Zoltán Czibor (23 August 1929 – 1 September 1997) was a Hungarian footballer who played for several Hungarian clubs, including Ferencváros and Budapest Honvéd, and the Hungary national team before joining CF Barcelona. Czibor played as a left-winger or striker and was notable for having a powerful shot, good pace and excellent ball control. During the 1950s he was part of the Magical Magyars, reaching the World Cup final with them in 1954. After the 1956 Hungarian Revolution he moved to Spain where he became a prominent member of the successful FC Barcelona team of the late 1950s. After three seasons at Barcelona, he joined their local rivals Español for the 1961–62 season. After brief spells at FC Basel, Austria Wien and Primo Hamilton FC, he retired as a professional footballer and returned to Hungary. He died there in 1997, aged 68.

Career

Early career
As a youth, Czibor played for Komárom AC and Komárom MÁV and was working as a train engine driver before he was noticed by Sándor Mezei, the coach of the Hungary youth team. He subsequently played for Ferencváros TC where he won his first Hungarian League title in 1949. After a spell with Csepel SC he conscripted into the army team, Honvéd. During his playing career in Hungarian club football, Czibor scored 100 goals in 175 matches.

The Mighty Magyars
Czibor made his debut for the senior Hungary team in 1949. He went on to play 43 times for Hungary and scored 17 goals. Together with Ferenc Puskás, Sándor Kocsis, József Bozsik and Nándor Hidegkuti, he formed the nucleus of the Golden Team that went unbeaten for 32 consecutive games. During this run they became Olympic Champions in 1952, beating Yugoslavia in the Helsinki final with Czibor scoring in a 2–0 win. They also beat England twice, winning 6–3 at Wembley Stadium and then in 7–1 in 1954. In 1953 they also won the Central European International Cup. The run came to an end in the 1954 World Cup Final when they lost 3–2 to Germany although Czibor scored once more in a final.

Honvéd

In 1953, Czibor joined Honvéd where his teammates included fellow internationals Puskás, Kocsis, and Bozsik. During his time at the club he won a further two Hungarian League titles in 1954 and 1955. He finished 1955 as top goalscorer in the league after scoring 20 goals. In 1956, Honvéd FC entered the European Cup and in the first round they were drawn against Athletic Bilbao. Honvéd FC lost the away leg 3–2, but before the home leg could be played, the Hungarian Revolution had erupted back in Budapest. The players decided against going back to Hungary and arranged for the return with Athletic to be played at the Heysel Stadium in Brussels. However, early in the game, the Honvéd FC goalkeeper was injured and, with no substitutes permitted, Czibor had to go into goal. Despite drawing 3–3 they went out on 6–5 on aggregate.

Elimination left Honvéd in limbo. The players summoned their families from Budapest and, despite opposition from FIFA and the Hungarian football authorities, they organised a fundraising tour of Italy, Portugal, Spain and Brazil. After returning to Europe, the players parted ways. Some, including Bozsik, returned to Hungary while others, including Czibor, Kocsis and Puskás, found new clubs in Western Europe.

FC Barcelona
Czibor initially went to Italy and played a couple of unofficial games for AS Roma before another Hungarian refugee, Ladislao Kubala, persuaded him and Sándor Kocsis to join him at FC Barcelona where he became a vital member to the team. He subsequently scored on his La Liga debut in a 6–0 win over Valencia CF and as part of a team that also included Ramallets, Evaristo and Luis Suárez, Czibor won a Copa del Generalísimo and La Liga double in 1959 and a La Liga and Fairs Cup double in 1960. Although he did not play in the Copa final, he scored twice in the Fairs Cup final as CF Barcelona beat Birmingham City 4–2. CF Barcelona and Czibor also reached the final of the European Cup in 1961, where he scored as Barcelona lost 3–2 to Portuguese club S.L. Benfica.

Later career
After three seasons at Barcelona, he joined their local rivals Español for the 1961–62 season. He had brief spells in Switzerland with  FC Basel, and in Austria with Austria Wien. He then moved to Canada in 1964 and joined the Hamilton Steelers in the Eastern Canada Professional Soccer League. He finished the 1964 season with Hungária SC Toronto in the National Soccer League. He then played for Toronto City in 1965.

Honours
Ferencváros
 Hungarian Champions: 1949

Honvéd
 Hungarian Champions: 1954, 1955

Barcelona
 Spanish Champions: 1958–59, 1959–60
 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup: 1958–60

Hungary
 Olympic Champions: 1952
 Central European Champions: 1953
 World Cup runner-up: 1954

Individual
 Two times best player of Hungary

See also
 List of Eastern Bloc defectors

References

Sources
Behind The Curtain - Travels in Eastern European Football: Jonathan Wilson (2006)
The World Cup - The Complete History: Terry Crouch (2002)
50 Years of the European Cup and Champions League: Keir Radnedge (2005)
Hungary stats
Memorial in Komárom

1929 births
1997 deaths
Footballers from Kaposvár
Hungarian defectors
Men's association football forwards
Men's association football wingers
Hungarian men's footballers
Hungary men's international footballers
1954 FIFA World Cup players
Footballers at the 1952 Summer Olympics
Olympic footballers for Hungary
Olympic gold medalists for Hungary
Komárom VSE footballers
Ferencvárosi TC footballers
Csepel SC footballers
Budapest Honvéd FC players
Hungarian expatriate men's footballers
Expatriate men's footballers in Italy
Serie A players
AS Roma players
Hungarian expatriate sportspeople in Italy
Expatriate men's footballers in Spain
La Liga players
FC Barcelona players
Hungarian expatriate sportspeople in Spain
RCD Espanyol footballers
CE Europa footballers
Expatriate men's footballers in Switzerland
FC Basel players
Hungarian expatriate sportspeople in Switzerland
Expatriate men's footballers in Austria
FK Austria Wien players
Hamilton Steelers (1958–1967) players
Eastern Canada Professional Soccer League players
Hungarian expatriate sportspeople in Austria
Expatriate men's soccer players in Canada
Toronto City players
Hungarian expatriate sportspeople in Canada
Olympic medalists in football
Medalists at the 1952 Summer Olympics
Canadian National Soccer League players

Zoltán Czibor


Manarcad (pronounced Ma - nar- cad) is a small town in Kottayam district of Kerala state, South India. It is known for the Manarcad Perunnal, the annual feast at the St. Mary's Church, which is usually held from September 1-8 (during the 8-Day Lent). It is located about 9 km from the town of Kottayam and is on the way to tourist town of Thekkady.

People

The majority of the population depends on agriculture, but recently there is not much agricultural land. Manarcad has now become a suburb of the Kottayam town, and a good residential area.

Manarcad is one of the most densely populated villages in Kerala. The Rasa (a type of religious procession) during the feast of the St. Mary's Church here, which is held in September of every year is known as one of the biggest Rasas in Asia. Manarcad Temple festival is in the month of January and April (Pathamudayam) every year.

Culture

Manarcad church has been declared as a pilgrimage center of the Syriac Orthodox Church.

Majority of its population is Christian, belonging to the Jacobite Syrian Orthodox, Malankara Orthodox, Marthoma, Pentecostal and Brethren communities. Main Churches are Manarcad St.Mary's Jacobite Church, Vadakamanoor Orthodox Church, Church Of God Gilgal Maalam and Brethren Assembly Maalam.

Economy

Nowadays, NRIs (Non Resident Indians) act as the financial backbone for this small urban village.

Agriculture

Rubber, pineapple, pepper and coconut plantations contribute to the agricultural income. Few paddy fields remain unaltered.

Media

Kolo Suryoyo is a publication by St Mary's youth association, Manarcad. It is a popular Christian Magazine. Margadeepthi magazine is also publishing from Manarcad.

Hospital Ministry Of India Manarcadu Cell published "Neeravu".

Main attractions

Manarcad St. Mary's Church, Manarcad Devi Temple, Vijayapuram Srikrishna Temple Vennimala, Paalamuri bridge and Nalumanikatu (a road side recreational park near Manarcaud).

Festivals

Main festivals in this area are  Manarcad palli perunnal (the Ettu Nombu at Manarcad church). Pathamudayam  (a ten-day festivity at Bhagavathi temple), Nadathurakkal (Manarcad church), Pattukalam Koodicha  (a 41-day festival at Bhagavathi temple),  Kumbha Bharani ( a one-day festival at Bhagavathi temple) and Meena Bharani (a one-day festival at bhagavathi temple), procession during Sreekrishna Jayanthi at vijayapuram sreekrishna swamy temple. The bhagavathi temple is believed to be older than 2000 years. People from all religions take part in church and temple events with harmony.

Other attractions is a procession (Rasa) in the Manarcad St. Mary's church, which is considered to be one of the longest and heavily packed Rasas in Asia. On the seventh day of the feast, a very old icon of the Virgin Mary is unveiled in a ceremony known as Nadathurakkal.

Masayogam held in Church Of God Gilgal Bhavan Maalam is a festival of Pentecost communities.

Another attraction in this town is 'Naalumanikaatu' on the Manarcadu-Ettumanoor Bypass. The word 'Naalumanikaatu' means evening breeze. In the evening, many people in this town spend some time at this place.

Ammaveedu (literally, "Mother's house")  a charitable organisation very near St. Mary's church, an organization for aged and sick people who are lonely in life .

Schools
 St . Mary's English Medium School
 St Mary's Higher Secondary school
 St. Mary's College, Manarcad
 St Mary's I T C
 St Mary's Hospital
 St Mary's School Of nursing
 Infant Jesus Bethany Academy
 Govt.UPS Manarcad
 Govt UPS Maalam

Transportation

Buses provide the main public transportation and are available 24/7. The nearest railway station is the Kottayam railway station (about 8 km away). More than 200 other buses operate in this route.

Getting there

Nearby Places

Maalam, Oravackal, Areeparambu, Ayarkunnam, Pampady , Puthuppally, Panikkamattom, 6th Mile, Palamuri, Kuzhippurayidom, Vadavathoor, Thiruvanchoor, Amayannor.

Sports and games

Manarcad has its own sports history. There is a variety of football Naadan panthukali in which they use a small leather ball the size of a cricket ball. This game has five innings, and normally it will take three hours to get finished.

See also
St. Mary's  Syriac Orthodox Cathedral, Manarcad
Church of God Gilgal Worship Centre, Maalam, Manarcad

External links

 Manarcad St.Mary's Church, Official website
 Manarcad church
Manarcad Sri Bhagavathy Temple

Cities and towns in Kottayam district

Manarcaud


USS Whidbey Island (LSD-41) is a  (LSD) of the United States Navy. She was named for Whidbey Island, in Puget Sound, Washington, the location of NAS Whidbey Island; the name ultimately derives from the sailor, explorer and engineer Joseph Whidbey.

Whidbey Island was laid down on 4 August 1981, by the Lockheed Shipbuilding, Seattle, Washington; launched on 10 June 1983, sponsored by Mrs. Sally Gorton, wife of Senator Slade Gorton; and commissioned on 9 February 1985.

History
In February 1981, the U.S. Navy awarded Lockheed Shipbuilding Company of Seattle, Washington, a contract to construct LSD-41, first of a new Dock Landing Ship class to replace the aging  LSDs. At the 4 August 1981 keel laying ceremony, the Honorable John F. Lehman, Secretary of the Navy, affixed his signature to the LSD-41 keel; the first keel of an amphibious assault ship lain in more than five years.

Although the first ship to carry the name Whidbey Island, there was at one time a ship named USS Whidbey (AG-141), a small transport purchased from the U.S. Army and servicing U.S. Trust Territories in the late 1940s.

Whidbey Island, the first ship in a class designed specifically to interface with the Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC), assisted in the operational and developmental testing of the amphibious assault craft from July to September 1985 and again in May and July 1986.

