Stardom 5 STAR Grand Prix – Opening Night Report

The 2022 Five Star Grand Prix kicked off at Ota Ward Gymnasium with the tournament’s largest participant field to date and two notable alumnae returns!

Photo Courtesy: Stardom

Stardom 5 STAR Grand Prix Night 1 Report

It’s finally here. The Five Star Grand Prix 2022 (5★GP). The series is responsible for my current nook here at POST Wrestling. Last year, I started covering Stardom with the Finals of the 2021 5★GP, where I was floored by Syuri and Takumi Iroha and then on the same night Syuri and Momo Watanabe. In twelve months, I have had the most incredible journey not only with Stardom and POST but learning more about the Japanese wrestling scene. On October 1, 2022, I close the loop on my first full year of Stardom coverage at POST with the finals of the 2022 5★GP, and if Day One is any indication of the two months ahead, we are all in for one wild and crazy ride in the best possible way.

Japanese Commentary was led by Haruo Murata with Makoto Ohe with VIP Guests including NJPW’s Yuji Nagata and D4DJ voice actress Yuzuki Watase (Guest Ring Announcer). There was no English commentary available for this event, which was a little disappointing considering this is their largest tournament of the year. With the strides Stardom is making to expand internationally, I hope they keep working toward providing more thorough bilingual coverage in the future.

The first two matches on the card were streamed live for free on Stardom’s YouTube Channel, including the tag team gauntlet match and one 5★GP Red Stars match between Mai Sakurai and Momo Kohgo. The opening ceremony was also included in the free internet live stream as well. The attendance number was reported at 1,527 guests.  

Medical Updates

  • TheklaRemoved from Five Star Grand Prix so as to ensure proper rehabilitation of her injury. 
  • Natsuko Tora – No announced in-ring return yet. It’s  been one year since her World of Stardom match with Utami, in which she hurt her knee. 
  • Suzu Suzuki (Prominence) – to miss opening weekend of the 5★GP due to poor condition

Spoiler-Free Synopsis – all 5★GP matches will only have the participants’ names and point totals prior to the start of the match for that day. Refer to individual match breakdowns for recommended match notations. Non-tournament matches will have quippy summaries. 

  • Opening Gauntlet Tag Match: a fun, quick warm-up for the show!
  • Opening Ceremony: Karen’s yukata commentary incoming!!
  • 5★GP22 Red Stars (1/15): Kohgo [0] vs. Sakurai [0]
  • 5★GP22 Blue Stars (1/15): Sohrei* [0] vs. Iida [0]
  • 5★GP22 Red Stars (1/15): Unagi [0] vs. SAKI [0]
  • 5★GP22 Red Stars (1/15): Maika [0] vs. Sera [0]
  • 5★GP22 Red Stars (1/15): Syuri [0]vs. AZM [0]
  • Special Tag Match: Stardom OGs Dramatic Homecoming
  • 5★GP22 Blue Stars (1/15): Iwatani [0] vs. MIRAI [0]
  • 5★GP22 Red Stars (1/15): Hayashishita [0]vs. Himeka [0]
  • 5★GP22 Blue Stars (1/15): Giulia [0] vs. Hazuki [0]

*Recently, Ami Sohrei added the preferred romanization of her stage surname. While Sōrei and Sohrei are both acceptable transliterations, I will be using Sohrei moving forward as it was listed by the talent specifically. 

Opening Gauntlet Tag Match (1/10 per match-up): Tam Nakano & Natsupoi defeated Momo Watanabe & Saki Kashima vs. Koguma & Hanan vs. Hina & Miyu Amasaki vs. Ruaka & Rina vs. Starlight Kid & Fukigen Death 

(1) Ruaka & Rina defeated (2) Miyu Amasaki & Hina (3:31) – with Rina pinning her twin Hina with a jackknife pin.

