match. Even STARDOM original Mayu Iwatani is on their radar. A storm is coming.

Nanae, Yuu, Yuna Manase and Alpha Female are the NSA, the Neo Stardom Army! pic.twitter.com/yoXNuglcqO

— We Are Stardom (@we_are_stardom) September 25, 2022

Mayu Iwatani might have an uphill climb in her future, but she had quite the descent downstairs in her Falls Count Anywhere match. After her, AZM and Maika found themselves on the upper levels of the Bellesalle Takadanobaba arena, she was sent tumbling down a full flight of stairs in a fall reminiscent of her No People Gate trip down the length of Korakuen Hall. All while Ram Kaicho watched, taped up to the trolley at the bottom of the stairs.

That should give you an idea to the madness of the Falls Count Anywhere match, a stipulation that once again stole the show at STARDOM in Showcase. The four made full use of the space in the building, and were clearly have a blast as they found new and inventive ways to attack one another. Maika in particular seemed at home as she ran back to the inflatable balloon pit several times to get a new balloon to pop against her opponent – that’s when she wasn’t trying to use a bicycle as a weapon.

Eventually though Maika created too much of a target on her back, and after a late audition attempt for the role of Mayu Iwatani in her upcoming movie went awry, all three opponents pinned her to be proclaimed the winners. Ram seemed less than impressed by the decision, given she was the first to start the pinfall attempt, but considering the mess she made with her powder it was probably for the best she didn’t complain too much. There was enough white powder used in the match to make Tony Montana blush.

While the Showcase style gimmick matches were front and center on the show, there was also a very important 5 Star Grand Prix match as the tournament heads into its last week. Suzu Suzuki needed a win to stay in the hunt, and standing in her way was Starlight Kid. At 20 and 21 years old respectively, these are two wrestlers who are going to be leading joshi into an incredibly future, but they also showed we don’t have to wait for that future. It was a fierce match, with winning for pride just as important as the two points.

Starlight Kid looked to have it won when she applied the Numero Dos submission. With Suzu so far from the ropes and multiple limbs locked up by her masked opponent, there was a very real chance the match would have be stopped, harkening back to her first match in the tournament with MIRAI. With all of her energy she managed to wriggle both herself and Kid within reach of the rope and keep the match alive. From there, the Prominence Ace just had to endure and wait for an opening, finishing the job with the Locomotion German Suplex. Now, her future in the tournament comes down to the match she’s wanted more than anything: Giulia.

STARDOM were smart to essentially separate the 5 Star Grand Prix matches (Hanan picked up her second win against Saya Iida in the other match) and the Showcase matches. Once DJ Pretty Dragon came on stage the vibe of the show changed completely. The DJ music might mean the streaming service version is affected by copyright restrictions and force heavy changes to be made, but it adds a fun and unique flavor to the show. Once crowds are able to cheer again these Showcase events have a chance to fully embrace their wilder nature.

These shows are never going to replicate the in ring quality of their other big events, but it allows the talent a chance to spread their wings and express themselves, as well as try new things. The muscle competition was a great way to highlight how hard the women work on their bodies, and they clearly had a lot of fun with it.

These shows seem to be aiming to bring back some of the magic that could be found in the Golden Week faction shows from before the pandemic. As much as STARDOM has become home to some of the best in ring wrestling on the planet, the Showcase events allow chances for them to try new things in a non-canon environment. At least when they’re not being invaded by the Neo Stardom Army.

Mayu!!!! pic.twitter.com/fNefg8H32s

— We Are Stardom (@we_are_stardom) September 25, 2022

Full Match Results

• Blue Stars Block: Hanan (4) def. Saya Iida (4)
• Blue Stars Block: Suzu Suzuki (14) def. Starlight Kid (14)
• Saya Iida won a Muscle competition. The others to make it to the final three were Hazuki and Thekla
• Mayu Iwatani, AZM, and Ram Kaichow def. Maika to win a Falls Count Anywhere Match
• Tam Nakano & Natsupoi, and SAKI & Hikari Shimizu def. Unagi Sayaka & Mina Shirakawa via disqualification in a Cosmic Rules Match
• Giulia & Rina Yamashita def. Ruaka & Momo Watanabe in a Hardcore Match
• Yuu, Nanae Takahashi & Yuna Manase def. Lady C, Syuri & Utami Hayashishita in a Captain’s Fall Match

Rapid Fire Takeaways

• Momo Watanabe swinging for the fences with the bat was a nice callback to when her gimmick tied in to her softball experience. If Mayu Iwatani is going be a pitcher as she throws her wristband into the crowd, Momo’s going to be the lead batter.
• Full credit should be given to everyone in the hardcore match, but especially Ruaka. It could have felt like she was out of her element but she did an admirable job both dishing out punishment and taking it. Though Giulia took by far the worst of it when the guitar didn’t break on impact across her skull.
• Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me. Somehow Mina Shirakawa trusted Unagi Sayaka not to go overboard in the second ever Cosmic Rules match, but Unagi showed her true colors once again. By the end of the match the five other competitors all had to wrap towels around themselves after having their bikini tops ripped off backstage. Not even Daichi was safe, and it was her attack on him that led to the disqualification.
• Natsupoi might need to invest in some wet weather wrestling boots if she’s going to compete in another Cosmic Rules match. Several times she could be seen slipping thanks to the mat and ringside getting drenched amidst the water fight. She might also need a padded bikini if she’s going to try and go chest to chest with Mina again.
• Hanan has now finished her first ever 5 Star Grand Prix and she should walk away proud of herself. The tournament is a proving ground and she held her own against some of the best in the company. It’s an important step forward in her career as she’ll look to venture beyond the undercard – and seeing how she performed in the Artist of Stardom challenge a couple of weeks back showed she’s already made some big improvements.

5 Star Grand Prix Standings

RED STARS BLOCK
14 – Maika
14 – AZM
14 – Syuri
14 – Tam Nakano
14 – Himeka
14 – Utami Hayashishita
13 – Risa Sera
12 – Koguma
10 – Saki Kashima
10 – SAKI
9 – Mai Sakurai
4 – Momo Kohgo
2 – Unagi Sayaka

BLUE STARS BLOCK
15 – Giulia
14 – Hazuki
14 – Suzu Suzuki
14 – Starlight Kid
13 – Saya Kamitani
13 – MIRAI
13 – Mayu Iwatani
12 – Natsupoi
10 – Ami Sourei
10 – Momo Watanabe
8 – Mina Shirakawa
4 – Saya Iida
4 – Hanan