Sareee
Sareee, whose real name is Sari Fujimura, is a Japanese professional wrestler renowned for her hard-hitting strong style in joshi puroresu.[1] Born on March 31, 1996, in Itabashi-ku, Tokyo, she made her professional debut at the age of 15 on April 17, 2011, for World Woman Pro-Wrestling Diana after training under wrestlers like Kaoru Ito.[2] Throughout her career, Sareee has competed as a freelancer across multiple promotions, emphasizing intense, physical matches that have earned her acclaim as one of the top talents in women's wrestling.[1] Early in her career, Sareee spent six years with Diana before joining Seadlinnng in 2017, leaving in late 2018. She signed with WWE in February 2020, debuting on the NXT brand as Sarray in May 2021, where she competed until her release in May 2023 amid reported creative frustrations and a desire to return to Japan. Upon her return to Japan in May 2023, she resumed freelancing, working with promotions like Sendai Girls' Pro Wrestling, World Wonder Ring Stardom, and Dream Star Fighting Marigold, winning the Seadlinnng Beyond the Sea Single Championship on August 25, 2023, and holding it for a record 511 days until her defeat on January 17, 2025, while producing her own events under the Sareee-ISM banner, which have consistently sold out venues like Shinjuku FACE.[3][4] Sareee's notable achievements include winning the inaugural Marigold World Championship in July 2024 by defeating Giulia, holding it until January 3, 2025,[5][6] capturing the IWGP Women's Championship on June 21, 2025, from Syuri at Stardom's The Conversion event, holding it until October 13, 2025.[1][7][8] She received the Tokyo Sports Women's MVP Award in 2024 for her dominant performances across 15 promotions that year, solidifying her status as a versatile and influential figure in global women's wrestling.[1] In 2025, she expanded internationally with a debut for Ring of Honor in October, defending her IWGP title against Alex Windsor on ROH television.[9]Early life and training
Childhood and family background
Sari Fujimura, professionally known as Sareee, was born on March 31, 1996, in Itabashi-ku, Tokyo, Japan.[10] Raised in a household deeply immersed in professional wrestling, Sareee's father, an avid fan of Antonio Inoki, played a pivotal role in introducing her to the sport.[3] From a young age, she accompanied him to joshi wrestling events every weekend, even during the challenging "dark age" for puroresu in Japan when attendance was low and the industry struggled.[3] These experiences sparked an intense passion for Japanese promotions, where she became hooked on the intensity and athleticism of women's professional wrestling.[11] In her free time after school, Sareee collected wrestling trading cards and autographed memorabilia, further fueling her enthusiasm.[3] This early fandom, cultivated through consistent exposure in Tokyo's dynamic wrestling scene, inspired her to aspire to a career in the ring, setting the foundation for her future pursuits.[11]Entry into professional wrestling
Sareee commenced her formal professional wrestling training at age 14 in the dojo of World Woman Pro-Wrestling Diana, where she was mentored by accomplished wrestlers Kaoru Ito, Kyoko Inoue, and Kyoko Hamaguchi.[3][12] The Diana dojo upheld the demanding training regimen rooted in the All Japan Women's Pro-Wrestling tradition, focusing on building endurance, technique, and resilience through repetitive drills and sparring sessions.[13] As a young trainee, Sareee encountered substantial challenges, including the grueling physical toll of extended workouts, weight training, and learning to withstand impacts in a high-intensity environment ill-suited to her adolescent frame. Adapting to core pro wrestling elements—such as executing suplexes, submissions, and safe falls—required overcoming initial fears and building mental fortitude, all while navigating the dojo's strict hierarchy and expectations. Her early fandom, nurtured by family influences, provided motivation amid these rigors. She was assigned the ring name "Sareee" shortly before her debut, blending her given name Sari with inspiration from the band Greeeen, though she initially competed under the trainee moniker "Yuni" in preparatory matches. Her debut was originally scheduled for March 21, 2011, but was postponed due to the Great East Japan Earthquake. On April 17, 2011, at age 15, Sareee made her professional in-ring debut for Diana against veteran Meiko Satomura at the promotion's inaugural event in Tokyo, a matchup that highlighted her potential and established her as one of the youngest female debuts in Japanese wrestling history.[14][13][15]Professional wrestling career
World Woman Pro-Wrestling Diana (2011–2020)
