News, results & more from Japanese Pro Wrestling & Sumo
And the injury/illness bug continues to be relentless this year so far in Japan, ugh…Stardom’s English Twitter just announced that Utami Hayashishita is now off this weekend’s PPVs. The always-vague poor physical condition. Stardom’s official website confirms this with translation calling it “ill health”. She was to have been in an 8-woman tag match tomorrow. AZM is the replacement. Sunday changes TBA. Status beyond that is uncertain.
More as it becomes acailable.
Stardom wrapped up the pre-Cinderella Tournament build today with a house show in Niigata
Today’s event was held at Kenshin Kobudokan in Niigata and will be available on demand on Stardom World at a later date.
The announced paid attendance was 345.
Match 1; Saya Kamitani & AZM beat HANAKO & Waka Tsukiyama. AZM pinned HANAKO after Azumi Sushi.
Match 2: Momo Watanabe, Starlight Kid, Ruaka & Natsuko Tora beat Saori Anou, Sayaka Kurara, Yuna Mizumori & Tam Nakano. Tora pinned Kurara after a frog splash.
Match 3: Ranna Yagami & Syuri beat Mai Sakurai & Giulia. Syuri beat Sakurai with Ground Style Suzaku.
Match 4: Saki Kashima, Ami Sohrei & MIRAI beat Koguma, Saya Iida & Mayu Iwatani. Kashima pinned Iida.
Match 5: Mei Seira & Suzu Suzuki beat Miyu Amasaki & Utami Hayashishita. Suzuki pinned Amasaki after Tequila Shot.
Main Event: Gina, Mina Shirakawa & Maika beat Yuzuki, Hazuki & Hanan. Gina pinned Yuzuki after Sanderstruck.
The next event is the STARDOM CINDERELLA TOURNAMENT 2024 beginning Saturday at Yokohama Budokan in Yokohama. According to Stardom’s English Twitter account, the event will be a live PPV but it doesn’t appear to be available for purchase yet on Pia Stream. Either way, it will also be available on demand on Stardom World at a later date, which should be the middle of next week (around 3/13).
UPDATE: 3/9 and 3/10 will both be live on PPV. Details forthcoming.
Stardom made their first visit to Ishikawa Prefecture this year today since the major January earthquake that devastated the region. Before the event began, President Taro Okada announced a portion of today’s proceeds would be donated to disaster relief efforts.
Today’s event was held at Kanazawa Distribution Hall in Ishikawa and will be available on demand on Stardom World at a later date.
The announced paid attendance was 367, a full house/near sellout.
Match 1: Saki Kashima beat Ranna Yagami.
Match 2: Miyu Amasaki & Saya Kamitani beat Sayaka Kurara & Yuna Mizumori. Amasaki pinned Kurara after Tensei.
Match 3: Momo Watanabe, Starlight Kid, Ruaka & Natsuko Tora beat Hazuki, Koguma, Hanan & Saya Iida. Watanabe pinned Hanan after a screwdriver without a single screwdriver.
Match 4; AZM & Utami Hayashishita beat Mei Seira & Mai Sakurai. AZM pinned Sakurai after a diving foot stomp.
Match 5; Suzu Suzuki, Giulia, Ami Sohrei, MIRAI & Syuri beat Gina, HANAKo, Waka Tsukiyama, Mina Shirakawa & Maika. Suzuki pinned Tuskiyama after Tequila Shot.
Main Event: Saori Anou & Tam Nakano beat Yuzuki & Mayu Iwatani. Anou pinned Yuzuki after Tintandre.
The next event is tomorrow at Kenshin Kobudokan in Niigata. It will be available on demand at a later date.
The promotion also announced their first US event in 5 years, which will be on 4/4 at 3 PM ET/Noon PT in Philadelphia, PA at 2300 Arena (ECW Arena). It is scheduled to be a live broadcast with further details TBA. This would put it during WWE WrestleMania week in the Philadelphia area, which also will feature a large number of independent wrestling events.
Amidst ongoing rumors of a mass talent exodus from Stardom at the end of March, when almost everyone’s contracts are up (except Mayu Iwatani), when many could follow the fired Rossy Ogawa to his pending new promotion (and perhaps WWE, at least if the Giulia rumors are true), one big name isn’t leaving. Japanese news site Puroresu Today recently interviewed Maika, the current World Of Stardom Champion, and she stated her intent to stay with Stardom.
