Stardom 7/30/2022 5 Star Grand Prix 2022 Day 1

Stardom 7/30/2022 5 Star Grand Prix 2022 Day 1

I'm maybe going to cover the whole Stardom 5 Star Grand Prix. I believe this is a mistake on my part.

I just covered the GP matches:

5*Star Grand Prix 2022 Red Stars Match - Mai Sakurai vs Momo Kohgo

Momo runs at her with forearms when she enters and they trade forearms. Mai facekicks her then is dropkicked on the ropes. Mai then facekicks her and takes a dropkick. Mai puts her in an stf then facekicks her near the middle rope. Mai puts her in a reverse ddt position and slices her with her leg. Mai then 2nd rope dropkicks her and Momo 2nd rope twisting crossbodies her. Momo hits a 619 then springboard dropkicks her. Mai tries to roll her up and gets countered then Mai facekicks her.

Momo powers up and takes another facekick then she powers up again to get facekicked again. Momo then dropkicks her and Mai slaps and spinkicks her. Mai then top rope elbows her for 2 and Momo superkicks her. Mai pumpkicks her and does a neat wrist-clutch northern lights suplex for 2. Mai then sitout gordbusters her and wins it.

This was an okay and fast paced opener.

5*Star Grand Prix 2022 Blue Stars Match - Ami Sorei vs Saya Iida

Ami faceshoves her to start and they bump chests. They shove other and trade chops. Ami chop flurries her and they try to chop each other at the same time. They shoulder battle and Saya rolls her up for 2. Saya puts Ami's arm around the rope and pulls then back elbows her. Saya then elbow drops her.

Ami runs her over with a shoulder then twisting samoan drops her for 2. Saya rolls her into an armbar and Ami rolls up her keylock. Saya hits a double chop then a running back elbow. Saya shoulders her off the top for 2 then goes for the armbar and keylock. Saya finally puts her in an armbar then Ami lifts her up and slams her down.

Ami hits a big running clothesline on her then Saya lariats her. Ami hits another clothesline and blue thunders her for 2. Ami then twisting brainbusters her and wins it.

It went a little too long but the beginning of this was good with the strike trades and battles.

5*Star Grand Prix 2022 Red Stars Match - SAKI vs Sayaka Unagi

Unagi refuses a handshake to start. Unagi goes oerver and takes a bad atomic drop. Unagi facekicks her then takes a facekick in return. Saki tries to shake hands again and Unagi grabs her arm this time. Unagi chinbreakers her then hits a facekick.

They trade facekicks more and more with both going down multiple times. Unagi axekicks her and they trade more facekicks. They grab each other by the hair then Unagi codebrakers her and legdrops her for 2. Unagi hits a stroke for 2. Saki knees her in the face and facekicks her for 2. Unagi hits a bladerunner and Saki hits more kicks for 2.

Saki michinoku drivers her then twisting suplexes her for the win.

This match was all facekicks. It was interesting for a little, but they ended up going too far with it and I lost some interest. It just went too long for a match with only facekicks and nothing else.

5*Star Grand Prix 2022 Red Stars Match - Risa Sera vs Maika

They grab each other by the hair to start and Risa pulls her down and out by it. Maika has her head banged off the apron then Risa hits some shots outside. Risa bangs her head off a table then throws her into a post. They head back in and Risa back elbows her and Maika follows with a nice suplex for 2.

They trade chest forearms and Risa does a neat swinging drop over the back. Risa does a high boston crab variation on her then swings her up and throws her into the buckles. She then meteora's her in the buckles for 2. Maika superplexes her and they trade forearms. Risa F-U's her for 2 then Maika hits a nice powerslam. Risa then falcon arrows her for 1. Maika hits a stiff lariat then Risa cradle shocks her for 2. Risa then running schwein's her and top rope knee drops her for the win.

This was fun. It was short and hard hitting. They some show hatred and spirit and I enjoyed this.

Risa stands on her face after and they pull each other by the hair and talk trash.

5*Star Grand Prix 2022 Red Stars Match - Syuri vs AZM

AZM attacks her before she even gets her coat off. She hits a boot in the corner and runs up the buckles but takes a kick to the face on her way down. Syuri running knees her against the buckles then ties her up in the roles and chinlocks her. she then kicks her while she is there for 2.

AZM back kicks her then Syuri gives it back. Syuri running knees her through the ropes and is high kicked as she lays on the apron. AZM then 2nd rope double footstomps her on the floor. AZM short hurricanrana's her into the mat as she is between the ropes then AZM hits la mistica.

