STARDOM 5/18/2024 Flashing Champions 2024

STARDOM 5/18/2024 Flashing Champions 2024

Natsupoi & Suzu Suzuki vs. Crazy Star (Mei Seira & Suzu Suzuki)

Mei stomps on Kid's foot to start. Kid cartwheels out of an arm throw then Mei headflips out of a flying headscissors. Kid basement dropkicks her Kid takes a botched double team bulldog then takes a double basement dropkick. Mei hair throws Kid and foot chokes her on the ropes. Mei this corner dropkicks on Kid.

Suzu forearms Kid down then grabs her by the mask. Suzu shotgun dropkicks Kid for 2. Suzu forearms Kid then Mei slams Kid for 2. Kid springboard crossbodies Suzu then Poi is tagged in. Poi running headhunters Mei then cartwheels into an armdrag and dropkick. Suzu is double snapmared into a double basement dropkick. Poi slams Suzu then Poi and Kid do stereo flips on their opponents.

Mei trips Poi and rolls her then dropkicks her. Suzu running knees Poi in the corner. Suzu and Poi trade chest forearms. Poi chest forearm flurries her then dropkicks her on the ropes. Poi dropkicks her through the ropes. Suzu does a cool bridge out of a top rope crossbody.

Poi spinning high kicks Suzu then Kid 619's Suzu. Kid dropkicks Suzu in the knee. Kid is sunset flipped into a sliding knee then takes a double basement dropkick. Suzu mocks Kid's taunt then Kid rolls her up for 2. Kid stretch mufflers her.

Suzu snapmares Kid into a kick in the back. Suzu then drive by kicks her on the apron. Kid armdrags Suzu off the buckles. Poi kicks Mei right in the face then top rope plancha's Suzu outside. Kid does 2 nice crosslegged perfectplexes. Mei hops over Kid's back to double stomp Poi. Poi does a codebreaker + senton combo on her opponents. Kid flying kicks Suzu then takes a running kick.

Poi superkicks Suzu then Kid does a cool assisted sliced bread on Suzu. Suzu takes a cool double team german then Kid top rope moonsaults Suzu for 2. Mei superkicks Kid then 2nd rope blockbusters Poi. Poi release germans her. Suzu high germans Kid, Kid no sells it then flying double knees her in the back. Suzu tequila shot's Kid for 2 then Kid takes a 2nd rope codebreaker into a german. The time limit then runs out.

Thoughts: I liked this one. I don't think they sold much whatsoever but the constant tags in and out hid some of that. It was a super fast paced match loaded with lots of cool moves and double teams, some of which that I didn't seen before. These girls matched up well together and I liked it.

Maika vs. HANAKO

They shoulderblock battle to start then Hana knocks her over. Hana is knocked off the apron Maika rams her into the post outside. Maika stomps her in the ring, bangs her head off the buckle and corner spears her back. Hana hits forearms then Maika forearms her back. Maika is battering rammed into the top rope and Hana shoulders her over.

Hana slams Maika and Maika sliding lariats her. They trade forearms and Maika forearm flurries her down. Hana hits a chest forearm flurry and clubs on her back. Hana facekicks her then suplexes her for 2. Hana 2nd rope suplexes her then Maika lariats her over. Hana puts her on her shoulder and backdrops her for 2. Hana torture rack bombs her then Maika hits a lariat for 2. Maika enka otoshi's her for 2.

Maika corner lariats her then running powerbombs her. Maika michinoku drivers her and wins it.

Thoughts: It was a solid heavyweight match here with the two girls doing a lot of hoss style wrestling. Maika's throws on Hana were impressive. It was short but I liked it. I wish they would have gotten more time.

Azusa Inaba & Oedo Tai (Fukigen Death & Rina) vs. Empress Nexus Venus (Mina Shirakawa, Waka Tsukiyama & Xena)

Death avoids Waka's lock up and does poses to the crowd. Waka flying dropkicks her and hits hip attacks. Waka takes a double boot to the face though Death misses. Death's team then poses on Waka. Rina hair throws Waka then foot chokes her on the ropes. Waka and and Mina are tied up in the ropes and posed on. Inaba slams Waka several times.

Death hits Waka with a newspaper several times then Waka flatliners her off the ropes. Xena flips out of a Death hiptoss then step up enzugiri's her. Xena rolls Death into a superkick. Xena does a rocking chair + gori special combo on RIna and Death. Death eye pokes Xena then Xena suplexes her.

Death suplexes her. Mina and Inaba go at it. Inaba pump kicks her. Inaba kicks her in the back. Mina ducks a kick and taunts her then kicks her in the back. Inaba and Mina trade then Inaba shoteis her. Inaba running kicks her for 2. Mina figure fours Inaba and it is broken up.

