Hiroshi Tanahashi
Encyclopedia
is a Japanese
professional wrestler who works primarily for New Japan Pro Wrestling
, where he is the current IWGP Heavyweight Champion in his fifth reign.
player in high school. He started wrestling
while attending Ritsumeikan University
in Kyoto
and was fairly successful. During this time he was noticed by New Japan Pro Wrestling talent scouts and was invited to try out for the New Japan Dojo. His try out was successful and he was accepted as a trainee.
legend Negro Casas
in July, 2000 and American Scott Hall
in September 2001. His star continued to rise and in the 2002 G-1 Climax (one of New Japan Pro Wrestling's most important annual tournaments) Tanahashi pinned Kensuke Sasaki
in under two minutes. After this Tanahashi was paired with Kenzo Suzuki
in a tag team
named the Kings of the Hills. This pairing was popular but came to an end after a real life incident. In November, 2002 Tanahashi was stabbed in the back by Hitomi Hara (a TV Asahi
news reporter he had dated for a brief amount of time). Tanahashi was hospitalized, but would recover. Ironically this incident may have been the best thing to happen to his career. The stabbing was widely reported across Japan
and a strong interest to see Tanahashi return was created. On February 16, 2003 Tanahshi returned as a singles wrestler to a sold out crowd in Tokyo
in a match against Manabu Nakanishi
.
His career began to rapidly climb from this point. In the later half of 2003 Tanahashi captured the U-30 Openweight Championship
and the IWGP Tag Team Championship, the latter on two separate occasions. In August 2004 he made it to the finals of the G1 Climax and on January 4, 2005 he headlined the Toukon Festival ~ Wrestling World 2005 show in Tokyo Dome in a match, where he dropped the U-30 Openweight Championship to Shinsuke Nakamura
. In 2005, Tanahashi also made an appearance in the 15th SASUKE
competition on July 20. He was eliminated in the first round. On June 18 Tanahashi defeated Toru Yano
in a tournament final to regain the U-30 Openweight Championship. He would go on to defeat Masahiro Chono
by Sling Blade in the first round of the New Japan Cup
(determining a No. 1 contender against IWGP Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar
) on April 16, 2006 in Korakuen Hall
, and Hiroyoshi Tenzan
by Dragon suplex hold in the second round on April 25 in Omuta Citizen Gymnasium before falling to Yuji Nagata
's wrist-clutch Exploder in the semifinal on April 29 in the Tottori Industrial Gymnasium. Tanahashi also defeated Tiger Mask IV
on May 13, 2006 in the first ever main event of the new WRESTLE LAND brand (a promotional experiment by New Japan with "sports entertainment"), debuting a modified side buster finish.
On June 7, 2006, Tanahashi vacated the U-30 Openweight Championship in order to fully focus on his upcoming match against Brock Lesnar for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship. When Lesnar failed to show up for the match, he was stripped of the title and Tanahashi was placed in a tournament for the vacant title. On July 17, 2006, Tanahashi won his first IWGP Heavyweight Championship when he defeated Giant Bernard in the finals of the tournament for the vacant title. He showed the belt on his second appearance on SASUKE, during the 17th competition, where he was again eliminated in the first round. After holding the belt for almost 9 months (270 days), and defending the title against the likes of Taiyō Kea
, Shinsuke Nakamura and others, Tanahashi lost the title to Yuji Nagata
, who had won the 2007 New Japan Cup to become the #1 contender. Tanahashi managed to come back from this by winning the 2007 G1 Climax, where he defeated Nagata in the finals, and successfully challenged his rival to a rematch on October 8, 2007 where he pinned Nagata to regain the title. On January 4, 2008 Tanahashi was defeated at New Japan's annual Tokyo Dome
show, titled Wrestle Kingdom II in Tokyo Dome, by Shinsuke Nakamura
for the IWGP Heavyweight title in the night's main event. In February's New Japan ISM Tour, Tanahashi successfully defeated A.J. Styles
in a highly anticipated rematch of their 2006 bout in TNA
. Following this, Hiroshi Tanahashi was entered into the coveted New Japan Cup
tournament in which the winner would face off against the then-IWGP Heavyweight Champion, Shinsuke Nakamura
, as the number one contender. With a win over Giant Bernard, Tanahashi became the first two-time winner of the New Japan Cup. Mid-February, he was embroiled in a contract dispute with New Japan. While negotiations were ongoing Tanahashi took advantage of his free agent status to compete in All Japan's Champion's Carnival. He came in as a heel and was given the "Block from Hell" as he had to face nearly all of All Japan's top talent including Taiyō Kea, Satoshi Kojima
, Toshiaki Kawada
, and his mentor Keiji Mutoh
. He went undefeated and advanced to the finals where he was finally subdued by Suwama.
