STARDOM CINDERELLA TOURNAMENT 2025 PREVIEW

Old gold World Wonder Ring Stardom logo with moving sparkles

This is a part of my blog series covering the events in STARDOM (Japanese women's pro-wrestling organization)

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CONTENTS


CINDERELLA TOURNAMENT 2025

The Cinderella Tournament is a single-elimination tourney where the winner comes out in a dress and is granted a "wish" (commonly title shots). This year, 16 wrestlers are involved mostly consisting of either younger or least experienced talent.

Rules

Schedule

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Participants

Opening Day Match Card (MARCH 8)


MARCH 3 KORAKUEN RESULTS


MARCH 4 PRESS CONFERENCE

STARLIGHT KID VS KONAMI

The Wonder Of Stardom title match between Starlight Kid and Konami has been confirmed for the last day of the Cinderella Tournament on March 15.

Photo of Taro Okada presenting the signed contract for the Wonder Of Stardom title match between Starlight Kid and Konami.

Konami has been taking SLK into memory lane recently. Telling stories from their rookie days about having to get their own cold spray in the drug store, rushing to spray her with it when she loses, and training together in the dojo. She even brought some tea and a piece of bread that SLK really liked from the bakery.

Photo of Konami taunting Starlight Kid to eat the piece of bread she's holding.

However, SLK's memories show a different light. She remembered a traumatic incident from June 9th of 2018, where Konami kicked her right on the face.

Calling her a psychopath who is just playing with her head. Bashing Konami by bringing up her limited success in singles competition, not having won a title despite both starting at the same year. Konami then started spraying her with party spray cans while congratulating her for being a champion.

Also telling her to be careful this time, so her nose doesn't break off. SLK tried to retaliate with her right, but got boiled tea on it instead. Walking out unclean from a press conference for the 2nd time in a row as champion.

This will be their third singles encounter. An opportunity for Konami to finally win with her 5th shot and Starlight Kid to get her 1st win on her.

SAYA KAMITANI VS TAM NAKANO

The aftermath of the loser leaves STARDOM has concluded into a World Of Stardom title match where the loser has to retire in ALL STAR GRAND QUEENDOM on April 27. No one will be allowed at ring side to assist Tam nor Saya. For the time being leading into this match, Tam (who is now a freelancer) will still be taking part in STARDOM shows with a few exceptions until ASGQ (from my understanding of Okada's statements).

Photo of Tam Nakano and Saya Kamitani at the press conference

Tam was speaking emotionally about these turn of events and apologized to the fans whom have been saddened. STARDOM was her livelihood. Now that it has been taken away from her, she has decided to put her existence as a pro-wrestler on the line to fight one more time and rise back up. Intending to do what it takes to sign another STARDOM contract if she survives.

Photo of Tam Nakano holding a microphone while tears are running down her face.

Lots of people were wondering why Saya also decided to put her career on the line along with the red belt. Since Tam put hers on the line as she gave her one "last chance", as someone who has devoted their life to this industry, it was fair for her to do so as well. She also thought that the "loser leaves STARDOM" match wasn't enough to the job. Aiming to send Tam further down into levels where she could never recover from and continue her mission to spread pro-wrestling in her own evil way.

Photo of Saya Kamitani speaking with a microphone while holding the World Of Stardom belt.

The last time a match of this type occurred in Japanese women's pro-wrestling was back in 1979 in a WWWA World title bout between Jackie Sato and Maki Ueda of the very popular Beauty Pair. The predecessors to the Crush Gals (Lioness Asuka & Chigusa Nagayo).

Scanned photo from a BBM magazine of the Beauty Pair after the loser retires match from 1979.

As Tam said, one will fall down to the depths of hell, while the other reaches heaven.


OUTSIDE STARDOM

Most of this has been copy-pasted from the previous blog with a few updates.

ALL ELITE WRESTLING (AEW)

Momo Watanabe is scheduled to face against Mercedes Mone in AEW's Revolution PPV on March 9 for the TBS Championship.

Graphic for Mercedes Mone versus Momo Watanabe TBS Championship match for AEW's Revolution 2025 PPV

Last time they 1 on 1 was back in August for the NJPW Strong Women's title during Capital Collision. Since then, Momo Watanabe has won the International Women's Cup during Wrestle Dynasty while Mone has been on a roll as a dominant multi-crown champion.

Momo made an appearance during AEW Grand Slam Australia sitting in the front row as Mone fought Harley Cameron. Also scouting ROH Women's World Champion Athena whom she pinned in Wrestle Dynasty.

Photo of Momo Watanabe clapping from the crowd as she watched Mone wrestled in Australia.

Days later on Dynamite, Momo sent her official challenge at Revolution to "stop the Mone train". Mone insisted that she should show up next Wednesday and say it to her face.

