Mayu Iwatani Wins Triple Crown At Marigold Grand Destiny 2026
A new era has begun in Marigold!
Mayu Iwatani has staked her claim as the Icon of Marigold after defeating Victoria Yuzuki and Miku Aono in a three-way elimination match. The former STARDOM icon captured both Aono’s Marigold World Championship and Yuzuki’s Marigold United National Championship, becoming the promotion’s first-ever Triple Crown winner and the first wrestler to simultaneously hold all three of Marigold’s championships.
After Victoria Yuzuki eliminated Miku Aono, Iwatani secured the victory by pinning Yuzuki with a Dragon Suplex at the 26:17 mark. The bout was the longest match for the Marigold World Championship since Aono originally captured the title from Utami Hayashishita at last year’s Grand Destiny event.
With this career-defining victory following her departure from STARDOM, Mayu Iwatani has become the second woman to have held both the World of STARDOM Championship and the Marigold World Championship, joining Utami Hayashishita.
Following her victory, Iwatani took the microphone to address the fans inside Ryogoku Kokugikan:
“Right now, with Marigold being criticized in various ways, with its unpleasant parts catching people’s eyes… thank you very much for coming to Marigold Ryogoku today. Right now, you know, the very young girls in Marigold are working so hard. Amidst of that, I am already thirty-three years old. I had a few worries regarding my physical stamina, but… Mayu Iwatani is still doing just fine! Because, because, because! I was even on the cover of FLASH! Thank you! I can keep going strong, and from now on I will take the lead in pulling this promotion forward. Thank you very much!”
-Mayu Iwatani
The newly crowned Triple Crown Champion then took a moment to savour her historic achievement, while Aono and Yuzuki looked visibly shocked and disappointed by their defeats.
Iwatani also reflected on the match and shared her vision for Marigold’s future, declaring her intention to carry the promotion on her shoulders while defending all three championships on her own until she eventually loses them.
“Since joining this promotion, Marigold, I think I might have been too focused on ‘lifting the whole organization up’ or nurturing the younger talent, rather than prioritizing my own position as the top star. However, since joining this promotion and coming to Marigold, because I joined midway and am not homegrown, I think everyone had thoughts about what it means to be the face of the promotion, and I had them a bit myself too.”
-Mayu Iwatani
Marigold began running shows in May 2024, and a look back at its inaugural event, Marigold Fields Forever, highlights just how much the roster has changed since then. Nanae Takahashi retired last year, while MIRAI departed to join Michinoku Pro. Mai Sakurai wrestled her final match for Marigold earlier on the same show as Iwatani’s historic victory. Meanwhile, none of the four women who competed in the inaugural event’s main event — Bozilla, Sareee, Giulia and Utami Hayashishita — currently wrestle for the promotion, having moved on to STARDOM, freelance competition or WWE. Victoria Yuzuki is the only wrestler who joined Marigold from STARDOM at its launch and remains with the company today.
With Marigold in need of a leading star to step up and help the promotion maintain its momentum, Iwatani could be the figure to take on that responsibility. She also expressed a desire to face Aono again, this time in a singles match at Marigold’s next major event on January 3, 2027. She concluded her speech by saying:
“As a champion of three belts, no, while Mayu Iwatani is the champion, I will accept challenges from anyone. Whether it is a youngster or anyone else, a veteran, or someone from another promotion, I want anyone who has the resolve to come at me. For now, I am going to eat something delicious and sleep soundly with these belts. I am seriously tired! It was tough! But I am happy. Mayu Iwatani is happy! Thank you very much for your support. Please continue to support me!”
-Mayu Iwatani
Elsewhere on the show, rising stars Seri Yamaoka and Kizuna Tanaka returned to the ring, whilst Kouki Amarei and Chika Goto successfully defended the Marigold Twin Star Championship against Unagi Sayaka and Hikari Noa.
For more news on Marigold as the promotion enters the Mayu Era, alongside the latest developments from across the Japanese professional wrestling scene, stay tuned to WrestlePurists.
H/T to meraWRESTLING for the translation and transcription.
