Tag: stardom

New Japan’s corporate offices hosted a major press conference today regarding the upcoming NJPW-Stardom crossover event in November and the new IWGP Women’s Championship. Attending were Bushiroad Corporation chairman Takaaki Kidani (Kitani), New Japan chairman Naoki Sugabayashi, Stardom creator/executive producer Rossy Ogawa, Hiroshi Tanahashi representing New Japan, and Mayu Iwatani representing Stardom.
Kitani began talking about this year marking the 15th anniversary of Bushiroad, the 50th anniversary of New Japan and the 10th anniversary of Stardom last year. Bushiroad owns both promotions. Kidani discussed the rumors and feedback since the IWGP Women’s Championship was announced as well as a recent issue of a Japanese sports magazine that featured both Kazuchika Okada on the cover and an interview with New Japan founder and wrestling Hall of Famer Antonio Inoki.
Chairman Sugabayashi then discussed the championship and plans for a tournament to crown the inaugural IWGP Women’s Champion…the tournament will begin on 10/2 during the second day of New Japan’s return to London, England, continue in Stardom on 10/22 at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, then the Semifinals will be held in Stardom on 10/23 at Arena Tachikawa, with the Finals on 11/20 at the historic crossover event at Ariake Arena in Tokyo. Participants TBA. The inaugural champion will first defend the title at Tokyo Dome on 1/4/23.
Besides the tournament final, the first matches for 11/20 were announced, all are mixed tag/intergender matches:
Tom Lawlor & Syuri vs. Zack Sabre Jr. & Guilia
Hiroshi Tanahashi & Utami Hayashishita vs. Hirooki Goto & Maika
Taichi, Yoshinobu Kanemaru, Natsupoi & Tam Nakano vs. DOUKI, El Desperado, Starlight Kid & Momo Watanabe

New Japan’s English website is suggesting the broadcast in the US will be in English and a PPV on New Japan World, which also means possibly on FITE as well. The event is scheduled for Sunday, November 20 at, taking the time change into consideration, midnight PT/3 AM ET. No word on if it will also be available on Stardom World, Stardom’s online streaming service.
More as it becomes available.

King Of Sports…and soon Queen Of Sports? At a conference call in Japan today, New Japan and women’s promotion Stardom announced the creation of the IWGP Women’s Championship. The plan is for it to be defended on New Japan events in both Japan and the USA. The inaugural champion will be crowned at a joint NJPW-Stardom event on 11/20 at Ariake Arena in Japan. It could be defended in Stardom too but apparently it will be a New Japan title.

Both New Japan and Stardom are owned by Bushiroad Corporation.

More as it becomes available.

Earlier today (late last night US time) New Japan held a special press conference that was open to the public, or at least select members of New Japan’s fan club. Some items of note from New Japan’s English recap will follow but you can also watch the event FOR FREE on New Japan World (no login or signup required):
https://njpwworld.com/p/o_original_0274_1O

(Note: The service will be unavailable on 7/12 from 7 PM PT-1 AM PT due to maintenance)

Notes from the event:
This was a Business Strategy Presentation with Bushiroad Director Takaaki Kidani (Kitani), Hiroshi Tanahashi, Hiromu Takahashi & Great-O-Khan also attending.
They started discussing finances and future plans for the US, which will include women’s matches mainly from Stardom, which is also owned by NJPW owner Bushiroad Corporation.
New Japan will return to the UK in October for the first time since 2019.
An outdoor event will be held at a to be determined location in Japan on 8/20.
The New Japan-Stardom joint event in November will have “around two” mixed tag matches, but not true intergender matches because the women will wrestle only the women, and same for the men. This was something Tanahashi previously hointed at and was pushing for.
Fans will be allowed to cheer vocally at two Korakuen Hall events in September, with masks required and capacity limited to 50%.
New goods and product collaborations were announced, likely Japan-only for now, including protein supplements featuring Tanahashi, a Khan t-shirt and Takahashi featured in trading cards. The t-shirt is designed by famed anime artist Masami Ohbari, the brother of NJPW President Takami Ohbari.
In closing, Kidani described what he calls the “2.1 era”, his vision the future of both New Japan and Stardom.

More on everything as it becomes available.

At a press conference in Japan earlier today, Bushiroad Corporation-the current owner of New Japan Pro Wrestling and Stardom-announced that as part of its 15th Anniversary celebration, a joint NJPW-Stardom event will be held on November 20 at the new Ariake Arena in Tokyo. Hiroshi Tanahashi represented NJPW while Mayu Iwatani & Starlight Kid represented Stardom. More details are forthcoming but Tanahashi hinted at possibly a mixed/intergender tag team match at the event.

Ariake Arena was built for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Japan and would have a maximum capacity of 15,000 for wrestling, slightly more than Ryogoku Kokugikan (around 14,000 for pro wrestling but closer to 15,000 for sumo) and would likely put it behind only the Tokyo Dome in terms of capacity for pro wrestling.

More as it becomes available.