The 5-Star Grand Prix tournament is in full motion in Japan, being held by STARDOM, the all women’s wrestling promotion which is heralded as being the best women’s wrestling in the world.
The next chapter of the 5-Star Grand Prix takes place on September 3rd, 2023, in the Hiroshima Sunplaza. The Stardom Five-Star Grand Prix 23 Special in Hiroshima has many exciting bouts ahead, join us as we preview each match.
Wonder of Stardom Championship: MIARI (c) v. Konami
Konami looks to take the Wonder of Stardom championship from MIARI. MIARI the current champion, won the championship at STARDOM’s MidSummer Champions 2023 event in Yokohama by defeating Tam Nakano.
MIARI & Konami are both current members of God’s Eye (a faction led by former multiple time champion, Syuri) and they have recently felt rifts and tensions between each other. Stardom featured a 10 woman tag team match in where Gods Eye faced STARS, with Koguma pinning a member of Gods Eye, Saki Kashima. Konami was not pleased by this loss and took it as a failure on Saki’s end, as she voiced her displeasure after the match had ended. MIARI however, stood up for Saki, and defended her.
This rift has added an element of uncertainty ahead of the championship match. Dissension in God’s Eye looks to be the forecast for September 3rd.
Goddess of Stardom Championships: Saori Anou & Natsupoi (c) vs Suzu Suzuki & Mei Siera
Saori Anou and Natsupoi, the current champions, are coming out of an emotional match where the two fought in a Strap match. The match saw the two try to put the other away for good. The friendship of these two is a complicated one, with them originally becoming friends years ago before either had joined STARDOM and amassed any success. Of the two, Natsupoi was the first to join Stardom and become a star.
Saori Anou watched on from a far, questioning where she had gone wrong, where her roads were taking her, and what steps she needed to take so that she could also feel the ecstasy of accomplishment. Poi and Anou, having been distant for so long, have managed to maintain a profound connection. The strap match was perfectly symbolic for their relationship, driven by competition, but held together by kinship. Twisted through chaos and trust.
The two, in a new headspace, look to defend their championships against Suzu Suzuki and Mei Siera. Two of the youngest wrestlers in all of STARDOM, with a chip on their shoulder and everything to prove. Suzu and Mei are synced up, determined, and focused on becoming champions and ascending to stardom.
NJPW Strong Women’s Championship: Giulia (c) v. Risa Sera
Giulia, who is the current NJPW Strong Women’s Champion, is known as one of the more hard hitting and aggressive talents in all of STARDOM. She leads a faction called Donna Del Mondo with brilliant leadership, she has a swagger that is unmatched, and is maximized by her impeccable, irreplaceable taste of fashion. She has a presence unlike anyone else in STARDOM. Giulia is the epitome of a true villain and epic conqueror.
However, outside of STARDOM, there exists a group of ungodly women, known as PROMINENCE. They have made waves in Joshi wrestling because of their ability to work in deathmatches as a unit. While they primarily work as freelancers, the group was very much an origination from Ice Ribbon, a sister Joshi promotion. PROMINENCE is led by Risa Sera, often referred to as the Deathmatch Queen. Her ungodly and unbelievable feats set her up as an almost unbeatable opponent for anyone.
This is not the first time Risa & Giulia have fought, their last encounter took place nearly 4 years ago. Risa Sera defeated Giulia in the ICExInfinity Tournament quarterfinals, taking place in Ice Ribbon. This was during the time when Giulia had worked there, before finding opportunities elsewhere. Years later, Risa found her way into STARDOM. In 2022, as a part of PROMINENCE’s invasion of STARDOM, she looked to take down Giulia and her friends of Donna Del Mondo, but a match never occurred. It is something Risa has wanted, it is something fans have wanted, and now it is happening.
Giulia for the first time in a long time is fighting an uphill battle, where she must rise to the occasion and demonstrate her power for a victory, against an old foe. One who has the advantage over her, from the years of their past. Times have changed, Come September 3rd, Giulia isn’t the same person she was years ago, and neither is Risa Sera.
Giulia, having defended the NJPW Strong Women’s Championship successfully against opponents such as Yuu, Deonna Purrazzo, Gisele Shaw and Momo Kohgo, has grown more sinister and dangerous from the last time her and Sera went toe to toe. The Deathmatch Queen Risa Sera looks to capture gold as she faces off against the Fearless Divine leader Giulia, in what will be, an unforgettable bout.
