Tokyo Joshi Pro - Live With Your Time (9/21/2020)

5. MiraClians (Yuka Sakazaki & Shoko Nakajima) vs. Itoh Respect-gun (Mizuki & Maki Itoh)

Reforming Yuka and Mizuki's former tag teams for a title match prelude was great matchmaking. Yuka, Mizuki and Shoko performed as expected, but Itoh stepped up as well. The match was much like last year's 10. 19 KFC tag match, with four wrestlers of equal rank just going at each other for 20 minutes.

****1/4

6. Natsumi Maki vs. Hikari Noa

Fantastic farewell match for Natsumi, a high speed match with brilliant technique displayed by both wrestlers. The references to their previous matches and tag team were well done. It really felt like Hikari had leveled up as a wrestler and became Natsumi's equal.

****

7. Princess Tag Team Championship: Daydream (Miu Watanabe & Rika Tatsumi) vs. BeeStar (Mirai Maiumi & Suzume)

Although I still don't find the pairing compelling, Miu & Rika's in-ring chemistry deepens with each defense. This match had great teamwork and spectacular sequences. Suzume & Mirai were given a big opportunity to showcase their growing abilities and delivered fantastic performances.

****

Stardom - 5STAR Grand Prix 2020 (9/19/2020)

 1. 5STAR Grand Prix 2020 Block A: Syuri vs. Maika

A good, lively opener with fast-paced action and neat counters; Syuri's experience really shows and she always delivers a consistent performance.

***1/4

2. 5STAR Grand Prix 2020 Block B: Starlight Kid vs. Saya Kamitani

This was a fun match. The kip-up sequence was nicely executed. They're not fast high-flyers by any means, but they're full of energy and have great technique, precision and balance. Kamitani's new "impact" finisher looks great.

***1/4

4. 5STAR Grand Prix 2020 Block B: Mayu Iwatani vs. Tam Nakano

The best of the three singles these two have had against each other. They packed a lot of emotion and drama into a short timeframe. The locomotion German suplexes from Tam, each with a beautiful bridge, was impressive, as was the finishing combination.

****

5. 5STAR Grand Prix 2020 Block B: Konami vs. Himeka

I don't understand what some people are talking about with this "Himeka lacks mobility" stuff. Her running moves always have momentum and power behind them. This had some sloppiness, but overall, it was good.

***1/4

6. 5STAR Grand Prix 2020 Block A: AZM vs. Maika

Aside from the bland ending, this was a really great match. The submission exchanges on the ground were interesting. AZM has been very sharp lately in terms of execution, and Maika was a good base for her aerial attacks.

***1/2

9. 5STAR Grand Prix 2020 Block A: Syuri vs. Utami Hayashishita

This definitely felt like a long match. It simply lacked the dynamism to keep the action fresh and exciting throughout its duration, but they generally did an excellent job of building tension with back and forth near-falls. 

***1/2

10. 5STAR Grand Prix 2020 Finals: Himeka vs. Utami Hayashishita

Utami performing at this level right after a 20-minute match is a testament to her impressive stamina and endurance. Great heavyweight offense from both wrestlers and the lariat exchanges were excellent. The finishing sequence was amazing and showed how tremendous Utami's power is.

***3/4