Highly-acclaimed 32-year-old star admits she's "shocked" after blockbuster Iyo Sky announcement

A still from Wrestlepalooza 2025 (Pic Courtesy: WWE.com)
A still from Wrestlepalooza 2025 (Pic Courtesy: WWE.com)

Iyo Sky was announced for a blockbuster match, where she will face an old rival after seven-and-a-half years. The 32-year-old star, whom she will face, admitted she was shocked about the announcement.

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It was recently announced on social media that the former Women's World Champion will be heading home to Japan, and a little over a week after the WWE Supershow, she will be facing her old rival, the highly-acclaimed Mayu Iwatani.

The match will happen at Dream Star Fighting Marigold. Back in their peak days at Stardom, Sky, then known as Io Shirai, was considered one-third of the deadliest trio of women's wrestlers on the planet. The other two were Mayu Iwatani and Kairi Hojo, who you might know as Kairi Sane.

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The 32-year-old Mayu Iwatani reacted to Iyo Sky's announcement and revealed that she was shocked to find out about it:

"Eeeehhh!!!!!! Finding out about theogoku card on X!!?? I'm shocked!!!! No way, with Iyo-san! A singles match! I'm thrilled!!!! I'm so shocked it doesn't feel real yet! But it's reality! I'm excited. It's been seven and a half years. So long."
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Iyo Sky completed a huge milestone in WWE

Iyo Sky is undeniably one of the most popular stars in WWE today. Very few superstars reach that status, and one of them is her big ally, Rhea Ripley.

Incidentally, it was the Mae Young Classic 2017 where Rhea Ripley was introduced to WWE, and one year after that, in the very same tournament, Iyo would make her WWE debut, then using the ring name Io Shirai.

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The big difference between Ripley and Sky is that when the Australian made her WWE debut, she was still quite green and had a drastically different appearance. As for Sky, she was already considered one of the best wrestlers in the world from her time in Japan.

On 26th September 2018, Io Shirai made her WWE debut, which means that it has been seven years since that moment. That's a massive milestone as not many have such long tenures. But it isn't just about the length of the tenure. Both in NXT and on the main roster, Sky has become a fan favorite, which, to many, is an example of how the cream always rises to the top.

For now, her upcoming focus will be on Mayu Iwatani as well as Asuka and Kairi Sane on RAW.

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Edited by Rohit Nath
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