High Speed Championship: Saki Kashima (c) vs. Momo Kohgo
The High Speed Championship match will be an affair between defending champion Saki Kashima of God’s Eye and the challenger Momo Kohgo from Stars.
Saki Kashima will be entering her third defense for the High Speed belt after beating former Oedo Tai stablemate Fukigen Death at the Yokohama Budokan on July 1st and Koguma from STARS at the EDION Arena in Osaka back on the 13th of August. In both matches, Kashima won by Kishikaisei as both matches ended in under five minutes. Kashima’s reign will reach past the three-month mark, a reign that started by way of Kashima beating Fukigen Death and previous belt-holder AZM at Flashing Champions at Tokyo’s Ota City General Gymnasium as a member of Oedo Tai. Since winning the High Speed belt and ending AZM’s 458-day reign, Kashima got booted out of Oedo Tai, declined AZM’s invite to join Queen’s Quest and joined God’s Eye, where she’s been receiving rigorous training by Syuri, Ami Sourei, and current Wonder of Stardom champion MIRAI. After a turbulent summer of highs and lows, Saki Kashima will have to defend her High Speed Championship against another member of Stars, Momo Kohgo.
For Momo Kohgo, this will be her second opportunity to win the High Speed Championship, as she fell short last year in AZM’s fifth defense of the High Speed Championship at MidSummer Champions 2022 at Tachikawa Stage Garden in Tokyo. This will also be Momo Kohgo’s second title shot in three weeks as she was a part of the women’s for way match at Multiverse 2 in Philadelphia’s 2300 Arena, where Giulia retained her NJPW Strong Women’s Championship and gave Kohgo a Glorious Driver after the match after pinning Gisele Shaw as Deonna Purrazzo was also involved in the highly acclaimed match.
While this may not be a high speed work-rate match, this will be an entertaining battle between two of Stardom’s colorful personalities. Will Momo Kohgo finally win a belt in Stardom? Or can Saki Kashima win under five minutes by Kishikasai again? And Even if Saki Kashima does retain, just for how much longer can she run away from Mei Seira.
Tam Nakano vs Starlight Kid (Red Stars)
In the Red Stars block of the Five-Star Grand Prix, current World of Stardom Champion Tam Nakano of Cosmic Angels will be facing off against Starlight Kid of Oedo Tai in a pivotal match up.
As of August 28, 2023, Tam Nakano has five points with two wins, two losses and one draw. Tam Nakano’s record consist of a victory against Saya Kamitani due to the referee calling the match at 8 minutes and 15 seconds due to Saya’s left arm injury back on the 23rd of July in the Opening Round of the Tournament at the Ota City Gymnasium in Tokyo, a victory against Hazuki in 12 minutes and 35 seconds in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka on August 6, and a 15-minute draw against Mayu Iwatani on the 15th of August at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo. Before her match against SLK, Tam Nakano suffered her second loss during her homecoming match in Nagoya on August 26th against Natsuko Tora, who sits at a comfy twelve points and is currently leading Red block with Nakano’s stablemate Natsupoi not too far behind with nine points.
Starlight Kid has four points as of August 28, 2023. SLK started her Five-Star Grand Prix journey with a loss against Natsupoi on July 23 at Ota City Gym, and Suzu Suzuki on the 5th of August at Komatsu Suehiro Gymnasium. But after the winless start, SLK has beaten Oedo Tai stablemate Natsuko Tora at the EDION Arena in Osaka and received two points by default due to Saya Kamitani’s injury. Like Tam Nakano, Starlight Kid has a match before the September 3 encounter as she faces off against Ami Sourei on August 27 in Fukui, whose only points of the tournament were received by default due to Kamitani’s injury.
This match between Tam Nakano and Starlight Kid has the potential to be a must win match up to stay alive in the race to the top of the Red Stars block. There is history between the two as both Starlight Kid and Tam Nakano were members of Stars around 2019 and 2020 before Tam Nakano left and founded the Cosmic Angels in late 2020 and SLK joined Oedo Tai in 2021. Tam Nakano may not be as concerned about winning the block, but if Starlight Kid wants to stay alive in this race, she must beat the current ace of Stardom. Who knows, maybe she could receive an opportunity at the red belt soon if she beats Tam Nakano.
