Empress Nexus Venus

Empress Nexus Venus
Current logo of the stable (2024–present)
Stable
MembersMaika
Mina Shirakawa
Waka Tsukiyama
Xena
Hanako
Name(s)Club Venus
DebutDecember 29, 2022
Years active2022–present

Empress Nexus Venus (エンプレス・ネクサス・ヴィーナス, En puresu Nekusasu vu~īnasu) (often stylized as ExV) formerly known as Club Venus (クラブ・ヴィーナス, Kurabu~Vīnasu) is a Japanese professional wrestling stable currently performing in World Wonder Ring Stardom. The stable consists of Maika, Mina Shirakawa, Hanako, Xena and Waka Tsukiyama.[1]

History

Cosmic Angels sub-unit (2022–2023)

At Dream Queendom 2, the returning Xia Brookside and the debutant Mariah May accompanied Mina Shirakawa to the ring for her match. Shirakawa and her Cosmic Angels stablemate Unagi Sayaka went on to defeat Donna Del Mondo (Mai Sakurai and Thekla). Following the match, Shirakawa slapped Sayaka and announced the formation of Club Venus, a trio featuring herself, Brookside and May.[2] Shirakawa later confirmed that Club Venus was a sub-unit of Cosmic Angels.[3] Club Venus announced themselves as the mystery team that would compete in the Triangle Derby I. Club Venus participated in the Red Triangle Block of the tournament and scored a total of eight points, which was not enough to reach the finals.[4]

At New Blood 7 on January 20, 2023, Brookside and May participated in the inaugural New Blood Tag Team Championship tournament, in which they lost to Karma and Starlight Kid in the quarterfinals.[5] Brookside returned to England after wrestling in her final Stardom match on January 29, which meant she could no longer participate as a member of Club Venus.[6][7] May and Shirakawa participated in the 2023 Cinderella Tournament. On the first night of the tournament on March 26, Xena was revealed as Club Venus' newest member before she defeated Hina in the first round.[8] Xena performed the best out of the Club Venus members by reaching the quarterfinals, where she lost to Mirai. On April 6, May and Xena were scheduled to team up with a mystery partner to face Stars (Hanan, Koguma and Saya Iida). On the day of the event, the mystery partner was revealed to be Jessie, formerly known as Jessi Kamea in NXT and Jessie Elaban in the independent circuit. Jessie, May and Xena ended up winning the match.[9]

Club Venus (2023–2024)

Official logo of the stable in the Club Venus era (2023–2024).

On the final night of the 2023 Cinderella Tournament on April 15, 2023, Mina Shirakawa, Natsupoi, Saki and Tam Nakano lost to Donna Del Mondo (Giulia, Himeka, Maika and Thekla). Following the match, Shirakawa announced that Club Venus would part ways with Cosmic Angels and become an independent unit. Waka Tsukiyama was forced to either stay with Cosmic Angels or join Club Venus, to which she chose Club Venus.[10] At All Star Grand Queendom on April 23, Shirakawa won the Wonder of Stardom Championship by defeating Saya Kamitani.[11] Shirakawa lost the title to Tam Nakano 34 days later in a Winner Takes All match where Nakano's World of Stardom Championship was also on the line.[12] At Sunshine 2023 on June 25, May and Shirakawa, together known as Rose Gold, won the Goddess of Stardom Championship by defeating The New Eras.[13] At Stardom x Stardom: Osaka Summer Team on August 13, Rose Gold lost the Goddesses of Stardom Championship to REStart.[14] At Stardom New Blood 10 on August 18, Waka Tsukiyama unsuccessfully challenged Rina for the Future of Stardom Championship.[15] At Stardom Midsummer Festival on August 19, Waka Tsukiyama teamed up with Lady C and Yuna Mizumori in a losing effort against Hanan, Hina and Rina, and Mina Shirakawa teamed up with Mariah May to defeat Megan Bayne and Thekla.[16] At Stardom 5Star Special in Hiroshima on September 3, Mina Shirakawa and Mariah may fell short to Megan Bayne and Maika in tag team action.[17] At Stardom Dream Tag Festival, a non-canon event promoted on September 10, Shirakawa teamed up with former "Dream H" tag team partner Tam Nakano to defeat REStart (Natsupoi and Saori Anou) and Mariah may teamed up with Hanan as "The Future" to defeat Momo Watanabe and Momo Kohgo.[18] At Stardom New Blood 11 on September 28, Mariah May and Waka Tsukiyama fell short to Thekla in a three-way match.[19] On September 30, May left Stardom to sign with All Elite Wrestling, and thus left Club Venus. Shirakawa announced that the only foreign member still being part of the unit at the time was Xena.[20] At Stardom Nagoya Golden Fight 2023 on October 9, Mina Shirakawa fell short to Syuri in an UWF Rules match.[21] At Stardom Halloween Dark Night, a non-canon event promoted on October 29, 2023, Mina Shirakawa and Waka Tsukiyama fell short to Vulgar Alliance (Zap and Dump Matsumoto) in a "Zombie" Lumberjack match.[22] At Stardom Gold Rush 2023 on November 18, Mina Shirakawa competed in the traditional Biliken battle royal won by Billiken Death, which also involved Megan Bayne, Maika, Yuna Mizumori and Lady C.[23] At Stardom Nagoya Big Winter on December 2, Mina Shirakawa teamed up with Yuzuki in a losing effort against Miyu Amasaki and Hanako.[24] At Stardom Dream Queendom 2023 on December 29, Shirakawa teamed up with Syuri and Mei Seira in a losing effort against 7Upp (Nanae Takahashi and Yuu) and AZM in six-way tag team action.[25]

