SHOW REPORT: Stardom in Osaka 2024. Jul (Friday, 12th July 2024)

July 12, 2024 Rob Goodwin News, Show Reports, Stardom 0
Photo Courtesy: World Wonder Ring Stardom

Notes

  • Thekla will be absent from the cards on the 12th, 13th and 14th July due to her ongoing suspension for attacking officials and media personnel at Korakuen Hall after her match with Sayaka Kurura on the 7th July.
  • Ami Sohrei will be absent from this weekend’s cards due to an injury picked up during training – relevant card changes are listed below.
  • HANAKO will be absent from this weekend’s cards due to an unspecified injury.

Card Changes

  • Due to Ami Sohrei’s absence, the following matches have been changed; Syuri, Konami, Ami Sohrei & Lady C vs. Natsuko Tora, Momo Watanabe, Ruaka & Fukigen Death, Ranna Yagami vs. Rian and Hanan vs. Saki Kashima vs. Aya Sakura.
  • Ranna Yagami will replace Ami Sohrei in the 8-woman tag team match, meaning that the matches will now be; Syuri, Konami, Ranna Yagami & Lady C vs. Natusko Tora, Momo Watanabe, Ruaka & Fukigen Death, Hanan vs. Rian and Saki Kashima vs. Aya Sakura.

Quick Results

  • Singles Match: Hanan def. Rian w/ Dandelion (5:28)
  • Singles Match: Saki Kashima def. Aya Sakura w/ Double Underhook Facebuster (7:20)
  • Tag Team Match: STARS (Momo Kohgo & Saya Iida) def. Cosmic Angels (Yuna Mizumori & Aya Sakura) w/ Lariat (9:26)
  • 8-Woman Tag Team Match: God’s Eye (Syuri, Konami & Ranna Yagami) & Lady C def. Oedo Tai (Natsuko Tora, Momo Watanabe, Fukigen Death & Ruaka) w/ Ryuen (9:18)
  • Three-Way 9-Woman Tag Team Match: Cosmic Angels (Tam Nakano, Natsupoi & Saori Anou) def. STARS (Mayu Iwatani, Hazuki & Koguma) & EXV (Mina Shirakawa, Xena & Waka Tsukiyama) w/ Tiger Suplex (13:52)
  • Singles Match: Starlight Kid def. Miyu Amasaki w/ Black Tiger Leg Killer (16:16)
  • Tag Team Match: Saya Kamitani & Maika def. AZM & Mei Seira w/ Shooting Star Reversal (10:39)

Match #1 – Hanan def. Rian w/ Dandelion (5:28)

After a strong performance against Tam Nakano on the 4th July in her last singles outing, Rian now faced off with the 2024 Cinderella Tournament winner Hanan. Once again, Rian showed a lot of heart and fire, getting herself a number close roll-up attempts despite Hanan’s dominance, and impressed with some of her expanded moveset – including a Headscissors Takedown in the corner, her impressive Double Underhook Over-The-Top Pinfall attempt and a big Bridging Fisherman’s Suplex. However, Hanan halted her in her tracks with a Fame-asser before ultimately submitting her with the painful-looking Dandelion in relatively short order.

Match #2 – Saki Kashima def. Aya Sakura w/ Double Underhook Facebuster (7:20)

Looking for just the second singles victory of her career, Cosmic Angel Aya Sakura faced-off against the ever-resourceful Saki Kashima. Initially trying to emulate Sakura’s karate-based offence, and seemingly tweaking her hamstring in the process, Kashima instead tried to force a win by count-out. Not only did this not work, but Sakura arguably had the best of the offence, hitting a series of kicks to the midriff and chest before both women took it in terms Snapmaring each other off the top rope. Getting a little too zealous, Sakura ran straight into a Superkick, just getting her arm up before the count of three. However, this was the beginning of the end as this allowed Saki to hoist the rookie up into a Double Underhook Facebuster for the victory.

Match #3 – STARS (Saya Iida & Momo Kohgo) def. Cosmic Angels (Sayaka Kurura & Yuna Mizumori) w/ Lariat (9:26)

Having found herself being somewhat-tortured by an increasingly unhinged Thekla over the last couple of shows, Sayaka Kurura was looking to prove herself here, clearly looking to show some grit and determination. Having to absorb some extremely heavy-handed chops from Saya Iida, Kurura managed to gain some respite by tagging in Mizumori. What followed was an entertaining battle between Iida and Mizumori as the two repeatedly bounced off of each other in an attempt to floor the other with Shoulder Tackles, including some off the top rope. Though only a relatively brief exchange, it does set the table for what would be an intriguing singles match-up down the road. With Kurura tagged back in, the Cosmic Angels team locked in stereo Boston Crabs and impressed with their ever-improving tag team chemistry. A Jakknife pin attempt and a Spear gave Kurura close two counts, but attempting to go blow-for-blow with Iida led her to receive a huge Lariat for her troubles. Though she was able to kick out of the ensuing pinfall, she didn’t have enough energy left to kick out of another. Another impressive performance for Kurura, but another that ultimately ends in defeat.

