President Taro Okada Discusses How Quickly TBS Title Happened for STARDOM’s Flashing Champions 2024

By: Jeff Brown

During the press conference for Flashing Champions 2024, President Taro Okada said, “I too was surprised” with how quickly the match came together between AEW and STARDOM. After Tam Nakano made the challenge to Willow Nightingale, Okada stated, “I immediately contacted AEW to see if we could make the match happen, and when we did, (Tony Khan & his team) contacted us and asked when the match could happen. I told them we could do it after the upcoming Flashing Champions pay-per-view, but they said let’s do it right away.” The title match was made official on Saturday’s edition of AEW Collision. The full video with English translations is available via the We Are Stardom Twitter account.

Pres. Okada @tokada_mh4e discusses the STARDOM x AEW partnership, and how the TBS Title match came together for May 18th at Flashing Champions pic.twitter.com/Om9nyhXZOO

— We Are Stardom (@we_are_stardom) May 14, 2024

When discussing the partnership between STARDOM and AEW, he said, “The relationship between STARDOM and AEW is such that the wrestlers’ dreams come true, and we wanted to support Tam Nakano trying to take the TBS Title so she could capture the championship and spread her wings to the next pay-per-view and into AEW.”

Flashing Champions 2024 will take place on May 18, 2024, in Yokohama. The company made changes to the card due to the health of some roster members, and they announced the new lineup.

The updated card was announced as:

Ranna Yagami vs Hina

Suzu Suzuki and Mei Seira vs Natsupoi and Starlight Kid

Maika vs HANAKO

Mina Shirakawa, Waka Tsukiyama and Xena vs Rina, Fukigen Death and Azusa Inaba

Hazuki, Koguma and Momo Kohgo vs AZM, Miyu Amasaki and Lady C vs Yuna Mizumori, Aya Sakura and Sayaka Kurara vs Natsuko Toura, Momo Watanabe and Thekla vs Syuri, Saki Kashima and Konami – #1 contendership for the trios titles, gauntlet style

Saya Kamitani (c) vs Saya Iida – High Speed Championship

Eye Contact (Mayu Iwatani and Hanan) vs. Best Friends (Tsukasa Fujimoto and Arisa Nakajima)

Willow Nightingale (c) vs Tam Nakano – AEW TBS Championship

Saori Anou (c) vs Ami Sohrei – Wonder of STARDOM Championship