SHOW REPORT: Stardom 5Star Grand Prix – Night 3 ~Afternoon Show~ (Monday, 12th August 2024)

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

Notes

  • Ami Sohrei will be absent from all cards as she begins the process of recovering from ACL and meniscus tears in her knee. Ranna Yagami will replace her in the 5Star Grand Prix.
  • Kaori Yonoeyama – more commonly known as Fukigen Death in Stardom – has also suffered an ACL tear and will be out of action for a year.
  • A championship match contract signing opened the afternoon show in Utsunomiya, with Hina and Rina – both natives of Tochigi – signing the contract for their Future of Stardom Championship match on August 31st with President Taro Okada presiding.

Quick Results

  • Four-Way Match: Miyu Amasaki def. Momo Kohgo, Ranna Yagami & Waka Tsukiyama w/ Tensai (4:19)
  • 5Star Grand Prix 2024 Blue Stars A Match: Starlight Kid (2) def. Anna Jay (2) w/ Black Tiger Leg Killer (9:49)
  • 5Star Grand Prix 2024 Blue Stars B Match: Suzu Suzuki (3) def. Saki Kashima (0) w/ Kishikaisei Reversal (4:58)
  • 5Star Grand Prix 2024 Blue Stars A Match: Xena (2) def. Koguma (0) w/ Thunderstruck (9:04)
  • 5Star Grand Prix 2024 Blue Stars B Match: Saya Kamitani (4) def. Thekla (0) w/ Star Crusher (12:33)
  • 5Star Grand Prix 2024 Blue Stars A Match: Saori Anou (2) def. Syuri (2) w/ Pottering (12:17)
  • 5Star Grand Prix 2024 Blue Stars B Match: Hanan (3) def. Risa Sera (0) w/ Seventeen (13:32)
Photo Courtesy: World Wonder Ring Stardom

Match #1 – Miyu Amasaki def. Momo Kohgo, Ranna Yagami & Waka Tsukiyama w/ Tensai (4:19)

Initially we get two teams forming in this four-way with Waka Tsukiyama and Ranna Yagami getting the upperhand over Miyu Amasaki and Momo Kohgo. This alliance is only brief though, with Yagami refusing point blank to partake in any hip attack based shenanigans, in spite of much enthusiastic prompting from Waka, and instead choosing to kick Miyu hard in the back.

As the pair begin fighting, Momo wipes both women out with a Diving Crossbody before her and Miyu attack each other, Kohgo getting a close two count with a Springboard Dropkick. When this doesn’t work, she locks in a Sleeperhold on Miyu, with Ranna then joining in and locking one in on Momo. However, the moment Waka attempts to join in, Ranna dismisses her with forearms before reapplying her own old. With help from the crowd, Waka powers up and hits a Dropkick before delivering a Hip Attack in stereo to Momo hitting a Tiger Feint Kick to Miyu. They then have to both dive on Ranna who has attempted a sneaky pin on Amasaki.

Yagami rains down some kicks on Momo Kohgo, before taking her off her feet with a jumping kick to the head. She seems to finish Momo off with a Brazilian Kick, but the pinfall is broken up by Waka. Seizing her opportunity, Miyu then takes out Tsukiyama with a Jumping DDT, and hits Momo with the Tensai for the victory.

Photo Courtesy: World Wonder Ring Stardom

Match #3 – 5Star Grand Prix 2024 Blue Stars A Match: Starlight Kid (2) def. Anna Jay (2) w/ Black Tiger Leg Killer (9:49)

Anna Jay’s first match in Japan can only be considered a success, a victory over former-two time Wonder of Stardom Champion Saori Anou, but Starlight Kid offers a very different challenge. Anna certainly has the height advantage and arguably the power advantage, but it’s Kid that comes out on top of the initial lock-up by seizing control of Jay’s arm. Anna is somehow able to transition this into a series of Hip Attacks before Kid hits the Dropick to Anna’s knee as she comes off the ropes.

From here, Kid almost exclusively targets Jay’s knee, but when she attempts a Standing Moonsault onto it, Anna is able to move quickly and hit her with a Blockbuster. She walks Kid to two of the corners before hitting a forearm in each location, but Kid is able to take the Queenslayer off her feet with a Headscissors before following up with a Springboard Crossbody. Kid is able to vault Anna over the top rope to apron where Kid then drags Jay’s leg through the ropes and begins her assault of it again, bringing her opponent crashing back through the ropes into the ring with a Dragon Screw Leg Whip. She looks to lock in the Black Tiger Leg Killer, but Anna is able to drag herself to the bottom rope.

