Meiko Satomura. The Living Legend. The Final Boss. Joshi God. Whatever you want to call her, it is undeniable the impact she has had on the wider professional wrestling world over the last thirty years. Carving out a legacy that has influenced many of the world’s best, inspiring them to travel to/from Japan to make names for themselves, they walk the path that Meiko Satomura laid for them. It is after thirty years, growing from Joshi trainee to The Final Boss, that she has decided to hang up her boots and retire from in-ring competition.
GAEA Japan:
Trained by one of the most influential competitors in Joshi and founder of GAEA Japan, the legendary Chigusa Nagayo, Satomura made her debut for the promotion on April 15th 1995, defeating Sonoko Kato–still an active competitor, herself, today. As time passed, the two of them would go on to capture the All Asia Athlete Women’s Tag Team Championship, becoming the inaugural holders of the titles and the first reign of three for Meiko. The other two would come alongside Ayako Hamada and Nagashima as her respective partners, where they would go to war against the likes of Joshi Icon, Manami Toyota, and pro wrestling titan, Aja Kong. As a side note, Satomura and Hamada’s match against Toyota and Kong from GAEA Iron Heart 2002 is well worth the watch. It was not long after her debut, after gaining some momentum, that Satomura would venture overseas to the United States for her first stint of competition abroad, making her debut for WCW of all places, at the age of sixteen.
1997 BBM Woman’s Pro Wrestling
Though it was for a brief time, Satomura would gain first-hand experience of western crowds wrestling for WCW at the age of 16. There, she participated in a tournament for the women’s championship–a title and division the promotion sought to establish in 1996 with the likes of Satomura and Akira Hokuto competing. It was at the hands of Hokuto, the eventual tournament winner, that Satomura would be defeated in the first round before heading back to Japan. While in GAEA, Meiko would also go on to capture the promotion’s main singles championships on two occasions, between 2001 and 2005, her reigns spanning over five hundred days–long reigns and Satomura go hand in hand, but more on this later. Continuing the trend, it was Kong that Meiko would defeat to gain her first world title and suffer defeat to, to end her second title reign. The beginning of a kismet theme surrounding Meiko’s career- first in GAEA, then Sendai Girls’, etc (mentioned later).
Sendai Girls’:
Though GAEA would close its doors in the mid-noughties, it wasn’t long until Meiko would find the next stage in her career. Sendai Girls’. Launching the promotion alongside Jinsei Shinzaki (better known to WWE fans as Hakushi), Satomura served as the initial roster’s trainer and booker, having wrestled for a decade by this point. Sendai Girls’ (or Senjo) first show consisted of four Joshi debutantes against four established stars, with the main event being another all-out war between Meiko Satomura and Aja Kong. In her near-twenty-years in Sendai Girls’, Meiko captured the world title twice, serving as both the inaugural and (at the time of writing) current champion, book-ending her career in a way that can only be described as poetic. Representing the company she helped create, seeing and realising the vision that she and Shinzaki had all those years ago, Satomura represents the old-guard riding off into the sunset, leaving the place they called home in the hands of a new generation of people who cite her as an inspiration, the blueprint, the standard-bearer.
The bulk of her career was spent in Sendai Girls’, yes, but that wasn’t the only place to provide a ground for the Living Legend to compete. While primarily freelancing, Satomura also competed for the likes of DDT and STARDOM, going so far as to capture the world titles of those respective companies at different points during the 2010s, making history in both instances. In the case of the former, she became the first (and only) female competitor to hold the KO-D Openweight Champion. In the case of the latter, her reign as World of Stardom Champion saw her also capture the Stardom Year-End award for match of the year alongside Io Shirai (IYO SKY, today), who brought Meiko’s 150-day reign to a close. 2018 would see another change in her career, venturing back to the United States for another opportunity to compete in another tournament. This time, for WWE.
WWE/NXT:
Her legacy already cemented at this point, Satomura entered the 2018 Mae Young Classic. Another feather in her cap. Defeating the likes of Killer Kelly and Mercedes Martinez, she would fall in the semi-finals to eventual winner (and former Stardom competitor in her own right), Toni Storm. Three years would pass before Satomura would return to competition for the company, reports circulating of her signing as a presence in front of, and behind the camera as part of the NXT UK brand. Competing against the likes of Kay Lee Ray (now Alba Fyre) for the NXT UK Women’s Championship, Satomura would go on to become the longest reigning champion in the title’s history–though this is in part due to the restrictions brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. Semantics, semantics. Meiko would also face Mandy Rose, leading to the unification of the NXT and NXT UK women’s championships, and Roxanne Perez, the last opponent Meiko would have under the WWE banner before returning back home to Japan. Once again, wherever Meiko goes is left off a better place for her being there, in the sense that new stars and momentum are created in the wake of her influence and prowess inside the ring and behind the scenes.
The Final Year:
Not seen on WWE TV since 2023, Satomura continued working in Japan from mid-2024 onwards, leading towards her retirement later this year. Competing for the likes of TJPW, Sendai Girls’, DDT, Marvelous, GLEAT, Marigold, and as part of Sareee-ISM (chapter six), Meiko’s final farewell as an in-ring competitor is leaving no stone left unturned.
2025 marks the retirement of both Satomura and Nanae Takahashi. The two faced off in Marigold at the beginning of the year alongside their respective trainees, Nao Ishikawa and YUNA, before competing one-on-one to a time-limit draw at the Giant Baba 25th anniversary memorial show later that month. Satomura’s final year follows the “all gas, no brakes” mentality, as it was within that same week she would square off against Sareee. Final Boss vs. Sun God. After just over fifteen minutes, it was Meiko who would emerge victorious after a battle befitting two Gods of Joshi wrestling. One final victory, Meiko avenging her previous loss against Sareee, in a fashion that represented professional wrestling in its purest form- away from the lights, special effects, and other accoutrement. Rather than accruing losses on her way out, the dominance of the Living Legend is on full display as she bows out with her arm raised–not just in her homeland but around the world.
