The following is taken from the March 2024 edition of Pro Wrestling Illustrated magazine, which hits newsstands in the U.S. and Canada on December 12, 2023. Before it was officially announced that Mariah May was “All Elite,” the latest addition to the AEW Women’s division took some time out of her schedule to chat with PWI.
A QUICK WORD WITH …
MARIAH MAY
TEXT BY KEVIN McELVANEY
PHOTOS BY OCTOPUS STRETCH PHOTOGRAPHY
ON DECEMBER 29, 2022, at Stardom Dream Queendom 2, Cosmic Angels expat Mina Shirakawa introduced the world to Club Venus. Originally consisting of Shirakawa, Xia Brookside, and Mariah May, the glamorous group made its debut in the inaugural Triangle Derby trios tournament. With a membership that swelled to include Australian grappler Xena, former NXT talent Jessie (Elaban/Kamea), and another ex-Cosmic Angel in Waka Tsukiyama, Club Venus quickly became a favorite of international Stardom fans. And that was due in no small part to the efforts of one of its charter members.
Fashionable, charismatic, and athletic, Mariah May had all the makings of a top star. May put in the hard work from the very start of her Japanese excursion, developing a notable chemistry with partners and opponents alike. Stardom’s competitive touring environs compelled the Tottenham, England-born wrestler to develop in-ring skills to rival those of her peers. And, in a massive vote of confidence, May was given the name “Foreign Ace” by no less than Stardom Executive Producer Rossy Ogawa.
With Shirakawa, May formed the impressive tag team Rose Gold, which reigned as Goddesses of Stardom champions for six weeks last summer. Her performances with the Club Venus unit and in the 5STAR Grand Prix round robin tourney grabbed the attention of promoters worldwide. Indeed, after her Stardom contract expired in the fall, rumors circulated that May had inked a contract with All Elite Wrestling in the U.S. [a rumor that was later confirmed by her appearance on the November 8, 2023 edition of AEW Dynamite]
In mid-October, during a well-earned period of downtime, Mariah May checked in from her home country to chat with PWI Editor-in-Chief Kevin McElvaney about what she’s learned from her nine-month stint in Japan, the current U.K. grappling scene, and what she might be up to in the future.
McELVANEY: Your Stardom run has put you in the brightest spotlight of your career and earned you the moniker “Foreign Ace.” Why do you think you connected so well with the fans of that promotion?
MAY: I believe the reason I connected so well with the fans is because I love Stardom as much as they do. I’ve always held the belief the best training and performance for women’s wrestling is found in Japan. I think my passion, improvement, and dedication in moving across the world gave me their respect (and Ogawa-san’s when he named me the “Foreign Ace”). I know a lot of fans were happy to see how much fun I was having, too. I want my work to tell stories and make people feel something, and Stardom afforded me so many chances to do that.
McELVANEY: What did your 2023 excursion to Japan teach you? How did your craft improve?
MAY: My excursion in Japan taught me how important it is to take risks. Within a few days of being in Japan, I was offered to extend my tour, and I said I would stay there as long as they would have me. That chance and sacrifice allowed me nine months of dojo training, training at the Snakepit, touring a beautiful country, and more matches than any other woman up until I left! The repetition and grind helped me perfect my moveset, build chemistry—especially an amazing feeling when you don’t speak the same language. And being with Mina meant I had a mentor by my side who could give me advice. This is a chance for us girls to make our mark on history and prove ourselves.
McELVANEY: Speaking of Mina Shirakawa, Rose Gold was quite the successful duo. Do you think we could see the team get back together sometime in the future?
MAY: Mina Shirakawa and I have such a special bond. She’s the reason I finally got to wrestle in Japan. We said we wanted to wrestle teams all over the world. I’m hopeful we can reunite and do just that!
McELVANEY: I’d imagine one of the reasons you returned to England was to spend time with your loved ones. Do you have your eye on the current scene there? It seems to have evolved, with new stars in the making, even in the short time you’ve been away.
MAY: It’s definitely been nice to be home and spend some time with my family. I have my sights set on wrestling internationally. I have so many places I want to wrestle. I won four championships in the U.K. I feel for the moment my time here is done and the next girls should come through! I’d love to wrestle on a big stage in front of my family in the U.K., though. Maybe one day!
McELVANEY: You’ve been accumulating more and more fans in North America, particularly here in the States. Anybody in particular you’d like to get in the ring with on this side of the pond?
MAY: It’s been incredible and humbling to have so much support worldwide, particularly North America has always been very vocal for me. There’s such a deep pool of talent in America. And I’ve only toured there once, so I have a pretty long list. I want to do intergender (matches) … there’s an open challenge!
McELVANEY: What’s next for Mariah May?
MAY: I am still deciding my next move. I love Japan, and I want to have a deathmatch there. (Risa Sera, if you’re reading this …) I also have a strong desire to travel more, as before Japan I had visited 5 countries in one year! There’s lots of opportunity and it’s really exciting.
