Mayu Iwatani

Mayu Iwatani
Iwatani in October 2021
Born (1993-02-19) February 19, 1993 (age 31)[1][2][3]
Mine, Yamaguchi, Japan[1][2][3]
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s)Mayu Iwatani
Mayuchica[4]
Mayuchika[5]
Mayucica[6]
Yurei[7]
Billed height165 cm (5 ft 5 in)[8]
Billed weight50 kg (110 lb)[8]
Trained byFuka[9]
Nanae Takahashi[9]
DebutJanuary 23, 2011[1][2]

Mayu Iwatani (岩谷 麻由, Iwatani Mayu, ring name: 岩谷 麻優) (born February 19, 1993) is a Japanese professional wrestler. She is currently signed to World Wonder Ring Stardom, where she is the leader of Stars.[10] She also wrestles for New Japan Pro Wrestling, where she is the current IWGP Women's Champion in her first reign which is the longest in the title's history.[11]

Since making her debut in January 2011, she became a two-time World of Stardom Champion, two-time Wonder of Stardom Champion, one-time High Speed Champion, one-time SWA World Champion, two-time Goddesses of Stardom Champion, and a five-time Artist of Stardom Champion, while also having won the Cinderella Tournament back to back in 2015 and 2016, and the 2018 5Star Grand Prix. She also made appearances for Stardom's American partner Ring of Honor, where she is a former one-time Women of Honor World Champion.

Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter has called Iwatani and fellow Japanese workers Io Shirai and Kairi Hojo "three of the best wrestlers in the world".[12] She is also recognized as the "ace" of Stardom.[13]

  1. ^ a b c 〜スターダムのアイコン〜 岩谷麻優. World Wonder Ring Stardom (in Japanese). May 21, 2014. Archived from the original on November 25, 2015. Retrieved June 3, 2016.
  2. ^ a b c スターダム３人娘が“お悩み”相談「教えて！ブル先生」. Tokyo Sports (in Japanese). May 5, 2016. Archived from the original on September 13, 2017. Retrieved June 3, 2016.
  3. ^ a b 【各界の著名人&関係者に直撃！】『Super J-Cup』優勝予想大アンケート！（スターダム編）【SJ16】. New Japan Pro-Wrestling (in Japanese). August 9, 2016. Archived from the original on August 9, 2016. Retrieved August 9, 2016.
  4. ^ 2015年10月25日 Stardom Mask Fiesta2015～Halloween Party～. World Wonder Ring Stardom (in Japanese). October 25, 2015. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved June 3, 2016.
  5. ^ "2014年10月26日 「Stardom Mask Fiesta2014」～Halloween Party～ 新木場1stRing". World Wonder Ring Stardom (in Japanese). October 26, 2014. Archived from the original on October 27, 2014. Retrieved June 3, 2016.
  6. ^ "Season11~". World Wonder Ring Stardom (in Japanese). Archived from the original on March 20, 2013. Retrieved June 3, 2016.
  7. ^ Moore, John (December 1, 2016). "11/30 Moore's Lucha Underground TV Review: Pentagon Jr. vs The Black Lotus Triad in a Gauntlet, Japanese stars Io Shirai, Kairi Hojo, and Mayu Iwatani make their debut, Matanza speaks". Pro Wrestling Dot Net. Archived from the original on September 10, 2017. Retrieved December 1, 2016.
  8. ^ a b "MAYU IWATANI（いわたに・まゆ）". WWR-Stardom.com. Archived from the original on November 21, 2021. Retrieved October 19, 2022.
  9. ^ a b "Mayu Iwatani". Wrestlingdata. Archived from the original on February 2, 2017. Retrieved June 3, 2016.
  10. ^ "WRESTLER". World Wonder Ring Stardom (in Japanese). Archived from the original on September 25, 2023. Retrieved November 7, 2023.
  11. ^ "Profiles". New Japan Pro Wrestling. Archived from the original on October 15, 2023. Retrieved November 7, 2023.
  12. ^ Meltzer, Dave (April 8, 2016). "News Update: New ROH PPV dates; UFC drug test failure". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Archived from the original on September 13, 2017. Retrieved June 3, 2016.
  13. ^ Adams, Mitchell (June 26, 2021). "An Icon's Burden: How 2020 Secured Mayu Iwatani's Legacy". Monthly Puroresu. Archived from the original on January 6, 2024. Retrieved February 10, 2024.