STARDOM
STARDOM returned to America for the first time in five years on April 4th as part of WrestleMania Weekend in the 2300 Arena. The show featured talent not only from STARDOM, but also from CMLL, AEW, and TNA in an exciting two-hour show in front of over 900 fans. The five-match card even had two championships put on the line, with Mei Seira defending her High-Speed Championship and Maika clashing with Megan Bayne for the World of Stardom Championship.
The three-way High-Speed Championship match opened the show, and it was a comedy bout between Mei Seira, Saki Kashima, and Ram Kaichow. It barely lasted five minutes and next to the comedy, had a good many counters and flash pins attempts. Kaicho used the powder to blind Seira, which allowed Kashima to roll Mei up with the Kishikaisei to crown herself the new High-Speed Champion and end the 5-month reign of Seira. Seira’s reign ending was shocking, but with her now focusing on the Goddess of Stardom Championship together with Suzu Suzuki, it’s an understandable decision.
The midcard matches of the show were fine with nothing special standing out, except for the post-match of the Club Venus return match against Tam Nakano, Mayu Iwatani, and Momo Kohgo, because the music of Toni Storm played, and the current AEW Women’s World Champion appeared in STARDOM for the first time since 2019. She & Mina Shirakawa had a little promo together built around Mariah May, who is a friend of both of them. Toni Storm teased a match between herself and Mina for Forbidden Door, which will likely continue to build up in the next few weeks.
The World of Stardom Championship is on the line in the main event of the show, as Maika defended her title against Megan Bayne. The ‘Megasus’, who had a great run in STARDOM last year and has continued that form across the independent scene, was getting her second opportunity at the World of Stardom Championship after failing to capture it against Tam Nakano in the Summer of last year. The match was great and another fantastic defence for the ‘Empress’.
Megan made Maika work for every single piece of offence and tossed her around for the majority of this match and it was so interesting to see considering Maika rarely works against a wrestler who can outpower her, so she needed to find a new way to take Bayne down. It led to great moments, including an insane Michinoku Driver from the second rope. Maika prevailed with another Michinoku Driver to retain for the third time in a great contest.
After the main event, Momo Watanabe came out to a loud reaction from the American fans and challenged Maika once again, and this time the ‘Empress’ accepted and made the match official for the World of Stardom Championship at Yokohama BUNTAI on April 27th. Momo Watanabe was one of Maika’s first rivals in STARDOM as they fought each other a couple of times, with Watanabe having the advantage with 3 wins to 2 losses and 1 draw, including 2 singles wins in 2023 over the current Red Belt Champion. Maika is continued to be placed as the top star of STARDOM since she won the Red Belt in December of last year, with her getting great wins over Suzu Suzuki, Saya Kamitani, Utami Hayashishita and now Megan Bayne in championship matches, while Momo Watanabe started to get a good push since February and it now feels as though she has an actual chance to win, finally climbing to the top of the promotion, something that fans have wanted for years.
STARDOM has announced the full card for this Friday’s Korakuen Hall show, featuring the final matches for Giulia and Utami Hayashishita before they both leave the promotion. Giulia’s final match in the company will see her alongside Syuri as they re-form ALK one last time against Mayu Iwatani and Hanan, while Utami Hayashishita’s final match in STARDOM will see her team with AphrdoitE partner Saya Kamitani one final time as they take on their fellow Golden Generation members Maika & Saya Iida.
Full Card for the Korakuen Hall Show on April 12th:
– Tam Nakano, Natsupoi & Saori Anou vs. Sayaka Kurara, Aya Sakura & Yuna Mizumori
– Waka Tsukiyama & HANAKO vs. Starlight Kid & Ruaka
– Saki Kashima & Ranna Yagami vs. Koguma & Momo Kohgo vs. Lady C & Miyu Amasaki
– Natsuko Tora, Rina & Fukigen Death vs. Suzu Suzuki, Mei Seira & Rian
– Hazuki vs. Ami Sourei vs. Xena vs. Momo Watanabe
– Giulia & Syuri vs. Mayu Iwatani & Hanan
– Utami Hayashishita & Saya Kamitani vs. Maika & Saya Iida
Tokyo Joshi Pro Wrestling
TJPW held two shows as part of the Collective in Philadelphia as well with a normal branded TJPW show and a “TJPW vs. GCW” show. Both shows did well in attendance and were fun to watch, but nothing too notable happened on them. The undercard featured some fun matches, with even ROH Women’s Champion Athena appearing to second Billie Starkz and help her beat Hyper Misao.
The main event of the first show was the highlight, with Maki Itoh & Miyu Yamashita facing Miu Watanabe & Rika Tatsumi in a really fun match with a lot of crowd involvement. Unlike last year’s main event, they went in a more “crowd-pleasing” direction and had an extended crowd brawl, including an unexpected liquid death advertisement spot, which was just kinda funny to see given the competitors. The match ended with Itoh & Yamashita winning. Overall, it achieved its goal and was entertaining to sit back and just watch.
