Bull Nakano the Empress of WWE, Unveils Insights of Battling Bullying, Overcoming Injury and Illness, and Reflects on U.S. Tour

Two years after her initiation, she joined Dump Matsumoto’s (63) Extreme Evil League. Her rapid ascent to the top began.

I really enjoyed the trip to the United States. At that time, the level of all the girls was the highest in the world. I wasn’t worried at all about the matches, and I knew instantly what kind of audience would be happy to see me. The venue was a lot of fun. The only thing that was difficult was the transportation. In the U.S., air tickets are sent to you in a flash, and you have to get to the venue by yourself. We also had to find a hotel by ourselves, looking in the phone book. We had to be taken by a neighbor, or shared a car with an American wrestler, and every day was a slap in the face (laughs).

However, the cost of fighting with all her might using her 115kg body was high. In 1997, during an American tour, two ligaments in her left knee were torn and she decided to retire. When examined at the hospital, they found a fracture on the top of her foot and a chipped spine.

 

As she struggled in her second life, including running a restaurant, she also suffered a serious illness. Cirrhosis of the liver.

I went to hospital and was hospitalized for two months.

After leaving the hospital, the indomitable empress, who was trying to make a comeback as a YouTube star, received the good news that she had been inducted into the Hall of Fame.

I’ve won all the belts I want, and I’ve been inducted into the Hall of Fame,” she said. My goal is to beat Bull Nakano under my real name, Keiko Aoki. I still think I was happiest when I was Bull Nakano, and I want to lead a happier life than that.

The empress’ eyes were shining brightly.

From the March 29, 2024 issue of FRIDAY