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Bull Nakano

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Bull Nakano
Birth nameKeiko Nakano
Born(1968-01-08)January 8, 1968(age 56)[1]
Kawaguchi, Saitama,Japan
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s)Bull Nakano
Keiko Nakano
Billed height1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)[2]
Billed weight91 kg (201 lb)[3]
Billed fromKawaguchi, Japan[2]
Trained byAll Japan Women's Pro-Wrestling
Debut1983
Retired1997[2]

Keiko Aoki(Thanh mộc huệ tử,Aoki Keiko,néeNakano(Trung dã),born January 8, 1968)is a Japanese retiredprofessional wrestlerandprofessional golferbetter known asBull Nakano(ブル trung dã,Burunakano).She began competing inAll Japan Women's Pro-Wrestling(AJW) as a teenager under thering nameBull Nakano. As a wrestler she was avillain,who oftenteamedwith her mentorDump Matsumoto.In Japan, she held several of AJW's singles and tag team championships. After being phased out by the company in the early 1990s, she traveled to North America, where she first competed in Mexico'sConsejo Mundial de Lucha Libre(CMLL), becoming its firstWorld Women's Champion.In 1994, she made her way to theWorld Wrestling Federation(WWF), where she hadfeudedwithAlundra Blayzeover theWWF Women's Championship.After holding the title once, she also competed inWorld Championship Wrestling(WCW). In 1998, Nakano began competing as a professional golfer, and in 2006, she joined a tour with theLadies Professional Golf Association(LPGA). She was inducted into theWrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fameon 2001 and was inducted into theWWE Hall of Famein 2024.

Professional wrestling career

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All Japan Women's Pro-Wrestling (1983–1996)

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Nakano's career as a professional wrestler began inAll Japan Women's Pro-Wrestling(AJW) organization inJapanwhen she was 15 years old.[2][4]After winning theAJW Junior Championshipat the age of 16 in 1984,[5]herring namewas changed toBull Nakano.[4]In July 1985, she won theAJW Championship,which she held for the next three years.[6]Meanwhile, she teamed withDump Matsumoto,who was also her mentor, as a pair ofheels.[4]With Matsumoto as her partner, Nakano won theWWWA World Tag Team Championshipin August 1986.[7]Nakano and Matsumoto also wrestled for theWorld Wrestling Federationin 1986 against the team ofVelvet McIntyreandDawn Marie Johnston.[2][8]

After Matsumoto's retirement, Nakano won the WWWA World Tag Team Championship a second and third time, with Condor Saito in 1987 and Grizzly Iwamoto in 1988.[7]As a singles wrestler, she won the 1988Japan Grand Prixin June.[9]One year later in June 1989, she also defeated Mitsuko Nishiwaki to win AJW'sAll Pacific Championship,which she lost toNoriyo Tatenoin November.[10]Around the start of the 1990s, Nakano began to be positioned as theaceof AJW.[11]In January 1990, Nakano won a tournament final to win the vacantWWWA World Single Championship.[12]She held the title for nearly three years,[4]before dropping it toAja Kongin November 1992.[12]Afterward, AJW's use of Nakano in storylines and matches decreased.[4][12]

Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (1992–1993)

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After she stopped working for AJW, Nakano traveled to Mexico in June 1992, where she was a finalist in a 12-womanbattle royaland later defeatedLola Gonzálezto becomeConsejo Mundial de Lucha Libre's firstWorld Women's Champion.[13]She lost the title toXóchitl Hamadain March 1993.[13]

World Wrestling Federation (1994–1995)

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She then made her way to the United States and competed for theWorld Wrestling Federation(WWF) once again. Debuting as an associate ofLuna Vachon,Nakano competed against theWWF Women's Champion,Alundra Blayzein August 1994 atSummerSlam,but failed to win the title.[14][15]Nakano eventually defeated Blayze for the title on November 20, 1994, inTokyoat theBig Egg Wrestling Universeevent.[2][16][17]Among her defenses was a victory overKyoko Inouein March 1995 in the semi-main event ofAJW's Wrestling QueendomVictoryshow.[18][19]Nakano's title run lasted for approximately five months, until she lost it back to Blayze on the April 3, 1995, episode ofRaw(in a match taped weeks prior) ending her reign at 134 days.[16][20]The rematch occurred in the wake ofWrestlemania XIthe night before. The WWF had planned on bringing inBertha Fayeto feud with Nakano while Blayze got plastic surgery on her nose andbreasts.[21]

