【Women's Pro-Wrestling】 For Maki Itoh, bullying is just "spice that makes me stand out": comeback story began with "Hurrah!" after being fired as idol

Maki Itoh (STARDOM) Interview - Part 1

Maki Itoh is Japanese female pro-wrestling's current global phenomenon, drawing worldwide attention with every move. After being fired from the idol group "LinQ," she turned that setback into her signature strength, famously declaring, "Fired? Hooray!"

How did Itoh manage to captivate fans overseas who don't even speak her language and become a global sensation trending on social media? To explore this, we delve into her unexpected childhood persona, her encounter with Sanshiro Takagi that led her into the world of pro-wrestling, and the gap between her public image and the real person behind.

Maki Itoh joined STARDOM in January of this year. photo by Naozumi Tatematsu

【Thrill-seeking girl who loved staying indoors】

──What kind of child were you when you were little?

That's a sudden question (laughs). When I was a kid, I really loved myself. That hasn't changed at all since then.

──Were you more of an indoor person or an outdoor person?

I was definitely an indoor type. I loved drawing and used to make a lot of manga.

──Do you draw the illustrations for the T-shirts you produce yourself?

Oh, no, I don't. I pay professionals to do it. It's a business, after all (laughs).

──You mentioned you were an indoor type, but did you ever play actively outside?

Of course, I was active physically such as playing tag at school. But just playing outside normally wasn't fun for me. I preferred playing tag inside the school grounds. You're not supposed to run in the school hallways in Japan, right? I absolutely loved playing tag under that pressure, knowing I might get scolded if I ran.

──That desire for thrills connects to your current pro-wrestling career, doesn't it?

That's right. The more I'm told "you shouldn't do that," the more I want to do it.