JPN
"Phenex Queen" Saya Kamitani is finally poised to reclaim her title. While expressing anger at the unauthorized arrangement of her solo press conference, she candidly discusses the changes in her mindset since losing the World of Stardom Championship in April. Why has she set her sights on the Goddesses of Stardom Championship (currently held by AZM & Mitsuyoshi Amasaki), which she will challenge with Momo Watanabe at the Yokohama Budokan on September 12th? Don't miss hearing "Saya-sama's" true feelings!
--Okay, Kamiya, please come over here.
Kamiya ? Seriously, what? What do you mean, "please come over"?
--First, please take a seat in that chair over there
here ?! Saya is on summer vacation right now! Don't mess with me! Seriously, what's going on? Why are there four microphones here? Are you kidding me? You're serious.
--Today, we've set up this press conference to have Kamiya talk to us about various things regarding the future.
Kamiya , huh? This is getting annoying! If you have something to ask, then ask it!
--What kind of summer has it been for Saya this year? Kamiya, you
summer vacation? Oh, 5★STAR. To begin with, that 5★STAR, well, Saya lost, but there were a lot of crappy rookies and stuff. I feel like "congratulations" to Rinami for winning, but for Saya, this crappy league tournament is kind of irrelevant. Saya-sama is worth more than 5★STAR right now. Well, this is her 7th time competing (this year), so I think it would be great if she could win it at a better time in the future.
-- The official match results are 3 wins and 2 draws..
Kamiya , you know, it pisses me off how you ask questions so matter-of-factly! Put more emotion into what you say! What? Okay, sure!
--The result of the league matches was 3 wins, 2 draws, and 2 losses, so you didn't advance to the final tournament. Kamiya
, was that right? I don't remember anymore. But you're being really picky. Are you Starlight Kid or something?
--The draw was between Kid and Watanabe Momo. The losses were between Hanan and Sorei Ami. How do you feel about these results?
Uetani : Hmm... As for Kid, well, he got injured in the World Championship match (at the Osaka tournament on February 7th), so it wasn't supposed to end like that. I was thinking of ending my relationship with Kid after that World Championship match, but that damn cat kept clinging to me. I ended up saying, "Let's do it again." So, in this case, even though I was the one who said it, it was a draw, and I felt like there might be a continuation to this match. And then there's Momo. After I lost the red belt in April, there was a period when I couldn't get my spirits back, and there were times when I accidentally hit her in HATE and took out my frustration on Momo. But we were able to understand each other during the league matches, and I really felt that I want to go after a new dream, the Goddess title, together with Momo once again.
—Why did you choose Goddess?
Kamiya: I've always had a strong attachment to the red (World Championship). Of course, I still do, but I've held the red for a year and four months, and I understand better than anyone how heavy that responsibility is. Because I understand that, I want to go for it at an even better time. Since joining HATE, I've only thought about myself, or rather, after turning heel, I had to go through the process of building myself up, and that's when I took on the red. As a result, it has been good for the organization, but I was only able to do my best for myself. I haven't really done anything with the other HATE members until now, so I want to face my teammates and take on a challenge. With so many people in the organization, those kinds of opportunities don't come around very often. That's why, now that my relationship with Momo has deepened, I think it's the perfect timing to take on the Goddess. I guess the reason I decided to challenge is that I want to seize this golden opportunity that's right in front of me.
--What kind of person is Watanabe to you, Saya-sama?
Kamitani: Well, looking back, she was my opponent in my debut match (on August 10, 2019), and I guess she was the first to become a heel, and then after a lot happened, I became a heel too, so we're kind of inseparable. Even after everything that's happened, we're still connected, that's the feeling I get. And Momo herself is very steady and grounded. I'm more on the emotional side, and if something happens, I'll immediately start raging in the locker room (laughs). When I get angry, I just go "Bang!" Like that. The other day too... yeah, never mind, that's a bit much. Anyway, even in those situations, Momo has a sense of stability, not just in matches, but mentally as well. So I think we have a good balance. It's like our bumps and dips fit together.
--So you've been raging recently...
Kamiya : What should I do about this? I'm living too much on my emotions, it's getting out of hand. If something happens that I can't forgive, I immediately lash out. You know, those times? Right? Right? Right?
--Watanabe is a reliable partner when she's by your side, isn't she?
Kamitani : Yes, absolutely! She's a really dependable partner. Even when Saya is going wild, she quietly watches over her (laughs). She has an understanding of "that's just how Kamitani is." I think Momo is also top-notch in terms of strength, so in that sense this tag team is well-balanced. That's why I'm really interested in taking a chance on the potential of these two.
--The two who possess that potential are challenging the reigning champions, 02line (AZM & Amasaki Mitsuyoshi). What impression do you have of the champions?
