|
Gran Hamada
, better known by his ring name , was a Japanese professional wrestler, the first to adopt the high-flying Mexican lucha libre style. He 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 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 Japanese-Mexican wrestlers. Professional wrestling career Hamada 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. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Maebashi, Gunma
is the capital city, capital Cities of Japan, city of Gunma Prefecture, in the northern Kantō region of Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 335,352 in 151,171 households, and a population density of 1100 persons per km2. The total area of the city is . It was the most populous city within Gunma Prefecture until Takasaki, Gunma, Takasaki merged with nearby towns between 2006 and 2009. Maebashi is known to be the "City of Water, Greenery and Poets" because of its pure waters, its rich nature and because it gave birth to several Japanese contemporary poets, such as Sakutarō Hagiwara. Etymology The Maebashi area was called ''Umayabashi'' () during the Nara period. This name finds its origins in the fact that there was a bridge (, ) crossing the Tone River and not far from the bridge there was a small refreshment house with a stable (, ), often used by people travelling on the Tōzan-dō (the road connecting the capital to the eastern regions of Japan). The spellin ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
NJPW Dojo
(NJPW) is a Japanese professional-wrestling promotion founded on January 13, 1972, by Antonio Inoki, and based in Nakano, Tokyo. It is currently majority owned by card-game company Bushiroad, with TV Asahi and Amuse Inc. owning minority shares of the promotion. Naoki Sugabayashi has served as the promotion's Chairman since September 2013, while Hiroshi Tanahashi has served as the president of the promotion since December 2023. Owing to its TV program aired on TV Asahi, NJPW is the largest and longest-running professional wrestling promotion in Japan. Their biggest event is the January 4 Tokyo Dome Show (currently promoted under the Wrestle Kingdom banner) held each year since 1992. In addition to promoting professional wrestling matches, NJPW has also showcased mixed martial arts fights on some of its live events. The promotion was owned by Yuke's from 2005 until 2012. It was then sold to Bushiroad in 2012, which parlayed its entry to the world of professional wrestling in ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Morning Musume
, formerly and commonly known as and colloquially referred to as , is a Japanese girl group, holding the second highest overall single sales (of a female group) on the Oricon, Oricon charts as of February 2012, with the Oricon record of most top-ten singles, having 64 of them. Morning Musume was formed in 1997 by rock singer-songwriter turned record producer Tsunku, who later composed the vast majority of the group's songs over the decade. They are the lead group of Hello! Project that specialises in upbeat, pop-oriented music coupled with dance performance. The group produced several splinter groups, and often collaborates with other Hello! Project acts, including Country Musume, Berryz Kobo, Cute (Japanese idol group), Cute, Melon Kinenbi, and V-u-den. The group's name can be translated as "Morning Girls" or "Morning Daughters"; it consists of members mostly in their late adolescence and early 20s. History 1997-1998: Formation and beginnings Japanese producer Tsunku started ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Stage Name
A stage name or professional name is a pseudonym used by performers, authors, and entertainers—such as actors, comedians, singers, and musicians. The equivalent concept among writers is called a ''nom de plume'' (pen name). Some performers eventually choose to adopt their stage name as a legal name. Such professional aliases are adopted for a wide variety of reasons and may be similar or nearly identical to an individual's birth name or be inspired by Nickname, nicknames or Maiden Name, maiden names. Some people take a stage name because their birth name is difficult to pronounce or spell; is considered unattractive, dull, or unintentionally amusing; or projects an undesired image. Sometimes a performer adopts a name that is unusual or outlandish to attract attention. Some individuals use a stage name because their birth name is already being used by another notable individual, including names that are not exactly the same but still too similar; many guilds and associations ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Isao Takagi
who goes by the ring name , is a Japanese professional wrestler from Moriguchi, Osaka Prefecture, who works for Dradition. He has previously worked for All Japan Pro Wrestling. Career Takagi was initially a sumo wrestler under the name of Takuetsuyama (previously Maenohikari). He joined Takadagawa stable, run by former '' ozeki'' Maenoyama, in 1977. He reached elite ''sekitori'' status upon promotion to the second highest ''jūryō'' division in July 1985, but was demoted back to the unsalaried ''makushita'' division after only four tournaments. In 1986, at the age of 24, he decided to quit sumo and joined All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW) upon an offer from owner Giant Baba. He made his debut in 1987. The same year he accompanied Baba to an excursion into Jim Crockett Promotions, where they competed in the Jim Crockett Sr. Memorial Cup Tag Team Tournament. They made it into the semifinals before being defeated by eventual runners-up Lex Luger and Tully Blanchard. Takagi remai ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Junji Hirata
(born December 20, 1956) is a Japanese retired professional wrestler currently working as a trainer for the New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) promotion, known primarily by his ring name . Professional wrestling 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 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
ECW Barely Legal
