September 24, 2018 5☆STAR GP2018

*The winner of the 5☆STAR GP2018 was Mayu Iwatani

This is the final official match between two teams with a 2-4 record. Both have been eliminated from the championship race, but they are both eager to end on a high note with a victory. Kashima, in particular, is especially frustrated, having suffered a forfeit loss due to illness. A Goddess of Stardom Championship defense awaits her on September 30th in Nagoya. She will want to end the official tournament with a victory to uphold the honor of the tag team champions. Of course, Jamie, the British RPW Women's Champion, feels the same way

　Jamie responds to the call in Japanese, "Arigato" (thank you). Jamie extends his hand, requesting a clean fight. As Kashima tries to accept, Jamie attacks. Kashima tries to roll up Jamie, but Jamie retaliates. Kashima throws an arm whip, and Jamie responds with an elbow. Jamie delivers a knee attack, then a brainbuster into the corner post. Jamie throws Kashima into the corner, and Kashima jumps on him. Jamie stops him, but Kashima rolls him up. The referee counts to three, and it seems Kashima has won. However, this is a mistake, it was actually two counts. Kashima climbs onto the corner again and delivers a diving foot stomp. Jamie kicks out, and Kashima goes for a double arm hold. Jamie tries to counter, but Kashima locks him in with a modified Manji-gatame (figure-four leglock). Jamie slams him down and delivers a series of knee strikes to his face. Jamie charges in with a knee attack. Kashima kicks out, and Jamie rolls him up. Kashima hit a stunner followed by a double-arm DDT. Jamie countered the double-arm suplex hold. Jamie then hit a backbreaker and a forward knee strike. Kashima was unable to counter, and Jamie won

The big foreign wrestler showdown is between Kelly Klein and Nicole Savoy. If Kelly gets two points here, she will advance to the finals. Before the match, Mayu Iwatani is tied for the lead with eight points, but Kelly has beaten Iwatani in their head-to-head match, so Kelly will advance. For the other wrestlers to advance from the Blue Stars, Nicole needs to win. Nicole is the current SHIMMER champion. She is currently tied at 3 wins and 3 losses, but this is probably an unsatisfactory record for a champion. Will Nicole's determination to not end with a losing record hold Kelly back?

　Nicole offers a handshake, but Kelly doesn't respond as the bell rings. After a struggle for back control, Kelly lifts Nicole up, but Nicole counters and goes for a brainbuster. Kelly resists and tries to throw her in the opposite direction, but Nicole holds on. Nicole grabs Kelly's arm, and Kelly counters with a headlock. Kelly tightens the hold, and Nicole takes her to the ground. Kelly doesn't release the headlock and gets up, tightening it again. Nicole takes Kelly to the corner and takes her to the ground. Kelly still maintains the headlock. No matter how much Nicole tries to throw her, Kelly won't let go. Even when Nicole tries to throw her against the ropes, Kelly keeps the headlock on. Nicole gets up and tries to reverse the hold. Nicole finally escapes and takes her to the ground, where she goes for a reverse pin. Kelly kicks her back, but it's only a two count. Kelly grabs Nicole's neck and lands some knees. Kelly kicks her back and holds her down, but it's only a two count. Nicole lands a back kick followed by a knee attack. Kelly dodges and applies a hanging sleeper hold. Nicole's elbow sent Kelly hanging upside down before she fell. Nicole followed up with a series of low kicks, but Kelly caught them. Nicole attempted a brainbuster, but Kelly countered and went for a K-Power. Nicole used her weight to evade and grabbed Kelly's leg. Kelly tried to escape, but Nicole went for a kneebar. Nicole then transitioned into a reverse figure-four leglock and tightened the hold. Kelly gave up. Nicole won, and Kelly's score remained at 8 points

Hazuki vs. Natsu Sumire is a match between two members of the Oedo Tai stable. Hazuki still has a chance to win the championship, albeit somewhat reliant on others. For that to happen, Kelly and Iwatani must lose, and she must win. Watanabe Momo is in a similar situation to Hazuki, but Hazuki and Momo drew in their last official match. Will Natsu "assist" Hazuki in this match, or will she greedily go for a win for herself? Although she was eliminated from the championship race early on, Natsu's victory over Wonder of Stardom Champion Momo is a shining example