1986 – 1991
In August 1986, Whidbey Island embarked on her first major operation, participating in the NATO Exercise Northern Wedding/Bold Guard '86.

Whidbey Islands first deployment was to the Mediterranean in January 1987. The ship took part in seven amphibious exercises carrying out duties as Presidential Support Ship for the World Economic Summit in Venice, Italy, May 1987.

Whidbey Island deployed to the Mediterranean for the second time in December 1988 with MARG 1-89, participating in three major landing exercises with the Spanish, French and Italian navies before returning to homeport in June 1989. Whidbey Island was the first amphibious ship from the East Coast to deploy to the European Theater with LCACs. In September and October 1989, Whidbey Island participated in Hurricane Hugo disaster relief operations in the Caribbean.

In August 1990, Whidbey Island again deployed to the Mediterranean as part of MARG 3-90. During the trans-Atlantic crossing, the ship received orders to sail to Mamba Station off the coast of Monrovia, Liberia, serving as the flagship for evacuation operations in Operation Sharp Edge, spending 105 consecutive days at sea. By the time Whidbey Island reached her first port, Las Palmas, Canary Islands, the ship had been out to sea for 126 straight days. After further steaming around the Western Mediterranean in support of Operation Desert Storm, Whidbey Island returned to homeport March 1991 from her extended seven-month deployment.

1992 – 1997
On 5 December 1991 Whidbey Island deployed with MARG 1-92 representing the Amphibious Ready Group's operations in the Black Sea with a series of port calls. With members of the Sixth Fleet, the  Band, and representatives from the other MARG ships, Whidbey Island made port calls to Samsun, Turkey; Constanţa, Romania; and Burgas, Bulgaria, becoming the first United States amphibious ship and the largest U.S. warship to operate in the Black Sea, the first U.S. Navy ship to visit Samsun in 70 years and the first U.S. Navy ship to ever visit Burgas. Whidbey Island returned to homeport on 5 June 1992.

In January 1993, Whidbey Island deployed in support of Operation Sea Signal/Able Manner, enforcing alien migration policies off the coast of Haiti.

Later that year, Whidbey Island deployed to the littorals of South America and West Africa during UNITAS 34-93/WATC 93, the first Whidbey Island-class ship to deploy to this region, leading the southernmost amphibious exercise ever at Tierra del Fuego, returning from deployment 17 December 1993.

In August 1994, in a Combined Joint Task Force Whidbey Island provided emergent lift services for the evacuation of 160 migrant camps from Grand Turk Island. Shortly after, Whidbey Island rescued and transported over 8,100 Cuban migrants from the Straits of Florida during Operation Able Vigil and participated in the restoration of the legitimate government to Haiti during Operation Uphold Democracy.

At the turn of 1995, Whidbey Island along with  and  participated in NATO cold weather training in the North Atlantic for Exercise Strong Resolve 95. On 28 August 1995, Whidbey Island deployed for a fifth Mediterranean Deployment with the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU). During this deployment, the ship participated in Exercises Atlas Hinge, Odysseus 95, Noble Shirley, Bright Star and Alexander the Great, spending over three months in the Adriatic Sea in support of peacekeeping operations for the Dayton Peace Accords in the former Yugoslavia. The crew received the Armed Forces Service Medal and the NATO Medal, returning to homeport 29 February 1996.

On 3 June 1996, Whidbey Island entered Norfolk Shipbuilding and Drydock Company (NORSHIPCO) for a Dry-docking Phased Maintenance Availability (DPMA) and received a Women at Sea Certification. On 1 July 1997, Whidbey Island departed for Unitas 38-97 setting a record for amphibious landings with several UNITAS participating nations before returning home 13 December 1997.

1999 – 2002
Whidbey Island departed for her sixth Mediterranean deployment 15 September 1999. Along with 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit, Whidbey Island participated in Exercises Bright Star, Noble Shirley and Infinite Moonlight. During these exercises the ship worked in partnership with members of the British, Egyptian and Jordanian Armed Forces. Whidbey Island safely transited the Suez Canal as well as the Straits of Tiran, Toranto, Gibraltar, and of Messina, visiting ports such as Alicante, Spain; Antalya, Turkey; Haifa, Israel; Palermo, Italy; Genoa, Italy; Souda Bay, Greece; and Aqaba, Jordan.

On 24 May 2000, Whidbey Island returned to NORSHIPCO for multiple upgrades and additions to the ship's configuration and systems. During this PMA period the ship received two Rolling Airframe Missiles (RAM) Launchers as well as the Ship's Self Defense System (SSDS) Mk-1, significantly enhancing Whidbey Islands ability to track, engage and destroy incoming missiles at close range.

On 11 June 2001, Whidbey Island completed her Basic Phase of Training and started a five-week pre-deployment maintenance period. Starting 11 July 2001 the ship began her intermediate training cycle in preparation for deployment as part of Amphibious Squadron 8, Amphibious Ready Group.

On 19 September 2001, eight days after the terrorist attacks on the Pentagon and the World Trade Center, Whidbey Island weighed anchor for her seventh deployment. With troops of 26th MEU (Special Operations Capable), the ship participated in Exercise Bright Star off the coast of Egypt. At the completion of the exercise, crew and troops enjoyed a few days in the port of Marmaris, Turkey, before transiting the Suez Canal en route to the North Persian Gulf. While there, Whidbey Island spent 123 consecutive days on station in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. During this operation, 26th MEU set the record for conducting the longest amphibious operation ever (distance-wise)—nearly 700 nautical miles (1300 km) inland.

While deployed, Whidbey Islands crew visited Jebel Ali, United Arab Emirates; Split, Croatia; and Rota, Spain. The ship also participated in the National Training Continuum, Operations Noble Eagle, Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Swift Freedom.

2006 – 2007
In June 2006, Whidbey Island deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.  While in port Aqaba, Jordan in July 2006, she was recalled through the Suez Canal to support contingency operations due to the crisis in Lebanon. Whidbey Island subsequently participated in the largest Non-Combatant Evacuation conducted by the U.S. Navy since Vietnam. During July and August, she evacuated 817 American citizens, out of a total of 14,555 evacuated by the  Expeditionary Strike Group, via Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC) with Personnel Transport Module. AMCITS were taken to Limassol, Cyprus and released to State Department Control. Following operations off of Lebanon, Whidbey Island redeployed through the Suez Canal to the Fifth Fleet Operations Area and offloaded elements of the 24 MEU into Bahrain for operations in Iraq.  Following the offload, Whidbey Island deployed to the Northern Persian Gulf in support of Commander Task Force 158, responsible as an Afloat Forward Staging Base. In this role, she was responsible for defense of the KAAOT and ABOT oil rigs, the primary critical oil infrastructure producing revenue for Iraq. In November 2006, Whidbey Island departed the Northern Persian Gulf and returned home, stopping in Civitavecchia, Italy and Tunis, Tunisia en route, arriving 6 December 2006.

On 16 February 2007, Whidbey Island was awarded the 2006 Battle "E" award.

On 1 October 2007, Whidbey Island deployed from Little Creek Naval Amphibious Base. After being deployed to the Horn of Africa, she assisted the Comorian vessel  and her crew when they were released by Somali pirates on 2 December 2007.

2008 – 2009
On 12 January 2008, the US Navy reported that Whidbey Island had fired warning shots near a small Iranian boat in the Strait of Hormuz in December.  The boat was reportedly approaching Whidbey Island rapidly but stopped after the warning shots were fired.

2011 – 2012
On 23 March 2011, Whidbey Island deployed as part of the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group with the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit. Whidbey Island had 11 port visits in eight different countries throughout the 5th and 6th Fleet areas of responsibility. Sailors and Marines participated in Operation Summer Storm 2011 off the coast of Romania from 30 July - 3 August. The 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit disembarked 4 February 2012 in Morehead City, North Carolina. Whidbey Island returned to her homeport at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story in Virginia Beach, Virginia on 7 February 2012, concluding the  month deployment.

2016
On 24 June 2016, Whidbey Island deployed from Little Creek Naval Amphibious Base, on what would likely be her final deployment. She conducted eight Theater Security Port Visits; country visits vital to reassuring host nations of the commitment of the United States to their partnership. On 21 July 2016 Whidbey Island transited the Bosphorus Strait during a time of tension following the failed 2016 Turkish coup d'état attempt.

2020
In December 2020 the U.S. Navy's Report to Congress on the Annual Long-Range Plan for Construction of Naval Vessels stated that the ship was planned to be placed Out of Commission in Reserve in 2022.

2022

Whidbey Island was decommissioned during a ceremony at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story in Virginia Beach, Virginia on 22 July 2022. She was towed to the Naval Inactive Ship Maintenance Facility in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, by the  in August 2022 and is moored across the basin from her sister ship, ex-Fort McHenry.

Ship's coat of arms

The dark blue and white colors refer to the sea, with the angular green area, representing the evergreen terrain of Whidbey Island, backed by blue sky. The color gold is symbolic of excellence, and the ship's wheel of gold reflects the seagoing pride and professionalism of the ship's crew. The green Maltese Cross refers to the humanitarian mission of the USS Whidbey (AG 141), the first ship to carry the name Whidbey. The gold crown emblazoned on red at the center of the wheel recalls the expedition under the British Crown, which explored the Pacific Northwest in the 1790s. The island in these waters is named for Lieutenant Joseph Whidbey, who was a member of this English expedition. The crossed swords of the Navy and Marine Corps officers attest to the Navy Marine Corps teamwork and leadership that are the foundation and key elements for accomplishment of Whidbey Island's amphibious warfare mission. The trident is the traditional symbol of sea power; however, the winged trident of LSD-41 further represents the revolutionary dimension of amphibious warfare this ship introduces. The gold and red colors of the winged trident portray the excellence and courage of those who will man the ship. The wreath of Western Hemlock, the State Tree of Washington, represents the spirit of the ship's namesake.

References

External links

USS Whidbey Island official website
USS WHIDBEY ISLAND's Newly revised website (still in progress)

Whidbey Island-class dock landing ships
Cold War amphibious warfare vessels of the United States
Amphibious warfare vessels of the United States
Ships built by Lockheed Shipbuilding and Construction Company
1983 ships

USS Whidbey Island


is a Japanese professional wrestler. She is signed to WWE, where she performs on the SmackDown brand under the ring name .

Previously known as , she started her professional wrestling career in 2004 in the AtoZ promotion, where she remained until retiring in 2006. She returned to the ring in 2007, starting to work as a freelancer for promotions such as JWP Joshi Puroresu, NEO Japan Ladies Pro-Wrestling, Pro Wrestling Wave, Reina Joshi Puroresu, Smash, and Wrestling New Classic. Her achievements include winning the JWP Openweight Championship, Smash Diva Championship, and Wave Tag Team Championship.

In 2015, Urai signed a developmental deal with WWE, making her the first Japanese female wrestler signed with the company in over 20 years. She won the NXT Women's Championship in 2016 (with her reign of 510 days being the longest in that title's history), and was moved to WWE's main roster in 2017. In 2018, she was the inaugural winner of the Women's Royal Rumble match. She is also a former one-time SmackDown Women's Champion, record-tying three-time WWE Women's Tag Team Champion (with Kairi Sane, Charlotte Flair, and Alexa Bliss; the only woman to win this title with three different partners), and the 2020 Women's Money in the Bank ladder match winner. Following her first Raw Women's Championship win, Asuka became the third Women's Triple Crown Champion and the second Women's Grand Slam Champion. She would go on to win the title for another two more times to become a three-time WWE Women's Champion. After her Elimination Chamber match win in 2023, she became the only woman in WWE to win the Royal Rumble, Money in the Bank, and Elimination Chamber matches.

