10 Things You Didn't Know About Maria Kanellis
2. She Wrestled For New Japan
In 2015, Ring of Honor's association with New Japan Pro Wrestling meant that The Kingdom (Mike Bennett, Matt Taven, and their manager, Maria) made the trip to Tokyo. At April's Invasion Attack PPV, Bennett and Taven beat Karl Anderson and Doc Gallows for the IWGP Tag Team Titles, with some help from Maria.
That set her up for a match of her own - at Wrestling Dontaku 2015, Bennett, Taven, and Maria would take on Anderson, Gallows, and "The Bullet Babe" Amber O'Neal, Gallows's real-life wife. This match was significant; unlike WWE, New Japan has no women's division. It had been 13 years since a woman had competed in a match of any kind for the promotion, and that was Joanie "Chyna" Laurer, who had exclusively wrestled with and against men during her 2002 run in New Japan.
Maria pinned O'Neal to win that bout, but at Dominion, Anderson and Gallows reclaimed the belt. The Kingdom would return to New Japan to participate in the World Tag League tournament later in the year.