Lena Kross reflects on the opportunity to with Meiko Satomura.
In late 2022, Lena Kross fulfilled her long-time dream of wrestling in Japan, thanks to an invite from Meiko Satomura’s Sendai Girls Pro Wrestling. Since then, Kross has enjoyed multiple tours with the promotion, which included a run with the Sendai Girls Tag Team Championships. In doing so, Kross also had the opportunity to learn under Meiko Satomura, a 30-year veteran of the pro wrestling business.
“[Meiko] is genuinely a legend in all aspects of wrestling, outside of wrestling,” Kross told WrestleZone’s Ella Jay. “Being able to go to Japan with Sendai Girls, I obviously get the opportunity to train at their dojo. I get to work with her on that level. Just to see 30 years in, she is still preaching that you need fundamentals, the basics of wrestling and professional wrestling are so important for yourself, for your opponents, and there’s no lacking of that even now.
“Then watching her on show days and how she can walk into an arena, a locker room, and the respect that she has earned and deserves, I’ve never seen anyone present with that much respect and aura. She definitely deserves all of that. It’s very special. I know a lot of people see Meiko as a dream match or a dream opportunity, and the fact that I have had the opportunity to go over with her for six tours now, doesn’t fall short on me at all. Every time I go over, I know that time is limited, whether it’s in the ring, but the advice she gives outside of the ring as well is also invaluable.”
Learning From ‘The Final Boss’
When asked about what she’s learned from Satomura, also known as “The Final Boss,” Kross noted that she has been especially impactful in her presentation and how she carries herself in a “professional manner.”
“I was kind of saying before you see it and you can see it straight away,” Kross said. “A lot of people don’t have that. And I think that for me is very kind of inspiring to see. That’s how I would like to be viewed by other people eventually down the line. But just seeing how she presents herself in different situations, I think I’ve learnt a lot in that sense, just being able to observe and watch.”
In April 2025, Satomura will officially retire from in-ring competition. Currently, she reigns as the Sendai Girls World Champion. That, of course, could soon change, as she begins to wrap up her career and potentially shifts to a more prominent backstage role.
Watch our full interview with Lena Kross below:
