SHOW REPORT: Stardom 5Star Grand Prix – Night 6 (Sunday, 18th August 2024)

August 18, 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 Yoneyama – 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: Maika (8) def. Ruaka (1) w/ Michinoku Driver II (7:42)
  • 5Star Grand Prix 2024 Red Stars A Match: Hazuki (6) def. Yuna Mizumori (0) w/ Vertical Drop Brainbuster (10:21)
  • 5Star Grand Prix Red Stars B Match: Mei Seira (6) def. Saya Iida (2) w/ Reverse Shooting Star (7:26)
  • Singles Match: Natsuko Tora def. Aya Sakura w/ Grand Death Lock (9:03)
  • 5Star Grand Prix 2024 Red Stars A Match: Natsupoi (6) def. Konami (4) w/ Fairy Ring (7:39)
  • 5Star Grand Prix 2024 Red Stars B Match: Momo Watanabe (2) def. Tam Nakano (0) w/ Grand Death Lock (13:21)
  • 5Star Grand Prix 2024 Red Stars B Match: AZM (8) def. Mayu Iwatani (6) w/ Azumi Sushi (9:34)
Photo Courtesy: World Wonder Ring Stardom

Match #1 – 5Star Grand Prix 2024 Red Stars A Match: Maika (8) def. Ruaka (1) w/ Michinoku Driver II (7:42)

A Maika victory here would completely eliminate Ruaka from the tournament, whilst simultaneously strengthening her position at the top of the Red Stars A. 

We get an initial stalemate from the opening lock-up, Ruaka goes straight for a choke but is then taken off her feet by a Shoulder Tackle. The moment Maika tries to run the ropes however, Saya Kamitani drags her to the outside and Ruaka wraps a microphone cord around her throat, before then beating her across the top of the head with the mic itself. After another flurry of stomps from both Ruaka and Saya, The Violent Freezer rolls Maika into the ring and goes for an unsuccessful pinfall. A Splash gets her another two count before the pair jostle to try and hit a suplex, Maika eventually coming out on top. 

The pair trade Lariats before simply smashing into each other a number of times, refusing to go down, until each manages to take the other briefly off their feet. Maika misses a Lariat and is hit with a Flatliner as a result, before Ruaka locks in a deep Crossface. However, as soon as Maika gets free, she hits a Back Suplex and slams into Ruaka with a Sliding Lariat. Ruaka fights free of the Michinoku Driver II in order to hit her low Crossbody and the Fisherman’s Suplex, but gets caught on the top when she attempts the Freezer Bomb with Maika hitting the Superplex followed by a Sazanka. 

Maika once again looks to come off the ropes, but is stunned this time by Saya Kamitani kicking her in the back. Ruaka uses this opening to grab her crate from ringside and smashes Maika over the head with it. It has no effect whatsoever, and Maika then punches it cleanly out of Ruaka’s hand when she tries it a second time and floors her with two consecutive Lariats. This spells the end for Ruaka, both in this match and in the wider tournament, with Maika then scooping her up in the Michinoku Driver II for the victory.

A dejected, and now eliminated, Ruaka is seen out of the ring by Maika before the latter comes face-to-face with Saya Kamitani in a very intriguing stare down. 

Photo Courtesy: World Wonder Ring Stardom

Match #2 – 5Star Grand Prix 2024 Red Stars A Match: Hazuki (6) def. Yuna Mizumori (0) w/ Vertical Drop Brainbuster (10:21)

After suffering her first tournament loss at the hands of Konami last time out, Hazuki will be looking to not lose even more ground on Maika at the top of Red Stars A, especially with her two remaining matches being against Maika and current Wonder of Stardom Championship Natsupoi. 

Chain wrestling starts us off, with Yuna looking to grab in a Waistlock, before Hazuki catches her in a Side Headlock. She looks to hit her Facewash Kicks, but Yuna charges after her and takes her off her feet with a Jumping Shoulder Tackle. She hits a Crossbody and a Sliding Lariat before stomping wildly on the small of Hazuki’s back, hitting a Leg Drop for good measure before locking in a painful-looking Reverse Boston Crab. 

