Saki Kashima

Kashima in February 2022

###

Masuda, Shimane, Japan

**Saki Kashima** (鹿島沙希, *Kashima Saki*) (born May 5, 1993) is a Japanese professional wrestler currently working for the Japanese professional wrestling promotion World Wonder Ring Stardom (Stardom), where she is the current High Speed Champion in her first reign while also being a former one-time Goddess of Stardom Champion and one of the inaugural and former five-times Artist of Stardom Champion.

## Professional wrestling career

### World Wonder Ring Stardom (2011-2013, 2018–present)

After being scouted by Fuka, the general manager of the World Wonder Ring Stardom promotion, who were looking for new wrestlers, and Kamitani started to pursue a career in professional wrestling and started to train January 2011 and on May 9, she officialy passed an audition to start her professional career. Kashima made her professional wrestling debut at World Wonder Ring Stardom's *Stardom Season 2: Grow Up Stars* show from June 12, 2011, where she wrestled Natsuki Taiyo in a match that ended in a time-limit draw. In February 2012, Kashima and Kairi Hojo joined Yuzuki Aikawa and Yoko Bito to form a stable named Zenryoku Joshi. Meanwhile, Akiawa's old rival Io Shirai formed the Planet stable with Arisa Hoshiki, Mayu Iwatani and Natsumi Showzuki, starting a rivalry between the two groups. The first match between Zenryoku Joshi and Planet took place on February 11, when Kashima and Aikawa and Bito defeated Shirai, Hoshiki and Iwatani, with Bito pinning Iwatani for the win. On June 10, 2012 Saki Kashima turned on the stable after Aikawa's return to join rival group Kawakatsu-gun. On June 24, Kawakatsu-gun defeated Zenryoku Joshi in an eight-woman battle of the stables. On July 8, Kashima lost to her former stablemate Yuzuki Aikawa in a grudge match, contested under lumberjack rules. On August 19, Kashima entered Stardom's 5★Star GP 2012 round-robin tournament where she lost most of her matches only drewing against Natsuki Taiyo and on her last match of the tournament she would lose to Kyoko Kimura that ended in a TKO after refree reportidilly stopped the match and, as a result failed to qualify for the finals of the tournament. On October 21, Kashima recived her first title opportunity after she unsucessfuly challenged Natsuki Taiyo for her High Speed Championship. On October 27, Kashima entered the 2012 Goddesses of Stardom Tag League, teaming with Kawakatsu-gun stablemate Act Yasukawa. In their opening round-robin match, the two lost to Christina Von Eerie and Kyoko Kimura and two would went in a losing streak where they lost to Miho Wakizawa and Nanae Takahashi on November 11 but the streak would end after two faced Kairi Hojo and Natsumi Showzuki in their last match which ended in a time limit draw and, as a result, failed to qualify for the finals of the tournament. At *Stardom Season 10 New Year Stars 2013* on January 14, 2013 Kashima teamed up with Act Yasukawa and Natsuki Taiyo and defeated Kellie Skater, Portia Perez and Tomoka Nakagawa to become the inaugural Artist of Stardom Champions. On May 9, 2013 Kashima, Yasukawa and Taiyo would vacate the titles after was sidlined due to her poor physical condition. The title win would be her last match before a five-year hiatus from in-ring activity in order to heal her health issues. After months of inactivity, her contract was terminated in 2014, after the promotion introduced a new contract system to sign their wrestlers.

On March 23, 2018, Kashima made her professional wrestling return after she joined Mayu Iwatani's new stable STARS. Kashima and Tam Nakano lost to Oedo Tai (Hana Kimura, Kagetsu and Sumire Natsu) which would later led to an confrontation in which she was involved was at *Stardom X Stardom 2018: Kagetsu 10th Anniversary Show* from August 12, where she unsuccessfully challenged Kagetsu for the Wonder of Stardom Championship. At the *Goddesses Of Stardom Tag League 2018* tournament, Kashima teamed up with Mayu Iwatani, placing themselves in the Block A and scoring a total of seven points after going against Leo Onozaki and Hanan, Momo Watanabe and Utami Hayashishita, Hana Kimura and Mari Apache, J.A.N (Kaori Yoneyama and Ruaka), and their fellow STARS stablemates Starlight Kid and Natsumi. She participated in the *Goddesses Of Stardom Tag League 2019*, teaming up with former STARS stablemate Mayu Iwatani, placing themselves in the Red Block, and scoring a total of two points after going agsint the teams of Queen's Quest (AZM and Momo Watanabe), Riho and Starlight Kid, Tokyo Cyber Squad (Jungle Kyona and Konami, Bea Priestley and Jamie Hayter, and Oedo Tai (Hazuki and Natsuko Tora).

On January 3, 2020, during an tag team match between Hana Kimura and Kagetsu and STARS, Kashima turned on Iwatani and joined Oedo Tai turning heel in the process. At *Stardom Yokohama Cinderella* on October 3, 2020, Kashima teamed up with Natsuko Tora and defeated Jungle Kyona and Konami in a Losing Unit Must Disband no disqualification match, forcing them to dissolve the Tokyo Cyber Squad stable after Konami turned on Kyona to join Oedo Tai. On November 11, Kashima, Tora and Bea Priestley defeated Donna del Mondo (Giulia, Maika and Syuri) to win the Artist of Stardom Championships. On December 20, Kashima, Tora and Priestley lost the titles to the newly formed Cosmic Angels (Tam Nakano, Mina Shirakawa and Unagi Sayaka).

