Megumi Takayama, better known under her stage

Stage name

A stage name, also called a showbiz name or screen name, is a pseudonym used by performers and entertainers such as actors, wrestlers, comedians, and musicians.-Motivation to use a stage name:...

 and maiden name

Married and maiden names

A married name is the family name adopted by a person upon marriage. When a person assumes the family name of her spouse, the new name replaces the maiden name....

 , and by her nickname

Nickname

A nickname is "a usually familiar or humorous but sometimes pointed or cruel name given to a person or place, as a supposedly appropriate replacement for or addition to the proper name.", or a name similar in origin and pronunciation from the original name....

 Kudome, is a Japanese

Japanese people

The are an ethnic group originating in the Japanese archipelago and are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan. People of Japanese ancestry who live in other countries...

 entertainment personality, and was a professional wrestler who worked most of her career for Frontier Martial Arts Wrestling.

All Japan Women's Pro Wrestling (1986–1988)

Kudo practiced basketball

Basketball

Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...

 during high school

High school

High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....

. When she was 16 she joined All Japan Women's Pro-Wrestling

All Japan Women's Pro-Wrestling

, nicknamed Zenjo was a joshi puroresu promotion established in 1968 by Takashi Matsunaga and his brothers. The group held their first card on June 4 of that year...

 but found little to no success there. She was released in March 1988 because she had not enhanced her wrestling ability enough.

Hiatus (1988–1990)

After being released from AJW in March 1988, she took a hiatus from pro wrestling and worked as a kindergarten

Kindergarten

A kindergarten is a preschool educational institution for children. The term was created by Friedrich Fröbel for the play and activity institute that he created in 1837 in Bad Blankenburg as a social experience for children for their transition from home to school...

 teacher.

Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling (1990–1997)

However she still felt the desire for pro wrestling, and joined Frontier Martial Arts Wrestling in March 1990. She was quickly pushed to the top of the card, it is generally considered that this was because of her looks. However she worked and trained hard, developing her skills significantly. She ended up being the top star of FMW's women's division, and one of the most recognised female wrestlers in Japan during her heyday.

In October 1990, she took part in Japan's first mixed tag team match, teaming with Ricky Fuji

Ricky Fuji

is a Japanese professional wrestler, better known under his ring name .-Professional wrestling career:Morimura started training in the New Japan Pro Wrestling Dojo in 1984. He then left Japan in January 1987 for a training expedition in Canada, where he was trained in the Dungeon by Stu Hart and...

, losing to Tarzan Goto

Tarzan Goto

, better known by his ring name , is a Japanese professional wrestler who has wrestled on the independent circuit most of his career. He is best known for his exploding steel cage matches againest Atsushi Onita and Pat Tanaka in Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling ....

 and his wife Despina Montagas.

In 1992 she released a music CD titled "Keep On Running"; that same year, she was the leading lady in the action film, A Human Murder Weapon

A Human Murder Weapon

A Human Murder Weapon is a 1992 Japanese film directed by Takashi Miike. This is the first of many Miike films to be based on manga, in this case one by Ikki Kajiwara.-Cast:*Megumi Kudo...

. She had also released several modeling photobooks, which she poses for.

Kudo worked all kinds of matches, but she was mostly known for brutal death matches, where the ring ropes were replaced with barbed wire. Her notable feuds were against Shark Tsuchiya, Combat Toyoda and Sumie Sakai

Sumie Sakai

born November 11, 1971) is a Japanese professional wrestler and mixed martial artist. She currently resides in the United States, appearing with professional wrestling promotions in the northeastern United States such as Women's Extreme Wrestling and Chikara....

.

On April 29, 1997 she had her retirement match against Tsuchiya in a "No ropes 200V double hell double barbed wire barricade double landmine glass crush death match"

Hardcore wrestling

Hardcore wrestling is a form of professional wrestling that eschews traditional concepts of match rules in favor of matches that take place in unusual environments, using foreign objects that are not normally permitted...

. This refers to a match fought under hardcore rules wherein the ropes are removed and replaced by 200V electrified, double-layered barbed wire; and the ring surrounded by double layers of landmines and broken glass. She vacated both of the titles she held in a retirement ceremony on June 13, 1997.

Retirement

After retiring from professional wrestling Kudo has worked on various television programs, including as a color commentator for pro wrestling events. She also hosts a weekly radio show in Japan.

Since 1998, she is married to fellow wrestler Bad Boy Hido, whom she met in their FMW days.

In wrestling

• Finishing moves
  • Kudome Valentine – innovated

• Signature moves
  • Thunder fire powerbomb
  • Kudome Driver (Kneeling head spike double underhook powerbomb)
  • Ganso Bomb
  • Sitout double underhook powerbomb
  • Dragon sleeper
  • Bridging Dragon suplex
  • Northern Lights suplex
  • Flying hip attack
  • DDT
    DDT (professional wrestling)
    In professional wrestling a DDT is any move in which the wrestler has the opponent in a front facelock, and falls down or backwards to drive the opponent's head into the mat...
    
    
  • Rear naked choke
  • Running elbow smash

• Nicknames
  • "Evil Princess"
  • "Extreme Queen"

• Entrance themes
  Music in professional wrestling
  Music in professional wrestling serves a variety of purposes. The most common uses of music in professional wrestling is that of the entrance theme, a song or piece of instrumental music which plays as a performer approaches the ring...
  
  
  • "I'd Die For You" by Bon Jovi
    Bon Jovi
    Bon Jovi is an American rock band from Sayreville, New Jersey. Formed in 1983, Bon Jovi consists of lead singer and namesake Jon Bon Jovi , guitarist Richie Sambora, keyboardist David Bryan, drummer Tico Torres, as well as current bassist Hugh McDonald...
    
    
  • "One Way Heart"

Championships and accomplishments

• Frontier Martial Arts Wrestling
  • WWA Women's World Champion
    FMW Women's Championship
    The FMW Women's Championship was two Japanese professional wrestling championships contested in the promotion Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling...
    
     (6 times)
  • Independent World Women's Champion
    FMW Women's Championship
    The FMW Women's Championship was two Japanese professional wrestling championships contested in the promotion Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling...
    
    (4 times)