(3) Koguma & Hanan defeated  (1) Ruaka & Rina (2:30) – with Koguma pinning Rina with a schoolboy

Points to Koguma and Hanan for running up the ramp and slamming the breaks on the Cosmic Angels dance routine! Never thought I would see heel moves from Koguma and Hanan of all people, but it did save some time! 

(4) Tam Nakano & Natsupoi defeated (3) Koguma & Hanan(3:35) – Tam pinned Hanan with a high bridge German Suplex hold

Murata notes that Rina and Ruaka along with Natsuko Tora didn’t return to the back, but reappeared and gravitated to the OET red corner. However, they didn’t really get involved… for a change.

(4) Tam Nakano & Natsupoi defeated (5) Momo Watanabe & Saki Kashima (3:08)– Natsupoi pinned Saki with La Magistral

SLK  and Fukigen took their time coming down to the ring, so Natsupoi and Tam sipped some water in their corner. However, Fukigen got a sneak attack before the bell, swatting the Cosmic Angels with her Tokyo Sports newspaper. 

(4) Tam Nakano & Natsupoi defeated (6) Starlight Kid & Fukigen Death – with Natsupoi pinning Fukigen

5★GP22 Red Stars Block Points

Saki Kashima [0] – First Match (8/6) vs. Koguma

Koguma [0] – First Match (7/31) vs. Momo Kohgo

5★GP22 Blue Stars Block Points

Tam Nakano [0] – First Match (7/31) vs. Himeka

Momo Watanabe [0]- First Match (7/31) vs. Mina Shirakawa

Natsupoi [0] – First Match (8/6) vs. MIRAI

Hanan [0] – First Match (8/6) vs. Mayu Iwatani

Suzu Suzuki [0] – First Match Pending Medical

NJPW x STARDOM Show Title Announced! With the G1 Climax 32 emanating from the Dolphins Arena in Aichi and Stardom running the opening of the 5★GP at Ota Ward Gymnasium, both companies announced the naming for their historic crossover event. Historic X-over (Historic Crossover) will take place at the Ariake Arena on Sunday, November 20th. 

KEY POINT: IWGP Women’s Championship – First champion to be crowned at NJPW x STARDOM (11/20; Ariake Arena). Goals of championship are not only defenses on NJPW big events in Japan, but on international tours and NJPW Strong. It will not supersede or replace any of the current Stardom Championships (like the World and Wonder of Stardom or SWA), but serves as a collaborative title for their sibling relationship with New Japan Pro-Wrestling with the aim to start bringing Stardom to a wider international audience.  

Event Details

  • The show will start at 5PM JST.
  • There are no details on a pre-show or online streaming details at this time. 
  • I could not find any indication that it would be streamed on NJPW World at this time. 
  • Tickets will go on sale in August, starting with Team NJPW (Japan only) and Paid Stardom Pia Fan Club Members. 
  • The general public sale will start September 23rd. 
  • The Royal Seat sections will receive a special gift. 
  • The Women’s Only Sections will not have available floor seating (second and fourth floor stands only)
  • Wheelchair Accessible seating will be available on the second floor stands.

 Fingers crossed that Japan is open for travel by then, so we can all go and be there, too!

FIVE STAR GRAND PRIX YUKATA FASHION SHOW OPENING! For those who are new to Dream Slam Weekly and to who I am… Hi,  my name is Karen. I lived in Japan and wasou (traditional Japanese clothing like kimono and yukata) is one of the hobbies I brought back from my time there. I even wore a kimono at the Tokyo Dome in 2020, so whenever I get to see kimono and yukata involved in wrestling, I get fired up. Y’all thought I got fired up about Big Match Whites, Cohesive Tag Team Looks, and Brand New Gear… this is one of the things I love most about summer festival time in Japan. I’ll save the individual dressing breakdowns, but if they continue this in future years as their peak “Strongest Woman of the Summertime” I would not be the least bit mad at it!

