Kaori Housako (born September 23, 1988) is a Japanese professional wrestler and actress, currently signed to WWE and assigned to its developmental branch NXT under the ring name Kairi Hojo.
She made her professional wrestling debut in January 2012 for the World Wonder Ring Stardom promotion, where, over the next five years, she became a one-time World of Stardom Champion, three-time Goddess of Stardom Champion and a four-time Artist of Stardom Champion, while also winning the 2015 5★Star GP and 2016 Goddesses of Stardom Tag League. Housako left Stardom in June 2017, after signing a three-year deal with WWE. The following September, she won the inaugural Mae Young Classic tournament.
In 2016, Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter called Hojo and her fellow Stardom workers Io Shirai and Mayu Iwatani "three of the best wrestlers in the world".
Early life[]
Housako has an extensive sports background in yachting, competing in intercollegiate and national competitions, while also taking part in world championships with dreams of making it to the Olympics. After graduating from Hosei University with a bachelor's degree in Japanese literature, Housako began pursuing a career in acting. She also did some theater work and one of her performances, where she performed as a professional wrestling villain, was seen by Fuka, the general manager of the World Wonder Ring Stardom promotion, who invited Housako to one of their events. She quickly fell in love with professional wrestling's aspect of combining acting with sports and decided to become a wrestler herself.
Professional wrestling career[]
World Wonder Ring Stardom (2011–2017)[]
WWE[]
Signing and Mae Young Classic (2016–2017)[]
NXT (2017–present)[]
In Wrestling[]
- Finishing moves
- Diving elbow drop
- Signature moves
- 4173 (Bridging Gedo clutch)
- Alabama Slam (Double leg slam)
- FKE – Flying Kabuki Elbow (Diving forearm smash)
- Ikari (Bridging cross-legged Boston crab)
- Interceptor (WWE) / Spear
- Marine Spike (Diving double foot stomp to a tree of woe hung opponent)
- Sliding D (Sliding forearm smash)
- Nicknames
- "Onna Kaizoku" (Japanese for "Female Pirate")
- "People's Champ"
- "(The) Pirate Princess"
- Entrance themes
- "Kaizoku Ōjo" by World Wonder Ring Stardom
- "Last Voyage" by World Wonder Ring Stardom
- "The Next Voyage" by CFO$ (NXT; November 18, 2017–present)
Championships and Accomplishments[]
- Pro Wrestling Illustrated
- Ranked No. 8 of the top 50 female singles wrestlers in the PWI Female 50 in 2018.
- Sports Illustrated
- Ranked No. 8 in the top 10 women's wrestlers of the year in 2018
- World Wonder Ring Stardom
- Artist of Stardom Championship (4 times) – with Kaori Yoneyama and Yuhi (1), Chelsea and Koguma (1), Io Shirai and Mayu Iwatani (1), and Hiromi Mimura and Konami (1)
- Goddess of Stardom Championship (3 times) – with Natsumi Showzuki (1), Nanae Takahashi (1), and Yoko Bito (1)
- Wonder of Stardom Championship (1 time)
- World of Stardom Championship (1 time)
- 5★Star GP (2015)
- Goddesses of Stardom Tag League (2016) – with Yoko Bito
- 5★Star GP Best Match Award (2014) vs. Nanae Takahashi on August 24
- Best Match Award (2014) with Nanae Takahashi vs. Risa Sera and Takumi Iroha on December 23
- Best Tag Team Award (2014) with Nanae Takahashi
- Best Tag Team Award (2016) with Yoko Bito
- MVP Award (2015)
- Outstanding Performance Award (2013)
- Technique Award (2016)
- WWE NXT
- NXT Women's Championship (1 time; current)
- WWE
- Trish Stratus Battle Royal Trophy (2019)
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