Ray (wrestler)


Ray was a Hong Kong professional wrestler. After being trained by Emi Sakura, Ray made her professional wrestling debut in September 2003 and would for the next several years wrestle under different masks, before she began working for Smash in March 2010, unmasked under the ring name Lin Byron . She remained with Smash until the promotion folded in March 2012, after which she transferred over to its successor, Wrestling New Classic, which lasted until June 2014. In April 2013, Byron became the third WNC Women's Champion. She revived the Ray character in January 2011, initially signing with Ice Ribbon, before becoming a freelancer in May 2012. Afterwards, she mainly worked for the Reina Joshi Puroresu promotion, while also promoting her own independent events and traveling to the United States to work for Shimmer Women Athletes. During her career, Ray held the CMLL-Reina International Junior, International Ribbon Tag Team and WNC Women's Championships, among other titles. After being diagnosed with a brain tumor in December 2015, she died in August 2018.

Professional wrestling career

Gatokunyan and Ibuki (2003–2011)

Trained by Emi Sakura at the Gatokunyan dojo, she made her debut under the ring name Rei on September 15, 2003, facing Sakura in a losing effort at a show in Korakuen Hall. When Sakura left Gatokunyan in April 2006 to form Ice Ribbon, Rei was one of only few of her trainees, who chose not to leave with her, but instead remained with Gatokunyan until the promotion folded in early 2007. The summer of 2007 also saw the folding of the JDStar promotion, where Rei made appearances for six months under a different mask and the ring name Caribbean Moon, working as a member of the Caribbean Gundan stable alongside Caribbean Kim and Caribbean Rum, with all three having characters inspired by the Pirates of the Caribbean films. Under the new ring name Ray, she then began working regularly for Mariko Yoshida's Ibuki promotion, which had the goal of introducing the next generation of joshi stars to the world of professional wrestling. While performing in the promotion, Ray also underwent further training under Yoshida, alongside the likes of Hiroyo Matsumoto, Misaki Ohata and Tomoka Nakagawa. In 2009, Ray joined Nanae Takahashi's Passion Red stable, which she would represent in promotions such as NEO Japan Ladies Pro Wrestling, Big Japan Pro Wrestling, JWP Joshi Puroresu and Oz Academy, performing under the ring name Passion Ray. When Ibuki ceased its operations in early 2010, the Ray character went inactive as its performer began working for Smash unmasked. However, on January 25, 2011, Ray held a press conference, announcing that she was making a comeback on February 5, now working as a freelancer on the Japanese independent circuit.

Ice Ribbon (2008, 2011–2012)

Ray made her debut for her trainer Emi Sakura's Ice Ribbon promotion on June 1, 2008, when she teamed with Mai Ichii to defeat Sakura and Kazumi Shimouma in the tag team main event. Her next Ice Ribbon appearance took place on February 23, 2011, when she began wrestling regularly for the promotion. Ray quickly began feuding with Ice Ribbon Triple Crown Champion Tsukasa Fujimoto, pinning her in a tag team match on February 26, only Ray's second match back in the promotion. After unsuccessfully challenging Fujimoto for the ICE×60 Championship on March 21, Ray teamed with Emi Sakura five days later to defeat Fujimoto and Hikaru Shida for the International Ribbon Tag Team Championship. After the match, Ray officially named Ice Ribbon her new home promotion, ending her freelancing days. During the next two months, Ray and Sakura went on to successfully defend the title four times; against Hikari Minami and Yoneyamakao Lee on April 9, Riho and Tsukushi on April 16, Hikaru Shida and Syuri on May 5 and Makoto Oishi and Neko Nitta on May 18. On June 1, Ray and Sakura lost the title to the Lovely Butchers. Afterwards, Ray began feuding with Chii Tomiya, which lasted until Tomiya left Ice Ribbon in late August. In January 2012, Ray formed the tag team Mascara Voladoras with fellow masked wrestler, JWP representative Leon. They would wrestle together not only in Ice Ribbon, but also JWP and Sendai Girls' Pro Wrestling. After not appearing for Ice Ribbon for three months, Ray returned to the promotion on May 5 at Golden Ribbon 2012, teaming with Marines Mask II in the Go! Go! Golden Mixed Tag Tournament, from which they were eliminated in the first round by the team of Dynasty and Hikari Minami. On May 14, Ice Ribbon announced that Ray had quit the promotion to once again become a freelancer.

