KAIRI recently outlined that emotions were running high ahead of facing Mercedes Mone for the title at last month's Battle in the Valley event.

KAIRI has been a prominent name in the world of pro wrestling across the globe. She had stints with STARDOM, WWE, and New Japan Pro-Wrestling, where she became the inaugural IWGP Women's Champion by defeating Mayu Iwatani last November.

In her first title defense, 'The Pirate Princess' defeated Tam Nakano at Wrestle Kingdom 17, where interestingly Mercedes Mone made her NJPW debut. KAIRI's title defense against Mone didn't go as per her plans.

Meanwhile, Mercedes Mone sent shockwaves through the wrestling world last year when she left WWE amid creative differences with the company. After becoming a free agent at the start of 2023, she joined NJPW.

Her in-ring debut for the promotion came at Battle in the Valley when she defeated KAIRI to become the new IWGP Women’s Champion. KAIRI has now talked about her emotions prior to the highly-anticipated match.

During a recent conversation with our friends at WrestlingNews.co, KAIRI described her emotions prior to the match and stated that she felt goosebumps before the monumental match.

[I]“[I] was feeling goosebumps when saw Mercedes Mone. To be able to have a match against Mercedes Mone for the IWGP Women’s Belt was very monumental.”

The 34-year-old then continued on, with her translator explaining the relationship between herself and Mercedes. She explained:

“Mercedes Mone and [KAIRI] are very close friends both on-screen and off-screen, and she respects Mone as a wrestler and as a woman.

“To see her at the Tokyo Dome and the challenge before they fought again in the U.S., KAIRI might’ve lost the match, but it could’ve been one of the best moments of her entire career so far.”

KAIRI recently announced that she was a free agent, while Mercedes Mone enjoys her title reign.