Arisa Hoshiki: One More Legend

[Utami]

Solitude. It has a way of putting things into perspective, clarifying them. This is something that the woman sitting before the vast mirror, staring into her reflection’s eyes. She’s come here often in the past year to refocus herself and to think. The simple surroundings have become increasingly important to her since December. Life is complicated. Having this spot to regroup and plan the next moves is incredibly important to Arisa Hoshiki. To be honest she doesn’t know where she’d be without it with the roller coaster of a return she’s had.

As she looks at the mirror, she sees all the faces that’ve crossed her path since she stepped foot back in the ring. Alexa Bliss’ smiling face - a woman whom she only betrayed because she’d been blinded to the truth of her reality. Someone she’d definitely share a slurpee with if they crossed paths once more. Britt Baker, the former champion who she’d silenced with one resounding Pulsar Kick in December. Wherever the doctor was, Arisa’s sure the wrestling world hasn’t seen the last of her. Becky Lynch, the big crossover Hollywood star whom she’d last eliminated from the Last Survivor match in her greatest accomplishment in EBWF. A woman who had eyes for that championship which continues to elude her to this day. Utami, the queen who’d risked Arisa’s life to further her personal vendettas and then self destructed. Fallout had been her statement to the world that the Shining Star was brighter than the Crimson Queen. Tam Nakano, the EBWF Women’s Champion who continues to shine brightly herself.

Just like her last run in Japan, this return has been deeply intertwined with Tam. Inextricably. As she gazes upon the proudly smiling visage of her friend, the EBWF Women’s Championship on her shoulder, Arisa feels a swell of emotions. When they’d fought again after 3 years she’d been convinced that Tam was weak and that it was her right as the strong one to rip the title away. Going to hell and back with Tam proved her wrong. It also lit a fire under Arisa that continues to burn to this day. Going the distance in the Last Survivor match, eliminating the final three other women to earn her shot, letting Utami barge her way into it? All in the service of getting one more shot at Tam. Another war of attrition, a brief shining moment of friendship as they worked together to send Utami home, and then failure again. All signs point to the possibility that Arisa Hoshiki just might not have what it takes to win the big one anymore.

Yet that fire burns hotter now than it has in years. Rather than simply accepting that possibility as reality, she’s more determined than ever to reach the stars. Sitting out the last two months has forced her to reflect on the reality of who Arisa Hoshiki is in 2023. The last time she was able to win at the highest level, Arisa had been four years younger. Younger and thick headed. For a good chunk of her title reign in Japan she’d fought through injury and all kinds of mental torment. Now she was healthier for certain, but her body still has that mileage on it. She can’t turn back the clock. She’s been through some of the hardest hitting matches she’s ever fought. Last time she had her dreams ended suddenly, without fanfare, because of injury. It’s not that big of a stretch to imagine that this run is finite, that any match might really be the finale to her career. Even a miraculous comeback has to have an end. Maybe she’s not running on borrowed time, but she definitely doesn’t have unlimited time. Every fight counts for more now. She has to get back to that spot, she has to lock up with Tam one more time to see if maybe, just maybe the third time’s the charm. But it’s not that easy.

Her eyes settle on a face she’s seen just once. One she’s about to see again very, very soon. Trish Stratus. A woman who’s done everything a woman can do in professional wrestling. In her time as a backstage personality Arisa did plenty of research into the history of the EBWF Women’s Division. She’s seen exactly what a woman of Trish Stratus’ talent can do, and the staying power that the Canadian has. Staring at the smiling face of the legend, Arisa can feel the intensity this battle will be filled with. Can she truly compete with Trish in the biggest tournament in the sport? This is exactly the kind of stage women like her thrive on. It goes without saying that even in a first round contest, she’s going to get the very best that Trish has to offer. Can she truly compete with that? Is her body truly healed up, or will she break under the pressure that her opponent will bring to bear on her? This one counts for more because of who she’s standing across the ring from. An all time great against a fallen champion trying to find her way back to the top. Is there hope?

It’s here that Arisa recalls the only time they’ve stood in the same ring. Last Survivor in January. Trish Stratus survived until the final four of the greatest gauntlet in the sport. Her experience and talent helped her outlast eight other women and give her a shot at the gold she’d once held. Yet when under all the pressure in the world, it wasn’t Trish standing there with her hand raised. And the woman who ensured that? None other than the woman staring Arisa back from the mirror. Her eyes drift up to that one picture she’s avoided thinking too much about, the confident smile on the woman’s face. What would she do in Arisa’s place? She speaks the answer as soon as it comes to her.

Arisa Hoshiki: “Put everything on the line and take out the legend so her own can grow.”

She pumps her fist and grins. Time to get back on her feet.

*******

The package opens with a shot of the final four of the Women’s Last Survivor match. Arisa Hoshiki, Utami Hayashishita, Becky Lynch. Each stares at the other, frozen in place for the longest time before the then-teammates go on the attack. We see Trish Stratus and Arisa Hoshiki sharing a moment, eyes locked in heated confrontation. Then the footage changes, showing the Queen of the Ring logo briefly before switching to show Arisa Hoshiki kneeling in front of her locker almost as if in prayer.

