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Presentation of Triangle Derby

Taking place between january 3rd and march 4th 2023, this new trio tournament is in two steps : - A round robin phase - A single elimination tournament

The round robin phase is slightly different than similar tournament. Althrough the teams are separated between two groups (Triangle Red & Triangle Blue), all the matches during this phase will be between a team from the blue group and one from the red group.

The single elimination tournament part is more classic. The first two team of each group will be qualified to a 4 teams tournament, where the 1st of the blue group will fight the 2nd of the red group and vice versa.

In this first edition, 14 teams will fight each other for the title of best trio team of 2023 and a pennant of glory.

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Announced Teams

Triangle Red

Club Venus : Mina Shirakawa, Xia Brookside & Mariah May

7Upp : Nanae Takahashi, Yuu & Yuna Mizumori

Queen’s Quest : Utami Hayashishita, Saya Kamitani & AZM

Baribari Bombers : Giulia, Thekla, Mai Sakurai

Cosmic Angels : Tam Nakano, Natsupoi & Saki

Unique Glare : Starlight Kid, Haruka Umesaki & Ruaka

H&M’s : Mayu Iwatani, Hanan & Momo Kohgo

Triangle Blue

Rebel&Enemy : Ram Kaicho, Maika Ozaki & Maya Yukihi

Oedo Tai : Natsuko Tora, Momo Watanabe & Saki Kashima

Prominence : Suzu Suzuki, Risa Sera & Hiragi Kurumi

Maihime with C : Maika, Himeka & Lady C

Abarenbo GE : Syuri, Mirai & Ami Sourei

Classmates : Hazuki, Koguma & Saya Iida

Lollipop : Waka Tsukiyama, Yuko Sakurai & Rina Amikura

— - At the moment where I wrote these lines, the first show is done. Without spoiling, the show is great and the challenge should only grow, adding some spice and suspense.

If you want to watch the next shows, subscribe to Stardom World https://www.stardom-world.com/!

Next dates : - January 6th - January 8th - January 9th - January 14th - January 15th - January 28th - January 29th

Stardom announcement for the tournament : https://wwr-stardom.com/news/221216-2/

Don’t hesitate to follow me on twitter https://twitter.com/Elbow_Drop_ for more!

Image Credit Stardom

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Fantasy Booking — Mercedes Varnado in NJPW x Stardom

All elements described here are pure fantasy

Mecedes Varnado shows in Wrestle Kingdom, right after the victory of KAIRI over Tam Nakano. Mercedes came to let KAIRI knows that she wants the title.

The next day at New Year’s Dash, she appears to do a tag match with members of Donna Del Mundo (clan she joins as temporary member) versus Cosmic Angels. In the after-match, she does a promo saying that she came for one thing, and it’s the IWGP title. She won’t leave KAIRI until she have it. The champion came to confront her in the ring.

In march, during the Triangle Derby final show, Mercedes comes with Giulia for a title defense. While the whole clan celebrate and Mercedes says again that everyone will have a title soon, KAIRI shows to confront Mercedes and shut her dreams of gold. KAIRI says that Mercedes haven’t fight since january, while all the other fought a lot. So, for her, it’s normal to give the priority to someone who deserves a title match because she fights and not just came to say “I’m the next one”. (Looking Giulia with her title)

At the next Stardom show, Mercedes shows in the middle of the ring to call someone to fight her during the final show of the Cinderella Tournament in april. It’s Mayu Iwatani who cames and accepts the challenge.

During the final show of the Cinderella Tournament, Mercedes fights and beats Mayu Iwatani. She takes the mic and call out KAIRI. She played her game and won aggainst one of the best wrestler of the company. Now, she wants her title match. KAIRI cames and announce their match for the IWGP title at Dominion in June.

Finally, the match between KAIRI and Mercedes Varnado finally comes. And after a huge match, Mercedes wins the title.

During the next shows, KAIRI says that she want her rematch. But with a video, Mercedes decline the proposition and send her to the back of the line.

Mercedes, to show that she is a real champion, fight against Himeka at the G1 Climax final, Alpha Female at Royal Quest 3, and then Starlight Kid, Hanan and Jamie Hayter at Forbidden Door 2.

In parallel, KAIRI shows her determination to go back to the competition and shows that she deserves a new title shot. She participate in the 5 stars Grand Prix 2023, which she won, beating the World of Stardom champion, Giulia.

