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Match Point: IYO SKY vs. Mayu Iwatani, Marigold Grand Destiny

Originally posted on Last Word On Sports | By Lyla Rose | Last updated Oct 9, 2025 10:40 AM ET

Match Point is an ongoing series at Last Word on Pro Wrestling, where we look at intriguing matchups in indie wrestling and beyond. They may be dream matches, first-time matchups, or hotly anticipated rematches. In this edition, Lyla Rose will focus on the showdown between two of the world’s finest Joshis, IYO SKY and Mayu Iwatani, at Marigold Grand Destiny.

IYO SKY is set to make another return trip to Japan, this time to face Mayu Iwatani. The match is set to take place on October 26th at the upcoming Marigold Grand Destiny event. It has been called “The Dream Destiny,” as many fans have been itching to see the two face off once again. However, a lot has changed since the last time IYO and Mayu met in a ring.

How Did We Get Here?

The last time IYO SKY (then, Io Shirai) and Mayu Iwatani faced off was in the semi-finals of the 2018 Cinderella Tournament. The match ended in a ten-minute draw. IYO SKY would then leave for WWE shortly after, debuting during the 2018 Mae Young Classic. SKY would become a multi-time champion in WWE and its developmental brand, NXT.

Iwatani would remain in STARDOM and also become a multi-time champion. Notably, she would become the IWGP Women’s Champion before losing her championship to Syuri at STARDOM All Star Grand Queendom 2025. Iwatani’s reign lasted 735 days.

The next morning, Iwatani would announce her departure from STARDOM to join Marigold. Since then, Iwatani gained the Marigold Super Fly Championship.

Iwatani also revealed one of her reasons for joining Marigold and being able to fight Kairi Sane and IYO SKY one more time.

Iwatani said, ” Yes, IYO and Kairi are true Superstars. One of the small reasons I made the move was… the desire to wrestle IYO-san, Kairi, and well, Giulia.”

Mayu Iwatani and IYO SKY: Sisterly Rivals

While talking to Tokyo Sports, Mayu Iwatani revealed a lot about her personal relationship with IYO SKY.

Iwatani spoke candidly, saying, “She may be a global superstar now, but to me, she’ll always be my ‘big sister.’ However, she’s not the same IYO-san she used to be, and by the same token, I’m not the same person I used to be either. I don’t want to lose.”

With this sentiment, fans can expect a hard-hitting match where the opponents still respect one another. Reminiscent of SKY’s previous encounter with Stephanie Vaquer at WWE WrestlePalooza.

Conclusion

This match is sure to be one of, if not the most important, matches of Marigold’s short but illustrious history. IYO SKY previously wrestled for Marigold, beating Utami Hayashishita, which took place at the Ryogoku Kokugikan in Japan. The bout between Iwatani and SKY will also take place here. While Iwatani is keen on defeating SKY on October 26th, we will have to wait until then to see if she can pull it off.

This article first appeared on Last Word On Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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