Mizumori sits deeper into the hold, and then switches to focus on just the one leg which allows Hazuki to make it to the bottom rope with the other. She vaults Hazuki over the top rope, but gets drawn in and hit with a DDT on the apron, allowing The Wildheart the time to hit a Missile Dropkick from the top rope. Yuna kicks out, but Hazuki simply rolls her onto her stomach and locks in a Crossface – all in one smooth motion. Yuna does get to the bottom rope, and is tempted into a brief striking battle, which Hazuki wins with a thumping forearm to the jaw. Mizumori doesn’t stay down though, and explodes into a ferocious exchange of strikes, though Hazuki eventually grinds her down with a series of blows to the back of Yuna’s neck. 

She gets her own back though, forcing Hazuki into the corner and hitting a volley of Lariats. Hazuki ducks under another Lariat, but Yuna catches the resultant Pump Kick and muscles The Wildheart up into a modified suplex. She follows this with a Lariat and a Samoan Driver; made all the more impressive by Hazuki’s furious struggle to get herself free. The crowd are really behind Yuna as she sets to hit her Springboard Lariat off the corner pads, but Hazuki catches her with a Codebreaker, only to miss the Diving Senton. Yuna then connects with the Springboard Lariat and looks to haul Hazuki into the Electric Position, only to be caught with a Backstabber which results in a double down.

Both women then land incredibly lusty blows, Hazuki a Pump Kick and Yuna a Lariat, before Hazuki is somehow able to transition another Mizumori Lariat into a Draping Codebreaker. She hits the Diving Senton, but Mizumori kicks out at two. She can’t however kick out of the Vertical Drop Brainbuster, and Hazuki is able to cover her emphatically for her third victory of the tournament to keep her very much in the hunt for a Quarter-Final spot. The loss however does eliminate Yuna from her very first tournament, and her focus must turn now to gaining her first points of the tournament instead. 

A great, hard-hitting match which serves as both women’s best match of the tournament. Yuna made you believe she had a chance of beating Hazuki here, and her development even in just these four opening block matches has been a joy to watch, with each match progressively getting better. 

Photo Courtesy: World Wonder Ring Stardom

Match #3 – 5Star Grand Prix Red Stars B Match: Mei Seira (6) def. Saya Iida (2) w/ Reverse Shooting Star (7:26)

It’s one of the most aggressive lock-ups we’ve seen thus far as the pair grapple wildly with each other, Mei going for the legs and the takedown whilst Saya stands her ground and looks to out-power her opponent. When this reaches a stalemate, Mei offers forth a hand for Saya to shake, which she does, with Seira hitting her with a forearm. We get a quick trade of reversals before Saya catches Mei with a chop. After the initial impact, Saya continues to bludgeon Mei in the chest with chops until the latter is able to land a knee into Saya’s midriff and lock in an Inverted Figure Four Leglock. 

Still grasping at her chest, Mei locks Saya in the ropes and hits a Dropkick on the apron, following this with a Springboard Dropkick when the action returns to the ring. Mei looks for a German Suplex, but eats a forearm which ends up initiating a strong forearm exchange between the two, some apparently being that strong that it dislodges Saya Iida’s hair extensions! Mei holds her own in the exchange though, but eats a Double-Handed Chop as she comes off the ropes. 

Saya plants Mei with an Elbow Drop and throws her into the corner, after which she is able to eventually hit the Diving Shoulder Tackle. She then goes to the top rope and hits a second one before looking to power Seira into a Vertical Suplex, only for Mei to get free and throw her across the ring with a Release German Suplex. She wipes Saya out with a Dropkick but can’t hit the Checkmate, with Saya flooring her with a Ripcord Lariat and a Sliding Lariat, only for Mei to kick out at two. A series of frenetic roll-up attempts follow before Saya hits a thunderous Pop-Up Spinebuster for another close two count. Saya goes for the Be A Master, a move she hasn’t been able to hit all tournament, and is again unsuccessful, with Mei shoving her into the corner and hitting a Reverse Shooting Star as she staggers out. Despite some frantic wriggling, Saya isn’t able to kick herself free, and Mei is able to keep her shoulders to the mat for the win!  