AZM armbars her and gives it up then takes shots while up top. AZM high kicks her as she is on the 2nd rope then Syrui superplexes her. AZM is standing and Syuri does a single-leg legdrop on her neck. AZM high kicks her then Syrui STO's her. Syuri puts her in a scorpion deathlock and AZM legsweeps her off a buzzsaw kick attempt then rolls her up for 2. AZM buzzsaw kicks her then Syuri running knees her for 2. AZM tries to roll her up and gets real close to winning it. Syuri then drops her wit ha high kick and rolls her off an armbar for 2. Syrui then puts her in a sick stretch muffler with the arm tied up and wins it.

This was a sprint from start to finish with stiff moves and very fast action. Maybe it wasn't much for story, but for action, this was great. These two matched up so well and went 100MPH the whole time.

They then slapped hands after.

5*Star Grand Prix 2022 Blue Stars Match - MIRAI vs Mayu Iwatani

Mayu takes her down and is put in a side headlock. Mayu armdrags her and dropkicks her, then kicks her in the back. Mayu dropkicks her knee then leglocks her. Mirai slams her then runs at full speed with a shoulder. Mira hits a corner clothesline then another shoulder for 2.

Mirai locks her arm up and does a nice cravate. Mirai slams her and is put up top. Mayu top rope hurricanrana's her then 2nd rope shotgun dropkicks her. Mayu goes to tope her and Mirai moves then Mayu takes a bad fall to the outside. Mirai then gutwrench powerbombs her on the floor.

Mirai powerbombs her on the inside then pounds on her with forearms. Mayu superkicks her then top rope frogsplashes her for 2 at 10 minutes. Mayu drops her with a forearm and hits a forearm flurry. Mirai then hits a stiff forearm to the back of the head. Mirai lariats her and wheelbarrow germans her for 2. Mirai lariats her then hits a stiff lariat to the back of the head. Mirai spinning F-U's her and grabs the win.

They did too much here with Mayu taking a bad bump on the floor and then kicking out of a powerbomb on the floor and a powerbomb after. I think there was some story of Mirai trying to upset her and the work was very very stiff but they did too much.

 

5*Star Grand Prix 2022 Red Stars Match - Himeka vs Utami Hayashishita

They go for holds early then shoulder battle. They trade forearms and Utami running back elbows her. Utami then 2nd rope dropkicks her. Himeka shoulders her over then crabs her. Himeka running knees her against the ropes. They lariat each other at the same time and lariat battle then Himeka criss-crosses her and outlariats her. Utami then lariats her down and then gets lariated down.

They lariat battle more and both go down. Himeka backdrops her then sliding lariats her for 2. Himeka then hits a sitout burning hammer for 2. Himeka last ride powerbombs her for 2 then Utami hits a sick release german on her. Utami then straightjacket germans her for another 2. Himeka kind of short arm lariats her then hits another big lariat for 2. Himeka lariats her in the back of the head in the corner then running powerobmbs her for the win.

The sitout burning hammer kickout was too much. There wasn't a lot of story besides moves and rushing through things either but it was stiff.

5*Star Grand Prix 2022 Blue Stars Match - Hazuki vs Giulia

They charge at each other and trade forearm flurries to start. Hazuki really lets go on her then is exploder suplexed. Giulia facewash kicks her through the ropes and she goes out. Giulia drops her with a forearm outside.

They go up the stage and Haz is banged off the stage. Giulia then throws the ref down which should be a dq then jumps off his back to dropkick Haz. Giulia hurts her back doing it though as she lands on the hard stage. Giulia is then kicked down the steps and rolls backwards. Haz crossbodies her and attendants on the ramp.

Giulia tries to headbutt her against the post but puts her own head into it. Haz then topes her and does facewash kicks. Giulia top rope butterfly suplexes her. They slap each other and then trade chest kicks. They scream at each other and Haz jumping knees her. Haz then is tripped into the buckle and backdropped.

Giulia top rope dropkicks her and domes some bad dragon sleeper submission. Haz codebreakers her then codebreakers her as she is on the 2nd rope. Haz top rope sentons her then Giulia falcon arrows her. Haz brainbusters her and gets the win.

The ending kind of felt sudden and out of nowhere but it was a fast paced and stiff match with a lot of aggression.  Giulia took some big bumps here.

 

Overall thoughts: I liked the show but the matches were fast paced and stiff sprints. There wasn't a ton of variety, but it was good for the most part. I enjoyed this more than a lot of newer Stardom shows I have done and I do recommend this.