Stardom 9th Anniversary Show: WrestleFile Historical Verdict

The dark match gives four younger wrestlers a short 3:39 slot before the anniversary card begins in earnest. Rina and Ruaka winning is less important for the night's major stories than the opportunity to place developing roster members in front of a sold-out Korakuen Hall audience. The pace has to be immediate because the rest of the show contains multiple title programs, a faction debut and Kagetsu's farewell stretch. As archive viewing, this is useful mainly for seeing early-career versions of names who would later become more established.

AZM won the ninth-anniversary show's High Speed three-way in 6:03, pinning Zoe Skye with Azumi Sushi while Starlight Kid was the third participant. STARDOM's original match report identifies all three as competitors in the High Speed Grand Prix and says Skye entered the bout atop its standings after earlier victories over AZM and Kid. That gives the finish more context than a generic early-career snapshot: AZM pinned a rival who had already beaten her in league action, though this special three-way itself was not advertised as a High Speed title match. The fast exchanges offer a useful preview of AZM and Kid's later singles importance, but the anniversary show's title changes and faction developments are stronger full-match priorities.

Oedo Tai's 10:56 victory gives Natsuko Tora, Saki Kashima and Natsu Sumire a substantial undercard win while putting three less-established opponents into a match with a clearly defined unit. Saya Kamitani and Saya Iida are especially notable in hindsight because both would grow into larger roles. The match is not one of the anniversary show's central attractions, but its faction structure makes it easier to understand than a random six-woman tag. Oedo Tai's experience controls the shape while the younger side gains useful exposure.

Tam Nakano defeating Kagetsu in 10:15 carries far more emotional weight than its mid-card placement suggests because Kagetsu was approaching the end of her in-ring career. Nakano gets a meaningful singles victory over one of Stardom's defining figures of the prior era, and the match functions as a generational handoff without requiring a championship. The concise runtime keeps the farewell context from becoming sentimental excess. In hindsight, Nakano's later ascent makes the result even more resonant: a future cornerstone defeats an outgoing leader during Stardom's ninth-anniversary celebration.

Bea Priestley and Jamie Hayter take the Goddesses of Stardom Championship in 12:55, giving the anniversary show its clearest title change and a decisive shift in the tag division. Jungle Kyona and Konami enter as established champions, so the result does not feel like a ceremonial belt swap. Priestley and Hayter's win also strengthens Oedo Tai's position on a night already filled with faction movement. The title change gives the middle of the card consequence before the newly formed Donna del Mondo side appears and before the two major singles championships close the show.

Giulia, Syuri and Maika winning in 14:08 becomes a historical pivot because the trio formally emerges as Donna del Mondo, introducing a unit that would quickly become central to Stardom. Hana Kimura's opposing team gives the debut immediate personality and star power rather than presenting the new faction against disposable opposition. The match therefore carries more significance than a standard six-woman tag: it is the first clear statement of a new power structure. With Giulia already positioned as an important acquisition, adding Syuri and Maika turns individual momentum into an organized faction story.

Arisa Hoshiki retaining the Wonder of Stardom Championship over Utami Hayashishita in 15:21 delivers a high-level title match between a champion at the peak of her run and one of Stardom's most heavily promoted younger stars. Hayashishita's challenge feels substantial because her trajectory already suggests future top-title status, while Hoshiki needs a convincing defense to sustain the importance of the white belt. The result preserves Hoshiki's reign without diminishing the challenger, and the match stands as an especially valuable record given how abruptly Hoshiki's career would end later in 2020.

Mayu Iwatani defeats Momo Watanabe in 19:12 to retain the World of Stardom Championship, giving the ninth-anniversary show the longest and most important match of the card. Watanabe arrives as a former Wonder champion and established Queen's Quest leader, making her a credible opponent rather than a transitional challenger. Iwatani's successful defense reinforces her status as Stardom's central standard-bearer at the start of a year that would transform the company in unexpected ways. The match closes the show with a clear hierarchy: Watanabe remains elite, but Iwatani leaves Korakuen Hall as the promotion's top champion.