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Tam Nakano

Japanese professional wrestler From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Tam Nakano
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Yuria Tauchi (田内 友里愛, Tauchi Yuria; born March 22, 1988), better known by her ring name Tam Nakano (中野 たむ, Nakano Tamu) is a Japanese retired professional wrestler and idol. She is best known for her time in World Wonder Ring Stardom.

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Nakano began her career as an idol with Actwres girl'Z in 2015, and made her debut as a professional wrestler the following year. She left the promotion in 2017 and began working for Frontier Martial Arts Wrestling (FMW) and Stardom as a freelancer, officially signing with Stardom later that year. She went on to become the leader of the Cosmic Angels stable and a three-time Artist of Stardom Champion, two-time World of Stardom Champion, two-time Wonder of Stardom Champion, and one-time Goddesses of Stardom Champion.

Nakano also won the 2019 Goddesses of Stardom Tag League, received the 2023 Tokyo Sports Women's Wrestling Grand Prize, and was awarded a 5.25 star rating by Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter for her retirement match against Saya Kamitani at Stardom All Star Grand Queendom 2025.[citation needed]

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Early life

Yuria Tauchi[1] was born in Anjō[2] on March 22, 1988.[3] She began her journey through dancing at the age of 3 and soon became an experienced dance instructor, choreographer, and idol before she debuted in professional wrestling in 2016.[4]

Professional wrestling career

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Actwres Girl’z and freelancing (2016–2017)

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Tauchi in December 2016

Tauchi began dancing at the age of three,[5][6] and eventually became a dance instructor in 2012. She joined the underground idol group known as Katamomi Joshi, and was active with them until April 2015.[7] In interviews, she has stated that she struggled a lot in the group and would argue with management, even going home crying most days.[8] She then joined the group Infom@te, who performed before and during professional wrestling shows for the Actwres girl'Z promotion.[9]

Gaining some popularity as an idol and using her existing martial arts knowledge, Tauchi began training to wrestle for the promotion under Mayu Iwatani in 2016; she made her debut under the ring name Tam Nakano (中野 たむ, Nakano Tamu) in July, losing to Saori Anou.[10][11][12] Nakano continued to regularly compete in Actwres girl'Z until June 2017, when she announced she would be leaving the promotion to become a freelancer.[13][14] Nakano's first match as a freelancer took place 2 days later, when she and Manami Katsu defeated Miss Koharu and Miss Mongol.[15]

World Wonder Ring Stardom (2017–2025)

Nakano appeared at the World Wonder Ring Stardom show in Korakuen Hall on July 16, 2017, and announced her intentions to compete in the 2017 5★STAR GP. On August 13, Nakano qualified for the tournament after defeating Natsuko Tora.[16] Nakano finished the tournament with 1 win and two points, unable to advance to the finals.[17]

Oedo Tai (2017–2018)

On September 9, Nakano turned heel for the first time in her career, joining the villainous Oedo Tai faction.[18] In October, Nakano suffered an injury and was unable to compete, but continued to appear with Oedo Tai as a manager, and introduced her mascot, a stuffed panda known as Producer P.[19] On November 1, Nakano officially signed with the promotion.[20][2] On January 21, 2018, as a result of being the last person eliminated in a special Queen's Quest vs Oedo Tai gauntlet match, Nakano was kicked out of Oedo Tai.[21]

Stars (2018–2020)

She subsequently turned face and began teaming with Mayu Iwatani. On February 18, the duo unsuccessfully challenged Tam's former stablemates Hana Kimura and Kagetsu for the Goddesses of Stardom Championship.[22] On April 1 at Stardom Dream Slam 2018 in Nagoya, Nakano teamed with Stardom ace Io Shirai to defeat Oedo Tai (Kagetsu and Sumire Natsu) in a current blast exploding bat deathmatch.[23] On September 30, Nakano, along with Iwatani and Saki Kashima, defeated J.A.N. (Jungle Kyona, Natsuko Tora and Kaori Yoneyama) to win the Artist of Stardom Championship, Nakano's first title in professional wrestling.[24] At Mask Fiesta 2018 on October 28, Nakano, under the ring name Dame de Panko, teamed up with La Gatita and Mayuchica to defeat Bear Dog, Black Jungle Fairy and Night Bear.[25][26]

As of the 2019 Stardom Draft, Nakano has been an active member of Iwatani's stable Stars. In the 2019 Cinderella Tournament, Nakano faced her old stablemate Kagetsu in the first round, with the two fighting to a time limit draw, thus both were eliminated.[27] On May 16, Iwatani, Kashima and Nakano lost the Artist of Stardom Championship to Tokyo Cyber Squad (Kimura, Konami and Kyona), ending their reign at 228 days.[28] On June 16, Nakano challenged Arisa Hoshiki for the Wonder of Stardom Championship, but was unsuccessful.[29] Nakano, along with Iwatani and Kashima, won back the title on June 23,[30] however, lost it in the next month on July 20.[31] On November 15, Nakano, along with Hoshiki, won the annual Goddesses of Stardom Tag League, when they defeated Bea Priestley and Jamie Hayter in the finals.[32] After winning the Tag League, Hoshiki and Nakano challenged Konami and Kyona on November 24 for the Goddesses of Stardom Championship, but were unsuccessful.[33]

In July 2020, a feud began between Nakano and Giulia, initially for the Wonder of Stardom Championship, that would continue intermittently for several years.[34][35] On July 26, at Cinderella Summer in Tokyo, Nakano lost to Giulia in the finals of a tournament for the vacant Wonder of Stardom Championship.[36] On October 3, Nakano challenged Giulia again for the Wonder of Stardom Championship, however, was unsuccessful in the second time.[37]