Sareee made her professional debut for World Woman Pro-Wrestling Diana on April 17, 2011, at the age of 15, facing and losing to Meiko Satomura in her first match.[16] From 2011 to 2015, she primarily competed as a jobber and mid-card wrestler, gaining experience through undercard singles bouts and tag team opportunities that helped develop her technical style and in-ring fundamentals. In a notable early achievement, Sareee partnered with veteran Jaguar Yokota to defeat Kaoru Ito and Mima Shimoda on December 23, 2014, capturing the Diana World Tag Team Championship in their inaugural reign as a team; they held the titles until dropping them to Ito and Kyoko Inoue in February 2015.[2] During 2016 and 2017, Sareee's role evolved as she secured victories over established veterans, signaling her emergence as a promising talent within the promotion. On January 3, 2016, she won a five-woman battle royal by last eliminating Kyoko Inoue, the promotion's founder and a joshi pioneer.[17] This period included consistent mid-card exposure and tag team work, though she briefly departed Diana in February 2017 for a short stint elsewhere before returning in October 2017, reaffirming her commitment to the group. Her growing prowess against seasoned opponents like Inoue positioned her for main-event contention. Sareee's ascent peaked in 2018 when she challenged and defeated Kyoko Inoue on July 22 to win the vacant Diana World Championship, becoming the promotion's top star at age 22.[18] Her first reign lasted 151 days, ending on December 20, 2018, in a successful title defense loss to Aja Kong, a match that highlighted her resilience against one of joshi's most dominant forces. On May 12, 2019, Sareee avenged the defeat by beating Kong to claim the Diana World Championship for a second time, embarking on a 237-day reign marked by defenses that solidified her status as Diana's ace.[18] These high-profile clashes, including rematches with Kong and bouts against other top competitors, drew attention to the promotion amid a challenging landscape for smaller joshi groups, with Sareee's performances helping sustain fan interest and roster morale. From late 2019 into 2020, Sareee continued as a central figure, producing events like her "Sareee's Special Night" show on December 3, 2019, which featured title defenses and showcased emerging talent. Her second reign concluded on January 4, 2020, when Ayako Sato upset her in Korakuen Hall, ending Sareee's dominant run.[19] This loss coincided with her announcement of departure from Diana, driven by recovery from a severe neck injury sustained earlier that year and pursuit of international opportunities in the United States. Over nearly nine years, Sareee's progression from rookie to two-time world champion played a pivotal role in Diana's endurance, blending technical mastery with high-stakes storytelling that elevated the promotion's profile.[19]Seadlinnng (2017–2018)
Following her rising success in World Woman Pro-Wrestling Diana, where she had captured multiple championships and established herself as a top talent, Sareee transferred to Seadlinnng on February 1, 2017, marking a significant career shift to the upstart promotion founded by Nanae Takahashi.[20] Sareee made her official debut for Seadlinnng on March 16, 2017, at the Luckiest777 event in Tokyo, where she faced off against the promotion's powerhouse ace Yoshiko in a singles match, ultimately falling to a decisive defeat after a competitive showcase of her technical prowess against Yoshiko's raw power.[21] This bout highlighted early stylistic clashes, with Sareee's precise submissions and strikes contrasting the hard-hitting, dominant style of Seadlinnng's established stars. Throughout her initial stint, Sareee engaged in several high-profile encounters, including tag team action alongside Nanae Takahashi against Stardom's Arisa Nakajima and Tsukasa Fujimoto on May 5, 2017, at Golden Go! Go!, which underscored inter-promotional rivalries.[22] Her most notable run came in the ULTRA U-7 Tournament in August 2017, where she advanced past Hirori in the first round via submission on August 11 before dropping a hard-fought semi-final to Marvelous' Takumi Iroha on August 24 at Summer Blast, in a 10-minute battle emphasizing endurance and power exchanges that earned widespread respect for her adaptability in a new environment.[23] These performances positioned her as a versatile competitor pursuing early title opportunities within Seadlinnng, though she did not secure championship gold during this period. Sareee's time with Seadlinnng proved brief, as she departed the promotion in September 2017 after just seven months, opting to return to Diana amid ongoing commitments there.[20] Her involvement tapered off significantly thereafter, limited to two freelance appearances in 2018, constrained by the need to balance her primary obligations in Diana and a severe clavicle injury suffered in her October 20, 2017, return match against Kaoru Ito, which sidelined her for over a year and halted further crossovers.[24]WWE (2020–2023)
