| Article Name: | Empress Nexus Venus |
| Type: | s |
| Names: |
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| Leaders: | |
| Members: |
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| Debut: | December 29, 2022 |
| Years Active: | 2022–present |
(often stylized as ExV), formerly known as, is a Japanese professional wrestling stable currently performing in World Wonder Ring Stardom. The stable is led by both Mina Shirakawa and Maika, and features Hanako, Xena and Waka Tsukiyama.
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) in tag team competition. Following the match, Shirakawa slapped Sayaka and announced the formation of Club Venus, a trio featuring herself, Brookside and May.[1] Shirakawa later confirmed that Club Venus was a sub-unit of Cosmic Angels.[2] Club Venus announced themselves as the mystery team that would compete in the Triangle Derby I. They participated in the Red Triangle Block of the tournament and scored a total of eight points, which was not enough to reach the finals.[3]
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.[4] 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.[5] [6] 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.[7] 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.[8]
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 the option of Club Venus.[9] At All Star Grand Queendom on April 23, Shirakawa won the Wonder of Stardom Championship by defeating Saya Kamitani, ending the latter's 480-day reign which was the second longest ever at date.[10] 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.[11] At Sunshine 2023 on June 25, May and Shirakawa, together known as Rose Gold, won the Goddesses of Stardom Championship by defeating The New Eras.[12] At on August 13, Rose Gold lost the Goddesses of Stardom Championship to REStart.[13] 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.[14] At Stardom Nagoya Golden Fight 2023 on October 9, Mina Shirakawa fell short to Syuri in an UWF Rules match.[15] In the 2023 edition of the Goddesses of Stardom Tag League, Mina Shirakawa and Waka Tsukiyama participated in the competition under the name of "Moonlight Venus" and placed themselves in the block B where they scored a total of four points, failing to qualify into the finals.[16] At Stardom Halloween Dark Night, a non-canon event which took place on October 29, 2023, Shirakawa and Tsukiyama fell short to Vulgar Alliance (Zap and Dump Matsumoto) in a "Zombie" Lumberjack match.[17] At Stardom Gold Rush 2023 on November 18, Mina Shirakawa competed in the traditional Biliken battle royal won by Billiken Death and also involving Miyu Amasaki, Megan Bayne, Maika, Yuna Mizumori and Lady C.[18] At Stardom Nagoya Big Winter on December 3, 2023, Mina Shirakawa competed in a four-way match won by Miyu Amasaki and also involving Hanako and Yuzuki.[19] At Stardom Dream Queendom 2023 on December 29, Mina Shirakawa teamed up with Syuri and Mei Seira in a losing effort against 7Upp (Nanae Takahashi and Yuu) and AZM.[20]
At Stardom New Year Stars 2024 on January 3, Mina Shirakawa teamed up with Maika and Cosmic Angels (Saori Anou and Yuna Mizumori) in a losing effort against 7Upp (Nanae Takahashi and Yuu), Hazuki and Saki Kashima.[21] One night later at Ittenyon Stardom Gate, Shirakawa teamed up with Mei Seira to defeat Donna Del Mondo (Mai Sakurai and Thekla) in tag team competition.[22]
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.[23] [24] 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).[25] At Stardom Supreme Fight 2024 on February 4, 2024, Shirakawa and Tsukiyama teamed up in a losing effort against Cosmic Angels (Tam Nakano and Yuna Mizumori).[26] On March 30, Maika, Shirakawa and Xena won the Artist of Stardom Championship by defeating Abarenbo GE.[27] Waka Tsukiyama, Xena and Hanako represented the unit in the 2024 edition of the Cinderella Tournament with Xena scoring the best result by reaching the quarterfinals.[28] At Stardom All Star Grand Queendom 2024 on April 27, Xena, Waka Tsukiyama and Hanako fell short to Syuri, Konami and Ami Sohrei, Mina Shirakawa wrestled Natsuko Tora into a no-contest, and Maika successfully defended the World of Stardom Championship against Momo Watanabe in a two out of three falls match.[29]
The unit's members made their debut in the American independent scene at Stardom American Dream 2024 on April 4, where Mina Shirakawa reunited for one night only with original Club Venus tag team partners Mariah May and Xia Brookside in a losing effort against Stars (Mayu Iwatani and Momo Kohgo) and Tam Nakano. After the bout concluded, Toni Storm made a surprise return to Stardom to take May away of Shirakawa as the two of them shared a storyline relationship in AEW. Storm teased a possible future confrontation for the AEW Women's Championship against Shirakawa, mentioning that the "Forbidden Door" is always open.[30] On the same show, Maika successfully defended the World of Stardom Championship against former "Divine Kingdom" tag team partner Megan Bayne.[31] At Supercard of Honor, an event promoted by Ring of Honor on April 5, 2024, Maika and Shirakawa teamed up with Mei Seira to defeat Tam Nakano and Queen's Quest (Saya Kamitani and AZM).[32] At NJPW Strong's Windy City Riot event from April 12, 2024, Mina Shirakawa teamed up with Viva Van in a losing effort against Trish Adora and Alex Windsor.[33] Mina Shirakawa made her All Elite Wrestling debut on April 24, 2024, where she defeated Anna Jay. Shirakawa briefly continued her short-lived feud with Toni Storm by fighting for Mariah May's friendship.[34]
| Founding member | ||
| L | Leader(s) |
| Member | Joined | |
|---|---|---|
| Mina Shirakawa |
| December 29, 2022 |
| Xena | March 26, 2023 | |
| Waka Tsukiyama | April 15, 2023 | |
| Maika | L | |
| Hanako | ||
| Member | Joined | Left | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mariah May | December 29, 2022 | |||
| Xia Brookside | ||||
| Jessie | ||||