First, we should pay attention to how things unfold in the summer

　Both members of the Oedo Tai entered the ring at the same time. Kagetsu, Hana, and Yamaguchi also joined in and performed the Oedo Tai dance. However, before the dance was over, Natsu attacked Hazuki and put her in a sleeper hold. The fight spilled outside the ring, and Natsu slammed Hazuki into the audience. Natsu brought Hazuki back into the ring, pinned her to the ropes, and delivered a big boot to her back. After a series of stomps, she threw Hazuki into the corner, but Hazuki countered with a swan dive missile kick. She cornered Hazuki and gave her a face wash. Hazuki delivered a full nelson buster and shouted "Don't mess with me!" before applying a face lock. Hazuki arched her back, but Natsu's foot got caught on the ropes. Immediately afterwards, Hazuki delivered a big boot. Hazuki dodged Natsu's big boot and rolled her up. Natsu whipped her, stomped on her face, and then slammed her body into her. Natsu delivered a knee to her stomach, followed by a big boot and a brainbuster hold. Hazuki kicked out, and Natsu delivered a series of stomps. Summer declared it was over, but Hazuki delivered an elbow. Summer retaliated, and they exchanged elbows. Five minutes had passed when Hazuki landed a slap. Summer fought back, and they exchanged roll-up attempts. From there, Hazuki secured the three count. Hazuki ended the official match with her chances of advancing to the finals still alive. After the match, both women hugged and congratulated each other on a good fight

Rachel Ellering, who, along with Kagetsu, is at the top of the Red Stars, will face Kimber Lee in their final official match. Rachel participated in the WWE women's tournament, the Mae Young Classic, this year, and Kimber did the same last year. For Rachel to advance to the finals, she needs a win of her own and a win or loss against Kagetsu. If both win, Kagetsu will have the advantage as she won their head-to-head match. Even if she has to rely on others to win in the end, she will want to secure two points here. On the other hand, Kimber has not been in contention for the championship throughout the league, but she has shown glimpses of her former NXT skills with her all-around performance. That said, there is a good chance that she will hold Rachel back. More than anything, she will not back down if she is left with a large losing record. There is also a possibility that Kimber will pull off something we have not seen before

　As soon as the bell rang, they exchanged elbows. Kimber went outside the ring and pulled Rachel's leg. Kimber did a tope con hilo from the apron. He brought her back into the ring and went for the cover, but it was only a two count. Kimber landed a series of chops, but was countered with a big boot. Rachel attempted a senton, but Kimber kicked out. Rachel pulled Kimber up and went for a powerbomb. Kimber dodged and landed a series of kicks. Rachel kicked out, and Kimber got behind her. Rachel countered again and went for a Black Hole Slam, then put Kimber on the corner for a superplex attempt. Kimber slammed her down and went for a Swanton Bomb. Rachel dodged, but Kimber rolled her up. He forcefully held her down for the three count, giving Kimber the victory

Utami Hayashishita, who is aiming for the fastest debut-level victory in her first appearance, will be playing her final league match. Her opponent is Konami, who has a 3-3 record so far. For Konami, this is an extremely important match, as a winning or losing record could affect her future direction. Moreover, her opponent is the big rookie Utami. Preventing Utami from reaching the finals would be a huge victory. She would also go down in history as the second person to defeat Utami after Kagetsu. She will surely want to sabotage Utami out of pride as a senior wrestler. She will undoubtedly be targeting the Triangle Lancer, which boasts a 100% win rate. How Utami handles this and brings the match into her own winning pattern will likely be the deciding factor

　The two locked up and grappled for an arm hold. Konami applied an armbar and kicked Utami in the head. She drove Utami to the ropes and stomped on her right arm. Konami hit a soccer ball kick and went for the cover but only got a two count. Konami twisted Utami's left arm and hit an armbreaker. Utami kicked out and hit a series of elbows. Konami countered with a kick but was hit with a shoulder tackle. Utami threw Konami into the corner and hit a running dropkick followed by a body slam and a shoulder tackle. Konami kicked out and Utami went for a sleeper hold. Konami countered with an armbar and kicked Utami in the face. Konami charged in and hit a sliding kick. She pulled Utami up and went for a fisherman suplex. Utami kicked out and Konami charged in. Utami threw Konami on her shoulder and pulled her up and went for an Argentine backbreaker. Konami tried to counter but Utami applied a camel clutch. Utami arched her back even higher but Konami reversed and grabbed her arm. Utami escaped and was hit with a series of outer leg sweeps. Konami retaliates, and Utami heads to the corner. Konami dodges the missile kick and goes for a triangle hold. Utami braces herself and lifts her up, but Konami rolls her up. Konami goes for an armlock, but Utami counters and applies a sleeper hold. Konami tries to escape, but Utami slams her down and continues to choke her. Utami lifts Konami up in an Argentine backflip and performs a backflip. She lifts her up once more, and Konami gives up, giving Utami the victory and putting her in first place among the Red Stars at this point

