Spirit, Struggle & Desperation: A Universal Battle

Match Breakdown:

Utami Hayashishita vs Syuri 

Year: 2021

Prize: World Of Stardom Championship

Event: Stardom Tokyo Dream Cinderella Special Edition

If you were a pro wrestler, would you be willing to do whatever means necessary to get a victory? 

We often forget that desperation can drive us to do very insane things for very little value, and professional wrestlers are always going to be in that conversation. Even though it is a “sport”—which is predetermined—the competition will always be fierce. What if I presented you a case where a wrestler leaned into that desperation?

In my mind, a match that perfectly showcased the art of desperation was Utami Hayashishita versus Syuri from Stardom Tokyo Dream Cinderella. This match is infamous for being one of the best matches Stardom has ever produced, the first match in company history to receive 5 stars from Dave Meltzer, of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, and the third highest rated match according to Cagematch. 

Now, before we get into the match, let’s get our nerd brains back into our skulls and learn about both women. 

Syuri:

Syuri was trained by the legendary Japanese pro wrestler, Tajiri. She would start her career in 2008 in Taijri’s promotion HUSTLE under the ring name, KG (Karate Girl). She would stay with the promotion until it closed its doors the following year. Syuri would be part of the new promotion following HUSTLE in 2010 called SMASH, also co-founded by Tajiri.

During this time, she would also debut in the ICE RIBBON promotion. After SMASH closed its doors in 2012, Syuri would join yet ANOTHER Tajiri founded promotion called, Wrestling New Classic and Reina. She was with the company until it closed its doors in 2016. From 2016 to 2020, Syuri had been working as a freelancer until signing with World Wonder Ring Stardom as part of the now defunct, Donna Del Mondo stable. In the present day, Syuri has formed her own stable called God’s Eye.

Utami Hayashishita:

Where do I start with Utami?

 Let’s get the craziest part of her life out of the way first. Before she got into the world of pro wrestling, Utami Hayashishita was known for being on reality television. It was on a show called, Tsuukai! Big Daddy. This show focused on “Big Daddy” Kiyoshi Hayashishita (Utami’s father) and his [checks notes]: 11 KIDS of which Utami is the third. What the fuck?! This man is like his own Samoan Dynasty who don’t believe in protection. 

Fast forwarding a bit, guess who Utami became interested in professional wrestling after watching?… you guessed it… Tajiri!

I swear this man really is a spiritual link. 

After spending 4 months in the Stardom Dojo, she would pass her pro test. On August 12 2018, Utami Hayashishita would make her debut against Jungle Kyona. In the present day, Utami is now with the new joshi promotion, Dream Star Fighting Marigold and is the current Marigold World Champion.

With all that being said, in the Ota City Gymnasium in front of 1,240 fans, in the main event, Utami Hayashishita would defend the World Of Stardom Championship against the SWA Undisputed World Women’s Champion Syuri. Let’s roll with it. 

Before we start, I must give credit to STARDOM. Talk about making these matches have a big fight feel, which is what I believe you SHOULD do when it comes to having your World Championship in any scenario. The entrances for both women were really good and Utami’s entrance is pretty great to see. When the title was given to Rossy Ogawa for the photo, I was thinking to myself, “Why aren’t there more wrestling companies doing this?” There are promotions like CMLL & AAA where the referee or president and competitors will take a photo before the match. I think it would be an interesting concept for major companies. I don’t know what’s up with Joshi matches having a lot of tension in the air, but you can cut it with a knife.

Getting into the match we start with a collar and elbow tie up where the two women jockey for position. 

Joshi wrestlers are so aggressive when it comes to this that it always gets chuckle out of me. 

Back to the match, they tussle like bulls before Syuri is backed against the ropes. Utami would back off before a count was initiated allowing quite the distance. Syuri is not the same, so she decides to go back into the collar and elbow tie up. She pushes Hayashishita to the other side from the center as Utami is backed against the ropes this time causing Syuri to let go.  She tries for a roundhouse kick immediately thinking she caught Utami off guard, but Utami ducked underneath. 