Urai has also worked as a freelance graphic designer and video game journalist and through her work with Microsoft she has been sponsored by the company, wearing an Xbox 360 logo on her gear. Since 2019, she has her own YouTube channel KanaChanTV focused on gaming and lifestyle content.

Professional wrestling career

Early career (2004–2010)
Urai, working originally as a graphic designer, decided to find a new career in professional wrestling after becoming a fan of the likes of Keiji Mutoh, Satoru Sayama, Yoshiaki Fujiwara, Antonio Inoki, Akira Maeda, Nobuhiko Takada, Masakatsu Funaki, Volk Han and Minoru Suzuki. Trained by Yuki Ishikawa, Urai adopted the ring name Kana and made her professional wrestling debut for all female promotion AtoZ on June 16, 2004, in a match against Leo-na. She spent the first part of her career with AtoZ, before suddenly retiring due to chronic nephritis on March 19, 2006. During her time away from the ring, Urai opened her own graphic design agency. After spending a year and a half away from professional wrestling, Urai made a comeback on September 22, 2007, and worked as a freelancer for promotion such as Ice Ribbon, JWP Joshi Puroresu, NEO Japan Ladies Pro-Wrestling, Pro Wrestling Wave and Pro Wrestling Zero1 while also forming the Passion Red stable with Nanae Takahashi, Natsuki☆Taiyo, Ray and Yumiko Hotta in NEO, which became her new home promotion. On October 10, 2009, Kana teamed with Takahashi to defeat Hiroyo Matsumoto and Kyoko Inoue for the NEO Tag Team Championship, Kana's first professional wrestling title. They held the title for two months before losing it to Ayumi Kurihara and Yoshiko Tamura on December 31, 2009. On January 24, 2010, Kana quit Passion Red.

Pro Wrestling Wave (2008, 2010–2015)

Kana had made some appearances for Pro Wrestling Wave in 2008, but did not start working regularly for the promotion until the end of 2010, when NEO Japan Ladies Pro Wrestling folded. On July 24, 2011, Kana defeated Aysumi Kurihara in the finals to win the 2011 Catch the Wave tournament. On October 30, Kana and Kurihara defeated Ran Yu-Yu and Toshie Uematsu to win the Dual Shock Wave 2011 tournament and become the first ever Wave Tag Team Champions. While a tag team champion with Kurihara, Kana also regularly teamed with Mio Shirai as Triple Tails.S and on February 1, 2012, Kurihara, Mika Iida and Shuu Shibutani were made official members of Triple Tails. Four days later, Kana and Kurihara lost the Wave Tag Team Championship to Ran Yu-Yu and Toshie Uematsu. On March 6, the new incarnation of Triple Tails was named White Tails, in reference to Wave's top villainous alliance, Black Dahlia. On November 27, Kana defeated Yumi Ohka in a singles match, after which she declared herself the new "ace" of Wave. On February 17, Kana, as the 2011 Catch the Wave winner, was granted entrance into the Wave Single Championship tournament, defeating Mio Shirai in her semi-final match. On March 17, Kana was defeated in the finals of the tournament by Yumi Ohka.

On April 21, Kana and Mio Shirai defeated Misaki Ohata and Tsukasa Fujimoto to win the Wave Tag Team Championship, bringing Triple Tails.S its first title. They made their first successful defense on July 7 against Fujimoto and Kyusei Sakura Hirota. On July 12, the White Tails stable produced their final event before the group's dissolution, during which Kana wrestled the soon-to-retire Ayumi Kurihara to a ten-minute time limit draw. Three days later, Kana and Shirai lost the Wave Tag Team Championship to Shidarezakura (Hikaru Shida and Yumi Ohka) in their second defense. From September 1 to October 6, Kana took part in the 2013 Dual Shock Wave tournament, where she teamed with Yumi Ohka. The team made it all the way to the finals of the tournament, before losing to Las Aventureras (Ayako Hamada and Yuu Yamagata) in a three-way match, which also included Muscle Venus (Hikaru Shida and Tsukasa Fujimoto). In July 2015, Kana made it to the semi-finals of the 2015 Catch the Wave tournament, but was defeated there by eventual tournament winner Yumi Ohka.

Japanese independent circuit (2010–2015)
On April 29, 2010, Kana held her first self-produced event, titled Kana Pro, which saw her lose to Meiko Satomura in the main event of the evening. On June 19, Kana formed the Triple Tails stable with Io and Mio, the Shirai sisters, and together the three of them worked for several promotions across Japan. Kana Pro's second event on January 10, 2011, saw Kana and Yuki Ishikawa lose to Carlos Amano and Yoshiaki Fujiwara in the main event. Triple Tails also put together their own shows on February 13 and May 8, 2011. Kana Pro's third event logang on September 24 saw Kana lose to Kengo Mashimo in the main event. On October 29, Kana was elected the eighth president of 666, a small independent promotion for which she had wrestled for the past year. On November 5, Kana took part in the final event held by the Battlarts promotion, defeating Aki Shizuku in a singles match.

On March 11, 2012, Kana made her debut for the DDT Pro-Wrestling promotion, taking part in an eight-person ten-minute battle royal for the Ironman Heavymetalweight Championship, which she won five minutes into the match by pinning Michael Nakazawa, before losing it with just 50 seconds remaining in the match to Antonio Honda, only to regain it via submission with just 22 seconds remaining in the match. On April 8, Kana defended the title in another ten-minute battle royal, during which she lost the title twice to Michael Nakazawa and once to Keita Yano, but each time managed to regain it and left the match with it, now as a five-time champion. On April 25, Kana made her first appearance for Ice Ribbon in three years, when she teamed with Aki Shizuku to defeat April Davids and ICE×60 Champion Hikaru Shida. On April 30, Kana lost the Ironman Heavymetalweight Championship to Ayumi Kurihara at a Pro Wrestling Wave event in the opening match of the 2012 Catch the Wave tournament. On May 5 at Ice Ribbon's Golden Ribbon 2012 event, Kana defeated Hikaru Shida in a non-title singles match. On May 12, Kana made her Mexican debut, when she took part in Toryumon Mexico's DragonMania VII event, defeating Syuri in a singles match. In early July, Kana and Mio Shirai took part in the 2012 Japan Expo in Paris, France. Kana returned to Ice Ribbon on October 20, when she teamed with new ICE×60 Champion Mio Shirai in a tag team main event, where they defeated Maki Narumiya and Tsukasa Fujimoto.

Following her December 2012 departure from WNC, Kana began making more regular appearances for both Ice Ribbon and JWP. She was, in storyline, brought into JWP by her friend Arisa Nakajima, much to the chagrin of the promotion's president Command Bolshoi, who was one of the wrestlers upset by her 2010 manifesto. On February 24, 2013, Triple Tails.S held its first self-produced event in nine months, which saw Kana and Mio Shirai wrestle Arisa Nakajima and Ayako Hamada in a main event tag team match. On May 5, Kana made another appearance for JWP, submitting JWP Openweight Champion Arisa Nakajima in a tag team match, where she and Rydeen Hagane faced Nakajima and Nana Kawasa. Post-match, Kana and Nakajima came to blows, with Nakajima claiming that she was now defending all of joshi against Kana. Ahead of Ayumi Kurihara's impending retirement, she and Kana came together on July 26 to produce the "kanAyu" independent event, which saw Kana and Genki Horiguchi H.A.Gee.Mee!! lose to Kurihara and Masaaki Mochizuki in a main event tag team match. On August 18, Kana returned to JWP and defeated Arisa Nakajima to become the new JWP Openweight Champion. Following the win, Kana, portrayed as the villainous outsider, smeared makeup on Nakajima's face, before gloating over capturing JWP's top title during Plum Mariko's memorial event. Kana made her first successful title defense on September 16 against the reigning JWP Junior and POP Champion Manami Katsu. Kana made her second successful title defense on October 14 against JWP Tag Team and Daily Sports Women's Tag Team Champion Hanako Nakamori. While continuing to badmouth JWP and its wrestlers, Kana also entered a storyline, where she began professing her love for Arisa Nakajima, much to the bewilderment of the former champion. As part of the storyline, Kana refused title challenges made by Kayoko Haruyama and Leon and instead named Nakajima her next challenger. On December 15 at JWP's annual year-end Climax event, Kana lost the JWP Openweight Championship back to Nakajima in her third title defense.

On December 27, 2013, Kana and Mio Shirai disbanded Triple Tails.S, with their final self-produced independent event taking place in early 2014. On February 25, 2014, Kana produced an independent event titled KanaProMania in Korakuen Hall, which saw her defeat Meiko Satomura in the main event. On April 16, Kana took part in a rare women's match promoted by Pro Wrestling Noah, defeating JWP representative Rabbit Miu. On May 15, Kana and Mio Shirai produced Triple Tails.S' final independent event before officially dissolving the partnership, which featured a main event tag team match, where Kana and Arisa Nakajima defeated Shirai and Kayoko Haruyama. On the next Kana Pro event on June 16 at Korakuen Hall, Kana and Naomichi Marufuji were defeated by Meiko Satomura and Minoru Suzuki in an intergender main event tag team match.

On October 5, 2014, Kana made a special appearance for All Japan Pro Wrestling, teaming with Mika Iida in a tag team match, where they were defeated by Shuu Shibutani and Yumi Ohka. During the next Kana Pro event on October 7 in Korakuen Hall Kana was pinned by Syuri in a tag team match, where she teamed with Minoru Suzuki and Syuri with Yoshiaki Fujiwara. Kana announced that she would go on an indefinite hiatus from professional wrestling following KanaProMania: Pulse on September 15; in her last match she teamed with Hikaru Shida and Syuri in a winning effort against Arisa Nakajima, Rina Yamashita and Ryo Mizunami.

Smash (2010–2012)
Kana made her debut for Yoshihiro Tajiri's new Smash promotion on June 25, 2010, losing to Syuri in the main event of Smash.4. After the match, Kana left the arena smiling and later challenged Syuri to a rematch, which was made official on June 30. In the rematch on July 24 at Smash.5 Kana, now a full blown heel, defeated Syuri via submission in just three minutes. As part of the attempt to get her over as the top villain, Kana wrote a manifesto for the Weekly Pro-Wrestling magazine, which was published on August 4 and where she attacked the entire Joshi Puroresu community, claiming it was full of wrestlers with no personality and bad attitudes and who wrestled in an unrealistic manner. The article led to a confrontation between Kana and wrestlers from the JWP Joshi Puroresu promotion on August 30 at Smash.7, but never led to a direct match. Kana then began feuding with Tajiri, which led to an intergender match on December 24 at Happening Eve, where Tajiri was victorious. Following the loss, Kana reemerged on January 29, 2011, as the leader of the Triple Tails stable with the Shirai sisters, dubbing herself Sekai no Kana (literally "World Famous Kana"). Kana then continued working against the opposite sex, teaming with the Shirais to defeat Tajiri, Ken Ohka and Yoshiaki Yago on February 25, but losing to Funaki on March 31.

In April, Kana entered a feud with Serena, stemming from a comment she made, calling Kana a talented "amateur" wrestler, while she herself had worked for the top promotion in the world. In response, Kana vowed to make Serena respect her. In the first encounter on April 30 at Smash.16, Serena teamed with Makoto and Syuri to defeat the Triple Tails in a six-woman tag team match, when Serena pinned Kana with her finishing maneuver, the spear. On May 3 at Smash.17, Serena defeated Kana with a spear in the first singles match between the two. At the following event on June 9, Smash started a tournament to crown the inaugural Smash Diva Champion, which saw Kana defeat Lin "Bitch" Byron in her first round match. On August 11 at Smash.20, Kana defeated Syuri to set up a rematch with Serena in the finals of the tournament. On September 8, Kana defeated Serena to become the inaugural Smash Diva Champion. On November 24 at Smash.23, Kana lost the Smash Diva Championship to Tomoka Nakagawa in her first defense. On January 19, 2012, at We Are Smash, Kana defeated Nakagawa in a rematch to regain the title. Kana's second reign ended also in her first defense, when she lost the title to Syuri on February 19 at Smash.25, after which the two longtime rivals hugged and made peace with each other. On March 14, Smash held Smash.Final, the promotion's final event before ceasing operations, during which Kana teamed with Último Dragón to defeat Mentallo and Syuri in a tag team match.

