Mayu Iwatani’s departure from World Wonder Ring STARDOM in April 2025 was one of the biggest shakes in joshi puroresu in years.
The wrestler widely regarded as the face, heart, and original icon of STARDOM announced her exit just a day after losing the IWGP Women’s Championship at All Star Grand Queendom 2025.
This was the show where Tam Nakano ended her own wrestling career, and was an event that marked the end of her 14-year run with the company.
But when fans ask “why did Mayu Iwatani leave STARDOM?” the answer — based on her own statements and how events unfolded — is clearer and more grounded than the rumours.
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She Announced Her Departure Publicly and Emotionally
On April 28, 2025, Iwatani held a press conference and confirmed she would no longer be part of STARDOM following her final match at All Star Grand Queendom.
“I have left STARDOM… 14 years and 3 months. Thank you so much! I wanted to leave with a smile on my face, but I was surprised to find myself crying. I am going to run away from home.”
— Mayu Iwatani (translated from her press conference and social post
Iwatani also stated during the press conference that she felt she had done “everything there is to do in STARDOM” as an in-ring competitor after more than a decade with the company, as reported by the Wrestling Observer Newsletter / F4WOnline.
In doing so, she made it clear that her decision was personal — not the result of a backstage fight or forced departure.
Where Did Mayu Iwatani Go After STARDOM?
Just three days after leaving STARDOM, Mayu Iwatani signed with a new promotion called Dream Star Fighting Marigold, a move confirmed by WrestleZone.
Marigold is a women’s wrestling organisation founded by former STARDOM executive producer Rossy Ogawa, the long-time promoter and creative force behind the company’s rise. Many of STARDOM’s early identity and key moments were forged under Ogawa’s leadership, and he has since formed Marigold after his own exit from STARDOM’s leadership structure, as detailed by Monthly Puroresu.
At the May 1 press conference officially announcing her signing, Iwatani said she wanted to explore new opportunities within the wrestling world and pursue dream matches against talent from within Marigold’s working partnerships, according to WrestleZone.
Iwatani’s first match for Marigold was scheduled for May 4, 2025, at Marigold Rising Spirit 2025 in Korakuen Hall, where she faced Nanae Takahashi, again confirmed by WrestleZone.
What Iwatani Has Said About the Decision
In a later interview translated from her conversation with Proresu-TODAY, Iwatani shared her own reasoning about why she left STARDOM and chose her new path with Marigold:
“I feel like I have more days off compared to before… I have a good balance between my work and private life and I feel very fulfilled… I was anxious before I went. I wondered if it would be better not to go.”
— via Fightful
She admitted the move was not easy and that she considered staying because it would have been the safer choice — especially given her long history with STARDOM, also reported by Fightful.
Although she did not go into detail about every influencing factor, her comments show that the decision was based on life balance and personal challenge, rather than conflict or punishment.
What Is Not Confirmed (and Shouldn’t Be Presented as Fact)
Many rumours circulate online — such as loyalty to a particular booker or backstage politics — but there is no credible public evidence tying Iwatani’s exit to:
- being forced out by management
- a specific contract dispute
- internal STARDOM tensions being publicly confirmed by either Iwatani or STARDOM leadership
The verified reporting and direct quotes instead point to her own decision, informed by career completion, life balance, and personal fulfilment, rather than external coercion or controversy, as reflected in coverage from WrestleZone and related outlets.
Why This Matters
Mayu Iwatani was not just another wrestler leaving a promotion — she was the cornerstone of STARDOM since its earliest days in 2011. Her departure was framed by her own words as:
- a conclusion of a chapter
- a pursuit of personal growth
- a career move toward new challenges
That makes her exit unique in joshi puroresu: she left because she felt her journey in STARDOM was complete, not because she was forced to or because she ran out of opportunities, as consistently reflected in verified reporting from WrestleZone and F4WOnline.
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