|
Kikutaro
, better known as his wrestling persona and , is a Japanese professional wrestler who works as a freelancer. Though best known for wrestling under a mask, he also regularly works unmasked under the ring name Kikuzawa (stylized in all capital letters), representing Tokyo Gurentai. Kikuzawa has also made appearances in North America, competing in promotions such as Chikara, Pro Wrestling Guerrilla (PWG), Ring of Honor (ROH) , Impact Wrestling, Game Changer Wrestling, F1RST Wrestling and Beyond Wrestling. Career Kikuzawa started his wrestling career in 1994, wrestling under his birth name for the new Tokyo Pro Wrestling (TPW) and hardcore wrestling promotions such as International Wrestling Association of Japan (IWA Japan) and Wrestling International New Generations (W*ING). He eventually signed with Osaka Pro Wrestling and Dramatic Dream Team (DDT), where he continued to use his real name while competing for DDT. While wrestling for Osaka Pro, he began wearing a mask a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tokyo Gurentai
is a professional wrestling stable, currently made up of Fujita, Kikuzawa, Mazada, and Nosawa Rongai. The group was formed in 2000 by Kikuzawa, Mazada and Nosawa and has since appeared for Japan's four biggest promotions; All Japan Pro Wrestling, Dragon Gate, New Japan Pro-Wrestling and Pro Wrestling Noah, as well as several larger independent promotions such DDT Pro-Wrestling, Diamond Ring, Kaientai Dojo, Osaka Pro Wrestling and Wrestling New Classic (WNC), while also regularly producing their own independent events. The stable has also made appearances for promotions in Mexico and the United States. Currently the stable is working most notably for Wrestle-1. "Gurentai", denoting "hoodlums", is one of the three principal member categories of the yakuza crime syndicate. History In July 2000, while working for the American Xtreme Pro Wrestling (XPW) promotion in Los Angeles, California, Japanese wrestlers Kikuzawa and Nosawa began teaming together as "Tokyo Gurentai". Lat ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Chikara (professional Wrestling)
Chikara (stylized in all capital letters and sometimes referred to as Chikara Pro) was an American professional wrestling promotion based in Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The company took both its name and logo from . It was founded in 2002 by professional wrestlers Mike Quackenbush and Reckless Youth, who also served as trainers and in-ring performers. The promotion held multiple House show, live events per month, with the majority taking place at the #Chikara Wrestle Factory, Chikara Wrestle Factory school. Two of their major events, September's King of Trios, the promotion's premiere event, and April's Tag World Grand Prix were centered on tag team and ''Six-man tag team match, trios'' matches. Their other major events included Aniversario, held in May, and the Chikara Young Lions Cup, Young Lions Cup tournament, held between June and August. In 2011, Chikara introduced the Chikara Grand Championship, Grand Championship, the promotion's primary singles championship. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Osaka, Japan
is a designated city in the Kansai region of Honshu in Japan. It is the capital of and most populous city in Osaka Prefecture, and the third-most populous city in Japan, following the special wards of Tokyo and Yokohama. With a population of 2.7 million in the 2020 census, it is also the largest component of the Keihanshin Metropolitan Area, which is the second-largest metropolitan area in Japan and the 10th- largest urban area in the world with more than 19 million inhabitants. Ōsaka was traditionally considered Japan's economic hub. By the Kofun period (300–538) it had developed into an important regional port, and in the 7th and 8th centuries, it served briefly as the imperial capital. Osaka continued to flourish during the Edo period (1603–1867) and became known as a center of Japanese culture. Following the Meiji Restoration, Osaka greatly expanded in size and underwent rapid industrialization. In 1889, Osaka was officially established as a municipality. The ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Japanese People
are an East Asian ethnic group native to the Japanese archipelago. Japanese people constitute 97.4% of the population of the country of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 125 million people are of Japanese descent, making them list of contemporary ethnic groups, one of the largest ethnic groups. Approximately 120.8 million Japanese people are residents of Japan, and there are approximately 4 million members of the Japanese diaspora, known as . In some contexts, the term "Japanese people" may be used to refer specifically to the Yamato people, who are primarily from the historically principal islands of Honshu, Kyushu and Shikoku and constitute by far the largest group. In other contexts, the term may include other groups native to the Japanese archipelago, including Ryukyuan people, who share connections with the Yamato but are often regarded as distinct, and Ainu people. In recent decades, there has also been an increase in the number of people with both Japanese and non-Japanes ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
W*ING
Wrestling International New Generations (W*ING) was a Japanese professional wrestling promotion specialized in deathmatches. History After leaving Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling in the summer of 1991, Kazuyoshi Osako and Kiyoshi "Mickey" Ibaragi founded Wrestling International New Generations (W*ING), with Osako as President and Ibaragi as Vice President. They would also lure away Mr. Pogo and Víctor Quiñones from FMW, taking away their number one heel and booker/talent exchanger. Their first show took place on August 7, 1991, at the Korakuen Hall in Tokyo. W*ING would also have a talent exchange relationship with Puerto Rico-based World Wrestling Council, as well as sharing WWC's Caribbean Heavyweight and World Junior Heavyweight Championships between the two promotions. On March 21, 1994, W*ING closed due to the massive loss of money. Quinones would later form International Wrestling Association of Japan later that year. After W*ING In 1994, former W*ING wrestlers Mr. P ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