On January 4, at Wrestle Kingdom III in Tokyo Dome Tanahashi defeated his mentor Keiji Mutoh to become the 50th IWGP Heavyweight Champion, beginning his third reign. Following his victory, when asked who he would like his next challenger to be, Tanahashi called out generation rival Shinsuke Nakamura, who accepted. At New Japan's ISM tour on February 15, Tanahashi defeated Nakamura with the High Fly Flow in his first title defense. After the match he declared himself "the ace of the universe" and was challenged by Kurt Angle
. Tanahashi defeated Angle April 5 at New Japan's "Resolution 09" with two High Fly Flows. His next opponent was Hirooki Goto
, whom he defeated on May 3 at "Wrestling Dontaku 2009" with a High Fly Flow. Just days later, Tanahashi was defeated by Manabu Nakanishi on May 6 at "Dissidence 2009". He regained the Title from Nakanishi on June 20 at "Dominion 6.20" for his fourth reign. He successfully defended the title against Pro Wrestling Noah
's Takashi Sugiura
on July 20, the first ever NJPW vs. NOAH match for the IWGP Heavyweight title. During a post-match interview, Tanahashi was interrupted by TAJIRI
, who then sprayed Tanahashi with Green Mist. Tanahashi would vacate the IWGP Heavyweight title on August 17, due to an eye fracture injury he suffered in a match with Shinsuke Nakamura, in the semi-finals of the 2009 G1 Climax Tournament. On November 8 at Destruction '09 Tanahashi returned to challenge for the belt he was forced to vacate, but came up short against the reigning champion Nakamura. On December 5 Tanahashi would avenge the loss he suffered during the G1 Climax Tournament and end his feud with TAJIRI by pinning him in a singles match with the High Fly Flow. Afterwards Tanahashi made a challenge to Pro Wrestling Noah and on January 4, 2010, at Wrestle Kingdom IV in Tokyo Dome he defeated Noah's Go Shiozaki
in a match that was billed as "Ace vs. Ace". Since then, Tanahashi would begin a feud with Toru Yano, starting with Yano upsetting Tanahashi in a tag team match on January 30, where he teamed with Manabu Nakanishi and Yano with Shinsuke Nakamura. On February 14 Tanahashi avenged his loss in a singles match with Yano, but was jumped after the match by Masato Tanaka
, after which Yano proceeded to cut off some of his hair. After Yano defeated Tanahashi in a singles match at Wrestling Dontaku, New Japan booked the two men in a Hair vs. Hair match for June 19. On June 19 Tanahashi defeated Yano and was afterwards assisted by former rival TAJIRI and KUSHIDA
in taking care of Yano's ally Takashi Iizuka
and shave his opponent's hair. In August Tanahashi entered the 2010 G1 Climax tournament and made it all the way to the finals, after four wins and a draw in the round robin stage of the tournament. However, in the finals Tanahashi was defeated by freelancer Satoshi Kojima
. In October and November 2010, Tanahashi teamed with TAJIRI in New Japan's 2010 G1 Climax Tag League. After a strong start in the tournament, Tanahashi and TAJIRI were defeated by the IWGP Tag Team Champions Bad Intentions (Giant Bernard and Karl Anderson
) on November 6, the last day of group stages, and slipped to third place in their block, narrowly missing the semifinals of the tournament. After scoring back–to–back pinfall victories over top contender Hirooki Goto and Tetsuya Naitō
on December 11 and 12, Tanahashi was granted a shot at the IWGP Heavyweight Champion Satoshi Kojima on January 4, 2011, at Wrestle Kingdom V in Tokyo Dome. At the event Tanahashi defeated Kojima to win the IWGP Heavyweight Championship for the fifth time. On February 20 Tanahashi made his first successful defense of the title, defeating Kojima in a rematch. Tanahashi went on to successfully defended the title against New Japan Cup winner Yuji Nagata on April 3 and Shinsuke Nakamura on May 3. In May 2011, Tanahashi took part in New Japan's first ever tour of the United States
, during which he successfully defended the IWGP Heavyweight Championship against Charlie Haas
on May 14 in New York City
. After another title defense on June 18 against rival Hirooki Goto, Tanahashi was challenged by IWGP Tag Team Champion Giant Bernard. However, Tanahashi answered this with a challenge of his own, suggesting a match for the IWGP Tag Team Championship between Bad Intentions and himself and Goto. On July 3 Tanahashi and Goto failed in their attempt to capture the IWGP Tag Team Championship from Bad Intentions. On July 18 Tanahashi made his sixth successful defense of the IWGP Heavyweight Championship against Giant Bernard. In the following month's 2011 G1 Climax, Tanahashi led his block for the majority of the tournament, but an upset loss on the final day of the tournament against Tetsuya Naitō, caused him to narrowly miss advancing to the finals. On September 19, Tanahashi made his seventh successful IWGP Heavyweight Championship defense against G1 Climax winner Shinsuke Nakamura, despite losing a tooth during the match. On October 10, Tanahashi avenged his loss from the final day of the 2011 G1 Climax by defeating Tetsuya Naitō to make his eighth successful IWGP Heavyweight Championship defense. With Tanahashi now edging closer to Yuji Nagata's record of ten successful defenses, Nagata came out after the match to challenge him for the title. However, after Tanahashi had accepted the challenge, he was attacked by Toru Yano, who proceeded to steal his championship belt. In the 2011 G1 Climax Tag League, Tanahashi teamed with Hirooki Goto as "The Billion Powers". After picking up two wins and two losses in their first four matches in the group stage of the tournament, Tanahashi and Goto defeated the Beast Combination (Satoshi Kojima and Togi Makabe) on November 4 to advance to the semifinals of the tournament. On November 6, Tanahashi and Goto were eliminated from the tournament in the semifinals by Bad Intentions. On November 12, Tanahashi regained the IWGP Heavyweight Championship belt from Toru Yano by successfully defending the title against him, after which he was again challenged by Yuji Nagata.
