STARDOM 9/10/2023 Dream Tag Festival

STARDOM 9/10/2023 Dream Tag Festival

 DREAM H (Mina Shirakawa & Tam Nakano) vs. Cosmic Angels (Natsupoi & Saori Anou)

 

Poi = Natsupoi

Mina and Poi start us off. Mina evades kicks then dropkicks Poi in the knee. Poi is tripped into a running headhunter then Mina and Tam screw up a double team. They argue then Poi and Anou double footchoke Mina. Anou trips Mina and indian deathlocks her. Poi then basement dropkicks her while she's in the hold. Poi basement dropkicks her then Poi and Tam cartwheel into dropkicks on Mina. They then hit a double headhunter on her.

Mina spinning forearms Tam and high kicks Poi. Mina uraken's Anou then baseball slides her for 2. Mina takes a dropkick and facekick on the ropes then slap combos Anou. Mina spinning forearms Anou. Tam and Anou evade each others kicks and stand off. The two trade forearms then Tam spinning high kicks her. Anou germans her then Tam germans her on her neck.

Anou step up enzugiri's Tam then Poi top rope crossbodies Tam. Tam takes a double dropkick in the corner. Anou top rope dropkicks Tam then Poi carthweels off the top on Tam. Tam takes a kick double team then Mina double lariats both opponents. Tam high kicks Poi then Tam and Mina hit top rope crossbodies to the outside. Poi takes a spinning forearm + superkick combo then Tam flying knees her for 2.

Tam tiger suplexes Poi then the two trade pin attempts. Tam kind of does a handstand takedown on Poi and rolls her up for the pin.

It was very fast paced from start to finish with lots of action. This was a decent opener.

We then had a dance partner after. Mina and Tam talked about something prior to and after this.

KAIRI came out and talked though I don't know what it was about. Nanae and Hazuki ended up joining her.

Hina & Rina vs. Mai Sakurai & MIRAI

Hina and Mai start us off. Mai suplexes her off the handshake the shining facekicks her. Mai puts a fujiwara armbar on and Rina breaks it up. Mirai and Rina both hold their opponents on the ropes. They agree to let go at the same time. Mirai does, Rina doesn't and Mai is dropkicked on the ropes.

Mai fujiwara armbars Hina then Hina ropebreaks. Mai pulls on Hina's arm on the ropes. Mira gets in and slams Hina. Mirai works on Hina's arm. Hina hip throws Mai and Rina gets in. Rina hits jumping double knees on Mai then does a combo cotopus stretch + dragon sleeper submission. Mai kick combos Rina the shining facekicks her for 2. Mai and Rina trade forearms then Rina STO's her. Mai flying kicks her then Mirai top rope dropkicks Rina for 2.

Rina northern lights suplexes Mirai then Hina dropkicks Mirai. Hina running neckbreakers Mirai for 2 then backbreakers her. Mirai jumps up and hammerlocks Hina then Rina breaks it up. Mirai jumping flatliners Hina. Hina is lifted up for a bulldog for 2 then Mirai does an armlock on her.

Rina hipthrows Mirai then Mirai takes a double sto. Rina top rope double kneedrops Mirai then Hina does her wrist clutch slam on Mirai. Hina takes a cutter into a dropkick then is held up for a dropkick from the 2nd rope. Hina rolls up Mirai for 2 then Mirai hits her angle-slam like drop. Mirai lariats her then kimura's her. Rina tries to break it up but is put in the paradise lock. Mirai taps out Hina.

This was not good at all. Mirai worked with 3 girls who are well below her level and it brought her down instead of helping them up. It went too long, most of the moves done looked bad and it was just a mess.

Hanan & Mariah May vs. Momo Kohgo & Momo Watanabe

MW = Momo Watanabe, MK = Momo Koho

Hanan and May stole each others poses and mannerisms here which was really funny. Meanwhile, MK and MW argued over who should get in and MK was thrown out. Momo takes a double dropkick, a May facekick then Hanan broncobusters Momo in the corner. Hanan misses dropkicks on MK then they stand off. MW dropkicks Hanan then MW slams Hanan.

