Kyoko Kimura

**Kyoko Kimura** (木村 響子, *Kimura Kyōko*, born March 19, 1977) is a retired Japanese professional wrestler and mixed martial artist. Throughout her 14 year career, she competed in Big Japan Pro Wrestling, Ibuki, Ice Ribbon, JWP Joshi Puroresu, NEO Japan Ladies Pro Wrestling and World Wonder Ring Stardom, among other promotions. She is best known for her Jamaican flag shirt and puffed afro that at one point stood at roughly one foot tall. She is known for wrestling in barbed wire deathmatches as well as her singles bouts. She retired from professional wrestling in January 2017.

## Professional wrestling career

Kimura started her professional wrestling career in the JWP Joshi Puroresu promotion, making her debut on July 20, 2003. She remained with the promotion in a small role for over two years, before quitting in late 2005 and becoming a freelancer. During the following years, Kimura made appearances for promotions such as Ibuki, Oz Academy, and Pro Wrestling Wave, while also making her debut in death matches.

Kimura's first major role in professional wrestling came in the NEO Japan Ladies Pro Wrestling promotion, where, in 2008, she became the leader of the villainous Revolucion Amandla stable, which also included Tomoka Nakagawa and Atsuko Emoto, with whom Kimura held the NEO Tag Team Championship. In October 2009, Revolucion Amandla also made a tour of Mexico. Kimura remained a regular for NEO until the promotion folded in December 2010, with her stable being involved in major storyline rivalries with Las Cachorras Orientales (Etsuko Mita and Mima Shimoda) and Passion Red (Kana, Nanae Takahashi and Natsuki☆Taiyo).

In May 2012, Kimura began working regularly for the World Wonder Ring Stardom promotion, where she joined the villainous Kawasaki Katsushika Saikyou Densetsu Plus One stable. However, after losing a battle against Natsuki☆Taiyo for the leadership of the stable, Kimura quit the stable on August 5 and formed the new Kimura Monster-gun stable with Hailey Hatred. From August 19 to September 30, Kimura took part in the first ever 5★Star GP, making it to the finals, before losing to Yuzuki Aikawa. In September, Kimura also began working regularly for the Ice Ribbon promotion, culminating on her and Sayaka Obihiro winning the International Ribbon Tag Team and Reina World Tag Team Championships on December 19, 2012, the latter title owned by the Reina X World promotion. On January 14, 2013, Kimura received her first shot at Stardom's top title, the World of Stardom Championship, but was defeated by the defending champion, Nanae Takahashi. On March 17, Kimura and Hatred defeated Kawasaki Katsushika Saikyou Densetsu (Natsuki☆Taiyo and Yoshiko) to win the Goddess of Stardom Championship. The following November, Kimura teamed with two other Monster-gun stablemates, Alpha Female and The Female Predator "Amazon", to win the Artist of Stardom Championship. During November, Kimura also teamed with Act Yasukawa to win the 2013 Goddesses of Stardom Tag Tournament. On January 26, 2014, Kimura became the first two-time Goddess of Stardom Champion, when she won title alongside Alpha Female. On May 4, Kimura teamed with Command Bolshoi to defeat Rabbit Miu and Tsukushi for JWP Joshi Puroresu's vacant Daily Sports Women's Tag Team and JWP Tag Team Championships. On October 15, Kimura and Tomoka Nakagawa, the reformed Revolucion Amandla, won Pro Wrestling Wave's 2014 Dual Shock Wave tournament and the Wave Tag Team Championship. On January 18, 2015, Kimura formed a new version of Monster-gun, named Oedo Tai, with Act Yasukawa, Dragonita, Heidi Lovelace, Hudson Envy and Kris Wolf.

On April 11, 2015, Kimura made her American debut for Shimmer Women Athletes.

On August 7, 2016, Kimura defeated her daughter Hana in the first match between the two. Following the match, she announced she would be holding her retirement event on January 22, 2017. Kimura went on to win a championship with her daughter, when the two, along with Kagetsu, won the Artist of Stardom Championship on October 2, 2016. Kimura held her retirement event, entitled "Last Afro", on January 22, 2017, in Korakuen Hall. In what was advertised as her retirement match, Kimura teamed with her daughter Hana and husband Isao in a six-person tag team match, where they were defeated by Aja Kong, Meiko Satomura and Minoru Suzuki with Satomura pinning her for the win. Afterwards, Kimura wrestled one more bonus match against her daughter, refereed by her husband. Hana pinned Kyoko with a big boot to end her career.

## Personal life

Kimura is married to professional wrestler and mixed martial artist Isao Kobayashi, better known simply as Isao. She has a daughter from a previous relationship named Hana (born 1997), who made her professional wrestling debut in March 2016.

