Kaoru Maeda

is a Japanese professional wrestler better known by the ring name Kaoru (stylized in all capital letters). Billed as the "Original Hardcore Queen", Kaoru is known for her wrestling style, which combines high-flying with hardcore wrestling. Trained by the All Japan Women's Pro-Wrestling (AJW) promotion, Maeda worked in both Japan and Mexico in the late 80s and early 90s, before making her breakthrough in the Gaea Japan promotion, where she most notably was a founding member of the D-Fix stable. After the folding of Gaea Japan in 2005, Maeda became a freelancer, though closely affiliating herself with the Oz Academy promotion. After returning from a three-year-long injury break Finally, in the fifth fall of the match, Ozaki dropped Kaoru with a brainbuster off a ladder through a barbed-wire board to win the fall and the match. In order to reduce Ozaki-gun's numbers advantage over her, Kaoru began teaming with Jungle Jack 21 in 2010, though not officially joining the stable. After defeating Ozaki-gun member Yumi Ohka with Mayumi Ozaki's signature Ozakick on May 16, Kaoru defeated another former stablemate, Takako Inoue, on June 13 to become the number one contender to the Oz Academy Openweight Championship On July 11, Kaoru defeated Carlos Amano to win the Oz Academy Openweight Championship, becoming the promotion's top champion. She made her first title defense on August 22, defeating Mayumi Ozaki in a Last Woman Standing match. Her second defense took place on November 3, ...