Inaba dropkicks her. Rin gets in and facekicks then basement dropkicks Mina. Mina kicks her off the ropes then Waka top rope dropkicks Rina. Waka hip attacks her off the ropes then is dropped down onto Rina. Xena drops Waka butt first onto Rina.

Waka takes a northern lights suplex for 2. Mina wlaks the top rope and kneedrops Rina's arm. Waka straightjackets Rina and pulls her down backwards. Rina hiptosses Waka then reverse suplexes her for 2. Waka cradles Rina for 2 several times. Rina facekicks Waka  hen Waka back rolls Rina.

Rina is pushed into an Inaba superkick. Then Inaba backdrops Waka. Rina top rope double knee drops Waka and wins.

Thoughts: It was just an average trios match for the most part. It was fast paced with lots of people coming in and out constantly and not a lot of time to build anything. 

Artist Of Stardom Title #1 Contendership Gauntlet Match

Leg 1 - Queen's Quest (AZM, Lady C & Miyu Amasaki) vs  Cosmic Angels (Aya Sakura, Sayaka Kurara & Yuna Mizumori)

AZM and Yuna start us off. Yuna hammerlocks her and thye stand off. Yuna forearms her off the buckles and tries to send her out. AZM slides under the bottom rope and tries to roll her up. AZM then basement dropkicks her. Yuna rolls her up for 2 then half-crabs her. Yuna's partners then armbar AZM's arms. AZM's partners come in for the save.

Kurara is tripped into stereo basement dropkicks. Miyu and Kurara trade chest forearms. Kurara dropkicks Miyu then Miyu ddt's her. Miyu is rolled into double basement dropkicks then Yuna sliding lariats her. We get a triple battering ram spot then Yuna 2nd rope shoulders C over. Aya 2nd rope flying knees C over for 2.

Aya chest kicks C's chest then takes a triple team in the corner. Aya running chest kicks C then AZM top rope dropkicks Aya. C running facekicks Aya then chokeslams her to eliminate her team.

Leg 2 - Queen's Quest (AZM, Lady C & Miyu Amasaki) vs  STARS (Hazuki, Koguma & Momo Kohgo)

Stars rush QQ before it starts and attack. C is dropkicked, senton'd and splashed. C then takes a triple basement dropkick. Haz facewash kicks C on the ropes. Haz is caught off the buckles and C giant swings her. Momo back rolls into a headscissors on AZM when they get in and AZM suplexes her.

Momo 2nd rope twisting crossbodies AZM then 619's her. AZM and Kog reverse pin attempts. Miyu doea a doule pendulum ddt on her opponents then Momo springboard dropkicks her. AZ backrolls Momo into a bridge and pins her.

Leg 3 - Queen's Quest (AZM, Lady C & Miyu Amasaki) vs Oedo Tai (Momo Watanabe, Natsuko Tora & Thekla)

OT jumps QQ before the bell rings. Miyu is headkicked around. Momo slams her then Tora sentons her for 2. Tora samoan drops Miyu. C flying neckbreakers Tora then Miyu tornado ddt's Momo. AZM gets on C's shoulders then double foot stomps Momo off of the shoulders.

They all go out and AZM is thrown into the chairs then the post, then the chairs again. Thekla suplexes Miyu on the floor then slams C onto her. Miyu takes corner attacks in the ring then is speared for 2. Thekla hits a double underhook ddt on Miyu and pins her.

Leg 4 - Oedo Tai (Momo Watanabe, Natsuko Tora & Thekla) vs God's Eye (Konami, Saki Kashima & Syuri)

OT attacks before Ge even gets in. Thekla works on Syuri. Saki avoids being thrown over the top and hits a double bulldog on Momo and Tora off of it. Momo and Tora are rolled into back kicks then Tora takes a double basement dropkick. Syuri armbars Tora. Thekla and Syuri go at it. Thekla limbs out of a lariat and superkicks her. Syuri goes for an armbar.

Syuri takes corner attacks then Thekla forearms her down. Momo and Konami end up going at it. They trade chest kicks and Momo chest kicks Konami. Konami knees her on the ropes then is tripped into the 2nd rope for a boot and cannonball. Momo meteora's Konami for 2. Konami hanging triangles Momo over the top rope. Konami top rope dropkicks Momo for 2. Konami germans her then Momo takes sandwich kicks. Momo avoids a triple tea, and Konami buzzsaw kicks her. Momo cradle tombstones her and wins it.

Thoughts: Gauntlet matches are good ideas on paper but fundamentally flawed. The first 2 teams in it are going to be in there the longest so they aren't going to do long matches for each leg of it. This means the matches will be shorter and only a taste of what they could be, not the final product. It's like a buffet. You get a little of everything but you aren't eating a full plate of turkey only. We had 4 shorter matches here. None of them were great or had the chances to be great and with the heels winning, it didn't have the most exciting ending.

