Summer in Japan doesn’t just lift the temperature outside, but in the ring as well! Tournament season has arrived, and for the second year Marigold joins the fray with their addition to the classic round robin format: The Dream Star Grand Prix.

Two blocks (split into the DREAM and STAR Leagues) of eight competitors will take part in singles competition over the course of a month and a half in an effort to be crowned the best in the company. Two points for a win, one for a draw with a time limit of 15 minutes for every match (barring the Final). One person from each block will advance on the final day of block action to face off in the Final, and the winner not only gets crowned the Dream Star victor – which is an honor all in of itself – but gets a title shot down the line.

With both the tournament and the promotion itself still relatively young, the door is still open for its competitors to stand up and make a name for themselves. Whether it’s world champion Utami Hayashishita looking to go back to back in the Dream Star’s first two years, Mayu Iwatani aiming to claim every prize in the company, or one of the youngsters in the tournament raising their stock exponentially with a huge tournament victory – there’s a lot to play for this year.

The tournament kicks off with a day/night double header in Osaka on August 2, and continues through until the final day of action on September 14, which takes place on a Sunday inside the hallowed Korakuen Hall. Every show will be available as part of the Wrestle Universe streaming service through a mixture of live streaming and on demand a couple of days after they happen (check the schedule at the end of the guide for which shows will be live streamed). Wrestle Universe costs 1,298 yen a month (approx $8.90) and also offers a one-week free trial for new subscribers for those interested in testing the waters.

DREAM LEAGUE

Utami Hayashishita

• Marigold World Champion
• 2024 Dream Star GP Performance: Tournament Winner/10 points (5-2)
• 2025 Singles Record: 10-0-1

The Royal Queen of Marigold enters the second iteration of the Dream Star Grand Prix as its reigning and only victor, as well as the company’s top champion. It was a bit of a quiet start as champion, but it feels like the recent challenges of MIRAI and Takumi Iroha have helped bring her back into the forefront of the conversation.

It’s hard to find a weakness in her game. Tank and Bozilla tried to outmuscle her and fell short. MIRAI tried to knock her head off only to be the one on the floor. It took 56 minutes for Takumi Iroha to keep Utami down, but all she could manage was a double knockout. The top champion will always have a target on her back in tournaments because beating them puts you in line for a title shot nonetheless, but right now it might be easier to just win the whole Dream Star…

Match to Watch: vs. Mayu Iwatani, August 30. Utami might be proving herself as the company’s champion, but the arrival of Mayu will certainly make people question who the best wrestler in the promotion is. Considering their singles record is 3-1 in favor of Iwatani, it’s a fair question too. When the two square off inside Korakuen Hall, neither will even think of holding back, which could very well result in a Match of the Tournament contender.

Mayu Iwatani

• Marigold Superfly Champion
• Dream Star GP Debutante
• 2025 Singles Record: 5-1

The Icon of joshi puroresu confirmed one of the worst kept secrets in wrestling when she said goodbye to her home of 14 years in April, leaving STARDOM and showing up in Marigold. A year in the making, she made up for lost time by quickly winning the Superfly Championship from her protege Victoria Yuzuki and making it clear she intends to win everything the company has to offer. The Dream Star Grand Prix is not exempt from that.

Don’t be fooled by her being a ‘debutante’; this might be her first time in this particular tournament but she’s no stranger to the format. Mayu racked up 11 appearances in STARDOM’s 5 Star Grand Prix, winning the 2018 edition and reminding everyone during last year’s why she’s one of the best in the world with her performance. Iwatani would be the runaway favourite if not for the fact she’s entering with a slight injury cloud hovering over her – a broken rib six weeks ago that she has tried to tough out. Mayu at 100% is nigh unbeatable, so this may be the rest of the roster’s best chance to get one over on The Icon.

Match to Watch: vs. Victoria Yuzuki, September 14. The Mentor vs The Protege Part 2. Mayu might have won the Superfly Championship from Yuzuki at Shine Forever, but there could be just as much at stake in the rematch here on the final night of block action if a spot on the Final is on the line. Mayu used Yuzuki’s own finishing move as a statement to win the match – as if she’d need any more motivation to bring it in the rematch against her mentor.

