JPN
The Artist of Stardom Championship match took place on Sunday, June 14th at "STARDOM in KORAKUEN 2026 Jun." (Korakuen Hall, Tokyo), where the champions "Dream Trine" Ami Sorei, Hina, and Lady C defeated Cosmic Carnival's Natsupoi, Yuna Mizumori, and Sakura Aya to successfully defend their title for the first time
The reigning champions, with their sights set on Sakura, saw Lady execute a 10-rotation giant swing, followed by Hinami slamming her down with a powerful body slam and taunting her with "Is that all you've got, Carnival!" Then, Sorei pressed her advantage with an Argentine backbreaker
However, the enemy forces launched a coordinated plancha simultaneously, putting Sorei in a precarious situation. Nevertheless, Hinan and Lady stepped in at the perfect moment to help, preventing the enemy from scoring a decisive goal
Despite being pushed back by Sakura's tenacity, they managed to land their combined move, the Flapjack Neckbreaker, on Sakura at a crucial moment, and finally, Sourei delivered the finishing blow with a lightning strike
After the match, Sorei thanked the challenger team, saying, "Thank you so much for coming to challenge us," and then asked Sakura, "How was it?"
Then Sakura, with tears streaming down her face, declared, "It's frustrating. But we haven't lost! We may have lost the match, but we haven't lost the carnival! I'm always being compared to my tag team partner (Kurei Sayaka), but I'll take the top spot in this ring in my own way!"
In response, Sorei sent a message saying, "Around the time I graduated from Future, my tag team partner was moving forward one after another, and I went through a difficult, frustrating, and troubled period. That's why I think Sakura and I have something in common. I'm proving now that all those struggles, including the pain, can become fuel for growth. Believe in yourself, believe in your teammates, and come back and challenge again."
Here, the Ito Respect Army, consisting of Maki Ito, Kian Furusawa, and Rian, made their long-awaited appearance. The winner of this match was guaranteed a challenge at the June 20th Yoyogi tournament, so they were set to clash with the Sorei team in their second title defense
When Ito tried to say something, Furusawa snatched the microphone from him and said, "Do you know what true light is? On June 20th in Yoyogi, we, the Ito Respect Corps, will show you what true light is," to which Rian added, "We..."
The same statement that caused a huge sensation at the signing ceremony the other day caused the venue to erupt once again. He continued, "The champion, Ito Respect Army, will win," and was met with thunderous applause
The three concluded as usual with "Ito Respect Squad, forever!", but Hinami wouldn't allow it
"We are the champions! We're going to say something harsh to the Ito Respect Army here," she began, adding, "You have the air of a champion, but to become a true champion, momentum alone isn't enough, having a strong personality isn't enough, and being cute isn't enough!"
Seeing Ito glaring at her in silence, Hinami wore a satisfied expression and declared war, saying, "It looks like you've finally gotten serious. Let's compete for first place at Yoyogi on June 20th."