By: James Carlin
Earlier today at a press conference, DDT Pro-Wrestling’s Saki Akai announced her decision to retire at the end of the year, with her last match taking place at DDT’s Ultimate Party on November 23rd.
📢Saki Akai announces retirement from Wrestling
At the November 23rd Ultimate Party 2023 Tokyo Ryogoku Sumo Hall show, Saki Akai will be retiring from Pro Wrestling.
Watch the Press Conference LIVE on YouTubehttps://t.co/aC4DvNSQ3A#ddtpro pic.twitter.com/p7yri9r2e9
— DDT Pro-Wrestling (English) (@ddtproENG) May 24, 2023
The news comes just weeks after her singles match with Rayne Leverkusen at DDT’s Mega Max Bump show in Yokohama.
Talking about her road to retirement, Akai said that she would once again like to challenge for the KO-D 6-Man titles with her Eruption teammates Yukio Sakaguchi and Hideki Okatani. Akai once held the 6-Man championships with Eruption previously, teaming with Sakaguchi and Kazusada Higuchi as champions.
Akai: The joys of DDT is that wrestling isn't only in the ring so I hope to show the best style of DDT wrestling with the wrestlers in DDT.
I want to give a chance to everyone whose helped me and those who I have yet to face. If anyone wants to face me, please come to DDT.… pic.twitter.com/eUEkVN0qSt
— DDT Pro-Wrestling (English) (@ddtproENG) May 24, 2023
During her career, Akai was a twenty-three time holder of the legendary DDT Ironman Heavymetalweight championship, contested under 24 hour rules, where she last won it against Ram Kaichow at Masahiro Takanashi’s Produce show in November 2022.
She was also a four-time Princess Tag Team champion, most recently winning the championships with SKE48’s Yuki Arai at Summer Sun Princess last year whilst being one of the rotating roster members that also competed frequently for DDT – like VENY.
Reiwa AA Cannon after winning the Princess Tag belts. Credit: Masahiro Kubota
Akai’s career spanned over ten years where she primarily wrestled for DDT and Tokyo Joshi but also included interesting appearances such as a short exhibition match in Ice Ribbon back in 2011 where she teamed with Hikaru Shida against Makoto and Tsukasa Fujimoto, a World of Stardom title challenge in 2015, as well as her likeness being used in the Like A Dragon series as a hostess of Club Shine in the sixth installment of the famous game franchise.
Date:
May 24, 2023
Category:
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