Masato Tanaka
Encyclopedia
Masato Tanaka is a Japan
ese professional wrestler
, best known for his appearances with Frontier Martial Arts Wrestling in Japan and in Extreme Championship Wrestling
in the United States where he was a one-time world champion, having won the ECW World Heavyweight Championship
once. He is currently splitting his time working for Pro Wrestling Zero1, where he is currently one half of the NWA Intercontinental Tag Team Champions, and in New Japan Pro Wrestling
, where he is the current IWGP Intercontinental Champion
.
, and debuted on July 23, 1993 in Saga City
, facing Ricky Fuji
. He quickly began working for FMW, widely regarded as the most hardcore
professional wrestling promotion
in Japan. Wrestling in matches featuring explosions and barbed wire, Tanaka earned a variety of scars, and the nickname "Dangan
", which he would often shout during his matches. By 1996 he was one of the promotion's major stars, and had feuded
with such luminaries as Mr. Pogo, Mr. Gannosuke, Terry Funk
and Mike Awesome
. His feud with Awesome would eventually span ten years and two continents. In December 1999, he left FMW for ECW, after he and Tetsuhiro Kuroda lost to H
and Mr. Gannosuke
.
became interested in Tanaka, and eventually hired him. Tanaka debuted in ECW on March 1, 1998 at Living Dangerously, defeating Doug Furnas
. In July 1998 he reprised his feud with Awesome, who he defeated at Heat Wave 1998.
Tanaka formed a short-lived tag team
with Balls Mahoney
, and at November to Remember on November 1, 1998 they defeated the Dudley Boyz
to win the ECW World Tag Team Championships
. The Dudley Boyz would regain the titles five days later, and Tanaka returned to Japan to attend the wedding of his friend Sabu in December.
Tanaka returned to ECW in 1999, this time vying for the ECW World Heavyweight Championship. On September 19 at Anarchy Rulz, Taz, about to leave ECW for the WWF
, defended the ECW World Heavyweight Championship against Awesome and Tanaka in a three way dance. After just two minutes Taz was eliminated by a combined assault at the hands of his opponents. After a further eleven minutes of brawling, Awesome pinned Tanaka with a top-rope powerbomb to become the new ECW World Heavyweight Champion.
Tanaka faced Awesome for the title at November to Remember on November 7, but was defeated once more. He finally overcame Awesome on December 17, 1999 at a ECW on TNN
TV Taping in Nashville, Tennessee
, becoming the first ECW World Heavyweight Champion not to be an American citizen. After the match, Awesome shook Tanaka's hand and fastened the belt around his waist in a show of respect, then attacked him as he left the ring and powerbomb
ed him through a table
. Awesome would regain the title at the next weeks TV Taping in White Plains, New York
on December 23.
Continuing his rivalry with Awesome, Tanaka joined forces with Tommy Dreamer to face Raven
and Awesome. Dreamer and Tanaka defeated the Impact Players
for the ECW World Tag Team Championship on February 26, 2000 in Cincinnati, but lost them to Mike Awesome and Raven on March 4, 2000 at The ECW Arena. This led to a tag team three way dance at Living Dangerously on March 12, with Tanaka and Dreamer facing ECW World Tag Team Champions Mike Awesome and Raven and the Impact Players. Tanaka pinned Awesome, who had already defended his ECW World Heavyweight Title earlier that night beating Kid Kash, costing Awesome and Raven the tag team titles, but lost the match after Dreamer was pinned by the Impact Players.
Tanaka's feud with Awesome was brought to an abrupt end when Awesome left ECW for WCW in April 2000. He faced Balls Mahoney in a great match on ECW on TNN and at Hardcore Heaven 2000. He remained with ECW until mid-2000 before returning to Japan.
, mostly over Hiromichi Fuyuki
's role as booker. Before departing FMW, Tanaka formed the "Complete Players" stable with former Fuyuki proteges Gedo
and Jado
, as well as real-life sweetheart Kaori Nakayama. They would work on the Japanese independent circuit
, making appearances for Pro Wrestling ZERO-ONE and All Japan Pro Wrestling
. Tanaka wrestled Shinya Hashimoto on the March 2 ZERO-ONE anniversary show, impressing Z-1 officials and earning himself a job.
