Poster for the Arsion group
Jessica Soto, an eight-year-old school girl in Amherst, Ohio, attended her very first LIVE wrestling show with her family at Richfield Coliseum in Richfield, Ohio in 1985. It was a WWF show, and there were Terry Funk, "Rowdy" Roddy Piper, "Mr. Wonderful" Paul Orndorff, Junkyard Dog, and many more. After the show, she aspired to become a professional wrestler. Her family took no notice of her dream, but it was never a caprice of moment for her. First, she became an avid collector of LJN's WWF action figures (1st series), and her room was covered by wrestlers' posters. She has still kept her action figures, which only need four more to completion. Her favorite wrestler in childhood was "Macho Man" Randy Savage.
Jessica enjoyed playing varsity and premier soccer as a goalkeeper for four years. She decided to attend Al Snow's Bodyslammer's Pro Wrestling Gym in Lima, Ohio, three weeks after her high school graduation. She was trained by Al Snow and his assistant trainer, D-Lo Brown, in a class of 10 men aged 19 to 28 years old. Jessica, as "Black Ice," had her first pro match against "Masked Unknown", a male wrestler from Les Thatcher's training camp in Cincinnati, Ohio, on a Global Wrestling show at Bodyslammer's Gym on 11/4/95 (the main event was D-Lo Brown beating Krom [Geza Kahlman of UFC] to win the GWA title). She beat him! Since then, she has wrestled for Cleveland Wrestling Alliance, Big Time Wrestling, California Wrestling Association, and Arsion, a Japanese women's wrestling organization.
Masanori being throttled by D-Lo Brown
Jessica wrestled Reggie Bennett for the first time in July 1997. "Arsion" started and recruited Reggie for "Arsion USA" in December 1997. They wanted more Americans; Reggie was impressed with Jessica's ambition and eagerness to learn, and invited Jessica to join "Arsion USA." Jessica was named "Jessie Bennett" as Reggie's cousin in Japan. She had her first match in Japan against Mikiko Futagami, who is called "Woman with 1,000 techniques," on Arsion's grand opening show at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo on 2/18/98.
Arsion girls, including Jessica, live in a "Dojo." Dojo is the Japanese wrestling training system and all-living facility, as its purpose is the training of young wrestlers into main eventers while inculcating them with the strict etiquette, discipline, and special values of wrestling (Chris Benoit, Darrell Peterson [Maxx Pain / Man Mountain Rock], Brian Adams [Crush; he was stationed in the U.S. Air Force in Yokota Base], and 2 Cold Scorpio trained in New Japan's Dojo in the '80s). Arsion wrestlers train every day and attend Pancrase's dojo every Monday, and Battlarts' dojo every Friday. They learn pro-wrestling, Lucha Libre, and shoot style wrestling.
Not every foreign wrestler succeeds, and only limited foreign wrestlers can get over in Japan. Jessica is longing to become like Bull Nakano and Akira Hokuto.
A girl's dream came true, and she lives in a foreign country now. Her next subject is to "WIN!"