FIVE STAR FASHION CHECK!

  • Cosmic Angels – Summer festival parade-style with white banded tops, short cropped jackets, shorts and headbands. Very casual, but perfect for hoisting floats and dancing in the summer streets.
  • Prominence – Risa Sera’s beautiful black and silver with blue roses (Suzu was absent.)
  • Queen’s Quest – traditional yukata standard with everyone in their signature colors
  • OedoTai – Matching purple and black split yukata for the Artists of Stardom Champions
  • Donna Del Mondo – Gothloli in Kyoto vibes, especially with the ribbon obis tied in the front with the frills and lace.
  • STARS – Girls Night Out in Asakusa with signature yukata colors
  • God’s Eye – Tough women with soft elegance in signature colors

5★GP22 Red Stars (1/15): Mai Sakurai defeated Momo Kohgo (5:56) with a jackknife pin – Worth a Watch

In a last-minute tournament change, Momo Kohgo joined Mai Sakurai in the 5★GP22 Debutante Class, replacing Thekla, who needed more time to take care of her injury. Since their arrival in Stardom, both Sakurai and Kohgo have grown exponentially as wrestlers. With Sakurai following Giulia to DDM and Kohgo seeking training under Hazuki’s learning tree, both feel like completely different wrestlers from their arrivals in the last year. Their match-up was fairly balanced, and Sakurai is the one to ditch sportsmanship afterward. It is possible that she and Kohgo could be discovering their forever rivalry for the time being… at least until Waka Tsukiyama finally gets that first victory in Stardom.

5★GP22 Red Stars Block Points

Mai Sakurai [2] – Next Match (8/7) vs. AZM

Momo Kohgo [0] – Next Match (7/31) vs. Koguma

5★GP22 Blue Stars (1/15): Ami Sohrei defeated Saya Iida (8:14) with a Brainbuster/pin combo – Worth a Watch

I’m still convinced that after the Power & Tower tag match at Stardom in Showcase that Sohrei & Iida could and should be a legitimate tag team in God’s Eye. Yes, I said what I said. Not that I want Iida to be added to the ever-growing list of Mayu Iwatani’s exes in STARS, but the pair complement one another so incredibly well. For Sohrei’s tournament debut and Iida’s first after her return from knee surgery, they had a really solid match. We were treated to their matchup previously during the Purple Stars Qualifier Series, but I did like this match better than their first meeting. 

Having Yuji Nagata on commentary for this match, and knowing he’s been working with STARS in a coaching role made this match just that much more special. This was a very evenly matched pairing, in which Iida didn’t look weak in defeat and helped further cement Sohrei not only as a threat in this competition but one to definitely watch.

5★GP22 Blue Stars Block Points

Ami Sohrei [2] – Next Match (8/7) vs. Natsupoi 

Saya Iida [0] – Next Match (8/7) vs. Mina Shirakawa

5★GP22 Red Stars (1/15): SAKI defeated Unagi Sayaka (9:07) with the Kawaildo Buster/pin combo – Recommended

What I love about the recent partnership between Cosmic Angels & GPU COLOR’s is how well the two units fit together visually, technically, and stylistically. SAKI and Unagi could easily become a tour de force as a tag team purely due to their outlandish costuming, especially the volumes of faux fur. It should be noted that Unagi had SAKI’s name on one of the panels of her gear top, meaning it is possible she’s going to either have opponent-specific gear throughout the entire tournament or one exceptionally busy seamstress to change the name each time. Either way, I’m curious to see how her gear evolves based on who is standing opposite her in the ring each time.

SAKI pushed Unagi toward a far more aggressive style, which adds an extra layer to her character. The common misconception about Cosmic Angels is that they are all flash and no substance, and the longer they all work together, the strides of improvement are starting to stand out more and more. For those keeping score, Unagi has finally started winning me over because I finally can see what she is capable of. I think this match against SAKI might be one of my favorite Unagi matches because she looks like she isn’t overthinking anything, just going with the flow, even if it means swimming upstream and out of her comfort zone. 

