The 2021 Stardom Cinderella Tournament (スターダムシンデレラトーナメント2021, Sutādamushindereratōnamento 2021), was the seventh annual professional wrestling single-elimination tournament promoted by World Wonder Ring Stardom which took place beginning with April 10 and culminating on June 12 in the Ota City General Gymnasium.[5] The tournament expanded out of the normal single night format to instead be determined over two separate dates with a limited attendance due in part to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic at the time.[6]
Stardom Cinderella Tournament 2021 | |||
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Promotion | World Wonder Ring Stardom | ||
Date | Night 1: April 10, 2021 Night 2: May 14, 2021 Night 3: June 12, 2021 | ||
City | Tokyo, Japan | ||
Venue | Korakuen Hall (April 10, May 14) Ota City General Gymnasium (June 12) | ||
Attendance | Night 1: 606 (April 10)[1] Night 2: 0 (behind closed doors) (May 14)[2][3] Night 3: 1,240 (June 12)[4] | ||
Event chronology | |||
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Cinderella Tournament chronology | |||
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The tournament winner is awarded a wish that has prompted opportunities for the championship of their choice.[7] Night 2 was postponed due to the Japanese government announcing a state of emergency for Tokyo lasting from April 25 until May 11.[8][9] The rest of the tournament was rescheduled to May 14 and June 12, with the second-round and quarter-finals matches taking place on May 14.[10] The semi-finals and finals were initially going to take place on May 29, but the extension of the state of emergency postponed the third night of the event to June 12.[11]
Storylines
editThe show featured professional wrestling matches that resulted from scripted storylines, where wrestlers portrayed villains, heroes, or less distinguishable characters in the scripted events that built tension and culminated in a wrestling match or series of matches.[12]
On the second night of the tournament, former High Speed Champion Koguma made her in-ring return, saving Mayu Iwatani from an attack performed by Oedo Tai after she fell short to Himeka in the quarter-finals of the tournament. Koguma was later revealed to have joined STARS.[13]
On the third night of the tournament which took place on June 12 due to delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan, STARS and Oedo Tai culminated their feud in a ten-woman All-Out War elimination tag team match won by Natsuko Tora who lastly eliminated Starlight Kid, therefore forcing her to join Oedo Tai. The show saw Saya Kamitani defeating Himeka in the semi-finals of the tournament and finally Maika in the finals to become the Cinderella Tournament winner of 2021. Kamitani issued a challenge to Tam Nakano for the Wonder of Stardom Championship as her granted wish for winning the tournament. The main event of the evening portraited the collision between Utami Hayashishita and Syuri for the World of Stardom Championship. The two of them went into a thirty-minute time-limit draw and Syuri requested a restart of the match which Hayashishita accepted. The second match ended in a double count-out as both of the competitors were unable to continue. After retaining the title, Hayashishita saw Natsuko Tora coming to challenge her for the red belt holding Starlight Kid's mask in her hand.[4]
The first match between Syuri and Hayashishita received a 5.5 stars rating from Dave Meltzer, making it the highest-rated match in the history of women's professional wrestling till its date.[14]
Participants
editThe tournament featured twenty wrestlers, being the greatest Cinderella Tournament till date. Despite Bea Priestley announcing her departure from World Wonder Ring Stardom at Stardom Yokohama Dream Cinderella 2021 from April 4, she was still listed as a participant.[15]
Ruaka and Hanan, previously listed as reserves,[16] were announced on 7 April 2021, as replacements for the departing Bea Priestley[17] and the injured Saya Iida.[18]
Participants list
edit*Noted underneath are the champions who held their titles at the time of the tournament.