American independent circuit (2011–2014)
On August 3, 2011, it was reported that Kana would be making her debut in the United States in early October, working for all-female promotion Shimmer Women Athletes on 1 and 2 and for Chikara on 7 and 8. In her Shimmer debut on Volume 41, Kana was shown in early segments ignoring Sara Del Rey and Cheerleader Melissa's welcoming, establishing herself as a villain in the process. Later, she defeated Mia Yim in her first match for the promotion. Later that same day on Volume 42, Kana defeated Del Rey via submission. The following day on Volume 43, Kana was defeated by Cheerleader Melissa in a match to determine the number #1 contender to the Shimmer Championship. Later that day, Kana defeated LuFisto on Volume 44 in her final match for the weekend, after which she shook LuFisto's hand. The following weekend, Kana made her debut for Chikara, defeating Jessie McKay in her first match on October 7 in Burlington, North Carolina. The following day, Kana was defeated by Sara Del Rey in the main event of a show in Kingsport, Tennessee. Kana returned to Shimmer Women Athletes on March 17 on Volume 45; now a babyface, Kana teamed with LuFisto in a losing effort against Hailey Hatred and Kalamity. Later that same day on Volume 46, Kana was defeated in a singles match by Mercedes Martinez. The following day on Volume 47, Kana and LuFisto defeated Christina Von Eerie and MsChif in a tag team match. Kana then defeated Kellie Skater on Volume 48, in her final match of the weekend.

Kana returned to Shimmer on October 27, 2012, when she and LuFisto unsuccessfully challenged The Canadian NINJAs (Nicole Matthews and Portia Perez) for the Shimmer Tag Team Championship as part of Volume 49. Later that same night on Volume 50, Kana was defeated by Ayako Hamada in a singles match. The following night on Volume 51, Kana defeated Athena in a singles match. Later that night on Volume 51, Kana teamed with LuFisto in a tag team match (her final match of the weekend), where they defeated Made in Sin (Allysin Kay and Taylor Made). On April 6, 2013, at the Volume 53 internet pay-per-view, Kana and LuFisto unsuccessfully challenged the Canadian NINJAs for the Shimmer Tag Team Championship in a four-way match, which also included the teams of Global Green Gangsters (Kellie Skater and Tomoka Nakagawa) and Made in Sin. Kana returned to singles action a week later on April 13 at the tapings of Volume 54, where she defeated Jessie McKay. Later that same day on Volume 55, Kana was defeated by Madison Eagles in another singles match. The following day, Kana first defeated Ayako Hamada, Mercedes Martinez and Yuu Yamagata in a four-way match on Volume 56, before finishing her weekend with a win over Kalamity in a singles match on Volume 57. Upon her return to Shimmer on October 19 at Volume 58, Kana and LuFisto were given another shot at the Shimmer Tag Team Championship, but were defeated by the defending champions, the Global Green Gangsters. Kana returned to Shimmer on October 18, 2014, unsuccessfully challenging Cheerleader Melissa for the Shimmer Championship at Volume 67.

Wrestling New Classic (2012)
On April 5, 2012, Tajiri named Kana as part of the roster of Wrestling New Classic (WNC), the follow-up promotion to Smash. For the first time since 2006, when she was affiliated with AtoZ, Kana signed a contract to make WNC her new home promotion, ending her freelancing days, though the deal allowed her to continue working for Pro Wrestling Wave and producing her own independent events. On April 26 at WNC's first event, Before the Dawn, Kana teamed with Mio Shirai in a tag team match, where they defeated Makoto and Syuri, with Kana pinning Makoto for the win. Post-match, Kana verbally assaulted Makoto, which led to Shirai turning on her and siding with Makoto. At WNC's second event, Starting Over on May 24, Kana submitted Makoto in a tag team match, where she teamed with Syuri and Makoto with Riho, a replacement for an injured Mio Shirai. Two days later at Go! Go! West: Osaka, Kana submitted Makoto again, this time in a singles match. On June 17, Kana produced her first Kana Pro event in collaboration with WNC, where she and Kenichi Yamamoto were defeated in the main event by Daisuke Ikeda and Syuri. The rivalry between Kana and Makoto continued at WNC's following event on June 22, where Makoto ended her losing streak by pinning Kana in a tag team match, where Kana teamed with Syuri and Makoto with Mio Shirai. On July 15, Kana defeated Shirai in a singles match, after which she had another heated exchange with Makoto, who had been sidelined from in-ring action with a fractured wrist.

Later that same event, Kana's uneasy alliance with Syuri came to an end, when Syuri turned on her, after losing to Ayako Hamada, and joined a new villainous stable formed by Akira and StarBuck. The first match between Kana and Syuri since the latter's turn took place at a WNC event on August 2; Syuri, Akira and StarBuck defeated Kana, Hajime Ohara and Tajiri. On August 30, Kana, Mikey Whipwreck and Tajiri were defeated in a Barbed Wire Board Deathmatch by Syuri, Akira and StarBuck. Kana, Whipwreck and Tajiri were also defeated in a rematch the following day in Osaka, before coming back to win the second rematch on September 1 in Toyohashi, ending the villainous trio's win streak in the process. In the main event of a WNC event on September 17, Kana earned a big win over Syuri, defeating her via submission in a tag team match, where she and Tajiri faced Syuri and Akira. During a press conference the following day, Kana and Makoto announced that they were coming together to produce an event at Shinjuku Face on November 9, celebrating their common birthday, respectively. On September 20, Kana was defeated by Akira in an intergender match at Korakuen Hall. On November 9, Kana and Makoto produced the first MakoKana Pro event. Early in the event, the two teamed to defeat the Ice Ribbon team of Hamuko Hoshi and Hikaru Shida. Later, in the main event, Kana teamed with Sendai Girls' Pro Wrestling's Kagetsu, wrestling Syuri and JWP's Arisa Nakajima to a thirty-minute time limit draw. The match was billed as the first confrontation between Kana and Nakajima, who both started their careers in AtoZ. On November 26, Kana entered the WNC Women's Championship tournament, defeating Makoto in her first round match. Two days later, Kana was eliminated in the semi-finals of the tournament by Nagisa Nozaki, following interference from her Kabushiki gaisha DQN stablemate Jiro Kuroshio. Following the match, Kana quit WNC and once again became a freelancer, claiming that she had not been paid for months and had not been able to get in contact with the promotion's president Tsutomu Takashima. WNC officially released Kana from her contract on December 4.

Reina Joshi Puroresu (2014–2015)
On August 30, 2014, Kana began working for Reina Joshi Puroresu as a storyline consultant. After Kana used her power to strip Ariya and Makoto of the Reina World Tag Team Championship, she and Arisa Nakajima became the new champions on November 20 by defeating Lin Byron and Syuri in a tournament final, when Syuri was betrayed by her own partner, paid off by Kana. On December 26, Kana defeated Syuri to win the Reina World Women's Championship. Following the win, Kana reformed Reina as the promotion's new "general producer" (GP). In early 2015, Kana launched her own stable, originally named Kana-gun (Kana Army), but later renamed Piero-gun (Clown Army) due to all members adopting Kana's clown makeup; members of the stable included native wrestlers Makoto and Rina Yamashita, foreigners Alex Lee, Cat Power and La Comandante and male wrestlers Hercules Senga and Yuko Miyamoto. On January 12, 2015, Kana and Nakajima made their first successful defense of the Reina World Tag Team Championship against Goya Kong and Muñeca de Plata. On February 25 at KanaProMania: Advance, Kana and Arisa Nakajima lost the Reina World Tag Team Championship to Hikaru Shida and Syuri. On March 25, Kana lost her position as the Reina GP to Shida after she and her stablemates Cat Power and Yuko Miyamoto were defeated in a six-person tag team match by Shida, Shiro Koshinaka and Zeus. In May, Kana made her first successful defenses of the Reina World Women's Championship against visiting Mexican wrestlers, defeating Gitana on May 17 and Reyna Isis on May 29. On June 13, Kana made her third successful title defense against Yako Fujigasaki. On August 31, ahead of her impending departure from the promotion, Kana relinquished the Reina World Women's Championship. She wrestled her final match for the promotion on September 4, when she and Syuri defeated Konami and Makoto in a tag team match.

WWE

NXT Women's Champion (2015–2017)
On August 22, 2015, Urai attended WWE's NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn event in Brooklyn, New York, Rumours about her having signed with WWE were soon confirmed at a press conference on September 8 in Tokyo; this made her the first female Japanese wrestler to sign with the company since Bull Nakano in 1994. She joined WWE's developmental brand NXT, and adopted the ring name Asuka. Her debut appearance, which aired on September 23, ended in a confrontation with Dana Brooke and Emma. In her debut match on October 7 at NXT TakeOver: Respect, Asuka defeated Dana. Asuka continued racking victories over various wrestlers including main roster wrestler Cameron and continued her feud with Dana Brooke and Emma. At NXT TakeOver: London, Asuka defeated Emma. Both wrestlers' performance was highly praised by critics such as Dave Meltzer, who called the match "fantastic".

On the January 13, 2016, episode of NXT, Asuka participated in a battle royal to determine the number #1 contender for Bayley's NXT Women's Championship; she was eliminated second-to-last by Eva Marie. On the February 10 episode, battle royal winner Carmella lost her title match against Bayley. Asuka saved Carmella from a post-match attack by Eva Marie and Nia Jax and afterwards had a staredown with Bayley, indicating that she wanted a shot at her title. On April 1, Asuka defeated Bayley by technical submission to win the NXT Women's Championship at NXT TakeOver: Dallas and successfully defended the title against Nia Jax on June 8 at NXT TakeOver: The End. In summer 2016, Vince McMahon contemplated moving Asuka to the main roster during the 2016 draft, but NXT head Triple H dissuaded him, calling Asuka "the one person NXT could not afford to lose" and the brand's "anchor".

Asuka remained in NXT and rekindled her feud with Bayley, whom she again defeated on August 20 at NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn II. After her successful title defense against the returning Mickie James on November 19 at NXT TakeOver: Toronto, Asuka displayed the first signs of villainous behavior when she refused to shake her opponent's hand after the match. On the January 11, 2017, episode of NXT when Asuka was overpowered by The Iconic Duo (Billie Kay and Peyton Royce), Nikki Cross came to her rescue but then herself attacked Asuka. Asuka demanded to defend her title against all three and won the subsequent fatal four-way match on January 28 at NXT TakeOver: San Antonio. In early February, Asuka became the longest-reigning singles champion in NXT history, male or female. In March, Asuka wrestled on several house shows with WWE's main roster as a replacement for an injured Naomi, including a show at Madison Square Garden on March 12. Around this time, WWE began promoting Asuka's "undefeated streak [...] since her arrival" in NXT. Asuka had never lost a match by submitting or being pinned, though she had come up short in the aforementioned battle royal in January 2016 and tag team match and one fatal four-way match on NXT house shows in March and May 2016, respectively, when other wrestlers were pinned.