It would be her last match in the company, having been released soon after for allegedly being found inpossessionof cocaine.[22]

World Championship Wrestling (1995–1996)

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In 1995, Nakano also traveled toNorth Korea,where she was part of the jointNew Japan Pro-Wrestling/World Championship Wrestling (WCW)Collision in Koreaevent inPyongyangthat set a record for attendance at a professional wrestling event with 150,000 spectators.[23]At the event, Nakano andAkira HokutodefeatedManami ToyotaandMariko Yoshida.[23]Later that year, she competed at WCW'sWorld War 3pay-per-view event, teaming with Akira Hokuto to defeat the team ofCutie SuzukiandMayumi Ozaki.[24]Nakano—withSonny Onooas her manager—continued her feud with Blayze, who was now known as Madusa, at WCW'sHog Wildevent in August 1996; Madusa defeated Nakano in the match with the stipulation that she was then allowed to destroy Nakano's motorcycle.[3]In subsequent years, Madusa called Nakano "a good-hearted person" and an "incredible talent", with whom she had some of her best matches.[25]

Retirement

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Due to injuries, Bull Nakano retired from professional wrestling in 1997.[2]On January 8, 2012, Nakano produced her own professional wrestling event, titled "Empress", which saw her recreate her most famous matches with her old opponents. The event ended with Nakano's official retirement ceremony, though she had not been an active wrestler for several years.[26]

Rise Wrestling (2017)

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It was announced atRise Wrestling'sBellatrix26/Rise 4 event on September 15, 2017, that Bull Nakano would join the promotion as a facilitator, along withCheerleader Melissaand Madusa, Nakano's former rival. Nakano turned heel during her appearance at Rise 6 on December 1, when she attacked Melissa during her match against Kikyo, and formed a modified version of her heel faction, Gokumon-To; aligning with Kikyo, Dynamite DiDi, andKris Wolf.Nakano appeared later in the event as a heel manager for Kris Wolf in her match againstShotzi Blackheart(who had Madusa in her corner), and provided interference that led to Wolf defeating Blackheart.

Sukeban (2023–present)

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On September 21, 2023, Bull appeared at the inaugural show for the US based, all-female Japanese pro wrestling promotion Sukeban, where she announced she would be the acting commissioner; she revealed the Sukeban World Championship, and announced the winner of the main event, Ichigo (Unagi) Sayaka, would face Commander (Arisa) Nakajima at the next show—crowning the first champion.

WWE return and Hall of Fame (2024)

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On 6 March 2024, it was reported byESPNthat Nakano would be an inductee into theWWE Hall of FameClass of 2024.[27]She was later inducted into the Hall of Fame byAlundra Blayze.

Professional golf career

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Nakano became a professional golfer in 1998.[1]In November 2004, Nakano played in the Futures Tour Qualifying Tournament in Florida, but ended the tournament in 250th place of 251.[28]The following year, she ended the tournament in 261st place of 271.[29]As a result, she failed to qualify for theLadies Professional Golf Association(LPGA).[30]Nakano later qualified for the LPGA and joined the Duramed Futures Tour in January 2006.[1]