High Speed Title Match - Saya Kamitani (c) vs. Saya Iida

They start off fast and SK armdrags her out of a gorilla press. SK kips down then kips back up to a void a lariat. They both miss dropkicks at the same time. They do a test of strength and SK is bridged. Iida throws her back then double axe handles her in the chest. They go out and Iida flying shoulders her off the apron.

Iida chops her on the ropes. Iida slams her then running back elbows her. SI jumping double stomps Iida as Iida runs at her. SK basement dropkicks her for 2. They trade forearms. Iida stunners her and throws her over. Iida corner lariats her then spinebusters her for 2.

SK flips out of a diamond dust and they roll each other up for 2 counts. SK does a flying leg take down and tries some pin attempts. Iida backrolls her into a bridge and running spears her. Iida sliding lariats her and lariats her against the ropes. Iida hits a high running lariat and drops her.

Iida northern lights suplexes her for 2. SK spinning high kicks her then screw kicks her for 2. Iida fisherman suplexes her for 2. Saya hurricanrana's her and picks up the win.

Thoughts: It was a waste to have Saya Iida in a high speed match. That's just not what she does and brought this thing down some when it would have been fine otherwise. They had some okay stuff here but it would have been so much better as a normal and slower match.

Best Friends (Arisa Nakajima & Tsukasa Fujimoto) vs. STARS (Hanan & Mayu Iwatani)

Tsuka and Mayu go at it. Mayu wristlocks her. Tsuka rolls out and wristlocks her back. Tsuka headlock takeovers her and is headscissored. They then stand off. Mayu basement dropkicks her. Tsuka is rolled into a Hanan leg lariat on the ropes. Tsuka takes a double basement dropkick for 2.

Tsuka snapmares her and kicks her in the back. Tsuka hair throws her and Arisa gets in. Arisa hair throws Hanan then double footchokes her in the corner. Arisa basement dropkicks Hanan. Arisa does an octopus to Hanan then throws Mayu out.

Tsuka ties Hanan up in the ropes and dropkicks her there. Arisa forearms Hanan down after Hanan hits forearms. Hanan 2nd rope twisting crossbodies her. Mayu dropkicks Arisa then spins kicks her in the gut. Arisa goes for a superkick but is dropkicked.

Mayu hits forearms then rope walk double armdrags Best Friends. Mayu double basement dropkicks them. Mayu northern lights suplexes Arisa or 2. Mayu is wheelbarrow suplexed, face kicked and german suplexed by Arisa for 2. Tsuka top rope dropkicks Mayu then Arisa top rope dropkicks Mayu.  

Mayu then takes a corner double basement dropkick. Mayu release germans Tsuka then superkicks her in the head. Arisa release germans Mayu then Tsukka basement dropkicks Mayu. Arisa face kicks Mayu. Tsuka leg clutch germans Mayu for 2.

Mayu gets stuck in tree of woe and Tsuka double stomps her down. Arisa top rope double stomps Mayu for 2. Mayu slingblades Arisa then Mayu superkicks her. Mayu top rope frogsplashes her for 2. Hanan hits running euros on Arisa for 2. Hanan and Arisa trade forearms. Arisa forearm combos her and drops her with one.

Hanan hip throws Arisa. Arisa no sells it then is rolling armbarred. Hanan clubs on Arisa. Arisa facekicks her then dragon suplexes her. Arisa kicks Hanan in the back several times. Hanan then takes a german into a jack knife pin.

Tsuka takes a double back elbow in the corner then a double basement dropkick. Best Friends hit stereo dropkicks then are caught on the buckles. Tsuka is thrown down onto the apron. Hanan and Mayu dive out at the same time.

Hanan fameassers Tsuka. Tsuka takes like a double high elevation pedigree then Hanan cuty specials her for 2. Tsuka and Arisa roll Hanan then sandwich kicks her in the head for 2. Tsuka straightjacket chokes Hanan while on her back and Mayu breaks it.

Mayu and Tsuka trade forearms. Tsuka step up enzugiri's her. Hanan and Tsuka trade chest forearms. Tsuka double chops her then backdrops her. Tsuka hurricanrana's Hanan for 2 then running PK's her for 2. Tsuka gets on Hanan's back and rolls her. Mayu takes an ocean cyclone suplex into a top rope double stomp. Hanan rolls up Tsuka for 2 then Tsuka step up enzugiri's her for 2. Tsuka hits a code red and wins it.

Thoughts: It was a long tag here. I liked it but it would have been better if Best Friends had control, Hanan and Mayu made their comeback and they went to the finish from there. Hanan was just kind of along for the ride for this one and didn't bring a ton to the plate except being a lesser Mayu. Tsuka and Arisa were fun as usual, beating the crap out of their opponents and it was good inter-promotional tag.