At Stardom New Year Stars 2024 on January 3, Shirakawa teamed up with Maika, Saori Anou and Yuna Mizumori in a losing effort against Nanae Takahashi, Yuu, Hazuki and Saki Kashima.[26] At Ittenyon Stardom Gate on January 4, Shirakawa teamed up with Mei Seira to defeat Mai Sakurai and Thekla.[27]

Empress Nexus Venus (2024–present)

On the first night of the 2023 Stardom Awards held on January 20, 2024, Waka Tsukiyama returned from an injury and teamed up with Mina Shirakawa in a losing effort against Maika and Hanako. After the bout concluded, Xena returned to Stardom and alongside Maika, Shirakawa, Tsukiyama and Hanako announced that they would be forming a new unit that would replace Club Venus.[28][29] At New Year Stars in Sendai on January 27, 2024, Mina Shirakawa, Maika, Hanako and Waka Tsukiyama defeated Lady C, Utami Hayashishita, Saya Kamitani and AZM in a eight-woman tag team match. After picking up the victory, they announced the name of the new unit as Empress Nexus Venus (abbreviated as E Nexus V or ExV).[30]

Members

Current

* Founding member
I-II Leader(s)
Member Joined
Mina Shirakawa *I December 29, 2022
Xena March 26, 2023
Waka Tsukiyama April 15, 2023
Maika II[a] January 20, 2024
Hanako

Former

Member Joined Left
Mariah May * December 29, 2022 September 30, 2023
Xia Brookside * January 29, 2023
Jessie April 6, 2023 June 4, 2023[b]

Timeline

Sub-groups

Current

Group Members Tenure Type
Moonlight Venus Mina Shirakawa
Waka Tsukiyama		 2023–present Tag team

Former

Group Members Tenure Type
Xia and Mariah Xia Brookside
Mariah May		 2023 Tag team
Rose Gold Mina Shirakawa
Mariah May		 2023 Tag team

Championships and accomplishments

Notes

  1. ^ While being the senior members of the unit, Shirakawa and Maika are acting as co-leaders.
  2. ^ This was the last time Jessie performed in Stardom.

