Waka Tsukiyama

Waka Tsukiyama
Tsukiyama in May 2021
Born (1992-01-26) January 26, 1992 (age 32)[1]
New York, United States
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s)Waka Tsukiyama
Billed height153 cm (5 ft 0 in)[2]
Billed weight52 kg (115 lb)
Debut2020

Waka Tsukiyama (月山 和香, Tsukiyama Waka, born January 26, 1992) is an American-born Japanese professional wrestler. She works for World Wonder Ring Stardom, where she is a member of Empress Nexus Venus.[3]

Professional wrestling career

Independent circuit (2020–2021)

Tsukiyama competed in the 2021 edition of Pro Wrestling Wave's Catch the Wave tournament where she fought in the Block B, scoring a total of three points after going against Chie Ozora, Sumika Yanagawa and Yappy.[4] At Gatoh Move ChocoPro #114, an event promoted by Gatoh Move Pro Wrestling on May 5, 2021, Tsukiyama unsuccessfully competed against Emi Sakura.[5] At a house show promoted by Pure-J on July 4, 2021, she fell short to Crea.[6]

Actwres girl'Z (2020–2021)

Tsukiyama made her professional wrestling debut at AWG Color's, an event promoted by Actwres girl'Z on September 6, 2020, where she teamed up with Ayumi Hayashi in a losing effort against Saki and Sakuran Bonita.[7]

World Wonder Ring Stardom (2021–present)

Cosmic Angels (2021–2023)

Tsukiyama made her debut in World Wonder Ring Stardom on the tenth night of the Stardom 5 Star Grand Prix 2021 on September 6 where she unsuccessfully challenged Unagi Sayaka for the Future of Stardom Championship. She was also announced to undergo a rookie "challenge" against ten different opponents, falling short in all of the bouts.[8] On September 28, Stardom held the press conference for the Stardom 10th Anniversary Grand Final Osaka Dream Cinderella event which they broadcast live on their YouTube channel. While holding her speech for her match pairing with Lady C against Oedo Tai's Saki Kashima and Rina, Waka Tsukiyama called out Tam Nakano and requested her and the other Cosmic Angels members to join their unit which they accepted.[9] At the pay-per-view from October 9, Tsukiyama teamed up with Lady C in a losing effort against Saki Kashima and Rina.[10] Due to Unagi Sayaka and Mina Shirakawa starting feeling underappreciated by the leader Tam Nakano and due to doubting Sakurai and Tsukiyama the newcomers, tensions raised in the Cosmic Angels unit in November 2021, aspect which led to inner clashes between stablemates. At Kawasaki Super Wars, the first event of the Stardom Super Wars trilogy from November 3, 2021, Tsukiyama unsuccessfully challenged stablemate Mai Sakurai in which had Sakurai lost, she must have left the Cosmic Angels unit.[11] At Tokyo Super Wars on November 27, 2021, Tsukiyama unsuccessfully challenged Ruaka and Mai Sakurai in a three-way match for the Future of Stardom Championship.[12] At Osaka Super Wars from December 18, 2021, she teamed up with Mai Sakurai and Lady C to unsuccessfully challenge Syuri in a 3-on-1 handicap gauntlet match.[13] Tsukiyama competed in the 2021 edition of the Goddesses of Stardom Tag League where she teamed up with Lady C as "C Moon", fighting in the Blue Goddess Block and scoring no points.[14]

At Stardom Nagoya Supreme Fight on January 29, 2022, Tsukiyama was scheduled to team up with Mai Sakurai and Momo Kohgo to face Oedo Tai (Fukigen Death, Starlight Kid and Saki Kashima),[15] but the match was canceled due to Sakurai's and Tsukiyama's bad health condition.

Club Venus (2023–2024)

On April 15, 2023, Tsukiyama left Cosmic Angels to join Club Venus.[16] On September 25, it was announced that Tsukiyama would be producing MOONDOM, a Stardom event that focuses on support for an English-speaking audience in Japan and features wrestlers from other Japanese women's professional wrestling promotions.[17][18]

Empress Nexus Venus (2024–present)

On January 20, 2024, Tsukiyama, Hanako, Maika, Mina Shirakawa and Xena reformed Club Venus into a new stable, later given the name Empress Nexus Venus.[19][20][21]

