2025 Match of the Year: Saya Kamitani vs. Tam Nakano

Stories are what make pro wrestling. And how it’s told varies by personal tastes. However, when fans throw the word “cinema” around, they often do so a bit too loosely. To me, “cinema” in pro wrestling equals a masterpiece. A masterpiece conveys emotion, intensity, high stakes, and of course, cinema itself.

On April 27th, Saya Kamitani wrestled Tam Nakano in a Career vs. Career match at Stardom’s All Star Grand Queendom 2025. This match, in my opinion, is currently the Match of the Year. I won’t do this story justice in my summary, but I wanted to point out just how emotional and deep this feud goes.

Forget WrestleMania, forget Dynasty — these two pale in comparison to the paragon of storytelling that was Saya Kamitani vs. Tam Nakano this past Sunday. Many of you may not be familiar with Stardom, but I will do my best to detail just what made this match so special, and why it stands alone as MOTY candidate for 2025.

So with that, a little backstory.

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An Early Mentorship

Tam Nakano, a prominent figure in Stardom and leader of the Cosmic Angels, initially played a mentor role to the rising star Saya Kamitani. Kamitani was part of Tam Nakano’s creation called “Stardom Idols”. This was essentially a stable of rookies who played comedic/entertainment roles for pre-shows and undercards. However, many aspired to be pro wrestlers, Kamitani included. Kamitani would eventually officially join Stardom in 2019, and on December 8th, eventually won the 2019 Rookie of Stardom Tournament by defeating Saya Iida in the finals.

Now a rising star, everyone assumed Kamitani would join her mentor, Tam Nakano’s group, the Cosmic Angels. However, instead of joining Tam, she instead joined Queen’s Quest. While this created slight tension, there were no hard feelings, as Kamitani wanted to carve out her own path.

The two would do battle off and on, with Kamitani clearly not on Tam’s level yet. However, all of that changed in 2021.

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Tam and Saya Become Pillars of Stardom

The first significant shift occurred on December 29, 2021, when Kamitani ended Nakano’s 301-day reign as the Wonder of Stardom Champion at Dream Queendom. The rivalry intensified over the years, with both wrestlers exchanging victories and titles. Tam would go on to become World of Stardom Championship (red belt) holder, as well as a Wonder of Stardom Champion (white belt). Through that time, Nakano even famously won a hair vs. hair match against Giulia for the red belt on March 3rd, 2021 at Stardom’s All Star Dream Cinderella. 

Tam even became the second wrestler in Stardom history to hold both the red and white belts at the same time. However, through the years of 2021-2024, the younger Kamitani seemed to always have Tam’s number. This includes defeating her for the white belt (again) in 2022. However, something was different about Kamitani by 2024. Gone were the days of Queen’s Quest, as she turned her back on the group, turned heel, and joined Oedo Tai (now known as H.A.T.E.).

Kamitani, notably darker, angrier and more violent — defeated Nakano for the World of Stardom Championship at at Dream Queendom on December 29, 2024.

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The “Loser Leaves Stardom” Match

In early 2025, the feud took a personal turn. Tam Nakano took to social media and the two began trading personal blows on and off the platform. However, Kamitani offered Nakano a chance at redemption — if defeated, Nakano could make any request.  On February 24, 2025, Nakano and Sayaka Kurara defeated Kamitani and Natsuko Tora, earning Nakano the right to request any match. She challenged Kamitani to a “Loser Leaves Stardom” match, which Kamitani won on March 3rd.

Despite the loss, and out of Tam’s desperation, Kamitani reluctantly granted Nakano one final opportunity: a Career vs. Career match for the World of Stardom Championship at All Star Grand Queendom 2025.

Their ‘Loser Leaves Stardom’ match was already an instant classic. Melzter rated it 5 stars (if you care about that sort of thing). How could they top this?

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Career vs. Career – 4/27

This match was violent and beautiful. Hard-hitting and dangerous. Saya controlled most of the match — and at many moments, seemed to be in line to put Tam away. But remember, this was Saya’s mentor. Heel or not, she did love and respect Tam. There even came a point, late in the match where Saya purposely pulled Tam up to prevent a three-count. She didn’t want it to be over. This is Career vs. Career, afterall. After multiple brutal spots, the two went through a sequence where they both kicked out of big moves at 1. And being that both of their careers are on the line, this makes sense. There is legitimate sense of urgency, as the loser will never be able to do this again.

However, the current champion was too much. Kamitani kept kicking out of Tam’s big moves, including 4 straight shining wizards (Violet Shoots), to which Saya would not lay in defeat. Beaten down, there is a point where Tam seems to understand her fate. She is in tears, looks up at a dominant Kamitani, and essentially waits for her end. After a knee and one more kickout, Kamitani lands Tam’s own finisher – Twilight Dream (delayed German Suplex hold) — to get the three count.

Tam Nakano will never wrestle again.

Post-match, Saya, clearly distraught, is emotionally overtaken by the fact that she just retired her mentor. Understanding Japanese helps here, and luckily, I do. Saya, in such words would tell Tam:

“It’s only after I took everything from you that I realize that I love you.”

Tam thanks the fans, gives love to Saya, and has one final request — that they walk out of the ring together. So they do, and at the top of the entrance ramp the two look up, as feathers fall from the ceiling with smoke surrounding them, Tam points upwards as the arena fades to black.

The loss marked an emotional end to Nakano’s historic career. She had requested that the loser of the match forgo a retirement ceremony, farewell tour, or any other formalities — instead, the defeated wrestler would simply vanish from professional wrestling altogether.

This is storytelling on an entirely different level from anything else going in pro wrestling. If you can, be it through legal (or non-legal) means, you owe it to yourself to watch this match. This was “cinema”. This was a masterpiece. And it was told entirely in the ring. Tam Nakano essentially passed the torch to Saya Kamitani — and whether you’re a fan of joshi or not, this was storytelling at its absolute finest.

Don’t miss out on this one.

-TKW