In February 2020, Sareee signed a contract with WWE, adopting the ring name Sarray, but her relocation to the United States was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. She finally arrived in April 2021 and began training at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida, where she adapted to the company's rigorous regimen while continuing to compete in Japan until her move.[25][26][27] Sarray made her NXT television debut on August 10, 2021, losing to Dakota Kai in a competitive match that highlighted her athleticism and stiff striking style rooted in joshi wrestling. She rebounded with a victory over Kai on February 8, 2022, via Saito Suplex, marking a brief feud that showcased her resilience amid NXT's competitive women's division. Later that year, Sarray engaged in a short storyline with Tiffany Stratton, stemming from an attack over a necklace symbolizing her heritage; she faced Stratton in matches on March 15 and April 19, 2022, emphasizing themes of respect and cultural identity, though she did not secure a decisive win in the rivalry. These encounters positioned her in the mid-card, with additional victories over opponents like Kayla Inlay and limited television exposure that often confined her to enhancement roles despite her technical prowess.[28][29][30][31][32] Sarray took a hiatus from in-ring competition starting in mid-2022, her last televised match being a loss to Mandy Rose on August 2, 2022, amid reports of creative dissatisfaction and personal challenges. She returned briefly in early 2023 but opted not to renew her expiring contract, leading to her release in March 2023. The decision stemmed from frustrations with WWE's creative direction, including a repackaged "magical girl" persona in a sailor uniform that clashed with her desire to portray a "cool and strong" wrestler, as well as homesickness from living alone in the U.S. without family support—unlike other Japanese talents with spouses or relatives nearby. Cultural adjustments proved challenging, with language barriers hindering communication and the individualistic American wrestling environment contrasting sharply with the team-oriented, attentive dynamics of joshi promotions; however, she expressed no regrets over the experience, viewing it as valuable growth despite only 23 matches during her tenure.[33][34][35][36]Sareee-ISM and independent circuit (2023–present)
Following her departure from WWE in 2023, Sareee established Sareee-ISM as her self-produced event series to showcase her vision for traditional joshi puroresu, debuting with Chapter One on May 16 at Shinjuku Face in Tokyo.[13] The inaugural show featured a lineup of established joshi talents, emphasizing high-stakes matches and drawing an initial attendance of 537 spectators.[37] This launch marked Sareee's entrepreneurial pivot, allowing her to curate dream matchups independent of major promotions while embodying her "Sun Goddess" persona rooted in themes of renewal and fierce competition.[13] Sareee-ISM quickly gained momentum through subsequent chapters, with Chapter II on August 4, 2023, highlighting a rare tag team main event pairing Sareee with KAIRI against veteran opponents.[38] The series expanded in 2024, incorporating international aspirations and collaborations with wrestlers from diverse backgrounds, such as American and European guests in exhibition bouts to broaden joshi's global appeal.[39] By 2025, events like Chapter VI on January 23 at Shinjuku Face achieved near-capacity crowds of 598 out of 600, reflecting steady growth in fan engagement and Sareee's role in revitalizing independent joshi circuits.[40] A cornerstone of Sareee-ISM has been its focus on marquee dream matches, exemplified by the January 23, 2025, main event where Sareee faced her debut opponent Meiko Satomura in a hard-hitting singles bout that Satomura won, serving as a pivotal moment ahead of the veteran's retirement.[41] This encounter underscored Sareee's commitment to honoring joshi history while pushing athletic boundaries, with the 20-minute clash earning widespread acclaim for its intensity and technical prowess.[40] Beyond the ring, the promotion's business model has emphasized accessible streaming via platforms like sareeelive.com, fostering collaborations with indie talents and legends such as Jaguar Yokota and Yumiko Hotta to sustain attendance growth from early chapters' mid-500s figures to consistent sell-outs by mid-2025.[41] Sareee's independent circuit activities complemented Sareee-ISM through freelance bookings across Japanese indies in 2023, including tours with promotions like Marvelous and Sendai Girls' World, where she competed in multi-woman showcases to maintain her in-ring momentum post-WWE.