Syuri quickly follows with a kick to the gut instead. Utami reverses Syuri’s attempt at an Irish whip with her own, sending her to the ropes. Syuri ducks a clothesline and transitions straight into a wrist lock, then pushes Utami to the ropes. Syuri snaps her back down with an Arm Drag and starts to crank on the limb. Utami starts to roll out, then Syuri transitions from the arm into a waistlock. In less than 5 seconds, Utami reverses that into her own waistlock. Syuri quickly gets out by using a wrist lock and the arm to lower her upper body down to a Fujiwara Armbar position. Hayashishita rolls forward to get out of the position, but Syuri transitions from the failed attempt, into a low front facelock and into another wrist lock. Utami uses her arms to trap Syuri’s loose head in a headlock. She would then switch over to the left side to gain full control and free herself, but Syuri would take her back down with a snap back suplex. Syuri positions herself on Hayashishita with a mount and then transitions into an attempted armbar. As Syuri tries to get an extension, Utami uses her body weight to roll Syuri on her stomach, then traps her in a modified crossface. 

Syuri reversed into a pin attempt, which breaks at 2, but it allows her to roll away to safety. 

The women creep around the ring as they stare at each other. Syuri proceeds with a single leg takedown, and As Utami tries to escape, Syuri starts hitting all kinds of rolls, keeping hold of the front facelock before a little monkey flip to place Utami down on her back. After two unsuccessful pin attempts, Utami takes her arm and rotates into a wrist lock. Syuri barrel rolls and turns it into her own wrist lock. Utami exits and takes a hold of her arm back with a standing switch. Syuri would use the “free” arm and place it on her head like she was going for a headlock, instead lowering herself down to free her arm before flipping over to trap Utami into a front facelock. 

Hayashishita had had enough and slams her with a takedown. Once they separate after a tussle, both women stare at each other. 

Because in pro wrestling, when you stare at each other, it’s super serious.

The two decide to engage in a test of strength before they counter each other’s headlocks. Syuri is trapped, but uses her momentum to launch off the ropes and escape, though Utami shoulder tackles her as soon as she rebounds back. Next, they casually walk up to each other, and Syuri takes advantage and… delivers her own headlock. She lowers herself into multiple unsuccessful pin attempts. Syuri hits her with a headlock takedown but Utami rotates her body and traps the arm from the back. Syuri attempts to roll out of it, but is ultimately pulled back into a waist lock. Syuri would then hit a standing switch. Then, while in control of Utami’s arm, delivers multiple moves including a snapmare, a gator roll,  and finally an inverted arm drag. Utami and Syuri would exchange counters before… ANOTHER stare down. 

As I said before, in professional wrestling, when you stare at each other, it’s SUPER serious. 

The two would then engage in a strike exchange. Syuri is overwhelmed, she tries a double leg takedown but Utami resists resulting in the pair tumbling out of the ring. Syuri then rolls Utami with her leg like a barrel, picks her up and smashes her face on the apron.

Syuri stands on the apron, walks back to gain speed, and kicks Utami’s arm to avoid getting swiped. When Syuri walks back into place, she jumps off the apron and does a Tierras to Utami. Syuri tries the Buzzsaw Kick, but Utami grabs the  leg, lifts her up and smashes her knee on the edge of the apron. Very frightening. 

Back in the ring, Utami would start to target the bad leg. After connecting with a sliding dropkick, Utami locks Syuri in an Achilles lock. Syuri would answer with her own Achilles Lock, with the two engaging in the pulling of limbs. Utami wants none of it, however, and starts elbowing Syuri’s leg to gain control of the Achilles Lock. Syuri is able to reach the ropes to break the hold, causing Utami to start stomping a Mudhole in Syuri…just like Stunning Steve Austin. Utami then picks Syuri up and a battle of Irish whips ensues. It ends with Utami being sent to the corner with Syuri kneeing her in the midsection. Syuri goes for the lariat, but Utami ducks and elbows her. Utami uses her leg to pull out of the corner. Syuri quickly takes Utami off her feet with a drop toe hold, then hits the modified crossface that Utami tried earlier. Syuri then transitions into a gator roll, and then an armbar. Utami gets to the ropes but Syuri hits a snapmare and kicks Utami’s back. 

Each one of these kicks Syuri does make my body do a weird dance.

