Bryan Danielson on Mina Shirakawa: ‘She Has Done an Incredible Job’
For the past three months, one of the most enthralling parts of AEW programming has been the addition of Mina Shirakawa.
Shirakawa plays a key role in Stardom, where she has risen as high as Wonder of Stardom Champion. Since arriving in AEW, her work has caught the eye of Bryan Danielson.
“Mina Shirakawa, she has done an incredible job in terms of getting over as a personality on AEW TV,” said Danielson. “Her personality just bleeds through the screen, right? I’m excited for her match at Forbidden Door with Toni Storm.”
Entangling herself in the storyline between Toni Storm and Mariah May (who won the Goddess of Stardom tag titles with Shirakawa last summer), Shirakawa has carved out a spot on the roster with captivating matches, interviews, and an exceptional presence on-camera.
28th Goddess of Stardom Champions. Never stop fighting for your dreams 👸🏼🫶🏼👑🩷💭💫 #ROSEGOLD #STARDOM pic.twitter.com/Dlcyz1oNdU
— Mariah May ♡ マライア・メイ (@MariahMayx) June 25, 2023
“I have said hi to her maybe twice–there really hasn’t been any conversation, but I was watching Dynamite in Tony’s office the other night, and we both remarked at how she does such a good job,” said Danielson. “Whatever the cultural differences or language barriers, it makes no difference. The Toni Storm-Mariah May-Mina story is so compelling.”
Danielson has his own must-see match at Forbidden Door. He wrestles Shingo Takagi, which is a rematch from a seminal match in his career that took place in 2010. As enthusiastic as Danielson is for that bout, he is also excited to sneak into a quiet spot of the UBS Arena and watch the show.
“Swerve-Ospreay will be incredible, and so will Moxley-Naito,” said Danielson. “I still love wrestling. I’m 25 years in, and not only do I love to wrestle because of the feeling it evokes in me, but I still love watching it.
“I’m really excited for the entire show. I’ll find a hidden spot in the area to watch the matches and soak it all up.”
JUSTIN BARRASSO
Justin Barrasso has been writing for Sports Illustrated since 2014. While his primary focus is pro wrestling and MMA, he has also covered MLB, NBA, and the NFL. He can be reached at JBarrasso@gmail.com and followed on Twitter @JustinBarrasso.