To try and create some distance, Anna hits some forearms, but Kid responds with more kicks to the injured knee. However, she misses an elbow in the corner, with Jay capitalising with one of her own followed by a Kick in the corner. She hits a hanging Backstabber and immediately looks to cinch in the Queenslayer, but SLK is able to wriggle free and avoid the Dangerous Jay Kick before impressively hoisting Jay into a pair of Leg Trap Suplexes. Kid ascends to the top rope and goes for the Rounding Frogsplash, but Anna gets her knees up, further damaging her own knee in attempt to avoid the move. She’s able to stagger to her feet and lock in the Queenslayer before setting for the Gory Bomb, but Kid manages to roll through into a pinfall attempt before immediately zeroing in on Anna’s leg. Again, Kid goes for the Black Tiger Leg Killer, but Anna is able to transition into her own submission before hitting the Dangerous Jay Kick and a Gourdbuster.

Kid just manages to kick out of the Gory Bomb, but finds herself trapped in the Queenslayer, with the only way out being to push all her body weight back in a pinning attempt. The moment Jay kicks out, Kid again locks in the Black Tiger Leg Killer and though Anna is able to get to the ropes again, SLK almost immediately reapplies the hold – this time wrapping her legs around Anna’s throat as she does it. Anna fights frantically, but can’t escape the hold and is forced to tap out and give Starlight Kid her first win of the tournament.

Photo Courtesy: World Wonder Ring Stardom

Match #3 – 5Star Grand Prix 2024 Blue Stars B Match: Suzu Suzuki (3) def. Saki Kashima (0) w/ Kishikaisei Reversal (4:58)

Saki appears to be little more than a walking billboard for the E-Fist of the North Star 10 game, and she comes out with the same sign she had against Ranna Yagami on the opening night here.

On that same theme, Saki tries to advertise this in the middle of the ring when the bell sounds, but Suzu is having none of it and forces her out to the outside, where Saki subsequently continues her shill seamlessly without skipping a beat. When she finishes, she takes to the ramp, bows and then runs backstage. Suzu is in hot pursuit and emerges from the curtain with Saki in tow seconds later without the board.

Saki clearly wants nothing to do with fighting Suzu, and she has to be dragged back into the fight on several occasions before being on the receiving end of a volley of kicks and a Drive By. Saki does manage to get in a little bit of offence though, hitting a Headscissors and landing a Bridging Double Underhook Suplex. Suzu then runs into a Superkick, but plants Saki with the Dolphin Buster shortly after for a two count.

She floors Saki with a Buzzsaw Kick to the back of the head, avoids a Kishkaisei attempt and tries for the Tequila Shot. Saki counters and once again tries for the Kishkaisei, which she successfully hits, only for Suzu to roll through on top of Saki for the three count and the victory.

Photo Courtesy: World Wonder Ring Stardom

Match #5 – 5Star Grand Prix 2024 Blue Stars A Match: Xena (2) def. Koguma (0) w/ Thunderstruck (9:04)

It’s out first sight of the Kuma dance in this year’s 5Star Grand Prix, and though Xena initially joins in, she stops suddenly before halting Koguma with one of her thumping chops.

Understandably considering the sound the first chop made, Koguma ducks under a second and scarpers from the ring. Xena enlists the help of EXV member Waka Tsukiyama at ringside, and the pair end up chasing Koguma the entire way around the Utsunomiya Light Cube. It’s Waka that eventually catches her, with the EXV pair then dragging Koguma back to the ring. Xena looks to chop the High-Speed Genius again, but she ducks and Xena makes painful contact with the ring post. This allows Koguma to get some revenge by way of her own chops, before rolling Xena back into the ring and forcing her into a Kuma pose.

She finds herself pleading shortly after with Xena for their to be no more chops, but this is the most temporary of reprieves as she falls for a Xena fake chop and ends up walking straight into another one. What follows is an assault on poor Koguma’s chest, as she eats chop after chop in the corners of the ring. When this ends, Xena hits Koguma with a Spinning Sidewalk Slam. Koguma finally manages to get some much-needed respite when she is able to hit a Crossbody from the second rope after Xena whips her into the corner. A splash in the corner and a Koguma Cutter get her a two count before she immediately leaps onto Xena to lock her in a Sleeperhold.