[42] These appearances, often featuring stiff strikes and submission holds signature to her style, helped solidify her freelance status while avoiding long-term commitments, with 2024-2025 seeing expanded outings abroad in exhibition events that aligned with her "Sun Goddess" branding of empowerment and cross-cultural exchange.[1] The venture's success is evident in its role as a hub for joshi innovation, attracting over 595 attendees by Chapter V in September 2024 and enabling Sareee to produce events that prioritize quality over quantity.[43] In November 2025, Sareee-ISM held Chapter IX on November 10 at Shinjuku FACE, featuring added matches such as MIRAI vs. YuuRI, continuing the series' tradition of high-profile bookings.[44] Additionally, on November 16, 2025, Sareee competed in the main event of Chihiro Hashimoto's 10th anniversary celebration at sold-out Korakuen Hall, losing to Hashimoto in a significant freelance appearance.[45]Return to Seadlinnng (2023–2025)
Following her release from WWE in March 2023, Sareee made her in-ring return in Japan through her independent event Sareee-ISM in May 2023 before rejoining SEAdLINNNG.[46] On August 25, 2023, at SEAdLINNNG's 8th Anniversary event in Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, she defeated reigning champion Arisa Nakajima in the main event to capture the Beyond the Sea Single Championship, marking a triumphant comeback and instantly positioning her as the promotion's top star.[47] This victory highlighted her evolution as a wrestler post-WWE, blending technical prowess with aggressive striking in a 25-minute hard-fought bout.[48] Throughout 2024, Sareee solidified her reign with multiple successful defenses, headlining major SEAdLINNNG events and drawing increased attendance through her high-profile status. Notable defenses included victories over Unagi Sayaka at the Kawasaki Pro Wrestling Matsuri in May 2024 and Misa Kagura at Shinjuku Lighting Up! in June 2024, where she showcased resilient submissions and power moves to retain the title.[12] Her performances, including a brutal non-title clash against Yoshiko at New Leaf 2024 in April, emphasized SEAdLINNNG's hard-hitting style and helped elevate the promotion's visibility amid a competitive joshi landscape.[49] Sareee's star power contributed significantly to roster development, mentoring younger talents and attracting cross-promotional interest, as evidenced by her winning the Tokyo Sports Women's Wrestling Grand Prize for 2024.[50] In 2025, Sareee's storyline intensified with emerging tensions within SEAdLINNNG, culminating in her title loss to VENY on January 17 at Shin-Kiba Series 2025 Vol. 1. The match featured interference from VENY's allies, sparking a feud that highlighted internal faction rivalries and betrayal narratives in the promotion.[51] This 511-day reign ended dramatically, shifting focus to redemption arcs for Sareee amid ongoing promotional dynamics, though she continued headlining to maintain SEAdLINNNG's momentum.[4]Sukeban (2023–present)
Sareee made her debut with Sukeban in December 2023 at the promotion's second event in Miami, Florida, where she competed in a four-way match representing the Cherry Bomb Girls stable, quickly establishing herself as a top draw by blending her technical joshi wrestling background with Sukeban's street-fight aesthetic inspired by 1960s Japanese girl gangs.[52][53] The multi-year contract she signed earlier that month underscored her role in bridging Japanese puroresu traditions with American independent wrestling's emphasis on narrative-driven rivalries and high-fashion elements.[54] On October 10, 2024, at Sukeban London in York Hall, England, Sareee—billed as Sareee Bomb—defeated Commander Nakajima to capture the Sukeban World Championship, ending the inaugural champion's reign that had lasted over 300 days since its inception.[55][56] This victory marked her as the second champion in the title's history and highlighted her adaptation to Sukeban's hybrid style, incorporating brawling and gang warfare motifs into her arsenal of suplexes and submissions.[57] As champion in 2025, Sareee made successful defenses that supported Sukeban's international expansion, including a title retention against Maya Mamushi on July 5 at Anime Expo in Los Angeles, California, where she navigated the promotion's chaotic, no-holds-barred environment amid a crowd of over 5,000 fans.[58] She further adapted her style for global tours, emphasizing resilient striking and environmental use in matches across the United States, United Kingdom, and Japan, which helped elevate Sukeban's profile through collaborations with fashion brands and live streaming on platforms like TikTok.[59] Her reign contributed to the promotion's growth by drawing larger audiences to events blending athleticism with cultural storytelling, until she dropped the title to Atomic Banshee on November 7 in a gang warfare underground match in Shinjuku, Tokyo.[60][61]World Wonder Ring Stardom (2024–present)
