News, results & more from Japanese Pro Wrestling & Sumo
The injury bug continues to be relentless in Japan…Stardom has announced Mono Kohgo was injured at Sunday’s event. Unspecified. Out at least 1 week. She is off the 3/16 & 3/17 events but is scheduled to appear on 3/19 & 3/20, at which point her status for the future will be determined.
More as it becomes available.
Stardom continued the 2024 Cinderella Tournament today with the second half of the major opening doubleheader.
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 Wednesday morning. It should be available on demand on Stardom World Thursday for subscribers.
The announced paid attendance was 1344.
Match 1: Aya Sakura Return Match: Sayaka Kurara & Mai Sakurai beat HANAKO & Aya Sakura. Sakurai pinned Sakura after Shining Buster. Sakura, a rookie about to finish her first year in wrestling, had been out since July due to injury.
Match 2: Yuzuki, Momo Kohga, Hazuki, Koguma & Mayu Iwatani beat Fukigen, Momo Watanabe, Rina, Ruaka & Natsuko Tora by DQ. Tora DQ’d. Deadly weapon use (pipe).
Match 3: Cinderella Tournament Round 2: Mei Seira beat Saya Iida.
Match 4: Cinderella Tournament Round 2: Ami Sohrei beat Yuna Mizumori.
Match 5: Cinderella Tournament Round 2: Hanan beat MIRAI.
Match 6: Cinderella Tournament Round 2: Starlight Kid beat Suzu Suzuki by over the top rope.
Match 7: Saori Anou, Natsupoi & Tam Nakano beat Ranna Yagami, Saki Kashima & Syuri. Natsupoi beat Yagami with Fairy Princess (jumping cross armbar).
Match 8: Gina, Waka Tsukiyama, Mina Shirakawa & Maika beat Miyu Amasaki, Lady C, Saya Kamitani & AZM. Maika pinned C after Michinoku Driver 2.
Main Event: Stephanie Vaquer (CMLL) beat STRONG Women’s Champion Giulia to win the title. Vaquer becomes the 3rd STRONG Women’s Champion. That seems to make the rumors official-it’s over for Giulia in Stardom. No V10 as champion either. She is reportedly headed to former Stardom producer Rossy Ogawa’s new promotion to help get it started then possibly to WWE. But before Giulia could leave, the Oedo Corps faction rushed out for a big beatdown on Giulia until Tam Nakano made the save. It sounds like the question now is whether or not Nakano will get to fight her rival-Giulia-one more time before they part ways. As for new champion Vaqyer, she has thrown down the open challenge gauntlet for anyone, anywhere.
The next event is Saturday at Atelier Himeji in Hyogo. It will be available on demand on Stardom World at a later date, but there are reports they will try to have the video up the following day.
Stardom kicked off the 2024 Cinderella Tournament today with the first half of a major weekend doubleheader.
Today’s event was held at Yokohama Budokan in Yokohama and can be watched on demand on PPV via Pia Stream in Japanese for 4400 Japanese yen (around $30 US). You can also watch the first 2 matches FOR FREE on YouTube. The entire event should be available on Stardom World Wednesday (The PPV viewing window is until Tuesday).
The announced paid attendance was 1555.
Match 1: Suzu Suzuki beat Mai Sakurai, MIRAI, Ami Sohrei, Mei Seira, HAZUKI, AZM & Waka Tsukiyama in an 8-way by pinning Sakurai.
Match 2: Future Of Stardom Champion Rina beat Miran (Diana) to retain the title. V7 for Rina.
Match 3: Cinderella Tournament Round 1: Starlight Kid beat Yuzuki. As a result, Kid advances to Round 2 and will face Suzu Suzuki.
Match 4: Cinderella Tournament Round 1; Sayaka Kurara beat Natsuko Tora by DQ. Ref assault. As a result, Kurara advances to Round 2.
Match 5: Cinderella Tournament Round 1: Yuna Mizumori beat Lady C. As a result, Mizumori advances to Round 2 and will face Ami Sohrei.
Match 6: Cinderella Tournament Round 1: Gina beat Momo Kohgo. As a result, Gina advances to Round 2 and will face Waka Tsukiyama.
Match 7: Cinderella Tournament Round 1: Miyu Amasaki beat Ranna Yagami. As a result, Amasaki advances to Round 2.
Match 8: Cinderella Tournament Round 1: Ruaka beat Koguma by over the top rope. As a result, Ruaka advances to Round 1.
Match 9: Cinderella Tournament Round 1: Saya Iida beat Saki Kashima. As a result, Iida advances to Round 2 and will face Mei Seira.
Match 10: Cinderella Tournament Round 1: Hanan beat HANAKO by submission. As a result, Hanan advances to Round 2 and will face MIRAI.
Match 11: Konami, Syuri & Giulia beat Fukigen, Stephanie Vaquer & Momo Watanabe. Syuri beat Fukigen with White Tiger.
Match 12: Natsupoi Return Match: Chihiro Hashimoto (Sendai Girls) & Sareee (Independent/Freelancer) beat Saori Anou & Natsupoi. Sareee pinned Natsupoi after a wrist clutch deformed back toss.
Main Event: Mina Shirakawa & Maika beat Saya Kamitani & AZM and Mayu Iwatani & Tam Nakano in a 3-way when Maika pinned AZM. This was to have been Utami Hayashishita teaming with Kamitani but Hayashishita is off this weekend due to the ever-vague poor physical condition/ill health. AZM was the replacement. Afterwards, Sareee came out again and challenged Iwatani for the IWGP Women’s Championship.
The next event is tomorrow (tonight US time) at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo. It will be a live PPV broadcast on Pia Stream for 2200 yen (around $15 US) and will begin TONIGHT at 6:30 PM PT/9:30 PM ET. The likely main event is STRONG Women’s Champion Giulia vs. Stephanie Vaquer for the title. It should be available on demand on Stardom World Thursday. There will be no commentary for this event.
In other news, the 5 STAR GP Tournament was announced for later this year. It will start on 8/10 at Yokohama Budokan and end on 8/31 at Musashino Forest Sports Plaza Main Arena in Tokyo. More details TBA. Also announced was a major doubleheader for 7/27 & 7/28 at Chateraise Gateau Kingdom Sapporo in Hokkaido.
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