SHOW REPORT: Stardom 5Star Grand Prix – Night 2 (Sunday, 11th August 2024)

August 11, 2024 Rob Goodwin News, Show Reports 0

Notes

  • Ami Sohrei will be absent from all cards as she begins the process of recovering from ACL and meniscus tears in her knee. Ranna Yagami will replace her in the 5Star Grand Prix.
  • Kaori Yonoeyama – more commonly known as Fukigen Death in Stardom – has also suffered an ACL tear and will be out of action for a year.

Quick Results

  • Tag Team Match: God’s Eye (Lady C & Hina) def. Rian & Waka Tsukiyama w/ Modified Jackhammer (8:08)
  • 5Star Grand Prix 2024 Red Stars A Match: Maika (4) def. Yuna Mizumori (0) w/ Michinoku Driver II (9:06)
  • 5Star Grand Prix 2024 Red Stars A Match: Hazuki (4) def. Ruaka (0) w/ Roll-Up (9:19)
  • 5Star Grand Prix 2024 Red Stars A Match: Manami (2) def. Konami (2) w/ Roll-Up (9:57)
  • Tag Team Match: H.A.T.E (Natsuko Tora & Rina) def. meltear (Tam Nakano & Natsupoi) w/ Grand Death Lock (11:44)
  • 5Star Grand Prix 2024 Red Stars B Match: Tomoka Inaba (3) def. Momo Watanabe (0) w/ One Hit Kill Tomoka Kick (12:01)
  • 5Star Grand Prix 2024 Red Stars B Match: Mei Seira (2) vs. AZM (3) Ended in a Time Limit Draw (15:00)
  • 5Star Grand Prix 2024 Red Stars B Match: Mayu Iwatani (4) def. Saya Iida (0) w/ Moonsault (12:41)
Photo Courtesy: World Wonder Ring Stardom

God’s Eye (Lady C & Hina) def. Rian & Waka Tsukiyama w/ Modified Jackhammer (8:08)

After teaming with Rian in a losing effort yesterday during the opening night of the tournament, Lady C and Hina have a chance to regain some momentum against the makeshift team of Rian and Waka Tsukiyama. 

Rian attacks the match well in the early goings, even if she does get caught with a Giant Swing early on. A few weeks earlier, Waka had taught the subtle art of Hip Attacks to the young rookie, and we see a little glimpse of that here with both women hitting stereo attacks on both Lady C and Hina. She’s bright throughout, and with a pair of Crossbodies and her innovative pinning attempt, she gets two close two counts. However, the end is inevitable, and after being unsuccessful the first time, Hina hoists the rookie into her Modified Jackhammer for a God’s Eye victory.

Photo Couresy: World Wonder Ring Stardom

Match #2 – 5Star Grand Prix 2024 Red Stars A Match: Maika (4) def. Yuna Mizumori (0) w/ Michinoku Driver II (9:06)

It’s Yuna’s first match of the tournament, and you can feel the excitement in the way she tears around the ring replete in a Pineapple-adorned Hawaiian Shirt. I don’t think I’m fully used to the new theme Maika comes to the ring with yet, but it’s undoubtedly an absolute banger of a tune, and the under eye make-up reminiscent of Act Yasukawa is a nice touch. 

A set of stalemates are reached in a battle of Shoulder Tackles, but it’s Maika who takes Yuna off her feet first. Mizumori fires back, but is then floored with a stiff forearm to the jaw. Yuna continues to get to her feet though, and finally gets her first pockets of offence with a Vertical Suplex and a series of Lariats. Maika initially cuts her off on the top rope, but Yuna is able to snap Maika’s arm across the top rope. 

Beginning to focus on the same arm that Natsupoi focused to hard on last night, Mizumori continues to zero in on Maika’s taped-up right arm. However, the moment she ventures to the top rope again, Maika hits her with a Superlplex before maintaining control and hoisting her into her series of Vertical Suplexes. Another stalemate is reached as both women attempt to hit Lariats at the same time, with Yuna finally gaining the upper hand by blocking Maika’s bad arm first. She rolls to the outside clutching her arm, but Yuna hits a huge Diving Crossbody to the outside. 

