Stardom
Stardom World Climax ~ The Best ~
March 26, 2022
RYOGOKU SUMO HALL
TOKYO, JAPAN

Watch: PPV

Stardom is on fire. That’s evident every single time they step up to the plate for a major show. Well, they have doubled down on their success from 2021 to do a two-night extravaganza of sorts highlighting the best of the best in women’s wrestling at Ryogoku Sumo Hall. Stardom Dream Queendom felt like the biggest show in Stardom history in December but the promotion has decided to go all in. Stardom World Climax has all the makings to be special starting with day one, ~ The Best ~. Here’s a look at the day one card of what should be a show of the year contender.

Future of Stardom Championship
Hanan (c) vs. Rina

Since Hanan won the Future of Stardom Championship, it has become the perfect opening contest for these Stardom pay-per-views. Perhaps the most meaningful matchup yet for Hanan will come to kick off Stardom World Climax. She will face her sister Rina in the most important match of both their careers. Seeing these two sisters will be able to wrestle one another in Ryogoku Sumo Hall speaks for itself in terms of importance, but be prepared to feel the emotion as they look face-to-face in the ring. Hanan has already proved herself in this venue as it’s where she became Future of Stardom Champion, so it certainly feels her experience will be the advantage she needs to walk out as the champion. Prediction: Hanan

Saya Iida vs. MIRAI

This Golden Generation battle will be one of the more overlooked but underrated matches of either show. Saya Iida’s return to Stardom has been a welcome one after missing nearly a year with a knee injury. In that time, Iida has watched a lot of new (and old) names come to Stardom and make a name for themselves. Interesting, seeing it was Iida who was turning into the assessor of Stardom, testing all newcomers in action long before Unagi Sayaka did. She will get her shot to take back that honor here as she faces MIRAI in a singles match.

MIRAI stormed onto the scene for Stardom in January, debuting and challenging for the World of Stardom Championship all in the same month. Since then, MIRAI has mostly teamed with Donna del Mondo which leads to a lot of winning. Somehow in her three months, MIRAI has only been pinned once and it was against Syuri in the World of Stardom Championship match. Not only has MIRAI established herself as a future champion in Stardom but one of the most dominant in short fashion. All this means is it should be an uphill battle for Iida. MIRAI is likely kicking off her two nights of special singles matches with a win. Prediction: MIRAI

AZM, Miyu Amasaki & Lady C vs. Himeka, Natsupoi & Mai Sakurai vs. Saki Kashima, Ruaka & Fukigen Death vs. Momo Kohgo, Waka Tsukiyama & Mina Shirakawa in a Gauntlet Match

With a battle royal set for day two of Stardom World Climax, a Six-Woman Gauntlet Match has been made to help get everyone who didn’t have a place on the card a spot. As we’ve seen in the past, these Gauntlet Matches can be a ton of fun with great effort throughout. Each faction is represented in one way or another in the match. The only twist is that STARS’s Momo Kohgo has to team with the Cosmic Angels Mina Shirakawa and Waka Tsukiyama. Looking at the field, Donna del Mondo’s Himeka, Natsupoi, and Mai Sakurai are the favorites. Prediction: Himeka, Natsupoi & Mai Sakurai

Maika & Thekla vs. Risa Sera & Suzu Suzuki

Prominence will make their mark on both nights of Stardom World Climax starting here. Suzu Suzuki will wrestle for the first time in a Stardom ring as she teams with Sera to face Donna del Mondo’s Maika and Thekla. In the first match between Prominence and Donna del Mondo, Sera and Akane Fujita went to a 20-minute draw with Syuri and Thekla. While a draw is always likely, Prominence is sending forth their A-Team in this one to get the job done. For anyone who hasn’t seen Suzuki wrestle before, you’re in for a treat. The 19-year-0ld prodigy is a former ICExInfinity Champion who already is already among the best in Joshi today. There’s a reason most of the excitement for Suzuki in Stardom comes with a potential matchup between herself and Giulia.

