Stardom is the best professional wrestling on the planet. Fully known as “World Wonder Ring Stardom,” this Joshi (Japanese women) organization presents matches that are the “pure” style of professional wrestling, with a touch of comedy here and there. When I say comedy, I simply mean that the women are serious wrestlers, but often “light hearted” and “jovial” about it. The action is almost always intense, with a stiff/tight working style, and the presentation is second to none. All of the women adorn themselves with beautiful ring gear, and their entrance gear is second to no one. In fact, I believe that entrance gear is nearly a thing of the past, but the ladies of Stardom show why it’s still important. Stardom is very “faction” heavy, even “faction based” would be more appropriate. Nearly every wrestler belongs to one of the five factions, or groups within Stardom. There is Queen’s Quest, Oedo Tai, Tokyo Cyber Squad, STARS, and the faction I am focused on for this article, also the newest faction in Stardom, Donna Del Mondo. I can’t recommend Stardom enough, and you can sign up for their very affordable network (around $8.00 per month) at www.stardom-world.com. One of the many reasons that I subscribe is a faction like the newly formed “Donna Del Mondo,” translated “Women of the World.” While I’ve been a fan of Stardom way before the ladies of this faction arrived, these three have captured me like only a few wrestlers in my life have captured me. As a fan of professional wrestling, I have held wrestlers like Ric Flair, Bruiser Brody, Kurt Angle, and Stan Hansen at the top of my list. I’ve adored factions like The Four Horsemen, and The Varsity Club, as well as The Dangerous Alliance, and The Triple Threat, for the excitement they brought as a group. Quickly climbing the ranks of my very picky wrestling heart (I am called the Wrestling Snob after all) are Giulia, Maika, and Syuri Kondo, the three incredible women that make up “Donna Del Mondo.” Giulia burst onto the Stardom scene first. A stunningly good looking woman that is half Italian and half Japanese, who only began her wrestling training in 2017. By the end of her rookie year, Giulia had captured her first championship, with Tequila Saya, together known as “Burning Raw” they captured the International Ribbon Tag Team Championship (Ice Ribbon Organization). Giulia challenged for the Ice Cross Infinity championship unsuccessfully, but was widely seen as a future star for the organization. She shocked the Joshi world however when she announced that she had signed with World Wonder Ring Stardom. Ice Ribbon, and their fans, were not happy to lose such a wrestler, whom many believed would one day soon be atop the promotion. Shortly after arriving in Stardom, Giulia was pushed as a star, someone to be taken serious, and some Stardom fans weren’t happy about this. Giulia wasn’t made to earn her spot, which is often the case with Stardom. After teaming a short while with Oedo Tai exile, Andras Miyagi, she abandoned her, and announced that she would be forming a team, a faction, of her own. Many wondered, and some even mocked, who Giulia might bring in to join her. Stardom has agreed to send their “Future of Stardom Champion, Utami Hayashishita to another Joshi promotion, “Just Tap Out,” to defend her title against one of that organizations stars, Maika. This was a very good match, and while Maika looked very good, she lost the match. The shock of the night however was Giulia appearing at the show, and asking Maika to join her in Stardom as part of her new faction. While Maika had only debuted in May of 2019, many people saw star potential in her, just as many did with Giulia just a few years ago, after her debut. Maika was trained by legendary Taka Michinoku, and she bring a very strong ability, passion, and drive to her matches, and this was clearly an amazing pick up for Giulia, and proved that is not only talented, but has a great eye for it as well. Giuli nd Maika still needed a third partner, as Giulia had challenged “Tokyo Cyber Squad’s Hana Kimura, Death Yama-San, and Leyla Hirsch, to a trios match for January 19th, 202, show in Korakuen Hall. When the date came for this match, many were shocked, and happily surprised to see the return of veteran wrestler, kick boxer, and MMA fighter, Syuri Kondo, as the third member of Giulia’s faction. Syuri has won championships all over Japan, and is a legitimate shoot fighter, trained, and disciplined in numerous styles. She’s a scary opponent for anyone to face, and a lynch pin for Giulia’s new faction. The new team dismantled the Tokyo Cyber Squad team, and won the match when Giulia finished Hirsch with a tombstone piledriver. After the win, Giulia announced that the name of her faction is “Donna Del Mondo,” meaning “Women of the World.” It’s evident that Donna Del Mondo’s mission is simply to be disruptive, to present themselves in style, and substance, as legitimate, scary, intimidating, fighters. Since their debut, they have taken the “Artist’s of Stardom (trios) titles off of the much beloved “Queens Quest.” Recently, Giulia won one of Stardom’s most prized tournaments, the “Cinderella tournament” defeating Stardom standouts Jungle Kyona, Momo Watanabe, fellow Donna Del Mondo stablemate Syuri, and the leader of Odeo Tai, Natsuko Tora, cementing Giulia and her faction, Donna Del Mondo, as extremely legitimate. I can’t get enough of Stardom, and their entire roster, but “Donna Del Mondo” has already captured a special place in my hard wrestling heart, a place where only the coolest, and most bad ass wrestlers reside. A place reserved only for Wrestling Done Right!”
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March 2022
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