Sondre reviews Puro special volume: Wonder of Tam Nakano Part II

 

Tam Nakano's 2021: A truly Wonderful Year Part II.

Disclaimer:
I DON'T CLAIM ANY RIGHT TO SCREENSHOTS USED UNDER HERE.
All credit goes to Stardom and Bushiroad.

Forword:

This is part II of my Tam Nakano Wonder of Stardom reign review. Before you start reading further I recommend reading the first part first.

A lot of the quotes I'm going to use is from a blog with translations by Dana find her here: https://twitter.com/ItsDanaNow (Great Follow DO IT)

“Ever since I joined Stardom fans have been telling me, “Tam-chan, I want you to win the white belt for sure,” and I was finally able to make those dreams come true. Once you make one dream come true though, you can make another dream come true. We can make dreams come true together forever. So in a way, I hope I stay unfinished forever,”  - Tam Nakano

Wonder of Stardom Championship match #5

10th Anniversary Grand Final Osaka Dream Cinderella

Defense #4 

9th of October 2021

Mayu Iwatani vs. (c) Tam Nakano

“Mayu Iwatani is a wrestling prodigy. But when she started, she was so weak and clumsy, and she struggled to grow. But she never gave up, no matter how many times she lost, and now she’s known as the “Icon of Women’s Wrestling.” As I was getting better I was always looking at Mayu’s back, so I think she’s the strongest.”- Tam Nakano

When it was announced that Mayu Iwatani vs. Tam Nakano for the Wonder of Stardom title would not be the main event for this PPV, some fans were mad it was not given the Main Event slot since this story in essence had been building since 2018 when Tam joined STARS. I was both against and for it being in the Semi-Final, I thought this match should have been the main event for the backstory but I was fine with it because it seemed like this was the first of two matches for the Wonder title in 2021. Anyways On September 25th Tam Nakano, after her win over Utami Hayashishita in the 5 star Grand Prix requested that her title challenger for this PPV would be Mayu Iwatani. Mayu said that if she would have won the Grand Prix, she would have challenged for the White Belt anyway. This was also a rematch from earlier in 2021 when they went to a 15minute time limit draw.

During the entrance Mayu revealed that she had dyed her hair blond, is this important to the match? No, do I prefer it over brown? No.

Something I liked a lot during the entrances was that Mayu had her back turned to Tam the whole entrance and only turned around when the pre-match ceremony began.

The match starts with almost a minute of just staring at each other while the crowd claps.

They do some feeling out and grappling but that ends when Mayu does a devastating kick to Tam's ribs and Tam rolls out of the ring.

When Tam gets back in the ring the intensity picks up she manages to connect with a high kick followed by a german suplex and gets a very early nearfall.

Tam dominates some after that especially focusing on Mayu's neck and disrespecting her at one point ramming Mayu's head repitvly to the mat.

She puts Mayu in the corner dragon sleeper twice and on the second she lifts Mayu out over the ropes to the ringside, Tam goes for her plancha but Mayu hits her with a thurst kick in the air, she rolls Tam inside the ring and climbs up in the corner and connects with a great diving dropkick and pin her for a close nearfall.

Mayu does a lot of dominating after this going after Tam's ribs with double foot stomps and kicks, she dropkicks Tam out from the ring and goes for a suicide dive, but Tam gets up on the apron before Mayu comes and kicks Mayu and does a rope-assisted neckbreaker on Mayu to the apron.

They go back and forth on the outside with forearms and at one point both women push the ref away so he can let them fight, the ref a short time after that actually shove them back into the ring, that was very funny to me.

They keep going very hard inside the ring both hitting each other hard, Tam gets the upper hand and does a lot of kicks to the back and neck of Mayu and goes for the Violet Shoot but Mayu counters with a thrust kick, but Tam is quick to get back up and hits a spinning back kick.

Tam takes her up and does four german suplexes in a row and pins her but Mayu kicks out right before 3, great nearfall.

