Preview: STARDOM All-Star Grand Queendom in Yokohama Arena (4/23/23)

For the past few years, STARDOM has presented two major non-tournament events throughout the year, one in December and one in the Spring. While usually, the understanding is that the year-end event takes precedence over its mid-year counterpart, that has been completely thrown for a spin as STARDOM will present its most ambitious event in history when STARDOM All-Star Grand Queendom in Yokohama Arena takes place on April 23.

30 years to the month after All-Japan Women’s Pro Wrestling presented All-Star Dream Slam inside of Yokohama Arena, one of the most legendary venues in Joshi wrestling history will play host to its first all-woman event since 2003. Beyond the historical implications of the event, the card itself is also set to be one of the best in STARDOM history, with plenty of potential show-stealers from top to bottom. So, without any further ado, let’s take a look at what to expect from STARDOM All-Star Grand Queendom in Yokohama Arena!

Read More: Stardom Roster & Factions Guide

STARDOM All-Star Grand Queendom in Yokohama Arena Full Card

-Yokohama Rumble Match featuring Momoe Nakanishi

-Queen’s Quest (Miyu Amasaki & Utami Hayashishita) vs. Hazuki & Fuwa-chan

-Momo Watanabe, Natsuko Tora, Ruaka & Saki Kashima (Oedo Tai) vs. Thekla, Jessie, Mariah May & Xena 

-High-Speed Showcase: Mei Seira & Starlight Kid vs. AZM & Mei Suruga

-Himeka’s Retirement Match: Himeka vs. Maika

-Goddesses Of Stardom Championship Match: Nanae Takahashi & Yuu (c) vs. Ami Sourei & MIRAI

-Artist Of Stardom Championship Match: Hiragi Kurumi, Risa Sera & Suzu Suzuki (Prominence)(c) vs. KAIRI, Natsupoi & Saori Anou (REStart)

-Knockout or Submission Only Match: Syuri vs. Chihiro Hashimoto

-IWGP Women’s Championship Match: Mercedes Mone (c) vs. Mayu Iwatani

-Wonder Of Stardom Championship Match: Saya Kamitani (c) vs. Mina Shirakawa

-World Of Stardom Title Match: Giulia (c) vs. Tam Nakano

Fuwa-Chan Returns!

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While the star-studded STARDOM All-Star Grand Queendom in Yokohama Arena event will begin with a countdown battle royal (featuring the legendary Momoe Nakanishi), the card jumps straight into noteworthy matches when Japanese celebrity Fuwa-Chan returns to in-ring competition. Trained to compete last year by Hazuki, the YouTuber/comedian’s debut match took place last October when the pair lost to Saya Kamitani and Hina, a match that impressed the wrestling world and the world beyond. While the match eventually aired on a variety show in Japan, the first series of clips that Fuwa-Chan released following her debut amassed over four million views in just a few days.

Considering the number of additional eyes on Fuwa-Chan’s endeavors, Utami Hayashishita was quick to nominate herself and Miyu Amasaki when it was announced that the comedian would return to the ring this year. Similarly to her debut match, Fuwa-Chan will be joined by her primary trainer, Hazuki, to take on the QQ leader and underling. Still seeking her first win, Fuwa-Chan will have her hands full yet again in her second-ever wrestling match.

STARDOM’s Foreign Talent Battles Oedo Tai’s Finest

With the reintroduction of long-term foreign competitors in STARDOM earlier this year (not named Thekla), April 23 will feature a team of exclusively non-Japanese performers for the first time since 2020. Donna Del Mondo’s Thekla will be forced to team alongside Club Venus’s Mariah May, Xena, and Jessie in an effort to defeat Oedo Tai’s Natsuko Tora, Momo Watanabe, Ruaka & Saki Kashima. While this is admittedly one of the lowest-stake matches on the card, each of the four foreign talents has been impressing STARDOM fans since their respective debuts. Can they pull out a victory over the longest-tenured faction in the company?

Does Mei Seira Have a Need for Speed?

