Prominence (professional wrestling)
Prominence (プロミネンス, Purominensu) was a villainous professional wrestling stable mainly performing in the Japanese independent scene. The unit was originally led by Risa Sera and also primarily consisted of Suzu Suzuki, Akane Fujita, Mochi Natsumi and Hiragi Kurumi.[1] The stable was known for often producing independent wrestling namesake shows in the Japanese circuit between 2022 and 2024.[2] The unit reduced to the tag team of Calaminence consisting of Risa Sera and Saki in April 2024. HistoryStable era. Formation and departure from Ice Ribbon. (2021)On December 1, 2021, it was announced that the current five members of the stable would be leaving Ice Ribbon after they could not agree on the establishment of a new sub-brand with a focus on hardcore matches in contract talks with the officials of the promotion. In a press conference held at short notice by Ice Ribbon on the same day, the five announced not only their exodus but also the founding of their group, under whose banner they also want to organize shows with a focus on death and hardcore wrestling in the future.[3] Despite her contract with Ice Ribbon expiring and after announcing her departure from the company, Akane Fujita defeated Rina Yamashita on December 31, 2021, in a falls count anywhere match at New Ice Ribbon #1168 ~ Ribbonmania 2021 to win the FantastICE Championship, title which she held until even after her departure.[4] Risa Sera also held the International Ribbon Tag Team Championship alongside her long time tag partner of Azure Revolution, Maya Yukihi from August 9 until December 31, when they dropped the titles to Hamuko Hoshi and Ibuki Hoshi at Ribbonmania 2021.[4] Independent circuit (2022–present)The stable participated in their first independent show on January 4, 2022, at Gake No Fuchi vs. Prominence, where Fujita, Miyagi, Sera and Suzuki teamed up with DDT Pro Wrestling's Sanshiro Takagi to defeat Chris Brookes, Miyako Matsumoto, Mao and Shunma Katsumata.[5] Suzu Suzuki competed in Pro Wrestling Wave's 2022 edition of the Catch the Wave tournament, fighting in the Future Block against Rina Kawahata, Kohaku, Haruka Umesaki and Chie Ozora.[6] Suzuki eventually succeeded in defeating Miyuki Takase in the finals of the tournament, match which was also for the vacant Wave Single Championship.[7] World Wonder Ring Stardom (2022–2024)The unit members debuted in World Wonder Ring Stardom on January 29, 2022, at Stardom Nagoya Supreme Fight where they began feuding with Donna Del Mondo's leader Giulia in a feud based on the real-life situation of Giulia's sudden and controversial departure from Ice Ribbon in late 2019.[8] The feud eventually extended to other members of Donna Del Mondo, and on the first night of the Stardom World Climax 2022 on March 26, Sera and Suzuki picked up a victory over Maika and Thekla (Thekla also had history with all Prominence members due to her time in Ice Ribbon).[9] On the second night of the event on March 27, Sera, Suzuki, Fujita & Mochi fell short to Giulia, Himeka, Maika and Thekla in an Eight-woman tag team match.[10] At Stardom New Blood 2 on May 13, 2022, Suzu Suzuki defeated Mai Sakurai[11] and after the match once again verbally sparred with Giulia and also accepted a challenge on behalf of Prominence from the Stardom unit, Cosmic Angels. At Stardom Flashing Champions on May 28, 2022, Suzu Suzuki, Akane Fujita and Mochi Natsumi defeated Unagi Sayaka, Mina Shirakawa and Waka Tsukiyama. In the main event of the pay-per-view, Risa Sera unsuccessfully challenged Syuri for the World of Stardom Championship, concluding a short-term feud between Prominence and God's Eye (the faction Syuri began after leaving DDM).[12] In May, Sera and Suzuki were announced to compete in the Stardom 5 Star Grand Prix 2022 tournament beginning later in the year.[13] At Stardom New Blood 3 on July 8, 2022, Suzu Suzuki went into a time-limit draw against Mirai. During the event, Suzuki and Sera showed that their feud with Donna Del Mondo was not over, as they challenged Giulia and Mai Sakurai for a tag team match on further notice. Hiragi Kurumi also attacked Syuri backstage, hinting that even the war against God's Eye was not over yet.[14] At Stardom in Showcase vol.1 on July 23, 2022, Suzu Suzuki and Risa Sera defeated Giulia and Mai Sakurai in a hardcore tag team match and Hiragi Kurumi fell short to Syuri in an "I quit" match.[15] At Mid Summer Champions in Tokyo, the second event of the Stardom Mid Summer Champions which took place on July 24, 2022, Risa Sera, Hiragi Kurumi and Suzu Suzuki defeated Cosmic Angels (Mina Shirakawa, Unagi Sayaka and Hikari Shimizu) and Queen's Quest (Lady C, Hina and Miyu Amasaki) in a three-way tag team match.[16] At Stardom in Showcase vol.2 on September 25, 2022, Suzu Suzuki defeated Starlight Kid in one of her GP matches.