The following article was originally posted on Wrestle Inn back in February 2024, and has been moved over with minor updates as the first of a two-part series covering the upcoming Grand Destiny match between Mayu Iwatani and IYO SKY. For part two, go to “The Seven Year Itch”.
For 13 years, nobody was more closely associated with STARDOM than its Icon: Mayu Iwatani.
She was the company’s heart and soul, growing from a struggling runaway teenager into one of the very best in the world. There were many steps and stories along the way to reaching that point, but none were perhaps more important than her bond she developed with IYO SKY, then known as Io Shirai. As friends, Mayu would begin to understand what she was capable of. And as rivals, she would finally start to realise it.
Together, they formed two thirds of the legendary Three Daughters of Stardom (alongside Kairi Sane/Hojo). As a duo, they broke records as the dynamic Thunder Rock, and it was Io that presented herself as Mayu’s greatest challenge and brought out the full potential Rossy Ogawa had seen in her years prior when she had run away from home.
Io Shirai needs no introduction.
The Genius of the Sky was four years into her career when she first stepped foot in a STARDOM ring during its first year of operation; by the time she said goodbye to the company in 2018 Io had compiled as impressive a resume as is possible. A true Ace who shone when the company was looking for a young star to build around, a centrepiece that had cemented STARDOM as the place for women’s wrestling.
When Io left for WWE, STARDOM was truly Mayu’s to inherit, and in that time, she has helped guide the company to even greater heights. But it took time for Mayu reach the point where she would be ready to lead the company.
Thunder Rock wouldn’t find each other straight away. When Io Shirai joined in late 2011, rookie Mayu Iwatani had already found a regular tag partner in the sixteen-year-old dynamo Arisa Hoshiki. The AMA pairing was what the shy Iwatani really needed as a rookie – a vibrant devil may care spark who could bring Mayu out of her shell and encourage Iwatani to test what she was capable of.
The pairing wouldn’t last too long, however. Arisa Hoshiki would leave wrestling in May 2012, and wouldn’t come back until Mayu had fully transformed into the Icon. She was still years off finding herself, and was in need of a friend to help guide her.
By the time Arisa left, Mayu and Io had already started to work together, but it was clear they were at very different stages of their career: Io was approaching her fifth year in wrestling and while she was still a little raw, the supreme level of talent was undeniable. She was already challenging for the Wonder of Stardom Championship a few months into her STARDOM run and felt like the young star they were looking for.
By comparison, Mayu Iwatani was still just trying to survive, and any victory was typically a cause for celebration.
Mayu wasn’t ready to be a champion yet, but Io was.
STARDOM’s first Ace Yuzuki Aikawa announced that she would be retiring, and the company needed someone new to build around. At Ryogoku Hall, on the company’s biggest night to date, one Ace left as the new Ace was crowned. Io Shirai won the World of Stardom Championship, beginning a momentous 546-day and record-setting 10-defence reign – a record that would be eclipsed only by Io herself during her second reign with the title.
With Io busy as the company’s top champion, the Thunder Rock pairing would take a slight step back, and Mayu would have to find her own success. She didn’t find the same kind of glory as Io, but they were important steps forward for The Icon. By the time Io lost the Red belt and could refocus on Thunder Rock, Mayu had grown into someone capable of holding her own in the team.
Despite this growth away from Io, it was clear where Mayu was most comfortable.
Whenever she stood alongside Io as Thunder Rock, there was a bit more excitement and confidence in her voice. Alone she was prone to rushing through her promos or struggling to make eye contact with the camera, but next to Io it’s as if she could truly believe in herself. In the ring she seemed more relaxed, like she was genuinely enjoying herself.
In 2015, it was time for the Three Daughters of Stardom to take over as the company hit reset after the controversial Act Yasukawa/Yoshiko match. The new STARDOM was theirs, and in that year the trio earned the following accolades:
- 5 Star Grand Prix
- Cinderella Tournament
- Goddess of Stardom Tag League
- World of Stardom Championship (twice)
- Goddess of Stardom Tag League
The Artist, Wonder and SWA Championships would also be added to the group by the first half of 2016, culminating with the trio holding every title in STARDOM in a dominant sight.
This step forward was all done under the shadow of freelancer Meiko Satomura, who was brought in to act as their Final Boss. It challenged the Threedom to work together to protect STARDOM.
For Mayu Iwatani, it finally felt like she was beginning to unlock her potential. She had a brief run with the Wonder of Stardom Championship in 2014, but it was a year later when she would start to rise to the occasion, and the accolades would really begin to match her newfound responsibility.
Mayu won the inaugural Cinderella Tournament, where she had to fight past Thunder Rosa, Starfire, Io Shirai and finally Koguma in one night. She stood up to Meiko Satomura despite feeling horribly outmatched, began a 500-day reign with the High-Speed Championship and finally saw Thunder Rock succeed: winning both the Tag Titles and Tag League (after falling short in the Finals the year prior).
