New Opponent Named For Former ROH Champion’s Retirement Match

AEW

Recently Japanese wrestling veteran Sumie Sakai announced her retirement match will take place at at NJPW Battle in the Valley.

The upcoming event takes place on January 11, 2025, and will mark the end of a career that started in April 1997.

The inaugural ROH Women of Honor World Champion recently issued a challenge to World Tag League 2024 winner Hiromu Takahashi, approaching him backstage after his match at NJPW Strong Style Evolved.

Sakai challenged Takahashi to a mixed six-person tag match with Takahashi now choosing his first partner.

In a video released on the NJPW Twitter account (that can be seen below), Takahashi is surprised by a cameraperson entering his bedroom.

Surmising that the intrusion relates that the NJPW Battle in the Valley match, Takahashi says:

“Well, I decided on one.

“I thought about one of Sumie’s friends.

“So, you want the big scoop?

“Okay, for Sumie’s last match, my first partner is Mayu Iwatani, if you would do me the honor.”

While Sakai has been active since April 1997, she arrived on the radars of many US-based wrestling fans during her stint with ROH.

She became the inaugural Women of Honor Champion in April 2018, the promotion’s first women’s world title, which was replaced by the ROH Women’s World Championship in 2021.

NJPW Battle in the Valley takes place at the San Jose Civic on January 11.

Already announced for the show is Gabe Kidd defending the NJPW STRONG Openweight Champion against Tomohiro Ishii.

A big scoop!@TIMEBOMB1105 has decided on his first partner for Sumie Sakai's retirement match January 11 at Battle in the Valley!#njpw #njbitv pic.twitter.com/XLywphT8wv

— NJPW Global (@njpwglobal) December 19, 2024

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• Battle in the Valley
• sumie sakai
• Hiromu Takahashi
• ROH
• NJPW

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