Although this was SAKI’s 5★GP debut, she’s had a busy summer tearing it up in the CATCH THE WAVE 2022 Tournament. It’s my sincere hope that her success in the 5★GP will bring more eyes, ears & hearts to GPU Colors because SAKI and her team might be some of the hardest working freelancers on the circuit right now. With a ten-year career, The Kawaildo One, SAKI, feels like she’s only showing the world a fraction of her full power. I can’t wait to see how the tournament shakes out for both her and Unagi.

5★GP22 Red Stars Block Points

Unagi Sayaka [0] – Next Match (8/7) vs. Utami Hayashishita

SAKI [2] – Next Match (7/31) vs. Risa Sera (Prominence)

Commentary Update! During the intermission, Natsupoi joined the commentary team as she didn’t have a tournament block match.  

5★GP22 Red Stars (1/15): Risa Sera defeated Maika (8:19) with a diving double knee drop/pin combo – Recommended

One of the things I have grown to love about Prominence working with Stardom is the range of abilities their performers, and Risa Sera in particular, have consistently shown in recent months. For me, Risa has been like a recipe that had hidden heat spices in it– a very slow burn that finally caught up with me. After her match with Syuri for the World of Stardom Championship, where Syuri told her that she didn’t need to cheat or resort to weapons to have great matches, I feel like Risa took that to heart and brought that with her into the Five Star. 

Maika continues growing stronger and more powerful and going up against Risa might be one of the matchups that I was unsure about at an initial glance on paper, but seeing them face off made things click into place. Maika may have found another match in the power fighter department with Risa. They may have laid the foundation for a future rivalry, but after seeing this match, I am now *very* interested to see what they could do together next. While they’ve met before in tags, I needed this focused, hard-hitting singles match to truly see the potential. 

As someone unfamiliar with Prominence and not particularly keen on deathmatch wrestling (I’m very squeamish when it comes to blood), I had admittedly had reservations about the inclusion of Prominence in Stardom. However, I think that is part of my personal journey with wrestling. Like any character in fiction, sometimes the journey to finding your respect and understanding for a particular protagonist, sympathy for an antagonist or a fixation on a random background character with a fascinating story. I’m stopping from apologizing for “being late to the party.” This increasingly introverted wallflower needed a little more time to gauge the situation before diving headlong onto the bandwagon.

5★GP22 Red Stars Block Points

Maika [0] – Next Match (8/13) vs. Saki Kashima

Risa Sera [2] – Next Match (7/31) vs. SAKI (COLOR’S)

5★GP22 Red Stars (1/15): Syuri defeated AZM (9:31) via Submission (Byakko; White Tiger) – Highly Recommended

In a rematch from last year’s Five Star, AZM and Syuri meet again, this time in a champion versus champion match-up. Defending 5★GP Winner, Syuri arrives in a new look that is a combination of her standard costume with hints of her ALIKABA tag with the loose, baggy bottoms and a champion’s gold jacket. AZM wastes no time, jumping the champion before the bell in hopes of trying to repeat her devastating upset from last year’s tournament match. 

When this match was listed for the opening weekend, I knew it would be one of the ones to watch, particularly with Syuri having significantly more to lose this time around, walking in as the World of Stardom Champion. Placing this match-up in the center of the card instead of the expected main event slot was also a wise choice because it was a great way to keep the excitement amped up on such a long card. I know that AZM isn’t intending on leaving QQ anytime soon, but I could easily see her aligning herself with Syuri/God’s Eye. The kicks and submissions were out of control in the best possible way and it makes me hope that one day they will have a UWF-Rules match purely for the technical levels of both competitors.