Kouki Amarei

• 2024 Dream Star GP Performance: 8 points (4-3)
• 2025 Singles Record: 3-1

The inaugural GHC women’s champion never got a chance to shine when an ACL injury ruined the entirety of her run, but credit should be given to just how fast she returned to the ring. Now she’s had time to shake off the rust, and Kouki has a chance to return to the kind of form that she discovered during the latter half of 2024.

She learnt a lot during last year’s tournament, with her standout war against MIRAI serving as a particular turning point for her. There’s similar opportunities this time around with veterans like Mayu and Utami, as well as electric youngsters bringing a variety of styles to the table. A tournament like this is the perfect spot for Kouki to remind everyone just where she sits in the pecking order with some more thunderous big boots.

Match to Watch: vs. Utami Hayashishita, September 14. Utami did her best to break up the Twin Towers tag team when she started becoming close friends with Kouki late last year, and the two clearly have great chemistry in and out of the ring. That chemistry will be put to the test on the final night of block action when they square off.

Victoria Yuzuki

• 2024 Dream Star GP Performance: 5 points (2-4-1)
• 2025 Singles Record: 7-4-1

There might not have been a lot of fanfare surrounding her lowkey debut back at the very end of 2023, but by the time her match with Momo Watanabe ended everybody had her marked as a future star. Now approaching two years in the business, that potential is more than being realised. An electric flyer with a devil-may-care attitude who borrows more than a few traits from her mentor Mayu Iwatani, Yuzuki is well positioned to become one of Marigold’s key names for a long time.

This is almost the perfect possible block conceivable when it comes to Victoria Yuzuki. Not only is she surrounded by her many of her rising star contemporaries, but she gets a chance to step up to the two senpais who have taken her under her wing in Utami and Mayu. It won’t be an easy block, but just about every match will have something of interest for her.

Match to Watch: vs. Rea Seto, September 2. In an interview with Scott Edwards and Fightful, Yuzuki specifically named Seto as the person she most wanted to face in the Dream Star. It’s not too surprising in the aftermath of her cracking a steel chair over Yuzuki’s head as she joined Darkness Revolution. Two of the young rising stars of the promotion with a point to prove and bitter feelings towards each other.

Seri Yamaoka

• Dream Star GP Debutante:
• 2025 Singles Record: 4-3-2

Rossy Ogawa is no stranger to unearthing super rookies in the industry – in fact last year’s tournament winner is one herself. The hype that surrounded the former amateur wrestler Seri Yamaoka ahead of her debut at First Dream in January put both the label and pressure firmly on her, but she’s more than lived up to both. Whether it was winning the Twin Star Tag Titles with Nanae Takahashi or going toe to toe with Takumi Iroha, Yamaoka has stepped up to every challenge thrust her way, taking it in her stride and expanding on her amateur background with explosive athleticism, strength and an earnest spirit.

Younger wrestlers are often in tournaments to make up the numbers and gain experience, but one only has to look to Utami once more to see that’s not always the case. She debuted in July 2018 and in a matter of months had already made the Finals of the 5 Star Grand Prix. If Yamaoka continues to live up to the super rookie moniker, don’t be surprised to see the 18 year old win a few big matches and potentially even be challenging for a spot in the final as we head towards the final nights.

Match to Watch: vs. Utami Hayashishita, August 16. Super Rookie 2025 vs Super Rookie 2018. There are a lot of parallels between these two, and if Seri is to replicate the kind of tournament success Utami has had, it will probably require usurping the champion along the way. She’s proven she can cause some trouble for main event level talent already, but if there’s one upset that would send a message, it’s this.

Senka Akatsuki

• Representing Marvelous
• Dream Star GP Debutante
• 2025 Singles Record: 2-3-2

There’s something in the water over in Japan, because the recent batch of rookies have been nothing short of incredible. Seri Yamaoka might be the star rookie in Marigold, but Marvelous has a treasure of their own in Senka Akatsuki. The ferocious and persistent 19 year old might lack the pizzazz of her Marigold peer – forgoing the colourful gear for the throwback red singlet reminiscent of her legendary trainer Chigusa Nagayo, but she more than makes up for it with her in-ring style.

