Last night at Ring of Honor‘s Supercard of Honor XII, ROH crowned their first ever Women of Honor Champion, with Sumie Sakai pinning Kelly Klein in the finals of the tournament that started in late 2017. In a field that included such emerging stars as Deonna Purrazzo, Brandi Rhodes, Mandy Leon, Tenille Dashwood, Karen Q and Stardom‘s Maya Iwatani, Kagetsu, HZK and Hana Kimura, many expected WOH to crown one of the new stars as it’s inaugural champion. But it went to the locker room leader and veteran Sumie Sakai, and well deserved. Sakai has been wrestling since 1997, originally trained by Japanese women’s legends Jaguar Yokota and Lioness Asuka. In the early 2000s, she moved to the United States and continued her training with Killer Kowalski. In 2002, she was the very first woman to compete for Ring of Honor, defeating Simply Luscious, on Ring of Honor’s fourth ever event, ROH Road to the Title, on June 22, 2002 (ROH’s first event was in February of 2002). Sumie Sakai has been not only a Women of Honor original, but a Ring of Honor original, wrestling for ROH for it’s entire history. It’s only fitting that the woman who made women’s wrestling possible and inspired and mentored so many wear the crown first.
https://twitter.com/totaldivaseps/status/982794139124330497
The FIRST ever @ringofhonor @Women_of_Honor Champion @SumieSakai!!! pic.twitter.com/wuO7qMsjyi
— women of honor (@Women_of_Honor) April 8, 2018
.@SumieSakai is the first @Women_of_Honor Champion! #WOHTournament #ROHSupercard pic.twitter.com/IKkxALihXh
— ROH – Ring of Honor Wrestling (@ringofhonor) April 8, 2018
https://twitter.com/DeonnaPurrazzo/status/982831133787410432
https://twitter.com/AllieImpact/status/982798836627378178
You deserve it! So happy for you!
— Daffney Unger (@screamqueendaff) April 8, 2018
Congratulations @SumieSakai becoming the first ever @Women_of_Honor championess!! 👊
— Jazzy Gabert (@Jazzy_Gabert) April 8, 2018
I’m legit about to cry!! @SumieSakai I love you! I am so proud of you, my mentor, my friend! You deserved this! #WOHChampionshipTournament https://t.co/OtgQWSwr4o
— Gabby Ortiz (@Gabbity) April 8, 2018
https://twitter.com/RealBullJames/status/982801862243094528
Gahhhh!!! Congratulations @SumieSakai 💞 So so happy for you https://t.co/n98Lxxc21A
— Willow Nightingale (@willowwrestles) April 8, 2018
https://twitter.com/JordynneGrace/status/982960130802180096
Waking up to the news of @SumieSakai being @Women_of_Honor champion and @QoSBaszler being @WWENXT Women's Champion is amazing. Two hard working women who deserve all the success they have. Congrats ladies!! ❤❤❤
— LuFisto (@LuFisto) April 8, 2018
This makes me happy!!! Congratulations @SumieSakai 😍
— Marti Belle (@MartiBelle) April 8, 2018
This makes my heart happy. An amazing locker room veteran and an incredible person. Congrats @SumieSakai !! 💚👏 https://t.co/2I4CpDyfAD
— Daphanie LaShaunn💅🏾✨🦓 (@RefBaeDaphWWE) April 8, 2018
I 💕 you @SumieSakai 🎉🎉🎉
— Veda Scott (@itsvedatime) April 8, 2018
Such an awesome moment! Congratulations @SumieSakai and @Women_of_Honor! This is the launching point for something really special!!! https://t.co/STo16Wi1vR
— Madison Rayne (@MadisonRayne) April 8, 2018