## In wrestling

* **Finishing moves**

* Big boot
* *Kimura Lock* (Guillotine choke with body scissors)
* *Monster Crash* (Gory special flipped over into a facebuster)

* **Entrance themes**

* "Baila Casanova" by Paulina Rubio
* "Theme from Mission: Impossible" by Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen

## Championships and accomplishments

* **Dramatic Dream Team**

* Ironman Heavymetalweight Championship (1 time)

* **Ice Ribbon**

* International Ribbon Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Sayaka Obihiro

* **JWP Joshi Puroresu**

* Daily Sports Women's Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Command Bolshoi (1) and Hanako Nakamori (1)
* JWP Openweight Championship (1 time)
* JWP Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Command Bolshoi (1) and Hanako Nakamori (1)
* Enemy Award (2014, 2016)

* **NEO Japan Ladies Pro Wrestling**

* NEO Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Amazing Kong (1) and Atsuko Emoto (1)

* **Pro Wrestling SUN**

* SUN Championship (1 time)

* **Pro Wrestling Wave**

* Wave Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Tomoka Nakagawa
* 6-Person Tag Tournament (2013) – with Gami and Tomoka Nakagawa
* Dual Shock Wave (2014) – with Tomoka Nakagawa

* **Reina X World**

* Reina World Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Sayaka Obihiro

* **World Wonder Ring Stardom**

* Artist of Stardom Championship (2 times) – with Alpha Female and The Female Predator "Amazon" (1), and Hana Kimura and Kagetsu (1)
* Goddess of Stardom Championship (3 times) – with Hailey Hatred (1), Alpha Female (1), and Kagetsu (1)
* Goddesses of Stardom Tag Tournament (2013) – with Act Yasukawa
* 5★Star GP Fighting Spirit Award (2013)

