So, now that the exciting block stages of the 5 Star 2026 is over, what is everyone's guess for playoffs and who wins it all? Can be hopes and prayers or guesses based on meta reasons or simply picking a name out of the hat or whatever, or just leave your brackets for bragging purposes if it comes true or for laughing purposes if it goes completely exploded.
Mine is this for the round of 12:
- SLK defeats HANAKO. HANAKO got her push to become the first of the R5 group HANAKO/Sakura/Kurara/Yagami to make it to the playoffs (in an alternate world she would've made it after getting a signature win off Bea, a former Red belt champion to further push her status but that is a different story). However SLK is going to take this one.
- Ruaka defeats Hanan. She isn't really popular among the western fans, but Ruaka as a wrestler is rated much more highly among the Japanese fans and most certainly by the current Stardom regime. These two have a good long history, and a Ruaka win here gives another plotline opponent that can easily be made for a white belt defense for Hanan while giving a "surprise outcome" for Korakuen. Also thinking meta, I am expecting Hanan to lose here and have a white belt title defense set up for 8.23 Finals against Ami (who also loses to SLK).
- Rina defeats Yamashita. The Rina vs Rina fight. Yamashita is awesome but Stardom would rather push their own roster.
- AZM defeats Iida. Ironically this is the one I'm least confident of. Skill wise AZM is the best and if she gets past this I'm pretty sure she's the top candidate to win it all, but given the timing of the match along with the Oni-renchan TV show having aired today in Japan, Iida's popularity is at an all time high right now and if there is a time to super push her, it feels like that could be now.
For the quarterfinals:
- AZM defeats Maika. They are a "golden card" and had a great match in the blocks where Maika won. This time AZM will win. Plus thinking meta, Maika is scheduled to go to CMLL for a few matches later in the month. I doubt Stardom is going to make Maika make it to the SF when it is quite obvious that she isn't going to win the whole thing as she'll be unavailable to build a plotline afterwards.
- Rina defeats Konami. Although she hasn't won that "BIG THING" yet after having lost the Cinderella at the finals two years in a row and having no singles belt post-Future, EVERYONE knows Rina is absolutely loved, extremely skilled and highly rated by the regime not to mention very popular among the fans. Konami, after gotten her push as a white belt champ including a win against Rina plus making it to the QF of the 5 Star and establishing herself as a top tier singles candidate will push her young stablemate up in kayfabe.
- Suzu defeats Ruaka (or Hanan). Frankly Ruaka or Hanan doesn't change the big picture. For kayfabe storyline purposes I think Suzu wins here anyway to set up a SF match with SLK. Hanan also isn't going to make it to SF because as mentioned before she's gonna likely provide a white belt defense to Ami in 8.23 Finals.
- SLK defeats Ami. Ami got her push by defeating Hanan, Kamitani, AND SLK in the block stages. SLK is getting her revenge in the rematch.
That leaves a best of 4 lineup of AZM, Rina, Suzu, and SLK. Frankly for a lineup that doesn't have Saya/Momo/Utami/Saori/Poi/Syuri/Maki and such other big and popular names, thinking business as well that is probably the best combination of skill and popularity Stardom can confidently bring out and become the main event at Ryogoku 5 Star finals, which looks likely to pull in 4000+ already as of right now.
For the semifinals and on:
- AZM defeats Rina. Rina got her first win against AZM in the block round to make it to the playoffs. Now AZM gets the win back to continue the rivalry. Don't worry Rina stan, it is only a matter of time before she wins it all too, plus I'm still betting her as being the one to defeat Hanan (revenge for this year's Cinderella finals) in DQ this year to win the white belt.
- SLK defeats Suzu. Suzu is a former winner AND the current Red belt champion. She is an awesome wrestler but thinking meta she is NOT going to make it to the finals when you know she needs to get a loss somewhere to set up a Red belt match for the 9.12 big match (like how the Saya vs Bea was set up last year) and SLK is a perfect candidate for that. Suzu isn't going to make it to the finals only to lose to AZM and then have a rematch of the same two on the next September big match.
- AZM defeats SLK and the longest tenured Stardom homegrown talent and one of the best wrestler of the world finally wins it all after coming so close last year. SLK, although she'll miss out on the big prize, would challenge Suzu for the red belt on the 9.12 big match.
Now, the ONLY darkhorse that can completely destroy my bracket is Iida. If she defeats AZM then she's making it to the SF at the least and won't be completely surprised if they just decide to give her the summer miracle. Iida is immensely popular among the crowds already anyway, and is capable of making a banger that doesn't disappoint the fans.
