| Jaguar Yokota | |
|---|---|
 Yokota in April 2023 | |
| Birth name | Rimi Yokota |
| Born | (1961-07-25) July 25, 1961 (age 63) Arakawa, Tokyo, Japan |
| Professional wrestling career | |
| Ring name(s) |
|
| Billed height | 159 cm (5 ft 3 in) |
| Billed weight | 58 kg (128 lb) |
| Trained by | All Japan Women's Pro-Wrestling |
| Debut | June 28, 1977 |
Rimi Yokota (横田 利美, Yokota Rimi) (born July 25, 1961) is a Japanese professional wrestler and later wrestling trainer, who wrestled under the name Jaguar Yokota (ジャガー横田). She is currently signed to World Woman Pro-Wrestling Diana, where she is the leader of the CRYSIS stable. Yokota 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 gender.
Professional wrestling career
All Japan Women's Pro Wrestling (1977–1986)
Yokota was inspired to join All Japan Women's Pro Wrestling (AJW) by 1970s stars, the Beauty Pair. Yokota started training to be a professional wrestler on March 1, 1977, and got her professional wrestling license on May 19. Yokota then made her in-ring debut on June 28, in Tokyo at the age of 15, against Mayumi Takahashi. Afterwards, Yokota formed the Young Pair tag team with Seiko Honawa. She won her first belt on January 4, 1980, when she became the AJW Junior Champion, which she vacated in August. Yokota then began teaming with Jumbo Hori [ja]. On December 15, Yokota defeated Nancy Kumi [ja] to become the inaugural AJW Champion, then won the WWWA World Tag Team Championship with Jumbo Hori two days later. On February 25, 1981, she achieved her greatest success to that point, defeating her original inspiration, Jackie Sato, for the WWWA World Single Championship. She was 19 years old at the time of her first title reign. She lost her first world championship to La Galáctica on May 7, 1983, in a mask vs. hair match, then won it back a month later. During her second world title run, she had very notable feuds with Devil Masami and Lioness Asuka. On September 17, 1984, Yokota won the UWA World Women's Championship by defeating La Galáctica. Yokota then went on a tour in Mexico. In late 1985, Yokota had to vacate the WWWA World Single Championship due to a shoulder injury. In February 1986, Yokota retired from in-ring competition.
All Japan Women's Pro Wrestling (1994–1996)
On November 20, 1994, Yokota returned from retirement to wrestle at Big Egg Wrestling Universe. She teamed with Bison Kimura [ja] and went to a 10-minute time limit draw against Lioness Asuka and Yumi Ogura. According to Yokota, this inspired her to return to wrestling full-time.
Jd' (1995–1998)
In 1995 she came out of retirement to form her promotion Jd', and wrestled as its top star until December 26, 1998, when she retired for a second time following a match against her long-time rival Devil Masami.
Retirement (1998–2004)
Yokota stayed retired from 1998 to 2004, as she started to have a family.
Freelance (2004–present)
She has since returned to professional wrestling as a freelancer, including a stint as part of the Monster faction in Hustle as Jaguar Y.
As a trainer
After retiring in 1986, Yokota became one of All Japan Women's Pro Wrestling's (AJW) top trainers. She trained many of the wrestlers who became AJW's top stars during the 90's.
Wrestlers trained
- Akira Hokuto
- Aja Kong
- Bison Kimura [ja]
- Combat Toyoda
- Cooga [ja]
- Etsuko Mita
- KAORU
- Kyoko Inoue
- Manami Toyota
- Mariko Yoshida
- Megumi Kudo
- Mima Shimoda
- Sumie Sakai
- Takako Inoue
- Toshiyo Yamada
- Yoshiko Tamura
Personal life
Yokota was married in August 2004 to the lead vocalist for the obscure but seminal 1980s Hokkaido based hardcore band "Tranquilizer".
Championships and accomplishments
- AJW Championship (1 time)
- AJW Junior Championship (1 time)
- WWWA World Single Championship (2 times)
- WWWA World Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Jumbo Hori [ja]
- AJW Hall of Fame (1998)
- Oldest (female) pair to win a professional tag team wrestling championship (2023) – with Mayumi Ozaki
- AWF World Women's Championship (1 time)
- TWF World Women's Championship (1 time)
- TWF World Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Yuko Kosugi
- Oz Academy
- Oz Academy Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Mayumi Ozaki
- Oz Academy Pioneer 3-Way Championship (1 time)
- UWA World Women's Championship (1 time)
- WWWD Queen Elizabeth Championship (3 times, inaugural)
- WWWD Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Sareee (1) and Ayako Sato (1)
References
- ^ Molinaro, John (2002). Marek, Jeff; Meltzer, Dave (eds.). Top 100 Pro Wrestlers of All Time. Toronto, Ontario: Winding Stair Press. pp. 166–167. ISBN 1-55366-305-5.
- ^ "Jaguar Yokota". World Woman Pro-Wrestling Diana. 24 February 2021. Archived from the original on May 31, 2023. Retrieved October 14, 2023.
- "The 50 Greatest Women Wrestlers of All-Time". Pro Wrestling Illustrated Presents: The Women of Wrestling. 1 (1). Kappa Publishing: 12. 1996.
- 選手紹介. World Woman Pro-Wrestling Diana (in Japanese). 8 May 2023. Retrieved October 14, 2023.
- ^ Triggs, James (July 29, 2009). "CvC: Jaguar Yokota for Greatest Women's Champion". Bleacher Report. Archived from the original on November 26, 2021. Retrieved October 20, 2023.
- ^ "Jaguar Yokota Interview". amyaction.com. Archived from the original on September 11, 2011. Retrieved October 19, 2023.
- ^ Pruitt, Alex (April 7, 2023). "Women's Wrestling Mount Rushmore: A Lifelong Debate". Last Word on Sports. Archived from the original on June 5, 2023. Retrieved October 20, 2023.
- "All Japan Women's Pro-Wrestling Hall of Fame". Puroresu Dojo. 2003. Archived from the original on January 26, 2023. Retrieved October 19, 2023.
- "Oldest pair to win a professional tag team wrestling championship (female)". Guinness World Records. Retrieved August 26, 2023.
- 10/10(月・祝)ステラボール大会 試合結果. World Woman Pro-Wrestling Diana (in Japanese). 2016-10-10. Retrieved 2017-02-26.
- 8/30 新木場大会~試合結果~. World Woman Pro-Wrestling Diana (in Japanese). 2020-08-31.
- 12/23(火・祝)川崎大会 試合結果. World Woman Pro-Wrestling Diana (in Japanese). 2014-12-24. Retrieved 2014-12-23.
External links
- World Women Pro-Wrestling Diana profile
- Jaguar Yokota's profile at Cagematch.net
, Wrestlingdata.com , Internet Wrestling Database - Jaguar Yokota on Instagram
- Jaguar Yokota on Twitter
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- Japanese female professional wrestlers
- Japanese professional wrestling trainers
- 1961 births
- Living people
- People from Arakawa, Tokyo
- Professional wrestlers from Tokyo
- 20th-century female professional wrestlers
- 20th-century Japanese professional wrestlers
- 21st-century female professional wrestlers
- 21st-century Japanese professional wrestlers
- Oz Academy Tag Team Champions
- Oz Academy Pioneer 3-Way Champions
- World Woman Pro-Wrestling Diana Queen Elizabeth Champions
- World Woman Pro-Wrestling Diana Tag Team Champions
- AJW Champions
- WWWA World Tag Team Champions
- WWWA World Single Champions
- AJW Junior Champions