Goddess of Stardom Tag League 2023: Three Teams to Watch

Goddess of Stardom Tag League 2023: Three Teams to Watch

By: Ben Harris

The dust has barely settled from a fantastic 5★STAR GP, but STARDOM’s next tournament is already underway. For the next few weeks, teams will battle to win the Goddess of Stardom Tag League. The winning team earns a future Goddess of Stardom Championship opportunity against Natsupoi and Saori Anou.

Unfortunately, this year’s edition has been affected by STARDOM’s growing injury list. Thankfully, however, there’s still loads of great talent competing in both established and new tag teams, and there are three that could very well come out of the tournament as the winners.

Divine Kingdom – Maika & Megan Bayne

Arguably the most physically imposing team in this year’s tournament. Maika is in a foul mood after narrowly losing the 5★STAR GP final and being pinned in a recent Artist of Stardom Championship match. She has fallen out with her long-time Donna Del Mondo friend Giulia in the process. Maika is determined to win something sooner than later. She may just do that with the partner she has.

Megan Bayne has been a dominant force ever since debuting in July. Her tall stature and strength has been too much for the roster to handle at times. Her and Maika are no strangers to each other, having teamed together for a while. This experience was clear to see in their first Tag League match against Ami Sohrei and Lady C. They over-powered their opponents. They even displayed some athleticism in the form of a Doomsday Device, with Megan executing the clothesline.

Plenty of good teams await Divine Kingdom in the Blue Goddess block, but it’s difficult to see them not advancing to the final. The next team in this piece may be their biggest threat. Megan and Maika were already a force to be reckoned with when the teams were first announced, but Maika’s increased determination makes them more dangerous.

Fukuoka Double Crazy – Hazuki & Koguma

The experience advantage lies with FWC in the Tag League. They are two-time Goddess of Stardom Champions and won this tournament in 2021. Hazuki and Koguma are arguably the team to beat. Their combination of physicality and high-flying is a winning one, making them an exciting duo to watch. Despite not enjoying much success over the past year, there’s little doubt that FWC are still one of the best tag teams in women’s wrestling.

In her last appearance for STARDOM, KAIRI may have contributed to FWC re-discovering themselves in the Tag League. Koguma has been through a tough time as of late. She failed to qualify for the 5★STAR GP and has suffered many losses, all while Hazuki has fought for the Wonder of Stardom and IWGP Women’s Championships. After KAIRI pinned her in the Pirate Princess’ final match for the promotion, the veteran took the time to motivate Koguma who she’s known for a long time. She pushed her to become stronger and get back to winning ways. There’s no doubt that the former High-Speed Champion took this talk seriously.

FWC have already made a good start, defeating their STARS compatriots Mayu Iwatani and Hanan. Koguma actually got the pin here which is certainly a morale booster. She spoke afterwards about how she’s now changed, and it looks like it’s for the better. Hazuki and this revitalised Koguma could well be grabbing their second Tag League trophy.

Crazy Star – Suzu Suzuki & Mei Seira

For the past few months, these two have built a strong partnership. Their record is incredibly impressive. They’ve won most of their matches together and pushed top teams like meltear and Queen’s Quest to time limit draws. Suzu Suzuki and Mei Seira have more differences than similarities, yet they mix really well. One similarity is that they’re both very hungry for success, which may be what sets them apart from the rest.

Both Suzuki and Seira enter this Tag League after scoring big individual victories. Suzuki won the 5★STAR GP, while Seira defeated Saki Kashima a week later to finally win the High-Speed Championship. Their confidence will be through the roof. The quality of teams in the Red Goddess block is high, yet Crazy Star should be considered favourites to make the final. Against Prominence, Suzuki’s old buddies, they got an important draw in a match they came close to winning. That has to be considered a statement of intent.

Crazy Star will have to be careful that their recent major wins don’t suddenly become a detriment to them. Confidence may be high now, but Suzuki’s World of Stardom Championship match against Tam Nakano is approaching. Seira will have challengers for her High-Speed title knocking at her door. Any loss of focus on the Tag League could crush their hopes. The chances of that happening are slim given both women’s desire to succeed.