IWGP Women’s Champion talks Sapporo defence
The first title to be on the line at Title Fight Friday, night one of New Beginning in Sapporo is the IWGP Women’s Championship. Mayu Iwatani will defend against Mina Shirakawa, in the first defence in Japan in the cerulean since Sakura Genesis 2023. We took the time to talk to the Icon of STARDOM about Sapporo, the silver screen and a lot in between.
Watch new Beginning in Sapporo live in English on NJPW World!
I don’t want this to be a one off
–Thanks for your time today! I think this is the first time you’ve done an interview for us?
Mayu: Right. I think this is the first time I’ve been able to really talk to the NJPW fans so I’d like everybody to get a good idea of just who Mayu Iwatani is. Ask me anything!
–OK! Well let’s start with an introduction of sorts to the NJPW fans. Can you sum up in a few words just who Mayu Iwatani is?
Mayu: Well, people say I’m a zombie?
–A zombie?
Mayu: As in whatever happens, no matter what people might try and do to me, I keep getting back up and keep going. I keep getting beaten up but I keep finding a way to win. I have this conviction that I’ll take the best bumps on any given night- I know it’s weird but I think I can take the most damage in the most beautiful way and still win. That’s Zombie Mayu. Then there’s Killer Mayu who’s the scarier side of me. So not knowing which Mayu you see is part of the excitement.
–You won the IWGP Women’s Championship last April, and you were a finalist in the tournament to crown the first champion in 2022. What are your thoughts on that title?
Mayu: When it first got announced, I didn’t really see what it was for. It felt to me like the owner (Takaaki Kidani) just had it made on a whim of his.
–It seemed to lack an identity.
Mayu: Then the NJPW STRONG Women’s belt was made, and that was being defended consistently. There weren’t many of these IWGP matches. So I didn’t get why there was the need for both and the difference between the two. And I’m the champion, so I think there are NJPW fans that are wondering what’s going on with the title.
–You haven’t really had the chance to show the world yourself as the IWGP Champion.
Mayu: I really haven’t. I had the defence against Syuri at Tokyo Dome City Hall January 4, and I thought it’d be another long wait before another title match. As it turns out, this match came together relatively quick, so it finally feels like I can get out in the world and wrestle more.
–And raise the status of that title.
Mayu: Exactly! Of course the IWGP name means something, but there’s still a lot of work to do when it comes to making the IWGP Women’s title specifically a big deal. But I think, even if it ends up taking a while, people will be glad that this belt was made.
–It’ll be exciting to watch it evolve.
Mayu: It’s a really tough one, this belt (laughs). In STARDOM we have the white (Wonder) belt, and the red (World) belt, and it’s easy to see what they represent. But when you put in the NJPW STRONG title and the IWGP title then what do they mean? It’s a tough question!
–Do you think you’ll find the answer to that question?
Mayu: I think so. I want to elevate this belt for sure.
–And this match in Sapporo is a great way to do that.
Mayu: It’s big. I want that recognition, to have fans know that Mayu Iwatani is IWGP Women’s Champion. More than that though, I want the fans to know that the women can kick ass, and that there should be more women’s matches (on NJPW cards). I don’t want this to be a one off.
Mercedes joined the list of women I respect the most
— Let’s reflect a little on the history of the IWGP Women’s title. As we mentioned, you were beaten by KAIRI in the final of a tournament to crown the first champion…
Mayu: That really hurt. I hadn’t held a singles title for a couple of years, and then I won the SWA Championship we had at the time. I felt so confident that I’d be winning the IWGP that I vacated the SWA one…
–You were that driven.
Mayu: I wanted to be the first. And everyone was saying that I was the favourite, and then I lost! That sucks! I’d always had this feeling that if you’re able to have fun wrestling that’s enough, and I never really got why there might be floods of tears for losing, but I had never felt a loss as harsh as that one.
–It came as a shock.
Mayu: Yeah, it was just a wave of emotion and I burst out crying. Losing to KAIRI was a big part of that too.
–KAIRI was extra significant.
Mayu: I was in the first intake at STARDOM, and KAIRI was third. There was a time that it looked like STARDOM might be finished, and myself, Io (Shirai) and KAIRI were positioned as the Three Daughters of STARDOM. KAIRI went and wrestled overseas, came back on a part time basis and got a superstar treatment, so I think jealousy was only natural.
–So even though you had the pain of losing to KAIRI in that tournament, you went on to defeat Mercedes Moné on April 23 in Yokohama Arena to win the IWGP title.
