Stars (professional wrestling)

Stars (スターズ, Sutāzu) (often stylized in capital letters such as STARS) is a professional wrestling stable, currently performing in the Japanese professional wrestling promotion World Wonder Ring Stardom. Led by Mayu Iwatani, the stable currently consists of Saya Iida, Hanan, Koguma, Hazuki, and Momo Kohgo.

History

Formation

The stable has been considered the union of the well-meaning ladies of the World Wonder Ring Stardom promotion since 2017 and became an official faction in the course of the Stardom Draft from April 15, 2018, with Mayu Iwatani as the basic leader, and Starlight Kid, Saki Kashima, Shiki Shibusawa, Natsumi and Tam Nakano as their five picks. Hanan also remained part of them without being mentioned.

Under Mayu Iwatani's leadership (2018–present)

They had their first match as an official stable on April 21, 2018, at Stardom Rebirth, where Mayu Iwatani, Saki Kashima & Starlight Kid teamed up to defeat Queen's Quest (AZM, Konami and Momo Watanabe) in a six-man tag team match. On June 3, Iwatani and Kashima won the Goddesses of Stardom Championship by defeating Oedo Tai (Hana Kimura and Kagetsu). On September 30, Iwatani, Kashima, and Nakano won the Artist of Stardom Championship by defeating J.A.N. (Jungle Kyona, Kaori Yoneyama and Natsuko Tora). Later that evening, Iwatani and Kashima lost the Goddesses of Stardom Championship to J.A.N. (Jungle Kyona and Natsuko Tora). On December 15, Iwatani tore her MCL in a successful Artist of Stardom Championship defense against Queen's Quest (Konami, Momo Watanabe and Utami Hayashishita). Iwatani wrestled in one more match on December 16 before taking a one-month break to recover.

In April 2019, Iwatani took another month long break to recover from her knee injury. Arisa Hoshiki won the Stardom Cinderella Tournament 2019 by defeating Konami in the finals on April 29. Saki Kashima and Tam Nakano fell short in the first rounds and Starlight Kid made it to the semi-finals. On May 16, Iwatani, Kashima and Nakano lost the Artist of Stardom Championship to Tokyo Cyber Squad (Hana Kimura, Jungle Kyona and Konami). Iwatani, Kashima and Nakano won the Artist of Stardom Championship back from Tokyo Cyber Squad on June 23, then lost it to Oedo Tai (Andras Miyagi, Kagetsu and Sumire Natsu) on July 20.

At Stardom Yokohama Cinderella 2020 on October 3, Tokyo Cyber Squad's Jungle Kyona and Konami fell short to Oedo Tai's Natsuko Tora and Saki Kashima in a Loser unit must disband match. After the match, the broken Cyber Squad's Kyona, Death Yama-san, Rina and Ruaka were invited to join Stars which they all accepted. At Stardom Sendai Cinderella 2020 on November 15, Mayu Iwatani dropped the World of Stardom Championship to Utami Hayashishita.

On October 25, 2020, following Tam Nakano's pairing with a debuting Mina Shirakawa into the 2020 edition of the Goddesses of Stardom Tag League, Mayu Iwatani officially announced Shirakawa as a full member of Stars. Nakano would name their tag team as "Cosmic Angels". On November 14, 2020, Unagi Sayaka from Tokyo Joshi Pro Wrestling debuted in Stardom and joined the sub-unit of Cosmic Angels. At Road to Osaka Dream Cinderella - Day 2 on December 16, 2020, Nakano, Shirakawa and Sayaka teamed up to defeat Oedo Tai's Bea Priestley, Natsuko Tora and Saki Kashima to win the Artist of Stardom Championship. On December 20, 2020, at Osaka Dream Cinderella, Nakano announced that she, Shirakawa and Sayaka were splitting from Stars to act as a separate stable.

