Bad Ass Translate Trading (BATT) was a
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 ring or ...
stable led by
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 N ...
, which competed in both
New Japan Pro-Wrestling
(NJPW) is a Puroresu, Japanese professional wrestling Professional wrestling promotion, 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 ...
and
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 ...
from 2001 to 2002. The name of the group meant that it was a group of wrestlers that crossed borders.
The groups is best known for the fact that its members were from different promotions: New Japan (Mutoh, Frye, & Otani), All Japan (Kea & Hase), and Michinoku Pro (Shinzaki).
History
In January 2001, Keiji Mutoh and Shinjiro Otani both made returns to New Japan after spending much of the year 2000 on learning excursions, with Mutoh being in the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
for
World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling, Inc. (WCW) was an American professional wrestling promotion founded by Ted Turner in 1988, after Turner Broadcasting System, through a subsidiary named Universal Wrestling Corporation, purchased the assets of Nati ...
, and Otani being in
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
and
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
for various promotions.
The two made their return at
Wrestling World 2001 as the two defeated
Jushin Thunder Liger
, better known as and later , is a Japanese retired professional wrestler and mixed martial artist, currently signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). He is the longest-tenured member of the NJPW roster, having wrestled for the company since h ...
and
Manabu Nakanishi in less than 6 minutes.
At the ''Fighting Spirit 2001'' tour, Mutoh and Otani continued to team up and formed an alliance.
On February 3, 2001, Mutoh and Otani defeated
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 ...
and
Don Frye
Donald Frye (born November 23, 1965) is an American former mixed martial artist, professional wrestler, and actor. In MMA, he was one of the sport's earliest well-rounded fighters and won the ''UFC 8'' and ''Ultimate Ultimate 96'' tournaments ...
after Frye turned on Chono,
a few days later on February 11, Frye officially joined with Mutoh and Otani.
On February 18, 2001, All Japan's
Taiyo Kea and
Michinoku Pro
(originally known as North Eastern Wrestling) is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion founded by The Great Sasuke on October 1, 1992. It was the first independent wrestling promotion in Japan to not base its operations in Tokyo, but rather ...
's Jinsei Shinzaki also became official members when they assisted Mutoh in a match against
Kazunari Murakami, however, Ohtani would leave New Japan and BATT after the February 18 Sumo Hall show to join
Pro Wrestling ZERO1
(stylized as Pro Wrestling ZERO1), formerly known as Pro Wrestling Zero-One and Pro Wrestling Zero1-Max (stylised in all capital letters) and often referred to simply as Zero1, is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion founded in 2001. ...
.
Beginning in March 2001, Mutoh renewed his feud with Chono and
Team 2000
Team 2000 was a professional wrestling stable that competed in New Japan Pro-Wrestling. Throughout its tenure, T2000 was New Japan's top heel stable.
History
Background
In August 1998, Masahiro Chono was leader of nWo Japan and won the IWGP H ...
.
On March 17, Mutoh officially named his group BATT (Bad Ass Translate Trading) and at the same show, former New Japan wrestler and Mutoh's former tag team partner: Hiroshi Hase joined the group.
After exchanging victories against Team 2000 during the spring and early summer,
the group would win their first title on June 8, 2001 when Mutoh defeated
Genichiro Tenryu to win the
Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship
The is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in the Japanese All Japan Pro Wrestling promotion.
History
The championship was established after the unification of its then-flagship title the PWF World Heavyweight Championsh ...
.
Despite winning the Triple Crown, the group would see several setbacks at ''Dome Quake'' on July 20, 2001, Kea and Shinzaki would fail to win the
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 ...
, Mutoh would fall to Chono, and Frye would fail to win the
IWGP Heavyweight Championship
The was a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship owned by the New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) promotion. "IWGP" is the acronym of NJPW's governing body, the . The title was introduced on June 12, 1987, in the final of an IW ...
.
A few weeks later, Mutoh would enter the 2001
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 ...
, making all the way to the finals but would ultimately lose to
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 professio ...
.
BATT would bounce back in the fall as Frye would win the G1 World Climax Tournament but left New Japan shortly after to return to Mixed Martial Arts. On October 8, 2001 BATT main evented New Japan's ''Indicate of Next'' as Mutoh and Hase lost to Nagata and
Jun Akiyama
is a Japanese professional wrestler signed to DDT Pro-Wrestling, where he is a former KO-D Openweight Champion. He is best known for his time working for All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW), where he was the president, representative director, c ...
.
A few weeks later on October 22, 2001, Mutoh and Kea would defeat Genichiro Tenryu and
Yoji Anjo
(born March 28, 1967) is a retired Japanese professional wrestler and mixed martial artist.
Professional wrestling career
Universal Wrestling Federation and New Japan Pro-Wrestling (1985–1988)
A former practitioner of judo, sumo and muay th ...
to win the
World Tag Team Championship
The world tag team championship is the name usually given to the primary tag team championship (professional wrestling), championships in professional wrestling Professional wrestling promotions, promotions.
Nomenclature
The name of the promo ...
