STARDOM・スターダム
NEW YEAR UNIT LEAGUE 2025
PREVIEW
This is a part of my blog series covering the events in STARDOM (Japanese women's pro-wrestling organization)
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SECTIONS
- NEW YEAR UNIT LEAGUE
- RECENT STORIES (CURRENT TITLE PICTURE, NEW TRAINEES, ROH, etc.)
- OUTSIDE STARDOM (OZ ACADEMY, WAVE, EVO, Tokyo Sports Awards, NJPW)
From the 18th to the 23rd of January, STARDOM will be holding a "New Year Unit League". Six of STARDOM's units are split into blocks of three (RED BLOCK and BLUE BLOCK). Each unit will take part in 2 matches in the blocks (round-robin format).
Each block match is a trios bout consisting of 3 falls and a 30 minute time limit. If one team has scored 2 falls, match doesn't end until the 3rd fall is finished or the time has run out. A fall will give a team 2 points, and a draw will give both 1 point. Unit with the most points wins. The competitors for each fall in the match will be announced before the shows. Every trios team for the falls will be different and all the unit representatives must compete in at least one of them.
Example:
- 1st Fall: Tam Nakano, Yuna Mizumori, Sayaka Kurara
vs.
Saya Kamitani, Natsuko Tora, Fukigen Death - 2nd Fall: Tam Nakano, Saori Anou, Aya Sakura
vs.
Natsuko Tora, Momo Watanabe, Ruaka - 3rd Fall: Natsupoi, Saori Anou, Yuna Mizumori
vs.
Saya Kamitani, Rina, Azusa Inaba
REPRESENTATIVES:
RED BLOCK:
- STARS
- Mayu Iwatani (岩谷麻優), Hanan (羽南), Saya Iida (飯田沙耶), Hazuki (葉月), Koguma (コグマ), Momo Kohgo (向後桃)
- God's Eye
- Syuri [朱里], Saki Kashima [鹿島沙希], Lady C [レディ・Ｃ], Tomoka Inaba [稲葉ともか] (JTO), Ranna Yagami [八神蘭奈], Kiyoka Kotatsu [虎龍清花]
- Absent: Ami Sourei [壮麗亜美], Hina [妃南], Nanami [ななみ] (DIANA)
- E neXus V
- Maika (舞華), Mina Shirakawa (白川未奈), Waka Tsukiyama (月山和香), HANAKO, Rian (梨杏)
- Absent: Xena (ジーナ)
BLUE BLOCK:
- COSMIC ANGELS
- Tam Nakano (中野たむ), Natsupoi (なつぽい), Saori Anou (安納サオリ), Yuna Mizumori (水森由菜), Aya Sakura (さくらあや), Sayaka Kurara (玖麗さやか)
- NEO GENESIS
- Starlight Kid (スターライト・キッド), Mei Seira (星来芽依), AZM, Suzu Suzuki (鈴季すず), Miyu Amasaki (天咲光由)
- H.A.T.E.
- Saya Kamitani (上谷沙弥), Natsuko Tora (刀羅ナツコ), Momo Watanabe (渡辺桃), Ruaka (琉悪夏), Rina (吏南), Azusa Inaba (稲葉あずさ) (JTO), Fukigen Death (フキゲンです★)
- Absent: Konami (小波) and Thekla (テクラ)
LEAGUE SCHEDULE:
- January 17th (Fri・金) - Matsuyama City Community Center (松山市総合コミュニティーセンタ) - 6:30PM JST
- STARS vs. E neXus V [RED]
- COSMIC ANGELS vs. NEO GENESIS [BLUE]
- January 18th (Sat・土) - EDION Arena Osaka 2 (エディオンアリーナ大阪 第２競技場) - 5PM JST
- STARS vs. God's Eye [RED]
- NEO GENESIS vs. H.A.T.E. [BLUE]
- January 19th (Sun・日) - EDION Arena Osaka 2 - 12PM JST
- God's Eye vs. E neXus V [RED]
- COSMIC ANGELS vs. H.A.T.E. [BLUE]
- January 23rd (Thu・木) - Shinkiba 1st Ring, Tokyo (新木場1stRING) - 6:30PM JST
- New Year Unit League Final
RECENT STORIES
KAMITANI VS SUZU
We are currently living in the "Greatest Nightmare". That's what Saya Kamitani said when she won the World Of Stardom title by defeating Tam Nakano to end STARDOM's 2024 at the main event of DREAM QUEENDOM.
Are we though?
That's what Suzu Suzuki questioned when she pinned Kamitani during a special tag match on the 3rd (NEW YEAR DREAM). Nominating herself for another shot of the red belt while accusing Saya being a fake demon.
This match has been officially been decided for Supreme Fight in Korakuen Hall on February 2nd. Last time the red belt got defended in Korakuen Hall was back in January, 17, 2021 when Utami Hayashishita retained against Maika.
At the moment when it was confirmed, Saya wanted Suzu to kneel down and lick her foot for her like a servant. Things went the other way.
Currently both Saya and Suzu have one win each on two of their single encounters so far. Most recent was their 5STAR block match last year where the Phenex Queen secured the win with the spinning Star Crusher.
This will be a great proving point if this great "nightmare" we are experiencing is a reality. We'll also see how everything plays for them in the Unit League.