n debut in September 2005 when he and Nakamura went to Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre
in Mexico
. There, they feuded with Los Guerreros del Infierno
and successfully defended their IWGP Tag Team Championship against Rey Bucanero
and Olímpico
. Tanahasi returned to Mexico and CMLL in May 2010 to join La Ola Amarilla
(Spanish
for "the Yellow Wave") with fellow Japanese wrestlers Okumura
, and Taichi
. On May 7, 2010 La Ola Amarilla defeated El Hijo del Fantasma, La Máscara
and Héctor Garza
to win the CMLL World Trios Championship
in the main event of the weekly Friday night Super Viernes show. Ola Amarilla's reign as Trios champions only lasted two weeks as they were defeated by La Máscara, La Sombra
and Máscara Dorada
on May 21, 2010. Following the show Tanahashi returned to Japan for the next tour of NJPW but intends to return to CMLL between tours of NJPW. In August 2011, Tanahashi returned to CMLL and, as the reigning IWGP Heavyweight Champion, was allowed to enter the promotion's annual tournament of champions to crown the Universal Champion
. Tanahashi entered the tournament on September 9; after eliminating CMLL World Welterweight Champion
Máscara Dorada in his first round match, Tanahashi himself was eliminated from the tournament in the second round by CMLL World Tag Team Champion
Último Guerrero
.
on January 14, 2006, at Final Resolution. He was defeated by A.J. Styles. He was also featured in a match against Roderick Strong
that was taped for TNA Xplosion
a few days later.
Tanahashi returned to TNA in 2008 for an excursion. On the October 30 episode of TNA Impact!
losing in a tag team match with Volador, Jr. against The Motor City Machineguns. After the match they were berated by Sheik Abdul Bashir
. On the November 6 episode of Impact! Tanahashi teamed with Volador again in a 4-way Ladder Match
for number 1 contendership for Beer Money's
TNA World Tag Team Championship
against Team 3D
, Matt Morgan and Abyss
and The Latin American Xchange, which Matt Morgan and Abyss won. At Turning Point
, Tanahashi participated in a 10-man X Division
seeding match where he came fourth. Following the announcement of his IWGP Heavyweight title match against Mutoh, Tanahashi cancelled the rest of his TNA dates to return to New Japan Pro Wrestling full time.
Japanese people
The are an ethnic group originating in the Japanese archipelago and are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan. People of Japanese ancestry who live in other countries...
professional wrestler who works primarily for 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 Heavyweight Champion in his fifth reign.
Early life
Before entering the world of professional wrestling, Hiroshi Tanahashi was a baseballBaseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
player in high school. He started wrestling
Wrestling
Wrestling is a form of grappling type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. A wrestling bout is a physical competition, between two competitors or sparring partners, who attempt to gain and maintain a superior position...
while attending Ritsumeikan University
Ritsumeikan University
Ritsumeikan University has a growing reputation as one of the main private universities of Japan. It is part of a group of prestigious private universities in the Kansai area, called "Kan -Kan -Dou -Ritsu "...
in Kyoto
Kyoto
is a city in the central part of the island of Honshū, Japan. It has a population close to 1.5 million. Formerly the imperial capital of Japan, it is now the capital of Kyoto Prefecture, as well as a major part of the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto metropolitan area.-History:...
and was fairly successful. During this time he was noticed by New Japan Pro Wrestling talent scouts and was invited to try out for the New Japan Dojo. His try out was successful and he was accepted as a trainee.
New Japan Pro Wrestling (1999–present)
After graduating from the New Japan Dojo, Tanahashi made his debut in October, 1999 in a match against Shinya Makabe. He became viewed as a big prospect and was given big wins over lucha libreLucha libre
Lucha libre is a term used in Mexico, and other Spanish-speaking countries, for a form of professional wrestling that has developed within those countries...
legend Negro Casas
Negro Casas
José Casas Ruiz is a Mexican professional wrestler and trainer currently working for Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre under the ring name Negro Casas. He is the son of former wrestler, turned referee Pepe Casas and brother of professeional wrestlers El Felino and Heavy Metal...
in July, 2000 and American Scott Hall
Scott Hall
Scott Hall is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his tenure with the World Wrestling Federation in the early and mid 1990s under the ring name Razor Ramon, as well as for his period in the mid 1990s and early 2000s with World Championship Wrestling under his real name...
in September 2001. His star continued to rise and in the 2002 G-1 Climax (one of New Japan Pro Wrestling's most important annual tournaments) Tanahashi pinned Kensuke Sasaki
Kensuke Sasaki
is a Japanese professional wrestler who currently wrestles for various promotions through his own agency, Kensuke Office. He is the first of two men ever to hold all 3 of puroresu's major heavyweight titles , the other being Yoshihiro Takayama.-Early years :Kensuke Sasaki...
in under two minutes. After this Tanahashi was paired with Kenzo Suzuki
Kenzo Suzuki
Kenzo Suzuki is a Japanese professional wrestler. He is perhaps best known for his appearances with New Japan Pro Wrestling and in the United States with World Wrestling Entertainment...
in a 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...
named the Kings of the Hills. This pairing was popular but came to an end after a real life incident. In November, 2002 Tanahashi was stabbed in the back by Hitomi Hara (a TV Asahi
TV Asahi
, also known as EX and , is a Japanese television network headquartered in Roppongi, Minato, Tokyo, Japan. The company writes its name in lower-case letters, tv asahi, in its logo and public-image materials. The company also owns All-Nippon News Network....
news reporter he had dated for a brief amount of time). Tanahashi was hospitalized, but would recover. Ironically this incident may have been the best thing to happen to his career. The stabbing was widely reported across Japan
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...
and a strong interest to see Tanahashi return was created. On February 16, 2003 Tanahshi returned as a singles wrestler to a sold out crowd in Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
in a match against Manabu Nakanishi
Manabu Nakanishi
is a Japanese professional wrestler and former amateur wrestler who competed in the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain. He currently works for New Japan Pro Wrestling. He is a former IWGP Heavyweight Champion.-Amateur wrestling career:...