Mayu: I was so happy! In the moment I really felt for the first time that it was a good thing I wasn’t the first champion. You know, I’d actually said to a lot of people there was no point in me going for that belt if I wasn’t the first, I wouldn’t challenge after losing in the tournament…
–Really??
Mayu: I was encouraged not to give up, and sure enough little by little I started feeling ‘you know, I do kinda want that title’ and then ‘I’ll win it, I’ll definitely win it!’ And when I did, I felt in a way that it was better I never won it the first time.
–Winning it from Mercedes was definitely a big deal.
Mayu: Someone the presence that she has, it doesn’t seem real that I would be able to face her, right? Like it shouldn’t happen, but it did, and it was such an important experience. Mercedes is amazing.
–Can you nail down what makes her so special?
Mayu: The way she carries herself, she’s just such a pro’s pro. The way she’s so good at getting a rise out of opponents and the people. Io Shirai and Nanae Takahashi are the two women I’ve always respected the most in wrestling, but Mercedes definitely joined that list.
–When you say she’s so good at getting a rise out of opponents…
Mayu: I’m not really one to show frustration, and I’ve got a pretty long fuse. A lot of girls will grab hair at press conferences and go for that trash talk and I’m not the type to do that.
–SAve it for the match kind of thing.
Mayu: Right. But with Mercedes I got really hot. She made me want to tear her apart, and that’s to her credit (laughs). That’s the superstar in her, she can do that and then when the time is right make sure all of the attention is on her and her alone in that ring.
Getting hurt overseas sucks
–Since that point, you’ve defended he title three times. Can you talk about your reign so far?
Mayu: January 4 in TDC Hall with Syuri was awesome. The adrenaline was pumping, I went all Super Saiyan (laughs)
–Super Saiyan!
Mayu: I was so beat up I shouldn’t have been moving, but instead of having all this pain it was just like a fire shot through my whole body. I’ve never felt an adrenalin rush like it. Up to now, I’ve had a list of my best matches in mind, like against Io Shirai and against Kagetsu…
–And this one joins the list?
Mayu: Right. That’s a hard thing to do. I’ve always felt like I cling onto my past a little, nostalgia’s a bit of a factor. But I really thing on January 4 I had the best match of my 13 year career. Right after the match I just had this huge sensation of ‘this is it, I did it’ and it felt amazing.
–Was it important to you that the IWGP title was on the line, in that sense?
Mayu: Right. The women that come for this, they all want that IWGP champion status. They all give it everything they have, and when they can’t get it, they all break down in tears.
–You’re speaking from experience.
Mayu: There’s a lot of emotion attached to this thing, haha.
–To get into your other defences, for NJPW you defended in Texas against Stephanie Vaquer last November.
Mayu: I actually dislocated my pinkie in that match and it still isn’t fixed. So I was happy to defend overseas, but I’m a little bitter over it.
–Understandable.
Mayu: It was the first time I’ve gotten hurt overseas. I didn’t understand the form they gave me at the hospital, so I just wrote ‘my pinkie finger looks weird’ and then ended up waiting round until 4AM. So more than defending the title in the US, my main thought is that getting hurt outside Japan sucks.
–How was it defending the title internationally and in a NJPW ring at that?
Mayu: It didn’t feel like an away game at all. A lot of foreign fans keep tabs on STARDOM, so there wasn’t much ‘who’s that?’ There were ‘let’s go Mayu’ chants and everything.
–You’ve been on NJPW cards a few times now; how do you think the crowds compare?
Mayu: I’d always prepared myself for the crowds to be dead, or for them to have that attitude that they don’t want women’s matches in their wrestling. The first time I wrestled for New Japan would have been four years ago at the Tokyo Dome, and I felt a ton of pressure. I was a little scared, but actually doing it, the fans were really accepting. For a lot of them in Japan at least, it might be their first time seeing women wrestle, and having a fresh reaction on how differently we might wrestle, how we’re more flexible than the men and what have you, that’s pretty cool.
–So you feel at home in NJPW.
Mayu: Sure. But at the same time, those were showcase matches that I wrestled before. I think having a match that has fans invested and wanting to see women’s wrestling more is so important. This time, there is a lot more pressure, because it’s a singles match, because it’s a title match, to have the fans engaged. If I have a bad match then that will be that for the people watching, and I want people to see that women’s wrestling has a lot to offer.
When I think of Shirakawa, I think of when she had her face smashed in
–So here we are heading into this fourth defence with Mina Shirakawa. You told Mina recently that the IWGP title is a ‘high wall for you to get over’, which reminded me of when Hiroshi Tanahashi told Kazuchika Okada that he was a long way from IWGP worthy.
