Coming Soon: Expanded Stardom Coverage

Now that I’ve finally finished the bulk of the site’s pages (namely the title histories…and no, I’m not even going to try the DDT Iron Man Heavymetalweight Championship and its 1500+ reigns), I’m going to take the next step in expanding news and results coverage…that will be adding regular Stardom coverage beginning July 1, 2023.

Stardom, aka World Wonder Ring Stardom, has been around since 2011 and is considered by many to be the top women’s promotion in Japan right now. It is currently owned by Bushiroad Corporation, making it a sister promotion to New Japan Pro Wrestling. The big story around the promotion the last 6+ months has been Mercedes Mone, the former Sasha Banks in WWE, making appearances in Stardom and also (mostly) New Japan. She reportedly signed for additional unspecified dates in spring 2023 but plans are on hold due to an injury suffered in May 2023.

You can watch Stardom events past and future on Stardom World, their streaming service available for 920 Japanese yen/month (currently around $6.75 US) and they also have a YouTube channel with a vast amount of content.

Injury Report: All-Japan Youngster Really Got Blue Justice

All-Japan rookie/sophomore Yuma Anzai had an early career match when he faced Yuji Negata for the Triple Crown this past week, ultimately a losing effort as the New Japan veteran retained the Triple Crown. And based on the promotion’s announcement on Twitter, he lost more than the match-also some time because he was injured in the match. Torn left triceps. Out indefinitely but at least 2 weeks including 6/26 & 7/2 events. For 6/26, he was to have teamed with Ryo Inoue & Oji Shiiba to face Naruki Doi, Naoki Tanisaki & Hokuto Omori. Takuya Nomura is the replacement.

More as it becomes available.

Injury Report: NOAH Tough Guy Sidelined

Separate from today’s press conference, Pro Wrestling NOAH had also announced Takashi Sugiura will be absent from upcoming events due to injury. Eye. In a reply to the announcement on Twitter, Sugiura confirmed the injury and said he will have surgery. Out indefinitely. The original post from Sugiura, quoting NOAH’s original post in Japanese, is below.

More as it becomes available.

NOAH News: 6/20 Press Conference Notes (with Video)

Pro Wrestling NOAH held a press conference earlier today (available on YouTube), and after he mentioned making an announcement on Twitter, some fans were worries that perhaps Naomichi Marufuji was going to announce his retirement or something worrisome…thankfully that was not the case. His announcement was a 25th Anniversary event to be held on 9/17 at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo. Not too many hints about it were dropped during a media Q&A session so we’ll have to wait and see.

Also part of the presser was a signing ceremony for the GHC Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Championship match Thursday at Korakuen. It will be YO-HEY & Tadasuke defending against Chris Ridgeway & Daga.

And finally, Katsuhiko Nakajima & Kento Miyahara appeared to promote their 7/15 Korakuen match. Based on photos posted by NOAH, it got physical and Miyahara laid out Nakajima. Watch the video below for that. Do keep in mind that their careers together go back to almost their beginning in the now-closed Kensuke Office/Diamond Ring promotion (Nakajima is basically an adopted som of owners and Hall of Famers Kensuke Sasaki & Akira Hokuto). They have teamed and feuded over their entire 15-year-plus careers so this is definitely going to be a hoss fight level match

The press conference can be watched below (in Japanese. Video courtesy of Pro Wrestling NOAH Japanese official YouTube channel):

DEVELOPING: Moeka Haruhi Suffers Setback, Kidney Donation to Sister Postponed

In a series of Twitter posts earlier today, which I machine translated from Japanese, Moeka Haruhi (currently a freelancer who regularly competes in Ganbare Pro) announced that the scheduled operation to donate one of her kidneys to her sister has unfortunately been postponed near-last-minute. According to Haruhi’s post, a pre-surgery blood test showed her kidney function was declining and thus the surgery was cancelled. It was to have happened tomorrow. Her sister was discharged from the hospital as a result. Haruhi will be undergoing further testing to try and determine the cause of her deteriorating kidney function.

Haruhi had planned to return to wrestling after having the surgery and recovering, having recently stepped away from Ganbare after a series of farewell matches. There is no word now on her future plans except she will not make her regular appearance on a Japanese radio program this week.

You can read the thread below from Haruhi’s Twitter (hopefully there is a translate option for those who cannot read Japanese, there was for me in the app). Please keep Haruhi and her sister in your thoughts and hope there is a way for this to happen as Haruhi’s sister really needs this transplant to happen.