Sareee made her debut for World Wonder Ring Stardom on March 9, 2024, during the first night of the Cinderella Tournament at Yokohama Budokan, where she partnered with Chihiro Hashimoto to defeat Natsupoi and Saori Anou in a tag team match.[62] Her integration into the roster was complicated by existing tensions within the promotion, stemming from her role as founder of the rival Dream Star Fighting Marigold and her public comments contrasting Stardom's athletic style with what she described as "real fighting," which drew boos from fans and friction with established talents.[63] Despite the backlash, Sareee quickly positioned herself as a top contender, entering the Cinderella Tournament that same night and advancing through initial rounds to showcase her technical prowess and striking ability. Throughout 2024 and into early 2025, Sareee developed intense rivalries with Stardom's marquee stars Mayu Iwatani and Syuri, marked by high-stakes confrontations that highlighted her outsider status. She first challenged Iwatani for the IWGP Women's Championship on April 27, 2024, at All Star Grand Queendom in a critically acclaimed match that ended in defeat after 28 minutes, solidifying her as a credible threat but underscoring the promotion's resistance to her ascent.[64] The feud with Iwatani persisted into 2025, culminating in another failed title challenge in February at a Stardom event, where Iwatani retained amid ongoing roster skepticism toward Sareee's aggressive promotional tactics. Meanwhile, her rivalry with Syuri escalated through a series of brutal encounters, beginning with a non-title clash in March 2025 that built toward championship implications and exposed stylistic clashes between Sareee's shoot-style roots and Syuri's hybrid MMA-influenced approach. Sareee's perseverance paid off on June 21, 2025, at The Conversion event held at Yoyogi National Gymnasium in Tokyo, where she defeated defending champion Syuri in a 32-minute epic to capture the IWGP Women's Championship for the first time, ending Syuri's reign after just two defenses and marking Sareee as the fifth champion in the title's history.[65] This victory, achieved via Sareee's signature Meteora and a bridging German suplex, represented a pinnacle of her Stardom tenure, validating her crossover appeal despite persistent fan division. As champion, she made several successful defenses through the summer and fall, including retaining against Konami in a hard-fought submission-heavy bout on August 23 at 5☆Star Grand Prix and against Suzu Suzuki in September, demonstrating her resilience in multi-woman environments.[66] Her reign continued with defenses against international challengers, such as a victory over Alex Windsor on October 9 in Ring of Honor, extending the IWGP title's reach beyond Japan. However, the Syuri rivalry reignited at King of Pro-Wrestling on October 13, 2025, where Syuri reclaimed the championship in a 15-minute rematch via her Syu-Sekai armbar, ending Sareee's 115-day reign after four defenses and closing a defining chapter in their year-long feud.[67]Dream Star Fighting Marigold (2024–2025)
Sareee joined Dream Star Fighting Marigold in 2024 as a cornerstone talent shortly after the promotion's founding by Rossy Ogawa, a veteran producer who had been ousted from World Wonder Ring Stardom. She made her debut appearance for the new company at its inaugural event, Fields Forever, on May 20, 2024, in Tokyo, where she teamed with a mystery partner in the main event. Ogawa positioned Sareee as a central figure to help establish Marigold's identity, leveraging her experience across multiple promotions to draw international interest and bolster the roster's credibility from the outset.[68] On July 13, 2024, at Summer Destiny, Sareee defeated Giulia in a 25-minute hard-fought match via referee stoppage to become the inaugural Marigold World Champion, solidifying her status as the promotion's top star. As champion, she made several successful defenses throughout late 2024, showcasing her strong-style wrestling against challengers who tested her resilience and technical prowess. One notable defense came against Utami Hayashishita on January 3, 2025, at First Dream, though this match ended in defeat for Sareee after a 22-minute clash, with Hayashishita capturing the title via submission.[69][70] Sareee's championship reign contributed significantly to Marigold's early momentum, helping the promotion attract larger crowds and media attention during its formative months by highlighting high-stakes, physically intense matches that aligned with Ogawa's vision for a competitive women's wrestling scene. However, her involvement in multiple promotions led to scheduling conflicts, including back-to-back appearances for Marigold and Stardom in October 2025, which she described as physically demanding but essential for her career growth. This cross-promotion activity also resulted in a mixed reception, with Sareee facing boos from Stardom audiences due to perceived loyalties to Marigold, as explained by Ogawa in interviews attributing it to her outspoken advocacy for "real wrestling" outside Stardom's ecosystem.[71][72][73]Ring of Honor (2025)
