Saturday, March 23, 2024

STARDOM 3/20/2024 Cinderella Tournament 2024 Day 5

STARDOM 3/20/2024 Cinderella Tournament 2024 Day 5

Here's what I saw:

Mayu Iwatani vs Yuzuki




They trade wristlocks and Mayu side headlock takeovers her. They trade armdrags and Yuz dropkicks her. Yuz takes a big shot then dropkicks her multiple times. Mayu punishes her some then crabs her.

Yuz headscissors her then hits a dropkick. They trade forearms and Yuz hip throws her. Yuz slams her for 2. Mayu release germans her then top rope double stomps her for 2. They do a nice pin attempt sequence then Mayu superkicks her.

Mayu hits superkicks for 2. Mayu dragon suplexes her and gets the win.

It was a decent opener here. I'm not really sure why they Mayu in this spot instead of a main event match though. Yuzuki didn't have a bad showing but really didn't get that much in.

God's Eye (MIRAI, Ranna Yagami, Saki Kashima & Syuri) vs. Empress Nexus Venus (HANAKO, Mina Shirakawa, Waka Tsukiyama & Xena)


 

Xena and Mirai go at it. Xena hits a hard chop and they argue. Xena gets some offense in then is shouldered over. Xena spinning side slams her then Mirai is held up by both of her legs. Waka hits hip attacks then is atomic dropped on one.

Syuri hits kicks on Waka's back then Waka dropkicks Saki. Hanako shoulders over all of her opponents and corner splashes Saki. Hanako slams Saki then Saki flying headscissors her. Syuri gets in and facewash kicks Hanako then Hanako shoulders her over. Mina gets in and hits a kick off the ropes on Syuri.

Ranna gets in and dropkicks and kicks Mina. Ranna gets her knee dropkicked then has it banged into the mat. Ranna fights off a figure four then Mina trips her into one. Saki running face kicks Mina then Mina takes a double basement dropkick. Ranna kicks Mina in the back for 2. Ranna drops Mina with kicks then Hanako lariats on Ranna on the ropes. Ranna takes a double ddt then a spinning forearm.

Mina step up enzugiri's Ranna for 2.  Xena's team all hit attacks at once. Mina gets on her partners shoulders and drops down with a legdrop on Ranna to win it.

It was a short multi-woman tag. Everyone got a little in before the finish and that was it. Mina's legdrop at the end was neat. 

Syuri and Mina go face to face after as do Xena and Mirai.

Cinderella Tournament 2024 Semi Final Match - Ruaka vs. Hanan



Hanan hits forearms on Ruaka on the ropes ten Ruaka chokes her. Hanan is pulled over the top then dropkicks her. Ruaka shoulders her over then hair throws her. Hanan misses a 2nd rope twisting crossbody when Ruaka walks away. Hanan tries it again and hits it. Hanan leg lariats her on the ropes then Ruaka lariats her against the ropes. Hanan does a bad flying armbar.

Hanan cranks Ruaka's arm back then does a nice stf/bow and arrow tyupe of submission. Natsuko Tora throws a box at Hanan to break it up then Hanan is pushed into the ref. Oedo Tai hit attacks on Hanan then Hanan's buddies help her fight the heels off.

Ruaka shoulders over Hanan then Hanan backdrops her. Ruaka no sells it then fisherman suplexes her. Ruaka vader bombs her for 2. Ruaka misses a top rope splash and Hanan running euros her. They trade forearms on their knees the nstand up and trade. Hanan hits two fameassers the ncuty specials her for 2.

Ruaka double arm chokeslams her down then lariats her in the back of the neck. Hanan avoids a running powerbomb and does a pinning combination to win it.

It went 9 minutes and felt like it went double that. Hanan and Ruaka are young, but they've been at this for a while. Neither are still that good and this should not have been a tournament semifinal match. 

Ruaka offers a handshake after and pushes her over.

Cinderella Tournament 2024 Semi Final Match - AZM vs. Ami Sourei

Ami gets dropkicked right after she enters. AZM cradles her for 2 and they trade pin attempts. AZM trips, PK's and basement dropkicks her. Ami shoulders her over on the floor then is armdragged and dropkicked on the floor. AZM kicks her from the apron then top rope double stomps her for 2.

Ami blocks AZM's flying headscissors and rams her into the buckles. Ami corner splashes her then shoulders her over. Ami puts her in a crab then shoulders her over. AZM suplexes her then sunset flips her for 2. AZM goes for an armbar and Ami reverses it into a pin attempt. Ami gets stuck up top and takes a knee.

AZM falls on the apron after taking a double overhand shot then AZM double stomps her on the apron. Ami running lariats her then AZM leg clutch backdrops her. AZM hits la mistica and rolls her into a pin attempt for 2. Ami lariats her then blue thunders her for 2. Ami hits a landslide and wins it.

It was a little rushed and the stuff with them trying to knock each other off the apron hurt some of the flow of it. 