Jungle Kyona and Tora Natsuko will face off in their final official match as fellow JAN stablemates. Kyona was considered a favorite to win, but two draws seem to be holding her back. Kyona's 5☆STAR GP 2018 will end as soon as either Kagetsu or Rachel gets a win. She will only have a chance to advance to the finals once she gets two points from Natsuko, but it's all up to chance. She desperately wants to win the championship before her homecoming to Nagoya... On the other hand, Natsuko suffered five consecutive losses but finally got her first win in an official match against Nakano Tam, and is in high spirits heading into this match against her stablemate. For that reason, she will surely bring everything she has up to now on to Kyona. Even if Kyona has a chance to win the championship, Natsuko will be desperately trying to grab her own victory. On September 30th in Nagoya, Kyona and Natsuko will defend the Artist of Stardom Championship in the afternoon and challenge for the Goddess of Stardom Championship in the evening. With a series of title matches looming, what kind of results await?

　Natsuko, who was called in, shows her belt to Kyoka. Kyoka also raises her belt and comes in front of Natsuko. Natsuko offers a handshake, and Kyoka accepts, and the match begins. Both charge at each other, and Natsuko's spear lands. Kyoka stops the second one, and they exchange shoulder tackles. Kyoka comes out on top. She pulls Natsuko up and delivers a body slam followed by a body press. Natsuko retaliates with an elbow. Kyoka responds with a reverse chop. After an exchange of strikes, Natsuko delivers a series of double chops. Kyoka dodges and lands a flurry of reverse chops. She charges after a corner body attack, but Natsuko sends her flying with a shoulder tackle. Natsuko delivers a series of elbows from her knees. Kyoka counters with a lariat. She also delivers a lariat from behind. Kyoka lifts Kyoka up in a Canadian cantilever and spins her around for a backbreaker. When Natsuko retaliates, Kyona applies a reverse Boston crab. Kyona returns to the center and releases it, then stomps on Natsuko and says "I'm going to finish this" before getting into a scorpion hold. She steps over and completes the scorpion hold. However, Natsuko manages to escape. As Kyona climbs to the corner, Natsuko shouts "Kyona!" and delivers a back blow followed by a deadly drive and a knee attack. Five minutes have passed. Natsuko picks up Kyona and lifts her up. She delivers a Kamikaze and then goes for a frog splash from the corner. However, Kyona slaps her and gets into a superplex position. Natsuko resists and delivers a powerbomb in the center. However, Kyona kicks out at two. Kyona slaps her and charges, but Natsuko reads and delivers a spear. Natsuko picks up Kyona and goes for the Ascension. Kyona kicks out, and Natsuko delivers three consecutive frog splashes from the corner. Once this move was executed, Kyoko was unable to move, and Natsuko won the match against her fellow dojo member

Natsuko's comment

-- By defeating Jungle Kyona

"Right now, I don't know what to say. I feel happy, and also sorry... I'm not saying that I've surpassed Jungle Kyona just because I won today. I don't know how to put it. I think I'll have to surpass her someday, but after today's match, I felt that Jungle Kyona has finally reached the stage where she sees her junior, Tora Natsuko, as just another professional wrestler."

—Does "I'm sorry" mean preventing them from reaching the finals?

"That's right. We're in the same unit, so we sometimes fight each other, but I think we're also supposed to support each other. When I'm in a singles match, Kyoka is always in my corner, and when Kyoka is in a singles match, I'm always in her corner. Even when we're not in the same ring, we help each other out, and, well, I think that's what being teammates is about, trying new things and sharing the joy. So today, as a teammate, I'm the bad guy who took away that joy. But, if I were to describe myself as the female pro wrestler Tora Natsuko, I'd say today's victory is a perfect 100 points."

--On September 30th in Nagoya, you'll be teaming with Kyoka to defend your Artist of Stardom title and challenge for the Goddess of Stardom title. Has this victory actually given you good momentum?

