Stardom Cinderella Tournament 2026: Night 2 Results & Round 2 Preview
The World Wonder Ring Stardom promotion continued its 2026 Cinderella Tournament on in Nagoya, Japan, at the Chunichi Hall. The tournament, now in its twelfth year, will culminate on with the winner earning a title shot of their choosing.
The second night of the tournament featured eight first-round matches, narrowing the field of 32 competitors. The event, broadcast on Stardom World, showcased a mix of established stars and emerging talent vying for a place in the quarter-finals.
Tomoka Inaba advanced with a victory over Anne Kanaya, securing her win via the Tegoshi Tomoka Hold after a contest lasting 7 minutes and 12 seconds. Azusa Inaba followed, defeating Lady C with a Baba Killer #2 in 8 minutes and 7 seconds. Saya Iida also progressed, overcoming Kiyoka Kotatsu with a Giant Killer in 7 minutes and 25 seconds.
Hina secured a win against Xena, utilizing the Gedo Clutch to finish the match in 10 minutes and 32 seconds. Miyu Amasaki advanced in a dramatic fashion, eliminating Rina Yamashita over the top rope after 6 minutes and 40 seconds of competition. New Blood Tag Team Champion Sayaka Kurara continued her run, defeating Saki Kashima by pinfall in 6 minutes and 46 seconds.
Artist of Stardom Champion Rina demonstrated her dominance, defeating Akira Kurogane with the Pink Devil maneuver after a 12-minute and 37-second battle. Ami Sourei completed the night’s first-round action, overcoming Bea Priestley with the Kaminari Nogotoku in 11 minutes and 28 seconds.
The tournament’s structure dictates that first-round matches are limited to 15 minutes, with victory achieved by pinfall, submission, or elimination over the top rope. A double count-out or a time-limit draw results in a double elimination. The semi-finals will have no time limits, maintaining the other rules, while the final match will remove the count-out and draw stipulations.
Looking ahead, the second round of the Cinderella Tournament is scheduled for . The card features Hanan versus Rana Yagami, with the winner progressing to face Maki Itoh in the quarter-finals. Rian will compete against Natsupoi, with the victor set to challenge Aya Sakura. Further matches include New Blood Tag Team Champion Sayaka Kurara against Tomoka Inaba, Artist of Stardom Champion Rina against Ami Sourei, Hina against Azusa Inaba, and Miyu Amasaki against Rina Yamashita.
This year’s tournament has expanded to include 24 wrestlers, a return to a larger field after a reduction to 16 participants last year. The expansion is believed to be a strategic move to maintain audience interest during the absence of World Champion Saya Kamitani, who is currently recovering from a dislocated finger. The increased number of competitors also introduces several new faces to the tournament, including rookies Akira Kurogane, Anne Kanaya, Kikyo Furusawa, Kiyoka Kotatsu, and Fuwa-chan, alongside veterans Rina Yamashita and Maki Itoh, and CMLL wrestler Tabata, returning for a second year.
The Cinderella Tournament holds significant weight within Stardom, with the winner traditionally receiving a title shot. Last year’s victor, Sayaka Kurara, a rookie at the time, immediately challenged then-champion Saya Kamitani, setting the stage for a compelling storyline. Kurara is now seeking a consecutive win to expedite a rematch.