Two Stardom championships vacated due to injury

  • Ian Carey
  • By 

Stardom’s ongoing injury woes have led to the World of Stardom and Goddesses of Stardom titles being vacated. 

The news was revealed at Monday’s press conference to promote the December 2 Nagoya Big Winter event. 

“Stardom Executive Producer Rossy Ogawa announces that due to the injuries of Tam Nakano and Natsupoi, they are not expected to be back for quite some time, so the World of Stardom title and the Goddesses of Stardom tag team titles have been returned,” the promotion wrote on social media. 

World of Stardom champion Tam Nakano has been dealing with a knee injury since October. She had been scheduled to defend the red belt against 5 Star Grand Prix 2023 winner Suzu Suzuki on November 18 at Gold Rush. 

With the title now officially vacant, a new champion will be crowned on December 29 at Dream Queendom. 

Suzuki will wrestle Hazuki on December 2 with the winner moving on to challenge for the vacant title at Dream Queendom. The other challenger will be determined via a four-person one-night tournament on November 28. Mina Shirakawa vs. Momo Watanabe and Maika vs. Sohrei will be the two semifinal matches with the winners facing each other later in the show. 

As for the Goddesses of Stardom tag titles, Natsupoi hasn’t wrestled since early October causing her and Saori Anou to vacate the titles on Monday. Tag League winners Maika and Megan Bayne will face a team to be announced later at Nagoya Big Winter on December 2 for the vacant belts. 

Other injuries in the promotion currently include Waka Tsukiyama, who is dealing with a herniated disc in her back, and Mayu Iwatani, who has a dislocated finger. AZM, Utami Hayashishita, Saya Kamitani, and Starlight Kid have all dealt with injuries recently as well. 

Our own Dave Meltzer reported in Friday’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter that Bushiroad is investigating possible causes of the rash of injuries. 

“Bushiroad is doing an investigation trying to figure out what needs to be done with findings being presented to Bushiroad at the end of the month,” Meltzer wrote.

Also at today’s press conference, Stardom announced matches for Nagoya Big Winter on December 2.

Nagoya Big Winter announced lineup:

  • NJPW Strong Women’s Champion Giulia defends against AZM
  • High-Speed Champion Mei Seira defends against Thekla
  • Nanae Takahashi vs Scandinavian Hurricane in a UWF Rules Match
  • Mina Shirakawa vs. Momo Watanabe
  • Maika vs. Sohrei
  • Maika & Megan Bayne vs. TBA for the vacant Goddesses of Stardom Championships

Stardom also announced on Monday that Taro Okada has taken over the reins as president of the company from the retiring Katsuhiko Harada.