Mayu Iwatani vs Stephanie Vaquer NJPW

In September, Mayu made a statement admitting that she knows that she hasn’t defended the IWGP women’s title very often. Also, that she has a desire to defend the title overseas and take on any opponent outside of Japan who wanted to challenge her.

Well, Mayu got her wish when Stephanie Vaquer accepted this challenge at the NJPW Fighting Spirit Unleashed event in October. Just to look at Stephanie’s resume, she is one half of the CMLL women’s tag team AND the world CMLL women’s champion. However, Vaquer wants three belts around her waist. So this would be another title for her to flaunt and reassert her prominence around the world.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2VQKUUK-T8

This all leads to Mayu and Stephanie's match in Dallas for the Lonestar shootout event.

Stephanie comes to the ring holding both of her CMLL titles looking like she could conquer the world.

Mayu coming in with the crowd behind her. This is first title defense for IWGP women’s title for NJPW in the year of 2023.

Stephanie starts off this match getting Mayu in an arm lock, but Mayu quickly reverses it. There is a back and forth between both women to get the best of one another. Easily countering the other. Making it hard to call who will come out on top. Stephanie starts to get a bit of control as she does some damage on Mayu’s right leg. Stephanie’s hard hitting style is in full display as she delivers some hard head butts that even hurts her.

Iwatani shows that she is a fighting champion and attempts to make a comeback with a super kick. A brilliant dragon suplex forces Stephanie to get out of the ring to avoid the pin. Mayu darts herself through the ropes and lands right on Stephanie.

Mayu gets the action out of the ring, delivers a moonsault that doesn’t land because Stephanie masterfully gets Iwatani in a submission hold. More head butts from Stephanie to give her control.

However, a tombstone piledriver and standing moonsault gives Mayu Iwatani the win.

Both women looked absolutely spent after this match.

I predict some more successful title defenses in Mayu’s future.

The replay of this match can be viewed on https://www.njpwworld.com/