A rich history is set to get even richer. When IYO SKY and Mayu Iwatani collide at Marigold Grand Destiny, they will undoubtedly deepen the story of their rivalry, one that stretches back 10 years.
We’ve seen them deliver some of the best matches in STARDOM history, bouts that elevated the legacy of the Red Belt. Now they have a shot to add to that collection of classics. Mayu and Io are booked for a marquee showdown at Marigold’s Grand Destiny event on Oct. 26.
Get your superlatives ready. History has shown us that when these two former STARDOM Aces meet, magic happens. They have shone like supernovas when standing on opposite sides of the ring.
This matchup will happen away from the STARDOM spotlight for the first time, as the two icons’ path overlap. IYO SKY venturing out of WWE and into Marigold territory as Mayu defends her new turf.
If you’d like a full dive into the history of this rivalry to this point, be sure to check out Trent Breward’s two-part Mayu vs. Io series:
Mayu Iwatani vs. Io Shirai: Becoming the Icon
Mayu Iwatani vs. IYO SKY: The Seven Year Itch
Let’s look back at that past and rank the top matches between these two megastars:
7. Io Shirai vs. Kagetsu vs. Mayu Iwatani, STARDOM Rebirth: the Stardom Draft (April 15, 2018)
Big stakes helped power this one. The no. 1 pick in the STARDOM draft was on the line. Score the first pinfall/submission/elimination and you had your pick from the roster, leaving the other two wrestlers to fight it out for pick no. 2.
The three-way dynamic added a freshness to the Io-Mayu matchup. Kagetsu brought an edge to this battle and as well all kinds of interference from Oedo Tai. That meant more chaos unfolding around the two rivals than usual.
The match flowed well early, but some folks will get turned off by how much the Oedo Tai crew put their mark on the action by the end.
After Kagestu earned the first elimination, Mayu and Io were left to square off for second place. We then got a taste of their familiar, electric chemistry with a dramatic fight on the apron.
This was a nice change of pace, but the level of drama and emotion doesn’t stack up to the more famous Mayu-Io clashes.
6. Io Shirai vs. Mayu Iwatani, STARDOM Cinderella Tournament 2018 (April 30, 2018)
The last time we saw Shirai and Iwatani wrestle in a singles competition was during the semi-finals of the 2018 Cinderella Tournament.
Unsurprisingly, this was really good, even if it didn’t hit the highs of the three Red Belt matches. A part of that is the pacing. This bout was not as full of energy as their best showdowns against each other.
Still, a strong story played out on this night in Korakuen Hall. Io focused on Mayu’s arm, slowly dismantling her foe. That forced Iwatani to show off her toughness and heart.
This match gave us some vicious knees and the two wrestlers deftly covering for what looked like a botch from Mayu as she slipped off the ropes. A time-limit draw after 10 minutes. Entertaining stuff. Just not the classic we know these two can cook up.
5. Io Shirai & Meiko Satomura vs. Chihiro Hashimoto & Mayu Iwatani, STARDOM – Io Shirai 10th Anniversary Show (March 9, 2017)
To celebrate a decade of Shirai in the ring, two Sendai Girls stars joined forces with one member of Thunder Rock each. That led to some cool matchups: Satomura vs. Iwatani and Big Hash vs. The Genius of the Sky.
There was a fluidity to this match that keep it engaging from the opening bell on. The action was hard-hitting; the bout served as a strong showcase of everyone’s skills.
Mayu and Io weren’t necessarily the center of the story, though. Hashimoto and Shirai got more screentime against each other. That stuff rocked, but I’m sure some fans were hoping for more of the enduring Mayu-Io rivalry.
What we did get was built around a classic Southern-style tag narrative with Shirai playing the part of Ricky Morton and taking the bulk of the punishment. Mayu was delightfully nasty at times, twisting Io’s hair and landing some massive shots.
As different as this was to the other matches between these two stars, it ended with a most familiar sight—Io pinning Mayu after a gorgeous moonsault.
4. Io Shirai vs. Mayu Iwatani, STARDOM 5STAR Grand Prix (Aug. 23, 2015)
Man, did this teem with attitude. Mayu and Io’s glares were fiery as hell. They went to battle with their chests out and everything had an extra bite to it.
Iwatani hit a missile dropkick to the back of Io’s head. Shirai dropkicked Maya off the turnbuckle and made her tumble dangerously out the floor. It was bomb after bomb, counter after counter.
Other matches had bigger stakes and more, but this was a bout built on such powerful animosity.
For me, it was a toss-up between this 5STAR contest and the match one spot up on the list. I will not argue with you if you’d rank this a notch higher.
3. Io Shirai vs. Mayu Iwatani, Stardom Gold May 2016 (May 15, 2016)
Mayu’s first crack at the World of Stardom Championship against Io Shirai was a dramatic work of theater.
The intensity was thick from the jump. The tag team partner grabbed at each other fiercely. They laid each other out with thunderous kicks. There was an extra layer of aggression in every forearm.
There was plenty of passion to go with all that ferocity. As Io tortured Mayu’s leg, the challenger had to push through with all her trademark guts. This was some of the best selling she’s ever done.
Iwatani coming painfully close to a win was moving, too. Many a fan wanted to see the former recluse get her moment of glory, but we’d have to wait.
This remains one of my favorite matches overall, one I wrote a metal and match pairing column for back in the day, but the other meetings in the famed Red Belt trilogy are even better.
2. Io Shirai vs. Mayu Iwatani, STARDOM Year-End Climax (Dec. 22, 2016)
Shirai was an absolute sadist in this one. Her offense was unrelenting, merciless. It was like she wanted to not just beat her rival but destroy her for good.
The fighting at ringside, including Shirai kicking Mayu’s leg while it’s wrapped in the legs of a steel chair, was so fun to watch unfold.
This felt like a true epic, a grander story than most of their other matches. Their chemistry was at an all-time level, too.
Mayu kicking out of the moonsault at one gets me riled up every single time I see it. Mayu made us so badly want to see her win, but Io would not be overcome just yet. The trilogy was going to force fans to wait, for the anticipation for Mayu’s great conquest to reach a fever pitch.
It’s nuts that this isn’t on STARDOM World by the way.
1. Io Shirai vs. Mayu Iwatani, STARDOM Galaxy Stars (June 21, 2017)
Of their three World of STARDOM Championship matches, this was the biggest, the most satisfying, and the most fulfilling.
Both wrestlers stepped up in an impressive way. Io and Mayu are always smooth, but they were especially so at this event.
For so much of their rivalry, Io was the bully, the end boss, and Mayu was the underdog settling for moral victories. We saw Iwatani transform during this fight, however, into a killer and a champion. She leaped off the top of a walkway at Korakuen Hall. She laid out Shirai with a suplex on the ring apron. She was willing to anything and everything to change this narrative this time.
Everything built so beautifully to its emphatic climax. The emotion, the in-ring work, the happy ending all combined to make for one of the most unforgettable matches we’ve seen in a STARDOM ring. It remains the pinnacle of their rivalry.
Soon enough, we’ll see how added experience and star power elevate the stellar Mayu-Io rivalry. Io’s presence has ballooned over the years. Mayu is at another level right now, outdoing even her best stuff. Now, they get to meet again, facing off an opponent who once transformed them.
Bet on something special happening. That’s just what they do together.
RESURA 