"Up until now, I think the screaming girls probably thought, 'I have to take the lead here, I have to do my best, it's all about me, me, me,' but from now on, I want to be the kind of people who will say, 'I think I'll leave it to Natsuko,' and that's how I want to go about things going forward."

Red belt champion Kagetsu will face former Oedo Tai member and STARS member Tam Nakano in their final official match. If Kagetsu scores two points here, she will easily advance to the finals. Considering the difference in skill between them, it's safe to say that Kagetsu has a high chance of winning her way through the Red Stars. However, this is a fight that Nakano cannot afford to take lightly. Last year, she participated in a league tournament that was realized after her direct appeal to join Stardom, but she ended up with only one win. This year, she is also stuck with one win so far. Both have shown their prowess against Konami, but if things continue like this, it might seem like no change from last year. For that reason, she absolutely wants to secure a victory. If she can drag Kagetsu down, it will have a big impact. Kagetsu has told her that "joining STARS was a mistake," so she wants to put the prime minister in her place. Will Kagetsu advance as expected, or will Nakano cause a major upset?

　If Kagetsu wins, she will advance to the finals; if she loses, Utami, who has earned two points that day, will advance. Nakano approaches and extends her hand, and Kagetsu tries to respond. They exchange kicks and then bump their foreheads together. After an exchange of elbows, Nakano lands a series of blows. Kagetsu throws Nakano into the corner, but Nakano applies a dragon sleeper. Nakano delivers a face crusher followed by a cartwheel double knee drop. Kagetsu kicks out, and Nakano takes her back. Kagetsu breaks free and charges, but Nakano delivers a spin kick followed by a German suplex. Kagetsu kicks out, and Nakano delivers stomps and a Destiny Hammer. Nakano charges, and Kagetsu hits her with a high kick. Kagetsu delivers a series of kicks and pins her down. Nakano kicks out, and Kagetsu attempts a backflip followed by a brainbuster. Nakano counters, but Kagetsu throws her again. Kagetsu applies a reverse Boston crab, but Nakano reaches the ropes. Kagetsu delivers a series of stomps and prepares for a chokeslam. Nakano counterattacked, but Kagetsu dodged the kick and immediately delivered three consecutive Ebisu Drops. Nakano kicked out, and five minutes had passed. Kagetsu delivered another Ebisu Drop. She announced her finish and climbed onto the corner, but Nakano delivered a superplex. However, Kagetsu immediately kicked her. She pulled up Nakano, who kicked out, and said, "Hey, Tam. You were better off with Oedo Tai after all. You regret it, don't you!" However, Hana attacked her from outside the ring with a weapon. Nakano rolled her up for the three count. Nakano won, and Kagetsu's chances of advancing to the finals were eliminated. As a result, Utami advanced to the finals

Hana enters the ring and strikes Hazuki and Natsu with a chair, then holds the chair to Kagetsu's throat. Hana then chokes Kagetsu with a towel

Hana: "Kagetsu, you've been quite tamed by Stardom, haven't you? Hey, you bitches over there, don't you dare rest on your laurels just because you're affiliated with a company! See ya!"

Hana left the stage alone, taking a chair with her. Kagetsu turned to Nakano and made one more declaration of intent

Comment from Kagetsu

"Damn that jerk! What was he thinking?! He ruined someone's match! I'm never going to forgive him!"

Nakano's comment

—I imagine you were putting everything on the line for this match

"I'm not happy at all, not happy at all. It feels like a joke. I thought I had been working towards this final match, but I've just annoyed the audience and ruined the match, what's the point? That's all. Even if I win like this, I won't be happy at all. Kagetsu says that her biggest regret is that she made me leave Oedo Tai, and that she couldn't train me, but her own teammates are all the same kind of people who mess up matches like this, and she couldn't train them either, and there's even one who's like a ghost member, so I think it's amazing that she has the nerve to say that. It makes me angry. It's ridiculous, really. One more time? No, not one more time. This match, this match, is a one-of-a-kind event, isn't it? If you want to do it again, I want you to put that red belt on the line. That's all."

