Mayu Iwatani vs. Syuri

[10.0] "(Sorry english is not my firtst language) Ye this is why i love Mayu, like always she giving us the best womens matches in history"

[7.0] "I'm about to say something super controversial. Mayu Iwatani is MASSIVELY overrated. This match is a Syuri kickfest into a Mayu Zombie-mode show. It's a standard Stardom presentation for both of these girls. Syuri looked tough as hell. Which is something I just love to see and something we get to see less and less these days. Mayu's babyface in peril is one of the best in wrestling, but I just can't connect with her, which is even harder when Syuri just can't be bothered to care.Syuri worked a limb for most of the match trying to get a submission win or just run Mayu ragged. Syuri really looked like she had the drive to win this bout, but Mayu's superhuman compulsion to win pulled her through. By the time we got to the finish I was very much ready for it to be over. Also, the constant banshee howling and the looking to the cameras in this match got to the point of just being funny."

[7.0] "Could have been really good if not for two things holding it back: (1) Syrui's awfully hoarse screams, and (2) Mayu's inconsistent and underwhelming long-term leg-selling. Their opening grappling exchanges were really nice, with Syuri showing off her superiority there and then capitalising with some impressive strikes, namely her kicks. Mayu would then show off some impressively flashy and stiff kicks of her own, showing how they could match each other. Syuri showed off some nicely aggressive leg-targeting with her various submissions and strikes, with Mayu doing very well with her real-time selling and bumping to match. Mayu would hit an array of great moves in her eventual comeback, but her leg-selling was sadly extremely inconsistent and far too low-key, as she would perform attacks or run/fly around the ring in ways which would realistically exacerbate the damage done to her leg, yet she would show few or even no signs of distress as her leg impacted with the mat or with Syuri, instead just giving a few superficial shakes after she had already performed her attacks/movements. I won't overreact and give this match a 0/10 rating just because of this no-selling, but I definitely found it jarring and thought it ruined what could have otherwise made for a compelling plot point. As much as I enjoyed the *idea* of the intensity of their many 50/50 strike trades, the trademark joshi "fire-up" screaming became wayyyyy too annoying because of how incredibly hoarse Syuri sounded, and it made me actively want her to lose quickly just so I didn't have to hear any more. For the sake of my ears, can someone please get her a throat lozenge? I'm not sure I'll be able to handle Syuri's breakout 2021 year when I get around to watching it if I have to put up with more ear-piercing screams like that. Mayu's various sudden counters as she broke away from Syrui's control in the second half were all cool, though they could have been timed better, and again I would have liked to see her leg-selling being more consistent. Syuri's various kicks remained impressive, all getting good connection and with Mayu still selling/bumping really well for them. Syuri finally retuning to targeting Mayu's (supposedly) injured leg towards the end would have felt more significant if, again, Mayu's long-term selling had been more consistent. Their "epic" big-move trades at the end were good but mostly pretty 'by the numbers' stuff. If they properly developed all the ideas they had introduced here then this could have been really good, but it instead felt rather disappointing as a missed "what if" match by the end. ***1/4"

[9.0] "Syuri's first big title match in Stardom and of course it is real good. Especially helps being against Mayu Iwatani, who's exceptional, especially selling. She looked like death multiple times during this match, and could barely get up for her gorgeous moonsault, but in the end she still prevailed. ****1/4"

[6.0] "Wanted to like this a lot more than I did but I didn't enjoy it as much as everyone else seemed to. The first 15 or so minutes were great but once it started getting going, Syuri's screaming really took me out of the match. Mayu's selling was great but there were some weird transitions and at one point she looked genuinely hurt. The ending was cool with Mayu hitting tons of big kicks and then hitting the dragon suplex. Overall though, it's probably my least favourite Mayu title defence - ***"

[10.0] "This match reminded me of a top Minoru Suzuki match against a babyface champion, with Syuri as Suzuki. She tortured Mayu with submission holds for nearly half an hour. And Mayu, other than maybe Ishii, is the best in the world at selling submissions. Syuri was like a monster that wouldn't die, surviving two moonsaults before being beaten down by a series of kicks and finished off with Mayu's two-stage dragon suplex. No crazy finishing sequence that might have worked in other matches, just a desperate beatdown until the challenger couldn't continue. It felt like Mayu had survived at the end more than she had won. ****3/4"

[8.0] "Syuri put on a superb performance in her methodical dismantling of Mayu. She destroyed Mayu with her grappling, striking and overall superiority. She threw some brutal kicks that seriously hurt Mayu at times, especially when they were aimed at the head. And Mayu dragged herself for Syuri's suplexes and showed great fighting spirit despite being out-matched. The crowd was thoroughly behind Mayu who was on the defensive for 90% of the match before mounting a great comeback and scoring the win. It was risky going at such a long length given how one sided this actually was for large portions but they did a splendid job at making the match a compelling fight. ****"

[8.0] "Great match, I prefered a little bit Giulia/Tam from this show, but I love Syuri's kicks. Mayu has an outstanding selling, like always. The storytelling was a little bit absent, unfortunately. I expected a better match for the main event of such a big show. That stills a great match. ***3/4"

[10.0] "Fantastic stuff here and a wonderful look at Syuri, who was really out to cave in Mayu's face here if possible. Awesome performance on both sides and a real credit to what Stardom has built up after losing some of their top stars in recent years."

[7.0] "A good match but longer than it needed to be. Mayu's selling is solid here but this remains one of her weaker defences. In spite of Syuri dominating the match it was never in doubt that Mayu would win, Mayu's comebacks are often a thing of beauty but they're usually more believable and natural than this one. I normally actually like Syuri's screaming but this is the one time I've found it became annoying and distracting. Not a bad match but given the talent levels of the participants this one under-delivered a bit. A decent end to a great show but if someone wants to check out the best of Iwatani or Syuri this one probably wouldn't make the list."