The defeat eradicates what little chance Saya had of qualifying for the quarter-finals, as losses to Mayu, Inaba and now Mei mean that she has no tie-breakers over the pack now on six points – the maximum total she can now achieve! Mei is alive and kicking however, and moves to six points, bringing her level at the top of Red Stars B with AZM, Mayu and Tomoka Inaba; though one of these competitors at least will move above Mei with AZM and Mayu due to wrestle each other in tonight’s main event. 

Photo Courtesy: World Wonder Ring Stardom

Match #4 – Natsuko Tora def. Aya Sakura w/ Grand Death Lock (9:03)

Credit where credit is due, Aya doesn’t let Tora settle into the match, jumping the bell and rocking her with Dropkicks. Of course all that means is that the World of Stardom Champion is very angry, and she chokes the rookie out with her shirt before torturing her around the ring.

Two Shoulder Tackles do the job of reasserting Tora’s dominance before she begins focusing her attacks onto Sakura’s left leg, kicking it and wrapping it in the bottom ropes. She scoops Aya in a pair of Bodyslams before Elbow Dropping her bad leg. Aya will not lie down however, and stops Tora from coming off the top rope with a Snapmare and another brief flurry of Dropkicks. Unfortunately, this is halted by Tora hitting her with a Samoan Drop. 

Tora then goes straight for the leg once more, locking in a Knee Bar until Sakura is able to reach the rope; in spite of Ruaka trying to pull the ropes as far away from her as possible! Tora misses a Splash in the corner, allowing Aya another brief flurry of offence and she’s even able to drag Tora into a Triangle Choke. Again, she is hoisted into a Samoan Drop as she threatens to build momentum, though she is able to land a few more stinging kicks into the chest of Tora afterwards.

The injured leg is like a neon target for Tora however, and she locks it into an Achilles Lock before throwing herself into a Cannonball in the corner. She misses the Frogsplash though, which almost allows Aya to sneak the victory with a series of roll-ups. She doesn’t get the win of course, even though she does manage to take Tora off her feet with a Bodyslam and drag her into a second Triangle Choke. A Lariat and a Samoan Driver lead to Tora locking in the Grand Death Lock for the victory, bringing to an end another tenaciously impressive outing for Sakura. 

Photo Courtesy: World Wonder Ring Stardom

Match #5 – 5Star Grand Prix 2024 Red Stars A Match: Natsupoi (6) def. Konami (4) w/ Fairy Ring (7:39)

After losing to Maika on the opening night, Natsupoi has corrected the ship by defeating Yuna and Ruaka to get herself to four points. Konami also finds herself on four points, beating Hazuki and Ruaka, but losing to Maika and – more shockingly – to Manami. With Hazuki winning earlier on in the night, two points is vital for both women, with Natsupoi facing her on the last night, and Konami possessing the all-important tie-breaker! 

We start quickly, which is perhaps unsurprising given Poi’s High-Speed proclivities. However, the moment Konami Low-Bridges to send her to the apron, she finds herself in trouble. Konami snaps Poi’s arm off the top rope before she then tosses her off the stage to continue her beatdown on the floor. She throws Natsupoi into the ring-post and then the chairs before tossing her haphazardly back into the ring, only to then immediately throw her out again on the other side. The Submission Sniper grabs a chair and begins choking Poi out in front of the Hyogo crowd, drawing a cavalcade of boos, but once referee Daichi gets rid of the chair, Konami simply targets the arm again. 

Eventually, Poi regains her foothold in the match with a Wheelbarrow Facebuster on the matting. She takes to the skies with a Diving Crossbody before rolling back into the ring clutching her arm, glad apparently for the brief respite. Konami manages to drag herself into the ring, only for Poi to plough through her with a Dropkick and another Diving Crossbody. Konami kicks out, but Natsupoi uses the momentum to snatch in an Arm-Bar, only for Konami to manage to expertly reverse it into one of her own. 

