Giulia’s time competing in Japan will be coming to an end sooner than later, according to Marigold Wrestling founder Rossy Ogawa. Sitting down with Tokyo Sports, Ogawa addressed rumors and reports that Giulia is expected to join WWE.

“It’s true that Giulia doesn’t have that much time (in Japan). I’m not sure how many matches she has left, but it might be best to think of this as the last time you’ll see her at each venue.”

It was first reported in November 2023 that Giulia was believed to be joining WWE in a huge score for the Stamford-based promotion. Speculation that she’d be joining WWE was galvanized when she departed STARDOM in March and when she appeared at WWE NXT: Stand & Deliver the following month.

It has been reported that WWE’s current plan is for Giulia to debut at an NXT PLE over SummerSlam weekend. That will prove easier said than done, given that no such event is due to take place next weekend. NXT will host two weeks of its Great American Bash event over the next two weeks of TV, in a reported effort to combat being decimated in the ratings by the Olympics. WWE NXT’s next PLE will be No Mercy and take place at the Ball Arena in Denver, CO on September 1.

Giulia & Rossy Ogawa

While Giulia is expected to be on WWE TV sooner than later, it may not mark the end of her work with Rossy Ogawa. The Marigold founder, who also founded STARDOM, hopes for WWE and Marigold to work together in the long term with Giulia appearing a handful of times a year for the latter after her WWE debut. WWE and Marigold have already partnered as IYO SKY competed at the Summer Destiny event earlier this month.

Stardom founder Rossy Ogawa has addressed the scandalous allegations about him levied by Kenny Omega about him last month.

Omega spoke about the Marigold founder on a Twitch stream, calling him an “e-drone” over his working relationship with the WWE. Omega said that many people refuse to work with Ogawa and women stay away from him. He went on to add that Ogawa, “puts underage girls in very revealing swimsuit calendars.”

Ogawa addressed the claims while talking to Sports Graphic Number, a Japanese sports magazine. In the interview, Ogawa talked about how he was treated in Stardom, which he likened to being an “ornament.” He also talked about the meeting with Triple H, who Ogawa said encouraged and supported him.

Addressing Omega’s comments about him, the Marigold founder said, “I was feeling uncomfortable in Stardom. Things weren’t as I expected, and I felt I couldn’t exert my abilities. They told me to just ‘sit here,’ making me feel like an ornament. It became a general perception that I was causing issues in the one-man system of my predecessor, especially concerning AEW, but that wasn’t the case. Kenny Omega has attacked me with false claims from over there, which is defamation. He wants to be involved in women’s wrestling himself. Still, those who don’t know might think ‘So that’s how it is.’ If that were true, I couldn’t stay in this world.”

Ogawa added that people make various statements, but there is a lot of misinformation. He admitted that the nature of pro-wrestling and fame makes people associate stories like these, which become drama for them to enjoy. He added that even fans in America recognized him, likely due to the controversy, when he was invited to WrestleMania by WWE.

When talking on the Twitch stream, Omega had implied that he was holding back while talking about Ogawa, because he didn’t want “lawyers barking at my door.” It remains to be seen if the AEW VP will address these comments by Ogawa or not. 

The roster of the new Marigold promotion will compete for a World Championship and a United National Championship once the first event takes place later this year.

Marigold, the brainchild of STARDOM founder Rossy Ogawa, was confirmed in April 2024 after speculation that Ogawa was looking to make a new company. It was allegations that Ogawa was ‘poaching’ talent from STARDOM that led to his termination from parent company Bushiroad. 

• Marigold Wrestling Launches: Rossy Ogawa, Roster & First Event on 5/20

Tokyo Sports gave fans their first glimpse at two of the championships that will be defended under the Marigold banner. The Marigold World Championship features a red strap with silver plates while the United National Championship features a white strap with silver plates. It is currently unclear how the inaugural champions will be decided. 

