Legendary WWE Champion Announces Retirement Match
Every wrestler’s career must come to an end, and the most fitting way for a professional wrestler to say goodbye is with one final match.
More WWE: 5 Opponents Goldberg Should Face in WWE Retirement Match
Recently, fans saw Goldberg announce that he was going to have his final match next year.
Now, it looks like a different wrestling legend is going to do the same.
Professional wrestling legend Meiko Satomura recently took to social media to announce that she will be having her retirement match next year, after 30 years in the business.
“Retirement date has been set,” Satomura said (via Instagram translations). “I wonder how many more games. I’ll watch for everyone I cheered on and met. I will push through Meiko Satomura until the end.”
The match is set to take place on Tuesday, April 29, 2025, at Tokyo’s Korakuen Hall.
Satomura is still technically signed to WWE and wrestled three live events in Japan, including a match against Bayley for the WWE Women’s Championship.
Meiko Satomura made her professional wrestling debut for Gaea Japan on April 15, 1995. She would remain with the all-female promotion until 2005.
During that time, Satomura would make appearances in WCW wrestling, in tournaments for the WCW Women’s World Championship and the WCW Women’s Cruiserweight Championship.
More WWE: Former World Champion Taking WWE Absence: Report
Satomura would go on to be an important figure in multiple iconic Japanese professional wrestling promotions, including Sendai Girls’ Pro Wrestling, World Wonder Ring Stardom, and Chikara.
Satomura made her WWE debut when she participated in the 2018 Mae Young Classic. She made it to the semifinals before being eliminated by Toni Storm.
Satomura was next seen in WWE NXT UK, where she would defeat Kay Lee Ray (now Alba Fyre) for the NXT UK Women’s Championship. She would go on to hold the title for 451 days until it was unified with the NXT Women’s Championship in a match against Mandy Rose and Blair Davenport.
More WWE: Seth Rollins Teases Retirement After WWE Crown Jewel
On WWE NXT, Satomura proved to be the ultimate test for multiple wrestlers. Her last televised match saw her facing Roxanne Perez for the NXT Women’s Championship at NXT Roadblock 2023.
In her 30 year career, Satomura has won the AAAW Single Championship twice, the Sendai Girls World Championship, and The World of Stardom Championship.
In 2013, Satomura earned the Joshi Puroresu Grand Prize, recognizing her as the top female wrestler in Japan.
For more WWE and professional wrestling news, head on over to Newsweek Sports.