Itoh is returning to the U.S. before the summer is over.
Over the last several months, Maki Itoh worked multiple dates for Game Changer Wrestling, had a dark match for AEW in Washington D.C. and worked with the ‘SPARK Joshi Puroresu of America’ promotion during her recent tour of North America.
Itoh is back in Japan for Tokyo Joshi Pro’s Summer Sun Princess event on July 8th, where she’ll be challenging Mizuki for the Princess of Princess Championship. While being interviewed by Tokyo Sports, Itoh reflected on her recent stint in the U.S. and feels she became mentally stronger because of the sudden changes and shifts that occurred.
I was surprised that a normal singles match was suddenly changed to a five-way match. Moreover, we sometimes fought in matches with different nationalities, such as Japan, the U.S., Australia, and Germany. There were also many sudden changes and happenings, such as being dropped on a chair by a splash mountain and being subjected to techniques that I would not be subjected to in Japan.
I think I became mentally stronger. I became stronger and more confident. In Japan, opponents and the starting time of matches are fixed, and the matches are held according to the schedule. In that sense, compared to the U.S., Japan is blessed with a better environment.
In a dark match, my opponent was decided about 30 minutes before the match started. My name suddenly came up, and I had to hurry! I had to hurry! Sometimes my tag team partners and opponents had not even been made up when the match was decided (laughs). It was a lot of work.
The last match of her USA tour was against Rina Yamashita at GCW Thank Me Later. Itoh feels that GCW owner Brett Lauderdale’s view of her changed for the better after that match.
She feels the style of match that herself and Yamashita had gave her a broader perspective and thinks it’ll be useful to have that with her in Japan.
That was the last match on the U.S. tour (against Rina Yamashita at GCW Thank Me Later)… I had a more relaxed mind, and I think my perspective in the match became broader. I think this will come in handy in the Japanese ring.
After that match, the GCW owner’s view of me changed. I think they looked at me and said, you are surprisingly capable. He didn’t pay attention to me on a daily basis, but he praised me on Twitter. That was the first time that had happened, so I felt that they recognized me.
This match is unreal 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Maki chan 👏👏
rina chan 👏👏#GCWThanks— brett lauderdale (@Lauderdale11) June 18, 2023
brett chan🍕✨
— 伊藤麻希 Maki Itoh (@maki_itoh) June 19, 2023
AEW’s Nyla Rose is going to be in action at Summer Sun Princess against Miu Watanabe. Rose was originally supposed to face Yuka Sakazaki, but she is sidelined with a neck injury.