In her successful title defense against Ember Moon on April 1 at NXT TakeOver: Orlando, Asuka again displayed a villainous demeanor, shoving the referee into her opponent to avoid Moon's finishing maneuver (the Eclipse) en route to winning the match. Asuka also attacked Ember Moon, Nikki Cross and Ruby Riott, who were the final competitors in a battle royal to determine her challenger for NXT TakeOver: Chicago, officially cementing herself as a villainess. Subsequently, Asuka had to defend her title against Nikki Cross and Ruby Riott in a triple threat match (Ember Moon missed out on the match due a shoulder injury), but she managed to retain her title at the event on June 20. In June, Asuka decisively defeated Nikki Cross in a Last Woman Standing match to retain her championship. During that time, she surpassed Goldberg's winning streak and Rockin' Robin's record-setting 502-day WWF Women's Championship reign.

On August 19 at NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn III, Asuka defeated the returning Ember Moon to retain her title reign. However, during the match she broke her right collarbone which forced her out of action for six to eight weeks, thus Asuka had to relinquish the NXT Women's Championship at the August 24 NXT tapings which aired on September 6, ending her reign at 510 days. During her farewell segment, NXT General Manager William Regal called her "one of the greatest champions in WWE history" and also mentioned negotiations to move Asuka to WWE's main roster.

Undefeated streak (2017–2018)

After multiple vignettes in the upcoming weeks, it was revealed on the September 11, 2017, episode of Raw, Asuka was assigned to the Raw brand. A month later, on October 22, at TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs, Asuka defeated her old rival Emma in her in-ring debut. On November 19 at Survivor Series, Asuka represented Team Raw in a Survivor Series match against Team SmackDown and was the sole survivor, lastly eliminating Tamina and Natalya. Throughout the next few months, Asuka continued her streak by defeating the likes of Dana Brooke (whom she defeated in three seconds, setting a new WWE record for the fastest submission win in a women's match), Alicia Fox and Raw Women's Champion Alexa Bliss in a non-title match.

On January 28, 2018, at the Royal Rumble, Asuka won the first women's Royal Rumble match, entering at number 25 and eliminating her former rival Ember Moon and lastly Nikki Bella to earn herself a women's championship match at WrestleMania 34. Throughout January and February, Asuka started a feud with Nia Jax, who attacked her during and before her matches and wanted her title opportunity at Wrestlemania. Asuka defeated Nia Jax on February 25 at Elimination Chamber and again on the March 5 episode of Raw. In parallel, she also took a part of the Mixed Match Challenge tournament, with The Miz as her partner in support of the charity Rescue Dogs Rock. With wins over Carmella and Big E, Sasha Banks and Finn Bálor, Alexa Bliss and Braun Strowman and finally Charlotte Flair and Bobby Roode, they won the tournament. After Flair retained the SmackDown Women's Championship against Ruby Riott on March 11 at Fastlane, Asuka challenged Charlotte for the SmackDown Women's Championship at WrestleMania 34. At the event on April 8, Asuka submitted to Charlotte, ending her WWE undefeated streak at 914 days, or roughly 2 and a half years.

SmackDown Women's Champion (2018–2019)
On April 17, Asuka was drafted to SmackDown as part of the 2018 WWE Superstar Shake-up, making her first appearance by saving Charlotte Flair and Becky Lynch from an attack by The IIconics (a duo made of Billie Kay and Peyton Royce) and then—SmackDown Women's Champion Carmella. On the May 15 episode of SmackDown, SmackDown general manager Paige interrupted Carmella, to announce that she would be defending the SmackDown Women's Championship against Asuka at Money in the Bank. At the event on June 17, Asuka lost to Carmella after an interference from the returning James Ellsworth, suffering her first official pinfall loss in WWE. Paige then granted Asuka a rematch that took place on July 15 at Extreme Rules, which Asuka lost after another distraction from Ellsworth, who was hanging above the ring in a shark cage, which Carmella used to win the match. In September, Asuka helped Naomi, who after defeating Peyton Royce was attacked by The IIconics. This led to a tag team match between the two teams on October 6 at WWE Super Show-Down, where Asuka and Naomi were defeated. Also during that time, it was announced that Asuka and The Miz would take part in the upcoming season two of Mixed Match Challenge. They lasted until the semi-finals, where they were eliminated by eventual winners R-Truth and Carmella. On November 18, Asuka took part in the Survivor Series as part of Team Smackdown, where she was the last woman eliminated from Team SmackDown.

Towards the end of November, Asuka won a battle royal to enter her way into the first-ever women's Tables, ladders, and chairs match against both Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair for the SmackDown Women's Championship. On December 16 at the namesake event, in what was also the first ever women's championship match to main event a dual–branded event, Asuka won the SmackDown Women's Championship for the first time in her career after Ronda Rousey interfered and pushed both Lynch and Flair off a ladder. Throughout her reign, Asuka was able to fend off different challengers such as Naomi on the SmackDown following TLC, Becky Lynch at the Royal Rumble and Mandy Rose at Fastlane. On the March 26 episode of SmackDown, Asuka dropped the title to Charlotte Flair in an impromptu match, ending her reign at 100 days. However, Dave Meltzer from The Wrestling Observer revealed that Asuka was supposed to defend the SmackDown Women's Championship at WrestleMania 35 against the winner of a fatal four-way match between Carmella, Mandy Rose, Naomi, and Sonya Deville that was cancelled in the last minute.

The Kabuki Warriors (2019–2020)

On the April 16, 2019, episode of SmackDown, Paige announced that she would be managing a newly formed women's tag team, consisting of Asuka and the debuting Kairi Sane from NXT. The team of Asuka and Kairi Sane, later dubbed as "The Kabuki Warriors", was immediately put in a feud with The IIconics (Billie Kay and Peyton Royce) over the WWE Women's Tag Team Championship. After weeks of avoiding them, The IIconics lost to The Kabuki Warriors during WWE's tour in Tokyo, which earned The Kabuki Warriors a title match. The title match took place on the July 16 episode of SmackDown, where The IIconics retained after they got themselves counted–out. In August, The Kabuki Warriors failed to capture the titles from then–champions Alexa Bliss and Nikki Cross.

After a short hiatus, The Kabuki Warriors returned in September and defeated Fire and Desire (Mandy Rose and Sonya Deville). On October 6 at the Hell in a Cell pay–per–view, The Kabuki Warriors finally won the Women's Tag Team Championship from Bliss and Cross, after Asuka used a green mist on Cross. The next night on Raw, The Kabuki Warriors completed their transition into heels, as they cut a promo on both Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair and went onto defeat them in a non–title match, once again using green mist as leverage. As part of the 2019 Draft in mid-October, Asuka and Sane were both drafted to the Raw brand. The duo further solidified their heel turn after Asuka spit green mist on their manager Paige, ending their association with Paige. She renewed her rivalry with Becky Lynch after Lynch challenged Asuka to a Raw Women's Championship match at the Royal Rumble in a rematch from the previous year's event. At the Royal Rumble, Asuka failed to win the title from Lynch. On the February 3, 2020, episode of Raw, Asuka demanded a rematch for the title, in which Lynch accepted, but a week later on Raw, Asuka again failed to win the title.

On the first night of WrestleMania 36, The Kabuki Warriors lost their WWE Women's Tag Team Championship to Alexa Bliss and Nikki Cross, ending their reign at 181 days, the longest reign for the titles so far. On the April 13 episode of Raw, Asuka qualified for the Money in the Bank ladder match after defeating Ruby Riott. At the eponymous event, Asuka won the Women's Money in the Bank match.

Grand Slam Champion (2020–2022)
On the Raw immediately following Money in the Bank, Becky Lynch revealed that she had vacated the Raw Women's Championship due to pregnancy, and that the ladder match was in fact for the vacated Raw Women's Championship rather than a championship match contract, making Asuka the new champion. She also became the second Women's Grand Slam winner after Bayley and third Women's Triple Crown winner after Bayley and Alexa Bliss. She embraced Becky Lynch after the announcement and chanted her name, thus turning face in the process. On the following Raw, The Kabuki Warriors officiated their face turn, beginning a feud with the returning Nia Jax. At Backlash, Asuka retained the title against Jax after both were counted out. A rematch was scheduled the following night on Raw, where Asuka again retained the title. Asuka presumably lost the Raw Women's Championship to Sasha Banks at The Horror Show at Extreme Rules after she indirectly blinded the referee with the green mist and Bayley removed the referee's shirt, put it on herself and counted the pinfall, which was unofficial. The next night on Raw, Stephanie McMahon ruled that the result was reversed to a no-contest, meaning that Asuka retained the championship, despite Banks having taken possession of the actual belt. However, the following week, Asuka officially lost the title via count out in their rematch, where the belt could change hands by pinfall, submission, count out, disqualification or interference. Sasha Banks won the title when Asuka chose to get herself counted out to save Sane from an attack by Bayley. This also marked Sane's final appearance in WWE, as she left the company to be with her new husband in Japan, therefore disbanding the Kabuki Warriors.

At SummerSlam, Asuka competed against both Bayley for the SmackDown Women's Championship, and later Banks for the Raw Women's Championship; she lost the first match, but later defeated Banks to win back the Raw Women's Championship, marking her first time winning any WWE title more than once. At Clash of Champions, Asuka defeated Zelina Vega to retain her championship and, later in the night, answered Bayley's open challenge for the SmackDown Women's Championship, which she won via disqualification. The following night on Raw, Asuka faced Zelina Vega for the Raw Women's Championship and again successfully retained. On the October 5 episode of Raw, Asuka teamed with Dana Brooke and Mandy Rose to defeat Zelina Vega, Natalya, and Lana. On the October 19 episode of Raw, Asuka successfully retained her title against Lana. Asuka then faced Sasha Banks at Survivor Series in a losing effort. At TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs, Asuka and Charlotte Flair defeat Jax and Baszler to win the tag team titles, making Asuka a double champion. They lost the titles back to Jax and Baszler at the Royal Rumble. She also lost the Raw Women's title at WrestleMania 37 against Rhea Ripley, ending her reign at 231 days. On the Raw after WrestleMania, Asuka faced Ripley for the title in a rematch which resulted in a no-contest due to Charlotte Flair attacking both of them. On the May 3 episode of Raw, another rematch between Ripley and Asuka for the Raw Women's Championship was scheduled for WrestleMania Backlash. However, later that night, WWE official Sonya Deville added Flair to the championship match to make it a triple threat match. At the event, Asuka was unsuccessful to win the title and was pinned by Ripley.

On the June 21 episode of Raw, Asuka and Naomi qualified for the women's Money in the Bank ladder match by defeating the team of Eva Marie and Doudrop (formerly Piper Niven). At Money in the Bank, she was unsuccessful in winning the match. It was her last match in 2021 before becoming inactive due to an injury. During the 2021 WWE Draft, Asuka was not drafted and was declared a free agent. After 9 months of inactivity due to her injury recovery, Asuka made her return on the April 25, 2022, episode of Raw, confronting Becky Lynch. On the May 9 episode of Raw, WWE official Adam Pearce gave Asuka a championship contender's match against Raw Women's Champion Bianca Belair. Lynch became upset and later attacked both of them during their match. The following week, Asuka defeated Lynch using green mist and earned a title match for the Raw Women's Championship at Hell in a Cell. Lynch defeated Asuka in a rematch on the next episode of Raw and she was added to the title match. At the event, Belair retained her title. On the June 20 episode of Raw, Asuka defeated Lynch to qualify for the Women's Money in the Bank ladder match. At Money in the Bank, she was unsuccessful in winning the match. On the October 31 episode of Raw, Asuka and Alexa Bliss defeated women's tag team champions Dakota Kai and Iyo Sky in a title match and won the championship. In a rematch at Crown Jewel, Asuka and Bliss lost the titles back to Kai and Sky due to an interference from Nikki Cross. At Survivor Series WarGames, the team of Asuka, Belair, Bliss, Lynch, and Mia Yim defeated the team of Damage CTRL, Cross, and Ripley in a WarGames match.

