Tensions Rise Between Yuna Mizumori and Rian Over High Speed Title at STARDOM in Sendai

By Noah Leatherland

With the Cinderella Tournament all wrapped up, STARDOM were back on the road and in Sendai. Ahead of the event, the promotion held a contract signing for the upcoming High Speed Title match on March 31st.

The champion, Yuna Mizumori, and the challenger, Rian, signed their names on the contract. Rian, who is yet to hold a title in her wrestling career, spoke on how she is feeling heading into the match at Korakuen Hall:

I beat Yuna Mizumori in the first round of the Cinderella Tournament. I was delighted to win that match, and it gave me a huge confidence boost… But that’s not enough for me. I want the High Speed Championship belt. So on March 31st, I’ll defeat Yuna Mizumori once again and become the High Speed Champion!

Mizumori spoke on how Rian has harassed her in the lead up to this title bout, repeatedly stomping on her feet, in and out of the ring:

“Rian has been stomping on my foot constantly up until today. It’s 88 times now… Due to the damage to my leg, I can barely manage a single hit against the ropes. And this is starting to affect my weight as well.”

According to a recent statement put out by STARDOM, Mizumori’s weight has increased by 1.9kg, with the change being made to her profile on the STARDOM website. Although some would complain of the setbacks, Mizumori sees it as what makes a champion:

I can definitely feel the momentum Rian has built up since her Cinderella moment, and I’m certainly being backed into a corner. But isn’t that exactly what makes a High Speed Champion—overcoming adversity?

Then, as the two came face-to-face, Rian once again tried to stamp on Mizumori’s foot. The champion dodged, and gave Rian a taste of her own medicine, stomping on her foot instead.

The two later faced off in tag team action once the show was underway. Mizumori teamed with Anne Kanaya, whilst Rian paired up with CMLL’s Tabata. Rian picked up the win with a fall on Kanaya, which only bolstered the challenger’s confidence in her post-match comments:

This was my first time teaming up with Tabata, but we share the same incredible sense of speed. I feel like we really clicked, so I’d love to team up with Tabata again. And then there’s Yuna Mizumori! We’ve only had one preliminary bout today, but since I won that, I intend to defeat Yuna Mizumori once more on March 31st and become the High Speed Champion.

In her own post-match comments, Mizumori remained confident for the title match:

Rian’s leg attacks are taking their toll a bit, but this won’t faze me on March 31st—my third title defence. I’ll take everything Rian throws at me, and over the next three days I’ll fine-tune everything, including my physical condition.

Other champions clashed with their upcoming challengers in the main event as well. Saya Kamitani and Konami, along with their H.A.T.E. stablemates, faced off against a team that included their upcoming challengers, Sayaka Kurara and Hanan respectively. Konami secured the win for H.A.T.E., putting Hanan away with a buzzsaw kick.

Speaking in the post-match, it is safe to say that Konami was not impressed:

Hey, you dreamy Cinderella. What’s got into you today? You went down so easily to my Buzzsaw. You’re still living in a dream, aren’t you? That’s why you lost, isn’t it? Do you really want this belt? That’s just another story from your dreams, isn’t it? Well, show me you’re serious.

However, it will take more than one loss to make Hanan give up:

My first preliminary match against Konami. It’s absolutely gutting, and even though it ended in a disappointing result, I’m still… I’m still not down and out at all! I’ve still got plenty left in the tank! I’m going to fight my way back up from here!

Kamitani was equally dismissive of her upcoming challenger:

Hey, Sayaka Kurara! This is a complete joke. You really think you’re ready to headline Yokohama Arena with a performance like this? You’ve got a long way to go. At this rate, you’re no match for me.

In Kurara’s post-match comments, flanked by her Cosmic Angels stablemates, she spoke on the severity of her wagering the faction’s existence to earn a shot at the World of Stardom title:

I believe that the thing that is “most important” to me right now—something just as precious, valuable and meaningful to me as the red belt—is Cosmic Angels. I didn’t want to betray that feeling… Although various other things crossed my mind, I realised that Cosmic Angels is truly the one thing I’m least willing to let go of, the thing that matters most to me, so I thought it through in my own way and made this decision. I’m truly sorry for announcing this on my own without consulting anyone. But I absolutely won’t lose. Cosmic Angels won’t disappear, I won’t lose anything, and we’ll all stay with Cosmic Angels forever. Still, I’m sorry for staking it on my own…

Her fellow Cosmic Angel, Natsupoi, also spoke on the heavy task Kurara has given herself:

I’ve been thinking about it a lot since then. I’ve reflected on whether I made it difficult for Kurara to confide in me, or whether I left her to make the decision on her own… I completely understand that Cosmic Angels is the most important thing to Kurara. That said, the title match is a one-on-one contest, and Kurara is the only one fighting in the ring. We’ll support her, and we’ll be right there by her side, but it’s Kurara alone who’s fighting. Our fate rests on her shoulders. I want her to fight with that very clear in her mind.

(Quotes translated via DeepL)

Here are the full results for STARDOM in Sendai, March 28th, courtesy of purolove.com:

• Maika, Mei Seira, HANAKO & Ema Maishima def. Saya Iida, Momo Kohgo, Yuria Hime & Matoi Hamabe (9:12)
• Tomoka Inaba & Ranna Yagami def. Saki Kashima & Lady C (5:33)
• Suzu Suzuki, Itsuki Aoki & Akira Kurogane def. Miyu Amasaki, Xena & Waka Tsukiyama (11:09)
• Rian & Tabata def. Yuna Mizumori & Anne Kanaya (10:01)
• Syuri, Ami Sohrei & Hina def. Hazuki, Maki Itoh & Kikyo Furusawa (13:17)
• Saya Kamitani, Natsuko Tora, Konami, Ruaka, Rina & Fukigen Death★ def. Hanan, Bea Priestley, Natsupoi, Saori Anou, Aya Sakura & Sayaka Kurara (13:43)