Dave Meltzer Speculates On Future Of Mayu Iwatani Following Stardom Departure

After losing her IWGP Women's Championship to Syuri over this past weekend, STARDOM star Mayu Iwatani made it clear that she was leaving the promotion. The loss on April 27 marked Iwatani's final match in STARDOM after 14 years in the company. She had been IWGP Women's Champion for 735 days, a record for the young championship. According to Dave Meltzer on "Wrestling Observer Radio," there are only two options for Iwatani if she wants to come to the United States to wrestle.

"Mayu Iwatani, obviously it's either going to be AEW or WWE and we're probably going to find out [soon], since I don't thinks she's retiring...She dropped her IWGP Title on the show today and then announced that she's effective immediately," Meltzer explained. As for her landing place, Meltzer thinks she'll join her friend Iyo Sky. "Probably WWE [will sign her]. WWE's been after her for years and years, and probably [Iyo Sky] doing so well probably encouraged her to go."

According to Meltzer, WWE has been trying to sign Sky, Iwatani, and Kairi Sane "years ago," but the company has since signed Sky and Sane. Sky retained her Women's World Championship at WrestleMania 41, beating stars Bianca Belair and Rhea Ripley in Las Vegas, NV's Allegiant Stadium. Should Iwatani join WWE, she would be the second former IWGP Women's Champion on the roster. Kairi Sane was the inaugural champion after her 2021 release from WWE, but re-joined the company in 2023, where she remains.

Iwatani isn't the only STARDOM star leaving the company, as Tam Nakano also is set to retire following her own loss on the 27th.