ChocoPro - #53 (10/4/2020)
Ryo Mizunami vs. Mei Suruga
The dangers of being pinned was virtually everywhere, with the falls count anywhere stipulation applying to any surface, including walls and objects. They used various items in the environment as weapons in comical and violent ways. They fought all over Ichigaya, from the kitchen to the outside. If Kota Ibushi vs. Minoru Suzuki in the G1 was the best one-take fight scene, then this was the best one-take comedy fight scene.
****
3. Himeka vs. Mina Shirakawa
A good match to showcase Mina, with Himeka acting as the powerhouse heel doing the cut-offs and beatdowns. Mina made use of her grappling and Mexican aerial skills.
***1/4
4. Oedo Tai (Bea Priestley, Konami, Natsuko Tora & Saki Kashima) vs. Donna del Mondo (Giulia, Maika, Natsupoi & Syuri)
This was another great large-scale unit confrontation involving DDM. The highlight of the match was Syuri and Bea's first confrontation, which was so exciting that it elicited six (!) vocal responses from the crowd. That's not a crowd being polite, that's a visceral response from a crowd prohibited from chanting to two monsters going head to head.
***3/4
5. 10th Goddesses Of Stardom Tag League: Queen's Quest (AZM & Momo Watanabe) vs. Queen's Quest (Saya Kamitani & Utami Hayashishita)
Queen’s Quest is a unit that always seems to push each other hard in these "internal conflict" matches. This was a great match pitting the unit's veterans against the juniors. That air raid crash on the apron was nuts.
***3/4
6. World of Stardom Championship: Mayu Iwatani (c) vs. Takumi Iroha
The first match was almost one-sided, with Iroha in control for most of it, but there was parity in this match. It was like watching two shounen protagonists from different stories, at the height of their strength, pushing each other to the limit. The perfect combination of Mayu's zombie-like endurance and Iroha's destructive power.
****3/4
5. Tsukasa Fujimoto vs. Saori Anou
Fujimoto had one of her strongest performances in a while in this match. She occasionally has opponents who seem to have a synergistic effect on her, and she steps up her game in a big way. Anou was also good, and it was nice to see her show how capable she can be in a gimmick-free match.
***1/2
6. International Ribbon Tag Team Championship: Frank Sisters (Hiragi Kurumi & Mochi Miyagi) (c) vs. Risa Sera & Suzu Suzuki
An epic spot match from Ice Ribbon. This is what this promotion does best, these high-octane tag team matches with seemingly endless sequences and momentum shifts that build up to a big finish. This was loaded with spectacular content.
****1/4
Ganbare Pro - Bad Communication 2020 (10/6/2020)
Takumi Iroha vs. Yuna Manase
A great match between former Stardom wrestlers who have taken their own path. Structurally, it was similar to Takumi Iroha's match against Mayu Iwatani earlier this year, with Iroha dominating with dynamic attacks and Yuna coming back with counters. There was heavy offense exchanged between them and great bumps. Although Yuna is big, she's quite an enthusiastic bumper.
***1/2
3. STARS (Saya Iida & Tam Nakano) vs. Donna del Mondo (Natsupoi & Syuri)
The storytelling runs so deep in Stardom that even a match that went on third has a narrative behind it. Natsupoi and Tam, who have a history in a previous promotion, faced off for the first time in a long time. Syuri and Tam also clashed beautifully, with Syuri using Tam's former tag team partner's signature moves as psychological warfare. Excellent selling by Iida, who specializes in taking heavy beatings.
***1/2
6. 10th Goddesses Of Stardom Tag League: Queen's Quest (AZM & Momo Watanabe) vs. Donna del Mondo (Giulia & Maika)
Strong start for the tag league. This was an action-oriented match, with great teamwork and all sorts of cool looking moves and sequences. The Giulia and Momo sessions were exciting and promising. I would like to see them in singles competition in the future.
***1/2
Stardom - Nagoya Rainbow Fight (10/4/2020)
Elimination: Queen's Quest (AZM, Momo Watanabe, Saya Kamitani & Utami Hayashishita) vs. Donna del Mondo (Giulia, Himeka, Maika & Natsupoi)
DDM and QQ's second impact in Nagoya. An exciting multi-man, everyone had their moments to shine, the action was both exciting and comical. I'm excited to see Natsupoi back in the Stardom ring, she brings a fresh dynamic to DDM as their high-speed player.
***3/4
1. High Speed Championship: AZM (c) vs. Starlight Kid
This was an incredible way to open the show. When you think the match has peaked, there’s another counter or sudden twist and turn. Each of their best moves couldn’t put the other away so something new was needed. This was one of the best matches ever fought for the High Speed Championship.
****
2. Hanan vs. Mina Shirakawa
This was an impressive debut for Mina. As someone who watched her work in Tokyo Joshi Pro, this was one of her more polished singles performances. They paced and laid out the match well, working in good near-falls.
4. DEATH Yama-san vs. Natsupoi
I wasn't expecting much based on the length of the match, but it was a great debut for Natsupoi. She seemed to be moving twice as fast as she did in TJPW, and it was cute to see her play off the character of DEATH.
***1/4
5. SWA Undisputed Championship (decision): Momo Watanabe vs. Bea Priestley
The fact that a match of this level is in the middle of the card says a lot about how stacked this show was. This was a world-title level bout between two of the most reliable big match performances on the roster, an intense grudge match with brawling, strike battles and big bombs. This could have easily closed a less stacked event.
****1/4
6. Losing Unit Must Disband - No Disqualification: Oedo Tai (Natsuko Tora & Saki Kashima) vs. Tokyo Cyber Squad (Jungle Kyona & Konami)
This was basically the usual good Stardom tag match within the context of a hardcore unit dissolution match. The match felt lacking in drama considering the stipulation, but the action was strong with the highlight being a brutal piledriver through a table.
***1/2
7. Goddesses of Stardom Championship: Queen's Quest (Saya Kamitani & Utami Hayashishita) (c) vs. Donna del Mondo (Himeka & Maika)
A wonderful tag team match made even more impressive by the fact that the performers involved have less than 3 years of in-ring experience. They've all built great chemistry from their individual feuds and it was on display in this match. It was a long match, but everything was well-paced and arranged, and the finish was really great.
****1/4
8. Wonder of Stardom Championship: Giulia (c) vs. Tam Nakano
Giulia vs. Tam has become a shitteno All Japan-style feud where the danger escalates with each match. The first half of the match was devoted to dangerous techniques and the rest of the match was just them emptying their remaining reserves and laying bare their fighting spirit, cutting their wrestling lives in half. This was an epic first defense for the champion.
****1/2
9. World of Stardom Championship: Mayu Iwatani (c) vs. Syuri
Syuri's had her signature matches with Asuka and Hikaru Shida during her heyday, but she's never performed on this scale before against an opponent like Mayu. Syuri's technical and striking superiority allowed her to outclass Mayu in almost every aspect, except for that intangible thing called "heart". Mayu kept coming back from near-death like a zombie every time.
****1/4