Tam tries to hit her with a tiger suplex but Mayu rolls her up and gets 2 then hits a dragon suplex but can't bridge to make the cover.

They go back and forth a bit after that with kicks at one point both sitting and kicking each other, but then moves over to trading headbutts with Mayu winning the exchange.

A slap fight starts and something interesting is that here it is Tam hitting weak slaps that Mayu doesn't notice, this is something every challenger has done to Tam and I really like that in the match against the wrestler who took her in after Tam was kicked from Oedo Tai she can't connect with the slaps, and eventually collapse from trying.

Mayu kicks her after she collapsed and pin her for a nearfall she, climbs up and try to go for a moonsault but Tam moves out of the way slap her in the face, and follows up with a 

violet shoot that sends Mayu out from the ring, Tam follows her with her plancha to the outside. 

Tam rolls Mayu inside again and hits her with another violet shoot then a tiger suplex but Mayu kicks out at 2.

Mayu comes back some after getting out of an attempted suplex and hits the Dodonpa for another good nearfall, when they get up Mayu hits a fantastic inverted frankensteiner for another good nearfall.

Mayu goes for another moonsault but Tam rolls away, we then hear the ring announcer say that 5 minutes are remaining, and I still shout "what?!" when I hear that, this match had been going so fast that I had noticed the time.

They go back and forth in the ring with some kicks and after a kick from both they both fall out of the ring but at opposite ends, they both get back in at the 19 counts. 

They continue fighting in the ring, Mayu gets the upper hand and climbs up and hits a frog splash from the corner, then she hit a dragon suplex for another great nearfall. 

After the tiger suplex, she climbs up and finally connects with a moonsault, but Tam just kicks out right before 3, Mayu picks her up and looks like she's about to hit her high-end dragon suplex, but Tam takes her arm and rolls her up, Mayu kicks out and rolls Tam up but Tam kicks out, they both stand up and slap each other at the same time, and both fall.

Tam tries for the pin but Mayu kicks out, she gets Mayu up and hits the Violet Screwdriver but Mayu kicks out, we hear that there are 10 seconds remaining.

Tam tries to do the Twilight Dream but the bell ring before she can do it, she still does it but it is too late the time has expired it is a Time Limit Draw.

Tam is heartbroken she couldn't defeat Mayu, she has retained her title but she still can't beat Mayu. I really love this match, the passion they both show really draws me in but especially Tam really shows how much she needs this win against Mayu something she never has done.

The draw didn't matter to me at the time but now I don't like it because I feel that Tam should have gotten the win over Mayu during this reign. Guess it could always be in the Red Belt run *crosses fingers*. 

This still is an outstanding match filled with emotion, passion, and most importantly desire to beat Mayu Iwatani. 

*****on the Sondre rating.

"I've climbed this far just so I could surpass you! I can't accept a draw. There's no point if you don't win! We're absolutely going to settle this, absolutely!" -Tam Nakano.

"Tam I couldn't beat you for the White Belt today. Tam, thinking positively, we had a draw today. Since things weren't settled I should be able to challenge for that belt one more time! If Tam can overcome Mayu, well, Mayu can overcome Tam!" -Mayu Iwatani.

After the match, Unagi Sayaka Tam's fellow cosmic angel comes out and announces her desire to challenge for the belt.

"In Osaka-Jo Hall, I lost my belt. I lost two belts in under two weeks and honestly, my heart went numb. But on that day, watching Tam-san and Mayu-san’s match, their pure pro-wrestling moved my heart and I thought, pro wrestling is amazing. I won’t look down just because I lost my belt, I’ll keep looking up and forwards, more than anyone else, I want to keep moving. As such, I want to challenge for the thing that’s shining the brightest in Stardom right now, that white belt. Let’s do it." - Unagi Sayaka

Wonder of Stardom Championship match #6

Kawasaki Super Women's War

Defense #5

3rd of November 2021

Unagi Sayaka vs. (c) Tam Nakano

Unagi, Unagi as far as this match I hope it leaves you happy you joined Cosmic Angels but at the same time I kind of hope you realize how incredibly outclassed you are. Please, come at me with all your heart. - Tam Nakano before this match.

