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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] |
New Japan Pro-Wrestling
(NJPW) is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion based in Nakano, Tokyo. Founded on January 13, 1972, by Antonio Inoki, the promotion was sold to Yuke's, who later sold it to Bushiroad in 2012. TV Asahi and Amuse, Inc. own minority shares of the company. Naoki Sugabayashi has served as the promotion's Chairman since September 2013, while Takami Ohbari has served as the president of the promotion since October 2020. Owing to its TV program aired on TV Asahi, NJPW is the largest and longest-running professional wrestling promotion in Japan. It was affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance at various points in its history. NJPW has had agreements with various MMA and professional wrestling promotions around the world, including WWE, World Championship Wrestling, American Wrestling Association, World Class Championship Wrestling, Impact Wrestling, WAR, Jersey All Pro Wrestling, UWFi, Ring of Honor, Pride Fighting Championships, and All Elite Wrestling. NJPW's bigge ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Shinya Hashimoto
was a Japanese professional wrestler, promoter and actor. Along with Masahiro Chono and Keiji Mutoh, Hashimoto was dubbed one of the "Three Musketeers" that began competing in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) in the mid-1980s and dominated the promotion in the 1990s. He is one of three wrestlers (the others being Keiji Mutoh and Satoshi Kojima) that have held the NWA World Heavyweight Championship, the Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship and the IWGP Heavyweight Championship and is an overall five-time world champion. Professional wrestling career Early years (1984–1988) Hashimoto grew up in Toki City in Gifu and began training in judo and karate in his late teens. His training helped him in his transition to professional wrestling, as he joined the NJPW Dojo in April 1984. He made his debut for NJPW in September 1984 at the age of 19, wrestling against Tatsutoshi Goto. Hashimoto worked on becoming a skilled wrestler over the next few years, traveling whenever necessary to ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
NJPW Dojo
(NJPW) is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion based in Nakano, Tokyo. Founded on January 13, 1972, by Antonio Inoki, the promotion was sold to Yuke's, who later sold it to Bushiroad in 2012. TV Asahi and Amuse, Inc. own minority shares of the company. Naoki Sugabayashi has served as the promotion's Chairman since September 2013, while Takami Ohbari has served as the president of the promotion since October 2020. Owing to its TV program aired on TV Asahi, NJPW is the largest and longest-running professional wrestling promotion in Japan. It was affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance at various points in its history. NJPW has had agreements with various MMA and professional wrestling promotions around the world, including WWE, World Championship Wrestling, American Wrestling Association, World Class Championship Wrestling, Impact Wrestling, WAR,Jersey All Pro Wrestling, UWFi, Ring of Honor, Pride Fighting Championships, and All Elite Wrestling. NJPW's biggest event ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Wataru Inoue (wrestler)
is a Japanese retired professional wrestler currently working for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). Professional wrestling career Inoue made his debut on New Japan Pro-Wrestling in 1999. He aligned himself with New Japan Junior Seikigun, a face stable created in order to counteract Jyushin Thunder Liger's Control Terrorism Unit in the latter half of 2005. Within this feud against the CTU, Inoue became known for his physical toughness after surviving a brutal Brainbuster from Fergal Devitt in a tag match with Ryusuke Taguchi and Minoru as their respective partners. And another tag team match against Gedo & Jado where he bled profusely from his eyebrow but still picked up for the submission victory for himself & his mentor Kanemoto. Along with making a name for himself in singles competition, he has also had success in tag team competition with Koji Kanemoto to win the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team titles in 2005. Inoue was injured February 2007 and did not return until July ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Seigigun
was a professional wrestling stable in New Japan Pro-Wrestling, led by Yuji Nagata. History 2009 Seigigun was first formed in September 2009 as a branch of New Japan Seikigun ("regular army") that seeks justice. Upon the formation of the group, Nagata and Inoue also began forming a "teacher/student" like team, teaming up at the 2009 G1 Tag League and finished in 4th place with 4 points. On December 5, 2009, Nagata challenged Shinsuke Nakamura for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship but lost. 2010 At Wrestle Kingdom IV In Tokyo Dome, Inoue, Machine, and Hirasawa defeated Jyushin Thunder Liger, Koji Kanemoto, and Kazuchika Okada in the opening match while Nagata teaming with Akebono lost to Tajiri and Masato Tanaka.Strong Style Spirit Puroresufan.com. Retrieved on November 10, 2011. In March, Nagata and Inoue entered ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gran Hamada
, better known by his ring name , is a Japanese professional wrestler, the first to adopt the high-flying Mexican lucha libre style. He has wrestled for New Japan Pro-Wrestling, the Universal Wrestling Federation, Michinoku Pro and All Japan Pro Wrestling and was the founder of Universal Lucha Libre. He has also had stints with the World Wrestling Federation and Extreme Championship Wrestling in the United States. His daughters Xóchitl Hamada and Ayako Hamada are professional wrestlers. Professional wrestling career He was one of the first dojo trainees at New Japan Pro-Wrestling, being known as ''Little Hamada'' in the beginning. He was sent to Mexico's Universal Wrestling Association because of his lack of size and he found a lot of success there - so much so that Mexican fans and promoters began calling him ''Gran Hamada'' (Great Hamada). He also competed in Empresa Mexicana de Lucha Libre, which added El (The) to the front of his name: El Gran Hamada. In 1984, he became a me ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Isao Takagi
