Jackie Sato
Encyclopedia
, better known as was a professional wrestler from Yokohama, Japan
. In the 1970s, while wrestling for All Japan Women's Pro-Wrestling
(AJW), she formed the tag team
, the Beauty Pair, with Maki Ueda. Following in the steps of Mach Fumiake, the Beauty Pair was part of an important shift in the culture of Japanese women's wrestling, attracting more female fans by becoming pop icons. In their mainstream success, Satō and Ueda paved the way for the even more popular team, the Crush Gals, of the 1980s.
in high school
, Jackie Satō became a professional wrestler after graduation. She joined AJW in 1975, and had her debut match against her future tag team partner, Maki Ueda, on April 27 of that year. On February 24, 1976 the Beauty Pair was formed, and they won the WWWA World Tag Team Championship
that night. During their championship reign throughout most of 1976, the Pair created excitement by using their top ten hit single to announce their entrance, and were regularly feted by their adoring fans who threw confetti and streamers into the ring.
Satō also had success as a singles wrestler. She won the WWWA World Heavyweight Championship
on November 1, 1977 from Maki Ueda in a Beauty Pair showdown, and held it twice more during the late 1970s, defeating Monster Ripper
and Nancy Kumi. She lost the title the final time to the younger Jaguar Yokota
on February 25, 1981. On February 27, 1979, Satō defeated her former partner, Ueda, in a "loser retires" match. Satō's own retirement ceremony was held on May 21, 1981.
On August 17, 1986, inspired by the current boom in interest in women's wrestling in Japan due to the success of the Crush Gals, Satō, along with wrestler Nancy Kumi, boxer
Rumi Kazama, and others, formed the first women's promotion
to compete against the AJW monopoly, Japan Women's Pro-Wrestling (JWP). Satō herself returned to active wrestling and competed for nearly two years before retiring a second and final time on March 20, 1988. Under Sato's influence, JWP did not offer the "mandatory retirement" policy common in AJW, allowing female wrestlers to compete until they wished to retire, rather than until the promoters ordered them to retire. AJW eventually dropped the mandatory retirement policy in the 1990s.
Satō attended the AJW thirtieth anniversary show in 1998. She died on August 9, 1999 due to stomach cancer.
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. In the 1970s, while wrestling for All Japan Women's Pro-Wrestling
All Japan Women's Pro-Wrestling
, nicknamed Zenjo was a joshi puroresu promotion established in 1968 by Takashi Matsunaga and his brothers. The group held their first card on June 4 of that year...
(AJW), she formed the tag team
Tag team
Tag team professional wrestling is a variation in which matches are contested between teams of multiple wrestlers. A tag team may comprise two wrestlers who normally wrestle in singles competition, but more commonly are made of established teams who wrestle regularly as a unit and have a team name...
, the Beauty Pair, with Maki Ueda. Following in the steps of Mach Fumiake, the Beauty Pair was part of an important shift in the culture of Japanese women's wrestling, attracting more female fans by becoming pop icons. In their mainstream success, Satō and Ueda paved the way for the even more popular team, the Crush Gals, of the 1980s.
Career
Though she had played basketballBasketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
in high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
, Jackie Satō became a professional wrestler after graduation. She joined AJW in 1975, and had her debut match against her future tag team partner, Maki Ueda, on April 27 of that year. On February 24, 1976 the Beauty Pair was formed, and they won the WWWA World Tag Team Championship
WWWA World Tag Team Championship
The World Women's Wrestling Association World Tag Team Championship was the top doubles championship in All Japan Women's Pro-Wrestling from 1970 until it closed in 2005...
that night. During their championship reign throughout most of 1976, the Pair created excitement by using their top ten hit single to announce their entrance, and were regularly feted by their adoring fans who threw confetti and streamers into the ring.
Satō also had success as a singles wrestler. She won the WWWA World Heavyweight Championship
WWWA World Heavyweight Championship
The WWWA World Heavyweight Championship was the top singles championship in All Japan Women's Pro-Wrestling from 1970 until it closed in 2005. It was also known in Pro Wrestling Illustrated and other London Publishing wrestling magazines as the All-Japan Women's International Championship...
on November 1, 1977 from Maki Ueda in a Beauty Pair showdown, and held it twice more during the late 1970s, defeating Monster Ripper
Rhonda Singh
Rhonda Ann Sing was a Canadian professional wrestler. After training with Mildred Burke, she wrestled in Japan under the name Monster Ripper. In 1987, she returned to Canada and began working with Stampede Wrestling, where she was their first Stampede Women's Champion...
and Nancy Kumi. She lost the title the final time to the younger Jaguar Yokota
Jaguar Yokota
is a Japanese professional wrestler and later wrestling trainer, who wrestled under the name . She is widely considered one of the greatest female wrestlers of all time, and, during her heyday in the early 1980s, was considered one of the best wrestlers in the world, irrespective of...
on February 25, 1981. On February 27, 1979, Satō defeated her former partner, Ueda, in a "loser retires" match. Satō's own retirement ceremony was held on May 21, 1981.
On August 17, 1986, inspired by the current boom in interest in women's wrestling in Japan due to the success of the Crush Gals, Satō, along with wrestler Nancy Kumi, boxer
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
Rumi Kazama, and others, formed the first women's promotion
Professional wrestling promotion
A professional wrestling promotion is a company or business that regularly performs shows involving professional wrestling. Promotion also describes a role which entails management, advertising and logistics of running a wrestling event...
to compete against the AJW monopoly, Japan Women's Pro-Wrestling (JWP). Satō herself returned to active wrestling and competed for nearly two years before retiring a second and final time on March 20, 1988. Under Sato's influence, JWP did not offer the "mandatory retirement" policy common in AJW, allowing female wrestlers to compete until they wished to retire, rather than until the promoters ordered them to retire. AJW eventually dropped the mandatory retirement policy in the 1990s.
Satō attended the AJW thirtieth anniversary show in 1998. She died on August 9, 1999 due to stomach cancer.
Championships and accomplishments
- All Japan Women's Pro-WrestlingAll Japan Women's Pro-Wrestling, nicknamed Zenjo was a joshi puroresu promotion established in 1968 by Takashi Matsunaga and his brothers. The group held their first card on June 4 of that year...
- WWWA World Heavyweight ChampionshipWWWA World Heavyweight ChampionshipThe WWWA World Heavyweight Championship was the top singles championship in All Japan Women's Pro-Wrestling from 1970 until it closed in 2005. It was also known in Pro Wrestling Illustrated and other London Publishing wrestling magazines as the All-Japan Women's International Championship...
(3 times) - WWWA World Tag Team ChampionshipWWWA World Tag Team ChampionshipThe World Women's Wrestling Association World Tag Team Championship was the top doubles championship in All Japan Women's Pro-Wrestling from 1970 until it closed in 2005...
(3 times)—with Maki Ueda (2) and Nancy Kumi (1) - AJW Hall of Fame (1998)
- Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards
- Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of FameWrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of FameThe Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame is a professional wrestling hall of fame that recognizes people who make significant contributions to the sport. It was founded in 1996 by Dave Meltzer, editor of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. The Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame is not...
(Class of 1996)