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

August 13, 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.

Quick Results

  • 5Star Grand Prix 2024 Red Stars A Match: Natsupoi (2) def. Yuna Mizumori w/ (11:33)
  • 5Star Grand Prix 2024 Red Stars B Match: AZM (4) vs. Tomoka Inaba (3) Ended in Double Countout (12:47)
  • 5Star Grand Prix 2024 Red Stars A Match: Konami (4) def. Hazuki (4) w/ Ripcord Knee Strike (9:36)
  • Tag Team Match: God’s Eye (Lady C & Hina) def. H.A.T.E (Natsuko Tora & Rina) w/ Modified Jackhammer (8:12)
  • 5Star Grand Prix 2024 Red Stars B Match: Mei Seira (4) def. Momo Watanabe (0) w/ Shooting Star (10:36)
  • 5Star Grand Prix 2024 Red Stars A Match: Manami (3) vs. Ruaka (1) Ended in a Time Limit Draw (15:00)
  • 5Star Grand Prix 2024 Red Stars B Match: Saya Iida (2) def. Tam Nakano (0) w/ Iidabashi (13:52)
Photo Courtesy: World Wonder Ring Stardom

Match #1 – 5Star Grand Prix 2024 Red Stars A Match: Natsupoi (2) def. Yuna Mizumori w/ (11:33)

It’s an all-Cosmic Angels affair to start the evening show in Tochigi. Both these women sit at 0 points with one loss, having both suffered defeat to Maika. 

Yuna has the power advantage and showcases it early with a Shoulder Tackle and by blocking an Arm Drag, but Natsupoi has the speed and quickly makes it count, utilising her underrated striking prowess before locking in her Muta Lock and Arm Bar combination in an attempt to negate Yuna’s Lariat. 

After absorbing a whole host of forearms in the ropes, Yuna finds herself with her arm trapped in the ropes as Poi taunts her mockingly while kicking her in the face. She goes for a Lariat, but Poi sees it coming and kicks the bad arm before connecting with a thumping forearm of her own and a Blockbuster. She hits a Diving Crossbody before locking in a Cross Arm Breaker, with Yuna briefly looking like she will be able to power Poi into a One-Armed Powerbomb, she can’t though and she has to scrabble to the ropes.

Mizumori is finally able to gain a foothold in this match as Natsupoi looks to ascend for the Fairial Gift, exploding into a series of Lariats in the corner before the pair roll around the ring exchanging thumping forearms to the chest. Yuna continues on top though, hitting a Springboard Lariat off of the corner pad before the pair trade quick roll-up attempts. Poi manages to halt Yuna’s momentum though with a Flying Cross Arm Breaker, with the Tropcial Yahho trying desperately to stop Poi from extending her arm. She’s unsuccessful though, and Natsupoi is able to break her grip with Yuna tapping shortly thereafter. 

Poi gets her first 2 points of the tournament, but it’s another really good strong showing for Yuna.

Photo Courtesy: World Wonder Ring Stardom

Match #2 – 5Star Grand Prix 2024 Red Stars B Match: AZM (4) vs. Tomoka Inaba (3) Ended in Double Countout (12:47)

Both these women are undefeated after two matches apiece in this tournament, both having secured big victories over Momo Watanabe and time limit draws against Mei Seira; two points would briefly take one of them to the top of Red Stars A with Mayu not in action until the Korakuen Hall show on the 15th. 

It’s a cagey opening, but quickly explodes into life with Inaba avoiding a Dropkick and beginning work on the High Speed Bomb Girl’s left arm. Eventually, AZM manages to manoeuvre Inaba into a pin, but it’s only the briefest of reprieves with Tomoka continuing to slowly take apart the NEO-GENESIS member. However, AZM manages to slide through the legs of Inaba, dragging her to the outside in order to punt her that hard from the apron that she takes herself off her feet.

At the behest of the crowd, she slams two kicks into Inaba’s back before beginning her own assault on the arm. She connects with a Missile Dropkick before the pair begin trading forearms, Inaba notably struggling with her right arm until she can get off a Pop-Up Knee Strike and we get a double down from a pair of High Kicks. 

Inaba goes for the Inaba Drop, but AZM wriggles free and briefly locks in an Arm-Bar. Inaba moves out of the way of a Diving Double Footstomp and locks in her own Arm Bar before throwing some more savage knee strikes. She still can’t get the Inaba Drop away, and AZM is able to muscle her into Suplex. Similarly, AZM can’t connect with the Destroyer as Inaba floors her with a Spinning Kick. She misses the One Hit Kill Tomoka Kick though, and is on the receiving end of some stiff kicks. Inaba tries to cut AZM off on the top rope, but ends up ensnared in another arm submission.

The action moves to the floor, where the pair continue to hardy strikes at each other, AZM attempting the Destroyer and Inaba the Inaba Drop whilst simultaneously stopping the other making their way into the ring. As the referee’s count reaches 20, the bell sounds and both women get one final head kick and double down off to close the match. 

Both miss their chance to go clear at the top of Red Stars B, succumbing to their second respective draw of the tournament so far. Though they remain unbeaten, it’s unclear as to how damaging the inability to deliver that killing blow will be later in the tournament. 

