Before going on extended hiatus for a trip to Japan, the spotlight will be on Sendai Girls as they hold a special event today in Tokyo for the retirement of Meiko Satomura, one of the most respected Japanese women’s wrestlers of all-time with a list of accolades to match and the co-founder of Sendai Girls along with fellow wrestler Jinsei Shinzaki. After a remarkable 30-year career that also took her to WWE earlier this decade, primarily in the short-lived NXT UK sub-brand as both a wrestler and coach, she wraps up her farewell tour today in her home promotion with a small but all-star lineup of legends and her own promotion’s talent. Among those appearing are OZ Academy owner/founder Mayumi Ozaki, All-Japan Women icon and fellow legend Jaguar Yokota, and opposite Satomura in her finale is the Hall Of Famer and perhaps greatest Japanese women’s wrestler ever, the incomparable Aja Kong, who will team with Chihiro Hashimoto to face Satomura & Manami in her retirement match.
Today’s event will be held at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo and can be watched LIVE on WRESTLE UNIVERSE in Japanese. There are only 5 matches scheduled and none have longer than a 30 minute time limit so even assuming that last match runs long which it should, and hopefully with a retirement ceremony for Satomura to follow, the event probably won’t run more than about 2 hours. Maybe 2 1/2 hours tops if it’s a long ceremony which it should be.
Today’s lineup:
Senka Akatsuki & Yura Suzuki vs. Yurika Oka & YUNA
Jaguar Yokota & Mayumi Ozaki vs. Sakura Hirota & TBA
9 woman (at least) battle royal. Participants: Sonoko Kato, Chikayo Nagashima, Hiroyo Matsumoto, Ryo Mizunami, Yuu, Miyuki Takase, ZONES, Soi, TBA
Veny, Lena Kross & Nina Samuels vs. Dash Chisako, Mika Iwata & Sareee
Meiko Satomura Retirement Match: Chihiro Hashimoto & Aka Kong vs. Meiko Satomura & Manami
Refresh this page occasionally for the latest results.
Updates below will begin at 7:30 PM PT/10:30 PM ET. The live stream is scheduled to begin 15 minutes before the event.
7:15 PM PT UPDATE: The live stream has begun. It appears there will also be English commentary available in addition to Japanese.
7:25 PM PT UPDATE: Live updates begin now.
We are LIVE from Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan. Your hosts are someone I don’t recognize, Sayoko Mita and special guest Chigusa Nagayo..
The paid attendance should be announced after the event. Between fans already in their seats and crowds around flower stands in the hall, it could be a legit sellout or at least close to it. Not the current full capacity setup based on where commentary is, so I’ll predict a crowd of around 1300.
The matches should begin in a few minutes. Only 5 matches today. They re-do the introductions at start time because this is also a live Samurai! TV broadcast in Japan.
The matches begin at 7:38 PM PT/10:38 PM ET. And it’s a proper event today because we have STREAMERS!!!
Match 1: Senka Akatsuki & Yura Suzuki vs. Yurika Oka & YUNA. 10 minute time limit
Result: Yurika Oka & YUNA beat Senka Akatsuki & Yura Suzuki. Oka pinned Akatsuki after a diving body press.
Match 2: Jaguar Yokota & Mayumi Ozaki vs. Sakura Hirota & TBA. 15 minute time limit. Hirota is dressed up and face painted to look like Satomura. Except for the hair perhaps…TBA is Jinsei Shinzaki.
Result: Jaguar Yokota & Mayumi Ozaki beat Sakura Hirota & Jinsei Shinzaki. Ozaki pinned Hirota after a jumping high kick. Mostly a comedy match because of Hirota, who for the last decade or so has been mainly a comedy wrestler.
Match 3: 9 woman battle royal. No rime limit. All but one of the TBAs start in the ring together. The first TBA not announced in advance is Takumi Iroha. The second TBA is Nanae Takahashi. A surprise 10th entrant after the match begins is Takako Inoue. Right behind is a surprise 11th entrant-Kyoko Inoue. Then a surprise 12th entrant-Shinobu Kandori. Then a 13th entrant-Minoru Suzuki!?!
Order of elimination: Nagashima, Kandori, Kato, Iroha, Yuu, Kyoko & Takako Inoue, Takahashi, Takase, Matsumoto, Suzuki.
Result: Ryo Mizunami won.
Intermission.
The matches resume at 8:46 PM PY/11:46 PM ET after a 10 minute break.
Match 4: Veny, Lena Kross & Nina Samuels vs. Dash Chisako, Mika Iwata & Sareee. 20 minute time limit
Result: Dash Chisako, Mika Iwata & Sareee beat Veny, Lena Kross & Nina Samuels. Chisako pinned Kross after a frog splash. Chisako with microphone post-match. Apparently during the promo she spotted her real-life sister, former wrestler Sendai Sachiko, in the crowd.
Main Event: Meiko Satomura Retirement Match: Chihiro Hashimoto & Aka Kong vs. Meiko Satomura & Manami. 30 minute time limit. After Satomura comes out for the match…GRAND SWORD!!! Kenta Kobashi comes out! He begins the proceedings with the first celebratory flower bouquet presentation to Satomura.
Result: Meiko Satomura & Manami beat Chihiro Hashimoto & Aja Kong. Satomura pinned Kong after Scorpion Rising (running jumping axe kick). Afterwards, Kong with microphone. Promo interrupted by several of the girls coming out ready to fight. Which led to…
Impromptu Match: Meiko Satomura & Aja Kong vs. Seika Akatsuki, Chihiro Hashimoto, Takumi Iroha, Mika Iwata & Yura Suzuki. 5 minute time limit
Result: Time Limit Draw
Retirement Ceremony for Satomura follows the main event. Manami comes to the ring first for a few ceremonial forearm shots to the chest then with microphone to address Satomura. Hashimoto next with microphone. Kong follows. After this, a recorded video from Kairi Sane (Kairi Hojo) played followed by a recorded video from current WWE Women’s Champion Iyo Sky (Io Shirai) then a recorded video from current WWE wrestler Asuka (Kana) followed by one from New Japan Pro Wrestling President Hiroshi Tanahashi. After that, current WWE wrestler Shinsuke Nakamura. Last was someone I didn’t recognize but if I had to guess, maybe it was Satomura’s mother. (Correction-it was former women’s wrestler Devil Masami) Next up was the customary procession of wrestlers & othes to present flowers and gifts. A noteworthy gift was from Chigusa Nagayo-a framed painting of her and Satomura titled “Bloodline Of Red”. After the final guest in the procession, Jinsei Shinzaki, Satomura with microphone for her final comments. Following this, the ring announcer highlighted some of the notable accolades of Satomura’s career. Finally, the final rite of passage into retirement-the ceremonial 10 bell salute. Then the concluding final introduction from the ring announcer…the Women’s Pro Wrestling Yokozuna Grand Champion…SATOMURA MEIKO!
30 years and many accolades around the world, her own promotion and more…all of which and more made her one of the most respected Japanese women’s wrestlers ever. A final ceremony and well-deserved send-off and hopefully she will continue to pass on what she has learned to the younger generations. It’s been too long since we’ve been able to have a proper retirement ceremony like this, in large part because of the pandemic, but this event was both a lot of fun and a worthy farewell to another lifer. I join in sending congratulations and best withes to Meiko Satomura on a Hall Of Fame worthy career and now wherever her life will take her.
End Show.
