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J-J-Jacks
Japanese Jolly Jacks , most commonly abbreviated to , was a Japanese professional wrestling tag team in New Japan Pro-Wrestling consisting of Akira Nogami and Takayuki/Takashi Iizuka. History Pre J-J-Jacks (1986–1993) Takayuki Iizuka was Akira Nogami's opponent when Iizuka debuted for New Japan Pro-Wrestling on November 2, 1986. By April 1987, they began teaming up regularly in tag team matches and in multi-man tag team matches, teaming with the likes of Jyushin Thunder Liger, Hiroshi Hase, El Samurai, Riki Choshu, and Tatsumi Fujinami. J-J-Jacks (1993–1996) By March 1993, Iizuka and Nogami named their team Japanese Jolly Jacks, J-J-Jacks for short. Six months later, they began wearing matching ring attire to solidate their team. In October 1993, they took part in the Super Grade Tag League, where they placed seventh place with six points, where they repeat the showing a year later. Although not a major threat to the IWGP Tag Team Championship, J-J-Jacks were reliable in mu ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Akira Nogami
is a Japanese professional wrestler and actor, currently working as Akira (occasionally stylised in all-capitals). He has also worked as a trainer. Professional wrestling career New Japan Pro-Wrestling (1984–2004) After graduating from high school in 1984, Nogami was initiated into the New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) dojo. He debuted in October of that year against Keiji Mutoh. In April 1990, he left on an overseas learning excursion to Europe in Otto Wanz's Catch Wrestling Association and returned to NJPW a year later. Showing a new wrestling style, he changed his name to Akira (stylized in all capital letters) and adopted the gimmick of a kumadori-wearing kabuki actor. Akira scored a big win over Jyushin Thunder Liger in August 1991 to begin his one and only reign as IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion. After losing the title to Norio Honaga in November 1991, he graduated to the heavyweight division. In June 1992, he teamed up with Hiroshi Hase to participate in the NWA World ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Takayuki Iizuka
, better known by his ring name , is a Japanese retired professional wrestler. He is best known for his 33-year career in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he was a three-time IWGP Tag Team Champion. He has also worked for Pro Wrestling Noah, where he was a one-time GHC Tag Team Champion. Debuting in 1986 under his real name, Iizuka formed the tag team J-J-Jacks with fellow dojo trainee Akira Nogami in 1992. After changing his ring name to in 1995, he became a mainstay of the New Japan seikigun, and was a frequent tag team partner for Yuji Nagata during the early 2000s. In 2008, Iizuka underwent a drastic change to his look, character and wrestling style, turning heel, shaving his head bald, growing a sinister beard, and adapting a hardcore wrestling style. He was also given the gimmick of an uncontrollable madman, and nicknamed "The Great Traitor" for his betrayal of the New Japan roster. Iizuka competed for New Japan Pro-Wrestling over four separate decades before retiring ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Heisei Ishingun
Heisei Ishingun was a Japanese professional wrestling stable led by Shiro Koshinaka during the 1990s, primarily in New Japan Pro-Wrestling. History After an intense feud with each other early from 1988, Shiro Koshinaka and Kuniaki Kobayashi formed a tag team, and feuded with many other teams from 1988 to 1992. Between those rivalries, they feuded with Masashi Aoyagi and Akitoshi Saito who were karate fighters, to prove which sport was the best. After defeating them many times, Kobayashi, Koshinaka, Saito and Aoyagi formed a stable. Kengo Kimura and the Great Kabuki from WAR soon joined the group. In 1993, they were initially called Han-Senshukai Dōmei (Anti-Wrestlers Alliance) referring to WAR and Genichiro Tenryu. After this feud was over, they changed their name to Heisei Ishingun, after Riki Choshu's Shōwa period Ishin Gundan stable. In 1993, Michiyoshi Ohara and Tatsutoshi Goto joined the group and helped Koshinaka against main eventers. In 1994, Aoyagi left to return to Fr ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Smash Championship
