Marigold: A Major Shift in Japanese Wrestling

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The announcement of Marigold as a direct rival to STARDOM sent shockwaves through the wrestling industry, particularly in Japan’s Joshi scene. STARDOM long dominated this market and was hailed as the pinnacle of women’s wrestling worldwide. With Marigold, spearheaded by Rossy Ogawa, a new era dawns… Potentially signaling changes, including a speculated partnership with WWE.

Marigold’s debut in the Joshi scene sparks changes, and will force promotions to offer contracts to retain talent. Salaries are also poised to rise. Ultimately, this shift signals increased competitiveness, breaking STARDOM’s longstanding dominance. But it raises questions about the future of Joshi Wrestling.

Giulia will be part of Marigold, at least for the next few months until the promotion is more established. From there, she can finally go to WWE. This connection between Marigold and WWE is a sign of concern for some fans. Especially when you consider WWE’s plans for a global expansion of several NXT subsidiaries around the world. Japan was one of those places… Some recent reports are indicating that Marigold and WWE’s agreement is a done deal. Whether true or not, it comes at a time where their biggest rivals, STARDOM and AEW, have just starting working together.

Wrestlers like the previously mentioned Giulia, Utami Hayashishita, Mirai and Nao Ishikawa are some of the of the notorious wrestlers that will be part of Marigold’s roster moving forward. While a new promotion enriches the scene, its ties to WWE raise apprehension. This tectonic shift of the Joshi scene will bring more positives than negatives. But we are just starting to see the domino effect of Marigold, marking a significant juncture under Rossy Ogawa’s leadership.

What are your thoughts on Marigold? Let us know in the comments.