Thekla, of course, has experience against both of these ladies due to her time in Ice Ribbon. Hopefully, for Maika’s sake, Thekla is sharing anything and everything she knows about them prior to the match. Anytime Donna del Mondo is in a match, it’s tough to bet against them. All that being said, this sure feels like the night Prominence earns the first major W of the rivalry. Prediction: Risa Sera & Suzu Suzuki

Goddess of Stardom Championship
Hazuki & Koguma (c) vs. Starlight Kid & Momo Watanabe

Hazuki and Koguma have been dominant as a tandem since linking up for the Goddesses of Stardom Tag League. FWC’s current record as a duo is 10-1-1 which is best for one of the best marks for any tag team in wrestling in the span. On the other side is much more of a curveball as Momo Watanabe and Starlight Kid will team up for only the second time. Black Desire, as they have named themselves, won their first and only match together at Nagoya Supreme Fight when they defeated Utami Hayashishita and AZM. Watanabe laid down this challenge for FWC following their successful defense over Unagi Sayaka and Mina Shirakawa at Cinderella Journey but did not have Kid with her at the time and instead teased mystery.

Maybe it was to fit FWC’s demand of being crazy. Maybe it was just mind games. Either way, these two teams could deliver a sleeper for the match of the night. Hazuki and Watanabe will face off on day two so expect the tension between them to be escalated even more than usual. Prediction: Starlight Kid & Momo Watanabe

KAIRI & Mayu Iwatani vs. Tam Nakano & Unagi Sayaka

It’s happening. It’s actually happening. KAIRI will return to a Stardom ring for the first time since 2017 and she will do it teaming with her Threedom stablemate Mayu Iwatani to take on Tam Nakano and Unagi Sayaka. Everything about KAIRI being back has had the wrestling world abuzz. The match against Nakano and Sayaka came about at KAIRI’s press conference as Sayaka was determined to assess the competition yet again. It had a humorous side to it though seeing Sayaka had no recollection of KAIRI’s time prior and only viewed her as someone trying to take a spot. Nakano informed her quickly exactly who KAIRI was before offering the match here at Stardom World Climax. KAIRI understandably went to Iwatani as her tag team partner, making this a wonderful return and reunion all in one.

There’s little chance KAIRI loses in her first match back but the best part of this will be seeing her with Iwatani once again. Oh, and KAIRI hitting the Spinning Backfist and Insane Elbow once again. That’ll be pretty cool too. Prediction: KAIRI & Mayu Iwatani

Wonder of Stardom Championship
Saya Kamitani (c) vs. Utami Hayashishita

One year ago, Saya Kamitani stepped up into the highest of stakes as she faced Utami Hayashishita for the World of Stardom Championship at All Star Dream Cinderella. While she came up short, it was clear Kamitani was ready for the next steps in her career. She’d go on to win the Cinderella Tournament, challenge for the Wonder of Stardom Championship, a win within winning her block in the 5 STAR Grand Prix, and ultimately winning the Wonder of Stardom Championship since that match. It all comes full circle now. Hayashishita is the one going in as a challenger with Kamitani as the champion. Kamitani has never defeated Hayashishita in singles action, making this match all the more intriguing with the outcome being as 50-50 as we’ve felt in a long time.

The build to this massive rematch hasn’t been as you’d expect. They’ve mostly teamed in hopes of taking down Oedo Tai and have little heat with each other regarding the championship. AphroditE knows each other like the back of their hands. It doesn’t need the heat or tension like the main event has to deliver. “The Golden Phoenix” vs. “The Red Queen” is going to be a match full of greatness with no certainty as to who walks out with the gold — just as it is supposed to be. Prediction: Saya Kamitani

World of Stardom Championship
Syuri (c) vs. Giulia

Syuri and Giulia are going to destroy each other. When this match was officially announced following Giulia and Mayu Iwatani going to a 30-minute draw at Nagoya Supreme Fight, many believed it would be all fine and good between Syuri and Giulia until after the match occurred. Well, seeing these two have teased teaming again will be impossible after this match, most would say it is not fine and good. In ALK’s match Monday, Giulia and Syuri officially declared the team over. In their outpost tag team match on March 13, these two hit each other harder and harder until the final bell rang. There was a headbutt that echoed in the arena. Syuri kicked Giulia harder than anyone we have seen in some time. All signs point to this match forgetting the friendship, tag team, and Donna del Mondo all together. This is about the World of Stardom Championship and nothing less.

There’s history here to go off of when it comes to them going face-to-face. At Osaka Dream Cinderella in December 2020, these two wrestled to a 30-minute draw with the SWA World Championship and Wonder of Stardom Championship on the line. This could always have the same fate but the way they have been interacting, it feels there has to be a winner this time around. And following this encounter, Donna del Mondo will seemingly be split down the middle with sides to be picked.

The winner will go on to face Mayu Iwatani in the main event on day two. Prediction: Syuri

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