Persona change (2023–present)
In January 2023, after a brief hiatus, Asuka returned and participated in the 2023 Women's Royal Rumble match with a new look, more reminiscent of her Kana character. She finished in third place, being eliminated by eventual winner Rhea Ripley. At Elimination Chamber the following month, Asuka defeated Carmella, Liv Morgan, Natalya, Nikki Cross, and Raquel Rodriguez in an Elimination Chamber match to earn a Raw Women's Championship match against Bianca Belair at WrestleMania 39. This also made her the first and only woman to win the Royal Rumble, Money in the Bank, and Elimination Chamber matches and one of four people in general. Asuka lost her title match against Belair at Night 2 of WrestleMania 39.

As part of the 2023 WWE Draft, Asuka was drafted to the SmackDown brand. She appeared on the May 12 episode of SmackDown and used her green mist to attack Belair. Their feud led to a title rematch at Night of Champions, where Asuka defeated Belair to win the Raw Women's Championship for the third time. On the June 9 episode of SmackDown, the title was renamed to the WWE Women's Championship and Asuka was presented a brand-new championship design before being interrupted by Charlotte Flair, who challenged Asuka to a title match, which Asuka accepted and won. At SummerSlam, Asuka lost the title to Belair in a triple threat match also involving Flair, ending her third reign at 70 days. She then failed to regain the title against Sky and Flair in a triple threat match at Fastlane.

Legacy

In December 2015, Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter stated that Urai "may be the best worker in WWE, man or woman". In 2017, Urai became the first Japanese wrestler to top Pro Wrestling Illustrateds annual PWI Female 50 list. She is the first person in WWE history to win NXT Women's Championship, Raw Women's Championship, SmackDown Women's Championship, Women's Tag Team Championship, Royal Rumble match, Money in the Bank match, and Elimination Chamber match. In 2020, she competed in more WWE matches than all other superstars. In 2021, WWE named her as one of the top 5 of the greatest female superstars of all time.

 Other media
Urai has released three gravure DVDs, titled ,  and . She and Mio Shirai have also released a gravure DVD together, titled Sadistic Tails (2012). In September 2019, Urai launched her own gaming and cooking channel on YouTube, KanaChanTV. She had teased the channel with several posts on her Twitter account before formally announcing the channel. KanaChanTV features playthrough videos with her own bilingual English/Japanese commentary as well as lifestyle content.

 Video games

 Personal life
Urai is a graduate of the Osaka University of Arts Junior College. She has written for Xbox Magazine and designed graphics for Nintendo DS and various mobile applications; she also owns a hair salon in Yokohama called Another Heaven. She started building her own arcade game building in Japan in July 2023.

Urai is a mother, as mentioned by Becky Lynch and Naomi.

In an interview with ET Canada in 2021, Urai detailed her own experiences with racism and shared her thoughts on the rise of anti-Asian sentiment during the COVID-19 pandemic.

 Championships and accomplishments

 CBS Sports WWE Match of the Year (2018)
 DDT Pro-Wrestling Ironman Heavymetalweight Championship (5 times)
 JWP Joshi Puroresu JWP Openweight Championship (1 time)
 JWP Year-End Award (2 times)
 Best Bout Award (2013) vs. Arisa Nakajima on December 15
 Enemy Award (2013)
 Kuzu Pro Kuzu Pro Diva Championship (1 time)
 NEO Japan Ladies Pro-Wrestling NEO Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Nanae Takahashi
 Osaka Joshi Pro Wrestling One Day Tag Tournament (2011) – with Mio Shirai
 Pro Wrestling Illustrated Ranked No. 1 of the top 50 female singles wrestlers in the PWI Female 50 in 2017
 Ranked No. 9 of the top 50 tag teams in the PWI Tag Team 50 in 2020
 Woman of the Year (2017)
 Pro Wrestling Wave Wave Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Ayumi Kurihara (1) and Mio Shirai (1)
 Catch the Wave (2011)
 Dual Shock Wave (2011) – with Ayumi Kurihara
 Reina Joshi Puroresu Reina World Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Arisa Nakajima
 Reina World Women's Championship (1 time)
 Reina World Tag Team Championship Tournament (2014) – with Arisa Nakajima
 Rolling Stone Eeriest Entrance of the Year (2017)
 Smash Smash Diva Championship (2 times)
 Smash Diva Championship Tournament (2011)
 Sports Illustrated'' Ranked No. 5 in the top 10 women's wrestlers in 2018
 WWE'''
 NXT Women's Championship (1 time)
 WWE Women's Championship (3 times)
 WWE SmackDown Women's Championship (1 time)
 WWE Women's Tag Team Championship (3 times) – with Kairi Sane (1), Charlotte Flair (1), and Alexa Bliss (1)
 Women's Money in the Bank (2020)
 Women's Royal Rumble (2018)
 Third Women's Triple Crown Champion
 Second Women's Grand Slam Champion
 Mixed Match Challenge (Season 1) – with The Miz
 NXT Year-End Award (3 times)
 Female Competitor of the Year (2016, 2017)
 Overall Competitor of the Year (2017)
 WWE Year-End Award (1 time)
 Women's Tag Team of the Year (2019) – with Kairi Sane

Notes

References

External links

1981 births
Expatriate professional wrestlers
Japanese expatriate sportspeople in the United States
Japanese female professional wrestlers
Japanese graphic designers
Japanese gravure idols
Living people
Masked wrestlers
Sportspeople from Osaka
WWE Grand Slam champions
Video game critics
NXT Women's Champions
21st-century female professional wrestlers
Professional wrestlers who use face paint
WWE Women's Champions
Women's World Champions (WWE)
Reina World Tag Team Champions
WWE Women's Tag Team Champions
Ironman Heavymetalweight Champions
JWP Openweight Champions
Royal Rumble winners
Money in the Bank winners
Wave Tag Team Champions
Catch the Wave winners
Dual Shock Wave winners

Asuka (wrestler)


The Panchala (पञ्चाल Pañcāla) kingdom was one of the historical Mahajanapadas of ancient India (c. 30th to 4th centuries BC). It was annexed into the Nanda Empire during the reign of Mahapadma Nanda. Ahichchhatra was capital of northern Panchala and Kampilya was capital of southern Panchala.

Panchala in the Mahabharata

Geography
The Panchala kingdom (Mahabharata) extends from the Himalayas in the north; to the Charmanwati river; with the Kuru, Surasena and Matsya kingdoms to the west; and the Naimisha Forest to the east. Later, Panchala was divided into Southern Panchala ("Panchala proper", centered at Kampilya, ruled by King Drupada, the father-in-law of Pandavas); and Northern Panchala (centered at Ahichatra, ruled by Ashwathama, the son of Drona. Drona was Drupada's friend who later became his enemy). The Ganges River separated the two Panchalas.

People from Panchala

In Mahabharata many figures were said to be natives of Panchala.

 Draupadi or Panchali : Wife of the Pandavas

 Dhrishtadyumna : Commander-in-Chief of the Pandavas in Kurukshetra War and brother of Panchali

 Drupada : Father of Panchali and Dhristadyumna

 Shikhandi or Sikhandin : Another daughter of Drupada (He married from Dasarna (See Dasarna Kingdom)

 Prishata : Father of Drupada.

 Satyajit : Commander-in-chief of Panchala army under king Drupada and second oldest son, alternately called Chitraratha in Mahabharata.

 Sage Dhaumya : Priest of the Pandavas.

 Aruni : A Brahmin boy from Panchala and disciple of sage Dhaumya.

Many other sons of Drupada (a total of 10) and other Panchala princes (like Yudhamanyu, Uttamaujas, Janamejaya etc.) were allied with the Pandavas in the Kurukshetra War.

Origin of Panchala Kingdom
The lineage extending from King Puru, son of King Yayati to Santanu. The following passage from Mahabharata, that describes the Puru lineage of kings, shows the kinship of the Kurus and the Panchalas, both branched from the same line: "When Janamejaya wished to hear the history of kings who were descended from Puru. Vaisampayana narrated the lineage of kings in Puru's line.".

Lineage of the Puru Kings up to the Panchala Kingdom

Puru had by his wife, Paushti, three sons: Pravira, Iswara, and Raudraswa.

Pravira (perpetuator of the dynasty) had by his wife, Suraseni, a son Manasyu. Manasyu had by his wife, Sauviri, three sons: Sakta, Sahana, and Vagmi.

Raudraswa had by his wife, Apsara Misrakesi, ten sons (all who had sons): Richeyu, Kaksreyu, Vrikeyu, Sthandileyu, Vaneyu, Jaleyu, Tejeyu, Satyeyu, Dharmeyu and Sannateyu.

Richeyu, as Anadhrishti, succeeded them all. Anadhristi had a son, Matinara, the latter who was well-regarded and virtuous as king and performed the Rajasuya and the Ashwamedha. Matinara had four sons: Tansu, Mahan, Atiratha, and Druhyu.

Tansu (perpetuator of the Puru line) had a son, Ilina.

Ilina had by his wife, Rathantara, five sons: Dushyanta, Sura, Bhima, Pravasu, and Vasu; Dushyanta succeeded as king.

Dushyanta had by his wife, Sakuntala, an intelligent son who succeeded as Emperor Bharata. It is the name of the latter that is applied to the race of which he was the founder.

Bharata had with his three wives nine sons but he was not pleased with any of them. Bharata performed a great sacrifice and through the grace of Bharadwaja obtained a son, Bhumanyu, who was made his heir-apparent.

Bhumanyu had by his wife: Pushkarini, six sons: Suhotra, Suhotri, Suhavih, Sujeya, Diviratha and Kichika.

Suhotra, described as having a virtuous reign, had by his wife, Aikshaki, three sons: Ajamidha, Sumidha, and Purumidha. Ajamidha succeeded them all.

Ajamidha's son was Nila. The dynasty of Ajamidha stands as:

Nila
Susanti
Purujanu
Rksa
Bhrmyasva
Mudgala
Vadhryasva
Divodasa
Mitrayu
Maitreya Soma
Srnjaya
Cyavana Pancajana
Sudasa Somadatta
Sahadeva
Somaka
Jantu
Prsata
Drupada

War between Panchalas and the forefathers of Kurus

The outcome of warring between the Kurus and Panchalas led the Kurus being exiled to the banks of the Sindhu.

Riksha became king being the elder of Jala and Rupina. Riksha had a son, Samvarana, the latter the perpetrator of the royal line.

During the reign of Samvarana, there was a great loss of people by famine, pestilence, drought, and disease.

The king of the Panchalas invaded during this time with four kinds of troops and ten Akshauhinis. Samvarana was exiled with his family and government in the forest along the Sindhu or Tapati river, the latter which extended to the foot of the western mountains. There the Bharatas lived for a thousand years.

Samvarana had with his wife, Tapati (?) (the daughter of Surya, a king of the Solar Dynasty), a son Kuru.

Then one day the sage Vasishtha, having become the priest, approached the exiled Bharata and made him the sovereign of the Kshatriyas. The king retook his old capital made all the monarchs pay tribute to him.

Kuru was exceedingly virtuous, and was made king by his people, the founding of the Kuru dynasty and the Kuru Kingdom. The field called Kurujangala is named after him and is where after becoming devoted to asceticism, he there practiced asceticism.

The sages in the line of Vasistha, were the priests of the Solar Dynasty of kings for many generations, especially the Ikshwakus. It is speculated that is why Samvarana took Vasistha as his priest, married from the Solar Dynasty. The history of Samvarana falling in love with Tapati while he lived near the Tapati river) was with the help of Maharashtra and Vasistha in getting the consent to marry from her father king Surya

Drupada becomes the king of Panchala

The King Prishata of Northern Panchala, a great friend of Bharadwaja, had a son, named Drupada. Drupada would come every day to the hermitage of Bharadwaja to play and study with Drona. Prishata died, Drupada succeeded him as the king and then repudiated his friendship with Drona. Drupada insulted Drona by saying that Drona was not a king, but a poor Brahmana.