is a masculine Japanese given name which was popular during the Shōwa period. Possible writings Isao can be written using different kanji characters and can mean: *功, "achievement" *勲, "meritorious" *績, "exploits" *公, "public" *勇男, "brave, man" *勇夫, "brave, man" *勇雄, "brave, masculine" *伊佐夫 *伊佐雄 *伊三男 The name can also be written in hiragana or katakana. People with the name *, Japanese hammer thrower *Isao Aoki (功, born 1942), Japanese professional golfer *, Japanese ice hockey player *Isao Harimoto (勲, born 1940), Zainichi Korean professional baseball player *Isao Hashizume (功, born 1941), Japanese actor *, Japanese singer and composer * Isao Homma (born 1981), Japanese footballer who plays for Albirex Niigata *Isao Inokuma (功, 1938–2001), Japanese judoka *Isao Iwabuchi (born 1933), Japanese Olympic football player *, Japanese ice hockey player *, Japanese ice hockey player *Isao Kikuchi (born 1921), American graphic designer, p ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Black New Japan
Black New Japan was a professional wrestling stable that competed in New Japan Pro-Wrestling. Black New Japan was led by Masahiro Chono and was one of many of Chono's anti-New Japan stables. History Black New Japan began around October 2004 following the 2004 G1 Climax when Masahiro Chono broke away from the New Japan army and turned heel creating a new anti-New Japan army. For his new army, Chono reunited with fellow nWo Japan and Team 2000 alumni Scott Norton, New Japan wrestler Manabu Nakanishi, & Makai Club alumni Makai #1 (later becoming Black Strong Machine), Katsuyori Shibata, Kazunari Murakami, Mitsuya Nagai, & Ryushi Yanagisawa. In their first tour, Black New Japan competed in two tournaments. The first was on October 17, 2004 where Nagai & Shibata teamed with former Makai Club member Ryota Chikuzen in the Yuko 6-man tag team tournament, where they defeated Hiro Saito, Tatsutoshi Goto, and Toru Yano in the semifinals but lost to Shinsuke Nakamura, Blue Wolf and Katsuh ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tatsutoshi Goto
is a Japanese professional wrestler. He competed primarily in WAR and New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), and briefly used the name "T2000 Machine". He also briefly competed in World Championship Wrestling (WCW) as part of the nWo Japan. Professional wrestling career New Japan Pro-Wrestling (1982–2006) Goto was an avid weightlifter during his university days, and achieved good results in competitions. After graduation, he studied karate, and in August 1982 joined New Japan Pro-Wrestling’s dojo. He debuted against Kazuo Yamazaki in December of that year, and performed young lion duties until 1986, when he first participated in the Young Lion Cup, making it to the finals, where he lost to Keiichi Yamada. After the cup, he carried out an overseas learning excursion to the USA. After returning, he became a prominent "heel" in New Japan. He participated in the first Best of the Super Juniors tournament where he finished in 10th place with 9 points. In 1990, he became a member the "Blo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Masahiro Chono
is an American-born Japanese-American retired professional wrestler and actor best known for his 26 year stint with New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). As the leader of nWo Japan, Team 2000 and Black New Japan, he was the promotion's top heel for much of his career, beginning in 1994 when he adopted his Yakuza inspired gimmick. Aside from his work in NJPW, Chono has also made appearances for World Championship Wrestling (WCW), as a member of the New World Order, as well as occasional appearances in All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW), Pro Wrestling Noah and Pro Wrestling Zero1. Chono holds the record for most wins of the G1 Climax at 5, which has earned him the nicknames "Mr. August" and "Mr. G1". Overall, he is a two-time world champion, with one reign as IWGP Heavyweight Champion and NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion each. He is also a seven-time IWGP Tag Team Champion. Professional wrestling career New Japan Pro-Wrestling Early years (1984–1989) Chōno debuted in 1984 again ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bill Eadie
William Reid "Bill" Eadie (born December 27, 1947) is an American retired professional wrestler who has competed under the names of Ax as part of Demolition and The Masked Superstar. He was a high school teacher and coach at Cambridge High School in Cambridge, Ohio, and at East Liverpool, Ohio. Professional wrestling career National Wrestling Alliance and World Wide / World Wrestling Federation (1973–1986) Eadie's first match was on December 15, 1972, under the name "the Paramedic". Throughout 1973, he wrestled under a mask as the tag team "Para-Medics" in the Sheik's Detroit territory. He then wrestled in Pittsburgh, Detroit, the WWWF, and the IWA as "Bolo Mongol", the new partner of his trainer, Geeto Mongol. He soon entered the Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling territory under the management of Boris Malenko and donned a mask as "the Masked Superstar", given the character at the advice of matchmaker George Scott. It was stated that he was an Olympic champion by vario ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Blackjack Mulligan
Robert Deroy Windham (November 25, 1942 – April 7, 2016), better known by his ring name Blackjack Mulligan, was an American professional wrestler and American football player. He was the father of wrestlers Barry and Kendall Windham, father-in-law of Mike Rotunda, and the maternal grandfather of Bo Dallas and Bray Wyatt. American football career As a young man, Windham played football at Texas Western College, now known as the University of Texas at El Paso. Windham served a tour of duty in the United States Marine Corps, serving in Guam. He then went on to play for the New York Jets during the 1966 pre-season and received tryouts with the New Orleans Saints and Denver Broncos. Professional wrestling career After football, at the urging of Wahoo McDaniel, Windham trained with Joe Blanchard in Corpus Christi, Texas and later with Verne Gagne and became a professional wrestler in the American Wrestling Association. Billed as being 6' 9" and over 300 pounds, Windham was a raw- ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