These won’t be the only titles that the roster of Marigold will compete for. There will be two more titles to be introduced, according to the report, but there is no word yet on what those titles will represent. 

Marigold Fields Forever

Marigold’s first event will come on May 20 and will take place at the iconic Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan. This inaugural event will be broadcast on WRESTLE UNIVERSE and will offer both English and Japanese commentary. The show will feature Giulia, who despite reports that a WWE move is guaranteed, will make a handful of appearances for Marigold per year. The former NJPW Strong Women’s Champion will team with Utami Hayashishita to face WWE NXT alum Sareee and Bozilla. 

Rossy Ogawa’s termination from STARDOM was an unfortunate but necessary call after he allegedly deceived the promotion with health concerns. 

Ogawa was fired from the promotion he founded in February 2024 in a shocking move that led to speculation talent would quit in protest. Ogawa was accused of poaching STARDOM talent for a new promotion he’d been working on, a claim Ogawa denied at the time. 

With Ogawa out of the picture, Taro Okada was quickly promoted to being the promotion’s president. In a recent interview with Encount, Okada explained the circumstances surrounding Ogawa’s exit. 

“Considering sales, I felt that the organization was unstable. It was like a venture company that was aiming for sales of 100-200 million yen, but was somehow managing to do everything by handouts.” 

Okada added that Ogawa claimed he was ready to leave STARDOM for health reasons. After Okada and others learned of plans Ogawa’s plans to launch a promotion, they didn’t take his deception well. 

“Ogawa told me when we first met that he was quitting. At the time, he said it was a matter of physical strength. Then, in January of this year, I heard that Mr. Ogawa was going independent and that he was talking to a number of wrestlers. If we were to split up, it would be an unstable business.”

While Ogawa has claimed he was not poaching talent for a new promotion, he has since gone on to launch Marigold who are set to host their first event this June. The show will feature a number of ex-STARDOM talent, including Giulia. The ex-NJPW Strong Women’s Champion is also set to join WWE very soon.

More on Rossy Ogawa

Here are some recent articles relating to Rossy Ogawa and his situation now that his time with STARDOM is a thing of the past:

Kenny Omega has spoken against Marigold founder Rossy Ogawa who is set to embark on a working relationship with WWE. 

Ogawa was present at WWE NXT Stand & Deliver alongside Giulia who is set to officially join WWE later this year. Giulia will be a part of Marigold’s first event and is set to make occasional appearances for the promotion after becoming a fully-fledged WWE Superstar. 

During a recent Twitch stream, Kenny Omega didn’t hold back with his comments about Ogawa, who he dubbed an ‘e-drone.’ Omega went further and said that women in wrestling are wise to keep away from Ogawa and his business practices. 

“There are a lot of people who refuse to work for him for the very same reason. Some of those people are in WWE. Some are in AEW. They have a very good reason.”

Later in the stream, Omega said that Ogawa “puts underage girls in very revealing swimsuit calendars.” The AEW EVP insinuated that there were even worse actions being committed but didn’t want “lawyers barking at my door.”

Omega ended his comments by wishing Marigold performers look and that he’d be “very hesitant” if he was in their shoes. Omega also said that he’s ‘with’ Asuka and that the pair of them are ‘bros.’ The WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion has previously stated that Ogawa created STARDOM to defeat her. 

“I don't care about Rossy bring an E-Drone. That is not even the tip of the iceberg. Just you freaking wait… when it finally comes out.”

Says there are a lot of people both in WWE/AEW who refuse to work with him for that reason, and comments on the “13-30 unmarried girls”… https://t.co/ydhnwg1ldd pic.twitter.com/jrDph5n5Qt

— Drainmaker 🌧️ 💵 (@DrainBamager) April 20, 2024

These are certainly some shocking claims against Ogawa, ones that WWE should take seriously when looking at their impending working relationship with Marigold. While fans are excited to see WWE partner with other promotions in their new era, the deal with Marigold could be under serious scrutiny given Omega’s claims. 