Mizumori hits her Samoan Driver in the ring before powering her into an Electric Chair position. Unfortunately, she gets overzealous and runs into a thumping Lariat followed by an Enka Otoshi. After getting a close two count with a roll-up attempt, Mizumori once again runs into a Maika move, this time a Michinoku Driver II. A second is hit for good measure, and Maika achieves her second victory of the tournament, moving to four points.

She comes up empty-handed here, but Yuna gave a fantastic account of herself here, and showcased exactly why so many people were happy to see her qualify for this year’s tournament. 

Photo Courtesy: World Wonder Ring Stardom

Match #3 – 5Star Grand Prix 2024 Red Stars A Match: Hazuki (4) def. Ruaka (0) w/ Roll-Up (9:19)

The Violent Freezer impressed with her resilience in her first tournament match. However, it was against fellow H.A.T.E stablemate Konami, so how she wrestles against someone outside of that faction will be an interesting through line for this match. 

Unsurprisingly, Ruaka attacks Hazuki before the bell and launches her into the first row of chairs on two different sides of the arena before running her into the ring post. Inside the ring, Ruaka continues her attack until Hazuki gets off a Headscissors and a Dropkick. However, when The Wildheart looks for a Suicide Dive, she’s wiped out by Ruaka launching the crate at her. 

Hazuki is able to find a way back into the match though, hitting a Missile Dropkick and Codebreaker before pulling off the Facewash Kicks. With Ruaka reeling on the outside, Hazuki successfully hits the Suicide Dive. Ruaka kicks out of a Senton, but is immediately ensnared in a Crossface. However, she rather smoothly transitions into a Crossface of her own, necessitating a rope break from Hazuki. she hits her Stalling Fisherman’s Suplex, but is caught on the tope rope with a Superplex from Hazuki. 

Following a series of missed Lariats and Pump Kicks, Ruaka reverses a Hazukistral into a point of her own that almost does enough for the victory. Hazuki misses with the Diving Senton and is subsequently wiped out with a Lariat. After more H.A.T.E shenanigans involving the crate, Ruaka goes for the Choke Bomb, only for Hazuki to expertly reverse it into a for the win. 

Usual H.A.T.E/Oedo Tai nonsense aside, this was another really solid outing for Ruaka, who not only hung with Hazuki throughout this match, but also showcased more of that resilience we saw against Konami. 

Photo Courtesy: World Wonder Ring Stardom

Match #4 – 5Star Grand Prix 2024 Red Stars A Match: Manami (2) def. Konami (2) w/ Roll-Up (9:57)

Manami is equally, if not more pumped for today’s match as she was for her debut match against Hazuki, erupting out of the traps with a Dropkick. Konami is a seasoned competitor however, and quickly quells the zeal of Manami before dragging her into the outside and throwing her into the chairs that have only justbeen repositioned by the ringside seconds. She then wraps a chair around Manami’s throat and wrenches back on it with such ferocity that the chair she is sitting on collapses. Konami then proceeds to do the same in the ring using the ring ropes. She continues to maul Manami methodically around the ring before the Sendai Girls’ competitor wakes up again and hits a Knee Strike followed by a Dropkick. 

Unfortunately, she then wastes time doing her signature taunt which allows Konami the time to lock her in a variety of painful-looking chokeholds, eventually locking the legs around Manami’s chest for good measure. Manami gets another pocket of offence using a Northern Lights Suplex, but she misses with a wild swing that allows Konami to lock in a Flying Cross Arm Breaker. Manami fights free before kicking out of a Bridging Fisherman’s Suplex and a PK, hitting a Jumping Knee for her own close two count. 

Manami goes to the top rope though, but gets caught in another submission. She survives a Running Knee from Konami, and is able to fight for the ropes when she gets trapped in a Rings of Saturn. Just like last night though, when she once again looks for her Diving Splash, she misses and eats canvas. 

With Konami now smelling blood, she rolls into the Triangle Lancer, only for Manami to roll through it and keep the Submission Sniper’s shoulders pinned to the mat for her first victory of the tournament. 