Unfortunately for the High-Speed Genius, this doesn’t last and she is taken off her feet twice in a row with Shoulder Tackles, before ducking under a third and hitting a Dropkick. She goes for a DDT and, though Xena is able to counter it the first time around, she successfully hits it at the second time of asking. A Missile Dropkick gets the High-Speed Genius a two count, but she is wiped out shortly after with a Lariat to the back of the head. After Xena hauls Koguma into a Deadlift German and slamming into her with a Lariat, the latter responds by throwing her much larger opponent into a pair of German Suplexes of her own, before following it up with a Northern Lights Suplex. She misses her Diving Body Splash though when Xena gets her knees up, and when she then comes off the ropes to try a Headscissors, she is caught by Xena who transitions it perfectly into the Thunderstruck for the victory and her first two points of her debut tournament.

Photo Courtesy: World Wonder Ring Stardom

Match #5 – 5Star Grand Prix 2024 Blue Stars B Match: Saya Kamitani (4) def. Thekla (0) w/ Star Crusher (12:33)

Along the same lines as the H.A.T.E vs. H.A.T.E match between Ruaka and Konami we witnessed on the opening night, there is going to be no standing on ceremony in attacking each other. Thekla takes this notion and ratchets it up to 11 by not even waiting for Saya to make it into the ring, immediately coming through the ropes with a Dropkick as The Phenex Queen walks past to get the match started.

With Tora distracting the referee despite all of this happening in plain sight, Thekla breaks the flag over Saya’s back and chokes her out with what is left. Shockingly, we end up in the chairs again before Thekla rolls Saya into the ring for the first time in the match.

After a quick little exchange where Thekla misses a Double Footstomp and the pair trade reversals, both miss Dropkicks to give us our first stalemate. After going forehead to forehead, and with Thekla demanding that Saya show her what she’s got, Kamitani makes to deliver a forearm only to stamp on Thekla’s foot and floor her with a Dropkick. She then wraps Thekla up in the ropes and poses with her foot against the Idol Killer’s head.

Thekla responds to this by biting down hard on Saya’s hand and slapping her across the face. She briefly locks in a Crossface where it looks like she may be trying to extract one of Saya’s teeth, before kicking her in the side of the head with a Superkick. After more prompting to show some heart, Saya delivers some tired forearms, only to be completely flattened by a Thekla response. 

Saya does respond however, crashing into Thekla with a Dropkick, a knee in the corner and a Shotgun Dropkick for a two count before  looking to choke Thekla by shoving her hand into her mouth. At the referee’s count she does stop, but not before aiming a kick at the official before missing with a Lariat and getting floored by another Thekla forearm. She cartwheels out of a Hairmare before hitting her Spinning Wheel Kick, but is then on the receiving end of a forearm and a Spear. 

A series of kicks to the head take Saya down, but she does cut off another Superkick with a Dropkick before hitting a trio of Bridging Northern Lights Suplexes. She goes to the top rope but is cut off by Thekla with Saya laying in some slaps to the face, but Thekla responds with forearms and a suplex from the top. She then attempts a Diving Crossbody to the outside but Saya moves out of the way, resulting in Thekla wiping out the H.A.T.E seconds at ringside, with Saya following up with a Springboard Plancha. 

When Saya makes to drag Thekla out from where she landed, the Idol Killer brings a chair out and hits Saya around the head with it. Not content, she goes back under the ring to retrieve a whole heap of them before eventually Spearing the Phenex Queen on to them. More chair shots to the back follow, before Saya rallies and hits Thekla with Star Crusher onto the pile of chairs. Rolling Thekla back into the ring, she hoists her up into a second Star Crusher for the victory, putting her – momentarily at least – at the top of Blue Stars B block. 

Photo Courtesy: World Wonder Ring Stardom

Match #6 – 5Star Grand Prix 2024 Blue Stars A Match: Saori Anou (2) def. Syuri (2) w/ Pottering (12:17)

Having fallen to a surprise opening night loss to Anna Jay, Saori Anou will be looking to get back on track as soon as possible. Unfortunately, her opponent tonight is Syuri, former-winner of the tournament, former-World of Stardom Champion and someone who possesses a slender 1-0 record over Anou in singles matches.