Next up we have yet another long-awaited return to a STARDOM ring as Mei Seira (fka Mei Hoshizuki) returns to wrestling for the first time in nearly two years. After invading Ichigaya Chocolate Square and challenging Mei Suruga to a tag team match on April 23, Starlight Kid invited the former Marvelous star to be her partner. Seira, who has been away from the industry since leaving the Chigusa Nagayo-led company in 2021, is known for her fast-paced wrestling style and could be a major player in STARDOM’s de facto High-Speed Divison moving forward. Furthermore, due to Suruga recently picking AZM to be her partner in the match, Mei Seira will interact with two of her former tag team partners for the first time since 2021. While Seira clarified that she has no plans to affiliate with Starlight Kid moving forward, her placement opposite AZM could be a preview of a High-Speed Championship match in the future.

The Golden Duo’s Last Stand in Yokohama Arena

Following their last time teaming together against Giulia and Syuri on April 14, MaiHime will meet inside the ring one last time in singles action ahead of Himeka’s impending retirement from professional wrestling. The beloved tag team partners have met one-on-one once before, wrestling to a double KO on the last day of the 2022 5STAR Grand Prix. With that being said, the added weight of Himeka’s retirement is likely to make this a highly emotional and physical match.

Himeka’s retirement road, which began when she announced she’d be retiring a few months ago, has been a “greatest hits” kind of run for Himeka, wrestling people from her past, powerhouse wrestlers who will carry on her style into the future, and finally, her DDM stablemates who she has grown synonymous within her three years as a member of STARDOM. While Himeka will also compete in a Bushiroad Fight x Pro Wrestling WAVE collab show shortly after her second and final bout against Maika, Yokohama Arena will witness the last hurrah of the “Jumbo Princess”.

Is 7Upp’s Remarkable Title Reign Coming To An End?

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Nobody could’ve expected the incredible run that Yuu and Nanae Takahashi would go on when they first united last Autumn. After their dominant yet captivating Goddesses Tag League victory led them to win the Goddesses of Stardom Tag Team Championships from Meltear at STARDOM Dream Queendom, 7Upp have held the titles with pride and defended them in two phenomenal matches up to this point. All that stands in their way from being considered an all-time great tag team in STARDOM history is the team of MIRAI and Ami Sourei at STARDOM All-Star Grand Queendom in Yokohama Arena.

MIRAI and Ami, the top tag team representing God’s Eye, have been consistently in the conversation for “future tag team champions” since their union began last Summer. And, despite 7Upp’s incredible performances, there are few teams more fitting of overcoming them than their opponents on April 23rd. Since the four women met in the Goddesses Tag League last year, there has been a visible mutual vendetta between both teams, making this yet another bout that can become a slugfest and a potential show-stealer. On top of that, MIRAI recently won this year’s Cinderella Tournament, giving the God’s Eye duo even more momentum heading into STARDOM in Yokohama Arena.

Can Cosmic Angels ReSTART at Yokohama Arena?

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Just over a week before All-Star Grand Queendom, disaster struck Cosmic Angels as both Waka Tsukiyama and Mina Shirakawa left the group, leaving the full-time ensemble severely wounded going into Yokohama Arena. However, with the introduction of Saori Anou into the group, STARDOM’s favorite space cadets still have two major title opportunities at the biggest STARDOM show to date.

First, Natsupoi will reunite with Saori Anou for the first time in nearly five years when they team up alongside KAIRI to create “ReSTART” on April 23rd. There, the new trio will challenge Prominence for the Artists of Stardom Championship in the 7th match of the show. The reigning champions have been dominant since winning the straps last December, winning the Triangle Derby, a tournament meant to name their next challengers, successfully defending their championships against God’s Eye in the process. While the deathmatch tribe has far more experience as a trio than their challengers, it is clear that Saori Anou won’t go down without a fight at Yokohama Arena.