At Stardom Yokohama Dream Cinderella 2021 on April 4, Mayu Iwatani, Saya Iida, Starlight Kid, Hanan and Gokigen Death fell short to Oedo Tai's Natsuko Tora, Ruaka, Konami, Saki Kashima and Rina in a Ten-woman elimination tag team match in which the last one eliminated was forced to join the enemy unit. Since Gokigen Death was eliminated last, she was forced to join Oedo Tai. At the beginning of the Stardom Cinderella Tournament 2021, Stars only counted four members. Iwatani, Hanan and Starlight Kid, with all of them being scheduled to take part into the tournament except Saya Iida who was out with injury. On the first night from April 10, Hanan fell short to Himeka, Starlight Kid defeated Momo Watanabe, and Mayu Iwatani defeated Fukigen Death, all matches having been disputed in the first-round matches. On the second night from May 14, Starlight Kid fell short to Saya Kamitani and Mayu Iwatani to Himeka in the second-round mactches. Koguma made her return and saved Stars from an Oedo Tai attack and subsequently joined the unit. On the third night from June 12, Mayu Iwatani, Starlight Kid, Hanan, Koguma and Rin Kadokura, an associate from Pro Wrestling Wave teamed up to fall short to Oedo Tai's Natsuko Tora, Konami, Fukigen Death, Ruaka and Saki Kashima in another Ten-woman elimination tag team match, where this time Starlight Kid was the last to get eliminated and was forced to join Oedo Tai since. At Yokohama Dream Cinderella 2021 in Summer on July 4, Mayu Iwatani and Koguma unsuccessfully challenged Alto Livello Kabaliwan (Giulia and Syuri) for the Goddesses of Stardom Championship. Mayu Iwatani and Koguma were the only members of Stars to compete in the Stardom 5 Star Grand Prix 2021. They both wrestled in the "Red Stars" and scored a tying eleven points. At Stardom 10th Anniversary Grand Final Osaka Dream Cinderella on October 9, 2021, Hazuki defeated Koguma in her return match and mayu Iwatani fell short to Tam Nakano in a Wonder of Stardom Championship match. At the 2021 edition of the Goddesses of Stardom Tag League, Hazuki and Koguma competed as the team of FWC, Mayu Iwatani alongside Rin Kadokura went under the name of Blue MaRine, and Hanan engaged in a makeshift team with Rina known as Water & Oil. BlueMarine competed in the "Blue Goddess Block" and the other two sub-units in the "Red Goddess Block". Hazuki and Koguma would eventually win the tournament by defeating previous winner MOMOAZ (Momo Watanabe and AZM). During the event, on November 4, Hazuki joined the unit. At Osaka Super Wars, the last event from December 18, 2021, Mayu Iwatani, Hazuki and Koguma teamed up to compete in a ¥10 Million Unit Tournament. They defeated Cosmic Angels (Tam Nakano, Mina Shirakawa and Unagi Sayaka) in the semi-finals but fell short to MaiHimePoi (Maika, Natsupoi and Himeka) in the finals which were also disputed for the Artist of Stardom Championship. At Stardom Dream Queendom on December 29, 2021, Hanan defeated Ruaka to win the Future of Stardom Championship.

At Stardom in Osaka event from January 23, 2022, Momo Kohgo requested Stars members to let her join the unit which the latters accepted. At Stardom Nagoya Supreme Fight on January 29, 2022, Hazuki and Koguma defeated Maika and Himeka to retain the Goddesses of Stardom Championship. At Stardom Cinderella Journey on February 23, 2022, Hanan defended the Future of Stardom title successfully against fellow stablemate Momo Kohgo and Hazuki and Koguma successfully defended the Goddesses of Stardom Championship against Mina Shirakawa and Unagi Sayaka. At Stardom New Blood 1 on March 11, 2022, a returning Saya Iida defeated Professional Wrestling Just Tap Out's Tomoka Inaba and Aoi. On the first night of the Stardom World Climax 2022 from March 25, Hazuki and Koguma dropped the Goddess titles to Black Desire (Momo Watanabe and Starlight Kid). At Stardom Golden Week Fight Tour on May 5, 2022, Hazuki and Koguma regained the Goddesses of Stardom Championship by defeating Momo Watanabe and Starlight Kid and becoming the first team to ever win the titles on more than one occasion. Mayu Iwatani won the SWA World Championship by defeating Thekla and becoming the promotion's second-ever "grand slam champion" alongside Io Shirai, winning all the available championships except the Future of Stardom title which is not required. At Stardom Flashing Champions on May 28, 2022, Hazuki and Koguma successfully defended the Goddesses of Stardom Championship against Giulia and Mai Sakurai. At Stardom Fight in the Top on June 26, 2022, Mayu Iwatani, Koguma and Hazuki defeated Queen's Quest's Utami Hayashishita, Saya Kamitani and AZM in one of the first steel cage matches ever promoted by Stardom. At Mid Summer Champions in Nagoya from July 24, 2022, Hazuki and Koguma successfully defended the Goddesses of Stardom Championship against Ami Sourei and Mirai. At Stardom x Stardom: Nagoya Midsummer Encounter on August 21, 2022, Hazuki and Koguma dropped the Goddesses of Stardom Championship to Tam Nakano and Natsupoi. At Stardom New Blood 5 on October 19, 2022, Hanan dropped the Future of Stardom Championship to Ami Sourei. At Hiroshima Goddess Festival on November 3, 2022, Mayu Iwatani defeated Alpha Female to retain the SWA World Championship. After the match, Iwatani relinquished the title to focus on the IWGP Women's Championship. At Stardom Gold Rush on November 19, 2022, Mayu Iwatani, Hazuki and Koguma won a "Moneyball tournament" by defeating Giulia, Thekla and Mai Sakurai in the finals.

