SHOW REPORT: Stardom Goddesses of Stardom Tag League 2024 – Night 3 (Thursday, 31st October 2024)

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 Yoneyama – more commonly known as Fukigen Death in Stardom – has also suffered an ACL tear and will be out of action for a year.
• Xena has suffered a ligament injury in her knee, and will be out of action for an undisclosed period of time.
• Attendance Notes: This is the fourth time that Stardom have run Symbol Tower in Takamatsu. The announced attendance of 384 is their biggest house at the venue, previously beating their total of 320 back in 2012. It is also an increase of over 21% from the last time they ran the venue (as a part of the Year-End tour in 2023 on the 6th December 2023).

Current Block Standings (Before 31st October 2024)

Quick Results

• Tag Team Match: Suzu Suzuki & Syuri def. EXV (Mina Shirakawa & Rian) w/ Scorpion Deathlock (12:37)
• Tag Team Match: AZM & Saya Iida def. God’s Eye (Lady C & Ranna Yagami) w/ Lariat (11:47)
• 6-Woman Tag Team Match: H.A.T.E (Saya Kamitani, Natsuko Tora & Ruaka) def. NEO-GENESIS (Starlight Kid, Mei Seira & Miyu Amasaki) w/ Star Crusher (10:17)
• Goddesses of Stardom Tag League 2024 Red Goddess Match: Fukuoka Double Crazy (Hazuki & Koguma) (4) def. Tokimeki Purin a la Mode (Tam Nakano & Sayaka Kurura) (0) w/ Diving Body Splash (16:14)
• Goddesses of Stardom Tag League 2024 Red Goddess Match: Cup High Mate (Maika & HANAKO) (4) def. Peach Rock (Mayu Iwatani & Momo Kohgo) (2) w/ Enka Otoshi (11:33)
• Goddesses of Stardom Tag League 2024 Blue Goddess Match: SaoriPoi (Saori Anou & Natsupoi) (4) def. Sakuradamon (Yuna Mizumori & Aya Sakura) (0) w/ Fairial Gift (17:09)

Undercard

I honestly don’t really know where to start with this match! From the disparity between meek Rian wearing a witch’s hat, and Mina who has gone all out in terms of terrifying clown make-up, witch’s hat and cape while flinging fistfuls of sweets into the crowd, to the look of abject terror on the faces of Suzu and Syuri as they squabble over who should be facing Mina first. Even though a lot of this match is rather entertaining Mina showmanship, it doesn’t take away from the effort of Rian, who spends a lot of this match being bullied by Syuri. However, she withstands a lot of harsh punishment from the former-World of Stardom Champion who seems only to be interested in doling out tricks in the form of bruising kicks to the spine. The more she endeavours however, the more the crowd get behind her, and by the time she finally submits to a Scorpion Deathlock, the crowd are very appreciative of her effort. By this point though, Mina has commandeered a pair of maracas and after further freaking Syuri out in ring, she leaves while bouncing them off her own head; The Venus ladies and gentlemen! (***)

There’s no Halloween shenanigans in this match, short of a little bit of makeup on AZM, but there doesn’t need to be when you have a proverbial war of the titans going on between Lady C and Saya Iida. Though Ranna puts in another excellent display, and her chemistry with Lady C is improving exponentially each time they team together, it feels like we are building to the crescendo of a chop battle between the two big hitters in Saya and Lady C – and boy howdy do we get it! Miscommunication between the makeshift team of Saya and AZM almost costs them the match, but eventually Saya flattens Yagami with a Lariat to pick up the victory. (***1/4)

In terms of Halloween attire, Mina’s makeup was excellent. However, Starlight Kid takes it to an all-new level with her mask for this show, with eyeballs of all things sewn onto it; hats off to the mask maker as this is a pretty damn special effort! H.A.T.E are – as you might expect – have no time for Halloween festivities, and instead completely isolate Miyu Amasaki first in the ring and then on the outside as the group embark on their favourite holiday pass time; chair bowling. Starlight Kid however manages to swing momentum back NEO-GENESIS’ way through some excellent teamwork with Mei Seira. Unfortunately, the H.A.T.E juggernaut continues on as it always does and Miyu can’t hold back the force, eating a crate shot, a Cannonball from Tora and finally a Star Crusher from Kamitani to give the heels the victory. (***1/4)

I thought the levels of disparity between Mina and Rian earlier in the night was big, but that’s nothing to levels between Tokimeki Purin a la Mode and FWC. The latter come out throwing sweets and handing out hairclips, and generally just being beloved, while TPALM (a fantastic acronym that I shall consistently be using from here on out) make their entrance like a scene from Pride and Prejudice; and I’m all for it. Hazuki is the most over person on the show so far, but it’s Kurura who this match is focused around. Apparently, she must have offended Hazuki at some point, because The Wildheart beats her mercilessly before then delivering her Facewash Kicks twice! However, she hen instigates a ‘Kurura!’ chant which seems to light the fire in her. Tam inserting herself into the match helps stem the tide, giving us a tantalising preview of what a Red Belt program between her and Hazuki would look like, and throwing Koguma half-way across the ring with a Release German. Koguma is also on the receiving end of a thumping Spear from Kurura – who seems to hit it more cleanly in each match. Just as it looks like TPALM might be able to sneak the win though, FWC are able to gang up on Kurura, Hazuki hitting her with a Superplex before wrapping herself around Tam to stop her breaking up Koguma’s Diving Body Splash. FWC move to four points, while TPALM begin their tournament with a frustratingly hard-fought loss. (***3/4)