*The winner of the 5☆STAR GP2018 was Mayu Iwatani

The championship match between Utami, the #1 ranked Red Stars wrestler, and Iwatani, the #1 ranked Blue Stars wrestler, is the first final for both of them, meaning whoever wins will be the first champion. Utami, who debuted in August, is on the verge of her first championship in her debut appearance, the fastest ever since her first time on the mat, and is making her first appearance in the main event. Iwatani, a first-generation wrestler, is experienced but is on the verge of her long-awaited first championship in her fifth appearance. This year's 5☆STAR GP championship match is a battle between two contrasting wrestlers

　Utami approaches and extends her hand. Iwatani adjusts to her height and keeps her eyes on Utami. When the gong sounds, neither moves from their spot. Both cautiously move forward and lock up. Utami quickly grabs Iwatani's arm and takes her to the ground. Iwatani doesn't respond and stands up, then puts her arm on the ropes and stomps on it. Iwatani attacks Utami's right arm. She kicks her in the face and then grabs her right arm and twists it. She throws Iwatani and attacks her right arm. When Iwatani stands up, she puts her right arm on the ropes and kicks it. Iwatani stomps on her right arm and tries to throw her, but Utami counters with a sleeper hold. Iwatani applies an armlock. Iwatani delivers a low dropkick to the arm. Utami falls to the outside and climbs onto the corner, but Utami returns and throws Iwatani from the apron to the bottom of the ring. Utami puts Iwatani, who has returned, in a camel clutch. Iwatani escapes and five minutes have passed. Utami removes the supporter from Iwatani's left arm and places it on the ropes, stomping on it. Utami goes for a submission hold on Iwatani's left arm and right leg, but Iwatani resists. Utami throws Iwatani into the corner, but Iwatani sends Utami flying with a missile kick. Iwatani follows up with a series of stomps and low dropkicks. Iwatani tries to hold her down, but Utami lifts her shoulder. Iwatani slams Utami's stomach with a diving foot stomp. Utami kicks out, and Iwatani assumes a dragon hold. Utami escapes to the ropes, and Iwatani charges. Utami throws her over her shoulder and applies a sleeper hold. Utami pulls Iwatani up and applies an Argentine backbreaker. Iwatani quickly escapes and hits a high kick followed by a lariat, but it's not a strong hit and she can't go for the cover. Iwatani throws Utami into the ropes, and Utami lands a powerful lariat. Both are down, but they get up, and Iwatani dodges an elbow and slams Utami with a Dodonpa. Utami kicked back and 10 minutes had passed. Iwatani delivered a back kick, a high kick, and a German suplex. Announcing her finish, she headed to the corner. Utami dropped Iwatani and applied a sleeper hold over the apron. From there, she executed a reverse drop, returned to the ring, and tightened the hold. She threw Iwatani with another reverse drop before transitioning to a body lock. Iwatani managed to reach the ropes. Utami pulled Iwatani up and delivered an Argentine backbreaker. She threw her with a backflip, but Iwatani kicked out. Utami attempted a series of long hold-ups to try and get the three count. Iwatani kicked out, and Utami headed to the corner. Iwatani got up but took a direct hit from a missile kick. Utami headed to the corner again, seemingly aiming for another missile kick. Iwatani got up and delivered a slap followed by a headbutt. She executed a superplex Frankensteiner, followed by a series of middle kicks and a high kick. She then followed with a buzzsaw kick and a heel drop. Utami kicked out, and Iwatani delivered a frog splash. Utami kicked out, and 15 minutes had passed. Iwatani moved behind Utami and attempted a dragon suplex. Utami countered, but Iwatani went for a two-stage dragon suplex. The referee counted to three, and Iwatani won her first championship. Iwatani was awarded a gown, a crown, and a championship cup (Best Match = Kyoko vs. Kagetsu at Shin-Kiba on September 8, Outstanding Performance Award = Konami, Fighting Spirit Award = Watanabe Momo, Skill Award = Hazuki)

Iwatani: "To everyone who came to Korakuen Hall, I won the championship! I've been competing for five consecutive years, and for the first year and two, I was always in the first match doing 3-WAY matches with the Tawashi-zu, but Iwatani Mayu, the underachiever from the first generation, has managed to win the championship! It was a really tough series, and I really hated 5★STAR, it was hard and tough and painful, but the view from the top is the best! There's something I have to say whether I win or lose... I'm not retiring! Iwatani Mayu's pro wrestling career still has a long way to go, so it won't end here. And there's one person I'd like to introduce. Please come out!"

