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Giant Baba Memorial Cup
The Giant Baba Memorial Cup was a professional wrestling memorial event produced by the All-Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW) promotion, which took place from January 2 to January 14, 2002, at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Hakata Star Lane in Fukuoka, the Nagasaki NCC Studio, Sasebo Sports Bunka Hall, Kokura Northern Gymnasium, Kagoshima Prefectural Gymnasium, Osaka Central Gymnasium, and the Bunka Gym in Yokohama, Japan. It was the second event held in honor of AJPW founder Shohei "Giant" Baba preceding the Giant Baba Memorial Spectacular in 2001 and was followed by the Giant Baba Memorial Six Man Tag Team Tournament three months later. Thirty-one professional wrestling matches were featured on AJPW's "New Year Giant Series" tour over a three-week period, with the opening rounds, semi-finals and the final match airing on Gaora TV. The Giant Baba Memorial Cup, held as a round robin tournament, had a uniquely different point system traditionally used by the Champion Carnival or World's Stro ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
All-Japan Pro Wrestling
(AJPW/AJP) or simply All Japan is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion established on October 21, 1972 when Giant Baba split away from the Japanese Wrestling Association and created his own promotion. Many wrestlers had left with Baba, with many more joining the following year when JWA folded. From the mid-1970s, All Japan was firmly established as the largest promotion in Japan. As the 1990s began, aging stars gave way to a younger generation including Mitsuharu Misawa, "Dr. Death" Steve Williams, Kenta Kobashi, Gary Albright, Toshiaki Kawada, Mike Barton (Bart Gunn), Akira Taue and Jun Akiyama, leading to perhaps AJPW's most profitable period in the 1990s. In 1999, Giant Baba died and the promotion was run by Motoko Baba. Misawa was named President but left in 2000 after disagreements with Motoko. Misawa created Pro Wrestling NOAH and every single native wrestler besides Masanobu Fuchi and Toshiaki Kawada left All Japan. This led to a loss of All Japan's TV deal and a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mock Combat
Mock combat involves the execution of combative actions without intent to harm. Participants can engage in such sparring for ritual, training, recreational or performance reasons. The nature of mock combat can vary from realistic to symbolic. Mock combat can be classified into choreographed and unchoreographed forms. Unchoreographed * Display behaviour in tournament species ** Threat display * Ritual battle ** Tinku * Battle reenactment * Military simulation or war games * Sparring Choreographed * Stage combat * Theatrical fencing * Cinematic fencing * Arranged performance fighting * War dance ** Capoeira ** Juego de maní ** Kailao * Kata in Japanese martial arts * Hyung, or poomsae (in Korean martial arts) *Professional Wrestling Professional wrestling is a form of theater that revolves around staged wrestling matches. The mock combat is performed in a ring similar to the kind used in boxing, and the dramatic aspects of pro wrestling may be performed both in the ri ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Masato Tanaka
is a Japanese professional wrestler, best known for his appearances with Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling (FMW) in Japan where he was a one-time FMW Brass Knuckles Heavyweight Champion and a one-time WEW World Heavyweight Champion and in Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) in the United States where he was a one-time ECW World Heavyweight Champion. He is currently splitting his time wrestling for both Pro Wrestling Noah (Noah) and Pro Wrestling Zero1 (Zero1). He is overall a ten-time world champion in major professional wrestling promotions. Professional wrestling career Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling (1993–1999) Originally a trainee for George and Shunji Takano's Pro Wrestling Crusaders (Crusaders), Tanaka transferred to Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling (FMW), where he trained under Atsushi Onita. Tanaka debuted on July 23, 1993 in Saga City, facing Ricky Fuji. He quickly began moving up the card in FMW, widely regarded as the top hardcore professional wrestling promot ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kazushi Miyamoto
