WrestleMania 41: Sunday kicked off with IYO SKY retaining the Women’s World Championship in an instant classic against Rhea Ripley and Bianca Belair. Not only did SKY emerge victorious in the show’s opener, but she shattered an unfortunate record that has stood for decades.
IYO SKY is the first Japanese Superstar to win a match on WrestleMania’s main card in decades. Before SKY’s win inside Allegiant Stadium, the most recent Japanese Superstar to win on the main card was Taka Michinoku who beat Aguila for the Light Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 14 in 1998. On X, Shinsuke Nakamura celebrated SKY’s victory.
While Akebono won a Sumo match at WrestleMania 21 against the Big Show, he was not a Superstar and his match was far from being a standard wrestling match. In 2010, Yoshi Tatsu won a battle royal but that match occurred on the pre-show and not the main card of WrestleMania 26.
Whichever way you slice it, IYO SKY proved herself at WrestleMania against two of WWE’s very best. Now, Ripley, Belair and everyone in WWE will know not to overlook the Genius of the Sky.