FUTURE OF STARDOM TITLE
Azusa Inaba has earned the right to challenge Miyu Amasaki for the Future Of Stardom title after pinning her on the 13th. Miyu will defend her belt against Azusa on the 25th for the 1st day of the STARDOM Award show card. Azusa describes Miyu as a dull wrestler and that she'll be able to make the younger generation more exciting if she does win. This will be Miyu's 2nd defense.
FUTURE OF HIGH SPEED
Mei Seira successfully made her 4th defense of the High Speed Championship against Saki Kashima (13th). This was also the first match with the new high speed rules. It was part of the 13th's short free stream on YouTube as the main card's opener.
The match now consists of a 3 falls stipulation (best of 3), 10 minute time limit (instead of 15, champion also retains if falls are tied when limit is reached), a 10 count on the outside (instead of 20). According to STARDOM president Taro Okada, the process of creating the new rules were discussed with the High Speed Champion Mei Seira and the referees. Three falls were implemented in order to show more of their techniques rather than utilizing one flash pin to end the match.
The match was definitely shorter any of Mei Seira's other defenses including when she won the title from Saya Kamitani back in July. Maybe it will play out better in the next championship matches we get this year.
COSMIC ANGELS SHOWDOWN
The main Cosmic Angels trio of Tam Nakano, Natsupoi, and Saori Anou defeated their student trio of Yuna Mizumori, Aya Sakura, and Sayaka Kurara to keep a hold of their Artist Of Stardom titles. The students won the small Artist Of Stardom #1 contendership tournament to secure their shot for the match over the weekend. It was almost a year ago since both these trios faced off in Korakuen. A lot of growth has occured since then with the students putting more of a competitive fight than before.
The future is certainly bright for CA.
ROH TITLE MATCH
The longest reigning ROH Women's World champion Athena defeated Thekla in the semi-main of the 13th.
The "forever champion" teamed up with Thekla during NEW YEAR DREAM for a tag match against Mina Shirakawa and AEW's Tay Melo who made her return to competition after being gone for almost 2 years (both Athena and Tay made their STARDOM debut here). There was a moment in the match where Athena went for the pin but Thekla got pushed onto Athena by accident which broke it. Even though they won the match, Athena was still pissed off over that. Thekla then put herself to challenge the "forever champion" for her belt.
Two days later, Thekla helped Momo Watanabe from ring side during the International Women's Cup by pulling the referee as he was about to count the three for Athena. Momo then swung her bat at Athena then finished the job for the win.
In the end, it was positive for both parties with Athena being very thankful to be able to wrestle in Japan and would like to come back sometime in the future. Even teasing a possible rematch in America soon.
TRAINEES
Trainees Akira and Yuria had their 2nd exhibition match resulting in another time limit draw on the 12th.
OUTSIDE STARDOM
TOKYO SPORTS AWARD CEREMONY
IWGP Women's Champion Mayu Iwatani was in attendance for Tokyo Sports' Awards Ceremony on the 8th. She won the Topic Award alongside Bull Nakano and Dump Matsumoto.
Former MARIGOLD World Champion Sareee who won the 2024 Women's MVP award has also set her sights once again on the IWGP Women's Title. Sareee faced off against Mayu in last year's All Star Grand Queendom for the title. She now promises that she will take that off Mayu this year.
RANNA YAGAMI VS CHI CHI
SENDAI GIRLS World Junior Champion Chi Chi will defend against God's Eye's Ranna Yagami in the main event of Pro-Wrestling Evolution's Shinjuku FACE show on the 29th. Yagami issued her challenge after Chi Chi made her 2nd defense of the title against Cosmic Angels' Aya Sakura during NEW YEAR DREAM (Jan 3rd). This show will be streamed on Evo's website behind their subscription service for 500 yen a month.
FWC (Hazuki & Koguma) will defend the OZ Academy Tag Team Championship against the Phantom Limit duo of AKINO & Kohaku/Cohaku [狐伯] on February 9 in Shinjuku FACE. This show will most likely be a ZAIKO or a NicoPro PPV, but as of right now there's no link.
Saori Anou will be challenging current OZ Academy Openweight Champion Ryo Mizunami [水波綾] for a title match in the Korakuen Hall on show for April 13.
Saya Kamitani is scheduled to defend her Regina di Wave title on March 2's "WAVE Spring Revolution" show against Yumi Ohka who was the championship's first holder.
Prior to this, Kamitani made her first 1st title defense against Kohaku on New Year's day.
Natsuko Tora accidentally hit Saya on the forehead with a chair while she was intefering. Saya starting bleeding instantly, but still fought and secured her V1.
NJPW Battle In The Valley (Jan 10)
Maika, Mina Shirakawa, HANAKO and Viva Van won against the team of AZM, Anna Jay, Trish Adora, Johnnie Robbie in an elimination match. Trish Adora got hurt early on in the match and didn't get to do much with additional staff coming out to check on her. Hope it was nothing too serious.
Mayu Iwatani participated in Sumie Sakai's retirement match. She teamed up with Hiromu Takahashi and Yuka Sakazaki against Sumie, EVIL, and SHO. It was a crazy match. Better than most of the mixed matches NJPW has run in my opinion. A fun end to Sumie's long career.