With this huge victory over a major title champion, she doubts and express a desire to take the title from Giulia.

But, right after the victory of Mercedes Varnado at Royal Quest 3 (which should be in october), KAIRI cames to announces that she would use her 5 stars Grand Prix prize, for a match against her at Wrestle Kingdom 18.

January 4th 2024, the rematch finally append at the Tokyo Dome and KAIRI wins back the title after a new high caliber match.

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Don’t hesitate to follow me on Twitter for more!

Image Credit WWE

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Stardom — Next top stars destination ?

Since 2019 with the acquisition of Stardom by Bushiroad, the Joshi puroresu company seems to take ip up a notch. Also, with the come back of KAIRI (formerly known as Kairi Hojo in her first Stardom appearances and Kairi Sane at the WWE) and the creation of the IWGP Women’s Championship, it seems that the company want to continue to grow up and extends its fan base.

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While, in october 2019, Bushiroad announced the acquisition of Stardom, a lot of us hoped that the promotion will have a better worldwide visibility. Indeed, with Bushiroad which is already the owner of the NJPW (New Japan Pro Wrestling), we instantly hope for cross companies shows.

It’s finally in 2022 that all will really start (even if Stardom dark matches already happend in Wrestle Kingdom 14 & 15), with a match in the main card of Wrestle Kingdom 16. Where Tam Nakano & Saya Kamitani fought against Mayu Iwatani & Starlight Kid.

Then, finally, the collaboration between the two promotions materialize in august when two announces where made : - first, the creation of the IWGP Women’s Championship, a women’s title which will be defended on NJPW shows - second, the creation of a show Historic X-Over where the first champion will be crown and where we will see matches from both promotions (and even mixed tag matches)

It’s a huge milestone, that we hope, won’t be the last for Stardom.

— - With the creation of a women’s title at the NJPW, it shows that they want to include more womens in their shows. Knowing that NJPW Strong and NJPW Tamashii are here to expend the promotion in North America and Oceania (without talking about the special shows in North America or Europe), it would be a huge opportunity for Stardom.

Also, with the come back of KAIRI last february (who since won the IWGP title) will help to this worldwide exposition. KAIRI already have a notoriety in North America with her run at the WWE, especially in NXT.

So she will be a perfect ambassaor to elevate the whole promotion.

— - Knowing that Stardom was already reconized in the worldwide women’s wrestling world for the quality of their wrestlers (Kairi, Io Shirai & Mayu Iwatani for example) and with the increase of the quality of their matches (with their first 5 stars match in 2021–5.5), the in ring competition inside the promotion can be amazing. (especially if we have the same quality of matches than the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship)

Therefore, women wrestlers from all over the world can be interested for this more technical and physical challenge. So, a lot of people can appear during the NJPW or Stardom shows.

— - At the moment where I’m writing this (january 2nd 2023), a rumor can be heard for a while, and will go in the same direction mentioned earlier.

Since the departure of Sasha Banks from WWE (her real name is Mercedes Varnado), a lot presents her as the next IWGP challenger, especially since she posts herself a fake match promotion image on her social medias where she fights KAIRI for the title.

First, it was speculated that she will be at the tournament to crown the first champion, or after the final to be the first challenger (thing that revealed to be impossible due to a termination clause of her contract with WWE obliging her to not appear in another company before 2023), then it was speculated that she will appear at the Tokyo Dome during Wrestle Kingdom.

With a one night show, it’s difficult to know if she will replace Tam Nakano (the actual IWGP challenger), if she will be added to the match or if she will only appear after the match to be the next contender.

Even if the last option seems to be the best (because they can build a rivalry during the whole year, a way more sustainably to keep attention from new fans), only one appearance can give a huge visibility. Don’t forget it, Mercedes Varnado is also an actress which plays in “The Mandalorian”.

A good option can be to let her apprear regularly like they did with Chris Jericho, where he cames to the big shows between 2017 and 2019. (Where he won the IWGP intercontinental championship) It will let her win the IWGP championship and make it shine worldwide.

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If you are interested, you can read my fantasy booking on the Mercedes Varnado run in Stardom/NJPW.

And don’t hesitate to follow me on Twitter for more!

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Happy New Year 2023! To start the new year, let's begin with some stats of the last year. Let's start with stats about

Wrestling Observer Newsletter's 5 stars+ matches!