When the match starts the two Cosmic angles shake hands, and then start a pretty standard feeling out process.

The intensity picks up when Tam begins kicking Unagi on the ground, she dominates some with a lot of kicks to the back and head of Unagi.

Unagi comes back with some forearms but Tam still has the upper hand at one point after a high kick she goes for the cover and lifts Unagi up right before 3, and continues to kick her. Tam really wants Unagi to show the passion and heart she promised, and Tam has yet to see it.

Unagi comes back with a flapjack to the ropes that sends Tam to the apron, Unagi is quick to react and hits a swinging reverse STO to the floor.

Unagi gets Tam back in the ring and starts hitting her to the back, at one point hitting her spinning sit-out facebuster followed by her leg drop and pins Tam but only gets 2.

She climbs up to the corner to go for her frog splash but Tam climbs up after her, they go back and forth a bit on the top rope, I really like this point in the match, they have a slap fight on the top robe, Unagi after one slap starts bleeding from the lip, she does a devastating headbutt, Tam follows with a headbutt and a kick to the head of her own and Unagi falls to the ground, Tam hits her plancha to her and rolls her back inside the ring.

In the ring Tam hits a violet shoot to the Unagi and pins her for a great nearfall, Tam tries to go for her german suplex but Unagi reverses.

Unagi gains some control and is able to but Tam in the dragon sleeper, Tam really struggles to get out of it but gets to the rope. Unagi shows clear frustration, and Tam is able to take advantage of it and hits a tiger driver but can't get in for a pin.

They both start hitting and kicking each other while they are getting up, when they get up Unagi hits a series of forearms that all don't seem to face Tam until one brings Tam to her knees.

Unagi tries to go for a lariat but Tam is too quick and hits her with a thrust kick, then a backspin kick when she gets up, Tam goes for a tiger suplex but Unagi gets out and manages to hit a swinging reverse STO.

They go back and forth a bit and Tam hit a high bridge German suplex for a near fall, Tam goes up to the top rope, but before she can do anything Unagi gets her down and manages to hit a rope-assisted swinging reverse STO. Unagi then picks up Tam and has her in the gory special for some time but realizes Tam won't tap and hit a reverse Michinoku driver for a great nearfall.

Unagi picks Tam up and hits one of her finishers "Taigi de atta", but Tam just manages to kick out. Unagi shows frustration she has hit Tam with everything she has but she still won't go down.

Unagi dominates some after that, but Tam eventually gets back with a tiger suplex but can't bridge for the pin. She hits a backspin kick, high kick, and a violet shoot but Unagi kicks out.

Tam gets her up and hits another tiger suplex and looks like she is going for the bridge pin but takes her up again and hit the Twilight Dream for the 1.2.3

This match is really good, I had forgotten how good it was because it didn't get that much hype like the other Tam defenses but it really delivers, Unagi shows she has the heart and passion she wanted to show and more. This is what I love with this reign so much, there is so much emotion from all of Tam's challengers and they all come out of the match looking a lot better than before. Now if Unagi can just stop always jumping the line in title contention I will like her a lot.

Tam and Unagi hug after the match.

****1/2 on the Sondre rating.

"Hey Unagi, how was a taste of this White Belt? There's more pain, more tears, you gotta look at yourself and get even stronger! Otherwise, you can't catch up to the White Belt and Tam Nakano!" - Tam Nakano

Tam asks who the next White Belt challenger is and looks around.

