【Women's Pro-Wrestling】 Maki Itoh on ambitions in STARDOM: "I'll complete every story before retire"

Maki Itoh (STARDOM) Interview - Part 2

Having established herself as a one-of-a-kind star at Tokyo Joshi Pro-Wrestling, Maki Itoh has now set her sights overseas. She became world-famous at the AEW and competed in extreme hardcore matches at GCW. What she gained was a level of "frenzy" that cannot be measured by numbers alone.

In 2026, the next stage she has chosen is STARDOM, the pinnacle of women's pro-wrestling in Japan. This global charismatic star reveals all her ambitions.

Maki Itoh commands an overwhelming presence in STARDOM. photo by Naozumi Tatematsu

【Her popularity has exploded in the U.S.】

──Your popularity overseas really took off following the 2019 DDT tour in the U.S., didn't it?

To be honest, I wasn't interested in the U.S. at all back then. I was actually thinking, "I just want to go back to Japan as soon as possible." But my merchandise sales there were more than double what they were in Japan.

That's the power of social media. Even before I went to the U.S., the persona of  "Maki Itoh" had already taken on a life of its own there. There's no other Japanese girl who goes wild with her middle finger up and wearing a ribbon in her twin tails. I guess once you see it, you never forget it.

──In 2021, you competed in AEW and became a world-famous person on X. What was it like in a major promotion?

The luxurious catering service stunned me (laughs). Performing in a massive, empty venue during the pandemic, my voice through a microphone echoed back with a two-second delay. It made me realize I was stepping into a new world.

In the ring, I became a talking point, for better or worse. Amid powerful, muscular wrestlers performing throwing moves, there I was, a petite girl with twin tails who collapsed and delivered a headbutt. You rarely see that on TV. I was glad so many people found it interesting.

──After that, you formed the tag team "Maki Death Kill" with "death match charisma" Nick Gage in the death match promotion GCW.

After my experience with AEW, I realized I needed to change myself. I didn't have the skills yet to become a true star in pro-wrestling. I chose GCW as a place to train and improve.