.
His career began to rapidly climb from this point. In the later half of 2003 Tanahashi captured the U-30 Openweight Championship
IWGP U-30 Championship
The IWGP U-30 Championship was a professional wrestling championship in New Japan Pro Wrestling for wrestlers under the age of 30. It was proposed as part of a tournament called the G2 U-30 Climax by Hiroshi Tanahashi, who ended up winning the tournament in April 2003. The U-30 Championship became...
and the IWGP Tag Team Championship, the latter on two separate occasions. In August 2004 he made it to the finals of the G1 Climax and on January 4, 2005 he headlined the Toukon Festival ~ Wrestling World 2005 show in Tokyo Dome in a match, where he dropped the U-30 Openweight Championship to Shinsuke Nakamura
Shinsuke Nakamura
is a Japanese professional wrestler and mixed martial artist currently working for New Japan Pro Wrestling, where he is a former three-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion.-Super Rookie :...
. In 2005, Tanahashi also made an appearance in the 15th SASUKE
Sasuke (TV series)
Sasuke is a Japanese sports entertainment television special in which 100 competitors attempt to complete a four stage obstacle course. An edited version, renamed Ninja Warrior, is screened in at least 18 other countries....
competition on July 20. He was eliminated in the first round. On June 18 Tanahashi defeated Toru Yano
Toru Yano
, is a Japanese professional wrestler, trained by and currently signed to New Japan Pro Wrestling , where he is a former IWGP Tag Team Champion.-New Japan Pro Wrestling :...
in a tournament final to regain the U-30 Openweight Championship. He would go on to defeat Masahiro Chono
Masahiro Chono
, is a Japanese professional wrestler. He primarily wrestles for New Japan Pro Wrestling , but has also made appearances for the now defunct World Championship Wrestling, as a member of the New World Order. Chono was also known as Mister Black Jack when he first started as a villain. He is a...
by Sling Blade in the first round of the New Japan Cup
New Japan Cup
The New Japan Cup is an annual single-elimination professional wrestling tournament held by New Japan Pro Wrestling. Originally intended for every April, it was rescheduled to March in 2007. Though NJPW also runs the annual G1 Climax tournament, the NJC is different in that it is...
(determining a No. 1 contender against IWGP Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar
Brock Lesnar
Brock Edward Lesnar is an American mixed martial artist, actor and a former professional and amateur wrestler. He is a former UFC Heavyweight Champion and is ranked the No.5 Heavyweight in the world by Sherdog...
) on April 16, 2006 in Korakuen Hall
Korakuen Hall
is an arena in Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan, which has hosted many boxing, professional wrestling and mixed martial arts matches. Part of Tokyo Dome City, it is one of Tokyo's biggest attractions. It opened on April 16, 1962 and has a capacity of approximately 1,800 people. The venue hosted the boxing...
, and Hiroyoshi Tenzan
Hiroyoshi Tenzan
is a Japanese professional wrestler who currently works for New Japan Pro Wrestling, and is better known by his ring name . With Satoshi Kojima, in 2008, they won the Real World Tag League in All Japan Pro Wrestling and the G1 Climax Tag League in NJPW becoming in the only tag team which has done...
by Dragon suplex hold in the second round on April 25 in Omuta Citizen Gymnasium before falling to Yuji Nagata
Yuji Nagata
is a Japanese professional wrestler. He was known for his perennial tweener status, currently a solid fan favorite, and his stiff, shoot style wrestling technique....
's wrist-clutch Exploder in the semifinal on April 29 in the Tottori Industrial Gymnasium. Tanahashi also defeated Tiger Mask IV
Tiger Mask IV
Yoshihiro Yamazaki , best known by his ring name Tiger Mask , is a Japanese professional wrestler who currently works for New Japan Pro Wrestling. Yamazaki is the fourth wrestler to portray the Tiger Mask image / persona; having used it since 1995...
on May 13, 2006 in the first ever main event of the new WRESTLE LAND brand (a promotional experiment by New Japan with "sports entertainment"), debuting a modified side buster finish.
On June 7, 2006, Tanahashi vacated the U-30 Openweight Championship in order to fully focus on his upcoming match against Brock Lesnar for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship. When Lesnar failed to show up for the match, he was stripped of the title and Tanahashi was placed in a tournament for the vacant title. On July 17, 2006, Tanahashi won his first IWGP Heavyweight Championship when he defeated Giant Bernard in the finals of the tournament for the vacant title. He showed the belt on his second appearance on SASUKE, during the 17th competition, where he was again eliminated in the first round. After holding the belt for almost 9 months (270 days), and defending the title against the likes of Taiyō Kea
Taiyo Kea
Maunakea Mossman is an American professional wrestler, better known under his stage name Taiyō Kea . Although he was born in Hawaii, he has spent nearly his entire career as a member of the Japan-based All Japan Pro Wrestling promotion...