In January 2002 Tanaka formed a tag team named "Emblem" with Shinjiro Otani, with whom he twice won the NWA Intercontinental Tag Team Championships. In February 2004, he turned heel
and sided with the "Apache Army". In September 2004 he formed his own stable, "Team Erotics", continuing his feud with Otani. In late 2007, he was chosen to lead a new stable named "Sword Army", the name was chosen by fans in a contest. Takao Ōmori
was also given a stable named "Axe Army" to compete against Tanaka.
In mid-2009 Tanaka returned to New Japan Pro Wrestling as an outsider. He reformed the Complete Players with Jado and Gedo, and he participated in the 2009 G1 Climax tournament, although he failed to advance past the block stages. In New Japan, he's an ally of the stable, CHAOS
, especially Jado and Gedo. On October 10, 2011, Tanaka defeated MVP to win the IWGP Intercontinental Championship
, becoming only the second champion in the title's history. He would make his first successful title defense on November 12 against Hirooki Goto
.
's All Star Extravaganza show, teaming with Shinjiro Otani to defeat Steve Corino
and Low Ki.
On June 12. 2005 Tanaka revived his feud with Mike Awesome
at the WWE
produced ECW One Night Stand 2005
reunion PPV. He was defeated after Awesome delivered a running Awesome Bomb through a table outside the ring and followed up with an Awesome Splash. He returned to WWE one year later at ECW One Night Stand 2006
, losing to Balls Mahoney
. On October 26, 2007, Tanaka beat Takao Ōmori for the AWA Superstars of Wrestling World Heavyweight Championship.
On January 23, 2010, Tanaka made his debut for Jersey All Pro Wrestling
at the promotion's 12th Anniversary Show, where he was defeated by Homicide
.
1This title is not to be confused with the NWA United National Championship
, an NWA singles title that has been integrated into and is now part of the AJPW Triple Crown Championship
.
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese professional wrestler
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
, best known for his appearances with Frontier Martial Arts Wrestling in Japan and in Extreme Championship Wrestling
Extreme Championship Wrestling
Extreme Championship Wrestling was a professional wrestling promotion that was founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1992 by Tod Gordon and closed when his successor, Paul Heyman, declared bankruptcy in April 2001...
in the United States where he was a one-time world champion, having won the ECW World Heavyweight Championship
ECW World Heavyweight Championship
The Extreme Championship Wrestling World Heavyweight Championship was a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in Extreme Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment...
once. He is currently splitting his time working for Pro Wrestling Zero1, where he is currently one half of the NWA Intercontinental Tag Team Champions, and in New Japan Pro Wrestling
New Japan Pro Wrestling
is a major professional wrestling promotion in Japan, founded by Antonio Inoki in June 1972 and owned by Yuke's since 2005, when Inoki sold the promotion. Naoki Sugabayashi is the current President of the promotion and has held that position from 2007. Owing to its TV program aired on TV Asahi, it...
, where he is the current IWGP Intercontinental Champion
IWGP Intercontinental Championship
-Title history:-External links:*...
.
Frontier Martial Arts Wrestling (1993–1999)
Tanaka trained under Atsushi OnitaAtsushi Onita
Atsushi Onita is a Japanese former politician and active professional wrestler best known for his work in Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling...
, and debuted on July 23, 1993 in Saga City
Saga, Saga
is the capital of Saga Prefecture, located on the island of Kyūshū, Japan.Saga was the capital of Saga Domain in the Edo period, and largest city of former Hizen Province....
, facing Ricky Fuji
Ricky Fuji
is a Japanese professional wrestler, better known under his ring name .-Professional wrestling career:Morimura started training in the New Japan Pro Wrestling Dojo in 1984. He then left Japan in January 1987 for a training expedition in Canada, where he was trained in the Dungeon by Stu Hart and...