Future of Stardom Championship Tournament
editDue to Saya Iida relinquishing the Future of Stardom Championship due to injury, a seven-woman tournament to crown a new champion was announced to kick off on the second night of the event.[19] The finals took place on July 4 at Yokohama Dream Cinderella 2021 in Summer.[20]
Round 1 (May 14, 15, June 8)[21][22] | Round 2 (June 8)[23][22] | Final (July 4)[24] | ||||||||||||
Mina Shirakawa | 5:01 | |||||||||||||
Ruaka | Pin | |||||||||||||
Mina Shirakawa | 7:50 | |||||||||||||
Hina | Pin | |||||||||||||
Rina | 5:43 | |||||||||||||
Hina | Pin | |||||||||||||
Mina Shirakawa | Pin | |||||||||||||
Unagi Sayaka | 16:58 | |||||||||||||
Unagi Sayaka | 6:21 | |||||||||||||
Lady C | Pin | |||||||||||||
Unagi Sayaka | 8:53 | |||||||||||||
Hanan | Pin |
Results
editThe match schedule of the first night was announced on April 7 after a press conference.[25]
No. | Results[26] | Stipulations | Times[27] |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Hina defeated Lady C[a] | Singles match | 6:24 |
2 | Himeka defeated Hanan | Cinderella Tournament First-round match | 6:37 |
3 | Maika defeated Konami | Cinderella Tournament First-round match | 8:27 |
4 | Unagi Sayaka defeated Natsuko Tora | Cinderella Tournament First-round match | 6:51 |
5 | Rina defeated AZM[b] | Cinderella Tournament First-round match | 4:40 |
6 | Starlight Kid defeated Momo Watanabe | Cinderella Tournament First-round match | 6:23 |
7 | Mayu Iwatani defeated Fukigen Death | Cinderella Tournament First-round match | 4:16 |
8 | Giulia defeated Ruaka | Cinderella Tournament First-round match | 4:21 |
9 | Utami Hayashishita defeated Mina Shirakawa | Cinderella Tournament First-round match | 8:59 |
10 | Saya Kamitani defeated Tam Nakano by over the top rope | Cinderella Tournament First-round match | 5:48 |
11 | Syuri defeated Natsupoi | Cinderella Tournament First-round match | 9:26 |
No. | Results[28][29] | Stipulations | Times[21] |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Natsupoi defeated Lady C, Tam Nakano and Hanan | Four-way match | 5:17 |
2 | Oedo Tai (Fukigen Death, Konami and Natsuko Tora) defeated Queen's Quest (AZM, Hina and Momo Watanabe) | Six-woman tag team match | 5:11 |
3 | Saya Kamitani defeated Starlight Kid | Cinderella Tournament Second-round match | 7:05 |
4 | Maika defeated Giulia | Cinderella Tournament Second-round match | 7:38 |
5 | Syuri defeated Utami Hayashishita | Cinderella Tournament Second-round match | 6:17 |
6 | Himeka defeated Mayu Iwatani | Cinderella Tournament Quarter-finals match | 6:14 |
7 | Mina Shirakawa defeated Ruaka | Future of Stardom Championship tournament match | 5:01 |
8 | Unagi Sayaka defeated Syuri | Cinderella Tournament Quarter-finals match | 8:40 |
Notes
edit- ^ Initially a three-way match, but Rina replaced Saki Kashima in her tournament match, therefore it became a Singles match.
- ^ Rina replaced Saki Kashima due to the latter not being able to make her presence to the show.
- ^ Starlight Kid was given the option to choose between removing her mask or joining Oedo Tai and it was the latter which she chose.
- ^ The match was restarted and was sanctioned as only one defense for Hayashishita.
References
edit- ^ Harris, Jeffrey (April 10, 2021). "STARDOM Cinderella Tournament 2021 Results 4.10.21: Opening Rounds". 411mania.com. Retrieved April 10, 2021.
- ^ The event was held without a paying audience due to the COVID-19 emergency in Tokyo
- ^ Sakura Murakami, Elaine Lies (May 7, 2021). "Japan extends COVID emergency in Tokyo, PM Suga says Olympics still going ahead". reuters.com. Retrieved May 15, 2021.
- ^ a b c Pollock, John (June 12, 2021). "Tokyo Dream Cinderella 2021: Winner of tournament crowned". postwrestling.com. Retrieved June 12, 2021.
- ^ Richards, Alex (March 26, 2021). "Stardom Announces Biggest Cinderella Tournament Ever for 2021". lastwordonsports.com. Retrieved April 5, 2021.
- ^ Daly, Wayne (March 26, 2021). "STARDOM Cinderella Tournament 2021 To Take Place Across Two Dates Next Month". wrestling-news.net. Retrieved April 5, 2021.
- ^ Dark angel (March 29, 2021). "Stardom: "Cinderella Tournament 2021" Announced". superluchas.com. Retrieved April 5, 2021.
- ^ "State of emergency for COVID-19 goes into effect". NHK World-Japan. April 25, 2021. Retrieved April 28, 2021.
- ^ World Wonder Ring Stardom (April 23, 2021). "【重要】4・25大阪大会、4・30後楽園ホール、5・7ファンイベント、5・8&9大阪大会、開催中止のご案内". wwr-stardom.com. Retrieved April 28, 2021.
- ^ World Wonder Ring Stardom (April 28, 2021). "【重要】4・30後楽園大会の無観客開催中止とCINDERELLA TOURNAMENT 2021(2回戦~決勝戦)スライド開催のご報告". wwr-stardom.com. Retrieved May 3, 2021.
