6. Blue Stars: Giulia vs. Mariah May
Giulia's adaptability and knack for igniting her opponents. Her sense of scale and knowing when to slow down and when to speed up. Giulia and Mariah May were able to achieve brillant harmony as opponents and respond well to each other. You could tell by the way they looked at each other after the match that they were satisfied with their performances. Mariah May's fighting spirit was ignited, her remarkable growth crystallized in her career best bout so far. When Mariah May goes on to become a WWE legend, this match will surely stand out as crucial in her oeuvre. ****
7. Red Stars: Syuri vs. Natsupoi
Natsupoi's pursuit of strength began with her match against Chihiro Hashimoto and continued in this 15-minute death battle with Syuri, who defeated Hashimoto. The scene where Natsupoi caught Syuri's high kick with a sharp spinning kick was masterful. Whether standing or on the ground, Natsupoi unveiled tremendous fighting instincts as she boldly matched the former K-1 KRUSH champion and UFC fighter. ****1/4
8. Red Stars: Mayu Iwatani vs. Suzu Suzuki
This was a major improvement over their match last year, as Mayu Iwatani seems to be in better condition. High level athletic wrestling between the icon of Stardom and the former young ace of Ice Ribbon, with quick-time reversals and well placed dramatic pauses that layered the intensity. The finish revolved around their decisive bridging suplexes, which led to thrilling waist-defense struggles. A dense 12-minutes with not a second wasted. ****1/4