[17] Sera finished the 2022 5 Star Grand Prix with a total of 15 points, same as Suzuki. The latter scored a draw against Giulia on the finals day from October 1, concluding her feud with the Donna Del Mondo leader.[18] At Stardom New Blood 5 on October 19, 2022, Suzu Suzuki teamed up with Ancham to defeat Queen's Quest's Lady C and Hina.[19] At Stardom in Showcase vol.3 on November 26, 2022, Suzu Suzuki, Risa Sera and Hiragi Kurumi defeated Cosmic Angels' Tam Nakano, Natsupoi and Unagi Sayaka.[20] At Stardom Dream Queendom 2 on December 29, 2022, Sera, Suzuki and Kurumi defeated Oedo Tai's Starlight Kid, Momo Watanabe and Saki Kashima to win the Artist of Stardom Championship.[21] At Stardom Supreme Fight 2023 on February 4, 2023, Suzu Suzuki unsuccessfully challenged Giulia for the World of Stardom Championship.[22] At Stardom All Star Grand Queendom on April 23, 2023, Sera, Suzuki and Kurumi dropped the Artist of Stardom Championship to REstart (Kairi, Natsupoi and Saori Anou).[23] On April 24, 2023, Suzu Suzuki announced that she would be leaving Prominence, and afterwards appeared on Stardom's April 29 Nagoya show and announced that she will make Stardom her main battlefield.[24] At Stardom 5Star Special in Hiroshima on September 3, 2023, Risa Sera unsuccessfully challenged Giulia for the Strong Women's Championship.[25] At Stardom 5Star Special in Hiroshima on September 3, 2023, Risa Sera unsuccessfully challenged Giulia for the Strong Women's Championship in the main event.[26] The stable's members made their last appearances in Stardom at the 2023 edition of the Goddesses of Stardom Tag League in which Risa Sera and Hiragi Kurumi competed in the Red Block by scoring a total of eight points, failing to qualify for the finals after they went against the teams of Crazy Star (Mei Seira and Suzu Suzuki), XL (Natsuko Tora and Momo Watanabe), Mafia Bella (Giulia and Thekla), Anecon (Syuri and Saki Kashima), Moonlight Venus (Mina Shirakawa and Waka Tsukiyama) and Maximum za Mini (Saya Iida and Hanako).[27] Sera and Kurumi have had a final sporadic appearance in Stardom as a tag team at a house show from April 21, 2024, where they unsuccessfully challenged Suzu Suzuki and Mei Seira for the Goddesses of Stardom Championship.[28] Sera made her final single appearance at the Stardom 5 Star Grand Prix 2024 where she competed in the Blue Stars B Block, scoring a total of six points, failing to qualify for the quarterfinals.[29] Return to the independent scene. (2023–April 2024)After their collaboration with World Wonder Ring Stardom ended, the stable's members continued to stroll the Japanese independent scene. At a house show promoted by Pure-J on November 23, 2023, Hiragi Kurumi and Mochi Natsumi defeated Ayaka (Ayako Sato and Hanako Nakamori) to win the Daily Sports Women's Tag Team Championship.[30] Sera was announced as a roster member of the overseas joshi promotion of Sukeban, being set to compete under the ring name of "Lady Antoinette". She participated at the inaugural event of Sukeban World Premiere on September 21, 2023, where she teamed up with Commander Nakajima (Arisa Nakajima) as "Dangerous Liaisons" to defeat The Harajuku Stars (Babyface (Ancham) and Maya Mamushi (Maya Yukihi)).[31] The main field of operation for the stable's members remained Pro Wrestling Wave. In early December 2023, Risa Sera formed the tag team of "Calaminence" alongside Saki with whom she has won the Wave Tag Team Championship on three different occasions, first at WAVE PHASE2 Reboot 4th ~ NAMI 1 where they defeated Team Hokakudo (Ikuto Hidaka and Itsuki Aoki) to win the titles.[32] The last independent show produced by the stable's members to date was the Prominence 23rd Battle ~ Prominence Hataage 2nd Anniversary which took place on April 23, 2024, in which Risa Sera fell short to Takashi Sasaki in a Fluorescent Lighttubes Death Match main event.[33] Stable's downfall. Reducing to Calaminence. (April 2024–present)After the stable members ceased to host independent shows, the unit entered a standby period which only saw Sera and Saki symbolically keeping half of the stable as "Calaminence" in their tag name. Sera was briefly part of the "Diamond Egoist" stable of Gleat. Alongside stablemate Michiko Miyagi, she unsuccessfully challenged Coelacanths (Cima and Kaz Hayashi) for the G-Infinity Championship at GLEAT House Show In Yokohama on May 4, 2024.[34] Sera also won the Pure-J Openweight Championship on at PURE-J 7th Anniversary on August 11, 2024 by defeating Hanako Nakamori.[35] MembersCurrent
Former
Sub-groupsCurrent
Former affiliations
TimelineChampionships and accomplishments*Noted underneath are the accomplishments of the unit's members being recognized since December 1, 2021.
Notes
References
External linksWikimedia Commons has media related to World Wonder Ring Stardom. |