Stardom Power Rankings - 9th July 2022

June 2022 felt like a real shift in direction for Stardom. It featured stipulation matches, the announcement of two new 'brands' and talk of a potential partnership with AEW. Whilst all that jiggery-pokery was going on behind the scenes however the real business of winning wrestling matches has continued at pace, culminating in the Stardom MidSummer Champions - Kings of MidSummer PPV on 9th July and the build up to the Stardom 5 Star Grand Prix.

So who has come out of that PPV at the top of the Stardom tree? Here we look at the Power Rankings for Stardom based on both a comprehensive selection of statistics, available for your perusal at Stardom 2022.xlsx, and my own, sometimes correct, opinions.

Now closing in on 200 days as holder of the Red Belt, and with six defences already under her belt, it's safe to say that Syuri is unshakeable in the number one position right now. Her thumping win over Momo Watanabe at Kings of MidSummer ended a month that now sees Syuri holding a 64% winning percentage and having not been pinned at all in 2022. Can Tam Nakano be the one to shake up the top of the rankings? The smart money would say no.

The list of wrestlers that Saya Kamitani has vanquished whilst defending the White Belt seven times is becoming increasingly impressive. Added to that pantheon at MidSummer Kings in an absolute ripper of a contest was Starlight Kid, and it's looking tricky to see who will take the belt from Tall Saya. She next faces Stardom newcomer SAKI, although that is presumably only if she survives a coffin match featuring the Grim Reaper on 23rd July. Yes...these are strange times in Stardom.

Defence number five of AZM's High Speed Championship reign was an impressive one against a very game Momo Kohgo. In addition AZM boasts a very strong singles record in 2022 with only defeats against Momo Watanabe and Hazuki blotting her copybook. AZM may well now be looking towards the 5 Star GP, although she will need to ensure not to overlook the potential risk of the ever improving youngster Rina, who she will be facing on 24th July.

Hazuki, together with Koguma, has managed to retain the Goddesses of Stardom belts throughout June and early July but there is a clear threat on the horizon. FWC were unable to beat the God's Eye team of MIRAI and Ami Sourei on 2nd July, with the title match going to a 30 minute draw. Hazuki will have the chance to rectify that with a rematch on 24th July, before she presumably sets her sights on some singles success in the 5 Star GP.

Koguma comes in just below her FWC partner Hazuki by virtue of a very slightly worse winning percentage so far in 2022, but really the tag team are currently on a level footing. Indeed Koguma will be hoping to back up her impressive singles performances in this years Cinderella Tournament when she enters the 5 Star GP. She will just hope that she still has her Goddesses title when she does.

A first appearance in the Power Rankings of 2022 for Tam Nakano, largely down to her pretty appalling win/loss record. Despite having been on the losing side 34 times this year though, Tam has only been pinned once. That, and her impressive cage match victory over Natsupoi, is presumably why she is next in line to face Syuri for the Red Belt, and Tam goes into that match with an impressive army beside her. Having already incorporated COLORS into the Cosmic Angels family, Tam will now also have Natsupoi on her side as Poi betrayed Donna Del Mondo to stand by Tam's side.

Well well well. I'm not sure many people saw this coming. Whilst Natsupoi's story with Tam Nakano included a brutal cage match and a fantastic rematch, it was the next chapter that really got people talking. Battling Tam with her DDM partner and leader Giulia, Poi opted to superkick and German suplex Giulia into oblivion and emotionally join Cosmic Angels. It was a fantastic moment and one that catapults Natsupoi back into these Power Rankings. What she does next will be fascinating.

Having failed to win the White Belt from Saya Kamitani, MIRAI could have shied away to lick her wounds. But that has not been the case for the Cinderella Tournament winner and she now has the joint second most wins in Stardom in 2022. Coupled with that MIRAI and her God's Eye partner Ami Sourei battled to a time-limit draw against FWC, and will get a second shot at the Goddesses of Stardom belts on 24th July. It continues to be quite a year for MIRAI.

Ami Sourei has absolutely exploded onto the scene in Stardom since her arrival. She now has the best winning percentage in the promotion (almost 69%) and was also able to take the Goddesses of Stardom champions to the limit together with MIRAI. Furthermore, Sourei won every single match on the way to qualifying for the 5 Star GP an has only been pinned twice in 32 matches. The future looks very bright for Ami Sourei.

The titles aren't coming for Himeka but she continues to pick up win after win after win. Only Syuri and Ami Sourei sit above her in terms of win percentages, and the Jumbo Princess has only been pinned twice in 54 matches. All that being said, Himeka will want to convert those statistics into singles titles soon. Will the 5 Star GP give her that opportunity? As a former finalist in the 5 Star, she certainly has to be considered as a contender.