Check out the story below (in Japanese):
Lots of Stardom news today:
The full bracket for the 2024 Cinderella Tournament has been announced. This is a singles tournament in single-elimination format. The rules are as follows:
Round 1 matches are 10 minute time limit.
Round 2 & Quarterfinals matches are 15 minute time limit.
Semifinals are 20 minute time limit.
Finals are no time limit.
Until the Semifinals, over the top rope rules are in place, meaning if a wrestler goes over the top rope outside the ring and both feet touch the floor, the match is over and they lose.
If there is any draw or match that ends without a winner before the Finals, both wrestlers in that match are out.
Finals will be under normal rules. The winner received a Cinderella dress.
Round 1 matches on 3/9 at Yokohama Budokan, Yokohama:
Hanan vs. HANAKO
Yuzuki vs. Starlight Kid
Momo Kohgo vs. Gina
Koguma vs. Ruaka
Saya Iida vs. Saki Kashima
Yuna Mizumori vs. Lady C
Sayaka Kurara vs. Natsuko Tora
Miyu Amasaki vs. Ranna Yagami
Round 2 matches on 3/10 at Korakuen Hall, Tokyo:
MIRAI vs. Hanan/HANAKO winner
Suzu Suzuki vs. Yuzuki/Starlight Kid winner
Mei Seira vs. Saya Iida/Saki Kashima winner
Ami Sohrei vs. Yuna Mizumori/Lady C winner
Round 2 matches on 3/16 at Atelier Himeji, Hyogo:
Waka Tsukiyama vs. Momo Kohgo/Gina winner
AZM vs. Sayaka Kurara/Natsuko Tora winner
Mai Sakurai vs. Miyu Amasaki/Ranna Yagami winner
Hazuki vs. Koguma/Ruaka winner
Quarterfinals: 3/17 at Shiga Prefectural Cultural Industry Exchange Center Event Hall, Shiga
Semifinals & Finals: 3/20 at Nagoya Congress Center, Nagoya
A New Japan STRONG Women’s Championship match has been announced for 3/10 as current champion Giulia will defend against Stephanie Vaquer. This will be the 10th defense for Giulia, coming amidst more rumors of her impending departure from Stardom, possibly to help start Rossy Ogawa’s rumored new promotion then heading to WWE. Vaquer competes primarily in CMLL (Mexico) but has made several appearances in New Japan over the past year.
2 wrestlers sidelined with injuries will also be returning next weekend: Natsupoi is scheduled to return on 3/9 and Aya Sakura is scheduled to return on 3/10. 3/9 will also feature the Stardom debut of Sareee, who has been a freelancer since her return to Japan after being released by WWE. She will team with Sendai Girls’ Chihiro Hashimoto to face Natsupoi & Saori Anou. For 3/10, Sakura’s return match will be announced after the 3/9 event.
The Stardom English Twitter is reporting the 3/9 event will be a live PPV. All the other events, and 3/9 after the PPV viewing window ends, will be available on demand on Stardom World at a later date.
Stardom has announced another injury coming out of this past weekend’s events, but it’s a minor one-Lady C suffered an injury at one of the events. Cut. Out 1-2 weeks. She is now off the promotion’s 3/2 & 3/3 events but is expected back on 3/9 per the Stardom English Twitter account.
Tokyo Sports is reporting that, in a perhaps expected but still huge blow to Stardom and Bushiroad if true, Giulia is leaving the promotion at the end of March. What’s less certain is where she will go-she has been rumored to be following former Stardom head Rossy Ogawa to his pending new promotion, but the rumor mills have also heavily linked her to WWE, suggesting the Japanese-Italian born in England is a very high priority. What this also perhaps leaves in limbo is the New Japan STRONG Women’s Championship which Giulia has has a stronghold on since July. Does it follow her to her next stop? If it’s WWE almost certainly not. The internet fanbase will also be screaming for her to go to All Elite Wrestling which is a possibility despite AEW being ridiculed for what is viewed as poor use of a very loaded women’s division.
Do keep in mind that Tokyo Sports borders on tabloid/dirt sheet in reliability and they’re maybe more flamboyant/out there compared to other mainstream sources like Weekly Pro & Nikkan Sports. But should you wish to decipher this yourself, below is the link (in Japanese):
UPDATE: Related rumors have Giulia following Ogawa to his new promotion to help get it started then going to WWE. That would maybe put her in WWE by this fall. All wait and see
Stardom followed up their big Tokyo doubleheader with a house show today.
