Dream Slam Monthly Vol. 24 Sayonara 2024! Hello, 2025!

The final day of 2024 and Dream Slam Monthly celebrates two full years of Monthly coverage. Before that shift, there was a Dream Slam Weekly, which still holds a special place in my heart. It’s been quite a year with several big shifts in the women’s wrestling landscape in Japan and internationally, and it’s been my pleasure to cover it all. From the establishment of Dream Star Fighting MARIGOLD and Mayu Iwatani’s Runaway Wrestler film to the international sensation that was the Netflix mini-series Queen of the Villains to Meiko Satomura announcing her decision to retire in spring 2025, it’s been my pleasure to cover another great year of women’s wrestling. 

Looking at the Tokyo Sports Pro-Wrestling 2024 Awards, the Women’s MVP went to Sareee and Special Honorable Mentions went to Mayu Iwatani, Dump Matsumoto, and Bull Nakano. 

Winter Holiday Office Hours 2024-2025

• Earlier in the month, WH Park & I got together for our annual POST PURORESU Bounenkai (Forgetting the Year Holiday Party)
• The annual POSTmas Office Holiday Party is a whopping seven hours, but a fantastic listen, especially around the 3rd hour when I sit down and catch up with John!

Full New Year 2025 Week Coverage Schedule!

• Event Report: STARDOM Dream Queendom 2025 (12/29/24)
• Event Report: NOAH THE NEW YEAR (1/1/25)
• Special Podcast: Wrestle Kingdom 19 & WRESTLE DYNASTY Primer (1/2/25) – SURPRISE!
• FREE Podcast: Wrestle Kingdom 19 in Tokyo Dome Review w/ Bruce Lord (1/4/25)
• Podcast: POST PURORESU w/ WH Park (available around 1/10/25)

Dream Star Fighting MARIGOLD

MARIGOLD Winter Wonderful Fight (12/13/24) Shinjuku FACE

• Three Way: Rea Seto defeated Komomo Minami and Minami Yuuki (5:16)
• Bozilla & Misa Matsui defeated Hummingbird & Nao Ishikawa (8:46)
• Kouki Amarei, Utami Hayashishita & Victoria Yuzuki defeated Chika Goto, Miku Aono & Naho Yamada (13:07)
• MARIGOLD Superfly Championship: Natsumi Showzuki (c) defeated Myla Grace (8:41)
• MARIGOLD Twin Star Championships: CHIAKI & Nagisa Nozaki (w/Bozilla) defeated Mai Sakurai & MIRAI (c) (15:28)
• MARIGOLD World Championship: Sareee (c) defeated Nanae Takahashi (21:23) – Referee Decision

MARIGOLD Winter Wonderful Fight (12/20/24) Sendai PIT, Sendai, Miyagi

• Four Way: Hummingbird defeated Komomo Minami and Minami Yuuki and Naho Yamada (6:20)
• Twin Star Cup Tournament First Round: Misa Matsui & Natsumi Showzuki defeated Nao Ishikawa & Rea Seto (10:33)
• Twin Star Cup Tournament First Round: Selene Flora (Kizuna Tanaka & Victoria Yuzuki) defeat edCHIAKI & Nagisa Nozaki (7:36)
• Twin Star Cup Tournament First Round: Mai Sakurai & MIRAI defeated Bozilla & Myla Grace (5:55)
• Twin Star Cup Tournament First Round: Chika Goto & Miku Aono vs. Kouki Amarei & Utami Hayashishita (15:00) – Time Limit Draw 
• Twin Star Cup Tournament Semi Final: Mai Sakurai & MIRAI defeated Selene Flora (Kizuna Tanaka & Victoria Yuzuki) (4:30)
• Twin Star Cup Tournament Final: Mai Sakurai & MIRAI defeated Misa Matsui & Natsumi Showzuki (14:18)

MARIGOLD Winter Wonderful Fight (12/26/24) Korakuen Hall 

• MARIGOLD Twin Star Championships: CHIAKI & Nagisa Nozaki (c) defeat Bozilla & Myla Grace (14:14)

