All-Star Dream Cinderella

Promotional poster featuring various Stardom wrestlers

**All Star Dream Cinderella** (オールスタードリームシンデレラ, *Ōru sutā dorīmu shinderera*), also known as **Stardom 10th Anniversary ~Hinamatsuri All-Star Dream Cinderella~**, was a professional wrestling event promoted by World Wonder Ring Stardom (Stardom). The event took place on March 3, 2021, at the Nippon Budokan in Tokyo, Japan. This was the first *Joshi* wrestling event, to be hold at the venue in twenty-four years. The event also marked the final match of Yuzuki Aikawa, who had retired from active in-ring competition in 2013.

The show was headlined by Giulia defending the Wonder of Stardom Championship against Tam Nakano in a hair vs. hair match. Another high-profile match scheduled for the show featured Utami Hayashishita defending the World of Stardom Championship against Saya Kamitani.The event featured three other title matches with Syuri defending the SWA World Championship against Konami, Donna del Mondo (Himeka and Maika) defending the Goddesses of Stardom Championship against Oedo Tai (Natsuko Tora and Saki Kashima) and AZM defending the High Speed Championship against Natsupoi. All in all, the event featured eight matches.

Due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the event had some restrictions in attendance, following the declaration of the State of Emergency in Japan. The event aired live on Stardom World streaming service on tape delay and as a pay-per-view (PPV).

## Production

### Background

On November 14, 2020, *Wrestling Observer Newsletter* journalist Dave Meltzer teased a "huge announcement for fans of women's wrestling". The following day, it was announced that Stardom would be celebrating its 10th anniversary event on March 3, 2021 with the All-Star Dream Cinderella at the Nippon Budokan, becoming the first *joshi* promotion since All Japan Women's Pro Wrestling (AJW) on August 31, 1997, to hold an event at the arena. On December 12, Stardom announced a partial card for the event, featuring the *All Star Rumble*, which would include some of Stardom original roster and *joshi* legends. It was later announced that Yuzuki Aikawa would be coming out of retirement to take part in the match.

On January 2, 2021, it was reported by the *Wrestling Observer Newsletter* that Stardom wanted to bring notable wrestlers back to the promotion including Kairi Hojo. Despite being under a WWE contract, Hojo had recently visited the company's Japanese Office for approval to work in a high profile match or the *All-Star Rumble* at the event, but WWE reportedly attempted to block her appearance. On February 28, former Stardom wrestler and reigning NXT Womens Champion Io Shirai appeared in a promotional video to celebrating Stardom's 10th anniversary. During this time on January 27, Stardom announced that the tickets for the event were nearly sold out. On February 24, Stardom announced that the event would live also being available internationally via Pia streaming service for the first time also in the promotion's history.

#### Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, other wrestling promotions began to cancel or postpone their shows in an attempt to prevent further spreading of the COVID-19 virus. On February 18, Stardom announced that they were canceling shows from February 19 to March 14, 2020, due to the 2019-20 coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Stardom would hold a show behind closed doors on March 8 the No People Gate at the Korakuen Hall, being broadcast live on their YouTube channel. Additional events were canceled throughout April and May, meaning Stardom’s Ota Ward Gym show and the unit-produced shows held during Golden Week in early May would no longer be taking place. On June 16, after Stardom personnel underwent antibody testing, Stardom announced that the promotion would start to held shows on June 21 and allow fans into the arena, starting with the *STARDOM is again*, but only with a third of the venue's normal capacity, after the Japanese Government lifted some restrictions on many regions in Japan.

### Storylines

All-Star Dream Cinderella featured professional wrestling matches that involved different wrestlers from pre-existing scripted feuds and storylines. Wrestlers portray villains, heroes, or less distinguishable characters in the scripted events that built tension and culminated in a wrestling match or series of matches.

The All-Star Dream Cinderella was headlined by Giulia defending the Wonder of Stardom Championship against Tam Nakano in a hair vs. hair match. The storyline behind the match dates back to July 26, 2020, at Cinderella Summer in Tokyo event, when Giulia defeated Tam Nakano to win the vacant Wonder of Stardom Championship, following Arisa Hoshiki's retirement. On February 7, 2021, Tam Nakano and her Cosmic Angels stablemate Unagi Sayaka defeated Donna del Mondo's Giulia and Natsupoi, with Nakano pinning the stable’s latest recruit Natsupoi. Afterwards, Nakano issued a challenge to Giulia, which was quickly countered with the condition of a Hair vs Hair match with Giulia having calculated this to be off-putting to Nakano, given her background as an Idol in Japan, which surprisingly, Nakano accepted. In the built-up to title match, Giulia defended the Wonder of Stardom Championship against Starlight Kid on February 13. Following the match, Giulia ripped off Kid's mask, before stating that she wanted Nakano's hair.

The event also featured a World of Stardom Championship match with Utami Hayashishita making her third title defense against Saya Kamitani. On January 17, 2021, Utami Hayashishita made her second title defense of the World of Stardom Championship against Maika. Following the match, Hayashishita announced her intentions to defend at All-Star Dream Cinderella, leading Saya Kamitani to challenge her to a title match, which she accepted. The title match was made official on January 30.

Also on January 17, after AZM successfully defended the High Speed Championship against Kaori Yoneyama, she asked for a new challenger, leading Natsupoi make a challenge to a title match, which she accepted, setting up their match at All-Star Dream Cindrella. The event also include another title match with Syuri defending the SWA World Championship against Konami. The title match was set up on February 13, following her sucessfull title defense against AZM, after which Syuri nominated Konami to be her next challenger for title at All-Star Dream Cindrella.

On February 22, 2015, Yoshiko was involved in accident were she legitimately injured Act Yasukawa, prompting veteran wrestler Kyoko Kimura threw in a towel to end the match. The incident would receive mainstream attention in Japan and became known as *Seisan Matchi* (凄惨マッチ, "Ghastly Match"). The incident also strained the relationship between Stardom's management and top wrestler Nanae Takahashi, leading to Takahashi quitting the promotion in May. On May 31, Stardom announced that Yoshiko had decided to retire from professional wrestling. However, Yoshiko returned to professional wrestling on January 11, 2016, during an event held by Nanae Takahashi's new SEAdLINNNG promotion. On December 26, 2020, Yoshiko and Nanae Takahashi made their first appearance for Stardom five years since the accident, attacking Bea Priestley, Konami, Utami Hayashishita and Saya Kamitani. After confronting the Stardom roster, Yoshiko challenged Mayu Iwatani to a match, but the challenge was unanswered. Meanwhile, Takahashi was also involved in a altercation with Momo Watanabe. On Janaury 17, 2021, Yoshiko appeared in a pre-taped vignette, demanding Iwatani to answer her challenge, before giving her a deadline for one week to respond. Five days later, Iwatani and Watanabe appeared in a SEAdLINNNG event, with Iwatani accepting Yoshiko's challenge, while Watanabe challenged Takahashi to a match, which she accepted. Both matches were made official on January 30.

## Results

1. ↑ Order of eliminations: Lady C, Ruaka, Kyoko Inoue, Yuna Manase, Mima Shimoda, Bea Priestley, Yuuri Haruka, Hiromi Mimura, Emi Sakura, Miho Wakizawa, Hiroyo Matsumoto, Mei Hoshizuki, Rin Kadokura, Saya Iida, Chigusa Nagayo, Kikutaro, Gokigen Death, Momoe Nakanishi, Yoko Bito, Starlight Kid, Koguma, Mina Shirakawa and Yuzuki Aikawa.