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Yamato (wrestler)
, better known by the ring name Yamato (stylized in all capital letters), is a Japanese professional wrestler and former mixed martial artist currently signed to Dragongate, where he is the current and record six-time Open the Dream Gate Champion. Professional wrestling career Dragon Gate (2006–present) The 5th graduate of the Dragon Gate dojo, Onodera had previous mixed martial arts experience competing under his real name in Pancrase and was recruited into Final M2K directly after his debut. Yasushi Kanda gave him his " Gekokujoh" character, and inherited a lot of the Gekokujoh-era moves that Kanda had used during his own career. He later chose to leave Final M2K so he could grow along his own path, which was one of the reasons for the M2K breakup. He won the first Nex-1 tournament, which earned him the right to travel to the U.S. His stay was brief, lasting under three months. He returned in May, aligning with his generation peers Shingo Takagi, BxB Hulk and Cyber Ko ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ichinoseki, Iwate
is a city located in Iwate Prefecture, in the Tōhoku region of northern Japan. , the city had a population of 114,476 and a population density of 91 persons per km2 in 46,375 households. It is currently the second largest city by population in the prefecture, after Morioka. The total area of the city was . Geography Ichinoseki is located inland in the south of Iwate Prefecture, a little over two hours north of Tokyo by the Tōhoku Shinkansen. A large volume of extremely stable granite rock runs beneath the city, and is the center of a site being promoted as a suitable location for construction of the International Linear Collider (ILC). Neighboring municipalities Akita Prefecture * Higashinaruse Iwate Prefecture * Hiraizumi * Ōshū * Rikuzentakata * Sumita Miyagi Prefecture * Kesennuma * Kurihara * Tome Climate Ichinoseki has a humid climate (Köppen climate classification ''Cfa'') with warm summers and cold winters. The average annual temperature in Ichinoseki is 10.9&nb ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Yoshito Sugamoto
is a retired Japanese professional wrestler, better known by the ring name Gamma. He is best known for his Dragon Gate tenure. Professional wrestling career Yoshihito Sugamoto began his career in Michinoku Pro Wrestling when he entered their dojo along with Makoto Saito and Susumu Mochizuki. He wrestled in several dark matches against Wellington Wilkins, but eventually left the promotion before gaining any status. A year later, he joined Osaka Pro Wrestling. Osaka Pro Wrestling (1999–2005) Sugamoto spent some years in the low card of Osaka Pro until finally breaking up in 2001, where he adopted the ring name of Gamma and the gimmick of a young punk. Turning heel, he joined Dick Togo's stable FLUXxx, whose leadership he inherited after Togo departed. Flanked by Big Boss MA-G-MA and Daio QUALLT, he achieved OPW's top heel status and feuded with Super Delfín and the rest of babyface wrestlers of the company. This lasted until 2003, when his henchmen betrayed him, kic ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Fumiyuki Hashimoto
(born April 21, 1982), known by his ring name Kagetora (formerly stylized in all capitals), is a Japanese professional wrestler who works for Dragon Gate. He wrestles in independent wrestling leagues all around Japan and has wrestled in the United States for Chikara and Pro Wrestling Guerrilla. He has wrestled many famous wrestlers including Jinsei Shinzaki. Career Toryumon (2002–2004) Hashimoto was part of Mini Crazy MAX as SUWAcito early in his career with Takuya Sugi (Mini CIMA) and Masaki Okimoto (Small Dandy Fuji). They were little version of the Japanese wrestlers CIMA, Suwa and Don Fujii. Michinoku Pro Wrestling (2004–2009) Hashimoto started competing in Michinoku Pro Wrestling in 2005 under the new name of Kagetora, based in Uesugi Kagetora. He initially wore a menpō mask during his matches, but he dropped it. After a tag team tenure with Shanao, Kagetora turned on him and became a heel. He joined Gamma's faction STONED, and after Gamma departed from Mic ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Susumu Yokosuka