It’s an aggressive lock up to start, with Anou managing to get the better of Syuri after being forced into the ropes. However, Syuri quickly takes her off her feet with a Shoulder Tackle before both women miss kicks and she plants Anou with a DDT. A trademark Syuri kick to the spine follows before she hits a Running Knee in the corner. A second and third thunderous kick to the back follows before she plants Anou with a Suplex after the former-two time Wonder of Stardom champion manages to vault over her in the corner. 

Judging by the cold indifference in Syuri’s eyes, she is out for blood. Saori manages finally craft herself an opening by catching a kick and hitting a Dragon Screw Leg Whip. This opens the door for Saori to attack the leg further, locking in a Figure Four Leg Lock, and utilising the full five count when Syuri manages to cling to the ropes. Another Dragon Screw follows in the corner, but Syuri is able to hit an STO before transitioning into the Fujiwara Arm Bar. 

A battle of wills becomes apparent soon after this, with Saori Anou clearly struggling with the pain in her arm every time she blocks a kick or attempts a forearm. Meanwhile, every blocked kick is causing Syuri pain in her injured leg. Forearms ensure before Syuri begins planting thumping kicks into the sternum of Anou, who responds with an Enziguri and a kick to the injured leg. Ducking under a Roundhouse Kick, Saori hits a German Suplex with Syuri replying with a Jumping Knee Strike, before both collapse from exhaustion. 

Syuri goes to the top rope, but Anou quickly hurls her back to the canvas with a Fisherman’s Suplex. However, with Anou then going to the top, it’s Syuri’s turn to bring her crashing back down to the mat with a Hammerlock before transitioning into a Rings of Saturn. Eventually Anou gets a foot to the ropes, but is then hit with a Draping DDT. Syuri attempts the Zansyu, but Anou slips free and hits a German Suplex, hitting a bridging one moments later when Syuri tries in vain to get to the ropes. 

A Jumping Knee Strike gets Syuri a close two count, before she locks in the Suzaku in the middle of the ring. Somehow, Anou manages to fight her way to ropes and once again get her foot on it, though she is then hit with the Zansyu. Saori kicks out, and when Syuri hoists her up onto her shoulders to attempt the Vermillion World, she is able to transition it seamlessly into the Pottering for the victory, leaving Syuri in complete disbelief as to how this has happened. 

Though both women now sit at 2 points, with one win and one loss each, a tiebreaker against Syuri could prove to be incredibly important come the end of the blocks for Saori Anou.

Photo Courtesy: World Wonder Ring Stardom

Match #7 – 5Star Grand Prix 2024 Blue Stars B Match: Hanan (3) def. Risa Sera (0) w/ Seventeen (13:32)

It’s nice to see hometown girl Hanan getting the main event for this show, and she starts exactly as she started her tournament opener with Suzu Suzuki; by charging straight into the void with a Dropkick and unloading a whole host of forearms.

After briefly running the ropes, Hanan thinks she’s done enough to gain some distance with a second Dropkick. This unfortunately is not the case and Risa bounces straight back up in order to hurl her to the outside over the top rope. Hanan is launched into the front row of chairs where Risa then chokes her out with one of the crowd’s Suzu Suzuki towels. After running her into another set of chairs, and then bouncing her off the stage for good measure, Sera brings the action back into the ring and locks in a Boston Crab before transitioning that into her Pendulum submission. 

Carrying on her early work on Hanan’s back, Sera lands a Double Knees into the very small of it before stomping on her head as she tries to inch towards the ropes. As Risa throws her into the corner though, Hanan mounts the ropes and bounces off them with a Crossbody, following it up with a Knee Strike as Sera attempts to use the ropes to haul herself up. Sitting her down against the bottom rope, Hanan then slams into Sera with a Dropkick before taking to the top rope to hit her Diving Cross Body. She doesn’t get that far though, with Sera cutting her off and bringing her down to the apron. However, Hanan rolls out of the way before Sera can deliver her Double Knees, causing the Prominence leader to land painfully knees-first on the apron, with Hanan sending her to the floor with a Dropkick. She then follows this with a Famouser from the apron before successfully landing her Diving Crossbody. 

Back in the ring, and Hanan connects with a Corkscrew Forearm and a second Famouser, but can only get a two count. Sera responds with her Air Raid Crash and her Reverse Double Knees before Hanan initiates a desperate forearm exchange. Risa arguably has the advantage, but Hanan powers through and ends up grinding her down to her knees. Sera is quick to regain control though, hitting the Attitude Adjustment and the Falcon Arrow. This only gets her a one count though, and Hanan is quick to haul Sera into two consecutive Back Suplexes. 

