1. Future of Stardom Championship: Ami Sohrei (c) vs. Mai Sakurai
A match between former Actress Girls that felt more like a Stardom match than an AWG match, which is a testament to how much they've grown. They fought with strong emotion and a sense of rivalry, and were able to generate more heat from the audience than I expected. Sakurai has broadened her moveset and although her technique is not flawless, her commitment to improvement was palpable. ***3/4
3. Triangle Derby: Utami Hayashishita, Saya Kamitani & AZM vs. Maika, Himeka & Lady C
I think being on "loan" to another unit can be a form of musha training within the promotion. In this match Lady C directly showed her growth from teaming with Maika and Himeka to her Queen's Quest stablemates. Lady went straight for QQ leader Utami with killing intent. She's improved so much in intensity and executing moves since her match with Nanae Takahashi. The ending was a little anticlimactic, but the rest of the match was thrilling. ***1/2
7. 10-Man Gauntlet: Giulia vs. Super Strong Stardom Machine, Koguma, Thekla, Hina, Hazuki, Tam Nakano, SAKI, Natsupoi, Saya Iida, Waka Tsukiyama
A 30-minute gauntlet that went by quickly. I was entertained throughout, with the encounters with Hazuki, Tam Nakano, Natsupoi, SAKI, Saya Iida and Waka Tsukiyama standing out strongly. The performances of Iida and Tsukiyama greatly impressed me, and it seemed like they had taken their game to the next level. Giulia demonstrated her talent for bringing out the best in her opponents. Even SAKI, who has faced some of Stardom's strongest wrestlers, showed something completely different in this match. Giulia said afterwards that wrestling 10 opponents for 3 minutes over a period of 30 minutes is tougher than wrestling 30 minutes against 1 opponent. This was a true test of her endurance, stamina, and overall prowess as a professional wrestler. ***3/4