A nice little story of Konami playing on Manami’s inexperience, and I do like the way that Konami’s obvious complacency came back to haunt her in the end. Perhaps not the most must-see match of the tournament, but a solid-enough block match. 

Photo Courtesy: World Wonder Ring Stardom

Match #5 – H.A.T.E (Natsuko Tora & Rina) def. meltear (Tam Nakano & Natsupoi) w/ Grand Death Lock (11:44)

Considering this is the first time Tam and Tora have squared off since the former’s unwilling haircut, it’s unsurprising that meltear charge their H.A.T.E counterparts. It’s also unsurprising that it backfires with both Tam and Natsupoi ending up being flung into the chairs once again – I’d just leave them like that if I were you ringside seconds!

Once Tam and Tora make it back into the ring, the World of Stardom champion immediately  begins ferociously attacking Nakano’s injured knee. Having had it brutalised in Hamamatsu by H.A.T.E, only to then have it battered again in her match with Mayu last night, it’s like big, red, neon target for poor Tam.  

Tam is eventually able to get some space with a Cutter, and Natsupoi is able to navigate the H.A.T.E numbers game, taking Tora out of the ring and locking Rina in a Cross Arm Breaker. She continues to bully the Future of Stardom champion, though the momentum swings back  to H.A.T.E the moment Tam and Tora square off again, with the champion once again targeting Tam’s knee. 

Poi is able to stem the tide by knocking Tora to the outside and hitting a Diving Crossbody. But after Tam hits a German Suplex, Tora receives a chair and hurls it into Nakano’s knee. A Tora Stretch Muffler is locked in for an age before Tam is finally able to drag herself to the bottom rope. However, Tora is in her element and Splashes the injured knee once again before locking in the Figure Four Leg Lock variation she calls the Grand Death Lock. 

Tora continues to mock Tam after the match, but Nakano explodes into a ferocious tirade about how she is going to rip all of the hair out of Tora’s body, all whilst rather comically struggling to grasp the remanants of hair on Tora’s shaved head! 

Photo Courtesy: World Wonder Ring Stardom

Match #6 – 5Star Grand Prix 2024 Red Stars B Match: Tomoka Inaba (3) def. Momo Watanabe (0) w/ One Hit Kill Tomoka Kick (12:01)

This is one of the first time match-ups that I am the most excited about. Both women hit like a train and, without H.A.T.E interference, this could be one of the matches of the tournament.

Those hopes are dashed somewhat when we get Momo launching Inaba into the front row of chairs for a tiresome fourth match in succession. Once she’s rolled Inaba back into the ring, Momo begins torturing her, ringing a warning kick off her chest before Bodyslamming her hard on the canvas. Inaba rises to the challenge, eating a big kick to the chest for her trouble, but then wipes out the Black Peach with a Pump Kick. She smacks her own pair of kicks into the spine of Momo and then floors her with a forearm. However, the moment she tries a Suplex, Momo erupts into life with a series of three Snap Suplexes followed by a pair of Somatos. 

As Momo goes for a head kick, Inaba briefly locks in an Ankle Lock before the pair embark on a flurry of kick reversals. Inaba fights out of the Hidenotashi Driver, Momo the Inaba Drop, before Tomoka pops straight up from a Tequila Sunrise. She snatches Momo immediately into the Inaba Drop, but the adrenaline runs dry before she can make the cover and she collapses.

Finally, the pair stand across the ring from each other and begin throwing their entire body weight into thumping kicks into the other’s chest. Momo blocks the One Hit Kill Tomoka Kick before flattening Inaba with a Buzzsaw Kick and a punt. Inaba kicks out, but Watanabe simply snatches her straight into a Crossface Chickenwing in an attempt to weaken Tomoka for the Peach Sunrise. Inaba blocks it though, and hits a huge knee strike to the face. 

Momo manages to navigate Tomoka into the B-Driver, but she cant capitalise as Inaba rolls through the pinfall. She rings a kick off the back of Momo’s head before hauling her into the Inaba Drop followed immediately by the One Hit Kill Tomoka Kick for the victory, her first of the tournament. 

Not a good day to be a member of H.A.T.E as all three members of the two Red Stars block draw blanks tonight. 

