Earlier today, via the Gatoh Move Pro Wrestling YouTube channel, Mitsuru Konno formally announced her retirement from professional wrestling. Konno had been away from competition since early September due to an ankle injury. Her last match took place on episode forty-three of ChocoPro, back in late August. On this show, which honored the current Gatoh Move rookies, she teamed with Yuna Mizumori to face Mei Suruga and Emi Sakura in the opening match.
Alongside Emi Sakura, Mitsuru Konno announced her graduation and retirement from professional wrestling. According to Konno, this would be effective come January of 2021. Unfortunately, due to her ankle injury, she decided against working a final match. However, she made it clear that she will remain involved in wrestling in certain capacities. She expressed interest in meet-and-greets, live streams, and backstage work for Gatoh Move. Furthermore, she will work in SwanDive once a month; SwanDive is a bar owned by Dramatic Dream Team where wrestlers frequently work.
Mitsuru Konno entered professional wrestling in 2016. Prior to this, she played volleyball. Konno became exposed to wrestling during a Gatoh Move show that took place in Korakuen Hall. From there, Konno began training under the guidance of Sakura. She made her official debut in October of that year, where she faced her trainer in a Shin-Kiba 1st RING event.
The following year saw Konno work heavily with fellow Sakura trainee Aasa Maika. She also worked with Riho and Hikaru Shida, both of whom would go on to achieve success in All Elite Wrestling. Not only did Konno work heavily for Gatoh Move, but she would also appear for Japanese organizations Pro Wrestling HEAT UP and PURE-J. Steadily, Konno developed a reputation as one of the most well-rounded, dependable stars in Gatoh Move.
This would continue in 2019. With the departure of Riho, as well as the development of new talent within Gatoh Move, Konno stepped up as the new “ace” of the promotion. Konno was among the most formidable competitors in Ichigaya Chocolate Square and elsewhere, utilizing a combination of strikes, submissions, and sheer flexibility to keep her opponents at bay. Her continued efforts allowed the likes of Yuna Mizumori and Mei Suruga to grow and flourish.
Earlier this year, following the COVID-19 pandemic, Gatoh Move shifted gears with a new initiative dubbed ChocoPro. Konno would become part of the show, her style more hard-hitting than ever. Arguably her most memorable ChocoPro match took place on episode twenty-one, back in June. In this show’s main event, she battled Chris Brookes in a brutal affair that, surprisingly enough, ended with them sharing a tall, cold one. On this show, especially, Konno lived up to her nickname of “The Beer Badass.”
Mitsuru Konno has proven to be one of the most talented, consistent wrestlers in Gatoh Move. While it’s unfortunate to see her in-ring career come to an end, the staff at Last Word on Pro Wrestling wish her the best of luck with everything in her future.
Stay tuned to the Last Word on Pro Wrestling for more on this and other stories from around the world of wrestling, as they develop. You can always count on LWOPW to be on top of the major news in the wrestling world, as well as to provide you with analysis, previews, videos, interviews, and editorials on the wrestling world. You can watch Gatoh Move on YouTube and via the Gatoh Move Experience.