Jessica Soto (Jessie Bennett)
The Grand Opening Virgin Tour '98
2/18 Korakuen Hall, Tokyo---Mikiko Futagami b. Jessie Bennett (4:54)
2/28 Osaka Rinkai Sports Center---Rie Tamada b. Jessie Bennett (9:57)
3/2 Hakata StarLane, Fukuoka---Michiko Omukai b. Jessie Bennett (1:20)
Starlet '98
3/21 Hamamatsu, Shizuoka---Candy Okutsu b. Jessie Bennett (8:35)
3/22 Akishima, Tokyo---Rie Tamada b. Jessie Bennett (9:01)
3/29 Yamato, Kanagawa---Aja Kong b. Jessie Bennett (6:24)
4/5 Toda, Saitama---Mikiko Futagami b. Jessie Bennett (7:26)
4/11 Nagoya, Aichi---Candy Okutsu b. Jessie Bennett (6:52)
4/17 Korakuen Hall, Tokyo---Michiko Omukai & Yumi Fukawa b. Reggie & Jessie Bennett (19:40 Omukai b. Jessie)
4/18 Aomori City
(1) Mariko Yoshida b. Jessie Bennett (9:40)
(2) Reggie Bennett, Mariko Yoshida, Lady Metal b. Yumi Fukawa, Jessie Bennett, Fabby Apache (12:40 Reggie b. Jessie)
4/19 Hirosaki, Aomori---Jessie Bennett b. Fabby Apache (4:34)
Hyper Visual Fighting Tournament "ARS"
5/5 Yokohama Bunka Gym---[Triangle match] Fabby Apache vs. Lady Metal vs. Jessie Bennett; Fabby b. Jessie (2:40)
Starlet '98
5/8 Toyohashi, Aichi---Rie Tamada b. Jessie Bennett (8:07)
5/11 Okazaki, Aichi---Reggie Bennett b. Jessie Bennett (3:11)
6/2 Himeji, Hyogo---Reggie Bennett b. Jessie Bennett (5:29)
***Jessie returned to the USA and trained by herself for 3 months.***
Startist '98
9/5 Mukoshima, Hiroshima---Marie Apache b. Jessie Bennett (5:00)
9/6 Yanai, Yamaguchi---Mariko Yoshida b. Jessie Bennett (7:09)
9/9 Korakuen Hall, Tokyo---Reggie Bennett & Fabby Apache b. Jessie Bennett & Lady Metal
(15:00 Reggie b. Jessie)
9/19 Hamamatsu, Shizuoka---(1) Jessie Bennett b. Mika Akino (7:35) (2) Yumi Fukawa b. Jessie (10:53)
9/21 Kokura, Fukuoaka---Mariko Yoshida b. Jessie Bennett (9:09)
9/22 Kukuoka City---Mikiko Futagami b. Jessie Bennett (8:51)
10/4 Omiya, Saitama---Rie Tamada b. Jessie Bennett (10:35)
Twinstar of Arsion '98
10/7 Korakuen Hall, Tokyo---Reggie Bennett b. Jessie Bennett (9:25)
10/13 Nagano City---Mariko Yoshida & Mika Akino b. Reggie & Jessie Bennett (15:26 Akino b. Jessie)
10/19 Shizuoka City---Marie Apache b. Jessie Bennett (7:42)
10/25 Yokkaichi Mie---Aja Kong b. Jessie Bennett (8:55)
10/26 Osaka Furitsu Gym #2---Marie Apache b. Jessie Bennett (8:47)
10/27 Hatsukaichi, Hiroshima---Ayako Hamada b. Jessie Bennett (10:16)
10/28 Hagi, Yamaguchi---Mariko Yoshida b. Jessie Bennett (8:29)
10/29 Yamaguchi City---Reggie & Jessie Bennett b. Marie & Fabby Apache (13:57 Reggie b. Fabby)
11/3 Yachiyo, Ibaraki Rie Tamada & Hiromi Yagi b. Reggie & Jessie Bennett (16:03 Tamada b. Jessie)
11/4 Korakuen Hall, Tokyo---Michiko Omukai b. Jessie Bennett (9:33)
11/6 Funabashi, Chiba---Tiger Dream (Candy Okutsu) & Ayako Hamada b. Reggie & Jessie Bennett (16:03 Hamada b. Jessie)
11/17 Toyohashi, Aichi---Ayako Hamada b. Jessie Bennett (10:19)
11/20 Yokosuka, Kanagawa---Mariko Yoshida b. Jessie Bennett (8:52)
11/21 Odawara, Kanagawa---Michiko Omukai b. Jessie Bennett (8:26)
11/27 Chiba City---Reggie & Jessie Bennett b. Michiko Omukai & Yumi Fukawa (13:39 Reggie b. Fukawa)---Jessie celebrated her 22nd birthday.
12/3 Niigata City---Gami Metal (Mikiko Futagami) & Lady Metal b. Reggie & Jessie Bennett (16:19 Gami b. Jessie)
12/7 Korakuen Hall, Tokyo---Mika Akino b. Jessie Bennett (8:21)
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12/13 KBS Hall, Kyoto---Jessie Bennett vs. Lady Metal
12/16 Nagoya, Aichi---Jessie Bennett vs. Fabby Apache
12/18 Yokohama Bunka Gym, Kanagawa---Jessie Bennett, Lady Metal, Esther Moreno vs. Marie & Fabby Apache, Mika Akino
You may contact Masanori at masa_h@mail.goo.ne.jp
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http://www2u.biglobe.ne.jp/~dnak/
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