, better known by his ring name is a Japanese professional wrestler currently signed to Dragon Gate. He is not related to fellow Dragon Gate wrestler and long-term ally/rival Masaaki Mochizuki, who debuted much earlier for WAR. Professional wrestling career Mexico After a brief stay in the Michinoku Pro Wrestling dojo, he entered Ultimo Dragon's dojo in Mexico. He debuted in 1998 as a third-term student. He and Yasushi Kanda formed a tag team there, and they found success, winning the IWRG Intercontinental Tag Team Championship. They would hold these titles upon their arrival in Toryumon. Toryumon / Dragon Gate M2K He and Kanda debuted in Toryumon as a heel team, causing mayhem in matches and frequently forcing double count-outs to disappoint fans and ruin shows. They were invited to join the legendary Crazy Max stable and accepted but turned on them later that same night. A few months later they were joined by Masaaki Mochizuki, and they dubbed themselves M2K (meaning two ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Open The Twin Gate Championship
The is a professional wrestling tag team title created and promoted by the Japanese promotion Dragongate. The title was introduced on August 26, 2007, as an interim title for the winners of the first Summer Adventure Tag League tournament. It was then unified with the Wrestle Association R International Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship on October 12, 2007, to determine the inaugural Open the Twin Gate champions. Being a professional wrestling championship, the title is won as a result of a predetermined outcome. History Dragongate had been using the WAR IJ Tag Team Championship since 2006, until 2007 when Masato Yoshino and Naruki Doi were declared interim Open the Twin Gate Champions after winning the first edition of the Summer Adventure Tag League tournament. They later proposed a title unification match against IJ Tag Team Champions Kenichiro Arai and Taku Iwasa. On October 12, during the Gate of Victory tour, Doi and Yoshino won the unification bout at Kor ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Magnitude Kishiwada
, better known under his ring name , is a Japanese professional wrestler. Career During high school, Fujita trained in artistic gymnastics, mixed martial arts and powerlifting, and years later, he showed interest in professional wrestling. For many years Fujita trained in worked in preliminary matches in Japan's hardcore wrestling promotions, including FMW, W*ING, and Big Japan Pro Wrestling, competing under his real name, and as Toryu ("Dragon Slayer"). Osaka Pro Wrestling (1999–2005) In 1999, he landed in Osaka Pro, where he became a kaiju character named Monster Zeta Mandora. However, he gained fame in late 2001 by turning heel, donning a more traditional wrestling mask and renaming himself Big Boss MA-G-MA. He left the promotion in 2005. Dragon Gate (2005–2010, 2012) His debut in Dragon Gate was heavily hyped. He first arrived wearing a motorcycle helmet, referring to himself as "Big Boss" MA-G-MA. In what was to be his debut match, a singles match against CIMA, he ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Don Fujii
, better known by his ring name , is a Japanese wrestler who currently works for Dragon Gate. He was one-half of the inaugural Open the Owarai Twin Gate Champions and is also a former two-time Open the Twin Gate Champions with Masaaki Mochizuki. He was previously in the Crazy Max and Blood Generation stables. Biography He was one of the original graduates from the Toryumon dojo. He was also one of the founding members of the Crazy Max and Blood Generation stables. He made a few appearances in World Championship Wrestling as Sumo Fuji. He has wrestled as Karaoke Machine #1 at times as well. From 1999 until 2002, he changed his name annually. He first went from Sumo Fuji to Sumo "Dandy" Fuji, then to Sumo "Dandy" Fuji 2000, then to Big Fuji, and finally to Don Fujii. Fujii has spent most of his Toryumon/Dragon Gate career in heel stables. He was a founding member of Crazy Max, as well as a founding member of Blood Generation. When Blood Generation ended in December 2006, Fujii ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Masaaki Mochizuki
is a Japanese professional wrestler, currently working for Dragon Gate and Pro Wrestling Noah. Mochizuki is a former FIP World Champion and three-time Open the Dream Gate Champion. Professional wrestling career Early years A former karateka and graduate of Koji Kitao's Bukō Dōjō, Masaaki spent the early part of his career wrestling for various promotions across Japan, namely WAR and BattlARTS. Most notable was his appearance in the 1995 Super J-Cup, where he took on Shinjiro Otani of New Japan Pro-Wrestling in the first round. Despite losing, Masaaki looked very competitive, using his sharp kicks and quick submission holds to pose a serious threat to the more experienced Otani. Toryumon In late 1999, Masaaki joined Toryumon, Último Dragón's upstart promotion, and quickly became recognized as one of the three "aces" of the company, alongside Cima, and Magnum Tokyo. In April 2000, he formed the heel group M2K with Susumu Mochizuki (no relation), and Yasushi Kan ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Shinobu Sugawara