Tam Nakano vs. Giulia














They stare down and slap flurry each other on a handshake attempt. They trade slaps and Tam superkicks her. G neckbreakers her on the apron then top rope dropkicks her. G dropkicks her on the ropes. G does a nice wristlock belly to belly.

G hair throws her then Tam hanging chicken wings her on the buckles. Tam then top rope crossbodies her on the floor. Tam pumping knees G on the ropes. They slap each other on the buckles then G dropkicks Tam while she's up top. G headbutt flurries her up top.

G top rope double underhook suplexes her and holds on for a falcon arrow. Tam then germans her twice. They headbutt each other at the same time. Tam spinning high kicks her and takes a dropkick. They then headbutt each other and G backdrops her for 2.

Tam tiger suplexes her for 2 then G hits a stiff delayed falcon arrow. G hits a glorious driver for 2 and northern lights bombs her for 2. Tam northern lights bombs her. Tam does a half and half suplex. Tam hits mounted slaps then delay falcon arrows her for 2. They slap each other and go to a time limit draw. The fight keeps happening after the bell and the ref is thrown out.

There was some good stuff here but the crowd was dead and hurt it. This would have been so much better in Korauken. I still did like this one as they really put over that they hated each other and really stiffed each other good.

They talk on the mic after and keep fighting. Tam hits mounted shots and the ref breaks it up. 

Cinderella Tournament 2024 Final Match - Hanan vs. Ami Sourei

They run at each other and trade forearms. Ami shoulders her over then hair throws her. Ami chop flurries her then shoulders her over. Ami lariats her against the ropes and takes a hip throw. Hanan top rope crossbodies Ami outside then hits a fameasser. Ami shoulders her over the torture racks her.

Ami has her in reverse tree of woe and hits splashes then Hanan running euros her. Ami splashes her on the ropes then suplexes her. Hanan no sells it and cuty specials her. Ami then lariats her.

Hanan dropkicks her then Ami lariats her several times. Hanan rolls her up for 2 then Ami twisting suplexes her. Ami blue thunders her for 2. Hanan rolls her up out of a landslide for 2. Ami backdrops her then hits another landslide for 2. Hanan blocks a move and rolls her up for 2. Hanan backdrops her then hits a pop-up euro. Hanan cuty specials her for 2. Hanan hits a backdrop and wins it.

It went on longer than what Hanan is capable of and used to. So they started repeating moves and sequences, along with just being in rushed in general.

World Of Stardom Title Match - Maika (c) vs. Utami Hayashishita



 






They trade basic holds. Maika side headlocks her and they shoulder battle. Maika knocks her over then Utami side headlocks her. Utami shotgun dropkicks her then slams her. Utami camel clutches her then sliding lariats her against the ropes.

Utami basement dropkicks her then Maika crucifixes her into a rings of saturn. Maika slams Utami then rock bottoms her. Utami then kind of throws her back at 10 minutes. Maika powerslams her then Utami air raid crashes her. They trade forearms on their knees then get up and trade.

They lariat battle then Utami goes down. Maika 2nd rope superplexes her and holds on for more suplexes. Maika runs at Utami and gets back body dropped. Utami corner lariats Maika. Utami is knocked off the ropes, gets back up and hits a 2nd rope air raid crash.

Maika hits a straight punch. They trade lariats and Utami rolls out after a lariat on the ropes. They trade forearms outside then lariat battle outside. Utami lariats Maika over inside. Utami throws her over her back and hits a grounded sleeper.

Utami hits some forearms and they fight up top. Maika top rope superplexes her then Utami germans her into the buckles. Utami spinning torture rack bombs her for 2 then Maika back body drops her. Utami release germans her then delayed germans her for 2. Maika spinning lariats her, Utami no sells it and lariats her.

Utami spinning razor edges her but Maika no sells it and lariats her. Maika dropkicks her then hits a running powerbomb. Maika michinoku drivers her then hits a nasty spinning michinoku driver. Maika wrist clutch michinoku drivers her and wins it.

It was long, it was slow, they oversold and the crowd was dead all throughout. This match would have been a lot better in Korauken and would have been a lot better with 10 minutes or so cut off of it. This just didn't work at all.

They talk after and Momo Watanabe comes down, likely making a challenge. 



Hanan got a celebration party after for winning The Cinderella Tournament with her getting to wear a crown and a dress.

Overall thoughts: It wasn't a good show. Nagoya International Conference Hall either has sound issues or the fans just aren't loud. The matches never have great heat at this venue and are brought down because of that. Beyond that they had a tournament here with a bunch of lower and midcard Stardom girls who just aren't that great. Naturally, the matches then weren't that great either. I can appreciate them trying to use this event to build up Hanan into something, but she's been at this for a while and just isn't that good. The main was long and slow. Tam vs Giulia was the best match on the show by far, but it would have been twice as good at Korauken. I wouldn't recommend this one.

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