. Six days later on October 28, Mutoh and Kea defeated
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. ...
and
Osamu Nishimura
is a Japanese professional wrestler currently working as a freelancer. Nishimura formerly worked for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) and MUGA World Pro Wrestling (MUGA).
Professional wrestling career
Early years (1991–1998)
Nishimura debuted ...
in a title vs. title match to win the
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 ...
. In December 2001, Mutoh and Kea would continue their dominance as they would win the 2001
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 ...
given BATT their third tag team achievement in two months.
Breakup and aftermath
In January 2002, Keiji Mutoh shocked the Japanese Wrestling World by leaving for All Japan. Due to this, New Japan ended its business relationship with All Japan and BATT broke up with all the wrestlers returned to their promotions and Mutoh and Kea were stripped of the IWGP Tag Team Titles. After joining All Japan, Mutoh would lose the Triple Crown to
Toshiaki Kawada
(born December 8, 1963) is a Japanese semi-retired professional wrestler best known for his work in All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW), whom he worked for from his debut in 1982 up until 2008. In All Japan, he was a 5 time Triple Crown Heavyweight ...
on February 24, 2002. Despite BATT having broken up, Mutoh and Kea would continue to defend the Unified World Tag Team Championship until they lost the titles to
KroniK
KroniK (also stylized as Kroniꓘ) was an American professional wrestling tag team in World Championship Wrestling (WCW), the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) and All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW), composed of Brian Adams and Bryan Clark in the e ...
on July 17, 2002. Afterwards, the tag team would break up. Two years later, on July 10, 2004, Mutoh and Kea would reunite at
Pro Wrestling NOAH
(stylised as Pro Wrestling NOAH) is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion, founded in 2000 by former All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW) ace Mitsuharu Misawa after he had led a mass exodus in which 24 of AJPW's 26 contracted wrestlers left the ...
's first Tokyo Dome show, Departure 2004, as they challenged
Mitsuharu Misawa
was a Japanese amateur and professional wrestler and promoter. He is primarily known for his time in All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW), and also for forming the Pro Wrestling Noah promotion in 2000. In the early 1990s, Misawa gained fame alongside ...
and
Yoshinari Ogawa
(born November 2, 1966) is a Japanese professional wrestler who currently works for Pro Wrestling Noah. He has earned the nickname of "Rat Boy" from the English-speaking Puroresu fanbase due to his sneaky, clever in-ring tactics and baiting his ...
for the
GHC Tag Team Championship, but they failed to win the title.
Championships and accomplishments
*
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 ...
**
Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship
The is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in the Japanese All Japan Pro Wrestling promotion.
History
The championship was established after the unification of its then-flagship title the PWF World Heavyweight Championsh ...
(
1 time) - Mutoh
**
World Tag Team Championship
The world tag team championship is the name usually given to the primary tag team championship (professional wrestling), championships in professional wrestling Professional wrestling promotions, promotions.
Nomenclature
The name of the promo ...
(
1 time) - Mutoh & Kea
**
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 ...
(
2001) - Mutoh & Kea
*
New Japan Pro-Wrestling
(NJPW) is a Puroresu, Japanese professional wrestling Professional wrestling promotion, 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 ...
**
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 ...
(
1 time) - Mutoh & Kea
**G1 World Climax (2001) - Frye
**Wrestler of the Year (2001) - Mutoh
**Match of the Year (2001) - Mutoh
vs. 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 professio ...
on August 12
**Tag Team Match of the Year (2001) Mutoh and Hase
vs. Jun Akiyama
is a Japanese professional wrestler signed to DDT Pro-Wrestling, where he is a former KO-D Openweight Champion. He is best known for his time working for All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW), where he was the president, representative director, c ...
and 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 professio ...
on October 8
*Nikkan Sports
**Wrestler of the Year (2001) - Mutoh
**Match of the Year (2001) - Mutoh and Hase
vs. Jun Akiyama
is a Japanese professional wrestler signed to DDT Pro-Wrestling, where he is a former KO-D Openweight Champion. He is best known for his time working for All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW), where he was the president, representative director, c ...
and 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 professio ...
on October 8
**Fighting Spirit (2001) - Kea
*Tokyo Sports
**Wrestler of the Year (2001) - Mutoh
*''
Wrestling Observer Newsletter
The ''Wrestling Observer Newsletter'' (''WON'') is a newsletter that covers professional wrestling and mixed martial arts.
Founded in print in 1982 by Dave Meltzer, the ''Wrestling Observer'' website merged with Bryan Alvarez's ''Figure Four W ...
''
**
Best Wrestling Maneuver (2001) - Mutoh
Shining Wizard
**
Match of the Year (2001) - Mutoh
vs. Genichiro Tenryu on June 8, Tokyo
Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metropolis ( ja, 東京都, label=none, ), is the capital and List of cities in Japan, largest city of Japan. Formerly known as Edo, its metropolitan area () is the most populous in the world, ...
, Japan
**
Most Improved Wrestler (2001) - Mutoh
**
Wrestler of the Year (2001) - Mutoh
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Batt (Professional Wrestling)
All Japan Pro Wrestling teams and stables
New Japan Pro-Wrestling teams and stables