Photo Courtesy: World Wonder Ring Stardom

Match #3 – 5Star Grand Prix 2024 Red Stars A Match: Konami (4) def. Hazuki (4) w/ Ripcord Knee Strike (9:36)

Immediately, Hazuki charges Konami and begins drilling her in the back of the neck with forearms, clearly thinking the best form of defences against inevitable H.A.T.E shenanigans is attack. Unfortunately, she does end up being bowled into the front row of chairs as a result, though she is able reap her revenge by doing the same to Konami on the other side. A Suplex on the outside follows before The Wildheart rolls Konami back into the ring in order to hit her Facewash Kicks.

They engage in a forearm battle, though Konami is able to gain the advantage by kicking at Hazuki’s leg and flooring her with a PK. She begins to torture Hazuki with a wide array of submissions, kicking out The Wildheart’s bad arm every time she attempts to mount any sort of offence. Eventually, it descends into a kick exchange with Konami launching Hazuki across the ring with a German Suplex. The Submission Sniper misses a Buzzsaw Kick though and gets hit with a Codebreaker before being locked in a Crossface. 

Hazuki painfully eats canvas off a Diving Senton attempt, but is able to thwart a crate attack when Ruaka gets on the apron. She can’t however stop the spray paint being used when the referee takes a bump. Unfortunately that bump also leads to the referee missing a Hazukistral – much to Hazuki’s very obvious anger. The Wildheart can’t recover from this though, and eats a Ripcord Knee to succumb to her first defeat of this year’s tournament, subsequently falling behind Konami in the standings by way of a tiebreaker. 

Photo Courtesy: World Wonder Ring Stardom

Match #4 – God’s Eye (Lady C & Hina) def. H.A.T.E (Natsuko Tora & Rina) w/ Modified Jackhammer (8:12)

With us being in Hina and Rina’s hometown, the latter is presented with a bouquet of flowers. This heart-warming presentation is quickly nullified when Rina immediately uses the same flowers to beat the hell out of her sister across the ring, with the act causing the very loud and vocal disdain of one particular woman in the crowd. 

Tora and Rina continue to batter and abuse Hina until she’s finally able to take both women down with a series of Ripcord Judo Throws. Rina kicks out of a God’s Eye double team Russian Leg Sweep and STO before locking her sister in the Hydrangea. She gets to the ropes, but Lady C has to make the save when she is hit with a Samoan Driver from Tora followed by a Diving Double Knee Drop from Rina. The Pink Devil is countered, before Hina gets a close two count with the Gedo Clutch. 

Eventually miscommunication on the H.A.T.E team isolates Rina from Tora, though the Future of Stardom Champion is able to kick out of a Pumphandle Urunage. God’s Eye hit the 3D which allows Hina to finally hit the Modified Jackhammer for the victory – certainly a surprise when you consider just how dominant Tora and Rina have been portrayed recently. 

Photo Courtesy: World Wonder Ring Stardom

Match #5 – 5Star Grand Prix 2024 Red Stars B Match: Mei Seira (4) def. Momo Watanabe (0) w/ Shooting Star (10:36)

The Black Peach is still searching for her first victory of the tournament after suffering back-to-back losses to AZM and Inaba.

Inexplicably, the ever-trusting Mei offers to shake hands with Momo prior to the match before charging in for a Dropkick when Watanabe refuses. After a brief back and forth that sees Mei forces Watanabe into a handshake, Momo takes control of the action, landing kicks to the chest and standing on Mei’s right leg as she tries to inflict as much pain as possible. She locks in a modified knee bar before dragging Mei off the ropes as she goes for a Springboard. 

The Black Peach continues her methodical destruction of Mei’s knee, with the High-Speed champion unable to springboard due to the pain. She does manage to regain a modicum of control, but the lack of stability in her knee means that Momo is easily able to overpower her, hanging her in a Tree of Woe before ploughing into her a Dropkick and a Somato. She goes to the top rope, but Mei is able to Dropkick her to the outside before taking the skies with a Diving Crossbody. 

Mei continues her rejuvenation in the ring by landing a series of Dropkicks and a Jumping Spin Kick to the head, but Momo then decapitates her in midair with a Buzzsaw Kick as she comes off a Springboard. Watanabe follows up with a B-Driver before locking in the Crossface Chickenwing, though her two attempts at the Tequila Sunrise are thwarted when Mei lands her own vicious German Suplex. Momo plants her with the Hitodenashi Driver, and with a Tiger Suplex. However, the moment she goes for a Peach Sunrise, Mei is able to roll through and get the three count out of absolutely nowhere.

Another loss for The Black Peach leaves her at 0-3 and with progress in the tournament already very much hanging by a thread after just three nights! On the flip side of that, Mei is now 3 matches undefeated in the tournament, with this being her first 5Star Grand Prix victory, and she moves to 4 points – level with both AZM and Tomoka Inaba. 