The Smash Championship was a professional wrestling championship, owned and promoted by the Japanese Smash promotion. Championship reigns were determined by professional wrestling matches, in which competitors were involved in scripted rivalries. These narratives created feuds between the various competitors, which cast them as villains and heroes. Tournament The tournament to crown the inaugural champion was held over five months and five events. The first round was held over two events, ''Smash.18'' and ''Smash.19'' on June 9 and July 15, 2011, the second round at ''Smash.20'' on August 11, the semifinals at ''Smash.21'' on September 8, and the finals at ''Smash.22'' on October 28, 2011. The tournament brackets were: * StarBuck won an eight-man tournament in Fight Club Finland (FCF) to advance to the second round of the Smash Championship tournament. Title history See also *Smash (professional wrestling) *Smash Diva Championship *WNC Championship The WNC Championship ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Smash (professional Wrestling)
Smash was a Japanese puroresu and combat sports promotion, founded in December 2009 following the folding of Hustle. In the fall of 2009 Hustle ran into financial problems that led to several show cancellations. After a planned restructuring and restarting of the promotion failed, a number of officials and wrestlers decided to start a new project. Smash held its first show on March 26, 2010. Smash promoted three divisions: professional wrestling, mixed martial arts and kickboxing. The professional wrestling branch is led by Yoshihiro Tajiri, while Akira Shoji is responsible for the MMA branch. Yuji Shimada leads the overall supervision of the whole project. Since 2010 Smash has had an active exchange of wrestlers with the Finnish Fight Club Finland promotion. In April 2011, it was announced that Deep and the MMA division of Smash had formed an amateur promotion named the Japan MMA League (JML). On February 10, 2012, Smash announced that the promotion would be folding after i ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Chaos (professional Wrestling)
Chaos (stylised as CHAOS) is a professional wrestling stable, primarily performing in the New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) promotion and All Elite Wrestling (AEW). The stable is currently led by Kazuchika Okada. The group was formed in 2009, when nearly all the members of the Great Bash Heel (G.B.H) stable turned on leader Togi Makabe and reformed under new leader Shinsuke Nakamura. Soon after, the new group was named Chaos, with Nakamura as the leader. As the leader of Chaos, Nakamura was one of NJPW's top wrestlers, winning the IWGP Heavyweight Championship and the IWGP Intercontinental Championship as well as the 2011 G1 Climax and the 2014 New Japan Cup. Since its founding, Chaos has added several new members, including Kazuchika Okada, who has held the IWGP Heavyweight Championship five times and won the G1 Climax tournament in 2012, 2014 and 2021, as well as the 2013 and 2019 New Japan Cup. Okada became the leader of Chaos after Nakamura's departure from New Japan and succe ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kazuo Yamazaki
is a Japanese retired professional wrestler, wrestling instructor and commentator who is known for his work in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), and shoot-style promotions Universal Wrestling Federation (UWF) and UWF International (UWFi). He currently works as a commentator for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). Professional wrestling career New Japan Pro-Wrestling (1982–1984) An amateur wrestler and high school judoka in his youth, Yamazaki's professional wrestling career began in May 1982 in New Japan Pro-Wrestling. He wrestled his debut match on May 6 against Kuroneko. During this time, he was also a student of Satoru Sayama, better known as Tiger Mask, who trained Yamazaki in shoot wrestling and kickboxing. Whenever Kuniaki Kobayashi stripped Sayama of his mask, Yamazaki was always the first to help remask him. Universal Wrestling Federation (1984–1985) In 1984, Yamazaki joined the shoot style promotion Japanese UWF, an early precursor to modern mixed martial arts. Howeve ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Scott Norton
Scott Norton (born June 15, 1961) is an American semi-retired professional wrestler. He is best known for his tenures in World Championship Wrestling and New Japan Pro-Wrestling, in which he was a member of the New World Order (professional wrestling), New World Order and nWo Japan. He is a two-time Professional wrestling championship#World championships, world champion, having won the IWGP Heavyweight Championship twice. Early life Norton started out as a professional arm wrestling, arm wrestler. He won over 30 championships during his days as an arm wrestler, including four U.S. National championships, and gained the nickname "Flash" due to his quickness in winning matches. His status in the arm wrestling world earned him a role in Sylvester Stallone's arm wrestling movie, ''Over the Top (1987 film), Over the Top''. While touring the arm wrestling circuit in Japan, Norton was approached by New Japan Pro-Wrestling about becoming a professional wrestler, but he turned it down init ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Junji Hirata