Konami misses a kick in the ropes, but manages to bait Poi into a wild forearm which allows her to grab her arm into her dangling Triangle Arm Bar. She follows this up with a Diving Double Footstomp to Poi’s arm, and a Bridging Fisherman’s Suplex. Poi tries and tries to fight from underneath, but again finds herself ensnared in an Arm Bar before being hit with a Bridging German Suplex. Natsupoi gets a close two count with roll-up before connecting with a Dropkick to Konami’s arm. She gets to the top rope with a lot of obvious discomfort, but Konami Snapmares her back to the canvas and Ruaka uses this opportunity to distract the referee. 

With the referee’s back turned, Konami attempts to use the spray paint, only to have it kicked out of her hand before Natsupoi plants her with a German Suplex. She hits the Fairial Gift but Konami kicks out of the ensuing pinfall, leading to Poi to attempt the Fairy Ring. Though initially unsuccessful, Natsupoi does manage to hit the move at the second time of asking and keep a furiously struggling Konami down to the mat for just long enough to secure a hard-fought three count.

Photo Courtesy: World Wonder Ring Stardom

Match #6 – 5Star Grand Prix 2024 Blue Stars B Match: Momo Watanabe (2) def. Tam Nakano (0) w/ Grand Death Lock (13:21)

To say these women have had miserable tournaments would be an understatement. Both women are still winless, Momo is already mathematically eliminated whilst Tam requires a near-miracle to progress from this point. However, both have managed to find solace in unexpected upcoming title matches – Tam challenging for the World of Stardom Championship at the 5Star Grand Prix finals, and Momo challenging Mercedes Mone for the NJPW Strong Women’s Championship in Washington DC. 

Tam immediately launches herself into a Running Knee Strike, which sends Momo careening from the ring. The moment she tries to take to the top rope however, the H.A.T.E seconds at ringside stop her and allow Momo to hoist her from the rope into an attempted B-Driver. Tam is having none of it however, and rolls through and hits a Violet Shooting on the apron. Momo catches a kick though and, after Tora hands it to her, smashes Tam across the bad knee with a baseball bat.

Tam’s very well-publicised knee trouble during this tournament comes back to haunt her again here, with Momo beginning to target it methodically, even locking in Tora’s Grand Death Lock before Tam can scrabble to the bottom rope. In true never-say-die attitude, Tam continues to fight back, but the moment she does, Tora drags her from the ring and snaps the leg off the ring post. Momo joins her on the outside and locks in the Grand Death Lock again, right in front of the front row of fans. 

The action moves back into the ring and the torture continues, with Tam physically collapsing when she is thrown into the corner. Eventually, she is able to stun Momo with a kick and wrench her up into a Guillotine Choke before connecting with her Diving Crossbody. Tam lays in some forearms, flooring Momo on several occasions and even trying to weather kicks to her bad leg. Eventually though, Momo kicks it with such ferocity that it sends Tam tumbling once more to the canvas. 

She hasn’t got the strength in her leg to hit the Violet Shooting, and Momo is able to cut her off. However, she does manage to hit a Bridging German Suplex, but Momo fights free of the Violet Screwdriver and kicks out at the bad leg before running straight into a Spin Kick to the head. Again Tam fails with the Violet Shooting, with Momo immediately locking in an Inverted Figure Four Leg Lock. She fights to the ropes and begins to fire up, hitting her Bicycle Knee Strike in the ropes and her Diving Crossbody. 

When the action moves back into the ring, Tam hits a Tiger Suplex, but when she misses a move from the top rope, the impact causes her knee to buckle. Tam continues to fight though, eventually managing to hit the Violet Screwdriver, but Ruaka breaks up the three count by launching her crate at the referee. Tam and Momo do battle for the baseball bat, but it’s Momo that comes out on top, punting Tam in the head before wrapping her up in the Grand Death Lock again. Exhausted and in excruciating pain, Tam has no choice but to submit to the hold, becoming the latest person to be eliminated from the tournament. 

Tora enters the ring in order to mock Tam, kicking violently at her leg and loudly doubting her chances come August 31st in their match for the Red Belt. For her part however, Tam screams back that she will never quit, and that she will give everything to defeat H.A.T.E!