Kamitani: "Well, I guess the answer is, 'Hmm, I don't know.'" I wonder, do they have presence? There was a time when HATE was the title holder, and now a babyface holds it, so it's too peaceful and boring. Everyone congratulates each other after a match. For example, Hayashishita Utami recently joined, everyone is in welcoming mode, but I think there must be some uglier feelings deep down inside. I'm the only one who still hasn't accepted her. Everyone is so friendly and peaceful, and I'm watching from the outside thinking, "Stardom is so boring right now." As for AZM and Mitsuyoshi, they may have some of the most exciting matches, but I think that in Stardom right now, it's not just about the content of the matches, but also about the ability to communicate and how to reach the outside world, which is incredibly important. It's like they're just wearing the belt, or the belt is just wearing them, but I think there's more they can do. That's what I think.
--If Saya-sama and Watanabe-senpai win the belts, will Stardom change?
Kamitani : I think so. I think it all comes down to how much the belt holders can stir things up in the ring. First of all, if we wear the belts, we can guarantee the quality of the matches, and on top of that, we are confident that we can make Stardom more interesting, constantly provide topics for discussion and stir things up. I think it would be better for Stardom if we wore the belts.
--You entered 2026 as the world champion, but lost the belt at Yokohama Arena in April. What were your feelings when you stepped into the ring after losing the belt, and what were you thinking about?
Kamitani : I guess it's just that I had been running with the red belt for the entire last year, so after I lost it, I felt like there was a big hole in my heart. No matter where I went, I always carried the red belt with me, and it was always there for me. I couldn't believe that it was now in the possession of another wrestler instead of me. If I had to put it into words, it would be like "a broken heart." I honestly thought, "No, it's mine, isn't it?", and loneliness was the biggest feeling.
—Do you still feel that loneliness?
my hairstyle , so I'm gradually getting used to it, but deep down I still strongly feel that I really want red hair. I think I can make red hair look more appealing when I style it than when other people are styling it, and I'm confident about that. I'm always thinking about red hair.
--After the battle with Goddess, what will Saya do as we head towards the end of the year?
Kamiya: I don't just look at the immediate future. Right now, I'm focused on the matches in front of me, like Goddess and of course, the Ryogoku tournament at the end of the year is important and I'm watching it, but I'm always thinking about what comes after that. The Tokyo Dome has always been my dream, and I want to keep that in mind as I move forward. Of course, I'll be wearing the Goddess costume and stirring things up, and I also want to wear the red costume someday and return to the top. Plus, I think media is important. I want to keep putting out information. I think that's something only I can do, so I want to spread pro wrestling in that way. I recently started using TikTok too. If I just sit around doing nothing, time will just pass by, so I think I have to keep taking action myself. I don't want to waste a single moment, and I want to always be taking meaningful actions. If I keep working hard on things like Goddess, the red costume, and media, I think I'll eventually reach my ultimate goal of the Tokyo Dome, says Saya.
--Regarding the red color you've been thinking about for a while, you used the expression "eventually."
the red Kamiya! Right now, Saya-sama is just lending it out to other players. The rental fees have piled up (laughs). So, in a way, it's a side income, or rather, a way to make money. I really want the red one. I want it right now, I want it so badly I could die for it, and I truly believe that the red only suits me. That's why I want to get it at the perfect time for me. It's just that now isn't the right time.
--With Rina winning the 5★STAR title, Saya challenging for the Goddess Championship and Tora Natsuko challenging the World Champion Suzuki Suzu at Yokohama on September 12th, it seems like the momentum is shifting in HATE's favor
Kamitani : That's right. HATE isn't currently holding a belt, but in terms of presence, I think HATE has always been at the center. I feel like Stardom revolves around HATE, so I want to win a belt here as a tangible result and proof.
--So we can keep an eye on Saya-sama this fall and winter too?
what 's with that way of speaking! What's that supposed to mean? "Isn't that great?" I mean, everyone's crazy about Saya-sama! She doesn't have the belt right now, but that's not all. There are plenty of people who don't shine just because they're wearing the belt. It's what you do with the belt, right? There are so many people I think are really wasting their potential. I really don't like to say too much about other people, but... So, I guess I can guarantee that Stardom will become more interesting if Saya-sama gets the belt.
--By the way...
up , Kamiya? What's wrong with you, seriously?! Saya-sama really hates indecisive people! Be clear! If you have something to ask, straighten up! Saya-sama is on summer vacation!
--Did you enjoy your summer vacation?
Kamiya isn't having fun! I'm holed up at home! Seriously, I want to go on a trip!
—Where do you want to go?
Kamiya , will you take me on a trip? A hot spring trip! You're definitely asking that question just for fun, aren't you? It's really annoying me.
--In conclusion
Kamiya 9.12 Yokohama Budokan, come and see the moment when Saya-sama and Watanabe Momo put on the Goddess outfit!
🔻Click here for information on the September 12th Yokohama event🔻
https://wwr-stardom.com/schedule/20260912_yokohama/