. He quickly began working for FMW, widely regarded as the most hardcore
Hardcore wrestling
Hardcore wrestling is a form of professional wrestling that eschews traditional concepts of match rules in favor of matches that take place in unusual environments, using foreign objects that are not normally permitted...
professional wrestling promotion
Professional wrestling promotion
A professional wrestling promotion is a company or business that regularly performs shows involving professional wrestling. Promotion also describes a role which entails management, advertising and logistics of running a wrestling event...
in Japan. Wrestling in matches featuring explosions and barbed wire, Tanaka earned a variety of scars, and the nickname "Dangan
Bullet
A bullet is a projectile propelled by a firearm, sling, or air gun. Bullets do not normally contain explosives, but damage the intended target by impact and penetration...
", which he would often shout during his matches. By 1996 he was one of the promotion's major stars, and had feuded
Feud (professional wrestling)
A professional wrestling feud is a staged rivalry between multiple wrestlers or alliances of wrestlers. They are integrated into ongoing storylines, particularly in events which are televised...
with such luminaries as Mr. Pogo, Mr. Gannosuke, Terry Funk
Terry Funk
Terrence "Terry" Funk is an American professional wrestler and actor known chiefly for the hardcore wrestling style he adopted in the latter part of his career that inspired many younger wrestlers, including Mick Foley...
and Mike Awesome
Mike Awesome
Michael Lee Alfonso , better known by his ring name Mike Awesome, was an American professional wrestler best known in America for his work in Extreme Championship Wrestling, World Championship Wrestling, and in World Wrestling Federation and also in Japan for his work with Frontier Martial-Arts...
. His feud with Awesome would eventually span ten years and two continents. In December 1999, he left FMW for ECW, after he and Tetsuhiro Kuroda lost to H
Eiji Ezaki
is a former Japanese professional wrestler better known as the masked Hayabusa , who worked primarily for Atsushi Onita's Frontier Martial Arts Wrestling promotion.-Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling :...
and Mr. Gannosuke
Mr. Gannosuke
is a Japanese professional wrestler better known as Mr. Gannosuke, who competed primarily for Atsushi Onita's Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling promotion. He also held the NWA World Tag Team Championship.-Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling :...
.
Extreme Championship Wrestling (1998–2000)
ECW owner Paul HeymanPaul Heyman
Paul Heyman is an American entertainment producer, best known for his career in professional wrestling as a promoter, manager, commentator and journalist. He is also an occasional actor in film....
became interested in Tanaka, and eventually hired him. Tanaka debuted in ECW on March 1, 1998 at Living Dangerously, defeating Doug Furnas
Doug Furnas
Doug Furnas is a former American professional wrestler and powerlifter. Furnas briefly worked for World Championship Wrestling in the early 1990s...
. In July 1998 he reprised his feud with Awesome, who he defeated at Heat Wave 1998.
Tanaka formed a short-lived tag team
Tag team
Tag team professional wrestling is a variation in which matches are contested between teams of multiple wrestlers. A tag team may comprise two wrestlers who normally wrestle in singles competition, but more commonly are made of established teams who wrestle regularly as a unit and have a team name...
with Balls Mahoney
Balls Mahoney
Jonathan Rechner better known by his ring name Balls Mahoney , is an American professional wrestler...
, and at November to Remember on November 1, 1998 they defeated the Dudley Boyz
Dudley Boyz
Team 3D was a professional wrestling tag team, consisting of Brother Ray and Brother Devon, formerly sporadically joined into a stable by Brother Runt on several intervals...
to win the ECW World Tag Team Championships
ECW Tag Team Championship
The Extreme Championship Wrestling World Tag Team Championship was a professional wrestling world tag team championship in Extreme Championship Wrestling...
. The Dudley Boyz would regain the titles five days later, and Tanaka returned to Japan to attend the wedding of his friend Sabu in December.
Tanaka returned to ECW in 1999, this time vying for the ECW World Heavyweight Championship. On September 19 at Anarchy Rulz, Taz, about to leave ECW for the WWF
World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
, defended the ECW World Heavyweight Championship against Awesome and Tanaka in a three way dance. After just two minutes Taz was eliminated by a combined assault at the hands of his opponents. After a further eleven minutes of brawling, Awesome pinned Tanaka with a top-rope powerbomb to become the new ECW World Heavyweight Champion.
