SKY did not think her first match back in Japan would be at a non-WWE event.
Coming up on July 13th, Dream Star Fighting Marigold is presenting their Summer Destiny event from Ryōgoku Sumo Hall in Tokyo, Japan.
One of the matches on the marquee is Utami Hayashishita going one-on-one with WWE’s IYO SKY. Ahead of the match, SKY spoke to Tokyo Sports and told the outlet that she did not think her first match back in Japan would be at a non-WWE event. WWE is heading back to the country later this month.
I thought that the first matches I’d have in Japan would be for WWE shows in Japan, so I didn’t think that a non-WWE show would be my first triumphant return to Japan after coming to the United States. I also didn’t think that I’d appear in any shows other than WWE while I was affiliated with WWE, so I was pretty surprised. It was a combination of fate and timing.
It was in April that SKY received the offer to compete at Marigold’s Sumo Hall show. Promotion owner Rossy Ogawa presented the idea to her.
I guess my biggest impression is that it’s a group created by Ogawa-san (she said about Marigold). That’s all there is to it. Mr. Ogawa was at WrestleMania, and at that time, he told me that he wanted to make me an offer because we would be fighting in Ryōgoku.
Utami Hayashishita is on the record saying that SKY has always been a dream opponent and someone she’s admired. SKY responded to the praise from Utami:
I don’t hear many people say they want to be a pro wrestler because they admire me. When I was at STARDOM, there were quite a few girls who said, ‘I want to be like Mayu Iwatani.’ I think there were also a lot of girls who were like Kairi (Sane)…
I came to the U.S. before she (Utami Hayashishita) debuted, so we completely missed each other… I remember hearing that she wanted to have a match before going to the U.S. because she admired me… I remember me replying, ‘Dreams are better when they don’t come true easily.’
(SKY was asked why she said that quote) I think that things you achieve through hard work stick in your mind. If I had stayed in STARDOM at that time, that opportunity might have presented itself right away. But I think that if you achieve it too easily, you might burn out. I have been running for 17 years because I had the dream of becoming number one in the world and WWE, and I was determined to put down roots in the U.S. and do my best. Those words were meant to put pressure on me as I moved to America.
SKY was in action on the 7/8 Monday Night Raw. Damage CTRL (IYO SKY, Dakota Kai & Kairi Sane) took on Kayden Carter, Katana Chance and Lyra Valkyria. Damage CTRL were ambushed by the newly-formed trio of Sonya Deville, Shayna Baszler and Zoey Stark.
Another WWE talent that is going to be in action in Japan on July 13th is A.J. Styles. He’ll be heading to Pro Wrestling NOAH to take on Naomichi Marufuji.
