Mercedes Mone is still the IWGP Women’s Champion as she made her first title defense on Saturday morning when she defeated Hazuki and STARDOM’s High-Speed Champion AZM in a three-way match at Sakura Genesis.
The finish of the match happened when Mone hit the Mone Maker to AZM while on top of Hazuki.
Following the match, STARDOM’s “Icon” Mayu Iwatani came out to have a showdown with Mone, which made their match at STARDOM’s All Star Grand Queendom on April 23 official.
Iwatani lost to KAIRI in the main event of Historic X-Over to crown the first-ever IWGP Women’s Champion.
Mone’s first title defense came about when Mone kept talking about AZM and saying her name wrong, leading to AZM challenging the former WWE star for a title match. Hazuki entered the picture at the Cinderella Tournament press conference and threw out her name for what was later confirmed to be a triple threat match.
Mone currently has one more match left on her NJPW/STARDOM contract.
.@MercedesVarnado "Running Double Knee💥🦵"
Watch Sakura Genesis live in LIVE in English on https://t.co/CcdQ1XamUA (outside Japan)#njSG #njpw #njpwworld pic.twitter.com/UmC0nBwalW
— NJPW WORLD (@njpwworld) April 8, 2023
.@MayuIwatani Challenges for IWGP WOMAN CHAMPIONSHIP‼️
Watch Sakura Genesis live in LIVE in English on https://t.co/CcdQ1XamUA (outside Japan)#njSG #njpw #njpwworld pic.twitter.com/Ijr7eb4STy
— NJPW WORLD (@njpwworld) April 8, 2023
