STARDOM Cinderella Tournament 2020
Event Date: March 24, 2020 (18:30 JST)
streamed on YouTube, matches published individually on Stardom World
City: Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan
Venue: Korakuen Hall
Attendance: 538
Commentary: Haruo Murata, Jushin Thunder Liger (there is no commentary on the individual Stardom World matches)
Ring Announcer: Yurie Kozakai
Note: Like the No People Gate show, this event was streamed on YouTube and later uploaded to Stardom World. I watched No People Gate on YouTube because it was essentially one unbroken show (minus the commercials), but I would definitely suggest watching the Stardom World upload for the Cinderella Tournament. The YouTube stream is done with a single camera at the back of the hall. It zooms in on the action at times, but it is still just a long, single shot. The Stardom World upload, though broken up into multiple videos, cuts together multiple cameras and angles for a more engaging experience. Plus, Stardom World almost always has subtitles and pre-match comments.
Cinderella Tournament Rules
The Cinderella Tournament is a single-elimination tournament. Competitors win a match by normal singles match rules (pinfall, submission, count out, etc.), but they can also win by throwing their opponent over the top rope and down to the floor. Winners advance, but losses or any sort of draw will cause the competitor (or both competitors) to be eliminated. All matches have ten minute time limits except for the final match which has a thirty minute time limit. The winner gets to wear a dress and a tiara, they are given a trophy, and they can make a challenge or request (though I’m not certain that last part is officially part of the rules).
Video
Before the show, Tam Nakano talks about how to get involved in the YouTube Super Chat.
Ring Area
The participants in tonight’s Cinderella Tournament are announced as they head to the ring. Yoritaka Ando announces the first round matches, then everyone poses for pictures.
Match 1
Hina vs Rina vs Sumire Natsu vs Itsuki Hoshino
(referee: Barb Sasaki)
Result: Sumire Natsu pins Rina with a Misaki Special (Beta Version)
Time: 5:06
Match Thoughts
This was a fun opener. Sumire Natsu was definitely the star of this match. She started by talking to Jushin Liger at ringside, and that got the three other wrestlers in the match to attack her all at once. Sumire then proceeded to cheat and connive her way through the match, building up to a fun finish.
Match 2
Cinderella Tournament First Round Match
Starlight Kid vs Momo Watanabe
(referee: Barb Sasaki)
Result: Momo Watanabe wins via pinfall with the B-Driver
Time: 4:54
Match Thoughts
Very good match. What a way to start the tournament! Starlight Kid hit the mat running as soon as the opening bell rang. Kid pressed her attack, and the match turned into Kid’s speed versus Watanabe’s strength. There were some close calls for both women, and the finish was very well done. This was a very strong match right from the start.
Match 3
Cinderella Tournament First Round Match
Giulia (Artist Champ) vs Jungle Kyona
(referee: Daichi Murayama)
Result: Giulia wins via KO with the Stealth Viper
Time: 8:23
Match Thoughts
Good match. Kyona said before the match that she’s not good with the tournament rules or with short time limits, and it did feel like she struggled against Giulia a bit. Giulia fought a smarter match even though Kyona did get in some really good offense. This wasn’t an easy match for either woman, but it was a nice start for the winner.
Match 4
Cinderella Tournament First Round Match
AZM vs Konami
(referee: Daichi Murayama)
Result: Konami wins via submission with the Triangle Lancer
Time: 2:36
Match Thoughts
This was a fast and fun match that had a lot of work done down on the mat. AZM started before the bell with a high-speed attack, but once she went for an early cover, Konami changed the match into a grappling session. There were lots of holds and reversals, and it definitely felt like AZM needed to create some distance or get a surprise pin if she wanted to have much of a chance against Konami.
Match 5
Cinderella Tournament First Round Match
Jamie Hayter (SWA & Goddess Champ) vs Syuri (Artist Champ)
(referee: Barb Sasaki)
Result: Syuri wins via submission with Suzaku
Time: 4:43
Match Thoughts
Very good match. Both women came at each other with some heavy strikes and moves right away, and they never really let up. This was a back and forth fight where each of them felt like they could win it with one more strike or one more hold. This was a fun, strong-style type of match.
Match 6
Cinderella Tournament First Round Match
Saki Kashima vs Tam Nakano
(referee: Barb Sasaki)
Result: Tam Nakano wins via pinfall with a bridging Tiger Suplex
Time: 5:20
Match Thoughts
Very good match. Even with all of these matches in the tournament being fairly short, Kashima and Nakano were able to build this match up well over the course of about five minutes. Kashima was generally taking things slower (and in a more cheaty way), while Nakano was doing a lot of nice counters and strikes. The energy in the match built up nicely by the end, and the finish was fun. Also, at one point Nakano did a Matrix move to avoid a clothesline, and then she went right into like an Exorcist crab walk to roll Kashima up for a pin attempt. It was pretty great.
Match 7
Cinderella Tournament First Round Match
Natsuko Tora vs Saya Kamitani
(referee: Daichi Murayama)
Result: Natsuko Tora wins via pinfall after a frog splash
Time: 6:03
Match Thoughts
Good match. Tora doesn’t care much about the Cinderella Tournament, and she didn’t seem to care much about this match, but she still didn’t want to lose. Even so, Tora didn’t take Kamitani very seriously. That allowed Kamitani to get a little offense, but Tora really just dominated Kamitani for most of this match. This was an easy start to the night for Tora.