It’s hard to see Senka advancing over some of the heavy hitters in the block, but you can absolutely expect her to do some damage and leaving some wrestlers wondering what kind of phenom they were just in the ring with. She’s always ready to grapple, be it in the ring or at a press conference, and anyone who dares underestimate her will find very quickly how hard it is to fight from underneath as Senka starts trying to pin you. Someone’s dreams of a Finals berth are going to get crushed by the Marvelous rookie, you can bank on that.

Match to Watch: vs. Seri Yamaoka, September 2. This is going to be a rivalry that potentially defines the entirety of both of their careers, and being able to say they scored the first win is a bragging point that neither rookie will want to be able to pass up. It always feels special whenever they meet in tag matches, and their dynamic is already unique with the amateur wrestling style showdowns. There will be clips of this shown ahead of their World Championship match in a few years time.

CHIAKI

• Representing Darkness Revolution
• 2024 Dream Star GP Performance: 2 points (1-6)
• 2025 Singles Record: 2-0

Of everyone in this year’s tournament, CHIAKI’s name might not stand out compared to the big stars or high upside rookies, but that’s precisely why this could be something of a make-or-break tournament for her. She’s proven to be a solid role player as a part of the devious Darkness Revolution crew, but there’s a real risk CHIAKI gets lost in the shuffle fast as the roster’s quality and depth continues to grow at a fast rate. There are opportunities to change that in this tournament with a showcase match or two, but she’ll need to take the bull by the horns.

Expect CHAIKI to look for every shortcut in her matches to help her gain an upper hand, whether it is calling upon her fellow Darkness Revolution teammates, sharpened fingernails, weapons or any other sneaky trick she can think of. She might not instantly strike you as a block favourite, but that doesn’t mean CHIAKI can’t make her mark on the tournament.

Match to Watch: vs. Mayu Iwatani, September 6. If CHIAKI is going to show off her best side in this tournament, there’s no better way to do that than against Mayu Iwatani. September 6 is not stacked with a lot of tournament matches so they should get time to breathe, and Mayu can not only play into her antics but hit back hard.

Rea Seto

• Representing Darkness Revolution
• Dream Star GP Debutante
• 2025 Singles Record: 1-9

We all saw how much a spot in the Dream Star Grand Prix meant to Rea Seto when she delivered a tearful and fiery promo towards Senka Akatsuki when the outsider tried to claim the final spot in the Grand Prix. Fortune shone when a second spot opened up due to injury, meaning both could slide their way in through the play-in gauntlets, but don’t expect Rea Seto to rest on her laurels any less as a result. If anything, she’s coming in with even more to prove.

With so many bright young stars on the roster getting opportunities to shine, Rea Seto has been feeling overshadowed and felt she needed to change her path. She joined forces with Darkness Revolution, and with them looks to unleash a new side of her. We’ve already seen the first signs of this new aggressive and callous Rea Seto unveil itself in the matches since her turn, but if she’s smart, she won’t have shown all her tricks yet and saved some to score some wins in the tournament.

Match to Watch: vs. Senka Akatsuki, August 17. Rea will be looking to make an example out of all the young stars in her block, but maybe none more so than Senka who dared to try and wriggle in from outside of Marigold. Who would have advanced if there had only been one spot like originally intended? This might just tell us.

STAR LEAGUE

Mai Sakurai

• Marigold United National Champion
• 2024 Dream Star GP Performance: Tournament Finalist/11 points (5-1-1)
• 2025 Singles Record: 13-0-1

There might not be anyone who has benefited more from Margiold than Mai Sakurai, going from a lower midcarder to a top champion and one of the biggest stars of a promotion. But it’s not a case of a big fish in a small pond, she’s more than earned her spot through hard work and reinventing herself. Her 2025 record speaks for itself: she’s undefeated in singles action and disposed of her last title challenger – the dangerous Riko Kawahata – in just over 10 minutes. The perfect preparation for the Grand Prix.

Sakurai got within a hair of winning the Dream Star last year, making the Finals but falling short against Utami Hayashishita. She was still proving herself somewhat then, showing that hanging with Giulia was no fluke. This time around, that won’t be the case. She’ll be the hunted not the hunter, and with only one person advancing in a hotly contested group, Sakurai will have to use everything she’s learned since joining Marigold if she hopes to make back-to-back Finals appearances.