- ^ World Wonder Ring Stardom (May 14, 2015). 【重要】5・29大田区大会の振替日程は6月12日(土)『TOKYO DREAM CINDERELLA 2021 Special Edition』大田区総合体育館に決定【大会情報】. wwr-stardom.com. Retrieved May 15, 2021.
- ^ Grabianowski, Ed. "How Pro Wrestling Works". HowStuffWorks, Inc. Discovery Communications. Archived from the original on November 29, 2013. Retrieved August 21, 2017.
- ^ Richards, Alex (May 14, 2021). "Koguma Returns To Stardom & Joins STARS". lastwordonsports.com. Retrieved May 15, 2021.
- ^ Dark angel (June 19, 2021). "Stardom: Utami Hayashishita vs Syuri, receives 5.5 stars from Meltzer". superluchas.com. Retrieved July 25, 2021.
- ^ Richards, Alex (April 4, 2021). "Stardom News Round-Up: Bea Priestley Leaving & More (4/4/21)". lastwordonsports.com. Retrieved April 4, 2021.
- ^ Wyatt, Liam (March 26, 2021). "Stardom Announce Cinderella Tournament 2021 Participants". itrwrestling.com/. Retrieved April 5, 2021.
- ^ "'We Are Stardom' Twitter". April 7, 2021. Retrieved April 7, 2021.
- ^ "'We Are Stardom' Twitter". April 7, 2021. Retrieved April 7, 2021.
- ^ Richards, Alex (May 11, 2021). "Preview: Stardom – Cinderella Tournament Round 2 (5/14/21)". lastwordonsports.com. Retrieved May 15, 2021.
- ^ World Wonder Ring Stardom (June 13, 2021). 2021.07.04 (日)[発売中]『YOKOHAMA DREAM CINDERELLA 2021 in Summer』神奈川・横浜武道館. stardom.com. Retrieved June 18, 2021.
- ^ a b Purolove. "World Wonder Ring Stardom Results: 2021". purolove.com. Retrieved May 16, 2021.
- ^ a b World Wonder Ring Stardom (June 8, 2021). "Natsupoi pinned Fukigen with the Fairial Gift to retain the title. V2 for Natsupoi". twitter.com. Retrieved June 8, 2021.
- ^ Purolove. "Stardom, 08.06.2021 Tokyo Korakuen Hall". purolove.com. Retrieved May 29, 2021.
- ^ Thompson, Andrew (July 4, 2021). "STARDOM 'Yokohama Dream Cinderella 2021 in Summer' results". postwrestling.com. Retrieved July 4, 2021.
- ^ Bushiroad Co., Ltd. (April 7, 2021). "Bushiroad Co., Ltd. 4/10 & 30 "CINDERELLA TOURNAMENT 2021" combination decision! Shuri vs Natsumi Maki clash in the first round of the tournament! The most 20 player entries in stardom history!". re-how.net. Retrieved April 7, 2021.
- ^ World Wonder Ring Stardom (April 10, 2021). ""CINDERELLA TOURNAMENT 2021" April 10 (Sat) Korakuen Hall (606 spectators / limited number of corona measures)". wwr-stardom.com. Retrieved April 10, 2021.
- ^ Sanz, Alejandro (April 10, 2021). "Results Stardom Cinderella Tournament 2021". turnheelwrestling.com. Retrieved April 10, 2021.
- ^ Daly, Wayne (May 14, 2021). "STARDOM Results: Cinderella Tournament 2021 Day 2 – Tokyo, Japan (5/14)". wrestling-news.net. Retrieved May 15, 2021.
- ^ Walsh, Shannon (May 14, 2021). "5/14 STARDOM CINDERELLA TOURNAMENT 2021 RESULTS FROM TOKYO". pwinsider.com. Retrieved June 12, 2021.
- ^ Richards, Alex (June 12, 2021). "Saya Kamitani Wins 2021 Cinderella Tournament". lastwordonsports.com. Retrieved June 12, 2021.
- ^ Duffy, John (June 12, 2021). "Saya Kamitani crowned the winner of STARDOM's Cinderella Tournament 2021". diva-dirt.com. Retrieved June 13, 2021.
- ^ Purolove (June 12, 2021). "Stardom "TOKYO DREAM CINDERELLA 2021 SPECIAL EDITION", 12.06.2021 (PPV/Samurai! TV) Ota City General Gymnasium". purolove.com. Retrieved June 12, 2021.