, better known mononymously by his ring name Shinobu, is a Japanese professional wrestler. He has worked in several promotions, in particular 666, Big Japan Pro Wrestling (BJW) and Dragon Gate (DG). Professional wrestling career Sugawara started his career in Ritsumeikan Pro Wrestling, a backyard wrestling promotion formed by Ritsumeikan University students. He debuted as Magnum KYOTO, a Magnum TOKYO parody, and gained fame before being transferred to Onryo's 666 promotion. He then changed his name to Shinobu and adopted the gimmick of a salacious bisexual. He wore pink tights and performed sexual antics in his matches, particularly harassing his opponents and wrestling while nude. Shinobu worked in Wrestling Marvelous Future and Big Japan Pro Wrestling (BJW), where he became a trainee for Mens Teioh. In December 2006, he debuted in Dragon Gate as Super Shenlong, a dragon-like masked character billed from China. Wrestling both in NEX and main shows, he lost a mask vs. hair ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Taku Iwasa
Taku Iwasa (born November 15, 1977) is a Japanese professional wrestler best known for his work in Dragon Gate. Career Early Iwasa graduated as part of the Toryumon T2P class. He initially portrayed ''Takamichi Iwasa'', a Satanic character. Injuries derailed his career, and he soon ended up as a jobber to the stars. He was briefly scouted by the famous Crazy MAX stable, and they gave him a ten match trial series. CMAX was never truly interested in Iwasa, though, and he lost all 10 matches. Following this, he joined forces with Raimu Mishima, who had been exiled from M2K for losing too many matches and general weakness. They petitioned to form their own unit, but were unable to do so. They then left for America to undergo "Warrior Training". The Florida Brothers Upon returning to Toryumon, Iwasa and Mishima proclaimed themselves to be Americans. They changed their first names to Michael and Daniel respectively. The Florida Brothers were a comedy team. Their routine i ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kenichiro Arai
is a Japanese professional wrestler best known for his time with the Japanese promotion Dragon Gate. Biography Kenichiro Arai, also known as AraKen, is a second term graduate of Último Dragón's Toryumon Japan group, and has been a mainstay on the roster ever since. He participated in FMW before joining Toryumon. He debuted as a heel, but turned face within the year and remained so for over a decade. He is known for his love of the Hanshin Tigers baseball team, and for his very hard head. Arai frequently no-sells attacks to the head when wrestling. Earlier in his career, he played an alcoholic, and would spit beer in his opponent's faces, but this aspect of his character was quietly dropped. Arai started as a midcarder, but gradually lost card position over the years, until he was fighting mainly in opening matches and rarely winning. However, his career changed for the better when he joined the cram school based stable Tozawa-juku in early 2007. It saw the first ever alterat ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Masato Yoshino
is a retired Japanese professional wrestler, best known for working in Dragon Gate, where he was known as ''Speed Star''. Dragon Gate's second Grand Slam champion, having been a record six-time Open the Brave Gate Champion, four-time Open the Dream Gate Champion and two-time King of Gate winner, Yoshino was one of the most decorated and longest-tenured wrestlers in Dragon Gate. He made his debut in 2000 as part of Toryumon's Toryumon 2000 Project, where he graduated as part of the 7th term. In his nearly 21-year professional wrestling career, he notably also wrestled for Ring of Honor, Pro Wrestling NOAH and Dragon Gate USA (Dragon Gate's United States expansion). He also was influential on many professional wrestlers, both in Japan and the rest of the world due to his high-flying technique and advanced move-set. He retired on August 1, 2021, where he and Naruki Doi were defeated by Eita and long-time rival BxB Hulk. Career Toryumon Masato Yoshino was part of the T2 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