MARIGOLD Winter Wonderful Fight (12/31/24) Shinjuku FACE

• Rookie Of The Year 2024 Tournament First Round: Minami Yuuki defeated Nagisa Tachibana (5:13)
• Rookie Of The Year 2024 Tournament First Round: Naho Yamada defeated Ryoko Sakimura (7:00)
• Rookie Of The Year 2024 Tournament Final: Minami Yuuki defeated Naho Yamada (5:22)
• Marigold Rumble: Bozilla defeated CHIAKI, Chika Goto, Hummingbird, Kouki Amarei, Mai Sakurai, Miku Aono, MIRAI, Misa Matsui, Nagisa Nozaki, Nanae Takahashi, Nao Ishikawa, Rea Seto, Sareee, Utami Hayashishita and Victoria Yuzuki

NEXT! MARIGOLD First Dream (1/3/25) Ota Ward Gymnasium

• Marigold World Championship Match: Sareee (c) vs. Utami Hayashishita
• Marigold United National Championship Match: Miku Aono (c) vs. Mai Sakurai
• Marigold Superfly Championship Match: Natsumi Showzuki (c) vs. Victoria Yuzuki
• GHC Women’s Championship Match: Kouki Amarei (c) vs. Chika Goto
• Marigold Twinstar Championships Match: Dark Wolf Army (CHIAKI & Nagisa Nozaki) (c) vs. Bozilla & Tank
• Passion Sisters (Nanae Takahashi & Nao Ishikawa) vs. Meiko Satomura & YUNA
• Debute Match: Seri Yamaoka vs. MIRAI
• Marigold New Year Rumble: Misa Matsui, Kizuna Tanaka, Hummingbird, Rea Seto, Komomo Minami, Minami Yuki, Naho Yamada, Ryoko Sakimura, Nagisa Tachibana, Hamuko Hoshi, Yuuki Mashiro, Riara, Momoka Hanazono, Nightshade, Flying Penguin + more

ICE RIBBON

RIBBONMANIA 2024 (12/31) Korakuen Hall

• Kirari Wakana defeats Miria Koga (8:02)
• Grizzly Fujitaki, Mayuka Koike & Nanae Furukawa defeat Mifu Ashida, Minami Yuuki & Yuu Hanaya (8:37)
• Three Way Tag Team: Arisa Shinose & Kaori Yoneyama defeat Ancham & Yappy and Kyuri & Yuna Manase (8:00)
• Ibuki Hoshi & Unagi Sayaka defeat Mio Shirai & Saran (11:21)
• Miku Kanae & Yumiko Hotta defeat Totoro Satsuki & Tsukina Umino (12:36)
• Manami Katsu defeats YuuRI (11:45)
• International Ribbon Tag Team Title: Hamuko Hoshi & Makoto (c) defeat Sumika Yanagawa & Yuko Sakurai (16:04)
• ICExInfinity Title: Yuuki Mashiro (c) defeats Misa Kagura (18:36)

NJPW

• PODCAST: Strong Style Evolved (12/15) Walter Pyramid, Long Beach, CA – with Bruce Lord
• NJPW STRONG Women’s Championship: Mercedes Moné (c) vs. Hazuki – Recommended
• Shingo Takagi & Yota Tsuji vs. Konosuke Takeshita & Jack Perry – Recommended
• TMDK (Zack Sabre, Jr., Shane Haste & Bad Dude Tito) vs. Dirty Work (Fred Rosser & Tom Lawlor) and Shota Umino
• NJPW STRONG Openweight Championship: Gabe Kidd (c) vs. Ryohei Oiwa
• Hiromu Takahashi & Titán vs. Templario & Jakob Austin Young
• Lio Rush vs. Hechicero – Recommended
• 4-Way Jrs. Match: Clark Connors vs. KUSHIDA vs. Kosei Fujita vs. TJP
• NJPW STRONG Openweight Tag Championship: James Drake & Zack Gibson (c) vs. Royce Isaacs & Jorel Nelson
• Mina Shirakawa vs. Johnnie Robbie
• STRONG Survivor Match: Matt Vandagriff vs. Zane Jay

NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 19 (1/4/25) Tokyo Dome – Full Review with Bruce Lord scheduled

