Aja Kong
A fearsome, dominant force in Japanese women's wrestling, known for her brutal power style and as a trailblazing founder of her own promotion.
Born 1970 (age 56)·Japanese professional wrestler·Birthday: September 25·Generation X
Biography
Aja Kong, born Erika Shishido, is not a wrestler; she is a natural disaster in the ring. Debuting in the powerhouse All Japan Women's Pro-Wrestling in the late 1980s, she shattered the mold of the typical 'joshi' star. With a formidable physique and a no-nonsense, hard-hitting style centered on her devastating spinning backfist (the Uraken), she projected an aura of legitimate menace. Kong became the central villain of her era, engaging in legendary, violent feuds with stars like Manami Toyota and Bull Nakano. Her influence extended beyond performing; in 1998, she founded the Arsion promotion, aiming to present a more realistic, martial arts-influenced product. Even decades into her career, well past 50, she remains an active and respected presence on the Japanese independent scene, a living legend whose very appearance commands a mixture of fear and reverence.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Aja was born in 1970, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Aja Was Born
The biggest hits of 1970
#1 Movie
Love Story
Best Picture
Patton
#1 TV Show
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
Aja's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1970Born
First Earth Day; The Beatles break up
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $17,000Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Bridge over Troubled Water" — Simon & GarfunkelBest Picture: Patton
1975Started school
Fall of Saigon ends the Vietnam War
Gas: $0.57/galHome: $27,600Min wage: $2.10/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Love Will Keep Us Together" — Captain & TennilleBest Picture: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
1983Became a teenager
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1986Could drive
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1988Could vote
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1991Turned 21
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
2000Turned 30
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2010Turned 40
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2020Turned 50
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 56 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the prestigious WWWA World Single Championship, the top title in All Japan Women's Pro-Wrestling, on three separate occasions.
- Founded and served as the president of the influential all-women's wrestling promotion Arsion in 1998.
- Captured the AAAW Single Championship and the WWWA World Tag Team Championship multiple times throughout her career.
- Competed in the United States for major promotions like WCW and WWE (then WWF), including a match at the 1995 Royal Rumble.
Did You Know?
She is the daughter of professional wrestler and sumo wrestler Great Togo (Tommy Akira).
Her ring name was inspired by the reggae song 'Aja' by Steely Dan.
She is known for her distinctive, ever-present white towel, which she wears draped over her head during her entrance.
She has trained several younger wrestlers, including current stars like Hikaru Shida.
Despite her fierce persona, she is an avid fan of cute character merchandise like Hello Kitty.
“I don't perform for the crowd. I'm here to fight and to win.”