(born December 20, 1956) is a retired Japanese professional wrestler currently working as a trainer for the New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) promotion, known primarily by his ring name . Career Hirata applied and was approved to the New Japan dojo on May 13, 1978, and made his debut for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) on August 26, against Yoshiaki Fujiwara. In November 1982, he left on an overseas training expedition to Mexico, and later Canada, where in Stu Hart's Stampede Wrestling he would create the famous Super Strong Machine persona, as well as use a First Nations gimmick as Sonny Two Rivers (billed as the son of Billy Two Rivers, an actual First Nations chief). In April 1986, he left NJPW with Riki Choshu for rival wrestling promotion, All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW). In June 1987, he returned to NJPW and would soon capture the IWGP Tag Team Championship on three separate occasions with George Takano, Hiro Saito, and Shinya Hashimoto as his tag team partners. In the fall of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Keiji Mutoh
is a Japanese professional wrestler and professional wrestling executive currently signed to Pro Wrestling Noah (Noah), where he is a former GHC Heavyweight Champion. He is best known for his work as in World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) during the 1980s and 1990s, and from his runs in other American, Puerto Rican, and Mexican promotions. He was the president of All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW) from 2002 to 2013 and representative director of Wrestle-1 (W-1) from 2013 to 2020. Considered one of the greatest wrestlers of all time, Muto is also one of the first Japanese wrestlers to gain an international fanbase. "The Great Muta" gimmick is one of the most influential in puroresu, emulated by many wrestlers, including Satoshi Kojima (as The Great Koji), Kazushi Miyamoto (as The Great Kazushi), Atsushi Onita (as The Great Nita), and Seiya Sanada (as The Great Sanada). Others copied or modified some of the moves that he popularized or innovated ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Yoshiaki Fujiwara
is a Japanese Professional Wrestler and trainer. He is famous for his long career in wrestling, having worked in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), Pro Wrestling ZERO-ONE (ZERO-ONE), and the two incarnations of shoot style promotion Universal Wrestling Federation. Fujiwara is known for his Catch Wrestling expertise, having been praised by fighters like Josh Barnett and Ken Shamrock. He was trained by Karl Gotch and has trained many MMA fighters and professional wrestlers. Fujiwara also has a strong background in Judo and Muay Thai. Professional wrestling career New Japan Pro-Wrestling and Universal Wrestling Federation (1972–1989) Fujiwara was the first graduate of the New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) dojo (Mr. Pogo was the first debutante in the promotion, but he and Gran Hamada had trained with Tatsumi Fujinami before he and Antonio Inoki left the Japanese Wrestling Association). A former Judoka, Fujiwara was easily able to absorb and apply the "Strong Style" of professional wrest ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tadao Yasuda
is a Japanese retired sumo wrestler (''rikishi''), professional wrestler and mixed martial artist. He competed in sumo from 1979 to 1992 under the ''shikona'' of Takanofuji Tadao, achieving the rank of ''komusubi'', and afterwards turned to professional wrestling, in which he competed from 1994 to 2011, most notably in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he was a one-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion. He was also fought in mixed martial arts from 2001 to 2003, holding a notable win over Jérôme Le Banner. Sumo career He made his professional sumo debut in March 1979 at the age of 15, after leaving junior high school. He was recruited by Kokonoe stable. In 1980 he adopted the ''shikona'' of Fujinomori, before switching to Takanofuji in 1984. He first reached ''sekitori'' status in March 1985 upon promotion to the second highest ''jūryō'' division, but could manage only 4 wins against 11 losses and was demoted back to the unsalaried ''makushita'' division. After winning promoti ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