Post-match, Iida held her New Blood Tag Team Championship up in front of Kurura’s face, much to the annoyance of Mizumori, who attempted to shove her away.

During the subsequent backstage interview, Momo Kohgo declared that she was going to fight harder and harder to make sure that one of the four remaining 5Star Grand Prix spots (the first night of which is the 10th August) goes to her. Yuna Mizumori also gave a very similar interview before asking Kurura if she desired a spot in the 5Star as well.

Match #4 – God’s Eye (Syuri, Konami & Ranna Yagami) & Lady C def. Oedo Tai (Natsuko Tora, Momo Watanabe, Fukigen Death & Ruaka) w/ Ryuen (9:18)

With Thekla currently suspended, it was up to Momo Watanabe to carry on Oedo Tai’s momentum heading into the 23rd July Korakuen Hall show, where her and Thekla will be facing Syuri and Konami for the Goddesses of Stardom Championships. Watanabe and Konami briefly opened proceedings before the match devolved into Oedo Tai launching the members of God’s Eye into the front row of EDION Arena Osaka #2.

Oedo Tai continued to control the flow of the match despite fight backs from both Konami and Syuri, with the latter able to briefly lock in an Arm-Bar on Natsuko Tora. Eventually, the God’s Eye team were able to isolate Fukigen Death, with Konami and Syuri’s tag team chemistry paying dividends in clearing the ring. With the evil clown now alone, Konami and Syuri hit a double team Codebreaker before the latter then hit the Ryuen for the victory, avenging the pinfall loss she endured in Korakuen on 4th July to Thekla.

Mathc #5 – Cosmic Angels (Tam Nakano, Natsupoi & Saori Anou) def. STARS (Mayu Iwatani, Koguma & Hazuki) & EXV (Mina Shirakawa, Xena & Waka Tsukiyama) w/ Tiger Suplex (13:52)

It would be interesting to see how Saori Anou reacted in this match after she finally seemed to halt the downward spiral she was suffering as a result of losing the Wonder of Stardom Championship to Mika Iwata at THE CONVERSION on the 22nd June. Especially when considering the fact that she has a rematch for that and the Sendai Girls Championship on Monday 15th July.

The answer to this question was evident from the very outset, with her, Hazuki and Mina Shirakawa embarking on an explosive opening sequence. Xena regularly showed off her strength advantage, at one point catching Natsupoi on her back in a Tarantula before then simultaneously dragging Mayu into a Pendulum. We got a brief reminder of the magic that Tam Nakano and Mina Shirakawa can create when put together in a singles setting before a rapid set of moves left every single member of the match wiped out in the middle of the ring. This was then followed by 8 of the 9 competitors forming a circle before simultaneously all punching the person to their right in a spot I can’t say I’ve ever seen before.

STARS showed flashes of the offence that makes them such a dangerously cohesive unit, but a Suicide Dive from Mayu and Stereo Diving Crossbodys from Hazuki and Koguma left Waka Tsukiyama and Tam Nakano facing off in the ring. Though the Moonlight Dream briefly looked like she had got the win with a roll-up following a Tiger Suplex attempt, Tam was able to wrestle back control and successfully hit the move for the victory.

Post-match, Tam Nakano took to the microphone in order to tell the audience how good a trio the team of her, Natsupoi and Saori Anou are. She then asked her teammates if they were thinking what she was thinking as she had just had a great idea. Natsupoi responded in the affirmative, though Saori didn’t really seem to know what was going on. However, as she pointed out in her backstage interview, she has got five matches in five days, so we can forgive her for not completely understanding what Tam was getting at.

Match #6 – Starlight Kid def. Miyu Amasaki w/ Black Tiger Leg Killer (16:16)

Interestingly, there was no handshake to begin this match considering Starlight Kid has been courting both Miyu Amasaki and AZM to her still-as-of-yet-unnamed stable, indicative of Miyu’s proclamation before the match that she would be leaving all of her feelings in the ring.

Kid had the early advantage, using her experience and speed to garner the upper hand and begin targeting the leg, but Miyu quickly showcased the harder-hitting side we have been seeing in previous shows, landing some booming forearms in the chest of the Spark Joshi Champion. This antagonised Kid and led to the both of them clutching the others’ wrist as the pair rained down even more clubbing forearms into each other, Kid once again coming out on top, mounting Stardom’s Supernova and continuing to deliver forearm shots.

