When it comes to the biggest names in Joshi wrestling, there seems to be an endless number of wrestlers you could mention. However, one person who doesn’t get the respect and admiration she deserves is Saki Akai. As the only permanent female wrestler on the DDT Pro Wrestling roster, Saki Akai is genuinely an underrated talent.
Saki Akai – Wrestling Beginnings
Saki Akai’s father is professional boxer Hidekazu Akai, and it seems almost inevitable that Saki Akai would follow in his footsteps somehow.
In 2011, Akai made her professional wrestling debut at the Japanese Joshi promotion Ice Ribbon, established by legend Emi Sakura. During their anniversary show on June 1st, Akai teamed up with Hikaru Shida against Tsukasa Fujimoto and Makoto in a time limit draw match.
One tear later, Akai signed to DDT’s sub-brand Tokyo Joshi Pro Wrestling (TJPW), where she quickly made a statement by defeating future Princess of Princess Champion Yuka Sakazaki. After that, it seemed as if the world fell for the wrestler, appearing in various promotions. She even created her own faction in the brand called Biishiki Gun.
Akai’s Move To DDT
After finding success in TJPW, Saki moved to DDT Pro-Wrestling in 2018 and became one of the main members of the roster. Although the promotion was known for collaborating with TJPW, the strict rules made the fact that Saki Akai became a full-time roster member very unique. As soon as she debuted, she quickly became a star and showcased that she definitely wasn’t someone to be pushed to the side.
She would usually be fighting much bigger opponents but always held her own. With her height, speed, and striking ability, she truly cemented her right to be in DDT. In particular, she won the world-famous KO-D Ironman Heavyweight Championship eight times.
Saki Akai is fixing the Iron Man Title belt by putting stars and bonbons in the holes where the studs used to be. She wants to add more after every title defense. #ddtpro https://t.co/Ip3ijcKrJr
— Dramatic DDT (@DramaticDDT) March 20, 2019
Time For A New Team
In particular, a clear turning point for Akai came in January 2020 with the creation of Eruption, alongside Higuchi and Sakaguchi. After the two new wrestlers were at a plateau, Akai recommended they all team up together. Considering their styles meshed perfectly with strength, power, and strikes, it seemed like a match made in heaven. With their new logo, bada** outfit, and charisma, they became the hottest new faction.
Shortly after the creation of Eruption, the trio quickly found success with the KO-D Six Man Tag Champions. They held the belts for almost 150, taking on any group and opponents to showcase their dominance.
At the same time, Akai was starting to make waves again in TJPW. She teamed up with new tag partner Mei Suruga as part of Neo-Biishiki Gun. Like in DDT, the team not only showcased their personality but also had results. The duo beat the Bakuretsu Sisters (Tenma and Aino) for the Princess Tag Team Championships. The reign combined everything fans love about TJPW, comedy, charisma, and amazing wrestling. They stayed strong all the way until they lost the titles at Wrestle Princess II in October to the Magical Sugar Rabbits (Sakazaki and Mizuki).
DDT後楽園大会ありがとうございました。#ERUPTION 四人揃い踏みでの勝利。
岡谷の向こうっ気は見習うべきだなと。
前門の虎後門の狼な状態に陥っては居たが…。#ddtpro#wrestleUNIVERSE pic.twitter.com/XkLrgZf2zC
— 樋口 和貞 higuchi kazusada (@kazusada185cm) March 27, 2022
Saki Akai – The Future
Akai might not be holding any gold, but she continues to showcase her talent in both promotions. As the only full-time female member of the DDT roster, Saki Akai continues to prove why she is such a special talent. She combines beauty, grace, and strength, making her a true role model. A role model that fans today can not only look up to but one that they know they can depend on. Too often, talent will leave fans disappointed with what they have made of themselves outside the ring. In the case of Saki Akai, she is someone that carries herself with the self-respect all should look up too.