, Shinsuke Nakamura and others, Tanahashi lost the title to Yuji Nagata
Yuji Nagata
is a Japanese professional wrestler. He was known for his perennial tweener status, currently a solid fan favorite, and his stiff, shoot style wrestling technique....
, who had won the 2007 New Japan Cup to become the #1 contender. Tanahashi managed to come back from this by winning the 2007 G1 Climax, where he defeated Nagata in the finals, and successfully challenged his rival to a rematch on October 8, 2007 where he pinned Nagata to regain the title. On January 4, 2008 Tanahashi was defeated at New Japan's annual Tokyo Dome
Tokyo Dome
Tokyo Dome is a 55,000-seat baseball stadium located in Bunkyo Ward of Tokyo, Japan.The stadium opened for business on March 17, 1988. It was built on the site of the Velodrome which was next door to the site of the predecessor ballpark, Kōrakuen Stadium...
show, titled Wrestle Kingdom II in Tokyo Dome, by Shinsuke Nakamura
Shinsuke Nakamura
is a Japanese professional wrestler and mixed martial artist currently working for New Japan Pro Wrestling, where he is a former three-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion.-Super Rookie :...
for the IWGP Heavyweight title in the night's main event. In February's New Japan ISM Tour, Tanahashi successfully defeated A.J. Styles
A.J. Styles
Allen Neal Jones , better known by his ring name A.J. Styles is an American professional wrestler currently working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
in a highly anticipated rematch of their 2006 bout in TNA
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling is a privately held professional wrestling promotion founded by Jeff Jarrett and Jerry Jarrett. The company broadcasts its events on television and the Internet fifty two weeks a year with over a million weekly viewers on its primary television program, Impact...
. Following this, Hiroshi Tanahashi was entered into the coveted New Japan Cup
New Japan Cup
The New Japan Cup is an annual single-elimination professional wrestling tournament held by New Japan Pro Wrestling. Originally intended for every April, it was rescheduled to March in 2007. Though NJPW also runs the annual G1 Climax tournament, the NJC is different in that it is...
tournament in which the winner would face off against the then-IWGP Heavyweight Champion, Shinsuke Nakamura
Shinsuke Nakamura
is a Japanese professional wrestler and mixed martial artist currently working for New Japan Pro Wrestling, where he is a former three-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion.-Super Rookie :...
, as the number one contender. With a win over Giant Bernard, Tanahashi became the first two-time winner of the New Japan Cup. Mid-February, he was embroiled in a contract dispute with New Japan. While negotiations were ongoing Tanahashi took advantage of his free agent status to compete in All Japan's Champion's Carnival. He came in as a heel and was given the "Block from Hell" as he had to face nearly all of All Japan's top talent including Taiyō Kea, Satoshi Kojima
Satoshi Kojima
is a Japanese professional wrestler, currently signed to New Japan Pro Wrestling. As a singles wrestler, he was the first wrestler to hold NJPW's IWGP Heavyweight Championship and All Japan Pro Wrestling's Triple Crown Championship simultaneously...
, Toshiaki Kawada
Toshiaki Kawada
is a Japanese professional wrestler who is most known for his work in All Japan Pro Wrestling. In 2005, he started freelancing in other promotions....
, and his mentor Keiji Mutoh
Keiji Mutoh
is a Japanese professional wrestler who first gained international fame in the National Wrestling Alliance. He is mostly known for his work as The Great Muta in New Japan Pro Wrestling during the 1990s, but he has also competed in United States, Puerto Rico, Mexico, and Taiwan...
. He went undefeated and advanced to the finals where he was finally subdued by Suwama.
On January 4, at Wrestle Kingdom III in Tokyo Dome Tanahashi defeated his mentor Keiji Mutoh to become the 50th IWGP Heavyweight Champion, beginning his third reign. Following his victory, when asked who he would like his next challenger to be, Tanahashi called out generation rival Shinsuke Nakamura, who accepted. At New Japan's ISM tour on February 15, Tanahashi defeated Nakamura with the High Fly Flow in his first title defense. After the match he declared himself "the ace of the universe" and was challenged by Kurt Angle
Kurt Angle
Kurt Steven Angle is an American professional wrestler, amateur wrestler, and 1996 Olympic gold medalist. He is currently under contract with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he is recognized as a 15-time World Heavyweight Champion...
. Tanahashi defeated Angle April 5 at New Japan's "Resolution 09" with two High Fly Flows. His next opponent was 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...
, whom he defeated on May 3 at "Wrestling Dontaku 2009" with a High Fly Flow. Just days later, Tanahashi was defeated by Manabu Nakanishi on May 6 at "Dissidence 2009". He regained the Title from Nakanishi on June 20 at "Dominion 6.20" for his fourth reign. He successfully defended the title against Pro Wrestling Noah
Pro Wrestling Noah
is a major Japanese professional wrestling promotion, founded in 2000 by former All Japan Pro Wrestling ace Mitsuharu Misawa. NOAH is broadcast weekly in Japan...
's Takashi Sugiura
Takashi Sugiura
is a Japanese professional wrestler, currently working for Pro Wrestling Noah. Sugiura, an accomplished amateur wrestler, joined NOAH's dojo in 2000, making his professional debut on December 23, 2000, and thus becoming the first wrestler to make his pro wrestling debut in NOAH. He has also...
on July 20, the first ever NJPW vs. NOAH match for the IWGP Heavyweight title. During a post-match interview, Tanahashi was interrupted by TAJIRI
Yoshihiro Tajiri
, is a Japanese professional wrestler, perhaps best known for his appearances with Extreme Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment. He is currently competing in SMASH as TAJIRI.-Early years :...
