The Joshi scene continues to be one of the most exciting parts of professional wrestling as we head toward 2023. STARDOM has led the way by welcoming outside talent into the promotion this year like the Prominence group, COLOR'S, and so much more. TJPW has shifted their focus to include more international talents on their biggest shows of the year as their signature Jan. 4 show will see Trish Adora challenge Miu Watanabe for the International Princess Championship. And then there are the Joshi independent promotions who have started to funnel in international talents as well like Millie McKenzie and Nina Samuels. But not one wrestler has made more noise in the Joshi scene in the last quarter of the year like the one and only Unagi Sayaka.
On Oct. 4, Sayaka announced that she would head on her "Gyan" journey, taking her talents outside of STARDOM to travel from promotion to promotion to build herself back up after a tough performance in the 2022 5STAR Grand Prix. She has since competed in JUST TAP OUT, World Women Pro-Wrestling Diana, Marvelous, and Sendai Girls. She made her return to STARDOM at the recent STARDOM in SHOWCASE Vol. 3 show, where she teamed with her Cosmic Angels faction mates Natsupoi and Tam Nakano in a losing effort to Prominence in a Hardcore Match.
Sayaka has been doing all she can to keep building on the outside and is surely on her way to doing more as she is prepared to compete in ZERO1 for the first time on Dec. 16 and has her eyes on Marvelous ace Takumi Iroha whenever she is able to return from injury.
Fightful's Scott Edwards had a chance to interview Unagi Sayaka in the midst of her "Gyan" journey to ask about how it has gone, her first year in STARDOM, what Tam Nakano has meant to her, and so much more!
Here's what Unagi had to say!
Note: This interview was conducted on Nov. 13 so some responses were regarding events in the past month.
Did you watch wrestling when you were younger? If so, who were some of your favorites?
I became a pro wrestler without ever having watched pro wrestling.
I’m impulsive.
But my 5 kings of wrestling are Mitsuhara Misawa, Toshiaki Kawada, Hiroshi Hase, Keiji Mutoh, and Hiromichi Fuyuki.
They really left me with trauma.
Who are some of your influences in pro wrestling? What made you want to join?
What made me think I should enter the world of pro wrestling was… No reason!
Yeah.
I just felt like, “let’s give it a go.”
I hadn’t watched it even 1 time.
I just had a feeling.
There are lots of people who have had an influence on me, but as far as like, “I want to be like this person!”?
I never really think of it like that.
I am myself.
What was your biggest challenge when you joined STARDOM?
There were never any really major challenges.
Everything was fun.
I did everything to the best of my abilities.
It made me really feel alive.
Your 7 Match Series was one of the most interesting series for a wrestler we’ve seen in recent memory. How were you able to learn from each match, even the more physical ones against Giulia and Mayu Iwatani? Do you believe it has aided you in your growth as a wrestler?
Did you really think my 7-match series was interesting?!
Seriously?!
That makes me super happy!
Really, really happy!
At the time so many of them were title holders, I was super frightened.
But I was also happy.
I really got to savour pro wrestling.
That time was just for me.
Because I had that time, I got to where I am now.
Every single person was different, but they taught me the love, meaning, and strength that’s in pro wrestling.
Can you tell fans a bit about your relationship with Tam Nakano and what she’s meant to your career?
Tam Nakano.
She is more dear to me than anyone.
I have felt so many emotions from her matches.
She doesn’t really act leader-ish.
She taught me that it’s a good thing to always have my freedom.
Without Tam, I wouldn’t be the person I am today.
She is the absolute most lovable, horrible, best woman.
I will keep living in the ring until I beat her.
Is there a specific match in your career thus far that has made you proud to be a pro wrestler?
Proud.
I wonder.
I debuted when I was around 30.
People told me to give it up.
That it was impossible.
They told me that, “at this point you’re not going to be able to make any dreams come true.”
But, whatever other people say, it doesn’t matter to me.
There are too many people who worry about what other people say.
Your life is your own.
Other people don’t get to decide things for you.
You make your own future.
You prove you’re happy for your own sake.
And, you can make it happen.
No matter how old you are.
I proved that.
There are still so many dreams I want to make come true.
And I will absolutely make them come true.
There are many, many more things I want.
So, I still don’t know what I’m proud of.
But, once I can say what those things are, I think they’ll turn into my pride.
There’s still way more to go.
Unagi Sayaka is going everywhere on this Gyan journey. What’s your ultimate goal as you make your way through all these promotions?
I want to put every pro wrestler’s emotions totally out of wack.
I’m still by no means famous.
I don’t want to be tied down by one thing.
People have the most freedom.