Arisa Hoshiki: “This is the stage where legends are made.”

As she speaks the words, images of past Queen of the Ring winners are shown. Each one wearing crown, each with her hand raised in victory. It stops on the most recent winner, Allysin Kay, then fades back to the shot of Arsia before her locker.

Arisa Hoshiki: “A miraculous place where anyone can rise to the top and earn a crown to call her own. Sure, you have to fight through the very best that professional wrestling has to offer and everyone’s giving their all to take the same prize. It’s a dangerous place, but if you can push through the pain and reach that last match, you write your name in the stars. Whatever comes after it, people will always know that you were the queen. Your name is there among the best and brightest who’ve ever laced up a pair of boots. Long after you’ve hung those boots up people will still be talking about what you accomplished.”

A flash, and we see Arisa’s face staring seriously down the camera.

Arisa Hoshiki: “I think that’s a feeling we’ve both had isn’t it, Trish?”

Another flash, and Arisa slowly rises from her kneeling position to stand tall.

Arisa HoshikI: “Maybe you even better than me. You’ve been around for a really long time, and you know this stage better than almost anyone. A lot of women come and go but for the past two decades Trish Stratus has always been there. Year in, year out fighting the best wrestlers in the world and beating, then outlasting them all. It’s no secret why people call you a legend, because you’ve done everything there is to do in this sport. That time doesn’t even slow you down, you just find new ways to keep going at the highest level. It’s something I admire about you honestly. It’s my honor to be your first opponent in the Queen of the Ring tournament. So I expect you to give me your very best in that ring in Vancouver. I know you won’t disappoint me, because you’ve got your eyes on the same prize I’m chasing.”

We see an image of Trish holding up the EBWF Women’s Championship in her most recent, record setting reign. Then we see Arisa smile.

Arisa Hosiki: “You were on top of the mountain not that long ago, and you must be working yourself to exhaustion to get back up there. Because the woman who’s got that prize know? She’s the same person who put an end to your historic reign. And she’s the woman I’ve chased since I set foot back in a ring last fall. For the two of us this tournament means everything. It’s not just the prestige of the crown or surviving the challenge of the best the sport has to offer. No, it’s more than that. Whoever reaches the top and wears the crown on her head gets a date with destiny against Tam Nakano. Maybe your mind’s on making more history by ending the reign that Tam’s had, and this is the fastest way to earn your shot. I get that. I want to fight her again too. And if you assume that I’m going to be less of a challenge for you since I’ve been out hurt? If you think that I can’t get the job done because I’ve been pinned by Tam twice in this ring? I’m happy to remind you what I can do when my back’s against the wall.”

A clip of Trish steadying herself on the ring apron at Last Survivor plays - just as she regains her footing, Arisa hits her with a stiff Pulsar Kick. Trish hits the floor and Arisa turns to face her other opponents. Then we’re back to Arisa’s smiling face in the present.

Arisa Hoshiki: “I’m a survivor. Not only for fighting with everything I had, no matter how hard it hurt, just to stand in a ring again. Not only for going through the manipulation of a woman who didn’t care if my body broke so long as her enemies were crushed. Not only for entering the Last Survivor match at number 2 and going all the way. I’m a survivor because no matter how hard I crash, no matter how hard someone knocks me down I get right back up again. But even the ultimate survivor has an expiration date. My last shot at Tam left me sidelined for two months. I fought like hell to get back into shape so I could stand in that ring to face you, Trish, but who knows how long I might have left. My body’s broken before, it could break again. So I’m not taking this opportunity for granted, and I’m going to put everything on the line to get to the next round. That’s what it’ll take to beat you, and that’s what I’m going to do.”

She pauses, then adds one more wrinkle.

Arisa Hoshiki: “Sometimes, I wonder why you’re still here. You’ve done everything there is to do in professional wrestling, so why do you keep coming back? Why do you keep fighting so hard when you’ve got nothing left to prove? I’m sure you love the sport like I do, but you don’t need to get to the top like I do. Another title reign isn’t going to make you any more legendary than you already are. I’m fighting to see if I still have what it takes to become a champion, and to be a world champion for the first time on top of that. You’ve held more world titles than I can count. I could say I’m hungrier and have more to prove than you do, but that’s not the whole story. Because there’s one thing neither of us has done here in EBWF: beat Tam Nakano. Both of us are aiming for her, both of us are going to beat the hell out of each other for the right to take that belt from her. It’s going to hurt like nothing I’ve ever felt before, and I look forward to the pain. Because I know that when the odds are stacked, when everyone expects me to fall, that’s when I shine the brightest. And no matter how many times you hit me with your best stuff, you aren’t going to get any Stratusfaction. I will keep getting up to kick you one more time.”

Arisa flashes another smile as she concludes.

Arisa Hoshiki: “My star is shining bright now, my inner fire is an inferno. I’m not done yet, and I’m going to kick my way through you to get one step closer to the crown. You may be a legend, but even legends can be eclipsed. I respect you, and we’re going to tear down the house with a match of the night, but I have to win. Don’t believe me? Well, in a few hours you’ll be able to check it out for yourself.”