After a couple of stints in All Elite Wrestling as part of NJPW, Mina Shirakawa became a permanent roster member of the promotion, starting in the spring of 2025. On her first night as a full-time AEW superstar, the company gave her a brand-new theme song, but they quickly switched it back on that same episode of Dynamite after facing a ton of backlash on social media.
A few weeks removed from that dramatic scenario that created online chatter, Mina Shirakawa has finally addressed the controversy. While speaking to Renee Paquette on the AEW CloseUp show on YouTube, she spoke up about the confusion and the fan reaction surrounding her entrance music on an episode of AEW Dynamite in May.
Mina Shirakawa revealed that after she returned to AEW, she wanted to make a change, and that wishlist also featured a new theme song created by a friend. Since she was in love with the track, she was all excited to debut it, especially after AEW head honcho, Tony Khan, approved the new song as her theme music,
“So, for returning to AEW, AEW debut, I want to change something… My friend made me a song, a new song and so, I love that track. I love the song.”
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Mina Shirakawa details on changing theme song on live TV
After hearing the crowd’s reaction, Mina Shirakawa first came to the realization that many fans loved her old music and didn’t want it to have this big change in her presentation upon AEW debut. After the match, she asked Tony Khan about the change in the music and was informed that he really liked her old song. Since the old one feels more like “Mina style,” they decided to keep it,
“So maybe I feel, oh, it was mistake. So after match, I asked Tony, ‘Oh, so my music, what happened?…’ He loved the old one. But I love both of music. But, maybe (the old song) is very Mina-style, very iconic…” (quotes courtesy Fightful)
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On her debut match under a full-time contract with the AEW, Mina Shirakawa featured in a four-way match, also consisting of Women’s World Champion ‘Timeless’ Toni Storm, AZM, and Skye Blue. The Japanese talent arrived with a new theme song, but after she won, her old theme song played due to fan backlash. The title eliminator match was won by the debutant, earning her a title match opportunity.