Today’s event was held at Belle Salle Shibuya 1 in Tokyo and will be available on demand on Stardom World at a later date.
The announced paid attendance was 356, a full house/near sellout.
Match 1: Rina & Ruaka beat HANAKO & Waka Tsukiyama. Rina pinned HANAKO.
Match 2; Mei Seira beat Mai Sakurai & Hanan in a 3-way by pinning Sakurai.
Match 3: Momo Watanabe, Starlight Kid & Natsuko Tora beat Sayaka Kurara, Yunz Mizumori & Tam Nakano. Kid beat Kurara.
Match 4; Suzu Suzumi & Giulia beat Koguma & Hazuki. Suzuki pinned Koguma with a German suplex hold.
Match 5: Miyu Amasaki, Lady C, AZM, Saya Kamitani & Utami Hayashishita beat Ranna Yagami, Saki Kashima, Ami Sohrei, MIRAI & Syuri. Amasaki pinned Yagami after Tensei.
Main Event: Hina, Mina Shirakawa & Maika beat Yuzuki, Saya Iida & Mayu Iwatani. SHirakawa beat Yuzuki with a figure 4.
The next event is Saturday at G Messe Gunma in Gunma. It will be available on demand on Stardom World at a later date.
Stardom ran the second half of a Tokyo doubleheader today, headlined by a New Japan STRONG Women’s Championship match.
Today’s event was held at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo and can be watched on demand on PPV via Pia Stream for 2200 Japanese yen (around $15 US) until Tuesday morning. It will be available on demand on Stardom World after the PPV viewing window ends.
The announced paid attendance was 956.
Match 1; Starlight Kid & Ruaka beat Lady C & AZM. Kid beat C. (This event happened before the New Japan event in Chiba today, which Kid & Ruaka were part of)
Match 2; Suzu Suzuki beat Ranna Yagami.
Match 3: Mei Seira beat Waka Tsukiyama.
Match 4: Miyu Amasaki, Saya Kamitani & Utami Hayashishita beat Momo Watanabe, Fukigen & Rina. Amasaki pinned Rina after Tensei.
Match 5: Saki Kashima, Ami Sohrei, MIRAI & Syuri beat Yuzuki, Koguma, Hazuki & Mayu Iwatani. Syuri beat Yuzuki with a sleeper hold.
Match 6: New Blood Tag Team Champions Hanan & Saya Iida beat Chanyota & Mai Sakurai to retain the titles. Iida pinned Chanyota. V2 for the champs.
Match 7: Gina, HANAKO, Mina Shirakawa & Maika beat Saori Anou, Sayaka Kurara, Yuna Mizumori & Tam Nakano. Maika pinned Kurara after a lariat.
Main Event: STRONG Women’s Champion Giulia beat Natsuko Tora to retain the title. V9 for Giulia.
The next event is tomorrow at Belle Salle Shibuya 1 in Tokyo. It will be available on demand on Stardom World at a later date.
Stardom ran the first half of a big Tokyo doubleheader today.
Today’s event was held at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo and will be available on demand on Stardom World at a later date. It was possibly going to be a YouTube live broadcast but plans changed last-minute in a move that also affects Saturday.
The announced paid attendance was 690z
Match 1: MIRAI beat Ranna Yagami by submission.
Match 2: Yuna Mizunori beat Mai Sakurai.
Match 3: Utami Hayashishita beat Lady C.
Match 4: Fukigen, Rina & Ruaka beat Miyu Amasaki, Saya Kamitani & AZM. Rina pinned Amasaki after a diving double kneedrop.
Match 5: Saki Kashima, Ami Sohrei & Syuri beat Saori Anou, Sayaka Kurara & Tam Nakano. Syuri beat Kurara with a sleeper hold.
Main Event: In an elimination match, Hina, HANAKO, Waka Tsukiyama, Mina Shirakawa & Maika beat Yuzuki, Koguma, Hanan, Saya Iida & Mayu Iwatani. Order of elimination: Tsukiyama by Iida, Yuzuki by Hina, HANAKO by Hanan, Hina by Hazuki, Hazuki by Maika, Hanan by Maika, Iida by Shirakawa. Shirakawa & Maika remain and win.
The next event is Saturday. It was decided today that it will be a live PPV via Pia Stream and can be pre-ordered now with viewing available from the live broadcast start until Tuesday morning. It should be available on demand on Stardom World for paid subscribers Wednesday (maybe Tuesday afternoon US time).