, who then sprayed Tanahashi with Green Mist. Tanahashi would vacate the IWGP Heavyweight title on August 17, due to an eye fracture injury he suffered in a match with Shinsuke Nakamura, in the semi-finals of the 2009 G1 Climax Tournament. On November 8 at Destruction '09 Tanahashi returned to challenge for the belt he was forced to vacate, but came up short against the reigning champion Nakamura. On December 5 Tanahashi would avenge the loss he suffered during the G1 Climax Tournament and end his feud with TAJIRI by pinning him in a singles match with the High Fly Flow. Afterwards Tanahashi made a challenge to Pro Wrestling Noah and on January 4, 2010, at Wrestle Kingdom IV in Tokyo Dome he defeated Noah's Go Shiozaki
Go Shiozaki
is a Japanese professional wrestler currently working for Pro Wrestling Noah, where he is the current GHC Heavyweight Champion. In addition to Noah, he has previously worked in the American-based promotion Ring of Honor and its former sister promotion Full Impact Pro, where he won the latter's...
in a match that was billed as "Ace vs. Ace". Since then, Tanahashi would begin a feud with Toru Yano, starting with Yano upsetting Tanahashi in a tag team match on January 30, where he teamed with Manabu Nakanishi and Yano with Shinsuke Nakamura. On February 14 Tanahashi avenged his loss in a singles match with Yano, but was jumped after the match by Masato Tanaka
Masato Tanaka
Masato Tanaka is a Japanese 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...
, after which Yano proceeded to cut off some of his hair. After Yano defeated Tanahashi in a singles match at Wrestling Dontaku, New Japan booked the two men in a Hair vs. Hair match for June 19. On June 19 Tanahashi defeated Yano and was afterwards assisted by former rival TAJIRI and KUSHIDA
Yujiro Kushida
is a Japanese professional wrestler. He currently competes in New Japan Pro Wrestling as KUSHIDA. He won the ZST Genesis Lightweight Tournament and AJPW's U-30 Tag Team Tournament in 2008 with T28-Early years:...
in taking care of Yano's ally Takashi Iizuka
Takayuki Iizuka
, better known by his stage name , is a Japanese professional wrestler, currently working for New Japan Pro Wrestling.-Early years :Takayuki Iizuka made his debut for New Japan Pro Wrestling in November 1986, wrestling against Akira Nogami. In June 1989, Iizuka and Hiroshi Hase went to the Soviet...
and shave his opponent's hair. In August Tanahashi entered the 2010 G1 Climax tournament and made it all the way to the finals, after four wins and a draw in the round robin stage of the tournament. However, in the finals Tanahashi was defeated by freelancer Satoshi Kojima
Satoshi Kojima
is a Japanese professional wrestler, currently signed to New Japan Pro Wrestling. As a singles wrestler, he was the first wrestler to hold NJPW's IWGP Heavyweight Championship and All Japan Pro Wrestling's Triple Crown Championship simultaneously...
. In October and November 2010, Tanahashi teamed with TAJIRI in New Japan's 2010 G1 Climax Tag League. After a strong start in the tournament, Tanahashi and TAJIRI were defeated by the IWGP Tag Team Champions Bad Intentions (Giant Bernard and Karl Anderson
Karl Anderson
Chad Allegra is an American professional wrestler better known by his stage name Karl "Machine Gun" Anderson currently working for New Japan Pro Wrestling, where he is currently one half of the IWGP and GHC Tag Team Champions with partner Giant Bernard.-Personal life:Allegra grew up in Asheville,...
) on November 6, the last day of group stages, and slipped to third place in their block, narrowly missing the semifinals of the tournament. After scoring back–to–back pinfall victories over top contender Hirooki Goto and Tetsuya Naitō
Tetsuya Naitō
is a Japanese professional wrestler trained by and currently performing for New Japan Pro Wrestling , where he is a former IWGP Tag Team and IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champion with former partner Yujiro Takahashi, with whom he teamed as No Limit....
on December 11 and 12, Tanahashi was granted a shot at the IWGP Heavyweight Champion Satoshi Kojima on January 4, 2011, at Wrestle Kingdom V in Tokyo Dome. At the event Tanahashi defeated Kojima to win the IWGP Heavyweight Championship for the fifth time. On February 20 Tanahashi made his first successful defense of the title, defeating Kojima in a rematch. Tanahashi went on to successfully defended the title against New Japan Cup winner Yuji Nagata on April 3 and Shinsuke Nakamura on May 3. In May 2011, Tanahashi took part in New Japan's first ever tour of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, during which he successfully defended the IWGP Heavyweight Championship against Charlie Haas
Charlie Haas
Charles "Charlie" Doyle Haas II is an American professional wrestler and former collegiate amateur wrestler. He competes on the independent circuit, and is signed to Ring of Honor , where he is one-half of the reigning ROH World Tag Team Champions with Shelton Benjamin...
