Marigold’s Rossy Ogawa comments on Utami Hayashishita’s departure for Stardom
Earlier this week, Utami Hayashishita made waves by returning to Stardom after a two+ year absence, confronting Saya Kamitani during the promotion’s card at Tokyo’s Korakuen Hall.
That meant the former World Champion was leaving Marigold, the promotion Rossy Ogawa created after being fired from Stardom, the promotion he co-founded.
Ogawa spoke to Tokyo Sports and the media after Marigold’s Thursday show about her move (translated) where he admitted that “I knew she was going to leave. It happened exactly as expected.”
“She should go wherever she wants to go and do whatever she wants to do. She’s already going on tour with them, right? Stardom was very well prepared,” he said.
Hayashishita last wrestled in Stardom in April 2024 before debuting in Marigold a month later. She held their World title for nearly 300 days, last holding it in October 2025. Her final match for Marigold was earlier this week.
Ogawa appeared to be skeptical of how Stardom could use Hayashishita given their roster, and that he wants her to “devote herself completely to Stardom and wrestle with the mindset of burning herself out there.”
“While the promotion is clearly trying to get younger, it’s difficult in many ways for the veteran group to figure out their place. Even the key wrestlers over there aren’t exactly at the center anymore. All she can do is work hard wherever she goes. But this time, she really has to commit herself. Going all over the place isn’t really a good thing,” he said.
Since 2011, Josh has been a contributing editor to Wrestling Observer/F4WOnline.com and also hosts the Punch-Out podcast. He has also written for Fight Magazine, Bloody Elbow, Bleacher Report, and other websites. He's a 2000 graduate of the University of Maine, worked in pro sports, and once was an indie ring announcer.