2. MIRAI vs. Saya Iida
Any concern about where Saya Iida would fit in the ever-changing landscape of Stardom was alleviated in this rugged, hard style encounter. She carves such a unique presence on the card and has already established herself shortly after returning. This was unusually high tension for a match this early in the card. Despite their stature, they were colliding into each other with echoing force. ***3/4
4. Maika & Thekla vs. Risa Sera & Suzu Suzuki
A solid showcase match from Prominence's top team. After their performance at Korakuen Hall there were concerns about whether or not Prominence had the stamina and conditioning to work Stardom's pace and if they were even training, so I'm sure they were performing with a sense of crisis and working hard to leave a stronger impression on the audience. I thought they gave a great performance, with Suzu's gifted physical prowess on full display. ***1/2
5. Goddesses of Stardom Championship: Hazuki & Koguma (c) vs. Starlight Kid & Momo Watanabe
An action-ey tag match between young Stardom originals of past and present, with smooth momentum changes and some great rope running sequences. Koguma's bump technique continues to be a highlight of her matches. Hopefully Starlight Kid's addition to the Goddess Division will give it a much-needed boost. ***3/4
6. KAIRI & Mayu Iwatani vs. Tam Nakano & Unagi Sayaka
KAIRI's return from her long voyage, a thrilling spectacle of a match with not only strong tag wrestling but also individual performances. KAIRI had the aura of a world-class superstar from her entrance and seemed sharper than ever. Her jovial energy with Mayu and treating Tam as an equal but Unagi as an unworthy junior who needed to be brutally baptized made for such an entertaining performance. I had flashbacks to Kairi-Iwata with some of the hard hits delivered to Unagi from KAIRI. Unagi and her "small fish with nothing to lose" approach didn't feel out of place amongst an all-star selection. ****1/4
7. Wonder of Stardom Championship: Saya Kamitani (c) vs. Utami Hayashishita
Kamitani has quickly become a dignified champion and reliable big match performer. Utami was good offensively, but I would have liked to have seen more emotion from her given the circumstances. Still, this was a well worked match with a consistent theme of targeting each other's weak points and the raw high-risk technique that makes Kamitani's matches so fun to watch. ****
8. World of Stardom Championship: Syuri (c) vs. Giulia
The previous match between these two was about deepening their bond and elevating each other. Almost two years later, they've become two imposing figures too big to be contained in the same unit, asserting their wills so as to not lose their presence to the other. This match had more complex emotions involved than the usual red belt match, perhaps thanks to Giulia, who is most synonymous with the emotion driven white belt, bringing her unique color to the division. A parade of violence from start to finish, worked at a crazy pace with no let up. Giulia found all manner of angles and methods to attack, wrestling with a blood pumping rhythm in her most compelling performance yet. Syuri tried to not be outdone but also weather the excessive offensive. Plenty of heavy audible strikes and head drops to go around. ****1/2
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