Tanaka faced Awesome for the title at November to Remember on November 7, but was defeated once more. He finally overcame Awesome on December 17, 1999 at a ECW on TNN
ECW on TNN
ECW on TNN was a weekly American professional wrestling television program that aired on The Nashville Network from August 27, 1999 to October 6, 2000...
TV Taping in Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
, becoming the first ECW World Heavyweight Champion not to be an American citizen. After the match, Awesome shook Tanaka's hand and fastened the belt around his waist in a show of respect, then attacked him as he left the ring and powerbomb
Powerbomb
A powerbomb is a professional wrestling throw in which an opponent is lifted up and then slammed back-first down to the mat. The standard powerbomb sees an opponent first placed in a standing headscissors position...
ed him through a table
Table (furniture)
A table is a form of furniture with a flat and satisfactory horizontal upper surface used to support objects of interest, for storage, show, and/or manipulation...
. Awesome would regain the title at the next weeks TV Taping in White Plains, New York
White Plains, New York
White Plains is a city and the county seat of Westchester County, New York, United States. It is located in south-central Westchester, about east of the Hudson River and northwest of Long Island Sound...
on December 23.
Continuing his rivalry with Awesome, Tanaka joined forces with Tommy Dreamer to face Raven
Scott Levy
Scott Anthony Levy , better known by his ring name Raven, is an American professional wrestler, wrestling producer, wrestling writer, and occasional author and actor currently working for Juggalo Championship Wrestling , where he is co-holder of the JCW Tag Team Championship, as well as other...
and Awesome. Dreamer and Tanaka defeated the Impact Players
Impact Players
The Impact Players were a professional wrestling stable in Extreme Championship Wrestling that was composed of Lance Storm and Justin Credible.-History:The Impact Players formed when Lance Storm and Justin Credible started teaming in ECW in February 1999...
for the ECW World Tag Team Championship on February 26, 2000 in Cincinnati, but lost them to Mike Awesome and Raven on March 4, 2000 at The ECW Arena. This led to a tag team three way dance at Living Dangerously on March 12, with Tanaka and Dreamer facing ECW World Tag Team Champions Mike Awesome and Raven and the Impact Players. Tanaka pinned Awesome, who had already defended his ECW World Heavyweight Title earlier that night beating Kid Kash, costing Awesome and Raven the tag team titles, but lost the match after Dreamer was pinned by the Impact Players.
Tanaka's feud with Awesome was brought to an abrupt end when Awesome left ECW for WCW in April 2000. He faced Balls Mahoney in a great match on ECW on TNN and at Hardcore Heaven 2000. He remained with ECW until mid-2000 before returning to Japan.
Return to Japan (2000–present)
Tanaka returned to FMW in 2000, briefly feuding with H, before joining forces with H (by now back under the Hayabusa persona) to feud with Team No Respect, until leaving in 2001, allegedly as a result of animosity between him and the owner of FMW, Shoichi AraiShoichi Arai
Shoichi Arai was a Japanese professional wrestling promoter who ran Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling from 1995 until its demise in 2002...
, mostly over Hiromichi Fuyuki
Hiromichi Fuyuki
was a Japanese professional wrestler and promoter who competed in All Japan Pro Wrestling, New Japan Pro Wrestling, Wrestle Association R and other Japanese and international promotions during the 1980s and 1990s as the leader of 6-man tag team Fuyuki-Gun with Gedo and Jado.He is best known,...
's role as booker. Before departing FMW, Tanaka formed the "Complete Players" stable with former Fuyuki proteges Gedo
Keiji Takayama
Keiji Takayama better known as Gedo , is a long time professional wrestler. He formed a long-lasting tag team with Jado...
and Jado
Shoji Akiyoshi
, better known by his ring name is a Japanese professional wrestler, best known for his work in New Japan Pro Wrestling with his tag team partner Gedo...
, as well as real-life sweetheart Kaori Nakayama. They would work on the Japanese independent circuit
Independent circuit
In professional wrestling, the independent circuit or indy circuit refers to the many independent promotions which are much smaller than major televised promotions. They are roughly analagous to a minor league for pro wrestling, or community or regional theatre.Specific promotions on the...