• IWGP World Heavyweight Championship: Zack Sabre Jr. (c) vs. Shota Umino
• Special Single Match: Tetsuya Naito vs. Hiromu Takahashi
• IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship: David Finlay (c) vs. Yota Tsuji
• IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship: DOUKI (c) vs. El Desperado
• Double Championship Match: Shingo Takagi (c) NEVER vs. KONOSUKE TAKESHITA © AEW International 
• Lumberjack Death Match: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. EVIL 
• NJPW World Television Championship — Four-Way Match: Ren Narita (c) vs. Ryohei Oiwa vs. Jeff Cobb vs. El Phantasmo
• IWGP Women’s Championship: Mayu Iwatani (c) vs. AZM
• IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championships — Tokyo Terror Ladder Match: Kevin Knight & KUSHIDA (c) vs. T.M.D.K. (Robbie Eagles & Kosei Fujita) vs. Catch 2/2 (TJP & Francesco Akira) vs. BULLET CLUB War Dogs (Clark Connors & Drilla Moloney)
• Pre-Show: NJPW Ranbo – IWGP World Heavyweight Championship Number One Contender Match

Battle in the Valley (1/11/2025) San Jose Civic Center, San Jose, CA; Full Card TBA

• Sumie Sakai’s Retirement Match: Sumie Sakai, EVIOL & SHO vs. Hiromu Takahashi, Mayu Iwatani & Yuka Sakazaki
• NJPW STRONG Openweight Tag Championships: Jorel Nelson & Royce Isaacs (c) vs. YOH & Rocky Romero
• Special Singles Match: Zack Sabre, Jr. vs. Hechicero
• Tag Match: Fred Rosser & Matt Vandergriff vs. Shane Haste & Bad Dude Tito
• NJPW STRONG Openweight Championship: Gabe Kidd (c) vs Tomohiro Ishii

OZ Academy

OZ Academy Eternal Sparkle At Osaka (12/15/24) 176BOX in Osaka, Japan

• Kakeru defeated Honoka (12:56)
• H2D (Ryo Mizunami & Sonoko Kato) defeated Maika Ozaki & Ram Kaicho (15:26)
• Saori Anou defeated Momoka Hanazono (11:00)
• OZ Academy Pioneer Title Three Way: Mayumi Ozaki (c) defeated Itsuki Aoki and Kaori Yoneyama (13:16)
• AKINO, Kohaku & Tsubasa Kuragaki defeated Hiroyo Matsumoto, Rina Yamashita & ZONES (14:31)

OZ Academy Eternal Sparkle (12/30/24) Korakuen Hall

• Rina Yamashita defeated Unagi Sayaka (9:26)
• Jaguar Yokota & ZONES defeated Itsuki Aoki & Tomoka Inaba (11:24)
• Ram Kaicho defeated Kakeru (10:16)
• AKINO, Kohaku & Tsubasa Kuragaki defeated Hiroyo Matsumoto, Kaori Yoneyama & Momoka Hanazono (12:33)
• Mayumi Ozaki defeated Saori Anou (22:47)
• OZ Academy Tag Championships: FWC (Hazuki & Koguma; STARDOM) defeated H2D (Ryo Mizunami & Sonoko Kato) (c) (21:46)

Sareee-ISM Chapter VI (1/25/2025) Shinjuku FACE

• Victoria Yuzuki vs. Shaa
• Jaguar Yokota & Kizuna Tanaka vs. Yumiko Hotta & Miku Kanae
• Takumi Iroha vs. Chi Chi
• Kaoru Ito & Yurika Oka vs. Bozilla & Mio Momono
• Main Event: Sareee vs. Meiko Satomura

SEAdLINNNG

SEAdLINNNG 2024 Final Battle (12/27) Korakuen Hall

• Miku Kanae defeated Miria Koga (7:23)
• High Speed Elimination: Na Tsudita defeated Ka Kedita and La Pidita and Leon and Masked Hokakudo and Ram Kaicho and SUGI (17:08)
• Hiroyo Matsumoto defeated Honori Hana (10:51)
• Las Fresa de Egoistas (Makoto, Mima Shimoda & VENY) defeated Rina Yamashita, Unagi Sayaka & Yumiko Hotta (11:39)
• SEAdLINNNG Beyond The Sea Tag Team Title: Ayame Sasamura & Itsuki Aoki (c) defeated H.A.T.E. (Natsuko Tora & Ruaka) by DQ (15:10)
• SEAdLINNNG Beyond The Sea Title: Sareee (c) defeated Nagisa Nozaki (16:25)