Championships and accomplishments

References

  1. ^ Saalbach, Axel. "Waka Tsukiyama • General Information". wrestlingdata.com. Retrieved January 18, 2022.
  2. ^ Kreikenbohm, Philip. "Waka Tsukiyama/Career Data". cagematch.de (in German). Retrieved January 18, 2022.
  3. ^ Internet Wrestling Database (IWD). "Waka Tsukiyama Profile & Match Listing". profightdb.com. Retrieved January 18, 2022.
  4. ^ Daly, Wayne (May 18, 2021). "WAVE Results: Catch The WAVE 2021 ~ Young Block – Saitama, Japan (5/18)". wrestling-news.net. Retrieved January 18, 2022.
  5. ^ Gatoh Move Pro Wrestling (May 5, 2021). ChocoPro 114 試合結果 / Results – 2021/5/5（水）. gatohmove.com (in Japanese). Retrieved January 19, 2022.
  6. ^ Pure-J (July 4, 2021). 【試合結果】７月４日（日）第３４回・特別亀アリーナマッチ １６時. pure-j.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved January 19, 2022.
  7. ^ Kreikenbohm, Philip (September 6, 2020). "Events/AWG Color's". cagematch.de (in German). Retrieved January 18, 2022.
  8. ^ Richards, Alex (September 4, 2021). "Waka Tsukiyama Makes Stardom Debut". lastwordonsports.com. Retrieved January 18, 2022.
  9. ^ Richards, Alex (September 28, 2021). "Waka Tsukiyama Joins Cosmic Angels & Other Press Conference Notes". lastwordonsports.com. Retrieved October 1, 2021.
  10. ^ "2021年10月9日 『10th Anniversary GRAND FINAL OSAKA DREAM CINDERELLA 2021 ～大阪めっちゃスターダム～』". World Wonder Ring Stardom. October 9, 2021. Retrieved October 10, 2021.
  11. ^ "2021年11月3日 『KAWASAKI SUPER WARS ～川崎超女大戦～』". World Wonder Ring Stardom. November 4, 2021. Retrieved November 4, 2021.
  12. ^ Richards, Alex (November 12, 2021). "Preview: Stardom – Tokyo Super Wars (11/27/21)". lastwordonsports.com. Retrieved November 27, 2021.
  13. ^ World Wonder Ring Stardom. 【対戦カード発表】12・18『OSAKA SUPER WARS ～大阪超女大戦～』1,000万円賞金争奪ユニット・トーナメント開催！ほか全カード 定！. stardom.com (in Japanese). Retrieved November 29, 2021.
  14. ^ World Wonder Ring Stardom (October 13, 2021). 【今年も開催】第11回『ゴッデス・オブ・スターダム～タッグリーグ戦～』タッグチーム発表＆全試合決定！. wwr-stardom.com (in Japanese). Retrieved October 13, 2021.
  15. ^ World Wonder Ring Stardom. 【大会情報】1・29『創立11周年記念 NAGOYA SUPREME FIGHT 2022 ～名古屋どえりゃ～！スターダム～』愛知・ドルフィンズアリーナ（愛知県体育館）大会決定！. stardom.com (in Japanese). Retrieved November 3, 2021.
  16. ^ Edwards, Scott (April 15, 2023). "STARDOM Cinderella Tournament Championship Battle Results (4/15/23): MIRAI, Waka Tsukiyama, And More". fightful.com. Retrieved April 15, 2023.
  17. ^ 【MOONDOM】begins. [MOONDOM begins.]. World Wonder Ring Stardom. September 25, 2023. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
  18. ^ James, Carlin (September 25, 2023). "MOONDOM has arrived, and will take place on October 4th with a focus on English support for those in Japan". Monthly Puroresu. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
  19. ^ World Wonder Ring Stardom (January 20, 2024). 【お知らせ】『STARDOM AWARD 2023』ユニット撮影会グルーピング変更のお知らせ. wwr-stardom.com (in Japanese). Retrieved January 20, 2024.
  20. ^ Peps (January 20, 2024). "STARDOM In Takadanobaba Results & Notes January 20, 2024". Wrestle Purists. Archived from the original on January 21, 2024. Retrieved January 21, 2024.
  21. ^ Carlin, James (January 27, 2024). "Mina Shirakawa Challenges for IWGP Women's Title, Her Faction Gets a Name". monthlypuroresu.com. Retrieved January 28, 2024.
  22. ^ Ross, Patrick (October 19, 2023). "Full 2023 PWI Women's 250 list revealed". aiptcomics.com. Retrieved October 19, 2023.