UPCOMING FREE VIDEO: GLEAT 6/17/23 Full Event

As is the case when they tun in Osaka and some other areas outside Tokyo, GLEAT was unable to stream Saturday’s G PROWRESTLING Ver. 54 event live (it seems to be outside their control). So as usual, they will be uploading it to YouTube soon for on demand viewing. Bookmark or set a notification for the below video and come back tomorrow (6/20) to watch the replay-it will be available beginning at 4:30 AM PT/7:30 AM ET:

(Video courtesy of the GLEAT official YouTube channel)

Injury Report: No Bandido Spree Anytime Soon

According to reports from US news sites, which now has been confirmed by GLEAT because it affects their 7/1 event, All Elite Wrestling/Ring Of Honor star Bandido has seen his high-flying spree come to an end for now. Triangular fibrocartillage complex injury aka broken wrist. X-rays Bandido posted on Instagram show it appears to be where the wrist connects to the hand near the pinky finger. Out indefinitely and may need surgery, but he is now off GLEAT’s 7/1 TDC Hall event. The injury happened Wednesday during the AEW Rampage taping after AEW Dynamite in his match against Konosuke Takeshita. It’s not known how long he will be out but he should know more later today.

More as it becomes available.

Dragon Gate 6/18/23 Results

Dragon Gate continued the Rainbow Gate 2023 Tour today with the second half of an Okinawa weekend doubleheader.

Today’s event was held at Naha City Bunka Tembusukan in Okinawa. There is/was no live or on demand broadcast.

The announced paid attendance was 244, a legit sellout.

Match 1: YAMATO, Dragon Kid & Dragon Dia beat Kzy, Jason Lee & U-T. Dia pinned U-T.

Match 2: KAI beat Problem Dtagon.

Match 3: Kagetora & GOSAMARU beat Genki Horiguchi & Drake Morimatsu. GOSAMARU beat Horiguchi after a moonsault press.

Match 4: Ben-K, BxB Hulk & Ryu Fuda beat Masaaki Mochizuki, Susumu Mochizuki & Yasushi Kanda. Ben-K pinned Kanda afger a spear.

Match 5: Strong Machine J & Ultra Soki beat Shun Skywalker & H-Y-O by DQ. Skywalker DQ’d. Removing J’s mask.

Main Event: Madoka Kikuta, BIGBOSS Shimizu & JACKY “FUNKY” KAMEI beat Yuki Yoshioka, Minorita & Kota Minoura. Kikuta pinned Minorita after a vertical drop high-speed type piledriver.

The next event is Friday at Chiba Port Arena in Chiba. There will be no live or on demand broadcast.

FREE VIDEO: The Forbidden Door (Limited Time)

To promote next weekend’s Forbidden Door 2 PPV with All Elite Wrestling, New Japan has uploaded a 34-minute documentary to YouTube FOR FREE, which you can watch below (video courtesy of New Japan Official YouTube channel…but don’t wait, it is only available until 7:59 AM PT/10:59 AM ET on 6/26):

DDT 6/18/23 Results

DDT wrapped up the What Are You Doing 2023 Tour today with the second half of a Hokkaido house show doubleheader.

Today’s event was held at Sapporo E-One Arena in Hokkaido and will be available on demand on WRESTLE UNIVERSE Wednesday. There was no live broadcast.

The announced paid attendance was 304.

Match 1: Daisuke Sasaki & MJ Paul beat Hideki Okatani & Kazuma Sumi. Paul pinned Sumi after a running body press.

Match 2: Yuki Iino & Danshoku Dieno vs. Sanshiro Takagi & Yukio Sakaguchi went to a no contest. Iino tried to get naked.

Match 3: Akito & Sanae Takabayashi beat Kazuki Hirata & Saki Akai. Akito beat Hirata with an ankle hold.

Match 4: Andreza Giant Panda beat Pokotan.

Match 5: Yuji Hino & ? beat beat Kazusada Higuchi & Yuki Ishida. Hino beat Ishida with King Kong sleeper.

Match 6: Jun Akiyama & Takashi Yoshida (Dragon Gate) beat HARASHIMA & Takeshi Masada. Akiyama pinned Masada after Exploder.

Main Event: Yuki Ueno, MAO & Toi Kojima beat Tetsuya Endo, Yusuke Okada & Yuya Koroku. Ueno pinned Koroku after WR.

The next event is WHAT ARE YOU DOING 2023 on 6/25 at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo. The event has 2 title matches scheduled to crown new DDT Extreme and KO-D Tag Team Champions, which could very well see The37Kamiina reclaim both after they had to give them up due to a Shunma Katsumata injury. Live streaming on WRESTLE UNIVERSE in Japanese will begin Saturday at 7:30 PM PT/10:30 PM ET.