Sendai Girls

Sendai Girls BIG SHOW In Sendai 2024 (128/24) Sendai Sun Plaza Hall in Sendai, Miyagi, Japan

• Sendai Girls Junior Championship: Chi Chi (c) defeated YUNA (9:25)
• Manami defeated ZONES (5:46)
• Battle Royal: Miyuki Takase defeated Aja Kong, Hiroyo Matsumoto, Kuroshio TOKYO Japan, MICHIKO, Ryo Mizunami, Unagi Sayaka, and Yura Suzuki (19:57)
• Team 200kg (Chihiro Hashimoto & Yuu) defeated Mika Iwata & Sareee (12:17)
• Sendai Girls Tag Team Championships: Bob Bob Momo Banana (Mio Momono & Yurika Oka) defeated Lena Kross & VENY (c) (12:43) – TITLE CHANGE !!!
• Sendai Girls World Championship: Meiko Satomura defeated DASH Chisako (c) (16:06) 

Meiko Satomura’s Retirement Road (April 29, 2025)

• Defeated Mika Iwata (11/30) EDION Arena, Osaka  
• Defeated DASH Chisako (12/8) Sendai Girls World Championship Defense; Sendai Sun Plaza Hall
• Tenryu Project Vol. 8: Light My Fire (12/15) – Chihiro Hashimoto & DASH Chisako vs. Meiko Satomura & Mika Iwata (20:00) – Time Limit Draw 
• GLEAT Ver.14 (12/21/24) Manami & Meiko Satomura defeated MICHIKO & Risa Sera (10:00)
• Niigata Pro Wrestling (12/21/24) Meiko Satomura & YUNA defeat Manami & Yurika Oka (12:53) Kurosaki Civic Hall in Niigata, Japan
• Sareee (1/23/2025) – Sareee-ISM VI; Shinjuku FACE
• Unagi Sayaka (2/16/2025) A Single Match Even in Korakuen Hall
• MEIKO SATOMURA: THE FINAL (4/29/2025) Korakuen Hall

STARDOM

FULL EVENT REPORT: STARDOM Dream Queendom 2024 (12/29) Rygoku Kokugikan

Medical Update: Konami has been removed from new year’s shows due to an undisclosed injury sustained during her match with Syuri at Dream Queendom (above). There is no projected return time table currently.

STARDOM’s Annual New Year’s Special included a live stream of Runaway Wrestler, the Mayu Iwatani biopic, without any commercial interruptions! I was able to catch this live on the last day of 2024 (it starts at 4h4m time stamp)! The fictitious adaptation of Iwatni’s memoir is a who’s who of cameos and familiar faces. Look close enough and you’ll even see Bushiroad owner Takaaki Kidani and STARDOM President Taro Okada when you least expect it! There aren’t English subtitles, but it is a fairly easy watch.

Recommended Video Recap includes highlights from Historic X-Over II such as Thekla/Clark Connors vs. Natsupoi & Taichi and El Desperado/Starlight Kid vs. Zack Sabre, Jr & Maika

NEXT: STARDOM NEW YEAR DREAM 2024 (1/3/2025) Tokyo Garden Theatre, Ariake

• Dark Match 1: Rian & Honoka (Wave Pro) vs. Mitsuki Kato (Diana) & Makoto Yuma (Diana)
• Dark Match 2: Lady C & Nanami vs. Saya Iida & Momo Kohgo
• Dark Match 3: Hina & Ranna Yagami vs. ZONES (EvoJo) & SOI (EvoJo)
• 6-Woman Tag: Syuri, Tomoka Inaba & Kiyoka Kotora (FKA: Maya Fukuda) vs. Momo Watanabe, Fukigen 
• Next Generation Tag Match: Manami (SenJo) & Hanan vs. Ruaka & Rina
• High Speed Battle Royal: Saki Kashima, Yuna Mizumori, Waka Tsukiyama, COHAKU (Wave Pro) & Matoi Hamabe
• World Wide Tag Match: Athena (ROH) & Thekla vs. Tay Melo (AEW) & Mina Shirakawa
• Sendai Girls World Junior Championship: Chi Chi (c) vs Aya Sakura
• Death & Azusa Inaba – Watanabe is also listed in the main event, so she could wrestle twice prior to WRESTLE DYNASTY in the same night.
• IWGP Women’s Championship Preview: Mayu Iwatani, Hazuki & Koguma vs. AZM, Mei Seira & Miyu Amasaki  
• Dump Matsumoto, Zap & Natsuko Tora vs. Saori Anou, Natsupoi & Sayaka Kurara 
• Maika & HANAKO vs. Chihiro Hashimoto & Yuu
• Tam Nakano vs. Sayaka Unagi
• New Year Kohaku* Tag Match: Starlight Kid & Suzu Suzuki vs. Saya Kamitani & Momo Watanabe
• Tokyo Joshi Pro-Wrestling (TJPW)

