The Five Star Radar is the Five Star Network’s weekly series highlighting the best matches from all of pro wrestling throughout the week. This week’s edition looks at AEW, Marvelous, STARDOM, and TJPW!
Frenchadors (Aigle Blanc & Senza Volto) & Komander vs Arez, Fuminori Abe & Trey Miguel – wXw (3/12/23, AIRED: 3/20/23)
wXw produced another great tournament via the 16 Carat Gold tournament but the match that left everyone wanting more was the trios match on the tournament’s final night. This type of match is the purpose of the Five Star Radar.
On the weekend of the biggest tournament in Europe, the wXw 16 Carat Cold, the best match was the Lucha Rules match between these five highflyers and Fuminori Abe. As you would expect, Komander stood out once again with his mindblowing offense. Sometimes you want a technical wrestling match, but I won’t decline this wonderful 13-minute spotfest. – Upcoming Wrestle
Sanshiro Takagi vs. Konosuke Takeshita – DDT (3/21/23)
When Konosuke Takeshita returns to DDT, everyone should be paying attention. This was no different as he took on Sanshiro Takagi in what may have been the best match of Judgement 2023.
In the first-ever 1-on-1 faceoff between the two that has become known as the father and son of DDT Pro we saw an emotional struggle from Takagi in trying to hang with the international superstar Konosuke Takeshita. Everything Takagi did in this he put his all and everything into, and Takeshita was getting more and more mad and sad that he had to hurt someone he loved over and over again.
In the end, both men were lying on the ground trying to get up but Takeshita was the only one able to.As a match, this was an emotional war that spammed finishers and got the crowd really invested. But as a story, this was a tease of a much grander plan between the two as Takeshita revealed after the match.
Sanshiro Takagi is not allowed to retire from pro wrestling until he has won the KO-D Openweight Title again and Takeshita has won an AEW Title. Only when Takagi and Takeshita have faced each other in a DDT Champion vs. AEW Champion will Takagi be allowed to retire.
And after this emotional war in Korakuen Hall, they both shook hands and promised each other exactly this, father and son will meet again but that time it will be even bigger. – Sondre Bjorn
WHERE TO WATCH: WRESTLE UNIVERSE
Hiromu Takahashi vs. Lio Rush – NJPW (3/21/23)
What very well may be the best match all week came in the form of Hiromu Takahashi turning back the clock as he went one-on-one with Lio Rush for the first time ever.
Trust us, you’ll want to check this one out!
Lio belongs in NJPW. The best bout involving IWGP Junior Heavyweights this year, in my opinion, Lio showed out and Hiromu showed why he’s one of the best to ever hold the belt. Whether it’s in singles or in tag competition with YOH, Lio seems on track for his big break this year. – Amy Hay
WHERE TO WATCH: NJPW World
Kaito Ishida vs. KAZMA SAKAMOTO – GLEAT (3/21/23)
GLEAT had an incredible 2022 just to have a rather slow year to kick off despite crowning a new champion in Kaito Ishida. Well, the first title defense proved to be what the promotion needed as the former DRAGONGATE star had an excellent defense against KAZMA SAKAMOTO that everyone should go check out.
Carrying on the age-old wrestling tradition of former tag team partners being killer opponents, Sakamoto and Ishida, former Twin Gate Champions and stablemates in DRAGONGATE, put together an incredibly hard-hitting match for Ishida’s first defense of the G-REX Title. Lots of stiff kicks and strikes in this one, as expected of a match with these two! The finish in particular was also fantastic! Plus, with T-Hawk waiting in the wings to challenge next month, Ishida has the potential to have another great title defense like this one. – Amy Hay
Kenny Omega vs. El Hijo del Vikingo – AEW (3/22/23)
Perhaps we’ve reached a point in his career where any singles match Kenny Omega has can be called a dream match. At least it’s starting to feel that way. A year and a half after Omega was originally supposed to face El Hijo del Vikingo in AAA for the AAA Mega Championship, we finally got it this week on Dynamite and it did not disappoint.
The young superstar of AAA amazed audiences with his daredevil-like lucha style that left him hitting a Springboard 630 Splash onto Omega through a table on the outside along with other jaw-dropping moments you simply have to see to believe. This was as good as anything all week long and maybe all year when it comes to AEW.
Waka Tsukiyama & Tam Nakano vs. KAIRI & Nanae Takahashi – STARDOM (3/25/23)
The journey to Waka Tsukiyama winning her first match was as much of an emotional roller coaster as you’ll see in wrestling but as we saw in the main event of NEW BLOOD Premium, all of her hard work and tears ended up being worth it in the end. When the count of three was made and Tsukiyama pinned Nanae Takahashi of all people, you felt that magic that pro wrestling can often create when all things go right.
Check out last week’s Five Star Radar here.
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