Mina: I kind of stole it (laughs). But I didn’t want to rip off Tanahashi entirely so I changed it a little.
–I thought so! So, how do you feel about Mina?
Mayu: Well, To explain what Mina Shirakawa has done up to now, she was in STARS, which is like our Hontai, for a while. Then she joined Tam Nakano’s Cosmic Angels. She spun away from that to make her own team called Club Venus, they didn’t get much done and now she’s made another faction called E Nexus V. I think her attitude is ‘new team, new title, yay’, but she’s not taking this seriously enough if you ask me.
–Quite a harsh appraisal. What kind of a wrestler is she?
Mayu: Honestly, I can’t really tell you. When I think of Shirakawa, I think of when she had her face smashed in (Hiroshima November 3 2022)… I’ve always been someone to encourage wrestlers who are newer to this than me. But there was one time when she was in STARS, she had a match with Sayaka Unagi that was so bad I chewed her out, like ‘can you expect people to pay money to watch that?’
–So there’s quite a strict connection there for you two.
Mayu: I’ve wrestled her a few times since, but she changes her style so often. Recently she’s been wanting to kick more, and to go after your knees. She hasn’t picked something to stick to.
–So you feel she’s an unifnished product, style wise.
Mayu: That’s what I mean when I said I couldn’t answer your question before. But the moment that proved to me what a pro she is was when she got her face smashed up. She could have freaked out and that would be totally normal, btu instead she went backstage and gave her comments.
–So you acknowledge her grit. Do you think her forming this new faction and having that momentum might be a threat for you?
Mayu: No, not really. Momentum can be a powerful thing, but Mina’s a bug to be crushed, that’s all.
–Definitely a harsh appraisal. Obviously you’ve made your thoughts clear about Shirakawa, but what kind of match do you want to show the NJPW fans in Sapporo?
Mayu: I think that we might not have the power that the men have in the ring, but I want the fans to see the emotion that’s in there, and hopefully some speed and athleticism that the men don’t have.
–Can you expand on that?
Mayu: Well I think we can bring a completely different flavour on this card. When I look at a show where there are a lot of similar matchups and styles on one card, then it’s really tough work to make my match stand out. This time, I know it’ll be something different so I want people to come in with an open mind and watch it on its own merits.
I can broaden the women’s wrestling landscape
–Speaking of how to approach this match, how do you think it’ll compare to the last time there was an IWGP Women’s match in NJPW here in Japan, the three way between Mercedes, AZM and Hazuki last year?
Mayu: I was at ringside for that. I think it showcased each of those women well, and you had the novelty and the pace of a three way. the fans were into it, it was exciting. I thought it was a great match and I really want to outdo it.
–Let’s see if you do on the day.
Mayu: I want the pressure! I’m someone that really holds up and getsbetter when I’m forced into a corner, so I hope people’s expectations are high.
–Do you have any plans for your defences past Sapporo?
Mayu: I want as many people as possible to know that this title exists and that I have it. I’d love to take this overseas more, have more matches and defences internationally; ever since STARDOM came to be a part of Bushiroad, I’ve been saying that I want to create more chances for more people to jump into women’s wrestling and STARDOM, because I have all the confidence in the world that if you start watching STARDOM you’ll be hooked.
–I see.
Mayu: In terms of the look, the presentation, the characters, the in ring, I really am certain anyone who watches it will love it. That’s why I want to take this belt with me to NJPW, and then to other companies, other countries as well. I want to do as much media as I can. I want people who don’t know what women’s wrestling really is to find out.
–So the IWGP title is a big part of that plan.
Mayu: I mean this title is a huge deal, right? It’s hard to get out there as ‘Lady wrestler Mayu Iwatani’, but having the belt, being a champion gets you more offers from other media. It gets more people to know who I am, and as I’m elevating this title’s value, it’s doing the same to me. I think I can really use this championship to broaden the women’s wrestling landscape.
–And, somewhat related is that poster behind you…
Mayu: Yeah! My movie ‘Runaway Wrestler’ is out in theaters across Japan May 17. It tells the story of my life so far and my journey in wrestling and I hope everyone goes to check it out!
–Final thoughts ahead of Sapporo?
Mayu: I don’t want this IWGP Women’s title to be forgotten by the NJPW fans, and I’m looking forward to showing them who the champ is, before and after the match. Get yourselves to Sapporo, or watch it on NJPW World!