, making appearances for Pro Wrestling ZERO-ONE and All Japan Pro Wrestling
All Japan Pro Wrestling
is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion established in 1972. All Japan Pro Wrestling still remains one of the most popular puroresu promotions still in operation.-The Giant Baba Era :...
. Tanaka wrestled Shinya Hashimoto on the March 2 ZERO-ONE anniversary show, impressing Z-1 officials and earning himself a job.
In January 2002 Tanaka formed a tag team named "Emblem" with Shinjiro Otani, with whom he twice won the NWA Intercontinental Tag Team Championships. In February 2004, he turned heel
Heel (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a heel is a villain character. In non-wrestling jargon, heels are the "bad guys" in professional wrestling; the term heel coming from the term take to you heels, which means to run away which heel champions tend to do to avoid losing their titles.storylines...
and sided with the "Apache Army". In September 2004 he formed his own stable, "Team Erotics", continuing his feud with Otani. In late 2007, he was chosen to lead a new stable named "Sword Army", the name was chosen by fans in a contest. Takao Ōmori
Takao Omori
is a Japanese semi-retired professional wrestler, currently competing for New Japan Pro Wrestling. He has formerly competed in All Japan Pro Wrestling, Pro Wrestling Noah and Pro Wrestling Zero1.-All Japan Pro Wrestling :...
was also given a stable named "Axe Army" to compete against Tanaka.
In mid-2009 Tanaka returned to New Japan Pro Wrestling as an outsider. He reformed the Complete Players with Jado and Gedo, and he participated in the 2009 G1 Climax tournament, although he failed to advance past the block stages. In New Japan, he's an ally of the stable, CHAOS
Chaos (professional wrestling)
CHAOS is a Japanese professional wrestling stable formed by Shinsuke Nakamura and Toru Yano in New Japan Pro Wrestling.-Formation:In April 2009, Toru Yano turned on Togi Makabe, costing Makabe the match against Shinsuke Nakamura. As Nakamura continued the attack on Makabe, Tomoaki Honma tried to...
, especially Jado and Gedo. On October 10, 2011, Tanaka defeated MVP to win the IWGP Intercontinental Championship
IWGP Intercontinental Championship
-Title history:-External links:*...
, becoming only the second champion in the title's history. He would make his first successful title defense on November 12 against Hirooki Goto
Hirooki Goto
is a Japanese professional wrestler. He has wrestled primarily for New Japan Pro Wrestling since his debut.-Career:Goto attended Kokushikan University, where he took part in freestyle wrestling and Greco-Roman wrestling. Upon graduating, Goto qualified to join New Japan Pro Wrestling, but left the...
.
Return to the United States (2002–present)
On November 9, 2002, Tanaka wrestled at Ring of HonorRing of Honor
Ring of Honor ' is an American professional wrestling promotion, founded in 2002 by Rob Feinstein and Gabe Sapolsky. From 2004 to 2011, the promotion was under the ownership of Cary Silkin before being sold to the Sinclair Broadcast Group in May 2011...
's All Star Extravaganza show, teaming with Shinjiro Otani to defeat Steve Corino
Steve Corino
Steven Eugene "Steve" Corino is a Canadian professional wrestler, who currently works for Pro Wrestling Zero1, Ring of Honor and numerous other independent promotions. Corino is a former NWA World Heavyweight Champion and ECW World Heavyweight Champion.-Early years :Corino began wrestling in 1994...
and Low Ki.
On June 12. 2005 Tanaka revived his feud with Mike Awesome
Mike Awesome
Michael Lee Alfonso , better known by his ring name Mike Awesome, was an American professional wrestler best known in America for his work in Extreme Championship Wrestling, World Championship Wrestling, and in World Wrestling Federation and also in Japan for his work with Frontier Martial-Arts...
at the WWE
World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
produced ECW One Night Stand 2005
ECW One Night Stand (2005)
ECW One Night Stand was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment . It was held on June 12, 2005 at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York, New York. The main event was a tag team match between The Dudley Boyz and the team of Tommy Dreamer and The Sandman...
reunion PPV. He was defeated after Awesome delivered a running Awesome Bomb through a table outside the ring and followed up with an Awesome Splash. He returned to WWE one year later at ECW One Night Stand 2006
ECW One Night Stand (2006)
ECW One Night Stand was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment . It was held on June 11, 2006 at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York, New York....