She continues the kicks before another unsuccessful pin attempt. Syuri would then hit a half hatch suplex and another pin attempt with Utami kicking out at two. Syuri picks her up and launches Utami into a corner before stomping her own mudhole. Syuri counters and knees Utami in the head before dragging her by the leg and trying for a pin. Hayashishita gets the shoulder up and immediately gets trapped in an armbar. Syuri rolls on her back and transitions into a triangle choke. Utami proceeds to stand up, lifting Syuri and hitting her with a buckle bomb. Utami follows up with a back elbow and a dropkick from the second rope. Utami continues on offense and hits her trademark lariat while Syuri is against the ropes. Utami follows up with another lariat into a pin attempt that again breaks at two. Syuri quickly returns with a barrage of kicks that would make YOU hold your chest. It got so bad that Utami was dropped, kneeling prone on the mat. Syuri pulls her up by the hair and hits her with a roundhouse kick so hard that Utami is sent to her knees. Syuri wasn’t done however, and boots her in the head. Utami seizes the opportunity to roll herself out of the ring for a breather.

Shoutout to referee Daichi Murayama who looked like he was trying to encourage Utami to get up. I know it’s unintentional, but it looks a bit funny, almost like they’re a team.

Meanwhile Syuri, who was sitting on the ropes across the ring, jumps down and casually walks to the outside and yanks the hair again. The two take the fight back in the ring and Syuri goes for another unsuccessful pin attempt. Syuri looked like she was going for another roundhouse, but instead hit a shotgun dropkick into the corner before following up with a knee to Utami’s midsection. Syuri would then climb up to the top rope and hit a leg drop with Utami facing down for a two count. Syuri tries for a German suplex, but Utami elbows out and into her own German suplex in the corner. 

I’m sorry, but that was NASSSSSTY! 

Utami continues to pick up the pace with a forearm strike and as she lifts Syuri to the top turnbuckle tries to go for the Air Raid Crash but Syuri manages to reverse and attempt a power bomb. Utami keeps trying to punch her way out, but Syuri grabs both hands and then folds Utami to hit… the Cheeky Nandos that would have had Will Ospreay himself grinning from ear to ear. Following that, Syuri carries Utami to the centre of the ring and hits the Red Death. The first signature move of the match. 

Utami rolls outside again and this time I can’t blame her, she’s reeling. 

Syuri, again from the apron, builds up to get a good run and jumps for the flying knee, but Utami moves out of the way. Syuri lands on her back. Utami strikes. The two climb back on the apron trading blows until Syuri amps up the fight with kicks. Utami finally manages to block, using the opportunity to attempt another failed Air Raid Crash. 

She hits a strike and FINALLY hits the Air Raid Crash on the apron sending Syuri’s soul from her body.

Back to her feet, Syuri hits a big shotgun dropkick sending Utami flying to the ramp, bouncing like a tumbleweed. Syuri hits a Tierras-Style arm drag, which looks a bit weird, before hitting a DDT that sends both women to the ground. They looked so worn out that referee Daichi Murayama had to check if they were able to continue. Syuri tries to get in the ring as the referee starts counting, but Utami stops her and hits a German Suplex with Syuri’s head completely colliding with the apron. 

It was one of the sickest German Suplexes I’ve ever seen. It was that insane.

Syuri manages to get to her feet and in the ring at the count of 19, but Utami quickly hits a top rope dropkick for a two count.

The announcer makes the call that only 5 minutes remain.

 For those who don’t know, every championship in Stardom besides the IWGP Women’s Championship has a time limit of 30 minutes. 

Utami locks in a sleeper and transitions into a backdrop driver. Another two count. Syuri manages to reverse a torture rack spinning powerbomb into a DDT. She proceeds with kneeing Utami in the midsection before locking in an armbar. Utami reaches the ropes with her foot. Syuri then tries to go for Flow Flame, but ends up locked in a sleeper. As she tries to reach the ropes, Utami hits a reverse headlock takedown to continue the submission but Syuri gets to the ropes. Utami places her on the top turnbuckle and hits a German suplex. Given the German suplex from earlier…this ain’t nothing. The two engage in a slap exchange with Syuri overwhelming Utami before being cut off with a massive slap to the face. Utami follows up with a German suplex and another Air Raid Crash, but Syuri kicks out of the pin attempt. 