The Final UK Tour:
That brings me to the reason why I decided to pen this article. Satomura would be making her final in-ring appearances in the UK in late February, and I was lucky enough to be in attendance for her final singles match on UK soil. The British scene is one Meiko had committed a fair portion of her later career to throughout the late 2010s. Appearing for the likes of Pro Wrestling: EVE, Schadengraps, and PROGRESS Wrestling, her presence has graced some of the countries most popular venues. From The Hangar in Wolverhampton, the Manchester Academy, the Resistance Gallery, York Hall, and Alexandra Palace in London. But that particular February weekend, Meiko would return to the Electric Ballroom and stand across the ring from British Standout, Leader of the Pack, Rhio.
The event itself, “Chapter 177: My Own Destiny”, felt aptly named given both competitors’ histories and the stakes going into the match. For Rhio, a victory would mean a level of momentum beyond comprehension, defeating a legend in her final appearance on your shores, grounds for a championship match having proven your ability against one of the best to ever grace the sport of professional wrestling. For Satomura, a victory would mean the fulfillment of her destiny in cementing herself as an all-time great, a conqueror of the globe–despite her fingerprints being present all over the world in terms of what her work has done for womens’ competition, she would not fall to anyone. She may have paved the road, but she will not be pushed aside on the road to sporting immortality.
On a card full of hard-hitting contests, it was Meiko and Rhio that showed the beauty of professional wrestling under standard rules. Yes, the use of weapons, nefarious displays of violence, and the bending of rules by dastardly heels are a pleasure to watch as an audience, but there is something about a one-on-one match between two stalwarts of wrestling that evokes an emotion like no other.
Sitting floor-level for the show, anticipation and buzz were rife in the air. Having been energetic the whole night, the crowd felt rejuvenated at the announcement of there being one match left, and what a match it would be. A contest between two former PROGRESS women’s world champions, the longest reigning champion in the form of Rhio, against the most experienced, in Meiko Satomura. Rhio entered first, to a chorus of fans chanting her name. Dropping to a knee in the centre of the ring, arms spread to either side, Rhio basked in the ovation sent her way, taking to the corner as her music fell silent and the venue fell silent with baited breath. Soon, the piano keys marking the start of Meiko’s music resounded throughout the Ballroom, everyone standing to their feet as the drums and guitars followed. Coming through the curtain, Meiko stood at the ramp, draped in Red and Gold, a warrior, a legend, a God in her own right standing in front of her faithful. She walked to the ring, stoic, driven, scaling the apron as the guitars and chants rang out, shaking the ballroom’s very foundations. Bowing before entering the ring, the final words, the final prayer said, she was ready. Upon her in-ring introduction, two bouquets were presented to her, a tradition in Joshi wrestling dating back an age. Raising the flowers in her arms, streamers flew through the air- red, black, gold- covering the ring, to Meiko’s elation.
The Main Event:
The beginning stages of the match were contested in deep silence, the crowd in awe of the contest in front of them as the two competitors jockeyed for position, locked in a collar-and-elbow tie-up, leveraging for an advantage. Pressed against the ropes by Satomura, Rhio’s hands released from the hold as the referee called for a clean break. Meiko released but delivered a stiff kick to Rhio’s left thigh – the sound of kickpad-on-flesh breaking the silence that had held for so long as groans of disgust and grimaces spread across the venue. We were in for a brawl. We’ve all seen strong forearms thrown between opponents in pro-wrestling before, yes, but there is nothing that can describe hearing someone’s skeleton reverberate from a single forearm, as we did sitting beside the ring. Meiko and Rhio went blow for blow before moving to Joshi-style scoop slams, strikes, and fundamentals taking the spotlight.
Business picked up at the execution of stronger, impact-based moves. The tide eventually turned in Meiko’s favour after a few near-falls in favour of Rhio. Delivering the Satomura Special (cartwheel knee strike to a kneeling opponent) and Death Valley Bomb, Satomura would only pin Rhio’s shoulders for a two-count. The defiance from the British standout showcased the determination embodied by those inspired by Satomura, Kong, Hokuto, and so many others. On one knee, Rhio remained dazed as Satomura sat waiting before launching herself into the air, leg cresting into the air and coming down with an almighty impact as she connected with the Scorpion Rising. With a final exclamation point, Satomura connected with another Death Valley Bomb for the pinfall victory.
As the music, applause, and chants blended together, the roster soon poured out from behind the curtain, joining the fans in attendance in showing their appreciation for the Living Legend. With more bouquets in-hand, fans and wrestlers alike stood ringside in reverence for one of the sport’s all-time greats.
Words like “aura” are used so frequently nowadays that they lose their meaning, so what I can say is this: to say that it was an honour to watch the final UK-based singles match of a legend like Meiko Satomura is an understatement. To say that watching her enter the ring was an out-of-body experience is an understatement. I never thought that I would have the chance to see Meiko wrestle in person and will forever be grateful that I was given the opportunity to do so. There are some things in wrestling that make you frustrated, make you question why you became a fan or why you still keep up with it–but it is matches like this, with competitors like this, that put those thoughts to rest, that rejuvenate your love for the sport.
Though she still has a couple more months until her official retirement on April 29th at “Satomura The Final”, and the likes of Yuki Arai awaiting her in TJPW in the meantime, there is one thing I feel would be a fitting end to this piece.
To put it simply, thank you, Meiko.