Partition of the Panchala Kingdom

Drona defeated Drupada, by means of his disciple Arjuna and the other Kuru princes, to settle his old scores. Drona spoke as follows to the captive Drupada:-

Thou toldest me before that none who was not a king could be a king's friend. Therefore is it, O Yajnasena (Drupada), that I retain half thy kingdom. Thou art the king of all the territory lying on the southern side of the Bhagirathi (Ganga), while I become king of all the territory on the north of that river. And, O Panchala, if it pleaseth thee, know me hence for thy friend.

On hearing these words, Drupada answered: Thou art of noble soul and great prowess. Therefore, O Brahmana, I am not surprised at what thou doest. I am very much gratified with thee, and I desire thy eternal friendship.

After this, Drona released the king of Panchala, and cheerfully performing the usual offices of regard, bestowed upon him half the kingdom. Thenceforth Drupada began to reside sorrowfully in the city of Kampilya within the province of Makandi on the banks of the Ganges filled with many towns and cities. And after his defeat by Drona, Drupada ruled the Southern Panchalas up to the bank of the Charmanwati river. Meanwhile Drona continued to reside in Ahichatra. Thus was the territory of Ahicchatra full of towns and cities, obtained by Arjuna, and bestowed upon Drona.

Higher status of Panchalas and Kurus in ancient India

The Kurus and Panchalas were considered as foremost among the ruling tribes in ancient India, because they followed the Vedic religion in its dogmatic and purest form. Other tribes imitated the practices of these tribes and thus got accepted into the Vedic religions:

Commencing with the Panchalas, the Kauravas, the Naimishas (a forest-country to the east of Panchala), the Matsyas, all these, know what religion is. The old men among the Northerners, the Angas, the Magadhas, without themselves knowing what virtue is follow the practices of the Kuru-Panchalas.

The Kurus and the Panchalas comprehend from a half-uttered speech; the Salwas cannot comprehend until the whole speech is uttered. The Magadhas are comprehenders of signs; the Koshalas comprehend from what they see. The Mountaineers, like the Sivis, are very stupid.

The Yavanas are omniscient; the Suras are particularly so. The mlecchas are wedded to the creations of their own fancy that other peoples cannot understand.

The Panchalas observe the duties enjoined in the Vedas; the Kauravas observe truth; the Matsyas and the Surasenas perform sacrifices. Beginning with the Matsyas, the residents of the Kuru and the Panchala countries, the Naimishas as well and the other respectable peoples, the pious among all races are conversant with the eternal truths of religion. The Kauravas with the Panchalas, the Salwas, the Matsyas, the Naimishas, the Koshalas, the Kasapaundras, the Kalingas, the Magadhas, and the Chedis who are all highly blessed, know what the eternal religion is.

Territories and locations within the Panchala Kingdom

Kichaka Kingdom

Capital: Vetravat

Kichaka the commander-in-chief of Matsya army

Kichaka Kingdom was a territory lying to the south of (southern) Panchala. It was ruled by Kichaka clan of kings. They belonged to the Suta caste (offspring of Kshatriyas upon Brahmana ladies). One among the Kichakas was the commander-in-chief of the Matsya army under king Virata. Pandava Bhima slew Kichaka because of the latter's abuse towards the wife of Pandavas, viz Draupadi. Kichaka kingdom also lied to the east of the Matsya Kingdom under the rule of king Virata. It seems that this territory was allied to both the Matsyas and Panchalas, with its own independent rulers. Its capital was Vetrakiya, on the banks of river Vetravati (Betwa), also known as Suktimati.

The town named Ekachakra

It is believed that the Pandavas lived in a small town named Ekachakra, belonging to this territory, during their wanderings after Duryodhana attempted to murder them at Varanavata (a Kuru city).

In the course of their wanderings the Pandavas saw the countries of the Matsyas, the Trigartas, the Panchalas and the Kichakas, and also many beautiful woods and lakes therein. They all had matted locks on their heads and were attired in barks of trees and the skins of animals. They attired in the garbs of ascetics. They used to study the Rik and the other Vedas and also all the Vedangas as well as the sciences of morals and politics. Finally they met Vyasa. He told them:- Not far off before you is a delightful town. Saying this he led them into the town of Ekachakra. on arriving at Ekachakra, the Pandavas lived for a short time in the abode of a Brahmana, leading an eleemosynary life.

During this period, Bhima slew a Rakhsasa named Baka (Vaka), at Vetrakiya controlled the affairs of the Kichaka Kingdom and freed that kingdom from Baka's reign of terror.

Pandavas journey from Ekachakra to Kampilya

Pandavas proceeded towards Panchala with their mother, to attend the self-choice event of princess Draupadi. In order to reach their destination, they proceeded in a due northerly direction, walking day and night till they reached a sacred shrine of Siva with the crescent mark on his brow. Then those tigers among men, the sons of Pandu, arrived at the banks of the Ganges. It was a forest called Angaraparna. Here, they encountered a Gandharva named Angaraparna. After that encounter they went to a place called Utkochaka, where they met sage Dhaumya. They appointed Dhaumya, the younger brother of Devala, as their priest. Then they proceeded towards the country of the southern Panchalas ruled over by the king Drupada They proceeded by slow stages staying for some time within those beautiful woods and by fine lakes that they beheld along their way and entered the capital of the Panchalas. Beholding the capital (Kampilya), as also the fort, they took up their quarters in the house of a potter. Desirous of beholding the Swayamvara (self-choice ceremony of the princess), the citizens, roaring like the sea, all took their seats on the platforms that were erected around the amphitheatre. The kings from diverse countries entered the grand amphitheatre by the north-eastern gate. And the amphitheatre which itself had been erected on an auspicious and level plain to the north-east of Drupada's capital, was surrounded by beautiful mansions. And it was enclosed on all sides with high walls and a moat with arched doorways here and there. The Pandavas, too, entering that amphitheatre, sat with the Brahmanas and beheld the unequalled affluence of the king of the Panchalas.

"Arjuna won the competition set for winning Draupadi in the self-choice ceremony".<ref>Kisari Mohan Ganguli, The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa Translated into English Prose", 1883-1896, Bk. 1, Ch. 192.</ref>

 Kanyakubja Kingdom This kingdom is identified to be the modern day Kannauj district of Uttar Pradesh. During the reign of King Drupada of southern Panchala, this territory formed a part of the southern PanchalaGadhi, born in the race of king Kusika and Gadhi's son Viswamitra, were earlier rulers of this kingdom. Gadhi's daughter was married to Richika (could be related to the Rishikas in the north), belonging to the Bhargava clan. Richika's son was Jamadagni and Jamadagni's son was the celebrated Bhargava Rama. Gadhi mentions to Richika about a custom followed by their race, that during marriage, that the bridegroom should give to the bride side a dower of 3000 fleet steeds with brown color. (This custom is similar to that of Madra Culture.) Richika get the horses from Varuna (Varuna is indicative of western cultures. Note that Arjuna also got his excellent chariot, horses and bow from Varuna). The horses reached Kanyakubja capital, crossing the river Ganges. The spot where they crossed the river was known by the name horse's landing place.

Not far from Kanyakubja, a spot in the sacred bank of the Ganges is still famous among men as Aswatirtha in consequence of the appearance of those horses at that place.

Both the Kusikas and the Bhargava-Richikas seems to have links with the ancient western-cultures (See Also: Bahlika Culture, Madra Culture, Rishika Kingdom and Rishikas). Viswamitra (Kusika's race) was born as a Kshatriya and later became a Brahmana, much like what was common in Madra Cultures. Bhargava Rama (Richika's race) was an expert in the use of the battle-axe, which he got from Kailasa region (Kailas range Tibet). The location of the Rishika tribe, who were experts in the use of battle-axes was not too distant from this region. The custom of donating or accepting horses as dowry also indicate north-western culture. It seems that neither the Bhargavas (and Richikas or Rishikas) nor the Kusikas, maintained any distinctions such as Brahmana and Kshatriya upon themselves. However, during the later periods, when the Vedic religion became rigid in its four-order caste-system, the Bhargavas were accepted as Brahmanas and the Kusikas as Kshatriyas.

Gadhi was sovereign whose military force was exceedingly great. Viswamitra also possessed a large army and many animals and vehicles. Using those animals and vehicles he used to roam around in forests in search of deer. During his wanderings he met the sage Vasistha. He engaged in a dispute with this sage, on the matter of the wealth of cattle possessed by the sage. (Cattle wealth always caused dispute among ancient Indian kingdoms (See the dispute between Matsyas and Trigartas for the sake of cattle wealth; in Matsya Kingdom). Viswamitra had to encounter many local-armies to seize the cattle wealth. (See Dravida Kingdom, Kerala Kingdom, Pundra Kingdom and Kirata Kingdom, Himalaya Kingdom). He was vanquished by the local-armies. After the defeat from Vasistha, Viswamitra adopted the life of an ascetic. Bhargava Rama defeated many tribes like Heheyas and later adopting the life of an ascetic. Thus both the Kusikas and Bhargava-Richikas were warrior-tribes, who also were a priest-like class of people.

In the country of Panchala, there is a forest called Utpala, where Viswamitra of Kusika's race had performed sacrifices with his son.

 Pandavas's route from Dwiata lake to Matsya kingdom

Panchala was one among the countries considered by the Pandavas to spend their 13th year of anonymity along with the kingdoms Chedi, Matsya, Surasena, Pattachchara, Dasarna, Navarashtra, Malla, Salwa, Yugandhara, Saurashtra, Avanti, and the spacious Kuntirashtra.

Pandavas selected the Matsya Kingdom for their 13th year of anonymous life. Pandavas ordered their chief servant Indrasena and the others to take with then the empty chariots and to speedily proceeded to Dwaravati. All the maid-servants of Draupadi were ordered to go to the Panchala kingdom. After that the Pandavas left Dwaita lake in the Dwaita forest and proceeded to Matsya kingdom. Dhaumya, their priest, taking their sacred fires, set out for the Panchala Kingdom. Pandavas travelling eastwards, reached river Yamuna. Travelling along the southern banks of Yamuna, they passed through Yakrilloma, Surasena. Then they turned westwards (possibly to deceive the spies of Duryodhana, who might have following them), leaving behind, on their right (north side), the country of the Panchalas, and on their left (south side), that of the Dasarnas entered the Matsya Kingdom.

 Impact of Magadha kings on Panchala
Due to the power of Magadha king Jarasandha, many ancient tribes had to shift their domains. Prominent among them were the Yadavas, who fled from Surasena Kingdom to south-west to Anarta Kingdom. The king of the Salwayana tribe with their brethren and followers, and the southern Panchalas and the eastern Kosalas also had to flee to the country of the Kuntis (which was south to these kingdoms).

Even though only king Jarasandha is mentioned, this situation could have arisen due to many generations of powerful Magadha kings who were forefathers of Jarasandha. During the reign of Drupada, no shift in the location of southern Panchala is mentioned explicitly. If the situation was created by Jarasandha alone, and no other Magadha kings later or earlier to him, then this shift of southern-Panchala could be temporary.

 Dispute of Panchalas with Dasarnas There arose a dispute between the Dasarna Kingdom lying to the south, and the southern-Panchala king Drupada, upon the matter of the gender of prince Shikhandi, who was married to the princess of Dasarna. Panchala's alliance with Pandava King Yudhishthira

Bhima collected tribute for Yudhishthira's Rajasuya sacrifice during his military campaign to the east and first visited the Panchala Kingdom after leaving his home city Indraprastha. only two tribes do not pay tribute unto Yudhishthira, viz., the Panchalas in consequence of their relationship by marriage, and the Andhakas and Vrishnis (Anarta Yadavas) in consequence of their friendship.