After Kid knocked Amasaki from the top rope, the action moved to the outside where Miyu managed to halt an Asai Moonsault and hit a Tornado DDT off the apron. A second DDT from the top rope looked like it might have been enough for Amasaki, but when that, a second Tornado DDT and a Modified-Hammerlock DDT proved to not be enough, you could see the frustration beginning to show. Kid blocked a Tensei attempt and moved to Miyu’s leg once again, hitting an Inverted Dragon Screw Leg Whip before locking in the Black Tiger Leg Killer. After spending an age locked in the hold, Amasaki finally managed to claw her way to the ropes, though she now struggled to support her own weight due to the damage to her right knee. She collapsed as Kid sent her towards the rope, but far from expecting sympathy, continued to throw forearms from her knees. Unwisely though, she then attempted a Dropkick which left her on the back foot and open for a Rounding Body Splash which Miyu did kick out of before reversing another Black Tiger Leg Killer attempt into a desperate pinfall attempt.

A final Amanohashidate ultimately proved fruitless and Kid was able to hit the Black Tiger Piledriver. Not content with pinning her after this, instead Kid once again locked in the Black Tiger Leg Killer, with Miyu having no choice but to tap out.

With Miyu still crumpled in the corner, Starlight Kid took to the microphone and asked if Miyu had conveyed all that she wished to convey in the ring, once again offering a place in her new faction. Miyu accepted the invitation, shaking hands with Kid before the pair went to the back together.

Match #7 – Saya Kamitani & Maika def. Mei Seira & AZM w/ Shooting Star Reversal (10:39)

We got a flavour of the upcoming High Speed Championship match in Sapporo at the end of the month as Kamitani and Seira dazzled with an impressive lightning-fast sequence, before Maika tagged in order to dominate Seira with her significant power advantage.

AZM, who herself must be harbouring at least some resentment towards Kamitani for how her tenure in Queen’s Quest ended back in June, looked to tag in and stem the tide of Maika dominance, though this proved unsuccessful. However, the moment Kamitani entered the fray, the match exploded into life, with thunderous forearms and kicks being thrown by both accompanied huge guttural screams full of passion and emotion.

Eventually, AZM and Mei Seira manage to gain a foothold in the match, wiping out both Kamitani and Maika with Diving Crossbodies to the outside before Seira hit a huge Release German Suplex onto Saya. After perching the High-Speed Champion on the top rope, AZM and Mei look to hit a Double Superplex, only for Maika to re-enter the fray and Powerbomb both women off the top rope, allowing Saya to hit a Missile Dropkick to Mei.

A Star Crusher attempt was reversed, with AZM coming in an attempt to help Mei with a La Mistica. With Saya prone, Mei looked for the Shooting Star pinfall attempt, only for Saya to roll back through and hook the leg for the three count.

Taking to the microphone, Saya first addressed Mei Seira who promised that it would not be that easy in Sapporo for the title match. She then came face-to-face with AZM who, far from being angry, told Saya that she was glad that they were still friends before gesturing to Mei and saying that she had other friends as well that she can rely on. A fist-bump followed and Mei and AZM left the ring. Before closing the show, Maika said that she would be looking to Saya Kamitani to be her second from now on, especially if she was facing Oedo Tai leader Natsuko Tora on the 28th July.

You can check out the Stardom roster win/loss records for 2024 right here; https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/103h_Y27csTgcS-CcBwswaj-D7hVazTC_Wn0SPn0BZBM/edit

You can check out a comprehensive run down of the Stardom Championship Histories here; https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1-Dk6T0ukSXm6R8eOTQU96i4rsfoy34wnz0-rKP5mwmQ/edit

Upcoming Shows

  • Saturday 13th July – Stardom in Yamato Arena 2024, Yamato Arena, Osaka (LIVE)
  • Sunday 14th July – Stardom in Maibara 2024 Jul., Shiga Prefectural Cultural and Industrial Exchange Center Event Hall, Maibara (VIDEO ON DEMAND)
  • Friday 19th July – Stardom in Sendai 2024 Jul., Sendai PIT, Miyagi (VIDEO ON DEMAND)
  • Sunday 21st July – Stardom in Chiba 2024 Jul., TKP Garden City, Chiba (LIVE)
  • Tuesday 23rd July – Stardom Nighter in Korakuen 2024 Jul. 2, Korakuen Hall, Tokyo (LIVE)
  • Saturday 27th July – Stardom Sapporo Wonder Rendezvous, Hokkaido Chateau Kingdom, Sapporo (PPV)
  • Sunday 28th July – Stardom Sapporo World Rendezvous, Hokkaido Chateau Kingdom, Sapporo (PPV)
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About Rob Goodwin 395 Articles
Hailing from Stoke-on-Trent, Rob fell back in love with the Wrestling Business in 2016 after a decade-long break. Rob is the host of the PodMania Wrestling Podcast, the StardomCast and reviews retro PPVs - with an odd fascination with 1995 WWF/WCW!
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