Match to Watch: vs. MIRAI, August 30. That one minor blemish on her singles run this year? A 15- minute draw with MIRAI in March. The former Twin Star tag team champions have been close friends since MIRAI’s cup of tea in Donna Del Mondo, but Mai has never managed to beat her one of one before, and that’s something that has to be hanging over her head.

MIRAI

• 2024 Dream Star GP Performance: 8 points (3-2-2)
• 2025 Singles Record: 6-2-3

Between her time in both STARDOM and now Marigold, MIRAI has proven herself to be one of the most consistent tournament performers out there. Whether it’s winning back-to-back Cinderella Tournaments or constantly being in the running to advance in round robin tournaments, you can always expect the Soul of Marigold to be charging at the forefront with her trademark smile and decapitating lariats.

Despite this, there were questions around her ability to finish the job as she prepared for her Marigold world title match with Utami earlier this year. She’s had several chances to win a top title in the promotion but always fallen just short, and likewise in last year’s tournament she was just one win off the pace to advance to the final. MIRAI might be one of the top contenders in the STAR League this year, but one misstep could leave her on the outside looking in all over again.

Match to Watch: vs. Miku Aono, August 2. These two couldn’t be separated through the middle of 2024 as they fought to multiple draws in an effort to qualify for the final round of the United National title tournament. Miku Aono eventually got the better of MIRAI at Summer Destiny, but such evenly matched foes get another chance at each other on the opening night of the tournament. It might be the first time in history a draw would be the odds-on favourite for a match like this.

Miku Aono

• 2024 Dream Star GP Performance: 9 points (3-1-3)
• 2025 Singles Record: 7-1

The first-ever United National Champion put together the biggest victory of her career earlier this year when she retired Nanae Takahashi back in May, main eventing the company’s first year anniversary. It highlighted just how important she’s become for Marigold. Aono is a regular presence at the top of the card as the promotion tours the country, a top merch seller and it feels like only a matter of time until she’s challenging for the Marigold World Championship.

Miku has a chance to make that time now by winning the Dream Star. She put forth a strong showing last year – only dropping one match to Bozilla. But while she didn’t lose to any of the others who finished above her in the block, she didn’t beat them either – ending up with three draws that proved the difference. It’s hard not to consider Aono one of the favourites to not just advance but win the whole tournament this time around, especially riding the confidence from the Takahashi victory.

Match to Watch: vs. Mai Sakurai, September 14. If there was one complaint to be made about their fantastic title match at the start of the year, it was that it went a bit too long. That won’t be an issue here. With a 15-minute time limit for tournament matches, things will be a bit more condensed which should work in their favor, bringing a hard-hitting affair into the limelight as Aono looks to avenge her title loss.

Chika Goto

• 2024 Dream Star GP Performance: 2 points (1-6)
• 2025 Singles Record: 4-5

Last year, she had to enter a qualifying tournament to make the Dream Star, but this year she was an instant inclusion, which gives you an idea of the steady growth GoChika had made since joining the Golden Fields. Likewise, a result like last year’s two points would be considered a disappointment in 2025 for the fan favourite, even if she might still be a step or two away from competing with the heavy hitters in her block.

The year of experience she’s built up, especially working with more top end talent, will put her in good stead here. She’s grown stronger and smarter, dedicating herself to improving into a future star for the company. This will be the perfect litmus test for Chika Goto – the middle of the STAR League will likely be very congested and one match could make a difference between finishing near the upper echelon or down at the bottom rung.

Match to Watch: vs. Miku Aono, September 7. This is one of those test matches for Chika Goto where she gets a chance to highlight just how far she’s come. While she’s never been able to beat Aono, the experience they’ve had over the years in both Act Wres and now Marigold means they know each other well, and this is the best version of GoChika she’s ever been able to send at the eight-year veteran. This might not be one of the matches where Goto gets a win, but it might be the one where she makes the best impression in.

Kizuna Tanaka

• 2024 Dream Star GP Performance: 2 points (1-6)
• 2025 Singles Record: 1-4

The start of Kizuna’s Marigold career was hampered by injury, but now that she’s had a chance to get her feet underneath her, the second-generation joshi is starting to become one of the bright young rising stars on the roster. Her developing technical game serves as an anchor point for her fiery determination that will keep her in fights far beyond her level of skill and experience.

