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[2018-02-18-Stardom] Io Shirai vs Momo Watanabe


Tenese Sarwieh

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This is for Io's Wonder of Stardom title where she is challenged by one of her QQ teammates, Momo Watanabe. Before this match, one of Watanabe's main issues was her lack of big bombs on offense that would make you believe that she could take down one of the top players in Stardom. This ends up being the main theme of the match as she debuts a lot of different moves that could make up her signature offense in the future, starting off with a nasty tornado DDT that looks like it gave Io a nasty stinger in her neck. Another highlight for Momo was using an Asuka Lock to build up to her hitting a beautiful Tequila Sunrise suplex on Io for an amazing near-fall. The one thing that keeps this from being a MOTYC is similar to the thing with Io/Savoy from a couple of weeks earlier, Io's comeback is a little to sudden and easy. You really wish that Momo had gone down with more of a fight after such a strong performance. Still, a very strong match and hopefully a sign of things to come with Momo Watanabe. ****1/4

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Wonder of Stardom Championship: Io Shirai © vs. Momo Watanabe


This was amazing from start to finish - Momo more than held her own in her first singles main event at Korakuen Hall. I really liked Io's aggression at the start, and Momo's rally with those vicious kicks. The focus on Io's bad neck and the crossface chickenwing stuff was brilliant. Io's comeback has Momo bleeding all over the place so she definitely earned it. Incredible match. ****1/4

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Young Momo Watanabe delivers a breakout performance in her first real big singles main event match while Io Shirai delivers a super selfless, amazing ace performance. Loved Momo starting the match w/ that fire, going right away at Io - that stunned her for a bit, but pretty shortly she got the control with a very violent, lovely looking dropkick. Io's control segment in general was very violent & I loved it - she sure brought IT to her stablemate. After a while Momo gains the control, and from that moment on, she pretty much dominates Io - she busts out bomb after bomb after bomb, Io's selling is outstanding & her comeback in the end is really great. Great match. ****1/4

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Yeah, these two do a better heavyweight epic than current NJPW heavyweights. I don't remember Io Shirai working like a crowbar, but she was just wasting her young opponent here. The match may have peaked early with that and Watanabe kicking her in the face to retaliate. The finishing run was pretty overkilly with Watanabe landing every big move in her book on Shirai, but they pull me back in with a neat Chickenwing -> Suplex spot that felt straight out of 90s AJPW. Same for the hellish uppercut that bloodied Watanabe. Of the 4 matches that I've seen from 2018, this felt like the best.

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  • GSR changed the title to [2018-02-18-Stardom] Io Shirai vs Momo Watanabe

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