Aya Sakura Promises to Win Cinderella Tournament at STARDOM in Kobe

By Noah Leatherland

STARDOM hosted an event in the Kobe Art Center, with Aya Sakura acting as the hometown hero in the main event. Addressing the fans in attendance, Sakura reaffirmed her goal of winning the Future of Stardom title, as well as promising to return as the Cinderella Tournament winner.

In the main event, Sakura teamed with Cosmic Angels stablemates Natsupoi and Sayaka Kurara to take on Syuri, Ami Sohrei and Ranna Yagami of God’s Eye. Sakura scored the win for her team, picking up a pinfall over Yagami. Celebrating the win, Sakura made some big promises for what she will achieve before STARDOM returns to Kobe in May:

I will absolutely win the Future Championship before my three-year debut anniversary on 25th March. Since May will be after my third anniversary, I won’t be able to bring the Future belt back. But I’ll win it by March, hold it until the very deadline, then return it. After that, we’ll build up the NEW BLOOD Tag Team Championship together and return as Cinderellas!

After making her bold claims, Sakura had a brief stare down with her tag team partner, Sayaka Kurara. Kurara won last year’s Cindererella Tournament, and is currently in hot pursuit of Saya Kamitani’s World of Stardom title. Natsupoi managed to diffuse things before tensions ran too high, with some more friendly back and forth taking place in the backstage comments:

Sakura: I’ll be returning to Kobe as Cinderella, with the NEW BLOOD Tag Team Championship!

 

Natsupoi: I might be competing too. Actually, I think I’ll just go for it.

 

Kurara: Whoever competes, this year’s Cinderella is Sayaka Kurara. I’ve got my sights set on what I want to do, so I won’t let anyone else be Cinderella! I won’t let them!

 

Sakura: As the strongest and cutest in STARDOM, I should be the one wearing the dress… This year, I’ll be the one in the dress, and I’ll make you hold its train!

Though Sakura has her sights on the Future of STARDOM title, HANAKO has another challenger to deal with in the meantime, Akira Kurogane. Champion and challenger squared off in tag team action in Kobe, with HANAKO’s team coming out on top. The towering title holder addressed Kurogane after the bout:

This belt has been worn by all sorts of seniors. I stand here as champion carrying the resolve of all those seniors, and the resolve of all those I’ve defended it against. Is your resolve the real deal?

Kurogane was not intimidated by HANAKO, replying:

Is my resolve real? It’s real!… Since my trainee days, even after debuting, I’ve always seen the Future’s brilliance from below the ring. Seniors, I’ll carry your resolve and HANAKO-san’s resolve too, and become the new Future champion on 28th February!

(Quotes translated via DeepL)

Tensions over the CMLL Japan Women’s title were also brewing in that match. HANAKO was joined by Maika and Hazuki, while Kurogane teamed with CMLL’s Tabata and India Sioux. At the previous event, Sioux had scored a fall on Hazuki. Here in Kobe, Hazuki returned the favour, pinning Sioux for her team. The two went face-to-face after the bell, with Hazuki confirming that her next defense will be against Sioux.

Here are the full results for STARDOM in Kobe, February 22nd, courtesy of purolove.com:

• Waka Tsukiyama & Rian def. Yuna Mizumori & Anne Kanaya (9:10)
• Natsuko Tora & Ruaka def. Maki Itoh & Kikyo Furusawa (11:18)
• Starlight Kid, AZM, Mei Seira & Miyu Amasaki def. Hanan, Saki Kashima, Momo Kohgo & Yuria Hime (8:56)
• HANAKO, Hazuki & Maika def. Akira Kurogane, India Sioux & Tabata (9:20)
• Konami & Rina def. Hina & Lady C (10:02)
• Natsupoi, Aya Sakura & Sayaka Kurara def. Syuri, Ami Sohrei & Ranna Yagami (13:31)