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The Mad Dogs
The Mad Dogs were a professional wrestling tag team that consisted of Tatsutoshi Goto and Michiyoshi Ohara. The team competed in New Japan Pro-Wrestling and WAR and were members of several stables including Heisei Ishingun, nWo Japan, and Team 2000. History Heisei Ishingun (1994-1999) The Mad Dogs began teaming as early as 1994 as both Goto and Ohara were members of Shiro Koshinaka's stable Heisei Ishingun. The team were largely in multi-man tag matches, got no title shots and were left off the 1994 G1 Tag League. In early 1995, The Mad Dogs began competing in WAR with the rest of Ishingun and on January 8, 1995, The Mad Dogs with Ishingun leader Shiro Koshinaka defeated Hiromichi Fuyuki and Jado and Gedo to win the WAR World Six-Man Tag Team Championship. Four months later on April 30, they lost the titles to Genichiro Tenryu, Animal Hamaguchi, and Koki Kitahara. Following the title loss, the team returned to New Japan where they continued to remain in the midcard wrestling ... [...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] |
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] |
Yuji Nagata
is a Japanese professional wrestler currently signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). A two-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion, World Heavyweight Champion and a GHC Heavyweight Champion, making him a four-time world champion in major professional wrestling promotions in Japan, Nagata is considered one of the greatest Japanese wrestlers in history. He is the fifth longest-reigning IWGP Heavyweight Champion with a reign of 392 days. He held the record for most successful title defenses with 10, until Hiroshi Tanahashi broke the record at Wrestle Kingdom VI. He is the only wrestler to have won Japanese professional wrestling's three biggest singles tournaments; New Japan Pro-Wrestling's G1 Climax (in 2001), All Japan Pro Wrestling's Champion Carnival (in 2011) and Pro Wrestling Noah's Global League (in 2013). Amateur wrestling career Before turning professional, Nagata was a successful amateur wrestler. Nagata met future professional wrestling rival Minoru Suzuki in the amateur wres ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
NJPW Jingu Climax
Jingu Climax: ''Battle of Last Summer'' was a major professional wrestling event produced by New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). It took place on August 28, 1999 at the Meiji Jingu Stadium in Tokyo, Japan and was televised live on TV Asahi. The main event was marketed as a "dream match", a No Rope Explosive Barbed Wire Barricade Explosive Land Mine Double Hell Deathmatch pitting Keiji Mutoh's alter ego The Great Muta against Atsushi Onita's alter ego The Great Nita. Muta won the match. Other major matches on the card featured Shinya Hashimoto versus Masahiro Chono, The Mad Dogs (Michiyoshi Ohara and Tatsutoshi Goto) defending the IWGP Tag Team Championship against Manabu Nakanishi and Yuji Nagata, Koji Kanemoto defending the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship against Kendo Kashin and Shinjiro Otani and Tatsuhito Takaiwa defending the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship against El Samurai and Jushin Liger. Production Storylines The event was centered around a No Rope Exp ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
IWGP Tag Team Championship
The is a professional wrestling world tag team championship owned by the New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) promotion. "IWGP" is the acronym of the NJPW's governing body, the . The title was introduced on December 12, 1985 at an NJPW live event. The IWGP Tag Team Championship is one of two tag team titles contested for in NJPW; the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship is also sanctioned by NJPW. According to NJPW's official website, the IWGP Tag Team Championship is considered the "IWGP Heavyweight Class", while the Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship is listed as the "IWGP Jr. Tag Class". Like most professional wrestling championships, the title is won via the result of a scripted match. Title changes usually happen at NJPW-promoted events; although the title has only changed hands twice at a non-NJPW event, it has been defended in several other promotions. History Before the IWGP championship system was created, New Japan Pro-Wrestling featured the NWA North American T ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Great Muta
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] |
Great Kabuki
, better known as , is a Japanese retired professional wrestler. He is famous as the first to blow Asian mist in his opponents' faces. Professional wrestling career Mera was born on September 8, 1948 in Nobeoka, Japan. He started wrestling in 1964 at the age of 16 for the Japanese Wrestling Association. He left Japan to compete in the United States in the 1970s. From there he wrestled all over the world, including All Japan Pro Wrestling, several territories of the National Wrestling Alliance including Jim Crockett Promotions, Mid-South, Continental Wrestling Association and World Class Championship Wrestling under the name ''Akihisa Takachihō''. He also used the name ''Yoshino Sato'' (with authorization from his mentor the original Yoshinosato, former sumotori Junzo Hasegawa, who lead JWA during its dying days), which was later shortened to ''Mr. Sato'' (not to be confused with Akio Sato, who later used the moniker in other American territories). Mera adopted the Great Kab ... [...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] |
Kengo Kimura
is a Japanese retired professional wrestler, best known under the ring name and for his many years working for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) in Japan. Professional wrestling career Japan Wrestling Association (1972–1973) Kimura made his professional wrestling debut on August 2, 1972 on a Japan Pro Wrestling (JPW) card where he faced Akio Sato. In 1973, JWA folded. New Japan Pro-Wrestling (1973–1977) After JWA folded, Kimura joined New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) in 1973 as a junior heavyweight. He mainly worked on the undercard during this tenure, until he was sent to North America on a learning excursion. Empresa Mexicana de Lucha Libre, Universal Wrestling Association and World Wrestling Council (1977-1980) In the late 1970s Kengo Kimura travelled to North America for an excursion mainly working in Mexico for Empresa Mexicana de Lucha Libre (EMLL) and Universal Wrestling Association (UWA) and in Puerto Rico for the World Wrestling Council (WWC). In WWC Kimura defeated ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tatsumi Fujinami
(born December 28, 1953) is a Japanese professional wrestler currently signed to WWE on a legend's contract. Fujinami is most well known for his long tenure with New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he was a six-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion. He was famously nicknamed "The Dragon", and is credited for inventing the dragon sleeper and the dragon suplex. He is also the owner and founder of the Dradition wrestling promotion. In 2015, Fujinami was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame, while also becoming an ambassador for the company. Bret Hart said of Fujinami: "I always wanted to be the great wrestler that Tatsumi Fujinami was". He is a nine time World Champion, winning world titles in NJPW, NWA, UWA and WCWA. Professional wrestling career Japanese Wrestling Association (1971–1972) Fujinami started in the Japanese Wrestling Association (JWA) under Antonio Inoki's wing at the age of 17. When Inoki was fired from JWA in 1971, Fujinami and a few others followed him in forming ... [...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] |
G1 Climax
The is a professional wrestling tournament held each August by the New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) promotion. Though it has sometimes been held as a single-elimination tournament, it is usually (and currently) held as a round-robin, with winners from two pools wrestling in the final to decide that year's winner. In its current format, the tournament lasts four weeks. The winner of each pool is determined by a points system; two points for a victory, one point for a draw (time limit only), and zero points for a loss, no contest or double decision. Tournament history NJPW had an annual tournament since 1974 under various names: the (1974–1977, based on the World (Big) League tournament from the old Japanese Wrestling Association held between 1959 and 1972); the (1978–1982); the (1983–1988), "IWGP" is the acronym of NJPW's governing body, the International Wrestling Grand Prix (インターナショナル・レスリング・グラン・プリ, ''intānashonaru resuringu ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