"The next challenger is Mina Shirakawa, how about it? You promised I'd be stronger next to you when I came to Stardom right? But, I think that now I can stand opposite you." - Mina Shirakawa

Wonder of Stardom Championship match #7

Toyko Super Women's War

Defense #6

27th of November 2021

Mina Shirakawa vs. (c) Tam Nakano

I’m the powerbomb to your heart. Tam-san, this time you accepted my challenge for your belt, thank you. I’m always seconding for your matches, I’ve seen more up close than anyone, you’re seriously always making me cry, so much. But that’s enough Tam, I’m always scared you’re going to die or something, that when you come down from the ring after winning you’ll go to sleep and not wake up again, I seriously worry so much. Haven’t you done your best for long enough? I’m going to tear that white belt from your hands so you can finally relax your heart and your body. - Mina Shirakawa before this match.

This one gets weird folks. Mina Shirakawa cared so much about Tam that she felt she needed to take the Wonder of Stardom title from her, to protect her. Mina Shirakawa comes out and is totally different from before, she has dyed her hair black and has teardrops makeup under her eyes.

Before the match can start Mina attacks Tam from behind the ref starts the match and Mina does a rope-assisted DDT to Tam and goes for the early pin but Tam kicks out and rolls out of the ring.

Mina dominates some on the outside then goes back in the ring and waits for Tam to get back in, when Tam comes back in Mina continues to dominate. 

Tam comes back a bit when she connects with a kick that sends Mina out from the ring, she follows her and hits her plancha from the top rope.

Mina soon comes back when they get back in the ring beating down
Tam in the corner with kicks, she drags her out, and gives her a facebuster.

Then she sits down next to her and starts kicking her and asks her to hit her back but Tam just takeverythingng they stand up and Mina hits her until she collapses and can't hit Tam anymore, Tam takes her up and hits a backspin kick and follows up with the violet shoot and a backdrop but Mina kicks out at two, Tam takes her up again and does the german suplex and bridges but Mina kicks out again.

Tam does her corner hanging dragon sleeper and when the ref counts to 4 she lets go and drags Mina over the ropes and down to the apron, Tam tries to do a german to the apron but Mina gets outfall to the floor and drag her to her knees she then follows up with a hanging DDT to the floor, the ref starts counting them out and gets to 19 before they both can make it in.

They sit down in the middle of the ring and start trading kicks, they move on to forearms as they are standing up, when they get up Tam gets the upper hand and connects with a high kick followed by a tiger driver and pins Mina but she kicks out at 2.

Tam tries to go for the Twilight Dream but Mina fights out of it hitting a spinning backhand blow followed by an implant DDT.

Mina goes to the top rope, takes Tam with her, and hits an implant DDT from the top rope corner, she then picks Tam up for a powerbomb but Tam changes the movement and falls down on her and pins her but Mina kicks out.

Tam tries to go for the violet shoot but Mina meets her with a Lou Thesz press, she pins her but Tam kicks out. She tries to lift Tam up for the Glamorous driver but Tam manages to get out and hits a german suplex, but she can't bridge for the cover.

Mina gets back up before Tam and is about to slap her but she stops herself, she can't hit her, Tam capitalizes slaps her then does a tiger suplex and a violet shoot for a very close nearfall.

Tam gets her up again does the violet screwdriver then the Twilight Dream for the 1.2.3.

A hug after the match

This match tells a very good story but is very flawed in my opinion, it does a lot of good character storytelling but not a lot of good wrestling. 

I still have a soft spot for it, it tells the story of someone that sees their friend is going to get hurt and thinks she is the only one that can stop her before she gets badly hurt.

It may have some rough spots but it is emotional and filled with passion, and that is Tam Nakano's title reign in a nutshell, isn't it?.

***3/4 on the Sondre rating.

After the match Saya Kamitani comes out, she had won a three-way match earlier that made her the nr1 contender for the Wonder of Stardom title. The rematch from the match earlier in the year was set for as the final defense of 2021 for Tam Nakano.

They finally shake hands. 
Remember part I.