Smash (2010–2012)

On March 26, 2010, at Smash's first ever event, Ray appeared without her mask, taking part in a wrestling demonstration, where she was introduced by Tajiri as "Lin Byron" and named as part of the new promotion's roster, having allegedly passed a "World Tryout" audition. Smash did not recognize Byron's extensive background in professional wrestling, claiming instead that she was a newcomer and that, after graduating Beijing Sport University, she traveled the world with a Chinese acrobatics association, before returning to Hong Kong in 2008 for a career in action movies. As part of the new character, Byron also hid her fluency in Japanese, instead speaking English in her interviews. Byron's character was a high-energy babyface, wrestling matches in a white jumpsuit and often using her martial arts background in matches. She wrestled her first match for Smash on April 23 at Smash.2, teaming with Kushida in a tag team main event, where they defeated Hajime Ohara and Syuri, with Byron pinning Syuri for the win. On May 29 at Smash.3, Byron teamed with Canadian wrestler Mentallo and South Korean comedy wrestler Kim Nan Pun in a six-person tag team match, where they defeated Akira Shoji, Syuri and Yusuke Kodama, with Byron once again picking up the deciding pinfall, this time over Kodama. On June 25 at Smash.4, Byron wrestled as part of the Smash Seikigun in an interpromotional six person tag team match, where she, Hajime Ohara and Tajiri were defeated by the Fight Club Finland trio of Heimo Ukonselkä, Jessica Love and Stark Adder. Now a member of the Smash Seikigun, Byron spent the following events wrestling in tag team matches with her stablemates Akira, Kushida, Syuri and Tajiri. From September to November, Byron feuded with Kim Nan Pun, ending on November 22 at Smash.10, where Byron pinned Nan Pun in a two-on-one handicap match, where he teamed with Leatherface.
On December 24 at Happening Eve, Byron was defeated by Hajime Ohara in an intergender match. During the main event of the evening, where Syuri challenged JWP Openweight Champion Kaori Yoneyama for her title, Byron, along with the rest of the Smash Seikigun, was ringside, but, unlike her stablemates, was not cheering for Syuri and eventually left the ringside area before the end of the match. Following the event, Byron claimed that Smash was playing favorites with Syuri, including holding a birthday party for her, six days before Byron's own birthday, and insisted that Smash was not big enough for both of them. On January 29, 2011, at Smash.12, Byron's losing streak continued as she and Yusuke Kodama were defeated in a tag team match by Hajime Ohara and Jessica Love. After the match, Byron slapped Kodama and then walked out on him as he was attacked by the Triple Tails stable. Later that same day on Smash.13, Byron ended her losing streak by pinning Kodama in a tag team match, where she teamed with Akira Shoji and Kodama with Syuri. After the match, Byron spat at Syuri, leading to a brawl between the two. On February 25 at Smash.14, Byron was defeated by Syuri in a grudge match. After the match, the distraught Byron was comforted by Michael Kovac, who took her under his supervision. At Smash.15, Byron made her first appearance as Lin "Bitch" Byron. As part of her new villainous persona, she had dyed her hair black and changed her white jumpsuit to a black leather suit. In the match, Byron, Kovac and Gabriel Antonick were defeated by Tajiri, Syuri and Sabu, when Sabu pinned Antonick, who was then abandoned by Byron and Kovac. On May 3 at Smash.16, Byron and Kovac teamed up in a three tag team ladder match, contested for the Smash Championship and Smash Diva Championship belts, which Kovac had stolen earlier from Tajiri. The match, which also included Fight Club Finland representatives Hajime Ohara and Jessica Love, was won by Tajiri and Makoto. With Smash regaining the title belts, they were put up for grabs in separate championship tournaments. Byron entered the Smash Diva Championship tournament on June 9 at Smash.18, but was defeated in her opening match by eventual tournament winner, Kana. Kovac entered the Smash Championship tournament later that same day, but was also defeated in his first round match by Genichiro Tenryu, who was supported by Byron's old rival, Kim Nan Pun. After the match, Kovac blamed Byron for his loss and attacked her, ending the partnership between the two.
On July 15 at Smash.19, Byron made her Smash debut under her Ray character, wrestling as a face in a six-person tag team match, where she, Kaz Hayashi and Último Dragón defeated Gamma, Hajime Ohara and Io Shirai via disqualification, when Ohara tore Ray's mask off her face, which she then quickly covered without revealing her true identity. Byron and Ray were treated as two completely different wrestlers, with no mention being made of the two being portrayed by the same person. On August 11 at Smash.20, Ray teamed with Yo-Hey and Yuko Miyamoto to defeat Mio Shirai, Takuya Kito and Yusuke Kodama in another six person tag team match. On September 8 at Smash.21, Ray and the debuting Ayumi Kurihara defeated Makoto and Syuri in a tag team match. Later in the event, after Kana had defeated Serena to become the inaugural Smash Diva Champion, Ray, along with Makoto, Syuri and Tomoka Nakagawa, entered the ring to challenge the new champion. The four challengers had a number one contender's match on October 28 at Smash.22, from which Ray was the first person eliminated by the eventual winner of the match, Nakagawa. Later that same event, during a tag team match, where Michael Kovac and Rob Raw faced Genichiro Tenryu and Yusuke Kodama, Lin Byron made her return to Smash, attacking Kovac and costing his team the match. Even though she had attacked Kovac and appeared in her white jumpsuit, Byron returned to her "Bitch" character at the Smash.23 press conference, when she came face to face with Syuri. On November 24 at Smash.23, Syuri defeated Byron in a hardcore match, after which the two made peace with each other, officially ending Byron's run as a villain. On February 10, 2012, Smash announced that the promotion would be folding after its March 14 event. In her final Smash appearance on March 14 at Smash.Final, Byron teamed with Kim Nan Pun to defeat Michael Kovac in a two-on-one handicap match.