Match 8
Cinderella Tournament First Round Match
Maika (Artist Champ) vs Utami Hayashishita
(referee: Daichi Murayama)
Result: Time Limit Draw (both wrestlers are eliminated from the tournament)
Time: 10:00
Match Thoughts
Very good match. This match felt like it was bigger than the Cinderella tournament, and I cannot wait to see this again with a longer time limit. This match was heavy on the submission psychology, and I enjoyed it quite a lot. I think Maika and Hayashishita could have a great long-term rivalry.
Match 9
Cinderella Tournament First Round Match
Hana Kimura vs Mayu Iwatani (World Champ)
(referee: Barb Sasaki)
Result: Over the Top Rope Double Elimination (both wrestlers fell to the floor as Kimura went for Hydrangea on the turnbuckles)
Time: 7:56
Match Thoughts
Very good match. This was another one that felt like it was too big for the tournament. Before the match, Hana Kumura said this was the beginning of taking everything away from Mayu Iwatani, and it really did feel like Kimura was more interested in preventing Iwatani from winning than she was trying to win the whole thing for herself. That showed through in how the action played out and the big risks Kimura took to try to eliminate and humiliate Iwatani. Iwatani had to kind of go into survival mode, and that was very interesting to see.
Match 10
Cinderella Tournament Second Round Match
Giulia (Artist Champ) vs Momo Watanabe
(referee: Daichi Murayama)
Result: Giulia wins via Over the Top Rope when Watanabe falls to the floor after Giulia hits her with the Glorious Driver on the apron
Time: 4:37
Match Thoughts
Pretty good match. It was another short fight, but both Giulia and Watanabe came out with big boots and strikes right from the opening bell. An over the top rope elimination was teased early and often, and it felt like both women wanted to end the match quickly so they could save their strength and stamina for future rounds.
Match 11
Cinderella Tournament Second Round Match
Syuri (Artist Champ) vs Konami
(referee: Barb Sasaki)
Result: Syuri wins via submission with a scorpion deathlock
Time: 4:35
Match Thoughts
Very good match. This was a grappling contest with both wrestlers constantly trying to ground their opponent and get them into submissions. I’d love to see this again with a lot more time given to them. It felt like we only got the smallest taste of what Syuri and Konami can do, but what we got was very, very good.
Match 12
Cinderella Tournament Second Round Match
Natsuko Tora vs Tam Nakano
(referee: Barb Sasaki)
Result: Natsuko Tora wins via Over the Top Rope when Tora knocks Nakano off the apron with a lariat after Nakano thinks she’d eliminated Tora with a German suplex on the apron (but Tora went between the middle and top rope to get to the apron)
Time: 3:46
Match Thoughts
Good match. Tam Nakano knew to expect some dirty tactics from Natsuko Tora, but Nakano wasn’t afraid to get a little dirty herself. Nakano took the fight to Tora, but she didn’t keep her mind on the rules of the match which cast her in the end.
Match 13
Cinderella Tournament Semifinal Match
Syuri (Artist Champ) vs Giulia (Artist Champ)
(referee: Barb Sasaki)
Result: Giulia wins via Over the Top Rope after hitting Syuri with a big boot on the apron
Time: 4:06
Match Thoughts
Good match. The match started with a handshake, but then Syuri immediately transitioned that into an attack. With how brief the match was, it felt like they were both really just getting going when it ended, but it was still a nice intra-unit match. With the way the finish took place, there was no real statement made as to wrestling dominance within Donna del Mondo, and that’s fine.
Match 14
Cinderella Tournament Final Match
Giulia (Artist Champ) vs Natsuko Tora
(referee: Daichi Murayama)
Result: Giulia wins via submission with the Stealth Viper
Time: 12:41
Match Thoughts
Very good match. Giulia was in a serious disadvantage in this. Not only did she have to go immediately into this match after her match with Syuri, but Natsuko Tora had a bye in the semifinals so she was more rested and had wrestled less than Giulia tonight. On top of that, Tora snuck in and attacked Giulia from behind before the match started. That set Giulia up in the underdog position, and Tora’s cheating ways solidified Giulia’s underdog status.
Giulia fought hard though, and she even appealed to Tora’s fighting spirit which had Tora toss away the chain she often uses throughout her matches. This became a battle of wills as much as anything for Giulia. She did everything she could to hurt Tora as much as possible, and she was just trying to push through the pain Tora had already caused her. I think this was a great way to finish off this year’s Cinderella Tournament.
Ring Area
After the match, Maika and Syuri help Giulia as she goes backstage to put on the blue dress. When she comes back out, Rossy Ogawa hands Giulia a tiara and a trophy. Giulia dedicates her win tonight to her friends and family in Italy. She then talks about how tough all of her opponents were tonight, and how intense the tournament was.
Giulia says she’s learned that the winner of the tournament gets to make a wish, and her wish is to have a match with Arisa Hoshiki for the Wonder of Stardom Championship. If Hoshiki can’t recover in time to make it to the match, then Giulia just wants the title.
She finishes by saying she was at the bottom when she arrived in Stardom about six months ago, but tonight is part of her Cinderella story. She will rise to the top of Stardom.
Show Impressions
This was definitely a fun show. One night tournaments like this are often very fun, even if the matches tend to be a lot shorter than they would normally be on any other night. There were some good story lines throughout the night, and the two stories for Giulia and Tora leading up to the final match helped make that final match very interesting.
Match of the Night
Giulia vs Natsuko Tora
The match between Syuri and Konami is a very close second place for me.
Official Results (Japanese): https://wwr-stardom.com/news/20200324-2/