Kyoko Inoue | Japanese Women Wrestler
Kyoko Inoue
5'6" 209 lbs. - Nanyou City, Japan
Athletic Background - Judo, Track & Field
Teacher - Jaguar Yokota [AJW Dojo]
Kyoko Inoue is a divisive character in joshi puroresu and anyone who has watched her quickly builds an opinion. She can be lazy, bordering on worthless, in the ring at times and other times she has her working boots on and is a spunky, chunky punk who is fun and entertaining. Colorful and charismatic, Kyoko Inoue carved out a place in joshi puroresu history that is undeniable.
A graduate of the AJW Dojo, Inoue was a plump youngster who got over quickly with her personality. Some think she was an exceptional talent, some think she was overrated and some think she fell short of her potential. Inoue was a key figure during the third boom of joshi puroresu. Her team with Takako Inoue was tremendously successful and she was always in the mix with the top stars from Aja Kong and Akira Hokuto to Manami Toyota and Toshiyo Yamada.
She established herself and when the time came, she struck out on her own. In 1997, Inoue formed Neo Ladies, as the joshi puroresu ballooned with smaller promotions. While she had the star power and connections to carry the company initially, but eventually it seemed to be a vanity project. Neo Ladies (later "NEO"), like Kyoko Inoue, struggled with inconsistency. As age, injuries and weight took their toll, Kyoko Inoue relied increasingly on her character. NEO relied more heavily on gimmickry - comedy matches, mixed matches and even some shootfights. It was a bizarre mixture, but it seemed to work. Other than her regular work for NEO, Kyoko had runs with FMW, DDT and other independents.
In 2010, she left NEO and formed World Woman Pro-Wrestling Diana the following year. After being one of the featured stars of joshi puroresu in the midst of one of its hottest periods, Kyoko Inoue quickly declined and became a caricature of herself.
Finishers -
- Niagara Driver (Sitout Thunder Fire Powerbomb)
- Victoria Driver (Inverted Death Valley Bomb)
Favorites -
- Springing Elbowdrop
- Spider Nest STF
- Giant Swing
- Lariat
- Mongolian Chop