Both Syuri and AZM have grown substantially since their last singles’ meeting, and the World of Stardom Champion forcing the High Speed Champion to choose two points or keeping her joints intact was particularly poetic. AZM didn’t get the chance to lock in the Numero Uno, but if the roles were reversed, I think AZM would want to do more than simply pin Syuri for a second time. They didn’t need to go this hard on the opening day, but they sure did. I watched the match three times already, and each time, I keep finding new things I love about it. 

Whenever I see Syuri and AZM together, I think of two things: 1) I want to see if Syuri can hang in the High Speed Division since her style tends to be intentionally slower paced and 2) when will AZM finally get either the Wonder or World of Stardom Championships.

5★GP22 Red Stars Block Points

AZM [0] – Next Match (8/7) vs. Mai Sakurai

Syuri [2] – Next Match (7/31) vs. Utami Hayashishita

Commentary Update: Starlight Kid tried evicting Natsupoi from commentary, indicating that she didn’t want to be stuck being KAIRI’s ringside second, and SLK had more interest in studying up on Saya Kamitani, who she has a match with tomorrow.

Special Tag Match: NANAKAIRI (KAIRI & Nanae Takahashi) vs. Queen’s Quest (Saya Kamitani & Lady C) (15:32) with Nanae pinning Lady C after a Freezer Bomb – Recommended

Lady C finally has her Queen’s Quest Big Match entrance jacket and not to be outdone, Kamitani added voluminous feathers to an updated version of her previous entrance gown. The Golden Phoenix also amped up her sky blue and gold with new gear as well. I’m not too keen on the split kick pads because they don’t protect her shins at all. 

The Homecoming for another Stardom original with Nanae Takahashi and her involvement in the training of KAIRI and countless others in Stardom was a great thing to open with. I remember seeing clips of KAIRI previously riding a motorbike in Korakuen Hall, and wondered if Ota Ward would see a repeat performance since it was a seven year tag reunion in the making! KAIRI’s black gear reminds me of her Kabuki Warriors days with Asuka, especially with the return of the pink eye makeup.

“Man, this song brings back so many memories, especially watching Nanae Takahashi before I became a wrestler!” – Starlight Kid (on commentary)

It’s been a while since I’ve seen heel KAIRI and I’ve only recently started being able to see Nanae matches, so I truly hope that Stardom World can begin adding more and more of their back catalog, so the history nerd in me can go deep diving. In this match, loved the angry sempai (veteran/senior) vibes that NANAKAIRI gave off, especially with the showboating. Hot dang, how I have missed KAIRI’s Anchor. I feel like she put some extra special White Belt Champion elbow grease into it on Kamitani!

Nanae is a great foil for Lady C because there are few folks in Stardom that are as tall as her, so Lady now has another template to work from and become a more balanced wrestler. This is specifically what I wanted for not only KAIRI but any other Stardom OGs who find their way home: come in, elevate talent, maybe catch a win, but leave their home better than when they found it. They aren’t coming in, squashing the future generations of the company and making it a vanity project. They are giving back and helping shape the younger generations of talent, which is nothing short of admirable.

During her post-match promo, Nanae Takahashi called out World of Stardom, Syuri! “If you’ve got the passion, how about you and Nanae Takahashi have little history together?”

“You were the first World of Stardom Champion, and I’ve always thought we were on a course to meet eventually. However, before I go any further, I’m going to need to correct you on what you’ve been saying lately. You keep saying that the current Stardom has no passion, and that is the furthest thing from the truth!! Stop looking down on us! I’ll not only show you the strength of Stardom, but that of all women’s pro-wrestling. I’ll continue making my name with yours getting added to the list.” -Syuri

Takahashi hits Syuri and Ami Sohrei runs in to break up the fight, but not without getting a swipe in as well. 