And she did.

Even sent a message thru Billie Starkz later on Collision.

But before Momo fights Mone, she will first go against Serena Deeb on tomorrow.

Graphic for Serena Deeb versus Momo Watanabe for March 8's AEW Collision

The Revolution PPV can be purchased via Triller TV. A bundle for Revolution and the upcoming Dynasty event is also available for purchase.

SENDAI GIRLS (SENJO)

Hai High Mate (Maika and HANAKO) have challenged the SENDAI GIRLS Tag Team champions Red Energy (Mika Iwata & Miyuki Takase) for March 19th's "The Top Of Joshi Wrestling" which will be streamed live on WRESTLE UNIVERSE (6:30 PM JST).

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Both appeared on screen with a pre-taped video calling them out and stated that since they have beaten 200Kg (Chihiro Hashimoto & Yuu) recently, so they are qualified to challenge for the belts.

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Maika & Natsupoi recently teamed up to take on Chihiro Hashimoto & Manami on March 1st. Hashimoto went to STARDOM's show in Sendai on Feb 22 to challenge Hai High Mate for a match right as Maika was talking about winning in SENJO and even giving the best of luck to Aya Sakura who will be facing Chi Chi once again for their Junior title.

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However, HANAKO was not available for March 1st because of the title match in New Blood 19. As a result, Natsupoi voluntarily stepped in as Maika's partner. Poi herself has fought Hashimoto in both SENDAI GIRLS and STARDOM before already.

The VOD for March 1 can be viewed in WRESTLE UNIVERSE.

WAVE

Saya Kamitani made her 2nd defense of the Regina di Wave title against Yumi Ohka on March 2nd. Ohka was the first person to ever hold the title back in 2013.

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Shin Sakura Hirota came out as Meiko Satomura and attempted to be the next challenger. GAMI already decided on POP Wrestling Champion Honoka for Kamitani's next defense for April 1 before her 2nd anniversary since her debut.

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She will then face Shin Sakura Hirota next on April 5.

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Mei Seira teamed up with Star Fox partner Kohaku in a WAVE Tag Team title match against champions Yuki Miyazaki & Yuko Sakurai.

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The full VOD has been released on Confetti as a 7-day rental PPV and will be available for purchase until April 23. The Regina di Wave and tag team title matches should be up on STARDOM World in a few weeks.

LUCHA FIESTA

Mei Seira will be participating in a tag match for Lucha Fiesta #3 on March 1. She will be teaming up with Tabata (CMLL) against Chanyota (P.P.P. TOKYO) & Saran. The full VOD for this show can be viewed in WRESTLE UNIVERSE. The Mei match itself may possibly get a STARDOM World release in the future.

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OZ ACADEMY

On February 9, FWC (Hazuki & Koguma) made their 1st successful defense of the OZ Academy Tag Team championship against AKINO & Kohaku.

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Their next title defense is scheduled for OZ Academy's Shinjuku FACE show on March 9 against Momoka Hanazono & Itsuki Aoki who will go by the team name "OWC (Osaka Double Comedy)".

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Stay tuned on their official website for the PPV link.

BARB'S CRAZY FEST

On March 10, referee Barb Sasaki will hold his own wrestling produce show commemorating his 25th anniversary as a referee called "CRAZY FEST". The show will be available as a PPV on NJPW WORLD for $22 USD (3500 JP yen).

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Suzu Suzuki will face Rina Yamashita in a "no Disqualification TLC (Tables, ladders, and chairs)" match.

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STARS and NEO GENESIS are also set to clash in a "bring your weapon falls anywhere" trios tag match.

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Wrestlers from NJPW (New Japan Pro Wrestling), BJW (Big Japan Pro Wrestling), DDT, 666, FREEDOMS, DOVE, BASARA, 2AW, GLEAT, etc will also be involved in the rest of the card. More info can be seen on their official Twitter page.

SAREEE-ISM

Syuri will face Sareee in the main event of Sareee-ISM Chapter VII. This match is currently treated as a possible #1 contendership for Mayu Iwatani's IWGP Women's title based on the comments made in the press conference.

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As a replacement for Natsupoi, Saori Anou will take her place in the singles match against Miku Kanae.

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The PPV will be streamed live on Sareee's website and will be available as an archived VOD for a limited time. The ticket costs 4000 yen. Later re-broadcasts on Samurai TV will be done starting on March 18.

STRONG STYLE PRO-WRESTLING (SSPW)

On March 13, Starlight Kid will be teaming up with Jaguar Yokota against Tiger Queen & Nagisa Nozaki. I'm assuming a digest of the whole show will be released on the Tamagawa channel the day after. You can find more about this show via this article.

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