Interview with Sendai Girls World Champion Chihiro Hashimoto
An exclusive interview with Sendai Girls World Champion, Chihiro Hashimoto, ahead of her title defense against ASUKA at SENJO Chronicle.
This Sunday, Sendai Girls’ Pro Wrestling hold their biggest show of this year, SENJO Chronicle. It will feature some of the best wrestlers in the world competing against one another in what feels like another must-see show in the world of Joshi. The main event is the highly anticipated match between Chihiro Hashimoto and ASUKA for the Sendai Girls World Championship. Hashimoto will reach 1,000 days as Sendai Girls World Champion the day before defending, with the hopes of walking out with the belt and continuing her record-shattering fifth title reign.
Sendai Girls’ Pro Wrestling was created by NXT United Kingdom Champion Meiko Satomura and Jinsei Shinzaki. With Satomura occupied in England and signed to WWE, Hashimoto and company have taken the reigns of Sendai Girls and made it their own. The Sendai Girls World Champion is as much of an ace as any wrestler to their promotion, as she’s also one-half of the Sendai Girls Tag Team Champions with her partner, Yuu.
Before Hashimoto’s title match this Sunday at Korakuen Hall, she provided me a chance to send her some questions regarding her upcoming title match with ASUKA, competing and winning the main event of GAEAISM, who’d she like to face in the future as both a singles star and as part of Team 200kg with Yuu, and so much more!
Here’s what the Sendai Girls World Champion had to say:
Q: As of this weekend, you have held the Sendai Girls World Championship for 1,000 days. What do you credit your dominance to?
Hashimoto: 2019年にSareee(現サレイ)選手からベルトを取り返し、2020年に朱里選手から初防衛。
そこからコロナになってしまい、時間が止まっていたので、1,000日経った感覚はありません。ここからチャンピオンとして、次々に防衛線をしていきたいです！
Translation: I won the belt back from Sareee (now Sarray in WWE) in 2019 and made my first defense against Syuri in 2020.
From there, Corona happened and time stopped, so it doesn’t feel like 1,000 days have passed. From here, as champion, I hope to make one defense line after another!
Q: How are you feeling heading into your match with ASUKA at SENJO Chronicle?
Hashimoto:とにかくワクワクしています。私と朱崇花のレスリング技術はどこの誰にも負けない自信があります。
Translation: I am excited. I am confident that my wrestling skills and those of ASUKA will be second to none.
Q: What other matches should fans keep an eye on at SENJO Chronicle?
Hashimoto:どの試合も注目のカードですが、レッドエナジーvs松本浩代&安納サオリ。
チャンピオンになった安納サオリがどんな戦いをするか楽しみです。
Translation: All of the fights are noteworthy, but Red Energy vs. Hiroyo Matsumoto & Saori Anou.
I am looking forward to seeing how Saori Anou, now a champion, will fight.
Q: Who would you and Yuu (Team 200kg) like to defend the Senda Girls Tag Team Championship against in the future?
Hashimoto:メデューサコンプレックス！
Translation: The Medusa Complex!
Q: What inspired you to become a professional wrestler?
Hashimoto: GAEA JAPANに惚れ込んだから。
Translation: Because I fell in love with GAEA Japan.
Q: Would you like to have a rematch with Takumi Iroha in the future after she won the AAAW Championship?
Hashimoto: センダイガールズのベルトをかけてもう一度戦い、しっかり勝って防衛したいです。
Translation: I want to fight again for the Sendai Girls World Championship and defend it with a solid win.
Q: International fans are very familiar with Meiko Satomura — can you tell the fans about your relationship with her and the importance she has had on your career?
Hashimoto: 師匠であり、絶対に負けたくない存在です。
挑戦し続ける、ストイックな里村さんの姿にはとにかく影響をうけています。
Translation: She is my mentor and someone I never want to lose.
I am influenced by the stoic and challenging attitude of Meiko Satomura.
Q: For fans wanting to get into Sendai Girls, what match should they check out?
Hashimoto: GAEAISM メインイベント。里村明衣子vs橋本千紘(2016)。
Translation: GAEAISM Main Event and Meiko Satomura vs. Chihiro Hashimoto from 2016.
Q: Are you hoping to wrestle overseas again in the future?
Hashimoto: チーム200キロで海外で防衛線をしたい！
Translation: I want to do a defense overseas with Team 200kg!
Q: International fans have given you the nickname “Big Hash.” What are your thoughts on the name!?
Hashimoto:とても嬉しいです！海外で【Big Hash】chantを起こしたい！
Translation: I am very happy! I want to make a “Big Hash” chant overseas!
Q: Are there any wrestlers you have not had the chance to face before that you’d like to take on in the future?
Hashimoto: サーシャバンクス！
Translation: Sasha Banks!
Q: What was it like to main event and win at the historic GAEAISM show last year?
Hashimoto: 小さい頃の夢が一つ叶った瞬間で、コロナ禍で延期が続いた中でやっとたどり着いたあの場所とあの試合は一生忘れません。
Translation: It was the moment when one of my childhood dreams came true. I will never forget that place and that match, which we finally reached after many postponements due to the Corona pandemic.
Q: After your staredown with Syuri at the Korakuen Hall Anniversary show, would you like to compete against her in the future?
Hashimoto: いつかまた、必ず。
Translation: Someday, we’ll be sure to do it again.
Q: What are your personal goals for the remainder of the year?
Hashimoto:チーム200キロ海外進出!
Translation: Team 200kg overseas!
A huge thank you to Chihiro Hashimoto for taking part in this exclusive interview ahead of one of her biggest matches of the year. I’d also like to thank Kodai Tanaka and Sendai Girls for helping make this happen
If you’re interested in checking out Sendai Girls, the majority of their matches from throughout the year are uploaded to their YouTube channel. Their pay-per-view, SENJO Chronicle, is available to order here.
The SENJO Chronicle card is as followed:
- Tomoka Inaba vs. Natsumi
- Red Energy (Mika Iwata & Miyuki Takase) vs. Hiroyo Matsumoto & Saori Anou
- Ryo Mizunami, Yuu & Manami vs. Risa Sera, Ayame Sasamura & Aoi
- Sakura Hirota vs. Rydeen Hagane
- DASH Chisako vs. Suzu Suzuki
- Sendai Girls World Championship: Chihiro Hashimoto (c) vs. ASUKA
You can follow Sendai Girls on Twitter (@senjo2006) to never miss an update on their upcoming shows, YouTube uploads, and announcements. And you can follow Hashimoto (@chihiro_senjo) also.