References

  1. ^ IV, Ross W Berman (29 December 2022). "Xia Brookside Returns To Japanese Promotion After WWE Departure". Wrestling Inc. Retrieved 31 December 2022.
  2. ^ Russell, Skylar (29 December 2022). "Xia Brookside Returns To STARDOM, Joins Forces With Mina Shirakawa & Mariah May". fightful.com. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
  3. ^ Wrestling, STARDOM (29 December 2022). "Mina Shirakawa confirmind she is still Cosmic Angels member (12/29/22)". twitter.com. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
  4. ^ Edwards, Scott (16 December 2022). "STARDOM Reveals Lineup For Triangle Derby I Trios League". fightful.com. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
  5. ^ Edwards, Scott (20 January 2023). "STARDOM NEW BLOOD 7 Results (1/20/23): Tag Team Title Tournament Begins". fightful.com. Retrieved 20 January 2023.
  6. ^ Kreikenbohm, Philip. "Xia Brookside - Matches". Cagematch. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
  7. ^ "STARDOM in January 2023: Your Monthly Recap". Monthly Puroresu. 3 February 2023. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
  8. ^ Edwards, Scott (26 March 2023). "STARDOM Cinderella Tournament First Round Results (3/26/23): Giulia, Mayu Iwatani, And More". Retrieved 1 April 2023.
  9. ^ Thompson, Andrew (6 April 2023). "Jessie f.k.a. Jessi Kamea revealed as newest member of STARDOM's Club Venus faction". postwrestling.com. Retrieved 6 April 2023.
  10. ^ Edwards, Scott (15 April 2023). "STARDOM Cinderella Tournament Championship Battle Results (4/15/23): MIRAI, Waka Tsukiyama, And More". fightful.com. Retrieved 15 April 2023.
  11. ^ a b Fritts, Chick (23 April 2023). "Stardom All Star Grand Queendom live results: Mercedes Mone vs. Mayu Iwatani Giulia faces Tam Nakano in the show's main event". f4wonline.com. Archived from the original on 23 April 2023. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  12. ^ Edwards, Scott (27 May 2023). "STARDOM Flashing Champions 2023 Results (5/27/23): Tam Nakano vs. Mina Shirakawa". fightful. Archived from the original on 27 May 2023. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
  13. ^ a b Wilkinson, Nick (25 June 2023). "Giulia Challenges Willow; New Goddess Of Stardom Champs Crowned". Diva Dirt. Archived from the original on 27 June 2023. Retrieved 7 July 2023.
  14. ^ Edwards, Scott (13 August 2023). "STARDOM x STARDOM 2023 Results (8/13/23): Tam Nakano, Mayu Iwatani, And More". Fightful. Retrieved 14 August 2023.
  15. ^ Black, Ethan (18 August 2023). "Stardom New Blood 10 Results – August 18, 2023". PWMania.com. Archived from the original on 20 August 2023. Retrieved 20 August 2023.
  16. ^ Edwards, Scott (19 August 2023). "STARDOM MidSummer Festival 2023 Results (8/19/23): Tam Nakano, Shinobu Kandori, And More". fightful.com. Retrieved 19 August 2023.
  17. ^ Edwards, Scott (3 September 2023). "STARDOM 5STAR Special in Hiroshima Results (9/3/23): MIRAI vs. Konami". Fightful. Archived from the original on 3 September 2023. Retrieved 3 September 2023.
  18. ^ Edwards, Scott (11 September 2023). "STARDOM Dream Tag Festival 2023 Results (9/10/23): Giulia, Suzu Suzuki Team". fightful.com. Retrieved 11 September 2023.
  19. ^ Edwards, Scott (29 September 2023). "STARDOM NEW BLOOD 11 (9/29/23): Hanan, Starlight Kid, Mei Seira & More". Fightful. Archived from the original on 1 October 2023. Retrieved 30 September 2023.
  20. ^ Lambert, Jeremy (1 October 2023). "Mariah May Says Goodbye To STARDOM, Says She Will Be Back". Fightful. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
  21. ^ Pollock, John (9 October 2023). "Stardom Nagoya Golden Fight: KAIRI's farewell, new High Speed Champion". Post Wrestling. Archived from the original on 22 October 2023. Retrieved 10 October 2023.
  22. ^ Edwards, Scott (29 October 2023). "STARDOM Halloween Dark Night 2023 Results (10/29/23): Mayu Iwatani vs. Crows, More". Fightful. Archived from the original on 30 October 2023. Retrieved 30 October 2023.
  23. ^ Lee, Joseph (18 November 2023). "STARDOM Gold Rush 2023 Results". 411Mania. Archived from the original on 3 December 2023. Retrieved 19 November 2023.
  24. ^ Black, Ethan (2 December 2023). "Stardom Nagoya Big Winter Results – December 2, 2023". PWMania.com. Archived from the original on 3 December 2023. Retrieved 3 December 2023.
  25. ^ Wilkinson, Nick (29 December 2023). "New Champions Crowned At STARDOM Dream Queendom". diva-dirt.com. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
  26. ^ Edwards, Scott (3 January 2024). "STARDOM NEW YEAR STARS Results (1/3/24): Triangle Derby, Rookie of STARDOM". fightful.com. Retrieved 3 January 2024.
  27. ^ Edwards, Scott (4 January 2023). "STARDOM Ittenyon Stardom Gate 2024 Results (1/4/24): Mayu Iwatani vs. Syuri". fightful.com. Retrieved 4 January 2023.
  28. ^ World Wonder Ring Stardom (20 January 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 20 January 2024.
  29. ^ Peps (20 January 2024). "STARDOM In Takadanobaba Results & Notes January 20, 2024". Wrestle Purists. Archived from the original on 21 January 2024. Retrieved 21 January 2024.
  30. ^ Carlin, James (27 January 2024). "Mina Shirakawa Challenges for IWGP Women's Title, Her Faction Gets a Name". monthlypuroresu.com. Retrieved 28 January 2024.

External links

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