International Wrestling Association Of Japan
The International Wrestling Association of Japan, more commonly known as IWA Japan, was a Japanese professional wrestling promotion operating from 1994 to 2014. History Early years It was formed by Víctor Quiñones as a successor to the W*ING promotion, which was folding as a rival to Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling (FMW), the pioneer of deathmatch wrestling in Japan and the only deathmatch promotion in Japan at the time. Most of the wrestlers jumped ship to Quiñones' new IWA Japan group. He found a sponsor in Tatsukuni "Kinroku" Asano, a businessman who owned several restaurants in Tokyo and had bought and run several wrestling shows prior to IWA Japan. They had their first show in Yokosuka, Kanagawa on May 21, 1994, which was taped for television. The early shows often featured many ex-W*ING wrestlers like Yukihiro Kanemura, Shoji Nakamaki, Nobutaka Araya and The Headhunters. They also had fans to fill out questionnaires about the shows and sometimes gave away freebies. Qu ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tokyo Pro Wrestling
Tokyo Pro Wrestling is the name of two unrelated Japanese professional wrestling promotions. Despite their common name, they did not share management, promotional style, or talent in any way. Original Tokyo Pro Wrestling The original Tokyo Pro Wrestling operated from 1966 to 1967. In mid-1966, Japan Wrestling Association president (corporate title), president Toyonobori, Michiharu Toyonobori resignation, resigned his position and left the promotion, taking along with him some tarento, talent, including Katsuhisa Shibata (father of current All Elite Wrestling star Katsuyori Shibata) and the future Rusher Kimura (Masao Kimura). Antonio Inoki, who was coming back from a long excursion to the United States, chose to join him and create a new venture, Tokyo Pro Wrestling. Tokyo Pro's biggest rising star was Inoki, who feud (professional wrestling), feuded with Johnny Valentine over the "United States" heavyweight title (as Valentine had held in California, Michigan and Ontario, he w ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Beyond Wrestling
Beyond Wrestling is an independent professional wrestling promotion based out of Worcester, Massachusetts in the United States. Established in 2009 by Drew Cordeiro, by the late 2010s it had established a reputation as a place for aspiring professional wrestlers to develop their skills before seeking employment with national-level promotions such as All Elite Wrestling or WWE. Between 2019 and 2021 Beyond Wrestling produced a weekly televised programme called ''Uncharted Territory'' which aired on the streaming platform IndependentWrestling.tv. In 2022, Beyond Wrestling began producing weekly "Wrestling Open" events; shows intended to be the professional wrestling equivalent of open mic nights in which inexperienced performers can take part and develop themselves. In 2023 Beyond Wrestling announced the creation of their own professional wrestling school, named the "Beyond Institute of Pro Wrestling" (BIO) and coached by Kenn Doane. History and features Beyond Wrestling was found ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Game Changer Wrestling
Game Changer Wrestling (GCW), formerly known as Jersey Championship Wrestling (JCW), is an American Independent circuit, independent professional wrestling professional wrestling promotion, promotion based in New Jersey. The promotion was originally founded by Ricky Otazu in 1999; it was rebranded under its current name in 2015, after a sale to Danny Demanto and current owner Brett Lauderdale. The promotion specializes in hardcore wrestling, as well as mixed martial arts–inspired shoot style matches. GCW has grown from running shows based in New Jersey, to holding events across the United States, as well as internationally in Canada, United Kingdom, Japan, Australia, Germany, France, and Mexico. Annual GCW events include Backyard Wrestling, GCW Bloodsport, Bloodsport, Joey Janela's Spring Break, the NGI, and the Tournament of Survival. History As Jersey Championship Wrestling Jersey Championship Wrestling (JCW) was founded by independent wrestler Ricky Otazu, also known by his r ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (abbreviated as TNA Wrestling or TNA) is an American professional wrestling promotion based in Nashville, Tennessee. It is a subsidiary of Anthem Sports & Entertainment, a Canadian media company owned by businessman Leonard Asper. Founded by Jeff Jarrett and Jerry Jarrett in 2002, following the end of World Championship Wrestling (WCW) in 2001, the promotion was initially known as NWA: Total Nonstop Action (NWA-TNA) and was affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) governing body. The promotion dropped the "NWA" brand from its name in 2004, becoming Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. TNA continued to use the NWA NWA World Heavyweight Championship, World Heavyweight and NWA World Tag Team Championship, Tag Team Professional wrestling championship, championships until this agreement ended in 2007; after which, the company would create its own TNA World Championship, World Heavyweight and TNA World Tag Team Championship, World Tag Team cham ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ring Of Honor
Ring of Honor (ROH) is an American professional wrestling promotion based in Jacksonville, Florida. The promotion was founded by Rob Feinstein on February 23, 2002, and was operated by Cary Silkin from 2004 until 2011; the promotion was subsequently sold to the Sinclair Broadcast Group, and then sold to Tony Khan. Throughout the 2010s, ROH was considered the third largest wrestling promotion in the United States, behind WWE and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, initially operating on an internet distribution model. Under Sinclair's ownership, ROH began talent-sharing deals with wrestling companies outside the U.S., expanded their television visibility through Sinclair's broadcast stations, and eventually established its own streaming service in 2018 called Honor Club. As Sinclair was struggling with debt in the late 2010s, ROH went on a hiatus at the end of 2021. In March 2022, the promotion was sold to Tony Khan, also the co-owner of All Elite Wrestling (AEW). The sal ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