on May 14 in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. After another title defense on June 18 against rival Hirooki Goto, Tanahashi was challenged by IWGP Tag Team Champion Giant Bernard. However, Tanahashi answered this with a challenge of his own, suggesting a match for the IWGP Tag Team Championship between Bad Intentions and himself and Goto. On July 3 Tanahashi and Goto failed in their attempt to capture the IWGP Tag Team Championship from Bad Intentions. On July 18 Tanahashi made his sixth successful defense of the IWGP Heavyweight Championship against Giant Bernard. In the following month's 2011 G1 Climax, Tanahashi led his block for the majority of the tournament, but an upset loss on the final day of the tournament against Tetsuya Naitō, caused him to narrowly miss advancing to the finals. On September 19, Tanahashi made his seventh successful IWGP Heavyweight Championship defense against G1 Climax winner Shinsuke Nakamura, despite losing a tooth during the match. On October 10, Tanahashi avenged his loss from the final day of the 2011 G1 Climax by defeating Tetsuya Naitō to make his eighth successful IWGP Heavyweight Championship defense. With Tanahashi now edging closer to Yuji Nagata's record of ten successful defenses, Nagata came out after the match to challenge him for the title. However, after Tanahashi had accepted the challenge, he was attacked by Toru Yano, who proceeded to steal his championship belt. In the 2011 G1 Climax Tag League, Tanahashi teamed with Hirooki Goto as "The Billion Powers". After picking up two wins and two losses in their first four matches in the group stage of the tournament, Tanahashi and Goto defeated the Beast Combination (Satoshi Kojima and Togi Makabe) on November 4 to advance to the semifinals of the tournament. On November 6, Tanahashi and Goto were eliminated from the tournament in the semifinals by Bad Intentions. On November 12, Tanahashi regained the IWGP Heavyweight Championship belt from Toru Yano by successfully defending the title against him, after which he was again challenged by Yuji Nagata.
Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (2005, 2010, 2011)
Tanahashi made his North AmericaNorth America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
n debut in September 2005 when he and Nakamura went to Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre
Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre
Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre is a Lucha Libre-style professional wrestling promotion based in Mexico City while running cards in Guadalajara, Puebla and elsewhere in central and southern Mexico...
in Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. There, they feuded with Los Guerreros del Infierno
Los Guerreros del Infierno
Los Guerreros del Infierno is a Lucha Libre stable based in Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre in Mexico that has existed since 2000...
and successfully defended their IWGP Tag Team Championship against Rey Bucanero
Rey Bucanero
Arturo García Ortiz is a Mexican professional wrestler currently working for Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre under the ring name Rey Bucanero . Outside of lucha libre, he has also worked in Japan for New Japan Pro Wrestling, Frontier Martial Arts Wrestling, Toryumon and Dragondoor...
and Olímpico
Olímpico
Joel Bernal Galicia , better known under the ring name Olímpico is a Mexican Luchador , or professional wrestler. Olímpico is sometimes Anglicised as "Olympico", and means "Olympian" in Spanish...
. Tanahasi returned to Mexico and CMLL in May 2010 to join La Ola Amarilla
La Ola Amarilla
La Ola Amarilla is a professional wrestling group, also known as a stable in Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre . The group is exclusively for Japanese-born wrestlers, often wrestlers touring CMLL through a talent-sharing agreement with New Japan Pro Wrestling...
(Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
for "the Yellow Wave") with fellow Japanese wrestlers Okumura
Shigeo Okumura
Shigeo Okumura is a Japanese professional wrestler who currently works for the Mexican professional wrestling promotion Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre and is currently billed simply as Okumura. Okumura originally worked for Tokyo Pro Wrestling and later on All Japan Pro Wrestling in Japan but...
, and Taichi
Taichi Ishikari
Maki Taichiro is a Japanese professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Taichi Ishikari or simply Taichi, currently performing in New Japan Pro Wrestling...
. On May 7, 2010 La Ola Amarilla defeated El Hijo del Fantasma, La Máscara
La Mascara (wrestler)
La Mascara is a Mexican professional wrestler active as a tecnico in Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre, where he is the current NWA World Historic Welterweight Champion. Also one of his uncle is Brazo de Plata. His cousins are Psycho Clown and Máximo. La Mascara is the son of Brazo de Oro, and the...
and Héctor Garza
Héctor Garza
Héctor Solano Segura is a Mexican professional wrestler, known by his ring name Héctor Garza, who is currently working for Asistencia Asesoría y Administración and Perros del Mal Producciones...
to win the CMLL World Trios Championship
CMLL World Trios Championship
The CMLL World Trios Championship is a professional wrestling championship promoted by Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre in Mexico. The title has existed since 1993 and is contested for by teams of three wrestlers...
in the main event of the weekly Friday night Super Viernes show. Ola Amarilla's reign as Trios champions only lasted two weeks as they were defeated by La Máscara, La Sombra
La Sombra (wrestler)
La Sombra is a Mexican luchador enmascarado . La Sombra's real real name is not a matter of public record, as is often the case with masked wrestlers in Mexico where their private lives are kept a secret from the wrestling fans...
and Máscara Dorada
Mascara Dorada
Máscara Dorada is a Mexican Luchador Enmascarado . Máscara Dorada's real name has not been officially documented, a tradition in Mexican Lucha Libre where masked wrestler's real names often are not a matter of public record...
on May 21, 2010. Following the show Tanahashi returned to Japan for the next tour of NJPW but intends to return to CMLL between tours of NJPW. In August 2011, Tanahashi returned to CMLL and, as the reigning IWGP Heavyweight Champion, was allowed to enter the promotion's annual tournament of champions to crown the Universal Champion
CMLL Universal Championship (2011)
Block BBlock B took place on September 9, 2011, and featured eight champions fighting for a place in the finals.FinalsThe finals of the tournament took place on September 16, 2011, and saw La Sombra defeat Averno two falls to one to become the 2011 Universal Champion....
