Cinderella Wrestling in Japan

The Stardom Cinderella Tournament is a one-day single-elimination wrestling tournament in Japan. The winner is presented with a Cinderella ceremonial ball gown by wrestling star and former model Yuzuki Aikawa. Winners are then granted a wish of their choice. (The previous winners have rather unoriginally wished for a World of Stardom title match.)

The Cinderella Tournament is one of several professional wrestling events run by World Wonder Ring Stardom (or Stardom for short). Stardom is a ‘joshi puroresu’ (Japanese women’s wrestling) company. It is one of the biggest women’s wrestling promotions in the world.

The Cinderella Tournament features 16 challengers from around the world including several from the UK such as Candyfloss, Chardonnay and Bea Priestley and from the US such as Brandi Rhodes but most are Japanese such as current Wonder of Stardom Champion Tamu Nakano.

When sisters get ugly

Another Stardom event called Queen’s Shout ended in a bloodbath when defending champion Yoshiko and rival Yasukawa began using real violence (called ‘shooting’ in wrestling terms; when wrestlers’ stray from the scripted moves of staged wrestling). Yoshiko attacked Yasukawa and the match was stopped. Yasukawa was rushed to hospital with fractured cheek, nasal and orbital bones which required surgery.

TOKYO DREAM CINDERELLA 2021 Special Edition June 12, Ota Ward Gym ◆World of Stardom Title Match Utami Hayashishita & Syuri went to a 30 minute draw.

Don’t lose your hair

The highlight of the 2020 Cinderella Tournament was a “Hair on Hair” match where the loser was shaven. Defending champion Giulia lost against Tam Nakano and had to have her hair shaved off.