Sumie Sakai is to retire, with her last match set for NJPW Battle in the Valley in January.
After New Japan’s Strong Style Evolved show on Sunday, a clip was released on social media of Sakai, 53, telling Hiromu Takahashi she wanted him to be in her last match.
Hiromu agreed to be her opponent in a six-person tag. Sakai will choose a male and a female to join her, while Takahashi will pick two women.
Battle in the Valley is set to take place in San Jose, California on January 11th.
Already confirmed for the show is an NJPW STRONG Tag Title match between new champions The West Coast Wrecking Crew and Roppopngi ReVice (Rocky Romero & YOH).
Additionally, STRONG Openweight Champion Gabe Kidd issued a challenge to Tomohiro Ishii for the event.
Born in 1971 in Suzuka, Sakai debuted in professional wrestling in 1997 after training under Jaguar Yokota. She gained prominence in Ring of Honor as the inaugural Women of Honor Champion and remains the longest-reigning titleholder in the division’s history.
Over her 27-year career, Sakai also competed internationally, winning numerous championships across Japan and the United States, and has been celebrated for her technical excellence.
