STARDOM
STARDOM in SHOWCASE Vol. 1
JULY 23, 2022
Nagoya Congress Center Event Hall
Nagoya City, JAPAN

WATCH: TBD

STARDOM will go back-to-back with two pay-per-view events this weekend with the first being STARDOM in SHOWCASE Vol. 1. While MidSummer Champions 2022 in Nagoya follows the usual lineup STARDOM has for their PPVs, STARDOM in SHOWCASE is the beginning of a new brand under the promotion’s banner that, well, is going to be an experience, to say the least. Let’s get into it.

Mayu Iwatani vs. Hazuki vs. Saki Kashima vs. Momo Kohgo vs. Hanan vs. Ruaka vs. Rina vs. Hina vs. Miyu Amasaki vs. Waka Tsukiyama vs. X vs. X vs. X in a Nagoya Rumble

The Nagoya Rumble will feature the highest of highs on the STARDOM roster as well as the majority of the rookies on the roster to open the show. Mayu Iwatani and Hazuki stick out the most in this match as they were left out of the insanity that is this PPV. Naming them the favorites of the match feels like a safe bet but who knows, a battle royal makes it as even of a playing field as anything else. The last Rumble STARDOM held saw an outsider win ala Mei Suruga, so perhaps the three X options could walk out as winners here instead. Suruga earned a High-Speed Championship match with the win so maybe, just maybe whoever wins this one can earn a title shot as well. In the end, I don’t have a clue. Prediction: Hazuki

Maika & Himeka vs. Utami Hayashishita & Lady C vs. Saya Iida & Ami Sourei in a Power & Tower Rule Tag Match

This is where the fun begins. Being the number one power fight in STARDOM is no joke. They have some of the very best power fighters in the world on their roster with former World of Stardom Champion, Utami Hayashishita, leading the pack. It was recently where STARDOM posted a video of Hayashishita, Ami Sourei, Maika, and Saya Iida all getting in each other’s faces about being the number one power fighter in the promotion. A match has been made and everyone is a winner because of it. Titled the “Power & Tower Rule” match, Maika and Himeka will team up to go against the Queen’s Quest team of Hayashishita and Lady C as well as the mixed team of Ami Sourei and Saya Iida.

Much of the excitement for this was a hopeful fatal-four way between the four in the video, but this should be, at the very least, so much fun. After all, who doesn’t love a hoss fight? Prediction: Maika & Himeka

Mina Shirakawa & Natsupoi vs. Unagi Sayaka & SAKI in a Cosmic Rules Match

The Cosmic Rules match also has been made after a backstage video came to the surface on STARDOM’s YouTube channel. Not posting the video for this one. Unagi Sayaka and Mina Shirakawa were drinking and dressed in bikinis and got annoyed with each other in the process. As a result, they will have a Cosmic Angel by their side for the first-ever Cosmic Rules match (the rules have not been explained as of this writing). The match is interesting more so due to the partners rather than the two feuding.

Natsupoi and SAKI are the new high-ranking Cosmic Angels members, only behind leader Tam Nakano. Seeing that they are not in the same blocks in the 5 STAR Grand Prix, this could be one of the only times we see the former Actwres girl’Z face one another in STARDOM. Prediction: Unagi Sayaka & SAKI

Syuri & MIRAI vs. Hiragi Kurumi & Akane Fujita in an I Quit Match

Backstage at NEW BLOOD 3 following MIRAI’s draw against Suzu Suzuki, Hiragi Kurumi attacked both Syuri and MIRAI. She went as far as choking out Syuri, who was defenseless after being attacked from behind. So as a result, an I Quit match was announced as God’s Eye will team up against the Prominence duo of Kurumi and Akane Fujita. Trying to imagine how this match goes may be the best part of it all seeing one team is part of a deathmatch group and the other is so technically sound that it will be odd to see them leave their usual environment to get the win.

Syuri can be as devastating as anyone in wrestling without weapons so it’s difficult to doubt the World of Stardom Champion and MIRAI, who has done just fine since joining STARDOM. Kurumi and Fujita will do all they can to make it hell for God’s Eye though and will not go down without a fight. Oh, and with Kurumi working back from her ACL injury, Syuri could choose to exploit that to get the win. Prediction: Syuri & MIRAI

Giulia & Mai Sakurai vs. Suzu Suzuki & Risa Sera in a Hardcore Match

Now business picks up. A blood feud between Giulia and Suzu Suzuki enters the next chapter as Giulia will team with Mai Sakurai to take on Suzuki and Risa Sera in a Hardcore match. Giulia has done all she can to dodge, duck, and act as though Suzu Suzuki doesn’t matter to her but she’s clearly failed. Suzuki isn’t going away and she is bringing her hardcore ways to STARDOM. The match heavily favors Prominence as Sakurai has to worry about making it out of this match in one piece more so than winning the match. Hardcore matches are not as gnarly and gore as a deathmatch but it’s going to be painful for everyone involved.

Each day we draw closer and closer to the singles match between Giulia and Suzu Suzuki, which is set for the final day of the 5 STAR Grand Prix. For now, we will just enjoy these tag team wars that they’re involved in against one another. If you are looking for a match that could be the match of the night despite plenty of uncertainty up and down this card, this one takes the cake. Prediction: Suzu Suzuki & Risa Sera

Tam Nakano vs. Koguma vs. AZM vs. Momo Watanabe in a Falls Count Anywhere Match

All you need to know about this one is that there is a match graphic that features a playground. Falls Count Anywhere between four of the best STARDOM has to offer surely will not have anyone complaining as there will be plenty of momentum to gain from such a match. Tam Nakano will challenge for the World of Stardom Championship on Sunday, so it’ll be interesting to see how she wants to attack this one. Koguma will be defending her Goddess of Stardom Championship with Hazuki, AZM will be defending the High-Speed Championship, and Momo Watanabe defends the Artist of Stardom Championship with Starlight Kid and Saki Kashima. Noting all this is to mostly say these four have a lot to focus on this weekend which could make this match even more hectic than you’d expect.

Where will they go in the Nagoya Congress Center Event Hall to get the win? Falls Count Anywhere is unpredictable. Falls Count Anywhere with these four, two of which had a Cage match a month ago because all they do is adventure outside of the ring, makes this as chaotic as possible. Expect… anything. And for a prediction? Yeah, good luck to me on that one!  Prediction: AZM

Starlight Kid vs. Mysterious Grim Reaper vs. Saya Kamitani in a Coffin Match

The build to STARDOM in SHOWCASE Vol. 1 all began with the Mysterious Grim Reaper videos that STARDOM posted on social media. This mysterious being choked out Rossy Ogawa on more than one occasion and eventually got to both Starlight Kid and Saya Kamitani too. So as a result, there will be a triple threat. But nothing about this show has been normal so why start now? It will be a triple threat Coffin match as two competitors who competed against one another two weekends ago for the Wonder of Stardom Championship will face a whole new challenge as the Grim Reaper tries to take them out.

The hope is the Grim Reaper reveals who they are somewhere before, during, or after this match because there haven’t been many clues as to who it could be. There are no exact rules to this match but the guess is that whoever wins will have to put both of their opponents into a coffin. It kind of feels like the Mysterious Grim Reaper has an advantage there! Anyways, will Starlight Kid and Saya Kamitani make it to their title defenses the next day? Or will the Mysterious Grim Reaper continue to wreak havoc for the foreseeable future? Your guess is as good as mine. Prediction: Mysterious Grim Reaper

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