"Pure Heart Warrior" Izumi Sato

Name:
"Pure Heart Warrior" Izumi Sato

Height:
5'2"

Weight:
116 lbs

Hometown:
Miyama-cho, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan

Alignment:
Face

Entrance Music:
"Flying Light" by Yasuharu Takanashi

Fighting Style:
Izumi's primary focus is taking people down to the ground, because that's where she excels thanks to her judo and grappling background. She will mix in some upper body striking (no kicks/knees) as well as minor use of aerials as well. Also, due to her small stature, she employs a lot of countering - which embodies the bulk of her slams. She uses her opponents' forward momentum to lift and throw them easier when they are most off-balance. Izumi is more of a defensive grappler, since she's always the underdog. She's always moving and squirming, wasting little effort to set anything up, which makes it very difficult for her opponents to really get a handle on her.

Basic Moves:
STRIKING
- Punches
- Dirty Boxing
- Knife Edged Chops
TAKEDOWNS
- Fireman's Carry Takedown
- Single Leg Takedown
- Double Leg Takedown
- Waistlock Takedown
- Foot Sweep
- Ipponzei Shoulder Throw
- Judo Throws
GRAPPLING
- STO
- Dragon Screw Legwhip
- Shoulder Arm Breaker
- Arm Drag
- Drop Toe Hold
- Hip Toss
- Rolling Step-Over Toe Hold Throw
- Bulldog Neckbreaker
- Rolling Neck Snap
- Snap Suplex
COUNTERS
- Northern Lights Suplex
- Exploder Suplex
- Powerslam
- Mountain Bomb
SUBMISSIONS
- Armbar
- Cross Armbreaker
- Figure Four Armlock
- Crucifix Kneebar
- Fujiwara Armbar
- Texas Cloverleaf
- Triangle Choke
- Triangular Armlock
- Kimura
- Shoulder Lock
- Omo Plata
- Rolling Kimura
- Achilles Tendon Lock
- Tiger Feint Crucifix Armbar
- Forward Rolling Leg Scissor Takedown into Reverse Ankle Lock
- Side Rolling Leg Scissor Takedown into Crucifix Kneebar
AERIALS
- Suicide Dives
- Springboard Variations (Dropkick, DDT, Hurricanrana, Moonsault, etc)

Signature Moves:
- Kyoto Clutch: Rear Naked Choke (with body scissors; can be executed from a standing position or on the ground)
- Rolling Tsunami: Olympic Hell 0
- Uraken: Spinning Backfist
- Blossom Bomber: Michinoku Driver II* (primarily used as a counter, but it's a game-changer for Izumi)
- Bullet Rush: Spear (executed with speed, force, and technique, instead of overall body mass; like a bullet with big stopping power)

Finishing Moves:
- BUSHIDO!: Judo-Style Uranage - This is the real judo uranage, not the weak pro wrestling version ala the Rock Bottom. Izumi stands face to face with the opponent, slightly to their side. She tucks her head under the opponent's near arm, and reaches across the opponent's chest and around their neck with her near arm. At the same time, Izumi lifts the opponent up, turns 180 degrees and falls backwards, bringing the opponent over her and slamming them down on the back of their head and neck. Combined with her superior technique, Izumi snaps this off fast and fluid, with no delay to set it up. She can hit it from out of nowhere, and the speed at which she performs the throw equates to a match-ending impact.
- Dragon Vice: STO to Arm Triangle choke, similar to Osoto-gari Throw to Arm Triangle Choke - innovated by Izumi

Quote:

Superstar History:
Izumi got her start at the age of 17 in the ultraviolent KOKORO promotion as well as the less-so Beauty Angels: Japan. Her early years were spent on the receiving end of countless beatings through hideous deathmatches against larger, more experienced opponents. Her trial by fire path through the industry forced her to cut her teeth or die, so she redefined her whole perspective. As the youngest 6th dan black belt in judo, she became much more defensive, implementing judo fight psychology into her wrestling. The end result has garnered her much greater success and adoration. She lost a best of 7 series to her part-time mentor Tesla St. James, and won her first title against future friend "Mockingbird" Nina Grimsson. Izumi has also had violent battles with Puma Rhyse in The Pitt, and Kira Izumi in Union Battleground. It was Kira who took her far beyond her known limits before she unmasked him. But aside from her many battles and enemies, Izumi has also made many friends in the business, offering her services as a trainer and training partner to the likes of Jessie Roberts, Karen Hardy, developing a friendship with Noelle Charpentier, and offering moral support to Molly O'Hatherine. Though single and having never birthed her own children, Izumi has been a mother hen to others.

Title History:
1x Heart of KOKORO

Character Picbase:
Reika Saiki

How did you find EW:
Talia Areano