MW boots Hanan around and Hanan hip throws her. MK top rope crossbodies her opponents, gets caught and MW dropkicks her over. Hanan hits forearms on MW then is dropped with a chest kick. Hanan running euros her and May gets in.  May top rope dropkicks MW, dances then is dropkicked. May handstand hurricanrana's MW on the ropes and Hanan hits a fameasser on MW. Hanan does May's thing where she licks her hands before double chopping MW then MW takes a double slingshot suplex.

Hanan legdrops MW's neck on the 2nd rope then Hanan takes a combo 619 + kick. MW meteora's her for 2. MK accidentally suprkicks MW then MW takes a double backdrop. MW uranage's May then hits a buzzsaw kick on her. May rolls up Momo for 2 then MW high kicks her. MW hits May with her plastic bat. MK gets in the way and is nearly hit, then MW hits her too. MW then hits the ref and throws him out and is DQ'd.

The Momo's not getting along was done well, but the finish was lame. May and Hanan stealing others looks and mannerisms was fun and I'd like to see them do it again. There wasn't a whole lot else to it besides the ongoings with the teams here.

Nanae Takahashi & Ruaka vs. Hazuki & Natsuko Tora

Ruaka and Nanae are jumped from behind and thrown out. Both are sent into chairs outside. Back in the ring and Tora basement dropkicks Ruaka. Ruaka then takes a senton + legdrop combo. Tora hits corner clotheslines on Ruaka then they shoulde battle. Tora pulls her down by the hair and they each miss sentons. Tora shoulders her over then crabs her.

Nanae tries to pull Ruaka to the ropes. Ruaka and Tora trade forearms then Tora kick flurries her on the ropes. Ruaka crossbodies her then Nanae hits a forearm flurry on Tora on the ropes. Tora and Nanae lariat battle then lariat each other on the ropes. Nanae lariats her for 2 then Tora samoan drops her. Hazuki jumps off Nanae's back to nail Ruaka then 2nd rope dropkicks Nanae.

Nanae and Hazuki trade forearms and Hazuki forearm flurries her. Nanae backdrops Hazuki then Hazuki takes a double bulldog and a double corssface. Hazuki is gordbustered then kicked for 2. Nanae backdrops her for another 2. Hazuki full nelson bombs and sentons her. Nanae 2nd rope suplexes her then Ruaka shoulders and sentons Hazuki for 2.

Ruaka takes corner lariats and a corner cannonball. Hazuki pump kicks her while she is seated. Hazuki ducks a double lariat then Tora hits her own double lariat. Hazuki topes her own partner Tora outside. Hazuki takes a sandwich lariat then two sliding lariats for 2. Ruaka fisherman busters Hazuki for 2. Nanae 2nd rope splashes Hazuki then Ruaka top rope splashes Hazuki. Ruaka and Nanae lariat each other on accident then take a double red mist. They then take a face kick and lariat. Tora samoan drops Ruaka and Hazuki top rope sentons Ruaka to win it.

It was an okay and average match. I don't think anyone expected greatness out of this.

Tora and Nanae fight after.

Giulia & Suzu Suzuki vs. Maika & Utami Hayashishita

G = Giulia

G and Suzu start us off and forearm each other at the same time. G headscissors Utami and they end up standing off. Maika and utami are thrown outside at the same time then Suzu chairs Maika's back. Utami is whipped into the seats. Two tables are set-up outside. Maika then Suzu then torture rack their opponents at the same time outside.

Utami racks G inside the ring and G reverses it into a sleeper. Utami snapmares her over then G snapmares her over. G is pushed into the buckles then G takes running lariats. Maika reverses G's running kick and turns it into a bizarre back rack into a drop. Utami slams her partner Maika on G then Maika suplexes G.

G 2nd rope tornado ddt's Maika then shotgun facekicks her. Suzu hits a drive by dropkick on the apron on Maika. Maika takes a sliding german + neckbreaker combo. Suzu top rope dropkicks Maika for 2 then is powerslammed. Utami lariats and sliding lariats Suzu for 2. Utami does a uranage like move on Suzu then G elbows Utami on the ropes. G and Suzu double roll Utami into a straightjacket choke.