Photo Courtesy: World Wonder Ring Stardom

Match #7 – 5Star Grand Prix 2024 Red Stars B Match: Mei Seira (2) vs. AZM (3) Ended in a Time Limit Draw (15:00)

These two NEO-GENESIS speedsters have met three times in singles action, and current High-Speed Champion Mei Seira is yet to register a victory, with their singles record sitting at 0-2-1 in AZM’s favour. 

Friends and stablemates they might be, but that doesn’t mean that they will shake hands before the bell, and instead we get a predictable – yet no-less furiously impressive – high-speed opening. This is followed by both women then conning the other with handshakes until AZM slows the pace down by Snapmaring Mei into the centre of the ring and kicking her hard in the back with two stiff kicks. She forces Seira into the Rings of Saturn, but Mei is able to put a foot on the ropes to break the hold before initiating a forearm exchange. 

Mei finally gets a foothold in the match after another blistering sequence sees her wipe AZM out of the air by meeting her with a Crossbody. She follows this up with a Blockbuster but can’t get AZM up for the Vertical Suplex, instead having to settle for more forearms. However, AZM slips through Mei’s legs and drags her headfirst off the apron, delivering a Buzzsaw Kick that sees Mei slump to the floor. She follows this up with a brutal Diving Double Footstomp from the apron to the floor. 

She misses a second Double Footstomp in the ring and gets hit with a Codebreaker and a Springboard Blockbuster. AZM is the first to her feet and looks to Springboard from the apron only for Mei to meet her in midair with a Dropkick that sends her to floor. They tease a double countout before then throwing themselves into another rapid exchange in the ring, with Mei finding herself with the upper hand with a Jumping Spin Kick to the head.  

A Hammerlock Powerbomb from Mei is reversed before the pair trade incredibly close roll/up attempts. Mei can’t connect with Checkmate, but is able to kick out of the Azumi Sushi. AZM lands the Diving Double Footstomp before Mei spectacularly reverses a Destroyer. More roll-up attempts are reversed, with AZM resorting desperately to wrenching on Mei’s arms in a variety of submissions. The pace increases even more as the time limit rapidly approaches, but neither woman can carve out a substantial enough opening. This means that once AZM is finally able to successfully hit the Destroyer, the time limit expires before she can make the pin. It’s the pair’s second time-limit draw against each other, and Mei’s second in as many days! 

Photo Courtesy: World Wonder Ring Stardom

Match #8 – 5Star Grand Prix 2024 Red Stars B Match: Mayu Iwatani (4) def. Saya Iida (0) w/ Moonsault (12:41)

It’s Saya’s first match of the tournament, and she celebrates with some very nice new gear. It’s a huge lock-up that starts this match with Iida able to power Iwatani easily towards the ropes before bossing the IWGP Women’s Champion with a Shoulder Tackle, a Bodyslam and a Corkscrew Uppercut. Mayu connects with the Evasion Dropkick and lands a heavy Diving Double Footstomp to bring a reprieve, but Saya hits a Jawbreaker to get out of a suplex attempt and then sends Iwatani into the corner with a Dropkick. 

And that’s where the chops start, Iida completely obliterating the chest of Mayu with a frenzied volley of strikes. Mayu gets one of her own off when the action returns to the centre of the ring, but this just elicits another barrage from Saya. The pair then embark on a huge chop exchange, with Mayu doing her best to return fire with some hefty chops of her own. Unfortunately, in terms of chops, Saya Iida is unmatched in Stardom, and a final Double Handed Chop sends Mayu crumbling to the canvas. 

Mayu gets the Superkick off, but is then levelled by a Saya Iida Lariat. She drags herself to her feet only to be met with a second one to the back of the next followed by the Iida Rock. Iwatani manages to fight free of a Dragon Sleeper by just getting her toe to the bottom rope. She is able to land on her feet out of the Be A Master, and lands a Buzzsaw Kick followed by a Frogsplash for a two count. 