“Saya Kamitani, you keep mentioning me everywhere you go, but you keep talking about me in the past tense. The White Belt is crying. With every success, the frustrated tears and sadness of all your fallen opponents get trapped inside it, so it cries. I split up with the Wonder Championship five years ago, and yet it still cries for me. Are you ready to accept my challenge?” – KAIRI 

“Currently, I stand beside you at eight successful title defenses, but with you… I’ll defeat you and shatter your record, finally overcoming you.” – Saya Kamitani

KAIRI holds out of fist for a bump, but when Kamitani raises her own to meet her, she pulls her hand away. KAIRI swings at Kamitani, but stops short, pinching Saya’s cheeks into a smile.

“STOP. CRYING.” – KAIRI

The post-match went a little too long, and Saya as the reigning Wonder Champion needs to quit being a crybaby champion. Girl, you are WINNING. You’ve BEEN winning. You’re getting better and stronger, so channel all that fear and all those tears into motivation and focus. Cry when you lose it, not when you’re at the top of your game because your challenges will exploit that. 

What’s Next: 

  • KAIRI will tag with Natsupoi (7/31) against STARS (Mayu Iwatani & Saya Iida)
  • 5★GP22 Blue Stars: Saya Kamitani [0] – First Match (7/31) vs. Starlight Kid
  • Lady C did not qualify for this year’s GP, but will be on shows.

5★GP22 Blue Stars (1/15): MIRAI defeated Mayu Iwatani (12:51) with MIRAMARE SHOCK and pin combo – Recommended

The ominous third opponent in this match, the fifteen minute time limit, truly became the driving factor in this match. From the start, both Mayu and MIRAI do what they do best, Iwatani throwing the entire kitchen sink at every opponent and MIRAI leaning into her power fighting base to quickly break down anyone who stands in her way. Their match was fantastic with only one sticking spot for me. I really, really disliked in this match was Mayu’s tope suicida… where MIRAI moved out of the way, so she crashed to the floor without anyone catching her. I don’t know why they did this at all. Mayu rotated in the air and landed on her elbow, but none of the seconds at ringside were close enough either. I didn’t have the 2022 Cinderella Tournament winner and the wholesome fighting spirit of Tohoku, MIRAI, to be the one to bring the heel moves to this match. Definitely not on my bingo card by a long shot.  

I think the aim was to break Mayu down quickly, so MIRAI could secure a victory over her without too many complaints. MIRAI had plenty of momentum after winning the Cinderella, which had the breaks temporarily tapped in her loss to Saya Kamitani for the Wonder of Stardom Championship, but feels more like they just rolled through a stop sign with MIRAI, in a good way. It didn’t entirely detail her momentum.  

In this match, MIRAI needed the upset win over a mainstay company pillar like Mayu. She’s young and part of that Golden Generation, meaning the company has big plans in place for her. Even Natsupoi, Yuji Nagata and Starlight Kid were in awe of her in the match, with SLK in particular because Iwatani continues to be the one wall she cannot topple. 

5★GP22 Blue Stars Block Points

Mayu Iwatani [0] – Next Match (8/6) vs. Hanan

MIRAI [2] – Next Match (7/31) vs. Giulia

5★GP22 Red Stars (1/15): Himeka defeated Utami Hayashishita (10:52) with a running powerbomb and pin combo – Recommended

We could easily insert the Spiderman Pointing Meme here with powerhouses of Utami and Himeka standing across from one another clad in red. However, much like their varied shades of red with Utami in scarlet and Himeka in ruby, their styles and in-ring personalities are slightly different, though look identical at a quick glance. I remember when Himeka first arrived in Stardom and went on to immediately carve her way to the finals of the 2020 Five Star Grand Prix… where she lost to Utami Hayashishita! 

That tournament win for Utami would lead to Utami challenging then World of Stardom Champion, Mayu Iwatani, winning the Championship, and becoming one of the longest-running Red Belt Champions in the company’s history. During her reign with the World of Stardom Championship, Himeka never challenged her, and in the 2021 Five Star, they were kept apart in separate blocks. 

