Mina Shirakawa Next Likely Destination Revealed After Stardom Exit

Mina Shirakawa has been turning heads in AEW throughout 2024, and now it looks like her next chapter is officially on the horizon. The STARDOM standout is wrapping up her time in Japan—and she’s coming to the United States.

According to Dave Meltzer in the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Shirakawa is done with STARDOM after April 2 and will be relocating stateside. “Mina Shirakawa is leaving Stardom to move to the U.S. The expectation is she would be signing here. She pretty much confirmed this and said that other than the Stardom WrestleMania weekend shows in the U.S., that she’s still doing, her final date in Japan is 4/2, and after that she’s moving.”

Her decision to leave STARDOM comes as a shock to many fans, especially with the emotional “loser retirement match” between Tam Nakano and Saya Kamitani set for April 27. As a former Wonder of Stardom Champion, Shirakawa’s exit leaves a big gap in the promotion.

Reports first broke via Tokyo Sports that she notified STARDOM of her plan to leave at the end of 2023, with her contract officially expiring this March. While her final Japanese match will take place on April 2, she’s confirmed to appear on STARDOM’s U.S. events during WrestleMania weekend before fully relocating.

Shirakawa’s next move has fans speculating hard. WWE remains a possibility, but AEW is the name on everyone’s lips. She’s already appeared for Tony Khan’s promotion multiple times in 2024, including her hard-hitting showdown against Mercedes Moné for the NJPW Strong Women’s Championship at Wrestle Dynasty on January 5.

If Shirakawa joins AEW full-time, she’d make history as the first Japanese female wrestler to jump directly from STARDOM to AEW—a potential game-changer for both companies.

Whether it’s a rematch with Mercedes Moné or fresh battles with AEW’s top-tier women, Shirakawa’s U.S. arrival is one to watch closely.

Would you rather see Mina Shirakawa join AEW or WWE? Who should be her first opponent in the U.S.? Drop your dream matchups in the comments and let us know where you think she fits best!