[6.0] "If you're a fan of the more MMA inspired pro wrestling, then you may enjoy the opening 12 minutes or so more than I did, but I personally thought it dragged quite a lot. Things picked up a little after that though, and Syuri's striking was great as always, as was Mayu's selling of said striking. Mayu also hit a couple of nice moonsaults and suplexes, but by the time this was done it fell well short of my expectations going in."

[9.0] "Definitely the best match of the show. A masterclass in selling and escalating tension. Just an excellent match and more than worth a watch."

[9.0] "Excellent match! Syuri worked on top very well and Mayu was tremendous at her comeback. Her overall selling was really good. Both showed a lot of aggressiveness and threw big moves to each other in the second half. They tried to pace the match and not to hold it down. A thumb up for sure."

[10.0] "Syuri was always a little bit of a mystery to me, she doesn't have a long list of great singles matches, but her presence speaks for herself - she belongs in the Main Event. Even though she is a veteran and has been around for a long time, I thought that this was one the most important matches in her career, she had something to gain, something to prove. She always stands out in her own way, but in this day and age, great performance in a big match is necessary to make people talk about you as a Main Eventer, because if you don't deliver - people jump on that very quick. Syuri's most anticipated match in 5 Star GP against Momo Watanabe did not happen, so this was a new chance to make a name for herself infront of a different crowd, to show that she should be respected by being great right now, not only in the past. It was also interesting to know what's gonna happen to Syuri after this match. Ever since Syuri & Kenoh vs. Mayu Iwatani & Masaaki Mochizuki match in 2016 I wanted to see Syuri vs. Iwatani. It was unrealistic to expect that it's gonna happen one day (like Iwatani vs. Fujimoto or Iwatani vs. Nakajima matches most likely won't happen), but life is unpredictable. This main event felt like it was the match to watch on paper. Build was very simple, but very effective. Their interactions in previous matches were great, they always made me want to see more. Iwatani really felt like an underdog here, Syuri showed little to no cracks in her armor, but Mayu had to found a way to get the job done in this No Time Limit match. Syuri's work on top throughout the match was clinical, some of the best work on top I've seen in a very long time, but her selling was top notch too, she showed more and more vulnerability and desperation after Mayu's comebacks. Iwatani's performance was out of this world great, she earned every comeback and urgently tried to make the most out of those chances. The way that she was trying to get up again and again, or tried to use smallest of chances to make a comeback or to gain some momentum was used to perfection, she even hit a fucking tope suicida that I never saw her do in a singles match. There was no unnecessary finisher reversal dance or long finishing stretch for the sake of it, in the end Iwatani found a chance to hit her big moves and Two-Step Dragon Suplex and retained the title. This title defense felt like a big accomplishment. It proved that Syuri isn't just an empty name or a legend of the past, it solidified her as a main eventer. She made Mayu show how determined she is to win, to be the champion, which made Mayu look strong. After the match Syuri announced that she decided to join STARDOM, I hope she will help STARDOM wrestlers with presence and charisma for future big shows. It was the longest singles match in both wrestlers' careers, and it didn't drag for one moment. What a main event."

[9.0] "Didn't expect this to be my favourite Stardom match of the year, not many Stardom matches go long but this one definitely warranted it ****1/2."

[9.0] "What a match. An incredible perfomance by both Mayu and Syuri. Syuri's kicks were sold by Mayu so well that everytime she went on to kick her, I was worried. The leg was also sold perfectly by Mayu, who once again shows why she is one of the best in the world, and why she is the top champion in Stardom. Best match I've seen from Syuri, who I hope people will start apreciating more because she is really damn good. Fantastic match, worthy main event for the best show from Stardom this year. ****1/2"

[9.0] "It started a bit slow but that was necessary after the previous match. However, once it got going it was very good. Mayu took one hell of a beating here, at some points in reminded me of her last match with Takumi Iroha. It's by far the best Syuri has looked in Stardom since her arrival and Mayu added another match to her list of awesome performances this year."

[8.0] "Very very good main event, albeit Syuri never had a chance of winning, somehow detracting from the atmosphere. But she did an amazing job at methodically dismantling Mayu Iwatani: this is such a marked contrast from her matches from a few years ago when she just kicked people very hard. She employed every trick in the book to hurt Mayu but kept up what Donna del Mondo has been doing so far: hit them hard but never resort to cheating. Now that she has signed full time with Stardom I hope she'll become a fixture of title matches and that she'll get a single reign: she has finally grown into a true main eventer. Mayu Iwatani is a bit of a mystery to me. She has grown much and evolved but I never can get 100% behind her: she is probably in the first part of her peak and while I have no problem acknowledging how good she is, she doesn't give me the same positive vibe as, say, Kagetsu. Here however she did great in the role of the champion managing to weather that crippling offense of a dangerous challenger and her comeback was truly excellent. Great main event."

[9.0] "Main Event worthy of a show, which offered a high level of wrestling. A well-structured match, with Syuri putting the champion in serious difficulty, hitting her leg several times (great selling by Mayu, by the way). The match grows in intensity and offers a very balanced contest (although the final outcome was obvious) and creates all the pathos necessary to give value to Syuri as a combative opponent and to Mayu as a champion of the highest quality."

[9.0] "Syuri's had her signature matches with Asuka and Hikaru Shida during her heyday, but she's never performed on this scale before against an opponent like Mayu. Syuri's technical and striking superiority allowed her to outclass Mayu in almost every aspect, except for that intangible thing called "heart". Mayu kept coming back from near-death like a zombie every time. ****1/4"