, losing to Balls Mahoney
Balls Mahoney
Jonathan Rechner better known by his ring name Balls Mahoney , is an American professional wrestler...
. On October 26, 2007, Tanaka beat Takao Ōmori for the AWA Superstars of Wrestling World Heavyweight Championship.
On January 23, 2010, Tanaka made his debut for Jersey All Pro Wrestling
Jersey All Pro Wrestling
Jersey All Pro Wrestling is an independent wrestling promotion based in New Jersey.-1997:Jersey All Pro Wrestling is an independent wrestling promotion that was founded by "Fat" Frank Iadeavia on April 19, 1997. This promotion was born out of a dream of "Fat" Frank. He wanted to take the promotion...
at the promotion's 12th Anniversary Show, where he was defeated by Homicide
Nelson Erazo
Nelson Rodriguez Erazo is an American professional wrestler of Puerto Rican descent, better known by his ring name, Homicide...
.
In wrestling
- Finishing moves
- Complete Dust (Inverted sitout side powerslam)
- Dangan Bomb – innovated
- Diamond Dust – innovated
- Discus elbow smash
- Sliding D (Sliding forearm smash) – innovated
- Tornado DDT, sometimes from onto a chair or a table
- Signature moves
- Belly to back suplex
- BrainbusterBrainbusterA brainbuster is a professional wrestling throw in which a wrestler puts his/her opponent in a front facelock, hooks his/her pants, and lifts him/her up as if he/she was executing a vertical suplex. The wrestler then falls onto his/her back so that the opponent lands on his/her head while remaining...
- Chair shot
- Dangan Elbow (Running elbow smash)
- German suplex
- Frog splash
- Lariat
- Modified surfboard
- Running Death Valley driver
- Running jumping chair shot
- Sitout powerbomb
- Shotgun Stunner (Vertical suplex stunner) – innovated
Championships and accomplishments
- Extreme Championship WrestlingExtreme Championship WrestlingExtreme Championship Wrestling was a professional wrestling promotion that was founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1992 by Tod Gordon and closed when his successor, Paul Heyman, declared bankruptcy in April 2001...
- ECW World Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- ECW World Tag Team ChampionshipECW Tag Team ChampionshipThe Extreme Championship Wrestling World Tag Team Championship was a professional wrestling world tag team championship in Extreme Championship Wrestling...
(2 times) – with Balls MahoneyBalls MahoneyJonathan Rechner better known by his ring name Balls Mahoney , is an American professional wrestler...
(1) and Tommy DreamerTommy DreamerThomas James "Tom" Laughlin is an American professional wrestler better known by his ring name Tommy Dreamer. He is currently working for various promotions on the independent circuit. He is best known for his time spent with Extreme Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment...
(1)
- Frontier Martial Arts Wrestling
- FMW Brass Knuckles Heavyweight ChampionshipFMW Brass Knuckles Heavyweight ChampionshipThe FMW World Brass Knuckles Heavyweight Championship was a premiere championship in the wrestling promotion Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling, or FMW....
(1 time) - FMW Brass Knuckles Tag Team ChampionshipFMW Brass Knuckles Tag Team ChampionshipThe FMW Brass Knuckles Tag Team Championship was a tag team hardcore wrestling championship contested in Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling.-WWA World Martial Arts Tag Team Championship :-FMW Brass Knuckles Tag Team Championship :...
(2 times) – with HayabusaEiji Ezakiis a former Japanese professional wrestler better known as the masked Hayabusa , who worked primarily for Atsushi Onita's Frontier Martial Arts Wrestling promotion.-Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling :...
(1) and Tetsuhiro Kuroda (1) - FMW/WEW Hardcore Tag Team ChampionshipFMW/WEW Hardcore Tag Team ChampionshipThe FMW/WEW Hardcore Tag Team Championship was a tag team hardcore wrestling championship contested in Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling from April 2000 until FMW closed in February 2002...