Main Event Matches

Goddesses of Stardom Tag League 2024 Red Goddess Match: Cup High Mate (Maika & HANAKO) (4) def. Peach Rock (Mayu Iwatani & Momo Kohgo) (2) – It’s nice to see Maika getting into the Halloween spirit and dressing up as someone who really likes Sapporo beer! Momo Kohgo, still intent on proving herself in her team with Mayu, volunteers herself to open up against HANAKO, but must quickly regret that decision when she is repeatedly buffeted around the ring by The Wonder Tower and then Maika. She does manage to wriggle herself free of some of HANAKO’s more impactful offence, but

Goddesses of Stardom Tag League 2024 Blue Goddess Match: SaoriPoi (Saori Anou & Natsupoi) (4) def. Sakuradamon (Yuna Mizumori & Aya Sakura) (0) – Given that Yuna Mizumori took High-Speed Champion Mei Seira to her limits in an excellent championship match at Korakuen Hall last time out, it’s unsurprising that she opens up alongside Natsupoi, and even less surprising that she delivers an opening sequence that leaves the Wonder of Stardom Champion grinning in appreciation. Sakura initially gets the jump on Anou with a flurry of Dropkicks, but is quickly quelled she and Poi showcase some of their own flawless tag team offence before utilising some quick tags to isolate and seemingly try to embarrass Kurura by grabbing at her hair every time the referee is unsighted. Aya tries to rise to the occasion, but her fire sees her locked in a Bridging Figure-Four Leglock. Natsupoi heads off Yuna by leaping on her back and locking in a Sleeperhold, but this backfire when Yuna throws her off on top of Anou to break the hold. This prompts Yuna to enter the fray, and she briefly begins to entertainingly buffet around both members of SaoriPoi. Anou regains control and hits the Bridging Fisherman’s Superplex before a forearm exchange erupts that quickly descends into Saori laying into Yuna with a volley of boots. Natsupoi tries to grind Yuna down with her Armbar, but after transitioning into a Triangle Choke, she finds herself hoisted into the air and planted with an impressive Single-Armed Powerbomb. Aya comes in and throws some of her trademark kicks, which results in her and Yuna briefly working over Natsupoi, though she is quick to stop this by crashing through her with one of her Dropkicks in the ropes. SaoriPoi can’t keep the momentum going though, and Aya takes to the skies to wipe them both out on the outside with a Diving Crosbody. This is followed by her wrenching Poi into a Triangle Choke to almost secure the victory – only for Poi to desperately get to the ropes. A frantic closing sequence ensues, with Poi and Aya trading kicks, and the former launching the latter across the ring with her explosive Release German Suplex. Unfortunately for Aya, Yuna is taken out of action with an Enziguri, which means that in spite of kicking out of a Diving Crossbody, there is no-one to help her kick out of the Fairial Gift, which ultimately gives SaoriPoi the win and another two points! I feel at this point I sound like a broken record, but Aya Sakura was positioned brilliantly in this match, and her fighting spirit, her intensity and her raw ability make her someone who we could be talking as one of the main breakouts of 2025! (****)

Block Standings

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 2nd November – Goddesses of Stardom Tag League – Night 4, Fukuoka Munakata Yurix, Fukuoka (LIVE)
• Sunday 3rd November – Goddesses of Stardom Tag League – Night 5, Ozu Arena, Oita (LIVE)
• Monday 4th November – Goddesses of Stardom Tag League – Night 6, UMK Sports Studio, Miyazaki (LIVE)
• Saturday 9th November – Goddesses of Stardom Tag League – Night 7, New Pier Hall, Tokyo (LIVE)
• Sunday 10th November – Goddesses of Stardom Tag League – Night 8, TKP Garden City, Chiba (LIVE)
• Monday 11th November – Goddesses of Stardom Tag League – Night 9, Korakuen Hall, Tokyo (LIVE)
• Saturday 16th November – New Blood West 2, Azalea Taisho Hall, Osaka (LIVE/YouTube)
• Sunday 17th November – NJPW x Stardom Historic X-Over II, EDION Arena Osaka, Osaka (PPV)
• Wednesday 20th November – Goddesses of Stardom Tag League – Night 10, Aomori Budokan, Tohaku (VIDEO ON DEMAND)
• Thursday 21st November – Goddesses of Stardom Tag League – Night 11, Akita Furusato Village Dome Theatre, Tohaku (VIDEO ON DEMAND)
• Saturday 23rd November – Goddesses of Stardom Tag League – Night 12, Aztec Museum Sendai Industrial Exhibition Hall, Miyagi (VIDEO ON DEMAND)
• Sunday 24th November – Goddesses of Stardom Tag League – Night 13, Big Palette Fukushima, Koriyama City (VIDEO ON DEMAND)
• Saturday 30th November – Goddesses of Stardom Tag League – Night 14, Ishibashi Sports Center, Tochigi (LIVE)
• Sunday 1st December – Goddesses of Stardom Tag League – Night 15, DUO CEREZO, Niigata (TBA)
• Saturday 7th December – Goddesses of Stardom Tag League – Night 16, Act City Hamamatsu, Hamamatsu (TBA)
• Sunday 8th December – Goddesses of Stardom Tag League – Night 17, Act City Hamamatsu, Hamamatsu (TBA)