is a Japanese professional wrestler. Career Kazushi Miyamoto will forever have the distinction of being the first post-split graduate of the All Japan Pro Wrestling dojo. While in the Dojo Miyamoto was trained by Hiroshi Hase, Johnny Smith, and his mentor Toshiaki Kawada. Miyamoto was so serious about wrestling for All Japan, he originally asked Giant Baba in 1996, but was denied due to his young age. After completing training in the Dojo, Miyamoto debuted on August 19, 2001 against Hiroshi Hase. A Jr. Heavyweight when he debuted, for the remainder of the year he opened cards and wrestled different veterans to help him hone his craft. He started 2002 off by pickingup his first pinfall victory in a tag team match, and a couple days later he had his first singles victory over Yasu Urano. For the rest of 2002 he continued wrestling towards the beginning of the card, waiting for his chance to elevate to a more meaningful role. In 2003, Miyamoto would finally get that chance. In the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gran Naniwa
(February 15, 1977 – October 6, 2010) was a Japanese professional wrestler, better known by the ring name . Naniwa was known for his comedic gimmick, in which he performed mannerisms of crabs. This was also reflected upon in the design of his wrestling mask. Professional wrestling career Naniwa debuted professionally in 1993 in Michinoku Pro Wrestling as a face. He participated in the 1995 Super J-Cup, managing to get to the quarterfinals, but he was later eliminated by eventual winner Jyushin Thunder Liger. In the late 1990s, Naniwa competed in the United States for Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW). He wrestled Gran Hamada in January 1998 at the ''ECW House Party'' event. After this, Naniwa took a brief hiatus for a few years but made his return in 2006, again under his Gran Naniwa ring name, competing in a match for New Japan Pro-Wrestling's now defunct WRESTLE LAND "brand". Death Kimura died on October 6, 2010 due to a heart attack at the age of 33. Championships a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tomoaki Honma
is a Japanese professional wrestler currently working for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). In NJPW, he is a former one-time IWGP Tag Team Champion and a two-time World Tag League winner with Togi Makabe. Professional wrestling career Big Japan Pro Wrestling and All Japan Pro Wrestling (1997–2007) During his second year of high school, Honma initially had aspirations of joining the New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) dojo and took part in a tryout, but was unsuccessful and sought training elsewhere.『ゴング』新装刊2号 pp86 -91掲載のインタビュー He eventually trained with Michinoku Pro Wrestling for 1 year, but did not debut in Michinoku Pro and instead spent his early career in Big Japan Pro Wrestling (BJW), debuting for the promotion in May 1997. After spending time wrestling in opening matches for the promotion, Honma began to compete in BJW's deathmatch division. While a part of BJW, he became the first wrestler to use a lightube in a match, an item that has si ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ryuji Hijikata
(born May 17, 1978) is a Japanese professional wrestler also known under the ring name . Hijikata is best known for his tenure in Battlarts and All Japan Pro Wrestling since 2002 where he is a former World Junior Heavyweight Champion. Professional wrestling career BattlARTS (1998–2002) After a judo career in high school, Hijikata joined professional wrestling promotion BattlARTS in 1998. He feuded with Junji Tanaka before rising through the ranks and wrestled extensively in Michinoku Pro Wrestling, Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling, All Japan Pro Wrestling and Toryumon Mexico as part of working agreements. However, despite teaming up with his mentor and promotion ace Yuki Ishikawa at several points, he never reached top status. In 2001, Hijikata signed up full-time with AJPW. All Japan Pro Wrestling (2001–2017) Hijikata wrestled in AJPW as a junior heavyweight for years, with mixed success. In 2004, he adopted a mask and the name of Toshizo (歳三), inspired on the hist ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mitsuya Nagai
, better known as , is a Japanese mixed martial artist, professional wrestler and former kickboxer. He is known for his work in Fighting Network RINGS and later in professional wrestling companies like Battlarts and New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). He currently wrestles for Dradition Pro Wrestling (Dradition) and Pro Wrestling Noah (Noah). Mixed martial arts career Hirokazu trained in Satoru Sayama's Super Tiger Gym during secondary school and tried to join All Japan Pro Wrestling immediately afterwards, but its chairman Giant Baba asked him to finish high school first. While studying, Nagai started competing in amateur shootboxing and amassed a 5–2 record, which made him change his ambition, so after graduating he went to join UWF Newborn instead of AJPW. He became a trainee under Akira Maeda, training in the shoot wrestling style, but he got injured and UWF closed his doors before he could debut. Nagai eventually followed Maeda to his new promotion, Fighting Network RING ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hi69
