Emi Sakura
Emi Motokawa (元川 恵美, Motokawa Emi, born October 4, 1976), better known by the ring name Emi Sakura (さくら えみ, Sakura Emi), is a Japanese professional wrestler performing for All Elite Wrestling (AEW), Gatoh Move Pro Wrestling and on the independent circuit. After starting her career in International Wrestling Association of Japan in August 1995, Sakura worked for several promotions across Japan, winning numerous titles, before founding her own promotion, Ice Ribbon, in early 2006. Sakura not only wrestled for the promotion, but was also solely responsible for training wrestlers for the promotion, where she went on to become a two-time ICE×60 Champion and a five-time International Ribbon Tag Team Champion.
| Emi Sakura | |
|---|---|
Sakura in April 2014 | |
| Birth name | Emi Motokawa |
| Born | October 4, 1976 Kimitsu, Chiba, Japan |
| Professional wrestling career | |
| Ring name(s) | Black Cherry #3 Emi Motokawa Emi Sakura Kyoko Inoue #5 |
| Billed height | 158 cm (5 ft 2 in) |
| Billed weight | 75 kg (165 lb) |
| Billed from | Chiba, Japan |
| Trained by | Akio Sato |
| Debut | August 17, 1995 |
During 2009, Sakura held not only both the ICE×60 and International Ribbon Tag Team Championships, but also the Daily Sports Women's and JWP Tag Team Championships and the NEO Single and NWA Women's Pacific Championships, which led to the Tokyo Sports magazine naming her the 2009 joshi wrestler of the year. After six years with Ice Ribbon, Sakura left the promotion for "personal reasons" in January 2012. The following month, Sakura formed the Gatoh Move Pro Wrestling promotion in Bangkok, Thailand. During 2012, Sakura also became a regular for JWP Joshi Puroresu, winning the JWP Openweight Championship in October.