When the Pandavas were exiled by Duryodhana, both the Panchalas and Yadavas visited them along with other cousins like the Chedis and Kekeyas. Pandavas five son's by Draupadi, spent some of their life in Panchala and some in Dwaraka during the 13-year-long exile of the Pandavas.

During their pilgrimage all around India, Yudhishthira asked the weak men among his followers to go to king Dhritarashtra of Kuru Kingdom and if he didn't take care of them, then to king Drupada of southern Panchala.

Yudhishthira and his followers, with Matsya king Virata, began to make preparations for war (Kurukshetra War). Virata and his relatives sent word to all the monarchs, and Panchala king Drupada also did the same. And at the request of Pandavas, as also of the two kings of the Matsyas and the Panchalas, many kings gathered for their cause. Druupada sent his priest to Hastinapura for the initial peace talks.

Drupada, the king of the Panchalas, surrounded by his ten heroic sons, Satyajit and other headed by Dhrishtadyumna, and well-protected by Shikhandi, and having furnished his soldiers with necessary things, joined the Pandavas with a full Akshauhini.

 Panchalas in Kurukshetra War

Panchalas were the closest among all the allies of the Pandavas in the Kurukshetra War. Panchala prince Dhristadyumna was the commander-in-chief for the whole of the Pandava army. Many heroes from Panchala battled in the war. Most of them were alive till the end of the war. However all of them were slain by Ashwathama in an ambush, when they were asleep in their tents, on the last day of the war. Ashwathama was the ruler of half of the Panchala Kingdom viz the northern Panchala, under Kuru king Duryodhana. Northern Panchala was then reduced to the status of a province of the Kuru Kingdom. This could be the political factor that caused the Panchalas (southern Panchalas) to become kinsmen of the Pandavas, who were a rebel force in the Kuru Kingdom. By supporting the Pandavas in Kurukshetra War they might have sought to regain their lost Panchala territories.

 Panchala heroes

Satyajit was as the commander-in-chief of the Panchala army under king Drupada who fought against Arjuna who was then a disciple of Drona, the preceptor in warfare, in the Kuru Kingdom. He came to the Kurukshetra War leading the one Akshouhini of Panchala army. The brave warriors among the Panchalas, viz., Jayanta, Amitaujas and the great car-warrior Satyajit were great car-warriors (Maharathas) by Bhishma. He was slain by Drona on the 12th day of the war.

The Panchala princes Yudhamanyu and Uttamaujas. were protectors of Arjuna's car-wheels during the battle. Similarly the Panchala prince Kumara was one of the protectors of Yudhishthira's car-wheels, along with another hero Yugadhara (hailing from the city of Yugandhara, located somewhere to the west of Kurujangala (either in Haryana or Punjab). Kumara and Yugandhara were slain by Drona. Vyaghradatta was another Panchala prince slain by Drona along with Sinhasena.

Dhrishtadyumna, Shikhandi, Janamejaya (the son of Durmuksha), Chandrasen, Madrasen, Kritavarman, Dhruva, Dhara, Vasuchandra and Sutejana were Panchala heroes, some of them being the sons of Drupada. The 10 sons of Drupada. and five sons (something off here) as in the Kurukshetra War. Suratha and Satrunjaya were sons of Drupada slain by Ashwathama. Vrika and Panchalya were sons of Drupada slain by Drona. Drupada's three grandsons also were in the war. Shikhandi's son Khsatradeva was in the war. Dhristadyumna's sons, tender in year, were slain by Drona in the war. Other Panchala Chiefs who died at the hands of Drona were Ketama and Vasudhana as per C.Rajagopalachari's Mahabharata.

Valanika, Jayanika, Jaya, Prishdhra, and Chandrasena—these heroes were also believed to be of Panchala, slain by Ashwathama.

 The Somakas, Srinjayas and the Prabhadrakas

These three names were frequently in the story of the Kurukshetra War either as related to the Panchalas or as synonymous to the Panchalas. Srinjayas and Somakas were tribes allied to the Panchalas by kinship, born off from the various branches of the same royal lineage that brought forth the Panchala-tribe. They dwelled in the various provinces of the Panchala kingdom. Prabhadrakas seems to be an elite group of Panchala army, employed in Kurukshetra War.

 The Somakas

Somaka seems to be a name used to denote all the tribes of Panchalas. The word Somaka, means the one who belonged to the Lunar Dynasty. This name could have given by rulers of Solar Dynasty. The Kosala Kingdom ruled by Solar Dynasty of kings lied to the east of Panchala. So this name could have coined by the Kosalas to denote the Panchalas. Thus the name could be collective to the whole of the Panchala tribes and specific to the tribes that lie close to Kosala, i.e. the tribes that dwell in the eastern parts of Panchala.

Pancalas and Srinjayas were sometimes referred to collectively as Somakas.
Somakas and Panchalas were different tribes.
Somakas and Srinjayas were different tribes.
Somakas and Prabhadrakas were different tribes.
The Srinjayas and the Panchalas, the Matsyas and the Somakas were separate tribes.
Drona during the war said to Duryodhana:

I will not put off my armour without slaying all the Panchalas. O king, go and tell my son Ashwathama not let the Somakas alone.

Kshatradharman, a Kurukshetra War hero, belonged to the Somaka tribe; another hero was Uttamaujas belonging to the Panchala tribe.

King Somaka, (1-2,127,128) is with his son Jantu. King Somaka was the son of Sahadeva, and a most excellent maker of gifts and he performed a sacrifice on the banks of Yamuna. King Somaka is listed among the great kings of ancient India.

The Somakas and Panchalas were at many of the same places. Drupada was the Somaka king and Dhristadyumna is a Somaka prince.

 The Srinjayas

Srinjaya king Hotravahana is the maternal grandfather of the Kasi princess Amba (Amva). Amva, coming from Salwa stayed in the asylum of sage Saikhavatya (who dwelled on the banks of Saikavati river). Hotravahana met her granddaughter there. He was a friend of Bhargava Rama.

The Panchalas and Srinjayas attacked Arjuna when he tried to make Drupada captive for the sake of Drona.

Uttamujas was the great Srinjaya car-warrior.

The Srinjayas and Panchalas were separate tribes at many places.
Chedis the Andhakas, the Vrishnis, the Bhojas, the Kukuras and the Srinjayas were separate tribes. Here the Andhakas, Vrishinis, Bhojas and the Kukuras were tribes belonging to the Yadava clan.
The Kasayas (Kasis), the Chedis, the Matsyas, the Srinjayas, the Panchalas, and the Prabhadrakas were separate tribes.
The Chedis, the Srinjayas, the Kasis and the Kosalas were battling together for Pandavas.

A Srinjaya king is mentioned as great amongst conquerors at (1- 1). He is also mentioned at (2,8). At (7,53) Srinjaya is mentioned as the son of a king named Switya. Sinjaya's son named Suvarnashthivin was slain by some robber-tribes during his childhood. The sages Narada and Parvata (Narada's sister's son (12,30)) were Srinjaya's friends. Chapters (7- 53 to 69) describes a narration of Narada to Srinjaya, to console him in the death of his son. This is also mentioned at (12-29,30,31).
Bhishma mentions at (5,164) that he could slay the whole armies of Srinjayas and the Salweyas (Salwa lied to the west of Kuru while Panchala lied to its east).

Srinjayas were mentioned as synonymous to Panchalas at many places. Refer (3- 33,35), (5- 22, 24, 25, 26, 28, 48, 71, 72, 82, 93, 127, 162, 163, 168), (6- 16, 45, 59, 60, 72, 73, 74, 75, 87, 91, 99, 108, 109, 110, 115, 116, 120), (7- 2, 7, 9, 12, 13, 14, 16, 33, 76, 92, 94, 107, 122, 148, 151, 152, 180, 184, 190), (8- 21, 24, 31, 35, 51, 54, 56, 57, 58, 59, 61, 66, 67, 73, 75, 79, 85, 93, 94), (9- 19, 29, 33, 34, 57, 59, 61), (10,8), (11,26).King Srinjaya is mentioned as an ally of King Jayadratha of Sindhu. (3,263).

 The Prabhadrakas Prabhadrakas seems to be an elite army obtained by Panchalas from the Kambojas. They could also be a Panchala army-unit or a Panchala tribe, that got trained in cavalry warfare by the Kambojas.

At (7,23.42-43) the Prabhadrakas were mentioned as hailing from Kamboja Kingdom. In MBH verse 7.23.43, as it can be seen from original Sanskrit text, the term Prabhadraka has been used as a qualifier before the Kambojas:
 (MBH Gorakhpore Rec., 7.23.42-44)

Hence in this context, the term Prabhadraka definitely implies adjective and not noun, and may not, therefore, be confused with the Prabhadraka clan. As an adjective, the term Prabhadraka/Prabhadrakastu means "exceedingly handsome, exceedingly fortunate" Researchers like Dr Robert Shafer, Dr J. L. Kamboj, S Kirpal Singh etc. have, therefore correctly taken the term Prabhadraka in the sense of an adjective rather than noun in the present context and qualify Kambojas as "very handsome, very fortunate". Ganguli's translation is in error here. In fact, according to Sanskrit scholars, Ganguli's translation of Mahabharata has numerous translations errors. (See also note 4 & 5 in: Parama Kamboja Kingdom). They could be the army bought by Panchals from the Kambojas, since Kambojas were famous for lending their horses or cavalry to any party on payment basis:- The Prabhadrakas of the Kamvoja country, numbering 6000, with upraised weapons, with excellent steeds on their gold-decked cars, with stretched bows, supported Dhristadyumna (6, 19), (7,23). To distinguish them from the proper Panchala army or from other Prabhadrakas, they were mentioned as Prabhadraka-Panchalas (7,151). They were 6000 in numbers and mentioned as supporting Shikhandi at (7,151). They were an elite group in the Pandava army (5- 48, 199). This army is mentioned as allies of the Pandavas at (6,112), (7- 159, 182), (8- 12, 22, 30, 48, 49, 56, 67), (9- 7, 11, 15, 27). Karna slew 770 foremost of warriors among the Prabhadrakas initially (8,48). He then slew 1700 of them (8, 67).

A group of Prabhadrakas is mentioned as battling against Dhristadyumna at (7,92):- The chief of the Avanti Kingdom (Mahabharata), with the Sauviras and the cruel Prabhadrakas, resisted wrathful Dhrishtadyumna.

The Kasayas (Kasis), the Chedis, the Matsyas, the Srinjayas, the Panchalas, and the Prabhadrakas were mentioned as separate armies. Prabhadrakas and Panchalas were mentioned as separate armies.

When Ashwathama attacked the Panchalas in a night-time ambush, Shikhandi woke up, alarmed the Prabhadrakas and they tried to put up some resistance but all were slain.

 Other references

Brahmadatta is mentioned as a highly devout king of Panchala Here he is mentioned as donating a conch-shell.(?) He is mentioned as donating two precious jewels called Nidhi and Sankha and he is also mentioned
A sage from Panchala is mentioned as Rishi-Panchala (also known as Galava, born in the Vabhravya race) He compiled the rules in respect of the division of syllables and words for reading the Vedas and those about emphasis and accent in utterance, and shone as the first scholar who became conversant with those two subjects. He is mentioned to have acquired the science of Krama.

 See also
Epic India

References

Kisari Mohan Ganguli, The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa Translated into English Prose'', 1883-1896.

External links

Kingdoms of the Puru clan
Panchala

Panchala Kingdom (Mahabharata)