Cosmic Angels leadership and retirement (2020–2025)

On November 15, Nakano, along with fellow Stars members Mina Shirakawa and Unagi Sayaka formed a new group within Stars named "Cosmic Angels", as the trio defeated Kashima, Rina and Tora.[38] On December 16, Cosmic Angels defeated Kashima, Priestley and Tora to win the Artist of Stardom Championship.[39] On December 20, after Cosmic Angels had their first successful title defense against Gokigen Death, Iwatani and Starlight Kid, Iwatani announced that Cosmic Angels are leaving Stars to be their own unit.[40]

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Tauchi's ring gear in Stardom's pop-up Tokyo store in November 2021

On March 3, 2021, at All Star Dream Cinderella, Nakano defeated Giulia in a Hair vs. Hair match for the Wonder of Stardom Championship, which was her first singles title in the promotion.[41] On December 29 at Stardom Dream Queendom, she was defeated by Saya Kamitani in a match for the title, ending her reign with 301 days.[42]

On June 26, 2022, Nakano faced Natsupoi in the first steel cage match at Stardom, which Nakano was victorious.[43] On July 9, during a multi-woman match, Natsupoi betrayed her own unit Donna Del Mondo by attacking their leader Giulia, Nakano's rival, and joined Nakano's Cosmic Angel unit, thus turning face in the process.[44] On July 9, at Stardom Mid Summer Champions#Mid Summer Champions in Nagoya, Nakano had her first match for the World of Stardom Championship where she challenged Syuri for the title, but was unsuccessful.[45][46] On August 21, at Stardom x Stardom: Nagoya Midsummer Encounter, Nakano alongside Natsupoi defeated FWC (Hazuki and Koguma) to win the Goddesses of Stardom Championship.[47] Together, now known as meltear, Nakano and Natsupoi had two successful title defenses before losing the championship to 7Upp (Nanae Takahashi and Yuu), on December 29, at Dream Queendom 2, ending their reign at 130 days.[48]

On April 23, 2023, at All Star Grand Queendom, Nakano defeated Giulia to win the World of Stardom Championship for the first time in her career.[49] May 27, at Flashing Champions, Nakano defeated Mina Shirakawa in a Winner Takes All match to retain her World Championship and also win the Wonder of Stardom Championship for the second time in her career.[50] On July 2, at Mid Summer Champions 2023, Nakano lost the Wonder of Stardom Championship to Mirai, ending her second reign at 36 days.[51] At Stardom x Stardom: Osaka Summer Team on August 13, Nakano successfully defended her World of Stardom Championship over Megan Bayne. On November 20, Rossy Ogawa announced that the World of Stardom Championship would be vacated due to the severity of Nakano's injury with a new champion being crowned at Dream Queendom 2023 on December 29.[52][53]

On August 31, 2024 on night 12 of the 5Star Grand Prix, Nakano defeated Natsuko Tora to win the World of Stardom Championship for a second time.[54] On December 29 at Dream Queendom, Nakano lost the title to Saya Kamitani ending her reign at 120 days.[55] On February 24, 2025 at Stardom Path of Thunder, Nakano teamed with Sayaka Kurara to defeat Kamitani and Tora. Per the stipulation, Kamitani was forced to grant any request Nakano wanted, with the latter challenging Kamitani to a Loser Leaves Stardom match on March 3.[56] On March 3 at Stardom Nighter, Kamitani defeated Nakano, but would grant Nakano one last opportunity at the World of Stardom Championship at Stardom All Star Grand Queendom 2025 on April 27 in a Career vs. Career match.[57] On March 4 at a press conference, Nakano announced that her Stardom contract had been (kayfabe) terminated, but would continue to perform from the promotion as a freelancer.[58]

On April 27 at Stardom All Star Grand Queendom 2025, Nakano lost to Kamitani and was forced to retire from professional wrestling.[59] The match was notably awarded a 5.25 star rating by Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.[60]

New Japan Pro-Wrestling (2021–2024)

On January 5, 2021, at the second night of New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW)'s Wrestle Kingdom 15, Nakano made her first NJPW appearance where she, alongside Mayu Iwatani, lost to Giulia and Syuri in a dark match.[61] On August 8, 2022, at the second night of Wrestle Kingdom 16, Nakano had her first match on the main card of NJPW, where she alongside Saya Kamitani defeated Iwatani and Starlight Kid.[62] On November 20, 2022, Nakano participated in the first NJPW and Stardom collaboration event, Historic X-Over, in an eight-person mixed tag team match, where Nakano alongside Natsupoi (as meltear) and Suzuki-gun (Taichi and Yoshinobu Kanemaru) defeated the teams of Black Desire (Momo Watanabe and Starlight Kid) and Suzuki-gun (El Desperado and Douki).[63][64]

On January 4, 2023, on the first night of Wrestle Kingdom 17, Nakano challenged the inaugural IWGP Women's Champion Kairi for the title, but was unsuccessful.[65]

At Forbidden Door on June 30, 2024, Nakano and Willow Nightingale defeated Kris Statlander and Momo Watanabe on the Zero Hour show.[66][67]

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Other ventures

Tauchi is trained in kung fu, which she often referenced with her ring attire and wrestling style.[68][69]

Tauchi released her first EP alongside fellow wrestler Natsupoi, Tears Tail, on April 19, 2023.

Championships and accomplishments

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Luchas de Apuestas record

See also: Luchas de Apuestas
More information Winner (wager), Loser (wager) ...
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References

External links

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