This match was raw power fighting, with both trying to work as quickly as possible to break the other down within the fifteen minutes, refusing to accept a single point for a time limit draw. There was not anything particularly wild or crazy in their match, which many people may write off from an entertainment standpoint, but given the history between them and intentional booking that kept them apart for two years, it is a worthwhile match.

Note: Professionally, my goal is to receive a rose from Utami during her absolutely theatrical entrance, so someone needs to help me make that happen.  

5★GP22 Red Stars Block Points

Utami Hayashishita [0] – Next Match (7/31) vs. Syuri

Himeka [2] – Next Match (7/31) vs. Tam Nakano

5★GP22 Blue Stars (1/15): Hazuki defeated Giulia (11:54) with a Brainbuster and pin combo – Highly Recommended

2021 was not Giulia’s year. Last year, she had to drop out of the Five Star because of a neck injury, but she made waves later on in the year during her convalescing period. Moonlighting at the Masked Assailant, she targeted Cosmic Angels, and eventually brought in MIRAI and Thekla and quickly poached Mai Sakurai from Cosmic Angels shortly after. Oh, and then Prominence rolled in, bringing all their history and drama from their former shared home into the Stardom realm. 

Meanwhile, Hazuki has been carving out her own path in Stardom, since August last year, when she interrupted one evening of Five Star, to announce her return to wrestling in Stardom full-time. This is her first Five Star since her retirement back in December 2019. She wouldn’t return to Stardom until October 9 in Osaka, just about two weeks removed from Syuri’s winning the 2021 Five Star.

We got a taste of what sort of Double Crazy, Gloriously Dangerous spot buffet that Hazuki vs. Giulia could be when Oh Mai Giulia (Giulia & Mai Sakurai) challenged Fukuoka Double Crazy (Hazuki & Koguma) for the Goddesses of Stardom Championship earlier this year. Giulia and Hazuki got so caught up in fighting one another around the arena, that Koguma was able to make quick work of Mai, left to her own devices. With Giulia using the referee as a stepping stool for a running drop kick and Hazuki doing a running stage dive onto the ramp, this reminded me so much of the way Giulia and Hana Kimura fought at the height of their feud together in 2019. 

After the initial stage craziness, Hazuki and Giulia kept most of their over-the-top, out-for-blood, desperate for their first win in this year’s tournament, but they took the safeties off and filed down the barrels for their showdown. That final brain buster on Giulia and her neck, in particular, felt like a complete exclamation point for their first Five Star back.

“Sorry to have kept you waiting this long, Giulia. This was exactly what you wanted, right? I’ll give you as many more of these barn burner matches as you can withstand anytime. This is my first Five Star entry in three years, and I kicked it off with a white hot start! Did you all get fired up, too? Be prepared for me to show you all the crazy and wild matches in only the way I can!” – Hazuki

5★GP22 Blue Stars Block Points

Giulia [0] – Next Match (7/31) vs. MIRAI

Hazuki [2] – Next Match (8/6) vs. Starlight Kid

5★GP22 Red Stars Block Points

  1. Saki Kashima [0] – First Match (8/6) vs. Koguma 
  2. Koguma [0] – First Match (7/31) vs. Momo Kohgo
  3. Tam Nakano [0] – First Match (7/31) vs.  Himeka
  4. Risa Sera [2] – Next Match (7/31) vs. SAKI
  5. Syuri [2] – Next Match (7/31) vs. Utami Hayashishita
  6. Himeka [2] – Next Match (7/31) vs. Tam Nakano
  7. SAKI [2] – Next Match (7/31) vs. Risa Sera
  8. Mai Sakurai [2] – Next Match (8/7) vs. AZM
  9. AZM [0] – Next Match (8/7) vs. Mai Sakurai
  10. Utami Hayashishita [0] – Next Match (7/31) vs. Syuri
  11. Maika [0] – Next Match (8/13) vs. Saki Kashima
  12. Momo Kohgo [0] – Next Match (7/31) vs. Koguma
  13. Unagi Sayaka [0] – Next Match (8/7) vs. Utami Hayashishita