AEW TBS Title Match - Willow Nightingale (c) vs. Tam Nakano

Tam evades Willow and leg kicks her. Tam slaps her after avoiding a corner attack. Willow blocks armdrags then shoulders her over. Willow low crossbodies her for 2 then facekicks and sentons her. Willow corner hip attacks her then 2nd rope dropkicks her. Willow slams her then does something like a samoan drop for 2.

Willow grounded octopuses her. Willow blocks a flying headscissors and sideslams her.Willow then gutbusters her for 2. Tam forearm flurries her in the corner. Willow corner splashes her then is superkicked while sitting up top. Tam top rope planchas her outside.

Tam hits chest kicks then cartwheel double knees her back for 2. Tam spin kicks her then sliding knees her after Willow misses a buttdrop. Tam does a grounded octopus. Willow 2nd rope suplexes Tam then fisherman busters her for 2. 

They trade forearms. Tam slaps her then Willow chops her back. They trade forearms and Tam slap flurries her. Willow pounces her. Willow goes up to the 2nd rope and is german suplexed then Willow spinebusters her. Tam superkicks her and Willow push kicks her. Tam king crab holds her and turns it into an armbar. Tam then single leg crabs her.

Tam germans her then high kicks her. Tam germans her for 2. Tam sliding knees her in the front and back. Tam tiger suplexes her for 2. Tam axe kicks her back. Willow fallway slams her then lariats her. Tam powers up and is lariats again. Willow corner cannonballs her for 2.

Tam hurricanrana's her then rolling armbars her into a pin attempt. Willow lariats her then death valley drivers her for 2.  Willow doctor bombs her and wins it.

Thoughts: It was your typical AEW "partnership" match where AEW talent takes whoever they want from the promotion (Mina) and in return, allows one of your talent to lose to theirs. AEW stars don't lose when they go elsewhere unless it's to another AEW star, which Tam is not (yet). They went even with each other here instead of doing the obvious big girl vs small girl storyline and that brought it down some. They also just did a normal face vs face match instead of making Willow a heel which would have made it better. Willow got to do a lot more than she usually does here. There some things I liked but it could have been a lot better if they used basic wrestling logic. 

Wonder Of Stardom Title Match - Saori Anou (c) vs. Ami Sourei

They stare down. Ami hits forearms then shoulders her over. Ami slams her and lays her on the 2nd rope. Ami the splashes her there. Ami pulls on Anou's neck between the ropes then chops her while she's tied up there. They fight on the apron. Anuou hits kicks then headscissors her.

Anou running facekicks her. Anou slaps her around then Ami rushes her with a chest forearm flurry. Ami hair throws her then bangs her head off a chair outside. Ami slams her on the floor then hits mounted forearms inside. Ami torture racks her.

Anou axe kicks Ami's back. They trade chest forearms. Ami drops her with a slap. Anou slaps her back then Ami slaps her back. Anou hits forearms and slaps. Ami 2nd rope superplexes her. Anou fisherman suplexes her then Ami holds on and suplexes her. Anou fisherman suplexes her and Ami no sells it. They try to lariat each other and Ami beats her to it.

Ami hits mounted forearms then Anou double underhook suplexes her. Anou goes for the armbar then chokes her with her leg while doing it. Anou top rope dropkicks her. Ami puts her in a high crab then turns it into a single leg crab.

Ami racks her then spinning neckbreaker drops her out of it. Anou tries a backslide into a bridge pin for 2 then Ami blue thunders her for 2. Anou goes for another backslide into a bridge but Ami stops it.

Ami shoulders her over and hits a corner lariat. They go up to the 2nd rope and Ami blue thunders her off of there. Ami twisting suplexes her for 2. Ami fire thunders her for 2. Ami puts her on her shoulders and poisonrana's her. Anou hits face kicks then germans her.

Anou germans her, Ami no sells it then rolling lariats her. Anou dragon suplexes her for 2. Anou spin kicks her in the head then ocean cyclone suplexes her to win it.

Thoughts: It was just a match. Ami tried to show some fire here but there was no great storyline, the selling wasn't that good and Anou wasn't even really the heel against Ami. There was some underdog work by Ami here but it was a so-so match as expected.

Ami and Anou talk after. Poi and Anou seem to set up a match after.

Overall thoughts: It was one of Stardom's longer PPV shows. I really liked the opener that went to a draw and Best Friends vs Hanan/May was good as well. I liked some parts about Willow/Tam but thought it would have been better as a monster/underdog match. Ami tried in the main but it was a so-so match. The high speed title match was a waste of Iida and the gauntlet was a waste of the teams in it. I wouldn't recommend this.