*In Japan, the annual Kohaku Utagassen (Red & White Song Battle) is one of the longest-running New Year’s Eve Countdown traditions, where top pop stars and traditional music performers compete in a men (white team) vs. women (red team). STARDOM’s New Year’s spin is a tag match with the World (Red Belt) Champion against the Wonder (White Belt) Champion.

TJPW 11th Birthday Show (12/1/24) Shinagawa Prince Hotel Club eX, Tokyo

• Moka Miyamoto defeated Kira Summer (6:11)
• Three Way: Chika Nanase and Kaya Toribami and Rika Tatsumi (7:31)
• Haruna Neko & Hyper Misao defeated HIMAWARI & Mahiro Kiryu (9:55)
• Shoko Nakajima & Yuki Aino defeated Wakana Uehara & Yuki Kamifuku (11:01)
• Daisy Monkey (Arisu Endo & Suzume), Mizuki & Yoshiko Hasegawa defeated Up Up Girls (Miu Watanabe, Raku, Shino Suzuki & Uta Takami) (12:54)
• Princess Tag Championships: 121000000 (Maki Itoh & Miyu Yamashita) (c) defeated Haru Kazashiro & Toga (19:35)

TJPW Se~No Merry Christmas! 2024 (12/21/24) Tama Future Messe, Tokyo

• Chika Nanase defeated Uta Takami (6:32)
• Moka Miyamoto defeated Ivy Steele (5:09)
• Mahiro Kiryu defeated Yoshiko Hasegawa (5:42)
• Raku defeated Shino Suzuki (4:36)
• Maki Itoh defeated Toga (6:26)
• Yuki Aino vs. Yuki Kamifuku (7:00) – Time Limit Draw
• Kaya Toribami & Matcha defeated HIMAWARI & Pom Harajuku (7:14)
• Hyper Misao defeated Haru Kazashiro (5:05)
• Rika Tatsumi vs. Shoko Nakajima (7:00) – Time Limit Draw
• Miyu Yamashita vs. Mizuki (7:00) – Time Limit Draw
• Miu Watanabe & Yuki Arai vs. Suzume & Wakana Uehara (10:00) – Time Limit Draw

TJPW Year-End Party (12/29) Korakuen Hall

• Ivy Steele defeated Chika Nanase (5:50)
• Five vs. Five Gauntlet: Mizuki, Shino Suzuki, Suzume, Uta Takami & Yoshiko Hasegawa defeated Arisu Endo, Haru Kazashiro, Moka Miyamoto, Shoko Nakajima & Toga
• SETUP All Asia Women’s Title: Pom Harajuku (c) defeated Matcha (7:26)
• SPW Queen Of Asia Title / VPW Women’s Title: Yuki Kamifuku (c) defeated Lei Ying Lee (10:03)
• Princess Rumble: Miu Watanabe defeated Aja Kong, Antonio Honda, Haruna Neko, HIMAWARI, Hyper Misao, Kaya Toribami, Kira Summer, Mahiro Kiryu, Maki Itoh, Miyu Yamashita, Poison Sawada JULIE, Pokotan, Raku, Rika Tatsumi, Ryo Mizunami, Wakana Uehara, Yuki Aino, Yuki Arai and Yuna Manase (37:07)