Photo Courtesy: World Wonder Ring Stardom

Match #7 – 5Star Grand Prix 2024 Red Stars B Match: AZM (8) def. Mayu Iwatani (6) w/ Azumi Sushi (9:34)

Both these women are unbeaten in this year’s tournament with six points, Mayu recording three consecutive victories, while AZM has started the tournament with two wins and two draws from her four matches. In terms of a one-on-one record, these two have faced each other five times in singles action with AZM never having beaten Mayu.

Such is Mayu’s understandable distrust of people nowadays, she’s cautious of AZM holding out a hand to open proceedings. Eventually, Mayu offers a solitary finger, which AZM returns before the action begins in earnest. An explosive running of the ropes opens things up, with AZM attempting a Destroyer and Mayu a German Suplex before a series of reversed kicks leads to our first stalemate. Both women trade kicks, with AZM landing the PK, and Mayu the Dropkick to the arm, before the latter snapmares her opponent and drills her hard in the spine. Iwatani follows this with her Evasion Dropkick and a Bodyslam for a two count, before kicking out nonchalantly at AZM as she’s attempting to recover.

Mayu launches into some forearms, but AZM is eventually able to slide past her and drag her to the outside, where she lands a Buzzsaw Kick and then a Diving Double Footstomp to the floor. Back in the ring and AZM hits a second Diving Double Footstomp before looking for the pinfall. Mayu kicks out, but AZM uses the momentum to begin wrenching in a series of Arm-Bars. After reaching the ropes, Mayu joins AZM on the top rope but is caught with another Arm-Bar. She gets herself free though, avoiding a Marine Spike before throwing AZM back to the canvas with a Superplex. Both women land Stereo Headkicks before Mayu connects with the Superkick that leads to a double down. 

They drag themselves towards each other, before AZM gets two incredibly close two counts with roll-up variations. Mayu gets her own two count before AZM then wipes her out with a Buzzsaw Kick. She misses another Diving Double Footstomp though, with Mayu thrusting her legs up to catch her flush on the jaw before hoisting her into a Release German Suplex. She connects with another Superkick but then misses the Moonsault, with AZM getting another nearfall with an Azumi Sushi. 

Mayu ducks under a wild swing from AZM and launches her into a Bridging Dragon Suplex, before then hitting another Buzzsaw Kick. She sets for the Two-Step Dragon Suplex, but AZM gets free and hits a Destroyer. After stunning Iwatani with another Buzzsaw Kick, she hooks both of Mayu’s arms and hits the Double Underhook Destroyer that she calls Icchoagari, before rolling her up with the Azumi Sushi for her first ever singles victory over Mayu. 

This is a breathless sprint between two of the tournament’s MVPs. Easily a contender for match of the tournament with both women managing to cram so much into under 10-minutes; truly fantastic stuff! 

Block Standings

RED STARS A
  • Maika (4-0-0): 8 Points
  • Hazuki (3-1-0): 6 Points
  • Natsupoi (3-1-0): 6 Points
  • Manami (2-1-1): 5 Points
  • Konami (2-3-0): 4 Points
  • Ruaka (0-4-1): 1 Point
  • Yuna Mizumori (0-4-0): 0 Points
RED STARS B
  • AZM (3-0-2): 8 Points
  • Mayu Iwatani (3-1-0): 6 Points
  • Tomoka Inaba (2-0-2): 6 Points
  • Mei Seira (2-0-2): 6 Points
  • Saya Iida (1-3-0): 2 Points
  • Momo Watanabe (1-4-0): 2 Points
  • Tam Nakano (0-4-0): 0 Points
BLUE STARS A
  • Starlight Kid (2-1-1): 5 Points
  • Saori Anou (2-1-1): 5 Points
  • Syuri (2-1-0): 4 Points
  • Xena (2-1-0): 4 Points
  • Anna Jay (1-2-0): 2 Points
  • Miyu Amasaki (1-2-0): 2 Points
  • Koguma (1-2-0): 2 Points
BLUE STARS B
  • Saya Kamitani (3-0-0): 6 Points
  • Hanan (2-1-1): 5 Points
  • Risa Sera (2-2-0): 4 Points
  • Suzu Suzuki (1-1-1): 3 Points
  • Thekla (1-2-0): 2 Points
  • Ranna Yagami (1-2-0): 2 Points
  • Saki Kashima (1-3-0): 2 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

  • 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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