## References

1. ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 ja:木村響子 (in Japanese). *Big Japan Pro Wrestling*. Archived from the original on 2009-02-14. Retrieved on 2012-12-15.
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 木村響子が引退試合　愛娘・花に女子プロ界の未来託しリング去る  (in Japanese). *Tokyo Sports* (2017-01-22). Retrieved on 2017-01-22.
3. ↑ *ja:5月5日“息吹”対戦カード* (in Japanese). *S-Ovation*. Retrieved on 2012-12-15.
4. ↑ 2007/10/14（日）　 Oz興行「茨城大会」　「西部総合公園体育館」　13:00～  (in Japanese). *Oz Academy*. Retrieved on 2012-12-15.
5. ↑ 『プロレスリングWave旗揚げ戦～Sail a way～』  (in Japanese). *Pro Wrestling Wave*. Archived from the original on 2008-03-18. Retrieved on 2012-12-15.
6. ↑ *ja:プ2008年3月16日(日)* (in Japanese). *NEO Japan Ladies Pro Wrestling*. Retrieved on 2012-12-15.
7. ↑ *ja:ﾚﾎﾞﾙｼｵﾝ･ｱﾏﾝﾄﾞﾗが自主興行を開催* (in Japanese). *NEO Japan Ladies Pro Wrestling* (2009-02-18). Retrieved on 2012-12-15.
8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 *ja:2008年12月31日(水)* (in Japanese). *NEO Japan Ladies Pro Wrestling*. Retrieved on 2012-12-15.
9. ↑ Boutwell, Josh 2009-10-23. Viva La Raza! Lucha Weekly . *WrestleView*. Retrieved on 2012-12-15.
10. ↑ Islas, Alejandro 2009-10-13. La Revolución Amandra (Atsuko Emoto, Tomoka Nakagawa y Kyoko Kimura) llega a México  (in Spanish). *SuperLuchas*. Retrieved on 2012-12-15.
11. ↑ *ja:2009年8月29日(土)* (in Japanese). *NEO Japan Ladies Pro Wrestling*. Retrieved on 2012-12-15.
12. ↑ *ja:2009年2月11日(水祝)* (in Japanese). *NEO Japan Ladies Pro Wrestling*. Retrieved on 2012-12-15.
13. ↑ Season6~  (in Japanese). *World Wonder Ring Stardom*. Archived from the original on 2013-04-29. Retrieved on 2012-12-15.
14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 Season8~  (in Japanese). *World Wonder Ring Stardom*. Archived from the original on 2013-04-29. Retrieved on 2012-12-15.
15. ↑ 5★Star GPで優勝した愛川は、赤いベルトへの挑戦を表明！優勝決定戦で敗れた木村はモンスター軍を結成！  (in Japanese). *Battle News* (2012-09-30). Retrieved on 2012-12-15.
16. ↑ *ja:ゆずポン、初代最強女王様！「今の私にだれもかなわない」* (in Japanese). *Sports Navi*. Yahoo! (2012-10-01). Retrieved on 2012-12-15.
17. ↑ *ja:ｱｲｽﾘﾎﾞﾝ414 18時00分開始* (in Japanese). *Ice Ribbon*. Retrieved on 2012-12-19.
18. ↑ ja:ｱｲｽﾘﾎﾞﾝ418 19時30分開始 (in Japanese). *Ice Ribbon*. Archived from the original on 2013-06-21. Retrieved on 2012-12-19.
19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 ja:ｱｲｽﾘﾎﾞﾝ434 19時30分開始 (in Japanese). *Ice Ribbon*. Archived from the original on 2013-06-21. Retrieved on 2012-12-19.
20. ↑ Season10~  (in Japanese). *World Wonder Ring Stardom*. Archived from the original on 2013-04-29. Retrieved on 2013-01-14.
21. ↑ *ja:奈苗が木村との壮絶な死闘を制す！愛川が宝城を退け、全力女子に終止符！新設6人タッグ王座は川葛が初代王者に* (in Japanese). *Battle News* (2013-01-14). Retrieved on 2013-01-14.
22. ↑ *ja:奈苗が木村退け７度目の防衛／スターダム* (in Japanese). *Nikkan Sports* (2013-01-14). Retrieved on 2013-01-14.
23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 Season11~  (in Japanese). *World Wonder Ring Stardom*. Archived from the original on 2013-04-29. Retrieved on 2013-03-17.
24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 24.2 24.3 Season14~  (in Japanese). *World Wonder Ring Stardom*. Archived from the original on 2014-04-04. Retrieved on 2013-11-04.
25. ↑ 25.0 25.1 Season15~  (in Japanese). *World Wonder Ring Stardom*. Archived from the original on 2014-04-04. Retrieved on 2014-01-26.
26. ↑ 26.0 26.1 26.2 ja:(結果)2014.5.4 板橋グリーンホール (in Japanese). *JWP Joshi Puroresu*. FC2 (2014-05-04). Archived from the original on 2014-05-04. Retrieved on 2014-05-04.
27. ↑ 27.0 27.1 27.2 Dual Shock Wave 2014 Weekday Wave vol-80  (in Japanese). *Pro Wrestling Wave*. Retrieved on 2014-10-17.
28. ↑ 2015年1月18日　スターダム4周年記念日  (in Japanese). *World Wonder Ring Stardom* (2015-01-18). Archived from the original on 2015-01-18. Retrieved on 2015-01-18.
29. ↑ Bentley, Martin 2015-04-12. Shimmer Volumes 72 & 73 results from Berwyn, IL . *Pro Wrestling Insider*. Retrieved on 2015-04-12.
30. ↑ 木村響子 最後まで生きざま見せた戦い誓う  (in Japanese). *Tokyo Sports* (2016-08-08). Retrieved on 2016-08-08.
31. ↑ 31.0 31.1 ja:2016年10月2日　新木場大会 (in Japanese). *World Wonder Ring Stardom* (2016-10-02). Archived from the original on 2016-10-03. Retrieved on 2016-10-03.
32. ↑ 木村花 母・響子の引退戦に名乗り  (in Japanese). *Excite* (2016-08-08). Retrieved on 2016-10-03.
33. ↑ プロレス総合学院1期生卒業試合リポート  (in Japanese). *Wrestle-1* (2016-03-30). Retrieved on 2017-01-26.
34. ↑ 34.0 34.1 Season12~  (in Japanese). *World Wonder Ring Stardom*. Archived from the original on 2014-04-04. Retrieved on 2013-06-16.
35. ↑ *ja:イオと奈苗が前哨戦でやり合う中、岩谷が脇澤に歓喜の勝利！木村との"対等タッグ"初陣を飾った惡斗が白ベルトに挑戦表明！* (in Japanese). *Battle News* (2013-10-06). Retrieved on 2013-10-06.
36. ↑ Ironman Heavymetalweight Title . *Puroresu Dojo*. Retrieved on 2012-12-15.
37. ↑ 37.0 37.1 ja:【試合結果】８月１４日（日）両国・ＫＦＣホール 13時 (in Japanese). *JWP Joshi Puroresu* (2016-08-14). Archived from the original on 2016-08-14. Retrieved on 2016-08-14.
38. ↑ ja:試合結果】１０月２０日（木）浅草花やしき内　花やしき座　１9時 (in Japanese). *JWP Joshi Puroresu* (2016-10-20). Archived from the original on 2016-10-20. Retrieved on 2016-10-20.
39. ↑ (情報)JWPアワード２０１４が決定  (in Japanese). *JWP Joshi Puroresu*. FC2 (2014-12-29). Retrieved on 2014-12-29.
40. ↑ *ja:JWP女子プロレスの選手が独立し新会社『ピュアドリーム』を設立！* (in Japanese). *Battle News* (2017-01-11). Retrieved on 2017-01-11.
41. ↑ Pro-Wrestling World-1 Women's Title . *Puroresu Dojo*. Retrieved on 2012-12-15.
42. ↑ Weekday Wave Vol-68  (in Japanese). *Pro Wrestling Wave*. Retrieved on 2013-11-28.
43. ↑ ja:2016年6月16日　Premium Stars2016 (in Japanese). *World Wonder Ring Stardom* (2016-06-17). Archived from the original on 2016-06-16. Retrieved on 2016-06-16.
44. ↑ Season13~  (in Japanese). *World Wonder Ring Stardom*. Archived from the original on 2014-04-04. Retrieved on 2013-09-23.