Mayu Iwatani vs Syuri (Red Stars)
In this Red Stars block for the Five-Star Grand Prix, it is current IWGP Women’s Champ Mayu Iwatani of STARS going against Syuri of God’s Eye in an important match for both.
Mayu Iwatani & Syuri are tied with five points as of August 28th, 2023, Mayu dose have victories over Hazuki in 13 minutes and 20 seconds on July 23, Suzu Suzuki in 12 minutes and 51 seconds on August 8 in Kyoto / KBS Hall. Syuri has two victories against Suzu Suzuki in 11 minutes and 20 seconds on July 23, Hazuki in 11 minutes and 39 seconds on August 15 in Korakuen Hall in Tokyo. Mayu and Syuri both do have one draw each, Mayu’s draw was against Tam Nakano on August 15 and Syuri’s was against Natsupoi on August 8th. Both have a loss off of Natsuko Tora who has twelve points.
Syuri & Mayu are 1-1 in singles matches against each other. Mayu Iwatani won the Five-Star Grand Prix in 2018 by defeating Utami Hayashishita in the finals, Mayu has held the World Of Stardom Championship two times, one in 2017 and another in 2019. Syuri also won the Five-Star Grand Prix in 2021 by defeating Momo Watanabe, Syuri only held the World Of Stardom Championship once in 2021 by defeating Utami Hayashishita on Stardom’s final PPV of the year.
Syuri vs Mayu match has a lot at stake in this match, it’s a must win for both to stay alive in the Red Stars block, with Natsupoi at nine points and Natsuko Tora with twelve points. Mayu does have a match the day before on September 2nd against Ami Sourei, Syuri must beat Mayu and can not afford to get a draw with Mayu, If Syuri does beat Mayu she can get a IWGP Women’s title match down the line against Mayu. This match between Syuri vs Mayu is going to be a special match, both are one of the two best in Stardom right now, so winning this match is crucial.
Utami Hayashishita vs. Momo Watanabe (Blue Stars)
Next up, we have a Blue Stars block match, with Utami Hayashishita of Queen’s Quest going against Momo Watanabe of Oedo Tai.
As of August 28 Momo Watanabe has three wins and one loss in the Blue Stars block with 6 points. Momo Watanabe’s victories consist of current Wonder Of Stardom Champ MIRAI in 9 minutes and 56 seconds in the opening round for the Five-Star Grand Prix tournament on July 23, Maika in 10 minutes and 2 seconds in Kyoto/KBS Hall on August 8, Saori Anou in 9 minutes and 22 seconds in Korakuen Hall in Tokyo on August 15. Momo’s first loss was at the hands of the “Foreign Ace” Mariah May on August 27th from Kirameki Minato Hall.
Utami Hayashishita has 4 points as of August 28, Utami’s victories consist over Mina Shirakawa in 12 minutes and 48 seconds on July 23, Saori Anou in 13 minutes and 6 seconds on August 12. Utami however does have two losses, one against AZM on August 15 in Korakuen Hall and the other against Maika on August 26th from the Nagoya Congress Center Event Hall.
Utami and Momo have a lot of history together, Momo was in Queen’s Quest until 2021 when she turned on Queen’s Quest to join Oedo Tai on December 18, 2021, in a captain’s fall match with Queen’s Quest vs. Oedo Tai. In 2023 Queen’s Quest and Oedo Tai fought in a steel cage match in a loser leaves unit match, in the closing stretch of that match Momo and Saya Kamitani both climbed the cage while Utami was climbing too, when both were at the top Momo gave a bat to Saya Kamitani to hit Utami with but Momo get hits with the bat instead for Queen’s Quest to win the match.
Both Utami and Momo are still in contention, but the window is closing in tight on them. With most of Blue blocks stars having similar scores with two tied with four, one of those stars being Utami herself and another two stars tied at five points respectively and a five-way tie of six points. Utami needs to clean sweep her next 5 matches to make into the finals, barring that, nobody goes on a big run with one month left in the tournament. Momo needs to always at least win the next three out her five matches to remain safe for contention in the final.
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