Championships and accomplishments

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References

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  1. ^abc"Keiko Nakano".Duramed Futures Tour. Archived fromthe originalon 24 June 2008.Retrieved8 May2009.
  2. ^abcdefghShields, Brian and Kevin Sullivan (2009).WWE Encyclopedia.DK/BradyGAMES. p.51.ISBN978-0-7566-4190-0.
  3. ^abReynolds, R.D. and Bryan Alvarez (2004).The Death of WCW.ECW Press. p. 76.ISBN1-55022-661-4.
  4. ^abcdeSpears, Jim (4 January 2005)."Women's wrestlers today are tougher, better".The Times and Democrat.Retrieved8 May2009.
  5. ^abDuncan, Royal; Will, Gary (2006). "AJW Junior Championship".Wrestling Title Histories(4th ed.). Archeus Communications.ISBN0-9698161-5-4.Information also available atSolie's Title Histories.
  6. ^ab"All Japan Singles Title".Wrestling Titles.Retrieved16 May2009.
  7. ^abc"WWWA World Tag Team Title".Wrestling Titles.Retrieved16 May2009.
  8. ^Nevada, Vance; Rodgers, Mike (30 June 2005)."Wrestling Results Archive: Velvet McIntyre".SLAM! Wrestling. Archived from the original on 30 June 2012.Retrieved9 May2009.{{cite web}}:CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  9. ^ab"Japan Grand Prix Results 1980s".Pro Wrestling History.Retrieved16 May2009.
  10. ^ab"All Pacific Title".Wrestling Titles.Retrieved16 May2009.
  11. ^Saito, Fumi; Fain, Thom (17 May 2023)."Bull Nakano & 1990s AJW".Monthly Puroresu.Archivedfrom the original on 21 May 2023.Retrieved15 October2023.
  12. ^abcd"World Women's Wresting Association World Singles Title".Wrestling-Titles.com.Archivedfrom the original on 9 February 2023.Retrieved16 May2009.
  13. ^abcDuncan, Royal and Gary Will (2000). "MEXICO: EMLL CMLL Women's Title".Wrestling Title Histories.Archeus Communications. p. 397.ISBN0-9698161-5-4.
  14. ^"Alumni: Luna Vachon".World Wrestling Entertainment.Retrieved8 May2009.
  15. ^"Pro Wrestling Illustrated: 2008 Wrestling Almanac & Book of Facts, Historical Cards: WWE - SummerSlam 1994".Pro Wrestling Illustrated.Vol. 29, no. 5. p. 122.ISSN1043-7576.
  16. ^ab"Pro Wrestling Illustrated: 2008 Wrestling Almanac & Book of Facts, Title Histories: WWE Women's Title".Pro Wrestling Illustrated.Vol. 29, no. 5. p. 95.ISSN1043-7576.
  17. ^ab"Women's Title History: Bull Nakano".World Wrestling Entertainment.Archived fromthe originalon 19 March 2009.Retrieved8 May2009.
  18. ^"Joshi Spotlight- AJW Wrestling Queendom- VICTORY - Scott's Blog of Doom!".18 November 2019.
  19. ^"AJW Wrestling Queendom 1995 Victory".Cagematch.net.Retrieved3 March2024.
  20. ^"Women's Title History: Alundra Blayze (2)".World Wrestling Entertainment.Archivedfrom the original on 21 June 2012.Retrieved8 May2009.
  21. ^Laroche, Stephen (9 January 2001)."SLAM! Wrestling Canadian Hall of Fame: Rhonda Sing / Monster Ripper".SLAM! Wrestling. Archived from the original on 30 June 2012.Retrieved23 August2008.{{cite web}}:CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  22. ^"Joshi Spotlight: Bull Nakano - Scott's Blog of Doom!".6 December 2019.
  23. ^abWoodward, Buck (28 April 2009)."This Day in History".Pro Wrestling Insider.Retrieved9 May2009.
  24. ^WCW World War 3 '95(VHS). Turner Home Entertainment. 1995.
  25. ^Carolan, Vinnie and Ed Symkus (2004).Wrestle Radio U.S.A.: Grapplers Speak.ECW Press. p.104.ISBN1-55022-646-0.
  26. ^“Nữ đế” ブル trung dã, siêu mãn viên の quan khách の tiền で lệ の dẫn thối vân thuyết のクラッシュ, thần thủ, アジャと “Dẫn thối thí hợp”.Sports Navi(in Japanese).Yahoo!.8 January 2012. Archived fromthe originalon 11 January 2012.Retrieved12 January2012.
  27. ^Chiari, Mike."Bull Nakano Named to 2024 WWE Hall of Fame Class; Joins Paul Heyman".Bleacher Report.Retrieved7 March2024.
  28. ^"Futures Tour Qualifying Tournament".Golfweek.2004. Archived fromthe originalon 11 July 2011.Retrieved8 May2009.
  29. ^"Futures Tour Qualifying Tournament".Golfweek.2005. Archived fromthe originalon 11 July 2011.Retrieved8 May2009.
  30. ^"Final round scores and positions Friday".LPGA.Archivedfrom the original on 4 June 2011.Retrieved8 May2009.
  31. ^"The Best Tag Team League 1985".Pro Wrestling History.Retrieved28 March2013.
  32. ^"All Japan Women's Pro-Wrestling Hall of Fame".Puroresu Dojo. 2003.Retrieved9 October2007.
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