WWE Superstar Retires From Pro Wrestling
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
A respected figure in professional wrestling whose influence extends to numerous performers behind the scenes has retired after a remarkable 25-year career. Meiko Satomura, the former NXT UK Women's Champion, had her official retirement match on April 29th in Tokyo, Japan.
It was held under the banner of Sendai Girls' Pro Wrestling, the promotion she co-founded. The contest saw it be a tag team encounter. The Sendai Girls' Pro Wrestling event saw Satomura team with Nanami, where they went over.
Prior to the match, legendary wrestler Kenta Kobashi presented Satomura with a bouquet of flowers, a symbol of respect and recognition for her contributions to the sport. However, the night held further surprises for Satomura. Following her tag team victory, Aja Kong took to the microphone and asked to team up with Satomura for one final match.
This request set the stage for an impromptu main event, uniting two long-standing rivals in a final match. Satomura and Kong joined forces to take on a team consisting of Hashimoto, Senka Akatsuki, Takumi Oroha, YUNA, and Mika Iwata. This emotional and highly anticipated match ultimately concluded in a five-minute draw.
The WWE logo is seen on the front of the WWE wrestling world headquarters on January 28, 2024 in Stamford, Connecticut. WWE founder Vince McMahon resigned from the WWE and its parent company TKO as...
The WWE logo is seen on the front of the WWE wrestling world headquarters on January 28, 2024 in Stamford, Connecticut. WWE founder Vince McMahon resigned from the WWE and its parent company TKO as executive chairman and its board of directors following allegations of sexual assault made public in a lawsuit in Connecticut. A former employee Janel Grant accused McMahon, 78, of sexual assault and sexually trafficking her. MoreShe continues to be involved with the NXT brand in a coaching capacity. Satomura also maintained an in-ring presence for WWE in 2024 during the company's tour of Japan, with her last WWE match being a singles championship bout against Bayley for the WWE Women's Championship. Her final televised match under the WWE banner aired against Roxanne Perez at NXT Roadblock in March 2023.
The final ring call for Meiko Satomura and she gets showered with red streamers one last time.#SATOMURAfinal #SENJO pic.twitter.com/CkkFVNQOgE — meraWRESTLING (@meraWRESTLING) April 29, 2025
More news: WWE News: Steve Austin Reveals Real-Life Vince McMahon Confrontation
Satomura's extensive professional wrestling career began in the mid-1990s, including a stint in WCW during its efforts to establish a prominent women's division. She further showcased her talent on an international stage by participating in WWE's Mae Young Classic tournament in 2018, where she advanced to the semifinals.
In mid-2019, she also served as a guest coach at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, demonstrating her commitment to nurturing emerging talent. That same year, Satomura had the unique opportunity to train with then-SmackDown Women's Champion Sasha Banks at the Sendai Girls' dojo in Japan.
While officially signed with WWE since 2020, Satomura's in-ring appearances for the company have become less frequent in recent years.
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