Saki Kashima | |
---|---|
Born | [1] Masuda, Shimane, Japan | May 5, 1993
Professional wrestling career | |
Ring name(s) | La Gatita Saki Kashima |
Billed height | 163 cm (5 ft 4 in)[2] |
Billed weight | 50 kg (110 lb) |
Trained by | Fuka Ikuto Hidaka |
Debut | 2011[3] |
Saki Kashima (鹿島沙希, Kashima Saki, born May 5, 1993) is a Japanese professional wrestler. She is currently signed to World Wonder Ring Stardom, where she is a member of God's Eye.[4][5]
Kashima was the inaugural and is a former five-time Artist of Stardom Champion, a title she held with multiple wrestlers throughout her career, as well as a former one-time Goddess of Stardom Champion (alongside Mayu Iwatani) and one-time High Speed Champion.
Kashima made her professional wrestling debut at World Wonder Ring Stardom's Stardom Season 2: Grow Up Stars show from June 12, 2011, where she fought Natsuki Taiyo in a three-minute exhibition match time-limit draw.[6] At Stardom Season 10 New Year Stars 2013 on January 14, she teamed up with Act Yasukawa and Natsuki Taiyo and defeated Kellie Skater, Portia Perez and Tomoka Nakagawa to become the inaugural Artist of Stardom Champions. This would be her last match before a five-year hiatus from in-ring activity.[7]
Kashima worked a couple of matches for Tokyo Gurentai, one of them being at Tokyo Love II ~Another Chance~ from September 28, 2011, where she fell short to Io Shirai and Nanae Takahashi in a triple threat match.[8] The other one took place eight years later, at Tokyo Gurentai Lucha Libre Fiesta, an event produced by Stardom in partnership with Tokyo Gurentai, where she participated in a four-way tag team elimination match, teaming up with Starlight Kid and Tam Nakano as Stars and going against Oedo Tai (Andras Miyagi, Hazuki and Kagetsu), JAN (Jungle Kyona, Natsuko Tora and Saya Iida), and Queen's Quest (AZM, Momo Watanabe and Utami Hayashishita).[9]
A notable confrontation in which she was involved was at Stardom X Stardom 2018: Kagetsu 10th Anniversary Show from August 12, where she unsuccessfully challenged Momo Watanabe for the Wonder of Stardom Championship.[10] At the Goddesses Of Stardom Tag League 2018 tournament, Kashima teamed up with Mayu Iwatani, placing themselves in the Block A and scoring a total of seven points.[11] At Mask Fiesta 2018 on October 28, Kashima, under the ring name La Gatita, teamed up with Dame de Panko and Mayuchica to defeat Bear Dog, Black Jungle Fairy and Night Bear.[12][13] She participated in the Goddesses Of Stardom Tag League 2019, teaming up with former STARS stablemate Mayu Iwatani, placing themselves in the Red Block, and scoring a total of two points.[14] She participated in the 2020 edition of the Goddesses of Stardom Tag League, teaming up with Natsuko Tora under Oedo Tai's sub-group named Devil Duo, placing themselves in the Red Block and scoring a total of four points.[15]
At the 10th Anniversary of Stardom on March 3, 2021, Kashima teamed up with Natsuko Tora to unsuccessfully challenge Donna Del Mondo (Maika and Himeka) for the Goddess of Stardom Championship.[16] She was scheduled to face AZM in the first night of the Stardom Cinderella Tournament 2021 on April 10, but she was replaced by Rina.[17] At Stardom 5 Star Grand Prix 2021 she fought in the "Red Stars" block where she scored a total of four points.[18] At Stardom 10th Anniversary Grand Final Osaka Dream Cinderella on October 9, 2021, she unsuccessfiully challenged Syuri for the SWA World Championship.[19]
At Stardom Cinderella Journey on February 23, 2022, Kashima teamed up with Fukigen Death to unsuccessfully challenge FWC (Hazuki and Koguma) for the Goddess of Stardom Championship.[20] At Stardom Cinderella Tournament 2022, Kashima made it to the quarterfinals where she got defeated by Mirai on April 17.[21] At Stardom Flashing Champions on May 28, 2022, Kashima alongside Starlight Kid and Momo Watanabe defeated MiHimePoi (Maika, Himeka and Natsupoi) to win the Artist of Stardom Championship.[22] At Stardom Fight in the Top, Kashima, Kid and Watanabe defended the artist titles against God's Eye (Syuri, Ami Sourei and Mirai), and Donna Del Mondo (Giulia, Maika and Mai Sakurai).[23] At Mid Summer Champions in Osaka on July 24, she, Kid and Watanabe defended the artist titles against Giulia, Maika and Himeka.[24] At Stardom 5 Star Grand Prix 2022, she fought in the "Red Stars" block where she scored a total of twelve points.[25] At Stardom x Stardom: Nagoya Midsummer Encounter on August 21, 2022, she alongside Kid and Waanabe defended the artist titles against Cosmic Angels (Mina Shirakawa, Unagi Sayaka and Saki).[26]
On May 27, 2023, at Flashing Champions, Kashima defeated the High Speed Champion AZM to win the title first the first time in her career in a three-way match, which also involved Fukigen Death.[27] At Stardom Sunshine 2023 on June 25, Kashima teamed up with Oedo Tai stablemates Natsuko Tora, Momo Watanabe, Starlight Kid, Ruaka and Rina and competed in a Loser leaves unit cage match against Queen's Quest (Lady C, Hina, Utami Hayashishita, Saya Kamitani, AZM and Miyu Amasaki). Kashima got eliminated last, as she was forced to withdraw her unit. Parting ways was hostile as Oedo Tai attacked her after the loss, fact which determined AZM to offer Kashima a spot into Queen's Quest which the latter denied.[28] At Stardom Mid Summer Champions 2023 on July 2, Kashima successfilly defended the High Speed Championship against her former "We Love Tokyo Sports!" tag partner Fukigen Death. After the match, Oedo Tai attacked Kashima again, but Syuri and Ami Sourei rescued her and offered a spot into God's Eye.[29] At Nagoya Golden Fight 2023 on October 9, Kashima lost the High Speed Championship to Mei Seira.[30][31]