WWE’s new era will see the company form a working relationship with Rossy Ogawa’s new Marigold wrestling promotion, it has been reported.

Ogawa, the recently-fired founder of STARDOM is hoping to bring stars including IYO SKY and Kairi Sane to a Marigold event expected to take place this summer. Whether that happens or not, the Wrestling Observer Newsletter reports that a working agreement will be in place between the two companies. 

The main star who’ll benefit from this working agreement is Giulia, who is expected to sign with WWE in the near future. The former NJPW Strong Women’s Champion is expected to compete for both WWE and Marigold before an eventual move to the U.S. Giulia, who appeared at NXT Stand & Deliver alongside Ogawa, is expected to appear on a few big Marigold events per year in addition to her full-time WWE commitments. 

Great to have you at #StandAndDeliver, @giulia0221g! pic.twitter.com/hv2kySgsHQ

— WWE (@WWE) April 6, 2024

Giulia is set to appear at Marigold’s debut event in May 2024 alongside a talented roster of women including NXT alum Sareee. Her WWE in-ring debut is expected to be at July’s NXT Heatwave event, possibly with championship gold on the line. 

WWE forging a working agreement with Marigold, one that’ll seemingly last for multiple years, is a massive change from how the previous administration did business. In stark contrast to Vince McMahon’s ‘don’t play well with others’ approach, WWE is said to be exploring forging working relationships with other companies and Tony Khan has said that he’d be interested in a WWE-AEW partnership, under the right circumstances.

Rossy Ogawa is hoping to bring some of the top women of WWE to his new Marigold promotion in what could be the start of a long-term partnership.

Marigold was officially launched earlier this week and comes mere months after Ogawa’s departure from STARDOM, which he also founded. Ogawa has denied the claim from STARDOM’s parent company Bushiroad that he was ‘poaching’ talent from the all-female promotion. 

In an interview with Tokyo Sports, Ogawa spoke about WWE and how the company is host to some of the names he worked with in STARDOM including Kairi Sane and IYO SKY. Ogawa added that he’d like to invite names from WWE to do something with MARIGOLD down the line. WrestleMania week was not kind to SKY or Sane as the former lost the WWE Women’s Championship to Bayley while the latter was on the losing-side of a six-woman tag-team match.

Ogawa even went on to tease that Marigold could become a feeder system for WWE in the future. He stated that perhaps Marigold will be a “ranch” for talent ahead of a move to WWE. 

The idea of WWE and Ogawa working together isn’t all that farfetched. After all, Ogawa was present at WWE NXT Stand & Deliver and was seen alongside Giulia, who shared a photo of herself shaking hands with Triple H backstage. The former NJPW Strong Women’s Champion is expected to join WWE, but she will be appearing for Marigold first to help the company get off the ground. 

Great to have you at #StandAndDeliver, @giulia0221g! pic.twitter.com/hv2kySgsHQ

— WWE (@WWE) April 6, 2024

Playing Well With Others

For decades, WWE was vehemently against working with other promotions but that attitude has considerably softened in recent years. From Mickie James and Jordynne Grace being in Royal Rumble matches to talent like Charlie Dempsey, Shayna Baszler, and Shinsuke Nakamura being allowed the chance to compete outside of WWE’s confines, there is certainly a new stance on working with other companies. 

WWE President Nick Khan is said to be seriously considering potential collaborations with other promotions, though nothing has been publicly confirmed just yet. Even AEW President Tony Khan isn’t against the idea as he told ComicBook.com that collaborating with WWE is an “interesting thought” and would “depend on the circumstance.”

Rossy Ogawa has launched a new Japanese women’s wrestling promotion, as expected. A press conference was held Monday morning to announce the launch of Marigold Dream Star Fighting.

Marigold been a long time in the making, with reports that Rossy was exiting Stardom to start his own project and taking talent with him. The company’s inaugural event, “Marigold Fields Forever,” is set for May 20 at Korakuen Hall. It broadcast live on Wrestle Universe with commentary in Japanese and English.