Her performance during the Marigold vs. Marvelous Gauntlet match in April made a lot of people stand up and take note, scoring half of her team’s eliminations by herself. Like last year, Tanaka’s going to be fighting for every point in this Dream Star, but if she brings that same determination to the Dream Star there are opportunities to be found, especially for someone with her skill set. She’s improved a lot since last year.

Match to Watch: vs. Misa Matsui, August 30. As Kizuna continues to develop herself, the Superfly title might be something she considers challenging for down the track. Misa Matsui isn’t the champion but she is a great opponent to test the waters if that was on the mind, and should provide a great challenge in general for someone who is improving but still somewhat outmatched in her block.

Nagisa Nozaki

• Representing Darkness Revolution
• 2024 Dream Star GP Performance: 8 points (3-2-2)
• 2025 Singles Record: 2-1

There’s little replacement for experience, and Nozaki has that in spades, entering her block with more than twice the amount of her nearest competitor. Especially in a gruelling tournament knowing how to take care of your body and when to pace yourself is key, and that showed itself in her solid outing last year.

Nozaki is part of the STAR League’s stacked midfield, so she’ll be looking for every advantage beyond her vast experience to eek out an advantage here and there. Whether that’s the usual Darkness Revolution shenanigans or her karate background, Nozaki won’t be an easy out for anyone in the block trying to improve their chances of advancing. However she’ll need to find another gear herself if she hopes to be among the favourites to advance herself.

Match to Watch: vs. MIRAI, August 16. These two have found themselves constantly at odds in recent weeks and it’s often ended up with MIRAI on a trolley cart hurtling towards the ring post. Considering their Grand Prix match last year ended in a double count-out, there’s a good chance they find themselves warring on the outside again, but can Nozaki get her fun done before a count of 20?

Misa Matsui

• Representing Darkness Revolution
• 2024 Dream Star GP Performance: 2 points (1-6)
• 2025 Singles Record: 2-7

Psycho Speed constantly proves herself to be one of Marigold’s must-watch wrestlers, and has been from its opening night. Now as a part of the villainous Darkness Revolution she’s only gotten better with a more dynamic character and performance. The only problem…she still can’t win when it counts. The failures in title matches have started to rack up, along with a low scoring first-year outing in the Dream Star.

It’s tough to predict how she’ll go this time around. She has the potential to be knocking on the door of a finals berth if things fall her way – Matsui’s certainly talented enough. However, it’s also conceivable that she ends up with a similar record as last year. It’s a very competitive block and for as skilled and entertaining as Misa Matsui is that alone doesn’t guarantee victory. She’ll have to unlock what she’s been missing in order to separate herself from the pack and prove Matsui is more than just an entertaining wrestler but a winner.

Match to Watch: vs. Mai Sakurai, August 10. She already took a swing at the United National title only to fall short against Mai back in May, but that burning desire to break the championship drought is still inside of her, and this one match might be her best chance to get back into a title match later this year. It will be interesting to see what she learned from their first match and how she changes up her game this time around in order to change up the outcome.

Chanyota

• Representing PPP Tokyo
• Dream Star GP Debutante
• 2025 Singles Record: 4-4

One of the more intriguing entries into the 2025 Dream Star Grand Prix, Chanyota has become a constant presence in Marigold, falling short in a couple of title matches but otherwise proving to be a tough out in any match she’s featured in. She has continually improved in leaps and bounds as she’s continued to hone her focus, now basically limiting her work to wrestling and bodybuilding, and those efforts have paid off inside the ring.

In a block with few other true power wrestlers, Chanyota will enter most matches with a very clear advantage, and expect her to use it. The biggest question could be how she handles such a sustained tour and continual barrage of singles matches against an array of styles and talent. This will be the biggest test of her career, but she’s better positioned than ever to prove herself inside the squared circle – and a good placing or some key wins here could go a long way to her future standing.

