3. Himeka vs. Mina Shirakawa
Mina controlled the pace with a focused attack on the leg. The damage accumulation played into the finish of the match, and even though Himeka was able to win using Mina's own move against her; Mina controlled the match right up until the end, making timely counters aimed at the leg whenever Himeka seemed to be gaining control. The gap between the two appears to be shrinking. ***1/2
4. Artist of Stardom Championship - Elimination: Starlight Kid, Saki Kashima & Momo Watanabe (c) vs. Giulia, Maika & Mai Sakurai vs. Syuri, MIRAI & Ami Sourei
Another great Artist defense. The depth of the action felt bottomless. There were so many interactions and little things to enjoy, and everyone was given their moment to stand out. Kid's self-destructive elimination of Giulia and Syuri was particularly cool and dramatic. The finale between Kashima and Sourei felt like it could go either way, with Sourei being undefeated since her debut and Kashima being a wrestler who can take falls in multi-man tags in rural areas yet still convincingly win big matches with her super desperation comeback technique. ****1/4
5. Steel Cage Match: Tam Nakano vs. Natsupoi
This had such an unsettling and breathless atmosphere yet was so addictive. Two cute idol wrestlers with various moe elements dared to show their ugly side. Grotesque flesh-shaving assaults using the wired mesh of the cage, and heavy slaps and kicks and crushing suplexes. The VSD being performed in deafening silence was chilling and the hanging finish will surely be etched in the history of Reiwa. Natsupoi came to Stardom seeking this type of emotion driven grudge match and it was great to see her in such a fulfilling role with Tam, with whom she has a dark and complex relationship. ****1/2
6. Steel Cage Match: Mayu Iwatani, Koguma & Hazuki vs. Utami Hayashishita, AZM & Saya Kamitani
This was in direct contrast to the muddy grudge match that preceded it. A lighthearted sports competition-like approach to the cage match to send the fans home happy. It had high-risk spots and comical elements, with each wrestler showing plenty of personality. Koguma was once again the main character of a gimmick match with her 5-meter leap from the cage. I'm glad everyone seems to have escaped unharmed. ****1/4
No comments:
Post a Comment