People do what they want to.
We keep going as living things, don’t we?
Even if people think it’s crazy.
I want to change everything.
I’m a nobody, though.
So when I can do that, I’ll be able to change everybody’s hearts.
I want to make everyone smile.
I want to make everyone cry pleasant tears.
I want to make pro wrestlers, pro wrestling, happy.
To that end, I will become the absolute happiest person in the cosmos.
What has been your biggest challenge since starting your “Gyan” journey?
Nothing.
Because if I want to do something, I do it.
I’m happy.
There is tough stuff too, but if I have everyone with me, that’s okay!
You can do it if you try!
1. 2. 3. Gyan!!!!!!!!
Was there an assessment match that you were impressed by the skill level of your opponent?
Takumi Iroha!!!!!!!
The best wrestler.
But, she’s missing something, too.
I’ll show her what.
I’ll use all my power.
The AAAW Championship was vacated by Takumi Iroha. You had your eyes on her and the title when you walked into Marvelous. With a tournament set, are you planning to enter and win?
Naturally.
Is there anyone who fits with that belt aside from me?
There’s no one, right?
The AAAW Championship, it has a lot of history.
It will definitely be mine.
Do you know who’s worn that belt?
It’s exciting to the max, isn’t it?
You’ve seemingly taken Aoi under your wing in recent weeks. Is there anyone else you have your eye on that you’d like to help out and lead?
There is.
With pro wrestling, it’s okay to have lots more dreams.
I want to enjoy myself more.
There are lots of people who aren’t living as they please.
But pro wrestling is freedom.
It’s the most free thing there is.
What is it like wrestling a very fun-style, low-pressure match like when you’d wrestle with Koguma a couple of days after physical matches where it’d take a toll?
So you watch my fun matches too then?
I’m so happy!
Everything is pro wrestling.
They’re extremely serious matches.
For me, I want to make my opponent’s best stuff shine.
I want all of my matches to be seared into every person’s memory.
Someone who can move hearts is the most free person of all, that’s a -
KABUKIMONO!
And I, want to be the freest.
Your latest destination was Sendai Girls. You quickly got the attention of Sendai Girls World Champion, Chihiro Hashimoto. While you are teaming against Team 200kg, are you hoping to get a match for the title in the future as well?
Of course.
There’s no such thing as a wrestler who doesn’t want a belt.
And as for the belt, nobody but me can make it shine as brightly as possible.
Please keep watching.
I will make every single belt shine brighter than anyone.
What’s one thing fans should know about Unagi Sayaka?
Oh I wonder.
Something fun.
I’ll teach you something you don’t know about pro wrestling.
Do you hope to wrestle outside of Japan in the future?
I would like to, sure.
What does everyone think?
You want to see that, don’t you?
I’m always ready to barge in.
Is there anything you’d like to tell your fans worldwide?
I am Unagi Sayaka.
I will become your trauma.
I will become the best thing to you.
I am pro wrestling.
What do you like to do when you’re not wrestling or training?
I’m basically always thinking about pro wrestling.
I might be in love with it lmao.
Even when I’m watching a movie or watching a variety show, I’m connecting everything to pro wrestling.
So, I think I’m definitely a pro wrestler.
What are your goals moving forward — whether it be in wrestling or outside?
I want to stick in everyone’s memory.
I want to get everyone to know my wrestling.
I can’t stop my desires.
Where can we expect to see Unagi Sayaka next?
11.17 Shinkiba
vs Chikayo Nagashima!!!!!!!
Marvelous
11.20 Korakuen Hall
vs Team 200kg
But, maybe the place I invade tomorrow will be wherever you are.
We want to give a huge thanks to Unagi Sayaka for taking the time out of her incredibly busy schedule to answer these questions.
Follow Unagi on Twitter: @unapi0902
Here's where you can find Unagi Sayaka next as she competes in Marvelous, ZERO1, returns to STARDOM to team with Mina Shirakawa at Stardom Dream Queendom, and so much more!
ぎゃん----
— ウナギ・サヤカ------ (@unapi0902) December 7, 2022
みんなどれ来る？？？？ pic.twitter.com/t8xfFpPAjJ
We also want to thank both Chiyoko and Dana for all their help in this interview. Chiyoko helped me translate the questions from English to Japanese while Dana translated the thoughtful responses from Unagi Sayaka.
You can follow Chiyoko on Twitter here: @chiyoko_asakura
You can follow Dana here: @ItsDanaNow
Dana also has a website where she translates a number of STARDOM content from post-match comments to their press conferences. Check the website out here: https://shinetodaybelievetomorrow.home.blog/
