6 Ups & 2 Downs From ROH Supercard Of Honor 2024

4. STARDOM Exhibition Is Ideal For What It Is

The STARDOM exhibition match tore down the house but, in the theme of the night, probably went a tiny bit long.

The peak was missed, but this was a sensational sensory overload nonetheless. All six women did a masterful job of the all-important first impression. They looked like megastars during the entrances. The stated aim was accomplished within minutes: surely, you'd take a punt on STARDOM after watching that. The spectacle of it all was incredible. The match itself approached incredible at various points, too, particularly when Tam Nakano was in there. Her Matrix evasion spot into a roll-up attempt is a wonder. The core strength required to execute that is beyond impressive. Before Mina Shirakawa pinned Saya Kamitani, they probably overcooked a prolonged sequence in which saves were teased but the partners were kept at bay, The idea was for a heroic last stand moment, but it was laid on a little thick when the idea was for the arena to become impressed by the wrestlers without forging a proper emotional connection with them. That's the idea of a showcase.

Still, this was such a refreshing and well-worked blast. The speed and impact of the action was superb, the various crowd appeals were effective in keeping the fans invested in the spaces between those super-creative moves, and the entire scene radiated a sense of joy.

Kenny Omega was right in 2019, and he still is. This style and aesthetic plays marvellously in the context of a US scene badly lacking in originality and vividness .

More of this would be a treat.

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Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!