is a Japanese professional wrestler better known by his ring name Hi69 (pronounced as Hiroki). He is currently signed to Pro Wrestling Noah. Since debuting in 2000, Tanabe has frequently worked for Kaientai Dojo, Michinoku Pro Wrestling, Apache Pro Wrestling and Freedoms. Professional wrestling career Training and early career Tanabe originally trained in Puerto Rico and was a member of the first graduating class of Taka Michinoku's Kaientai Dojo (K-Dojo). He made his debut on November 19, 2000 under the ring name Hi69. Eventually, he returned to Japan, where he became a regular in both Michinoku Pro Wrestling and All Japan Pro Wrestling during the first two years of his career. Throughout 2002 he took part in AJPW's Giant Baba Cup, finishing last in Block A with zero wins and zero points. Whilst also competing in AJPW, he debuted in Kaientai Dojo where he would become a mainstay for the majority of his career, winning the UWA World Middleweight Championship in October. Througho ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Nobukazu Hirai
Nobukazu Hirai (born December 30, 1969) is a Japanese professional wrestler best known for competing in All Japan Pro Wrestling. He is the son of former Japan Pro Wrestling Alliance wrestler Mitsu Hirai. Professional wrestling career Super World Sports (1991–1992) Hirai originally trained in the SWS dojo under wrestling legend: Genichiro Tenryu and debuted for Super World Sports on April 25, 1991. During his time in SWS, Hirai was never pushed as he spent the time paying his dues and gaining experience. Hirai would remain with SWS until it folded in June 1992. WAR (1992–2000) After SWS folded, Hirai joined Tenryu's new promotion: WAR. In WAR, Hirai continued to remain in the midcard for most of the early-to mid 1990s. While working in WAR, Hirai also made appearances in New Japan Pro-Wrestling. In March 1994, Hirai took part in New Japan's Young Lion Cup defeating Tatsuhito Takaiwa in the first round but would unable to win the tournament with Satoshi Kojima eventually emergi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Shigeo Okumura
is a Japanese professional wrestler who works for the Mexican professional wrestling promotion Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL) and is billed as Okumura. Okumura originally worked for Tokyo Pro Wrestling (TPW) and later on All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW) in Japan but moved to Mexico in 2005 to work for CMLL full-time. Okumura usually teams up with wrestlers from Japan who visit CMLL, currently as a group known as ''La Ola Amarilla'' (Spanish for "The Yellow Wave"). Okumura and Yujiro won the 2009 version of the '' Gran Alternativa'' tournament. Professional wrestling career Early career Shigeo Okumura began his professional wrestling career in 1994, making his debut on December 31, 1995, working for the Japanese promotion Tokyo Pro Wrestling (TPW). Okumura worked under both his birth name and as "Okumura" during his time in TPW. In 1996 TPW Closed and Okumura became a freelance wrestler, working for a variety of companies on the Japanese independent circuit as well as a few ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
World's Strongest Tag Determination League
__NOTOC__ The , more commonly known in the West as the Real World Tag League, is an annual professional wrestling tournament held by All Japan Pro Wrestling since 1977, usually, run on the first weeks of December. The first tournament was actually called the Open Tag League, but it was renamed to its present name the following year. The tournament is held under round-robin rules, with 2 points for a win, 1 for a draw, and 0 for a loss; in earlier tournaments, only a time limit draw would provide the one point, with other methods (such as a Double Disqualification and Double Countouts) providing nothing for either team. The name "Real World Tag League" was a mistranslation by AJPW promoter Giant Baba; "saikyō" in Japanese means "strongest," not "real", but Baba used Engrish for promotional material. Between 1988 and 1994, the World Tag Team Championship was annually vacated in time for the tournament, which would be used to determine the new champions. The rule was reinstated fo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