First-generation member Arisa Hoshiki appeared on stage and entered the ring

Hoshiki: "Hello everyone, it's been a while. I'm Hoshiki Arisa, one of the first generation members. First of all, wait a moment. Mayu-chan, congratulations on your victory! I almost cried in the back. The reason I'm out here is because I have something I'd like to announce to you all. I've decided to make a comeback in Stardom after six and a half years! From now on, I'll be working hard to team up with Mayu-chan, so please support us."

Iwatani: "I think there are many people who don't know her, but she's Arisa Hoshiki, one of the founding members of Stardom, a first-generation member, and my first partner. You know, it was the same with the Cinderella Tournament, I won the Cinderella Tournament, then Yoko Mito appeared and won 5★STAR, and now Arisa Hoshiki has appeared, so it seems like whenever I win, someone always makes a comeback. So I want to continue creating big surprises, with Mayu winning in various places every year, and all the Stardom members returning, and making Stardom even more exciting. Also, since I won, yeah, that's right...the red belt. There's a double title match for the red and white belts scheduled in Nagoya, but I want to challenge for the red belt at the next Korakuen Hall event. I don't know who will have it then, and it might be a double title match. I don't know, it depends on luck at the time, but for now I want to win both the red and white belts, become the red and white double champion again, and work hard. So please continue to support me. What should I say in a situation like this?" For now, I'd like to wrap things up, so everyone please come up. JAN, QQ, and Oedo Tai, everyone please come up. Utami, thank you for fighting for us today. But we can't afford to lose yet. We'll continue to be a formidable wall, so bring it on, super rookies! So, I'll wrap things up today! Believe in the present, shine tomorrow, We Are STARDOM!

Iwatani's comment

Iwatani: "After five years, and participating for the fifth consecutive year, I finally won the 5★STAR! It was incredibly tough, the level of each and every fighter was so high, and I had a really hard time during this period. There were times when I thought, 'I don't like 5★STAR, it's so hard,' but I finally managed to win. Every year, I watched the finals as a second, and I'd think, 'Ah, how nice.' Seeing my juniors and classmates win made me feel really inferior, but now my name is finally on this list. Aikawa Yuzuki, Takahashi Nanae, Shirai Io, Hojo Kairi, Mito Yoko, and Iwatani Mayu!" You know, I've been using this trophy every year, and I'm really happy that as long as Stardom continues, my name will continue to be engraved on this trophy. But it took me five years to actually win it, and I think my fans who support me were probably thinking, "Oh, Iwatani didn't win again this year," or "What's she up to?" I think my fans were getting impatient, but I feel like I've finally been able to repay them. Ah, I'm starting to cry. I've won the Cinderella Tournament, and... how should I put it, I'm really happy. Or rather, have I achieved a Grand Slam? Because SWA is in a really confusing state right now (laughs). Can't this be called achieving a Grand Slam? Can't it? Where did SWA go? (laughs). Well, I couldn't win the Cinderella Tournament this year, but I've gone from being the spring girl to the summer girl. I'm really happy. But this crown is somehow different from the usual one, it's really big and I imagined it would be a bit cooler, but it's kind of weird (laughs). I don't know what to say... My arm is pretty damaged, but I think overcoming this will make me stronger, and more than anything, it will give me confidence, and I realized once again that Iwatani Mayu is a really strong person who can do two or three matches in one day, or even more matches, hehe. And, it seems that whenever I win, someone makes a comeback, and this time, Hoshiki Arisa will be making a comeback! Arisa-chan is... oh, here she is. Please, please. Come over to the side of the throne."

Hoshiki: "Once again, I'm Hoshiki Arisa, a first-generation member. I was so happy to see Mayu-chan win today, and I almost cried backstage. I thought, 'Oh no, this is bad,' and tried my best not to cry when I came out, but I almost cried again. From here on out, I've apparently been teaming up with Saki-chan for a while, but I'd like to work hard so that I can team up with Mayu-chan as well."

Iwatani: "Hahaha. First generation members, it's been 6 years?"

Seiki: “Six and a half years?”

Iwatani: "Why did you decide to make a comeback?"

Hoshiki: "People have been asking me to come back for a long time, but I've always thought to myself, 'No, I'm fine.' But I can't help but wonder about it. I've been watching Stardom matches and their results, and I've been wanting to go out for drinks with Mayu and Saki for the first time in a while. After we've had our drinks..."

Iwatani: "I got a message out of the blue saying, 'Let's go out for drinks,' and that's how we first went out for drinks together. We were drinking, and I asked him if he was going to make a comeback, and he said, 'Actually, I've been wondering about it too.' And then things progressed very quickly from there."