Sareee made her surprise debut for Ring of Honor (ROH) on October 1, 2025, during television tapings in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as a special attraction billed as the reigning IWGP Women's Champion.[74][9] In her debut match, aired on the October 2 episode of ROH on HonorClub, she teamed with Alex Windsor to defeat Billie Starkz and Diamanté by submission, with Diamanté tapping out to Windsor's Sharpshooter.[75][76] The appearance marked Sareee's return to a major American promotion following her IWGP Women's Championship victory in World Wonder Ring Stardom earlier in 2025.[9] Following her tag team outing, Sareee made her ROH singles debut on the October 9, 2025, episode of ROH on HonorClub, successfully defending the IWGP Women's Championship against Alex Windsor in a hard-fought contest that lasted over 15 minutes.[77][78] Sareee retained the title via pinfall after countering Windsor's offense with her signature strong style strikes and submissions, solidifying her status as a top joshi export in the American scene.[79] This defense highlighted Sareee's technical prowess and resilience, drawing praise for blending Japanese strong style with ROH's hybrid wrestling format.[80] Sareee's ROH appearances were lauded for bridging joshi wrestling traditions with American promotions, injecting fresh international talent into ROH's women's division amid its ongoing rebuild.[74][81] Critics and fans noted parallels to her prior WWE NXT tenure, where she competed as Sarray from 2020 to 2023, but emphasized her evolved presence as a seasoned champion returning on her own terms.[9][82] Her debut run through October 2025 established her as a key figure in potential cross-promotional efforts, though no further ROH matches were confirmed by November.[83]Championships and accomplishments
Professional wrestling championships
Sareee's professional wrestling career includes multiple championship reigns across various promotions, beginning with her early success in Japan and extending to international titles in 2024 and 2025. Her first title win came on April 20, 2014, when she defeated Manami Katsu to capture the JWP Junior Championship, which she held for 119 days before losing it to Kaho Kobayashi on August 17, 2014.[12][84] On December 23, 2014, Sareee and Jaguar Yokota defeated Kaoru and Mima Shimoda to win the Diana World Tag Team Championship, holding the titles for 56 days until February 17, 2015, when they lost to act Yasukawa and Yumi Ohka.[12][85] In World Woman Pro-Wrestling Diana, Sareee achieved her first world title on July 22, 2018, by defeating Kyoko Inoue for the Diana World Championship in her first reign, which lasted 151 days until she dropped the title to Aja Kong on December 20, 2018.[12][86] She regained the championship on May 12, 2019, defeating the same opponent, Kyoko Inoue, for her second reign, holding it for 237 days before losing to Ayako Sato on January 4, 2020; this brought her total time as champion to 388 days across both reigns.[19][86] Sareee won the Sendai Girls' World Championship on June 8, 2019, defeating Chihiro Hashimoto, and held it for 127 days before losing it back to Hashimoto on October 13, 2019.[87] Sareee first challenged for the Seadlinnng Beyond the Sea Single Championship in 2018 during her initial stint with the promotion but did not win until August 25, 2023, when she defeated Arisa Nakajima to claim the title in her debut reign.[12][47] She held the championship for 511 days, making several successful defenses, including against Nagisa Nozaki on December 29, 2024, before losing it to Veny on January 17, 2025.[88][89] With Yoshiko, Sareee won the Beyond the Sea Tag Team Championship on November 27, 2020, defeating Best Friends (Arisa Nakajima and Tsukasa Fujimoto), and held the titles for 56 days until vacating them on January 22, 2021, due to Yoshiko's injury.[90][91] As part of Dream Star Fighting Marigold, Sareee became the inaugural Marigold World Champion on July 13, 2024, defeating Giulia via referee stoppage in a 25-minute match.[69] Her reign lasted 174 days and included notable defenses, such as a submission victory over Bozilla on October 25, 2024, before she lost the title to Utami Hayashishita on January 3, 2025.