TOKYO JOSHI PRO ‘25 (1/4/2025) Korakuen Hall

• Aja Kong, Mahiro Kiryu & Neko Haruna vs. Yuki Aino, Raku & Pom Harajuku
• Ryo Mizunami, Kaya Toribami & Yoshiko Hasegawa vs. Macha, Ive Steel & Kira Summer
• Yuki Kamifuku & Lei Ying Lee vs. Rika Tatsumi & Wakana Uehara
• Yuka Sakazaki & Moka Miyamoto vs. Arisu Endo & Haru Kazashiro
• Year of the Rubber Snake Death Match: Shoko Nakajima vs. Hyper Misao
• International Princess Championship: Yuki Arai (c) vs. Suzume – 12th Champion’s 7th defense
• Princess Tag Championship: Miyu Yamashita & Maki Itoh (c) vs. Masha Slamovich & Zara Zakher – 17th Champions’ 3rd defense
• Princess of Princess Championship: Miu Watanabe (c) vs. Mizuki – 14th Champion’s 6th defense

Upcoming Dates in 2025

• Futari Princess Max Heart Tag Tournament 2025 (January-early February)
• GRAND PRINCESS ‘25 (3/16/2025) Ota Ward Gymnasium

AEW/ROH

• AEW Women’s World Championship: Mariah May (c) defeated Mina Shirakawa (11:05) AEW Dynamite #271 Winter is Coming 2024, T-Mobile Center, Kansas City, MO
• ROH Final Battle 2024 Zero Hour: HANAKO defeated Harley Cameron (7:23) at Hammerstein Ballroom, NYC
• ROH Women’s World Television Championship: Red Velvet (c) defeated HANAKO (12/21) ROH On Honor Club #97; Hammerstein Ballroom, NYC

WRESTLE DYNASTY (1/5/2025) Tokyo Dome – Review with John Pollock & Wai Ting on the POST Wrestling Cafe

FINAL Match Order TBD; based on outcomes of WK19 the day before

• Special Singles Match*: Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Ricochet
• Special Singles Match*: Shota Umino vs. Claudio Castignoli
• Special Singles Match**: Yota Tsuji vs. Jack Perry
• Special Singles Match**: David Finlay (c) vs. Brody King
• Special Singles Match: Kenny Omega (AEW) vs. Gabe Kidd (NJPW)
• Double Championship Match: Tomohiro Ishii vs. Winner Takagi/TAKESHITA – NEVER & AEW International Championships
• IWGP Tag Championships: Great O’Khan & Partner X vs. Matthew & Nicholas Jackson
• Lucha Gauntlet Match – CMLL & NJPW 
• NEVER Openweight Championship: Mina Shirakawa (c) RPUK vs. Mercedes Moné (c) NJPW STRONG Women’s Championship – Mina Shirakawa speaks about friendship with Mercedes Mone (12/31)
• Pre-Show: ROH World Tag Championships: Sammy Guevara & Dustin Rhodes (c) vs. Yoshinobu Kanemaru & SHO
• Pre-Show: International Women’s Cup: Willow Nightingale (AEW) vs. Momo Watanabe (STARDOM) vs. Athena (ROH) vs. Persephone (CMLL) 

*The Winner of SZJ/Umino will defend the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship

** The Winner of Finlay/Tsuji will defend the IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship

NXT

NXT Women’s Championship: Roxanne Perez (c) vs. Giulia (1/7/25) New Year’s EVIL, The Shrine Expo Hall in Los Angeles, CA

Dream Slam Homeroom

Recommended Match: Women’s WAR GAMES Match – Bayley, Bianca Belair, IYO SKY, Naomi & Rhea Ripley defeated Candice LeRae, Liv Morgan, Nia Jax, Raquel Rodriguez & Tiffany Stratton (38:11) (Results)

• Event: Survivor Series 2024
• Promotion: WWE
• Date: November 11, 2024
• Venue: Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
• Availability: Platforms where WWE is available globally

There are a few times of the year when I watch WWE and Survivor Series is one of those rare occasions. While I wish there was more deep and meaningful storytelling for all participants, it always blows my mind to see the creativity and daredevil moves for War Games matches. 

Thank you for always listening and joining me on this global learning excursion! Can’t believe it’s been two full years of Dream Slam Monthly! Arrivederci, Mata, na!