By all metrics, it was a career year for The Icon, but she was still well and truly in the shadow of Io Shirai.
While Mayu had stood up to Meiko Satomura, the beating she received was particularly vicious. She watched from the outside as Io Shirai was the one to finally vanquish Satomura and reclaim the World of Stardom Championship, utilising the finishing moves of both Mayu and Kairi to help get the final three count.
Still, Mayu Iwatani could hang her hat on one fact: she had defeated Io Shirai in the Cinderella Tournament and had her seemingly beat until time ran out in their 5 Star GP match.
That knowledge had to be running through her head when she won the Cinderella Tournament for a second straight year.
Although she hadn’t shed her awkwardness, this was a far more confident Mayu Iwatani who stood in the ring wearing the dress. She didn’t hesitate to call out her best friend and challenge her for the Red belt (even if she got the date of the show wrong). It seemed like she might finally be believing in herself.
When the time came, however, two very different people spoke. Io Shirai seemed relaxed, speaking very fondly of their friendship but with an unfettered confidence in herself. Mayu however, seemed to have reverted somewhat into her shell. She was quiet, struggling to look at the camera and lacked the conviction in her voice that she had been finding in the weeks prior.
In spite of all of this, Mayu Iwatani put forth her strongest performance yet, throwing everything she had at the Ace and looking like a true top star in the process. Ultimately though, it wasn’t enough. Maybe she couldn’t win the mental battle with herself, and it cost her, or perhaps she just wasn’t ever going to beat Shirai on that night.
It was an important step forward, either way.
Even though she didn’t win, Mayu seemed to have proven to everyone and more importantly herself, that she did belong in this spot. Mayu promised her friend that she’d take the title from her next time and Io spoke glowingly of her in the aftermath before they embraced to the cheers of Thunder Rock.
“One person I really want to say thank you to is Mayu Iwatani. We’re Thunder Rock partners, but you’re like my little sister. My cute little sister, but you brought it today you little brat.”
Io Shirai, May 15th post match comments
For some reason though, Mayu Iwatani didn’t capitalise on this moment. She seemed content to slot back into her role as “friend of Io” and midcard champion.
Thunder Rock would lose their tag titles a month later to Oedo Tai, as well as the Artist titles to the same group later in the year. Both times Mayu would ultimately prove to be the weak link. While Io Shirai was asserting herself as the best women’s wrestler in the world with a historic title reign, Mayu Iwatani was just kind of there. The gap between them had widened again.
Frustration seemed to be building inside the Genius of the Sky.
If the Mayu Iwatani she had seen in May was there every night, they would have been unstoppable together. The once formidable duo was now beatable, and miscommunication began to grow. Meanwhile, Mayu herself seemed to be aware that she had stagnated, looking to artificially re-prove herself.
It all came to a head on November 11, on the final night of the Goddess of Stardom Tag League. Thunder Rock had made the semi-final and faced the rookie pairing of Momo Watanabe and Jungle Kyona. It was a match everyone expected Io and Mayu to win, but poor teamwork opened the door for JKGReeeN. Mayu passed up a hot tag to try and regain the momentum by herself, only to give up control. Later, while Mayu had Momo in position for a Dragon Suplex, Io went to hit the dropkick only for her to accidentally clobber her partner.
Thunder Rock won, but it was a sketchy win.
Later that night, they went back out for the final against Yoko Bito and Kairi Hojo. Io Shirai comes out on a mission, wrestling both her opponents particularly aggressively. But their teamwork still isn’t quite what it used to be, with Mayu accidentally catching her partner with a superkick that was meant for Kairi.
Still, they’re hanging in.
As the match nears its conclusion, Mayu traps Kairi in a full nelson as Io lines up a killer strike. As she begins to unwind, Kairi frees herself, but Io pulls her strike in time… Only to then decidedly follow through anyway, catching Mayu flush on the cheek and dropping The Icon to her knees.
Mayu was shocked. The crowd was shocked. Even their opponents didn’t know what to make of it, with Yoko Bito going to block Io from the ring as Kairi got the winning pin, even though Shirai was content to just watch on with her hands on her hips.
Her explanation to the tearful Icon was simple:
“Mayu, earlier this year you won the Cinderella Tournament. Then you challenged me for my Red belt. Ok, so far so good. Then I beat you and what did you do? I’m getting stronger and you’re getting weaker. What’s wrong with you? When you challenged me for the Red belt, your eyes were on fire! But what about now? You need to work harder you idiot. You’re not carrying your weight in Thunder Rock, so I’ll stand against you. I’m through with you. Today, Thunder Rock is finished!”
Io Shirai to Mayu Iwatani. November 11, 2016
Io Shirai abandoned Mayu and the Threedom, choosing to build a new group around herself. One filled with hungry young wrestlers who wouldn’t show the same complacency she had seen in Mayu. First was a returning Hazuki (rechristened HZK). A week later Momo Watanabe would join the group, doing so by turning on Mayu Iwatani mid-match just as Io had.
