💙HAPPY 15TH ANNIVERSARY, MAYU IWATANI🤍
15 years of undeniable greatness. 15 years of "The Icon."
- Reigning GHC Women's Champion
- Reigning Marigold Superfly Champion
- 2x World of Stardom Champion
- Longest Reigning IWGP Women's Champion
- 2x Wonder of Stardom Champion
- First-Ever To Hold World & Wonder of Stardom Titles at Same Time
- 2x Cinderella Tournament Winner
- 2018 5STAR Grand Prix Winner
- High-Speed Champion
- 5x Artist of Stardom Champion
- 2x Goddesses of Stardom Champion
- SWA Undisputed World Women's Champion
- ROH Women of Honor World Champion
- STARDOM Grand Slam Winner
It's officially January 23 in Japan, marking the official 15th Anniversary of Mayu. She debuted on STARDOM's first-ever show, Birth of Nova, doing so in a losing effort to Arisa Hoshiki. And it took a long time to get that first win, but she's certainly made up for it ever since.
It's been a career that only so few can imagine, let alone someone who has gone through all the ups and downs imaginable in the early years to get here.
To know her story -- from before her career even began and her early days of training all the way to now -- is to witness the unfolding of a truly incredible person's story. She is the definition of a success story and has become not just the greatest of her generation but so much more.
So many unforgettable moments, both serious, top-of-the-line wrestling ones, and the funniest, most random ones that you'll never forget. Mayu has always been 100% herself in the ring and outside of it, making her as authentic as we can get in a pro wrestling world.
Her matches with Io, Takumi, Utami, Syuri, Tam, Momo, Kagetsu, KAIRI, and so many others will stand the test of time. It's what the greatest all do. And she, without a doubt, is the greatest of all time in my mind.
No Joshi wrestlers can say they've been able to represent both NJPW and Pro Wrestling NOAH as a champion, well, until Mayu Iwatani.
She's competed in the most legendary buildings -- Madison Square Garden, the Tokyo Dome, the Nippon Budokan, Ryogoku Sumo Hall, Korakuen Hall, and so many others.
At the time of her departure, she was undoubtedly STARDOM's greatest. So many times over the last few years, Mayu could call herself the "first ever." She was everything that STARDOM was through its first 14 years of existence, and her legacy in that promotion is as connected as any wrestler can be to a single company.
She's now in a new career role, one that has seemingly reinspired her in so many ways. Not only leading by example at the top of Marigold, but also teaching along the way. As she celebrates her anniversary, she's a double champion. It just feels right.
I'll never be able to say enough good things about Iwatani, but I just know that she's made all of this so special to me and many, many others over the last 15 years. I'm forever grateful for it.
So, with that, I congratulate Mayu on such an unbelievable 15 years, and I wish her so many more to come. And I thank her for everything she's given as a pro wrestler. My favorite wrestler of all time.
Happy Anniversary, Icon!
#岩谷麻優 |
#pw_mg |
#STARDOM |
#njpw |
#noah_ghc