Match to Watch: vs. MIRAI, September 14. I could say it’s because of the final night implications that this match was selected, but the reality is that this showdown is between two hard-hitting hosses who aren’t afraid to go to war. The added implications of a potential spot in the Final being on the line only sweetens the deal. The sheer muscular strength of Chanyota versus the impact wrestling of MIRAI is a juicy proposition.

Dream Star GP Schedule:

August 2^nd @ Osaka (Daytime) (Live on Wrestle Universe)

• Dream League:
• CHIAKI vs Seri Yamaoka
• Rea Seto vs Kouki Amarei
• Mayu Iwatani vs Senka Akatsuki
• Utami Hayashishita vs Victoria Yuzuki
• Star League:
• Kizuna Tanaka vs Nagisa Nozaki
• MIRAI vs Chika Goto
• Chanyota vs Mai Sakurai
• Mika Aono vs Misa Matsui

August 2^nd @ Osaka (Nighttime) (Live on Wrestle Universe)

• Dream League:
• CHIAKI vs Victoria Yuzuki
• Senka Akatsuki vs Kouki Amarei
• Utami Hayashishita vs Rea Seto
• Mayu Iwatani vs Seri Yamaoka
• Star League:
• Kizuna Tanaka vs Chanyota
• Misa Matsui vs Chika Goto
• Mika Aono vs MIRAI
• Mai Sakurai vs Nagisa Nozaki

August 3^rd @ Hiroshima

• Dream League:
• CHIAKI vs Utami Hayashishita
• Star League:
• Misa Matsui vs Chanyota

August 9^th @ Iwate

• Dream League:
• Kouki Amarei vs Chiaki
• Star League:
• Mai Sakurai vs Chika Goto

August 10^th @ Sendai (Live on Wrestle Universe)

• Dream League:
• Victoria Yuzuki vs Seri Yamaoka
• Mayu Iwatani vs Rea Seto
• Star League:
• Nagisa Nozaki vs Chanyota
• Mai Sakurai vs Misa Matsui

August 16^th @ Chiba

• Dream League:
• Seri Yamaoka vs Utami Hayashishita
• Star League:
• MIRAI vs Nagisa Nozaki

August 17^th @ Shibya, Tokyo (Live on Wrestle Universe)

• Dream League:
• Senka Akatsuki vs Rea Seto
• Star League:
• Mai Sakurai vs Kizuna Tanaka

August 22^nd @ Arakawa, Tokyo

• Dream League:
• Kouki Amarei vs Victoria Yuzuki
• Senka Akatsuki vs Utami Hayashishita

August 30^th @ Korakuen Hall, Tokyo (Live on Wrestle Universe)

• Dream League:
• Chiaki vs Rea Seto
• Senka Akatsuki vs Victoria Yuzuki
• Kouki Amarei vs Seri Yamaoka
• Mayu Iwatani vs Utami Hayashishita
• Star League:
• Misa Matsui vs Kizuna Tanaka
• Chika Goto vs Nagisa Nozaki
• Mika Aono vs Chanyota
• Mai Sakurai vs MIRAI

September 2^nd @ Shinjuku FACE, Tokyo (Live on Wrestle Universe)

• Dream League:
• Rea Seto vs Victoria Yuzuki
• Senka Akatsuki vs Seri Yamaoka
• Kouki Amarei vs Mayu Iwatani
• Star League:
• Chika Goto vs Chanyota
• Mika Aono vs Kizuna Tanaka

September 6^th @ Toyama

• Dream League:
• CHIAKI vs Mayu Iwatani
• Star League:
• Misa Matsui vs MIRAI
• Mika Aono vs Nagisa Nozaki

September 7^th @ Mie

• Star League:
• MIRAI vs Kizuna Tanaka
• Mika Aono vs Chika Goto

September 14^th – THE FINAL @ Korakuen Hall, Tokyo (Live on Wrestle Universe)

• Dream League:
• CHIAKI vs Senka Akatsuki
• Rea Seto vs Seri Yamaoka
• Victoria Yuzuki vs Mayu Iwatani
• Kouki Amarei vs Utami Hayashishita
• Star League:
• Nagisa Nozaki vs Misa Matsui
• Kizuna Tanaka vs Chika Goto
• Chanyota vs MIRAI
• Mika Aono vs Mai Sakurai
• THE FINAL: Winner of Dream League vs Winner of Star League