We almost get a double knockout, but both women just about manage to beat the referee’s count of 10. The action moves to the outside, with Risa rather worryingly having to take a moment with a bottle of water before squaring off with Hanan once again. A miscommunication leads to an untidy Judo Throw, with Hanan seemingly revitalised and following up with the Hanan Special. Risa is able to elbow her way out of a Back Suplex attempt and the once locks in the Boston Crab before transitioning this into a Powerbomb in the corner and slamming into Hanan with a Running Double Knees. Again, she misses the Diving Double Knees, though she does almost snatch the victory by reversing the Seventeen into a pinning attempt of her own. 

A Pop-up Samoan Driver gets Sera another two count, but as she looks to smash Hanan into the corner with another Air Raid Crash, the Young Lioness is able to slip free and rolls her up with Seventeen for the three count.

Post-match, Risa accepts defeat and tells the collected crowd inside Tochigi that Hanan is already a star at the age of 20. She also demands that they meet again soon. Fingers crossed that whatever happened with the impromptu water break with Risa in this match was nothing untoward and she’s fine to continue the tournament. Meanwhile Hanan moves to equal second in the block behind Saya Kamitani, with a match against a winless Saki Kashima at Korakuen Hall on Thursday to follow. For Risa? A match-up with former protégée and friend Suzu Suzuki! 

Block Standings

RED STARS A
  • Maika (2-0-0): 4 Points
  • Hazuki (2-0-0): 4 Points
  • Manami (1-1-0): 2 Points
  • Konami (1-1-0): 2 Points
  • Natsupoi (0-1-0): 0 Points
  • Yuna Mizumori (0-1-0): 0 Points
  • Ruaka (0-2-0): 0 Points
RED STARS B
  • Mayu Iwatani (2-0-0): 4 Points
  • AZM (1-0-1): 3 Points
  • Tomoka Inaba (1-0-1): 3 Points
  • Mei Seira (0-0-2): 2 Points
  • Tam Nakano (0-1-0): 0 Points
  • Momo Watanabe (0-2-0): 0 Points
  • Saya Iida (0-1-0): 0 Points
BLUE STARS A
  • Syuri (1-1-0): 2 Points
  • Anna Jay (1-1-0): 2 Points
  • Miyu Amasaki (1-0-0): 2 Points
  • Starlight Kid (1-1-0): 2 Points
  • Xena (1-1-0): 2 Points
  • Saori Anou (1-1-0): 2 Points
  • Koguma (0-1-0): 0 Points
BLUE STARS B
  • Saya Kamitani (2-0-0): 4 Points
  • Hanan (1-0-1): 3 Points
  • Suzu Suzuki (1-0-1): 3 Points
  • Ranna Yagami (1-0-0): 2 Points
  • Thekla (0-1-0): 0 Points
  • Saki Kashima (0-2-0): 0 Points
  • Risa Sera (0-2-0): 0 Points

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

  • Monday 12th August – 5Star Grand Prix 2024 – Night 3 (Evening Show), Tochigi Light Cube, Utsonomiya (LIVE)
  • Thursday 15th August – 5Star Grand Prix 2024 – Night 4, Korakuen Hall, Tokyo (LIVE)
  • Saturday 17th August – 5Star Grand Prix 2024 – Night 5, KBS Hall, Kyoto (LIVE)
  • Sunday 18th August – 5Star Grand Prix 2024 – Night 6, Kobe Arts Center, Hyogo (LIVE)
  • Tuesday 20th August – 5Star Grand Prix 2024 – Night 7, EDION Arena Osaka #2, Osaka (LIVE)
  • Friday 23rd August – 5Star Grand Prix 2024 – Night 8, Sendai PIT, Miyagi (LIVE)
  • Saturday 24th August – 5Star Grand Prix 2024 – Night 9, Fukushima Parse Izaka, Fukushima (LIVE)
  • Sunday 25th August – 5Star Grand Prix 2024 – Night 10, Yamagata Big Wing, Yamagata (LIVE)
  • Wednesday 28th August – 5Star Grand Prix 2024 – Night 11, Shinjuku, Tokyo (LIVE)
  • Saturday 31st August – 5Star Grand Prix 2024 – Championship Match, Musashino Forest Sports Plaza, Tokyo (PPV)
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About Rob Goodwin 394 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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