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Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Mina Shirakawa and Mariah May became friends and wrestling partners in STARDOM before either woman’s AEW storyline brought them into conflict. In 2024, AEW drew on that history to complicate Mariah’s alliance with Toni Storm and Mina’s challenge for Toni’s Women’s World Championship. Mina’s friendship with Mariah was described in interviews; the betrayals and romantic tension were part of the on-screen story.
How Mina Shirakawa and Mariah May became friends
Their relationship began in Japan, where they worked together in STARDOM and were associated with Club Venus. Mina said she created the group and became its leader while Mariah was in Japan. With members from different countries, Mina recalled that cultural differences sometimes caused friction; the group worked through problems by talking and meeting. She said forming the bond took effort.
In a June 2024 interview, Mina called Mariah her “best friend and best partner” and said, “Our bond is not easy to form, but our bond is very real.” Mina also recalled their shared experiences and celebrations in Japan. A November 2023 Talk Is Jericho episode description likewise identifies Mina as Mariah’s mentor and friend from her STARDOM period. [Fightful’s report of Mina’s interview; Talk Is Jericho episode description; Wrestlezone’s report]
How AEW brought that history into the Toni Storm story
When Mina arrived in AEW, the company made her past with Mariah part of the story around Toni Storm. Mariah had formed an on-screen alliance with Toni, while Mina was presented as Mariah’s former partner and close friend. Mina challenged Toni for the AEW Women’s World Championship at Forbidden Door in June 2024.
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Mina spoke about the three-way dynamic in character, contrasting her connection with Mariah against Toni’s. She said, “I love Mariah. Mariah loves me. I feel Toni Storm only loves Mariah because Mariah dresses up as Toni. Me and Mariah’s feelings are more real.” That line belongs to the wrestling storyline: it is not evidence about the performers’ private relationships. [Fightful’s report of Mina’s June 2024 interview]
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What happened between them in late 2024
AEW’s December 2024 retrospective framed Mina as hoping the Mariah she knew from STARDOM was still there as Mariah became more ruthless on screen. The story included Mariah’s betrayal of Toni and an attack with a champagne bottle at Full Gear. Mina later said she recognized the bottle and kicked it away, adding, “In Japan, I train kickboxing and striking. It felt nice kicking.”
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AEW then advertised Mariah versus Mina for the Women’s World Championship at Winter Is Coming. Fightful reported that Mina did not win. These events mark the documented end of the 2024 arc in the sources cited here; they do not establish what happened between the characters afterward. [AEW’s December 11, 2024 preview; Fightful’s report on the bottle moment and match]
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What is real, and what is storyline?
- Real-world history: Mina and Mariah worked together in STARDOM. Mina publicly described Mariah as her friend, partner, and first mentor; Mariah’s podcast episode description also calls Mina her mentor and friend.
- AEW story: The love-triangle framing, betrayals, championship conflict, and physical attacks were part of the scripted on-screen narrative.
- What the cited coverage establishes: It documents the friendship accounts and the 2024 storyline through the Winter Is Coming title match. It does not verify their latest private relationship or later on-screen status through October 7, 2026.
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