[12][92] In Sukeban, performing as Sareee Bomb, she won the Sukeban World Championship on October 10, 2024, by defeating Commander Nakajima at Sukeban London.[55] Her reign extended approximately 393 days with defenses including a victory over Maya Mamushi on July 5, 2025, until she lost the title to Atomic Banshee (Ram Kaichow) on November 7, 2025, in a gang warfare underground match.[93][94] Sareee captured the IWGP Women's Championship on June 21, 2025, defeating Syuri at STARDOM The Conversion 2025 in her first reign with the title. She defended it successfully against Alex Windsor on October 9, 2025, during an ROH TV taping, holding the championship for 114 days before Syuri reclaimed it on October 13, 2025, at NJPW King of Pro-Wrestling.[95]Other accomplishments
In 2024, Sareee was honored with the Tokyo Sports Women's Wrestling Grand Prize, the publication's highest accolade for female wrestlers in Japan, acknowledging her dominant performances across multiple promotions and her inaugural Marigold World Championship reign.[50] She also received the Wrestling Observer Newsletter's 2024 Women's Wrestling MVP award, selected by a panel of international journalists for her exceptional in-ring contributions and promotional success.[96] Sareee ranked No. 6 in Pro Wrestling Illustrated's 2024 Women's 250, a global list evaluating active female wrestlers based on match quality, title achievements, and overall influence, placing her among the elite performers worldwide.[9] As a promoter, Sareee has set benchmarks for independent joshi events through her Sareee-ISM series, which emphasizes strong style wrestling; Chapter VIII in July 2025 at Shinjuku FACE achieved the promotion's record attendance of 599, a sellout that underscored growing fan interest in her vision for the genre.[97] Sareee's career has profoundly shaped joshi puroresu, serving as a "last surviving hope" for traditional strong style amid evolving industry trends and inspiring younger wrestlers to prioritize technical prowess and resilience in their training and performances.[13] Her October 2025 debut in Ring of Honor, where she teamed with Alex Windsor in a tag match and later defended the IWGP Women's Championship, amplified her international profile and highlighted joshi talent to American audiences, fostering broader cross-cultural appreciation.[9]In wrestling and media
Wrestling style and signature moves
Sareee employs a high-impact striking style deeply rooted in joshi strong style, characterized by stiff strikes, suplexes, and resilient grappling that emphasizes fight and grit over performative elements.[3] Her approach draws from the traditions of All Japan Women's Wrestling, prioritizing intense, realistic combat sequences that test opponents' endurance.[3] Trained by mentors including Kyoko Inoue and Kaoru Ito, she incorporates influences from puroresu icons like Antonio Inoki and Masahiro Chono, blending technical precision with aggressive power to embody the "last bastion" of strong style in modern joshi wrestling.[98][3] Her in-ring evolution reflects a progression from a technically oriented base during her early years in World Woman Pro-Wrestling Diana, where she honed submission and suplex fundamentals, to a more powerhouse-oriented performer following her WWE stint as Sarray from 2021 to 2023.[12] This shift was marked by enhanced physicality and global adaptability, particularly after overcoming a severe clavicle injury on October 20, 2017, during a match against Kaoru Ito, which was expected to sideline her for over a year but from which she returned after three months, underscoring her resilience and commitment to the ring. Post-recovery, Sareee has integrated greater emphasis on high-stakes strikes and throws, adapting her style across promotions like Stardom and Marigold while maintaining a focus on injury-proof execution.[98] Sareee's signature moves highlight her versatile arsenal, often transitioning seamlessly between strikes and throws to control match pace. Key maneuvers include:- Wrist-clutch uranage: A powerful lifting throw used frequently as a finisher to drive opponents into the mat with authority.[2]
- Exploder suplex: A high-impact bridging suplex variation that showcases her explosive strength against larger foes.[2]
- German suplex: A classic rolling or bridging suplex, emphasizing her technical roots and ability to chain into combinations.[98]
- Hesitation dropkick (Sun Ray): A precise, delayed dropkick targeting the chest or head, symbolizing her striking precision.[2]
- Spinning heel kick: A dynamic kick delivered with rotational force, often setting up larger offense.[12]
- Sareee Clutch (octopus hold): A bridging arm-trap submission that locks in pressure on the neck and arms, reflecting her grappling heritage.[2]