Wonder of Stardom Championship match #8

Stardom Dream Queendom

Defense #7

29th of December 2021

Saya Kamitani vs. (c) Tam Nakano

"Tam told me something, that I don’t understand my own weakness. I cry too easily, I get sick or hurt too easily, I say things I’m not supposed to and immediately scream and beg for forgiveness, I’ve faced every part of myself that I hate. Some of my feelings have changed a lot. I don’t want to surpass my master anymore, I think I’m already above her, and I’ll take the white belt because I want to shine like a superstar. Tam, your cursed belt, I’ll be the one to take it from your waist. That’s enough of your dreaming." - Saya Kamitani.

"Aren’t you the one who’s focusing on impossible dreams? Because as for me, I’ve recklessly offered up everything in order to grab my dreams. That’s where my strength comes from. I’ve struggled and struggled, and from this point forward I’ll keep gazing towards my dreams, and somehow I’ll reach out and grab them no matter what. I will get what I want at all costs. Because that’s what it is to be a pro wrestler, isn’t it? Kamitani I really do think you’ve grown. But, I’ve faced challenges and carried their feelings with me, I’ve fought and defended this belt. This belt is basically a part of my body now. I will not be handing it over. I’ll pluck the phoenix’s feathers, and I’ll spend 2022 as the sacred white belt champion as well, and then, well, I’ll reign as champion. Kamitani, we were both idols, so you understand what I mean when I say this, right?" - Tam Nakano

Good things come in threes, but when it comes to this special volume and Saya Kamitani vs. Tam Nakano for the Wonder of Stardom belt, good things come in twos. That might not have sounded as smart as I thought it would but it is true, this match is as good as their first wonder title match even better actually, let's start our final match breakdown.

When the match starts the ref asks for the women to shake hands they ignore him and just stare at each other, some good feeling out follows with Tam taunting Saya after escaping, this does not face Saya it seems like she has one focus and that is to finally win the white belt.

They do the same test of strength as the first match it's very reminiscent, Tam manages to get Saya to her knees and hits an early violet shoot, she dominates some with kicks to the neck of Saya.

Tam takes Saya up in the corner does her corner dragon sleeper and drags Saya over the ropes while she is doing it, Saya falls to the floor and Tam follows with her plancha.

When Tam rolls her back in the ring she pins her but Saya kicks out at 1 and screams, Tam helps her up but Saya gives her a forearm strike, she continues with a barrage of them until she collapses from doing it, Tam goes over to her and does one of her own to Saya.

Tam goes for the violet shoot but Saya answers with a dropkick, Tam rolls out of the ring but Saya is quick to react and does her crossbody from the ropes to her on the outside.

She rolls Tam inside does a missile dropkick and pins her for a good nearfall. When they get back up they go back and forth a bit, Tam does a violet shoot to Saya when she is leaning against the ropes and Saya rolls out to the apron, they go back and forth a bit on the apron the Saya manages to do her frankensteiner to ringside on Tam.

When Tam gets back in Saya does a fisherman suplex and pins Tam for a very close nearfall, she gets Tam up and tries to go for another but Tam reverses and does a backdrop followed by a german suplex she bridges for the pin but Saya kicks out, Tam climbs up to the top robe but Saya it quick to follow they go back and forth a bit until Saya does an inverted frankensteiner to Tam from the top rope, this was a very scary but good spot.

Saya climbs up again and looks like she is about to hit the phoenix splash but Tam gets up before runs up and does a tiger suplex from the middle rope to Saya, Saya lands on her knees and Tam tries to do the violet shoot but Saya meets her with a running foot stomp.

They start hitting each other while getting up and continue to go back and forth at one point Saya does a barrage of forearms to Tam until she falls, Tam is quick to react, however, and does a rolling elbow strike to Saya, they go back and forth some more until Tam connects with a high kick followed by a violet shoot, for a great nearfall.