Queens of Combat Engage

In a special inter-promotional singles match for the ages, Syuri will battle Sendai Girls’ Chihiro Hashimoto in a Knockout/Submission Only match on April 23rd. First teased nearly a year ago at the Korakuen Hall Anniversary show, Syuri officially called Hashimoto out following her loss to Giulia last December. Since then Hashimoto has denounced STARDOM, calling the company a joke and demolishing both MIRAI and Himeka in singles action on STARDOM PPVs. The two legitimate combat athletes have met three times in the past and if she overcomes Hashimoto inside Yokohama Arena, Syuri will become the first woman in history to defeat the powerhouse three times in singles action. Can Hashimoto stop Syuri from achieving such a remarkable lead over her, or will Syuri turn away Sendai Girls’ grappling savant?

Here Comes the Mone!

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In a true dream match thought to be impossible just a year ago, Mercedes Mone will defend her IWGP Women’s Title against Mayu Iwatani on April 23rd. The worldwide sensation was formally challenged by Iwatani following her first successful championship defense at NJPW Sakura Genesis and has been a thorn in Mayu’s side ever since. From berating her at their press conference to attacking her following her match at the Cinderella Tournament Finals, Mercedes has made it her mission to prove she is above Iwatani and get in The Icon’s head as their match approaches. As for Iwatani, the IWGP Women’s Title has felt destined to fall in her lap since its creation last Fall. While she fell short in her first opportunity to win the belt, Mercedes’ taunts and disrespect may be just the push Mayu needs to win the final championship on her bucket list.

Is Mina Shirakawa Destined to be the Tragic Heroine?

In the semi-main event of STARDOM All-Star Grand Queendom in Yokohama Arena, Saya Kamitani will look to defend the Wonder of Stardom Championship for an unprecedented 16th time when she battles Mina Shirakawa. This match came about due to the ending of the pair’s first championship match last Autumn in which Saya Kamitani injured Shirakawa with a mispositioned Pheonix Splash that severely damaged Mina’s jaw and took her out of commission for multiple months. During this time Saya Kamitani refused to use her ace in the hole, opting to use the Firebird Splash instead due to a lack of confidence in her Phoenix Splash.

Now, after her Firebird Splash was withstood by Hazuki at the Triangle Derby Finals, Kamitani has declared that she will return to 100% confidence in her rematch against Mina Shirakawa. Mina, who has recently abandoned Cosmic Angels to be the permanent leader of Club Venus, has attempted to play mind games with the Wonder of Stardom Champion, drooling “black blood” onto Saya Kamitani and berating her for causing her injury. While the Club Venus leader has tried to shake Tall Saya’s confidence, the champion seems more confident than ever, believing that Mina remains stuck in the past and, therefore, will be the “Tragic Heroine” of STARDOM, never winning the prize she believes to be her destiny. Can Shirakawa overcome the dominant champion and become the triumphant heroine of STARDOM on April 23rd, or will the Pheonix soar once again to mark V16 on the biggest event in company history?

Bad Blood, Gallons of the Stuff

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In the main event of STARDOM All-Star Grand Queendom in Yokohama Arena, bitter rivals will meet yet again as Giulia defends the World of Stardom Championship against Tam Nakano. Since first engaging in 2020, the two top stars have been at one another’s throats, first culminating with Tam’s victory over Giulia in a hair vs. hair match in 2021. Since then, Giulia has regained control over their rivalry, last defeating Nakano to win the 2022 5STAR Grand Prix on the way to winning the Red Belt from Syuri a few months later.

Currently, the singles record between Giulia and Tam stands at 3-2 in the champion’s favor, but this year’s bout seems to be the most hotly contested, with Giulia bloodying Tam at the press conference for the event. While it initially appeared as if there would be some kind of stipulation added to the bout because of both women’s intensity, the main event match remains a traditional singles match at this time.

Giulia’s defense against Tam will be her third since winning the Red Belt last December, defeating Suzu Suzuki and Maya Yukihi in previous title bouts this year. While some expect her to hold on to the title for a long time, Nakano is likely the biggest threat of cutting the DDM leader’s run atop the company short on April 23rd.