The giant of Stardom is hanging up her wrestling boots.
Himeka (Himeka Arita) has announced that she is leaving the world of professional wrestling.
Her last match will be on April 23rd. In it, she will be facing her Donna Del Mondo stable partner and tag team partner, Maika.
Stardom will hold an actual retirement ceremony for her at their May 14th, Korakuen Hall event.
During her announcement in an “emergency press conference” by Stardom, Himeka read from a prepared statement. Stardom’s founder and president, Rossy Ogawa, was at her side.
“I have decided to retire from pro-wrestling. As for the reason, if I were to speak about it, there are many details I could go on forever about. The detailed reason is when I had debuted in at the age of 20 I had decided that after five years, when I turned 25, if I was in a position I was comfortable with, I would retire. Well, to be honest, I haven’t achieved any of my goals like a singles belt or the things I wanted to do but when I look back at the last five years I am shining the most I ever have so I have no regrets,” she said.
Himeka explained that before her mind and body “fall apart” she wants to live a “different life” while she remains healthy.
She also thought long and hard about who she wanted her last match with and that person was Maika.
Although the news is disappointing to Ogawa and Himeka’s fans he encouraged them to continue to support her during her remaining time in Stardom.
Himeka began her career in 2017 working as a freelancer in Japan. Himeka joined Stardom in 2020 as Giulia’s new recruit for Donna Del Mondo.
Himeka, nicknamed ‘Jumbo’, was Stardom’s resident giant winning the Goddess of Stardom Championship once with Maika as her partner and the Artist of Stardom Championship with Maika and Natsupoi. The Goddess of Stardom Championship is Stardom’s tag team championship and Artist of Stardom Championship is their six-woman tag team championship.
