Mayu Iwatani: “I have to defend my title at all costs”

Mayu Iwatani speaks about being challenged by Stephanie Vaquer

By: James Carlin

Just a few days ago, IWGP Women’s Champion Mayu Iwatani was challenged by CMLL standout Stephanie Vaquer at NJPW Fighting Spirit Unleashed in Las Vegas, Nevada.

After the challenger stepped up, the champion went online to speak about her upcoming title match at NJPW Lonestar Shootout on November 10th, which will now be contested against Vaquer.

“It’s the first time I’ve been overseas in long time. Stephanie Vaquer is a double champion – she’s strong. I have to defend my title at all costs. This isn’t the time to have fun with professional wrestling, I’ll have to fight hard.” h/t Tokyo Sports.

Mayu Iwatani has held the IWGP Women’s Championship since defeating Mercedes Mone at All Star Grand Queendom back in April. Since then, she has defended the championship against Utami Hayashishita at Stardom X Stardom in August, and her title defence at Lonestar Shootout will mark her second – passing both the inaugural champion and her Team Yamaguchi partner KAIRI, currently on indefinite hiatus, and Mone. Iwatani has held every championship in Stardom available to her, with the currently-in-limbo SWA Undisputed World Women’s Championship being the last and making her the company’s second Grand Slam holder – the first being her Thunder Rock partner Io Shirai.

Vaquer has formerly competed for New Japan Pro-Wrestling, recently teaming with her tag team partner Zeuxis, who have held the CMLL World Women’s Tag Team Championships together since CMLL’s 90th Anniversary show; she also appeared for NJPW back in May, taking on Mercedes Mone in the first round of the NJPW STRONG Women’s Championship Tournament in Long Beach, California. Last month, Vaquer defeated fellow Chilean women’s wrestler La Catalina to win the vacated CMLL World Women’s Championship.

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