Tam takes Saya up again and does her tiger suplex, but Saya still kicks out, Tam follows up with the violet screwdriver then Twilight Dream but Saya lands next to the rope so her feet are in the ropes when Tam bridges to cover her.

Tam starts showing some frustration, Saya capitalizes on this and manages to connect with an inverted frankensteiner, they get up at the same time and both run at each other Saya hits a big boot and covers Tam but Tam kicks out at 1

Tam does a thrust kick followed by a spin kick but Saya kicks out at 1, this is a very fast and cool moment in the match. 

Saya does a great schoolboy backdrop suplex but Tam kicks out, Saya takes her up and does the star crusher for another great nearfall.

Saya drags Tam next to the corner and goes for the phoenix splash again she finally connects and pins Tam 1.2.3 she has done it.

This match is outstanding, I love it so much. Saya finally is able to do what she couldn't in their previous Wonder title match. I really like that it was not Mayu that won the belt from Tam it had to be someone new. A never say die attitude was shown in this match by Saya she was willing to go very far to get this belt. It was a very good end to Tam Nakano's reign and it closes with Tam helping Saya buckle the White Belt around her waist.

*****on the Sondre rating.

"Tam Nakano, Tam-san, I’ve broken the curse on your belt. Next time, please, you be the one who chases after me. In 2022, I’ll show you the golden phoenix soaring higher and higher and higher!" - Saya Kamitani after the match.

"Kamitani, the white belt, it looks really, really good on you. Right next to how good it does on me. As for me, no matter what sort of hardships I go through, I’ll come out on top, I’m pretty stubborn. So stay ready for me." Tam Nakano after the match.

"Ahhh, uhh, well how does it look? Am I still cute? Or do I look like an ugly hag? Cute? Well, it sure seems like she managed to figure out how to go wild, Saya Kamitani, she really did it. The belt is no longer mine. I still have things I wanted to do with the white belt, things I need to do, there’s still so much left…. But, because I still have dreams I couldn’t grab a hold of, because there are still promises I haven’t kept, maybe I’ll still be alive tomorrow. For Tam Nakano, adversity lets me shine even brighter because I’m the most stubborn girl around! I’ll, I’ll get it back. My real Tamu-road, it really starts from here, so please watch me." - Tam Nakano.

Final Thoughts

I remain happy with Tam Nakano's Wonder of Stardom title reign. It delivered in my opinion.

Not every match was a 5-star classic but in my opinion, 3 of the matches were 5 stars. It was fun, and Tam worked as the Wonder champion because every match was emotional and as Tam said the white belt is the belt of emotion.

It was given the right time, and focus in my opinion.

I will now run down some bad points of her reign then give a final score/grade.

I felt it was overshadowed at times by Utami's red belt reign and it seemed like the company was focusing more on that than Tam, BUT that made sense since Utami's reign brought in so many international fans that they had to focus on that to not lose them.

She should have beaten Mayu but I could see that happening this year.

Starlight Kid's title opportunity should have been live.

She focused sometimes too much on the artist belts she held with Mina and Unagi.

All in all, I loved this reign. I mean I must have since I used this much time and effort writing this review. I want to thank all those guys that voted yes on the poll on Twitter if I should make this. Also if you voted no on that and are reading this thanks as well for trying to save me time.

But I'll also always have a soft spot for Tam Nakano because she has been with Stardom since I started watching regularly.

Sondre's final grade and score for Tam Nakano's Wonder of Stardom reign.

                                                Grade: A

                    

                                                Score:  9

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Thanks for reading, also if you want me to do more of these send me a dm on Twitter and I'll add it to the list.

Bye <3

“I think it’s easy for girls to show every detail of their emotions, whether it’s jealousy or passion or whatever. You can see in every scene, “oh this person must really be thinking like this.” There’s as much hidden drama as there are people to see. There are as many views as there are wrestlers. There are about 25 wrestlers in Stardom right now, so it’s like watching a movie with 25 main characters.” - Tam Nakano