At Stardom New Blood 7 on January 20, 2023, Momo Kohgo teamed up with Momoka Hanazono in a losing effort against Mai Sakurai and Chanyota, and wing★gori (Hanan and Iida) fell short against Ami Sourei and Nanami in the quarterfinals of the inaugural New Blood Tag Team Championship. At New Blood 11 on September 29, wing★gori became the New Blood Tag Team Champions by defeating Bloody Fate.

New Japan Pro Wrestling (2020–present)

Due to Stardom's relationship with New Japan Pro Wrestling, various of the unit's members are often competing in the latter's promotion events. On January 4, 2020, at Wrestle Kingdom 14, Mayu Iwatani teamed up with Arisa Hoshiki to defeat Hana Kimura and Giulia. On January 5, 2021, at Wrestle Kingdom 15, Iwatani teamed up with Tam Nakano in a losing effort against Alto Livello Kabaliwan (Giulia and Syuri). On January 5, 2022, at Wrestle Kingdom 16, Iwatani teamed up with Starlight Kid in a losing effort against Tam Nakano and Saya Kamitani. At Historic X-Over on November 20, 2022, Saya Iida, Hanan, Koguma and Momo Kohgo competed in the Stardom Rambo, while Mayu Iwatani unsuccessfully challenged Kairi in the finals of the inaugural IWGP Women's Championship.

On April 23, 2023, at All Star Grand Queendom, Iwatani captured the IWGP Women's Championship by defeating Mercedes Moné.

Members

Current

Associate

Former

Timeline

Sub-groups

Current

Former

Championships and accomplishments

• New Japan Pro Wrestling
  • IWGP Women's Championship (1 time, current) – Iwatani
• Pro Wrestling Illustrated
  • Singles wrestlers
    • Ranked Arisa Hoshiki No. 28 of the top 100 female singles wrestlers in the PWI Women's 100 in 2019
    • Ranked Hanan No. 132 of the top 150 female singles wrestlers in the PWI Women's 150 in 2022
    • Ranked Hazuki No. 101 of the top 150 female singles wrestlers in the PWI Women's 150 in 2022
    • Ranked Koguma No. 91 of the top 150 female singles wrestlers in the PWI Women's 150 in 2022
    • Ranked Mayu Iwatani No. 9 of the top 100 female singles wrestlers in the PWI Women's 100 in 2018
    • Ranked Kid No. 51 of the top 100 female singles wrestlers in the PWI Women's 100 in 2018
    • Ranked Tam Nakano No. 76 of the top 100 female singles wrestlers in the PWI Women's 100 in 2018
  • Tag teams
    • Ranked FWC (Hazuki and Koguma) No. 5 of the top 100 tag teams in the PWI Tag Team 100 of 2022
• Tokyo Sports
  • Women's Wrestling Grand Prize – Mayu Iwatani (2019)
• World Wonder Ring Stardom
  • Artist of Stardom Championship (3 times) – Mayu Iwatani, Saki Kashima and Tam Nakano (2), and Mina Shirakawa, Tam Nakano and Unagi Sayaka (1)
  • Future of Stardom Championship (3 times) – Hanan, Starlight Kid (inaugural) and Saya Iida
  • Goddesses of Stardom Championship (4 times) – Hazuki and Koguma (3) and Mayu Iwatani and Saki Kashima (1)
  • New Blood Tag Team Championship (1 time, current) – Hanan and Iida
  • SWA World Championship (1 time) – Mayu Iwatani
  • Wonder of Stardom Championship (1 times) – Arisa Hoshiki
  • World of Stardom Championship (1 time) – Mayu Iwatani
  • Cinderella Tournament – Arisa Hoshiki (2019) and Hanan (2024)
  • Goddesses of Stardom Tag League (2021) – Hazuki and Koguma
  • 5★Star GP Award (1 time)
    • 5★Star GP Red Stars Match Bout (2021) – Giulia vs. Mayu Iwatani
  • Stardom Year-End Award (11 times)
    • Best Match Award (2018) – Io Shirai and Mayu Iwatani vs. Hazuki and Kagetsu
    • Best Match Award (2019) Arisa Hoshiki vs. Tam Nakano
    • Best Match Award (2020) Mayu Iwatani vs. Utami Hayashishita
    • Best Tag Team Award – Hazuki and Koguma (2021)
    • Best Technique Award – Starlight Kid (2018)
    • Best Unit Award (2018, 2022)
    • MVP Award – Mayu Iwatani (2018)
    • Outstanding Performance Award – Arisa Hoshiki (2019), Mayu Iwatani (2023)
    • Special Merit Award – Mayu Iwatani (2021)

Notes

References

External links

• Official website