The will feature a tag team match pitting Giulia and Sareee on opposite sides, with partners to be announced soon.

May 20 Korakuen Hall
Inaugural Show!!
“Marigold Fields Forever”
?Main Event
Giulia & X vs Sareee & X

Live on https://t.co/vDwXf9pjwZ
with English and Japanese commentary!!#Marigold pic.twitter.com/AOkVzsBTGM

— Marigold Joshi (@Marigold_Joshi) April 15, 2024

Marigold Roster

Rossy has compiled a roster of former stars from STARDOM and Actwres girl’Z featuring these 13 wrestlers at launch:

• Giulia
• Utami Hayashishita
• MIRAI
• Nanae Takahashi
• Mai Sakurai
• Yuzuki (now using the name Victoria Yuzuki)
• Nao Ishikawa
• Natsumi Sumikawa
• Miku Aono
• Misa Matsui
• CHIAKI
• Chika Goto
• KOUKI

Giulia, who recently appeared at NXT’s Stand & Deliver event during WrestleMania weekend, is assisting Ogawa with the new promotion before her transition to WWE.

Rossy’s Controversial Exit from 

Ogawa was dismissed from Stardom in February amid allegations of attempting to poach talent as he exited. He denied these claims but confirmed his plans to start this new promotion.

Many top stars were thought to be leaving Stardom as well, including Utami Hayashishita, MIRAI, Mai Sakurai, and Yuzuki, who all had contracts set to expire at the end of March.

In early February, it was reported that Giulia would postpone her WWE debut in order to fulfill her commitment to assist STARDOM founder Rossy Ogawa with his new promotion. The STARDOM standout has said in the past that she had unfinished business in Japan.

Bushiroad may come to regret firing Rossy Ogawa from World Wonder Ring STARDOM as some of its top talent are expected to leave very soon. 

Ogawa, the founder of STARDOM, was fired last month in a shocking and unexpected move. Bushiroad is the parent company of both STARDOM and NJPW and in their statement, apologized to fans for any concerns over STARDOM’s future. A series of tweets from Tony Khan suggested that he was firmly on STARDOM’s side.

pic.twitter.com/0L34bSSZTW

— Tony Khan (@TonyKhan) February 5, 2024

Champions Say Goodbye

In Bushiroad’s statement announcing Ogawa’s exit, it was reported that he had been poaching talent. While this has not been proven, it appears talent are eager to work with him, even if it means leaving STARDOM behind. 

Some of STARDOM’s top wrestlers are set to leave the promotion in the wake of Ogawa’s exit, Tokyo Sports reports. Utami Hayashishita, MIRAI, Mai Sakurai, and Yuzuki all have contracts set to expire at the end of March and it is believed they’ll be leaving. 

Hayashishita is a reigning Goddess of STARDOM Champion, a title she has held three times and currently holds alongside Saya Kamitani. She is a former World of STARDOM champion as well. 

Tokyo Sports reports she has been speaking of a fresh environment, and wanting to start from scratch. MIRAI is a current Artist of STARDOM Champion alongside Akari and Ami Sourei. 

What’s to Come? 

It has been reported that the wrestlers are expected to join a new promotion that is to be created by Ogawa. At this time, Ogawa has not publicly confirmed plans for a new promotion. 

Another Huge Arrival? 

Another name who recently left Bushiroad is Giulia, who is expected to join WWE in the future. Before then though, it is believed she will join Ogawa’s new promotion and help the company get off the ground. Giulia recently lost the NJPW Strong Women’s title, signifying her split from Bushiroad. 

Who Has Replaced Ogawa?

Taro Okada and Oyama, the Bushiroad Fight merchandise manager, will immediately take over as the bookers for STARDOM. Neither has any previous experience as bookers, though Okada was part of a pro wrestling club that held matches during his college days.