5★GP22 Blue Stars Block Points

  • Mina Shirakawa [0] – First Match (7/31) vs. Momo Watanabe
  • Momo Watanabe [0]- First Match (7/31) vs. Mina Shirakawa
  • Mayu Iwatani [0] – First Match (7/31) vs. Hanan
  • Saya Kamitani [0] – First Match (7/31) vs. Starlight Kid
  • Starlight Kid [0] – First Match (7/31) vs. Saya Kamitani
  • Hanan [0] – First Match (8/6) vs. Mayu Iwatani
  • Natsupoi [0] – First Match (8/6) vs. MIRAI
  • Suzu Suzuki [0] – First Match Pending Medical
  • Hazuki [2] – Next Match (8/6) vs. Starlight Kid
  • MIRAI [2] – Next Match (7/31) vs. Giulia
  • Ami Sohrei [2] – Next Match (8/7) vs. Natsupoi
  • Giulia [0] – Next Match (7/31) vs. MIRAI
  • Saya Iida [0] – Next Match (8/7) vs. Mina Shirakawa

Day 2 (7/31) – Full Event Report later tomorrow!

  • Opening Gauntlet Tag Match: Hazuki & Hanan vs. Maika & Mai Sakurai vs. AZM & Miyu Amasaki vs. Lady C & Hina vs. Ruaka & Rina
  • Special Tag Match: NANAKAIRI (Nanae Takahashi & KAIRI) vs. Queen’s Quest (Saya Kamitani & Lady C)
  • 5★GP22 Blue Stars (1/15): Mina Shirakawa vs. Momo Watanabe
  • 5★GP22 Blue Stars (1/15): Saya Kamitani vs. Starlight Kid
  • 5★GP22 Blue Stars (1/15): Giulia vs. MIRAI
  • 5★GP22 Red Stars (1/15): Risa Sera vs. SAKI 
  • 5★GP22 Red Stars (1/15): Koguma vs. Momo Kohgo
  • 5★GP22 Red Stars (1/15): Tam Nakano vs. Himeka
  • 5★GP22 Red Stars (1/15): Syuri vs. Utami Hayashishita

August 2022 5★GP22 Schedule – Results in Dream Slam Weekly

  • Niigata (8/6)
  • Nagano (8/7)
  • Korakuen Hall (8/11)
  • Shimane (8/13) Saki Kashima’s Homecoming
  • Okayama (8/14)
  • Osaka (8/20)
  • Korakuen Hall (8/27)
  • Shizuoka (8/28)

September 2022 5★GP22 Schedule  – Results in Dream Slam Weekly

  • Kagawa (9/3)
  • Hiroshima (9/4)
  • Yokohama Budokan (9/11)
  • Korakuen Hall (9/12)
  • Osaka (9/17-18)
  • Nagoya (9/19)
  • Korakuen Hall (9/23)
  • Tokyo Bell Salle Hall (9/24-25)

Stardom 2022 Calendar

  • New Blood 4 (8/26)  – Results in Dream Slam Weekly
  • STARDOM x STARDOM MidSummer Encounters (8/21) – Non-5SGP PPV; Hamamatsu, Shizuoka – Results in 8/27 Dream Slam Weekly
  • Five Star Grand Prix 2022 Finals (10/1) – Musashino Forest Sports Center
  • Historic X-Over: NJPW x STARDOM (11/20) – Ariake Arena
About Karen Peterson 118 Articles
Occasionally drops by wrestling podcasts, but remains rather elusive. Joined the Japanese wrestling fan scene in summer 2017, and continues to work on bridging the language gap between fans. Outside of wrestling, she’s a dog mom, perpetual Japanese learner, and when conditions permit, world traveler. Never skips dessert.