We enter the last minute, as Utami tries the torture rack bomb, but Syuri reverses into a failed attempt at a rollup pin. 

Syuri tries for the roundhouse, but Utami blocks and attempts to counter with a massive lariat. Syuri ducks and connects with a high knee strike. 

In the last 10 seconds, the two engage in a strike exchange as the bell rings. 

The match ends in a time limit draw and Utami retains her title as a result. 

They weren’t done, however, because both women continued to strike each other after the bell. Referee Daichi Murayama had to break it up before Syuri grabbed the microphone. Since I unfortunately don’t understand Japanese, I didn’t know what she and Utami were saying. However, watching the English Commentary version, Stewart Fulton who knows Japanese, was more than happy enough to explain.

Stewart Fulton’s Translation:

“Syuri says she can still keep going. She says she wants to keep going. She said I am still alive. She says to Utami, ‘Do you think you can keep going just like this? If it is like this, how will you survive in the world like this?’” 

Utami Responds:

“She also says, ‘I am still fully alive.’ She said that she’s willing to give her another round.”

{I don’t think English Commentary gets enough credit for the work they do. I recommend that you give them their flowers.}

Since they both want to continue, they are given an extra 30 minutes and the match restarts! WHAT?! 

The result is probably my favourite strike exchange ever. Just go and watch it yourself! 

They really go at it until Utami wins the exchange. Syuri sends Utami into the corner with a lawn dart. Utami tries to fight back with a lariat but Syuri catches her arm and hits a DDT and follows up with a barrage of kicks before locking in the armbar. Syuri would then transition into the Scarlet Bird (a modified version of an armbar), but Utami rolls over and puts her in a sleeper. Syuri escapes, executing a jawbreaker and goes back to the kicks before bounding off the ropes for another lariat attempt but Utami sidesteps and uses Syuri’s momentum to slam her down with a German suplex. Utami then grabs Syuri by the hair (which is turnabout fair play) and slaps her in the face. This starts another  slap exchange.

 Given how long this match has been going, the pair are on their last legs. Syuri hits a double leg takedown and continues the slap before trying for the armbar, but Utami reverses it into a surprise rollup that fails. Utami ducks Syuri’s PK attempt and lifts her into a fireman’s carry. Syuri breaks out and both women strike each other at the same time, twice. 

Syuri hits the Codebreaker, and Utami collapses on her forcing Syuri to kick from the inadvertent pin. They look exhausted. But Syuri gains the upper hand by rocking Utami in the head with a roundhouse kick. She would then lock in the White Tiger (modified single leg Boston Crab) on Utami who quickly gets to the ropes before Syuri would hit a deadlift Ricola Bomb for a two count. Back to her feet, Utami dropkicks Syuri and starts scaling up the ropes. Syuri slaps her and follows suit. She hits an arm trapped suplex and transitions into a Sakuraba Lock (or Kimura Lock). Once Utami gets to the ropes the ref has to drag Syuri off her. Utami decides to sidestep and hits a wheelbarrow suplex. Utami finally manages to hit the Flow Flame and spikes Utami right onto her head. Somehow Utami kicks out. 

Syuri goes for the Buzzsaw Kick, but Utami counters into a massive Powerbomb. Utami finally hits the Hijack Bomb (spinning crucifix bomb), but Syuri places her hand on the rope at the last second. 

THIS IS ALL TIME. 

The two engage in another strike exchange with both women clearly on their last legs.  before both women end up on the mat after a lariat ricochets with a Buzzsaw Kick. The ref checks with the competitors and begins the double count. Both women are exhausted and beaten, with neither able to answer the count. As a result, we ended in another draw. 

Meaning, again, that Utami Hayashishita retains the World Of Stardom Championship. Syuri is so mad she slaps Utami before leaving. 

Syuri’s slap does seem odd, but it really displays her emotion. Syuri crawls to the blue corner and is very emotional. The realisation of drawing with her opponent again…but unable to honor her mother. 

From a viewing perspective, you can see a mixture of emotions that desperation can contribute to.

Art by Neon Ghost