Utami double lariats her 2 opponents then UTami and Maika drink alochol in the ring. Suzu and G are put on tables and have the alcohol poured in their mouths. Utami and Maika go on the buckles and have chairs thrown at them. Utami and Maika then both take piledrivers through tables outside. Suzu release german suplexes Utami then buzzsaw kicks her. Suzu goes for another buzzsaw kick and is powerbombed.

Utami goes for a razor's edge and is sunset flipped off of it then Utami hits a schwein. Suzu no sells it and basement dropkicks her in the back of the head. G and Maika trade forearms. G hits a forearm flurry and takes a misdirection lariat. G no sells it then backdrops Maika. G hits a knee for 2 then Maika hits an enka otoshi slam on her for 2.

Maika takes a double team half-nelson slam then G puts her in an octopus. Utami throws G into a fallaway slam on Maika then G is pulled up into a double powerbomb. Maika accidentally lariats her partner when G moves then Suzu hits a superkick on Maika. Suzu and Maika take superplexes. Maika and Utami take stereo release germans suplexes and the time limit expires.

It wasn't a bad 20 minute draw and there was a lot of novelty with seeing the girls team up with different partners than usual. They roughed each other up and made a fun match out of it.

Mayu Iwatani & Saki Kashima vs. AZM & Starlight Kid

Kid and AZM run the ropes together and pose with their masks. Mayu tries to do an ambush with Saki but Saki slides out. We get some fast running of the ropes and Mayu is rolled into a double basement dropkick. Mayu spin kicks AZM in the gut then is tripped by Saki outside. Saki puts Mayu's leg over the middle rope, rams AZM's head into it then pushes Mayu off the apron. AZM gives the ref Saki's leg but he gives it back to her. AZM then 2nd rope dropkicks Saki.

Kid springboard crossbodies Saki then basement dropkicks her. Mayu kicks Saki and tries to irish whip her but Saki rish whips her instead. Kid walks on both opponents then standing moonsaults them. Kid stretch mufflers Saki then bullies her around with her feet. Saki facebusters her off the ropes for 2 then slaps Mayu to tag her in. Mayu forearms Kid then basement dropkicks her.

Mayu misses a standing moonsault on kid and takes a basement dropkick. Kid double knees her on the ropes then forearms Mayu. Saki pushes Mayu out of the way and boots Kid then Saki pulls Mayu up. Kid is double tripped into a double kick. Kid hits a leg lariat on Mayu then is superkicked. Both go down.

Saki and Mayu hit kicks off the ropes at the same time and AZM rolls Saki into a rings of saturn. AZM suplexes Saki for 2 then Saki hits a double bulldog. AZM and Kid kip up together and hit armdrags off the top. Kid and AZM then hit moves off the 2nd rope at the same time. Kid and AZM hit an asai moonsault and top rope crossbody to the outside at the same time. AZM springboard dropkicks Saki then buzzsaw kicks her for 2.  

AZM and Kid get stopped up top then take hurricanrana's together. AZM is held up for a springboard bulldog then Saki double underhook suplexes AZM for 2. Saki sit out pedigrees AZM for 2. AZM walks into a Mayu superkick. AZM then irish whips Mayu and Mayu turns it into a dive on the outside. AZM gets a nearfall on Saki for 2 then Kid fisherman suplexes Saki. AZM top rope double stomps Saki for 2 and Saki rolls her up for 1. Mayu does a nice dragon suplex on Kid then AZM high kicks Saki. Saki tries to roll her up then AZM rolls her up to win it.

I don't know why this was the main event compared to the other matches. It was okay, but it was more a midcard match than a serious main and it was always going to be limited by Saki and the Saki/Mayu feud here.

Overall thoughts: It didn't look like a great show and it wasn't. There were a lot of unusual teams and matchups here. Some of them were played up and it made the matches better but some of the issues between the odd couple pairings brought the matches down some. It was odd to have Tam and Poi in the opener while Saki was in the main as well. This was really tame by Stardom standards and they took it really easy compared to something like Day 1 of the Grand Prix. I don't really recommend it though it wasn't awful, just not a PPV caliber card.