Tokyo Joshi Pro-Wrestling held a press conference at their dojo at 12:30 PM JST (11:30 PM EDT) on the 1st. It was announced that Shiori Futaba of the idol group “Congrazie!” will make her professional wrestling debut at the November 8 Korakuen Hall event.
Representative Tetsuya Koda: “Thank you all for gathering here today. We are holding this press conference to announce that Shiori Futaba from the nine-member idol group ‘Congrazie!’ will be competing in a match at Tokyo Joshi Pro-Wrestling’s November 8 Korakuen Hall event. Without further ado, I’d like to ask Shiori Futaba to introduce herself and say a few words.”
Shiori Futaba: “I’m Shiori Futaba, the Fresh Green member of the nine-member group ‘Congrazie!’, which operates on the concept of ‘Generating smiles to make the world happy!’ After performing at TIF Puroresu, I was offered this opportunity to debut. The fans and wrestling supporters who watched us at TIF Puroresu actually started coming to our live idol events, and it became a great way for people to discover ‘Congrazie!’. Because of that, I really felt a strong sense of fate. When I actually stood in the ring and watched the matches up close, it was incredibly impactful. It sparked my interest in professional wrestling and was an amazing experience. I am so excited to have received this offer and to actually make my debut.”
Her match for the November 8 Korakuen Hall event is currently undecided. She is scheduled to greet the fans in the ring at the October 3 Ota Ward Gymnasium event. The following is a summary of the Q&A session.
(Press): Are there any specific wrestlers you would like to face in your debut match? Futaba: I had the chance to work alongside Shoko Nakajima at TIF Puroresu. From that moment—or rather, through that opportunity—I became a huge fan of hers. At the time, I told her, “I hope we can work together again if the opportunity arises,” and it seems that chance is actually going to happen. I would be thrilled to share the ring with Shoko again if possible.
(Press): Do you have any sports background?
Futaba: I’ve been doing cheerleading and cheer dance since kindergarten, so I am quite flexible. However, I haven’t done full-body physical movements like this since becoming an adult, so I’ve been getting incredibly sore after every practice. But I am confident in my ability to move.
(Press): What do you want to showcase in the ring?
Futaba: I’m hoping I can at least pull off a move and look somewhat cool doing it.
(Press): How much have you practiced so far?
Futaba: Since receiving the pro wrestling offer, I’ve been squeezing in as much practice as possible during my free time between idol activities.
(Press): Have you been practicing at the dojo with the other wrestlers?
Futaba: Yes, I’ve been joining them.
(Press): Will you decide whether or not to continue wrestling after your debut match?
Futaba: That’s right. I can’t quite picture what comes next yet. But since I’ve been given this opportunity, I have a “let’s do this” mentality. For my debut match on November 8, I am just going to give it absolutely everything I have.
(Press): Have you informed your group members?
Futaba: Yes, I told them. All the members are really looking forward to it, saying things like, “We want to go see your debut match!” I want to show them a cool side of myself, too.
(Press): Tokyo Joshi Pro-Wrestling also has wrestlers like Yuki Arai who balanced an idol career with wrestling. What are your thoughts on that?
Futaba: I had heard that there were several seniors who transitioned from idols to pro wrestling, and that some are balancing both. Just thinking about doing both pro wrestling practice and idol lessons makes me go, “Wow!” Balancing both is amazing in itself, and seeing them thrive in both fields is incredibly cool. It’s something I really admire.
(Press): (To Representative Koda) Did management approach her about debuting?
Koda: It was more of a mutual thing. It was basically me asking, “Want to keep going?” and her saying, “I want to keep going!”
(Press): How do you view her aptitude for professional wrestling?
Koda: We only reach out to girls who show natural aptitude, so I have no doubt about it.
(Press): What shines the most about her?
Koda: Rather than just her physical movement or stamina, the most important trait for an idol is the ability to energize the people watching them—and I think that is a trait shared with professional wrestling. She has this incredible aura that brightens her surroundings. Regardless of whether it’s as an idol or a pro wrestler, I think that shared quality makes her an incredibly captivating girl.
Shiori Futaba Profile:
- X: @congrazie_siori
- Height: 154 cm / 5′ 0.63″
- Date of Birth: March 26
- Hometown: Fukushima Prefecture
- Blood Type: A
Translation Notes:
- TIF Puroresu: Refers to the Tokyo Idol Festival (TIF), one of Japan’s largest idol events. TIF Puroresu is a special crossover stage featuring wrestling matches where idol fans and wrestling fans mix. It is a frequent collaboration point for Tokyo Joshi Pro-Wrestling.
- Fresh Green: In Japanese idol culture, members are assigned specific “member colors” (担当カラー) to help fans identify and support them (often via glowsticks). Futaba introducing herself as the “Fresh Green” member refers to her designated aesthetic color within Congrazie!
- Yuki Arai: The Japanese text only referred to her by her surname (荒井), but contextually, this refers to former SKE48 member Yuki Arai. She serves as the most prominent example of a woman who successfully balanced a high-profile idol career with a championship-level run in Tokyo Joshi Pro-Wrestling before transitioning to wrestling full-time.
- Korakuen & Ota Ward: Korakuen Hall is the historic mecca of Japanese combat sports, serving as the standard venue for major Tokyo events. Ota City General Gymnasium is a larger arena used for premier supercards.