(1 time) – with GedōKeiji TakayamaKeiji Takayama better known as Gedo , is a long time professional wrestler. He formed a long-lasting tag team with Jado... - FMW Independent Heavyweight ChampionshipFMW Independent Heavyweight Championship-Title History:...
(2 times) - FMW/WEW 6-Man Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Gedō and Jadō
- FMW Street Fight Six-Man Tag Team ChampionshipFMW World Street Fight 6-Man Tag Team ChampionshipThe FMW World Street Fight 6-Man Tag Team Championship was a championship in Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling. It was active from May 1996 until May 1999. The title was then abandoned, but it was replaced in July 1999 with the World Entertainment Wrestling Six-Man Tag Team Championship. The final...
(3 times) – with Hayabusa & Hisakatsu Ōya (1), Hayabusa & Kōji Nakagawa (1), and Tetsuhiro Kuroda & Kōji Nakagawa (1) - FMW/WEW World Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- FMW Brass Knuckles Heavyweight Championship
- HUSTLE
- Hustle Hardcore Hero ChampionshipHustle Hardcore Hero ChampionshipThe Hustle Hardcore Hero Championship was the top championship in the Japanese professional wrestling promotion Hustle. The title was more of a joke title since the Hustle promotion was never meant to be taken seriously. The title was represented by a giant gold and black spiked baseball bat.-Title...
(1 time)
- Hustle Hardcore Hero Championship
- New Japan Pro WrestlingNew Japan Pro Wrestlingis a major professional wrestling promotion in Japan, founded by Antonio Inoki in June 1972 and owned by Yuke's since 2005, when Inoki sold the promotion. Naoki Sugabayashi is the current President of the promotion and has held that position from 2007. Owing to its TV program aired on TV Asahi, it...
- IWGP Intercontinental ChampionshipIWGP Intercontinental Championship-Title history:-External links:*...
(1 time, current)
- IWGP Intercontinental Championship
- Premier Wrestling Federation
- PWF Universal Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Shinjiro Otani
- Pro Wrestling IllustratedPro Wrestling IllustratedPro Wrestling Illustrated is a professional wrestling magazine. PWI is currently based in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania and published by Kappa Publishing Group.-History:The first issue of Pro Wrestling Illustrated was released in 1979...
- PWI ranked him #21 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2000
- Pro Wrestling WORLD-1
- WORLD-1 Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- Pro Wrestling Zero1
- AWA Superstars of Wrestling World Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- NWA Intercontinental Tag Team Championship (4 times, current) – with Shinjiro Otani (2), Wataru SakataWataru Sakatais a Japanese professional wrestler and mixed martial artist. He has a professional MMA record of 11-13-0 as of December 31, 2003.He started his career in Akira Maeda's Fighting Network RINGS in 1994 after being trained by Animal Hamaguchi. He made the transition to mixed martial arts in the late...
(1) and Zeus (1, current) - NWA United National Heavyweight Championship (1 time)1
- Zero1 World Heavyweight ChampionshipZERO1 World Heavyweight ChampionshipThe Zero1 World Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in the Japanese promotion Pro Wrestling Zero1. It is one of Zero1's top two singles titles, along with the NWA United National Heavyweight Championship. It was first introduced on December 15, 2007...
(2 times) - Fire FestivalFire Festival"Fire Festival" should not be confused with the traditional Himatsuri fire festivals in JapanThe Fire Festival is an annual professional wrestling round-robin tournament held by Pro Wrestling ZERO1-MAX to determine the top wrestler in the promotion, typically contested in late July/early August...
(2006–2008)
1This title is not to be confused with the NWA United National Championship
NWA United National Championship
The NWA United National Championship was a professional wrestling championship sanctioned by the National Wrestling Alliance, and best known for being defended in All Japan Pro Wrestling...
, an NWA singles title that has been integrated into and is now part of the AJPW Triple Crown Championship
AJPW Triple Crown Championship
The AJPW Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship is the top professional wrestling title in Japanese promotion All Japan Pro Wrestling. The championship is a unification of the NWA United National Championship, the PWF Heavyweight Championship and the NWA International Heavyweight Championship....
.