Hoshiki: "That's right."

Iwatani: "We went out for drinks, and from that day on I was saying things like, 'What kind of costume should I wear?' and 'What kind of entrance music should I use?' I'm really getting ahead of myself. I'm always like this, so I don't know if I'll be able to keep up with the excitement from now on."

Hoshiki: "It's okay, it's okay."

Iwatani: "Really, some people are making a comeback, and some are quitting. Or maybe no one is quitting. I said something ominous (laughs). I'm going to liven up Stardom from now on, and I think there are probably a lot of Stardom fans who have only seen Arisa on video. It's been six and a half years, after all, but Arisa is a wrestler who can really captivate with just her Brazilian kicks, and she has long arms and legs, like a gazelle."

Hoshiki: "Hahaha. Antelopes actually have thick legs."

Iwatani: "Really? That's fine, I appreciate that little bit of trivia. From now on, I'm not going to give up my top position in Stardom, and I want to wear the red and white belt myself. I have high aspirations and will always strive to improve, and I hope that Arisa-chan will also be able to work hard together with me as a fellow Stardom member from now on."

Hoshiki: "And tag team belts too."

Iwatani: "Saki-chan, I'm getting jealous!"

Hoshiki: "Someone was jealous of me earlier. They said, 'Saki is now Mayu's tag team partner!'"

Iwatani: "The first generation members are laid-back, or rather, they're not laid-back. Surprisingly, many of the first generation members are quite ambitious."

The two of them: "We are one, woman-AMA!"

Iwatani: "Hey, I'm already 25 years old!"

Hoshiki: "It's okay, it's okay."

Iwatani: "It's nostalgic to think of us becoming one (laughs). Anyway, I'm really glad we were able to win. Thank you very much!"

Comment from Utami

"For me, it was a disappointing result. -- What did you think of the match itself?"

"I'd heard that Iwatani-san is like a zombie, always coming back to life no matter how many times she gets beaten, and that's really true. I think I did my best to attack today, but I was amazed that Mayu-san was the one still standing at the end."

-- Not just Iwatani, but do you think the players who lost in the league matches could win next time?

"As for the next match, the only opponents I've lost to in the league matches are Mayu and Kagetsu, but the others were draws. Kagetsu was just as tough an opponent as Mayu, so I can't say for sure if I'll be able to beat her next time, but I do want to win. If we do face each other again, I want to learn from my mistakes and prepare a strategy so that I can win this time."

—You've only played about 12 matches since your debut, so it's amazing that you made it to the finals

"Ah, thank you."

—Weren't you nervous?

"I'm not nervous. In my previous matches, I was nervous... I did have a little trouble sleeping the night before my match against Kagetsu, but other than that, I haven't been particularly nervous."

--This was also Iwatani's first time in the 5★STAR finals

"Oh, really? Ah, first time. Was this Mayu's first victory?"

—This is your first time in the finals. It's amazing that you made it to the finals

"But I really wanted to win."

—What did you gain from 5★STAR?

"There were a lot of consecutive matches and many singles matches, which was tough, and I got injured and my arm hurt, but I never forgot my desire to win until the very end, and I always had the feeling that I would never give up. Even in Mayu's match, I always had the feeling that I would win and would not give up until the very end. I think that the strength of that feeling has grown stronger within 5★STAR."

--What was the reason for 5★STAR's victory this time?

"I think the reason I won was because I had a strong passion for professional wrestling. I had a strong desire to win, and I also had a strong love for professional wrestling. So I worked really hard in training up until then, and I worked hard to win the championship, and I think that feeling led to me coming in second place."

—The banner said "Superhuman."

"Oh, and you've made a new banner for us, 'Superhuman.' That's great, really cool."

--She became the superhuman Shimi

"Superhuman Shimi. I wonder if that's what people will say from now on. I'm happy. She uses Argentina, and she's like a superhuman compared to the wild man, which is cool. I saw it. I thought it was cool."

--A belt this time?

"Yes, I would like one. The belt is a symbol of strength, so I would like to win more matches and challenge for the belt someday, and wear the belt around my waist."

—Are you scared because things are going too smoothly?

"No, I think that things going smoothly is a result of my hard work, so I'm happy that the results are coming. I missed out on winning this time, so I realized I have to work even harder. Hehehe. Thank you."