Photo Courtesy: World Wonder Ring Stardom

Match #6 – 5Star Grand Prix 2024 Red Stars A Match: Manami (3) vs. Ruaka (1) Ended in a Time Limit Draw (15:00)

We open with a Greco-Roman Knuckle Lock and test of strength which I did not think we would see in a heel Ruaka match, let alone her showing core strength when Manami attempts to jump on her whilst she’s in a bridge. The order of things is restored shortly after however, with Ruaka launching Manami into the chairs before looking to do the same into the ring post. Manami manages to stop the latter before taking her turn to throw Ruaka into the chairs.

Once the action returns to the ring, they exchange forearms and kicks from a seated position before Ruaka wraps her opponent up in the ropes and takes her off her feet with two consecutive Shoulder Tackles. Ruaka continues to dominate until Manami comes off the ropes with a Dropkick and then hits a second off the apron to the floor when Ruaka attempts to roll to safety. The minute Ruaka rolls back in, Manami dives onto her for a pinfall attempt, following this up with a Hanging Backstabber.

The pair begin hitting forearms, with Manami rather surprisingly gaining the advantage, twice flooring Ruaka until the H.A.T.E member connects with a Lariat and a Crossbody in the ropes. Having been unsuccessful with the pin, Ruaka lands the Vader Bomb before making her way to the top rope. She’s Snapmared off but plants Manami with a Lariat before locking in a Crossface, the desperation to get her first ever 5Star Grand Prix win etched into her face.

When she finally fights free of the hold, Manami hits a Northern Lights Suplex and connects with her Diving Body Splash for the first time in her three matches. Ruaka kicks out and then catches her as she goes for a second, and eventually manages to hoist her into a Fisherman’s Suplex. More Ruaka Lariats follow before she plants Manami with then Hanging Choke Bomb, but the Sendai Girl is able to shift the momentum of the pinfall attempt into a roll-up of her own. It’s unsuccessful, and the time-limit expires just as Ruaka plants her with another Lariat.

It’s Ruaka’s first ever point in the 5Star Grand Prix, and one that is achieved with a noticeably low amount of interference and cheating. Manami meanwhile moves to three points after her surprise victory over Konami in her Shibuya last night!

Photo Courtesy: World Wonder Ring Stardom

Match #7 – 5Star Grand Prix 2024 Red Stars B Match: Saya Iida (2) def. Tam Nakano (0) w/ Iidabashi (13:52)

After having her knee destroyed twice by Tora and then again by Mayu Iwatani on the opening night, it will be interesting to see if Tam approaches this match anywhere near 100%. 

Immediately Tam grabs Saya into a Side Headlock, but Saya is able to send her flying with a Shoulder Tackle. Tam takes control though from their, ducking under a Lariat and hitting a Bicycle Knee Strike in the ropes. She follows this up with a barrage of kicks, planting Saya with a Bodyslam and locking in Boston Crab. The moment she goes to the top rope though Saya joins her, though she’s quickly sent tumbling back to canvas via a Tam forearm. 

The Shining Stardom Dream connects with a Diving Crossbody, but Saya is able to show great strength in rolling through and powering her into a Backbreaker. From there, the pair stand across from each other with Saya delivering her patented chops to the chest and Tam responding with slaps across the face. Understandably, Saya comes out on top – see Mayu’s Twitter following their match as an indication as to why – and floors Tam with a double handed chop. 

Saya is sent spilling to the apron after Tam connects with a kick, before she hoists Iida into a Guillotine Choke. However, Saya catches her before she can hit her Diving Crossbody, dragging her hard onto the corner of the apron with a Snapmare before taking her down with two Diving Shoulder Tackles. She hits a Spinebuster when the action returns to the ring, and is able to halt a Tam German Suplex attempt with a Lariat. With Tam propped up in the corner, Saya hits the Iida Rock before unsuccessfully looking for the Be A Master. Tam connects with a German Suplex before Saya bounces straight back up and cuts Tam off at the injured knee with a Lariat. 

As the pair charge once more, Saya clobbers Tam with a Lariat, but Nakano is quick to throw another German Suplex and a Diving Knee Strike. Again Saya Lariats Tam’s bad knee, but she’s able to fight through it and hit three consecutive Violet Shootings. She takes too long on covering though due to the pain in her knee, allowing Saya to reverse the pinfall attempt. When a surprised Tam kicks out, Saya then immediately rolls her up with the Iidabashi for the victory, moving her to two points and leaving Tam floundering near the foot of the block on zero.  

Block Standings

RED STARS A
  • Maika (2-0-0): 4 Points
  • Hazuki (2-1-0): 4 Points
  • Konami (2-1-0): 4 Points
  • Manami (1-1-1): 3 Points
  • Natsupoi (1-1-0): 2 Points
  • Ruaka (0-2-1): 1 Point
  • Yuna Mizumori (0-2-0): 0 Points
RED STARS B
  • Mayu Iwatani (2-0-0): 4 Points
  • AZM (1-0-2): 4 Points
  • Tomoka Inaba (1-0-2): 4 Points
  • Mei Seira (1-0-2): 4 Points
  • Saya Iida (1-1-0): 2 Points
  • Tam Nakano (0-2-0): 0 Points
  • Momo Watanabe (0-3-0): 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

  • 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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