The betrayal stung Mayu to her core.
In Io Shirai, she had found herself an older sister she could look up to and trust. Someone who brought her out of her shell and brightened her up. Now? That was all thrown away; the same sister who had helped Mayu believe in herself now brought all of that self-doubt and insecurity back to the surface. Kairi and Yoko still had her back, but they couldn’t fill the massive hole now in her heart.
If Io Shirai set out to motivate Mayu Iwatani, it worked.
In the coming weeks, that fire Io had seen back in May seemed to be returning, and then during a tag match Mayu managed to get one over her former partner, rolling up the champion to win. Here she laid down another challenge. This time it wouldn’t be a friendly competition between sisters, but a fierce war between rivals.
It was apparent from the opening bell. Io Shirai coolly offered to shake Mayu’s hand, which was responded to with a hard slap across the face and an immediate attempt at the Dragon Suplex. This was a far more aggressive Mayu than anyone had ever seen, and it ultimately may have led to her downfall. She was so focused on trying to take Io out with big Dragon Suplexes that her offense became predictable, and though she took the champion to her limit, Mayu was outworked by a smarter and more experienced opponent.
Mayu had fallen once more, but what stood out was in how she handled it. There’s clear frustration at the loss, but her determination and belief didn’t waver. She promises to once more challenge for the belt and told Io not to lose it in the meantime.
Through this proclamation Shirai seems oddly proud, nodding in appreciation at Mayu’s promise.
This passionate and resilient Iwatani is what she had been wanting to see back in May. Like at the start of the match, a handshake is offered, only this time it’s from Mayu. There is some clear hesitation from Io Shirai before they’re interrupted, but as fierce as the match had been, there seemed to be an unspoken mending of fences through their battle.
Mayu Iwatani wouldn’t challenge for the World of Stardom Championship again until June of 2017. Unlike the previous year, though, there is no complacency from the Icon. She nearly wins the Cinderella Tournament for a third straight year, only falling short on the final step against Toni Storm. Then she managed to defeat Kairi Hojo for the Wonder of Stardom Championship a month later, cementing herself as one of the company’s top stars.
Her eyes never wavered from the Red belt though, a title Io Shirai was continuing to defend fiercely. But the record-breaking reign was starting to take its toll on the champion.
As the two entered Korakuen Hall for a third time to fight for the Red Belt, Io Shirai was on her last legs. There’s a tiredness in the way she speaks; her neck is taped up extensively. She’s slower to get up from big moves, even ones she herself hits. Hits that might once only stagger the Ace now put her down.
Mayu Iwatani by contrast carries herself with a quiet confidence. The self-doubt from the first challenge is gone, and the untamed fury from the second match is replaced with a more calculated assault. The Icon has matured into a true main event star and has the once indomitable champion on the ropes.
One last desperate surge from Io is endured, and then Iwatani hits her with the one move she hadn’t been able to land through all of these matches: her Two Stage Dragon Suplex. As the referee counts to three, Io Shirai’s monarchical reign is over, and the era of The Icon begins.
A torrential flood of relief seems to envelop Mayu as she screams into the microphone that she’s finally done it. Years of struggle and growth had finally led to this moment. From constantly doubting herself every step of the way, she had finally pushed through all of that.
Mayu had not only defeated Io to become the World of Stardom Champion, she had become the first to ever hold both the Red and White belts at the same time, defeating both of the other members of the Threedom. After years of being considered the weakest of the trio, she now stood as the undisputed strongest.
Io is nothing if not gracious in her defeat. She no longer held that same frustration towards her sister, who had met her challenge and succeeded, now they could once more look upon each other as friends. She helped put the belt around the new champion’s waist, shook her hand and bowed out of the ring to allow the new champion her moment in the spotlight.
Mayu Iwatani’s reign with the World of Stardom Championship would ultimately not match the moment earned on June 21, 2017. An injury minutes into a title defense against Toni Storm saw her lose the title and miss substantial time to recovery. However, what that moment represented was not lost, on both Mayu and the fans.
As Kairi and Io both moved on to WWE, Mayu Iwatani remained, leading STARDOM to greater heights than ever before as their leader. She was the one who carried them through a difficult 2020 and created a galaxy around her which other stars circulate. Whereas Io Shirai once had established herself as the person Mayu needed to beat, now other wrestlers like Tam Nakano and Starlight Kid see Mayu Iwatani in that light.
The Icon of Stardom needed that adversity of 2016 to find in herself the drive and resilience to become the best. As she prepared to face her sister nearly a decade later, she spoke of how “she was the one who gave me the chance to grow”.
It was through Thunder Rock that she found out who Mayu Iwatani was, and it was away from Thunder Rock that she became The Icon.
RESURA 