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Professional Women’s Wrestling in Japan (22 photos)

Reuters photographer Thomas Peter spent time recently getting to know professional wrestler Kris Hernandez, who fights in Japan under the name Kris Wolf. She became the first foreigner to work her way up into the world of Japanese women’s pro wrestling, as part of Tokyo promoter World Wonder Ring Stardom. Peter reports “Professional women’s wrestling in Japan means body slams, sweat, and garish costumes. But Japanese rules on hierarchy also come into play, with a culture of deference to veteran fighters. The brutal reality of the ring is masked by a strong fantasy element that feeds its popularity with fans, most of them men.”