Barely Legal was the inaugural professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event held by Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW). It took place on April 13, 1997, from the ECW Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Rob Van Dam versus Lance Storm was included on the 2005 WWE DVD release ''Rob Van Dam: One of a Kind''. Sabu versus Taz was included on the 2012 WWE DVD and Blu-ray release ''ECW Unreleased: Vol 1'' and the 2013 WWE DVD and Blu-ray release ''The Top 25 Rivalries in Wrestling History''. The Eliminators versus The Dudley Boyz was included on the 2016 WWE DVD and Blu-ray release ''Straight Outta Dudleyville: The Legacy of The Dudley Boyz''. Seven professional wrestling matches were scheduled on the main card. In one of the show's main event's, Terry Funk defeated The Sandman and Stevie Richards in a Three-Way Dance to earn an immediate title match against ECW World Heavyweight Champion Raven, which Funk also won to win the ECW World Heavyweight Championship. In another main eve ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Men's Teioh
(born December 16, 1966) is a Japanese professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, (also written MEN's Teioh). Another of his ring names, Terry Boy, is a homage to American professional wrestler Terry Funk. Men's Teioh is a longtime mainstay of Big Japan Pro Wrestling (BJW) as well as a former competitor of Michinoku Pro Wrestling (Michinoku Pro). He is known as an original member of the group, Kai En Tai, which competed in Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) and the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) during the late 1990s. He was also briefly a member of the BWO while in Extreme Championship Wrestling, and appeared on the promotion's first PPV event Barely Legal in 1997. Professional wrestling career Ōtsuka was trained to wrestle by Gran Hamada and Super Delfín. He debuted in September 1992 for Federación Universal de Lucha Libre (FULL) under his birth name, adopting the ring name "Men's Teioh" the following month. In March 1993, he began competing for the I ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dick Togo
, better known by his ring name , is a Japanese professional wrestling, professional wrestler. Togo is signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he is a member of House of Torture and a former member of Bullet Club. Togo has spent the majority of his career as a freelancer, wrestling most notably for Michinoku Pro Wrestling and DDT Pro-Wrestling. Sato has wrestled under various ring names such as Francesco Togo, Rey Cubano and Prince Togo. Togo retired in September 2012, but returned to the ring in July 2016. Togo has held the KO-D Openweight Championship four times, the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship once with Taka Michinoku and the British Commonwealth Junior Heavyweight Championship once. Professional wrestling career Sato has performed for numerous Japanese Professional wrestling promotion, promotions as well as United States, American promotions such as Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW), the World Wrestling Entertainment, World Wrestling Federation (W ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Taka Michinoku
(born October 26, 1973), better known by his ring name (stylized as TAKA Michinoku), is a Japanese professional wrestling, professional wrestler and former mixed martial artist. He primarily appears for New Japan Pro-Wrestling, where he is a member of the Just 5 Guys, Just 4 Guys stable. From 2011, he was a member of Suzuki-gun, until the faction's disbandment in 2022. Michinoku also is the founder and regularly appears for Just Tap Out (JTO), which was founded in 2019. Michinoku is also known in North America for his work for the WWE, World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE) where he had the first WWF Light Heavyweight Championship reign recognized by the promotion. Michinoku is the founder and former promoter of Kaientai Dojo (now Active Advance Pro Wrestling), where he also primarily wrestled until 2019. Having held championship titles in Japan, North America, Mexico and Europe, Yoshida is known for his long title reigns. He held the FMW Independent World Junior Heavyweight ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gran Naniwa
(February 15, 1977 – October 6, 2010) was a Japanese professional wrestler, better known by the ring name . Naniwa was known for his comedic gimmick, in which he performed mannerisms of crabs. This was also reflected upon in the design of his wrestling mask. Professional wrestling career Naniwa debuted professionally in 1993 in Michinoku Pro Wrestling as a face. He participated in the 1995 Super J-Cup, managing to get to the quarterfinals, but he was later eliminated by eventual winner Jyushin Thunder Liger. In the late 1990s, Naniwa competed in the United States for Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW). He wrestled Gran Hamada in January 1998 at the ''ECW House Party'' event. After this, Naniwa took a brief hiatus for a few years but made his return in 2006, again under his Gran Naniwa ring name, competing in a match for New Japan Pro-Wrestling's now defunct WRESTLE LAND "brand". Death Kimura died on October 6, 2010, due to a heart attack at the age of 33. Championships and ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Great Sasuke
, best known under his ring name , is a Japanese professional wrestler, professional wrestling promoter and politician. He is the founder of Michinoku Pro Wrestling (MPW). Aside from professional wrestling, he is also a former Iwate Prefectural Assembly legislator. He has wrestled in Japan and in the United States in various professional wrestling promotions. He is said to have an incredible tolerance for pain, mainly in reference to the injuries he has had including a cracked skull on two occasions. Professional wrestling career Universal Lucha Libre (1990–1993) After failing the entrance exams to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), Murakawa joined Universal Lucha Libre and had his debut on March 1, 1990, against Monkey Magic Wakita. He later adopted the name "Masa Michinoku", derived from his own given name and the alternate name for his Japanese home region of Tōhoku, Michinoku. He portrayed a Japanese folkloric gimmick who wore a cloak and a sandogasa hat in his ring ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