At the All-Star Dream Cinderella on March 3, 2021, Kashima teamed up with Tora to unsuccessfully challenge Donna Del Mondo (Maika and Himeka) for the Goddess of Stardom Championship. On April 4 *Stardom Yokohama Dream Cinderella 2021* from April 4, where she teamed up with fellow Oedo Tai stablemates Tora, Ruaka, Konami and Rina to defeat STARS (Mayu Iwatani, Saya Iida, Starlight Kid, Hanan and Gokigen Death) in a Ten-woman elimination tag team match in which she made two eliminations and secured the victory, therefore forcing Gokigen Death to join Oedo Tai since the last one eliminated was forced to join Oedo Tai and renamed her Fukigen Death.

At Stardom 5 Star Grand Prix 2021 she fought in the "Red Stars" block where she scored a total of four points after competing against Momo Watanabe, Mayu Iwatani, Koguma, Starlight Kid, Himeka, Fukigen Death, Natsupoi, Giulia and Mina Shirakawa. At Stardom 10th Anniversary Grand Final Osaka Dream Cinderella on October 9, 2021, she unsuccessfiully challenged Syuri for the SWA World Championship. At *Tokyo Super Wars*, the second event of the Stardom Super Wars trilogy which took place on November 27, 2021, Kashima teamed up with Fukigen Death and Rina in a losing effort against Stars (Mayu Iwatani, Hazuki and Hanan). At *Osaka Super Wars* on December 18, she teamed up with Konami and Ruaka and Starlight Kid to defeat Queen's Quest (Momo Watanabe, AZM, Saya Kamitani and Utami Hayashishita) after Watanabe betrayed her unit during match and joined Oedo Tai. At Stardom Dream Queendom on December 29, 2021, Kashima competed in a five-way match won by Fugiken Death and also involving Lady C, Waka Tsukiyama and Rina.

At Stardom Cinderella Journey on February 23, 2022, Kashima teamed up with Fukigen Death to unsuccessfully challenge FWC (Hazuki and Koguma) for the Goddess of Stardom Championship. At Stardom Cinderella Tournament 2022, Kashima made it to the quarterfinals where she got defeated by Mirai on April 17. At Stardom Flashing Champions on May 28, Kashima alongside Starlight Kid and Momo Watanabe defeated MiHimePoi (Maika, Himeka and Natsupoi) to win the Artist of Stardom Championship. At Stardom Fight in the Top, Kashima, Kid and Watanabe defended the artist titles against God's Eye (Syuri, Ami Sourei and Mirai), and Donna Del Mondo (Giulia, Maika and Mai Sakurai). From July 30 until October 1, Kashima took part in the 2022 5★Star GP, competing in the Red Stars block, where he finished the tournament with a record of six wins and six losses, failing to advance to the finals of the tournament. On December 29, Kashima, Kid and Watanabe lost the titles to Risa Sera, Suzu Suzuki and Kurumi Hiragi.

On May 27, 2023, at Flashing Champions, Kashima defeated the High Speed Champion AZM to win the title first the first time in her career in a three-way match, which also involved Fukigen Death. At Stardom Sunshine 2023 on June 25, Kashima teamed up with Oedo Tai stablemates Natsuko Tora, Momo Watanabe, Starlight Kid, Ruaka and Rina and competed in a Loser leaves unit cage match against Queen's Quest (Lady C, Hina, Utami Hayashishita, Saya Kamitani, AZM and Miyu Amasaki). Kashima got eliminated last, as she was forced to withdraw her unit. Parting ways was hostile as Oedo Tai attacked her after the loss, fact which determined AZM to offer Kashima a spot into Queen's Quest which the latter denied. At Stardom Mid Summer Champions 2023 on July 2, Kashima successfilly defended the High Speed Championship against her former "We Love Tokyo Sports!" tag partner Fukigen Death. After the match, Oedo Tai attacked Kashima again, but Syuri and Ami Sourei rescued her and offered a spot into God's Eye. At Nagoya Golden Fight 2023 on October 9, Kashima lost the High Speed Championship to Mei Seira.

## In wrestling

* **Finishing moves**
	+ *Kishikaisei* (Grounded crucifix pin)
	+ *Kishikaisei Reverse* (Arm twist rotated into a rolling grounded crucifix pin)
	+ *My Emblem* (Inverted double underhook facebuster)
* **Signature moves**
	+ Cross armbreaker
	+ Diving hurricanrana
	+ Double underhook facebuster
	+ Double underhook suplex
	+ Facebreaker
	+ Jumping double foot stomp
	+ Octopus stretch
	+ Sleeper hold
* **Entrance themes**
	+ "Girlfriend" by Avril Lavigne
	+ "Emblem ~ Manipulation Ver. ~" by Daito Music
	+ **"Victory Road"** by World Wonder Ring Stardom

## Championships and accomplishments

* **World Wonder Ring Stardom**
	+ Artist of Stardom Championship (5 times, inaugural) – with Act Yasukawa and Natsuki Taiyo (1), Mayu Iwatani and Tam Nakano (2), Bea Priestley and Natsuko Tora (1), Momo Watanabe and Starlight Kid (1)
	+ Goddess of Stardom Championship (1 time) – with Mayu Iwatani
	+ High Speed Championship (1 time, current)
	+ Best Unit Award (2021) with Natsuko Tora, Konami, Rina, Ruaka, Fukigen Death, Starlight Kid and Momo Watanabe