Iida fight valiantly against the Dragon Suplex before then obliterating Mayu with a huge Lariat that sends Iwatani crashing to the ground. A Brainbuster gets Saya a two count, but as she comes off the top rope for her Diving Shoulder Tackle, Mayu wipes her out of the air with a Superkick. Iida bounces straight back up, perhaps through sheer adrenaline, and charges in only to get caught by a Tombstone Piledriver. Wasting no time at all, Iwatani springs to the top rope to this the Moonsault for the win, halting what was a phenomenal first showing for her STARS stablemate. 

Block Standings

RED STARS A
  • Maika (2-0-0): 4 Points
  • Hazuki (2-0-0): 4 Points
  • Manami (1-1-0): 2 Points
  • Konami (1-1-0): 2 Points
  • Natsupoi (0-1-0): 0 Points
  • Yuna Mizumori (0-1-0): 0 Points
  • Ruaka (0-2-0): 0 Points
RED STARS B
  • Mayu Iwatani (2-0-0): 4 Points
  • AZM (1-0-1): 3 Points
  • Tomoka Inaba (1-0-1): 3 Points
  • Mei Seira (0-0-2): 2 Points
  • Tam Nakano (0-1-0): 0 Points
  • Momo Watanabe (0-2-0): 0 Points
  • Saya Iida (0-1-0): 0 Points
BLUE STARS A
  • Syuri (1-0-0): 2 Points
  • Anna Jay (1-0-0): 2 Points
  • Miyu Amasaki (1-0-0): 2 Points
  • Starlight Kid (0-1-0): 0 Points
  • Xena (0-1-0): 0 Points
  • Saori Anou (0-1-0): 0 Points
  • Koguma (0-0-0): 0 Points
BLUE STARS B
  • Saya Kamitani (1-0-0): 2 Points
  • Ranna Yagami (1-0-0): 2 Points
  • Hanan (0-0-1): 1 Point
  • Suzu Suzuki (0-0-1): 1 Point
  • Saki Kashima (0-1-0): 0 Points
  • Risa Sera (0-1-0): 0 Points
  • Thekla (0-0-0): 0 Points

You can check out the Stardom roster win/loss records for 2024 right here; https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/103h_Y27csTgcS-CcBwswaj-D7hVazTC_Wn0SPn0BZBM/edit

You can check out a comprehensive run down of the Stardom Championship Histories here; https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1-Dk6T0ukSXm6R8eOTQU96i4rsfoy34wnz0-rKP5mwmQ/edit

Upcoming Shows

  • Monday 12th August – 5Star Grand Prix 2024 – Night 3 (Afternoon Show), Tochigi Light Cube, Utsonomiya (LIVE)
  • Monday 12th August – 5Star Grand Prix 2024 – Night 3 (Evening Show), Tochigi Light Cube, Utsonomiya (LIVE)
  • Thursday 15th August – 5Star Grand Prix 2024 – Night 4, Korakuen Hall, Tokyo (LIVE)
  • Saturday 17th August – 5Star Grand Prix 2024 – Night 5, KBS Hall, Kyoto (LIVE)
  • Sunday 18th August – 5Star Grand Prix 2024 – Night 6, Kobe Arts Center, Hyogo (LIVE)
  • Tuesday 20th August – 5Star Grand Prix 2024 – Night 7, EDION Arena Osaka #2, Osaka (LIVE)
  • Friday 23rd August – 5Star Grand Prix 2024 – Night 8, Sendai PIT, Miyagi (LIVE)
  • Saturday 24th August – 5Star Grand Prix 2024 – Night 9, Fukushima Parse Izaka, Fukushima (LIVE)
  • Sunday 25th August – 5Star Grand Prix 2024 – Night 10, Yamagata Big Wing, Yamagata (LIVE)
  • Wednesday 28th August – 5Star Grand Prix 2024 – Night 11, Shinjuku, Tokyo (LIVE)
  • Saturday 31st August – 5Star Grand Prix 2024 – Championship Match, Musashino Forest Sports Plaza, Tokyo (PPV)
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About Rob Goodwin 270 Articles
Hailing from Stoke-on-Trent, Rob fell back in love with the Wrestling Business in 2016 after a decade-long break. Rob is the host of the PodMania Wrestling Podcast, the StardomCast and reviews retro PPVs - with an odd fascination with 1995 WWF/WCW!
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