The Conversion

At Stardom’s The Conversion, the main event saw Syuri defend her IWGP Women’s Heavyweight Championship against Sareee. This was a match that had been a long time coming, as Saree had wanted to be Syuri’s first challenger. However, Syuri denied the request, instead going over to the UK to defend against Alex Windsor. However, she would not be able to put off the challenge for too long, and now they would do battle, where Sareee would be vindicated, defeating Syuri to become the new IWGP Women’s Champion.

5 Star Grand Prix

Following this title win, Saree’s next order of business would be the 5 Star Grand Prix, Stardom’s premier singles tournament. There, she put on an impressive performance, topping her block at 11 points, with five wins, one loss to Konami, and a time-limit draw with Suzu Suzuki, earning herself a bye into the playoffs. She faced Momo Watanabe in the Quarter-Finals, but ended up losing to Watanabe, who would eventually go on to win the tournament.

Having been eliminated from the playoffs, it wouldn’t be long before Saree had to return to being the IWGP Women’s Champion. After the match with Watanabe, Konami, Watanabe’s H.A.T.E. stablemate, attacked Sareee and goaded her into a title match. Sareee accepted, and the match took place on the very next show. Sareee fought hard against the Stardom veteran, but she was able to prevail, securing her first successful defense.

To The World

Again, it took very little time for her next challenge to come up. After the match with Konami, Suzu Suzuki, Sareee’s other 5Star GP blemish, came out to challenge Sareee as well. Sareee accepted, eager to settle the score between the two and decide a proper winner. The match took place at Stardom to the World, at the Yokohama Budokan. It was as nasty and as brutal as the two are wont to do, but in the end, Sareee proved herself the better wrestler, walking away with the title.

Syuri's Hiatus & ROH

While all this was happening, shortly after she lost the title, Syuri went on a short hiatus from Stardom. She spent almost 3 months away from the promotion, but would return at Korakuen Hall in a tag team match against none other than Sareee. During her absence, Syuri made it clear that she wanted to win back the IWGP title, and after the match, where her team did lose, she enacted upon her intentions, challenging Sareee to a title match. However, Sareee put off the challenge, instead making her way over to ROH and have a title match with Alex Windsor, a spiteful mirroring of Sareee’s own initial challenge to Syuri. Sareee defeated Windsor, making her 3rd successful defense.

King of Pro-Wrestling

However, like Syuri, Sareee could not delay the challenge for too long, and Syuri would have her rematch. The two have been fighting all year, having an initial 30-minute time-limit draw back in March before Sareee won the title from Syuri. Syuri hoped to even the score, and she would have the chance to do so at King of Pro-Wrestling.

The two put on a great show to open the card. Syuri’s renewed motivation fueled her strikes, driving her to overcome her hated rival. Sareee would not go down so easily, though, kicking and stomping Syuri repeatedly. However, this time, it was Syuri who would win in the end, eking out a victory to reclaim her IWGP Women’s Championship. The two showed respect to each other after the match, but with their 2025 record now at 1-1-1, you would think a proper rubber match may be coming down the line, but that would have to be for another time.

Wrestle Kingdom 20

Instead, we look at the immediate future, as after winning back the IWGP Women’s Championship, Syuri declared that she wanted to compete at Wrestle Kingdom. Similarly, another Stardom name with an NJPW title had announced that they wanted to compete at Wrestle Kingdom as well, that being the STRONG Women’s Champion and World of Stardom Champion Saya Kamitani.

As it would turn out, both women’s paths would end up converging. After successfully defending both her titles at Crimson Nightmare against the 5Star GP Winner Momo Watanabe, Saya Kamitani came face to face with Syuri, who challenged her to a double title match at Wrestle Kingdom. Kamitani accepted, wanting to prove she’s the best women’s wrestler in Japan on the biggest show in Japan, so we will see Saya Kamitani and Syuri competing for both of New Japan’s women’s titles, deciding who the best woman is.

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by MarcoTalin

Wrestle Kingdom 20 Catch-Up: IWGP Women’s Championship