. Tanahashi entered the tournament on September 9; after eliminating CMLL World Welterweight Champion
CMLL World Welterweight Championship
The CMLL World Welterweight Championship is a professional wrestling world championship in the Mexican wrestling promotion Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre . The official definition of a Welterweight in Mexico is a person between and but is not strictly adhered to these days...
Máscara Dorada in his first round match, Tanahashi himself was eliminated from the tournament in the second round by CMLL World Tag Team Champion
CMLL World Tag Team Championship
The CMLL World Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling championship promoted by Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre in Mexico for Tag teams only. The title was created in 1993 and is still promoted to this day...
Último Guerrero
Último Guerrero
Último Guerrero is a Mexican currently working for Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre , where he is also part of the booking committee and former CMLL World Heavyweight Championship...
.
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (2006, 2008)
He debuted in the United States with Total Nonstop Action WrestlingTotal Nonstop Action Wrestling
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling is a privately held professional wrestling promotion founded by Jeff Jarrett and Jerry Jarrett. The company broadcasts its events on television and the Internet fifty two weeks a year with over a million weekly viewers on its primary television program, Impact...
on January 14, 2006, at Final Resolution. He was defeated by A.J. Styles. He was also featured in a match against Roderick Strong
Roderick Strong
Chris Lindsey is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Roderick Strong. Strong currently competes in several independent promotions, most notably Ring of Honor , Full Impact Pro , and Pro Wrestling Guerrilla .He initially debuted as The Jester on the Floridian...
that was taped for TNA Xplosion
TNA Xplosion
TNA Xplosion is a television program produced by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , featuring both highlights from Impact Wrestling and exclusive taped matches. It is now produced only for international markets, no longer airing in the United States...
a few days later.
Tanahashi returned to TNA in 2008 for an excursion. On the October 30 episode of TNA Impact!
TNA iMPACT!
Impact Wrestling is a professional wrestling television program for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling that currently airs in the United States and Canada on Spike...
losing in a tag team match with Volador, Jr. against The Motor City Machineguns. After the match they were berated by Sheik Abdul Bashir
Shawn Daivari
Dara Daivari is an Iranian American professional wrestler, currently performing on the American independent circuit as Shawn Daivari. He is best known for his work with World Wrestling Entertainment as simply Daivari and with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling as Sheik Abdul Bashir.-Career:Daivari...
. On the November 6 episode of Impact! Tanahashi teamed with Volador again in a 4-way Ladder Match
Ladder match
A ladder match is a type of match in professional wrestling that is most commonly used to describe a match where an item is hung above the ring, and the winner is the contestant who climbs a ladder and retrieves the item...
for number 1 contendership for Beer Money's
Beer Money, Inc.
Beer Money, Inc. was a professional wrestling tag team consisting of Robert "Bobby" Roode and James Storm in the professional wrestling promotion Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , where they are former four-time TNA World Tag Team Champions, while also holding the record for the longest reign as...
TNA World Tag Team Championship
TNA World Tag Team Championship
The TNA World Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling world tag team championship owned by the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling promotion. It is primarily contested within TNA's tag team division. It was created and debuted on May 14, 2007 at the taping of TNA's primary television program,...
against Team 3D
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...
, Matt Morgan and Abyss
Chris Parks
Christopher J. "Chris" Parks , better known by his ring name "The Monster" Abyss, is an American professional wrestler currently working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
and The Latin American Xchange, which Matt Morgan and Abyss won. At Turning Point
Turning Point (2008)
Turning Point was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling promotion, which took place on November 9, 2008 at the TNA Impact! Zone in Orlando, Florida. It was the fourth event under the Turning Point chronology and first event under the name to...
, Tanahashi participated in a 10-man X Division
X Division
The X Division is a high-flying, high-risk, fast-paced style of professional wrestling seen originally in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling and since then in various NWA member promotions...
seeding match where he came fourth. Following the announcement of his IWGP Heavyweight title match against Mutoh, Tanahashi cancelled the rest of his TNA dates to return to New Japan Pro Wrestling full time.
In wrestling
- Finishing moves
- Bridging dragon suplex
- Cloverleaf
- Dragon sleeper, sometimes with a hammerlock
- High Fly Flow (Frog splash)
- Kinkasan Suplex (Bridging high–angle German suplex)
- Sling Blade (Spinning sleeper slam, sometimes from the top rope)
- Signature moves
- Dragon Rocket (Suicide dive)
- Dragon screw
- Enzuigiri
- Lightning Speed Cradle (Running inside cradle or an Irish whip followed into an inside cradle)
- Multiple suplexSuplexA suplex is an offensive move used in professional sport wrestling . The move consists of one wrestler picking up his or her opponent off the ground and then using a large portion of his or her own body weight to drive the opponent down on the mat. Nearly all suplexes have the attacker going down...
variations- Bridging / Release underhook
- Bridging / Release / Rolling Germans
- Straight jacket
- Shining wizard
- Snap swinging neckbreaker to a rope hung opponent
- Swinging falling reverse DDT
- NicknameNicknameA nickname is "a usually familiar or humorous but sometimes pointed or cruel name given to a person or place, as a supposedly appropriate replacement for or addition to the proper name.", or a name similar in origin and pronunciation from the original name....
s- "High Flying Star"
- "High Flying Ace"
- "Ace of the Universe"
- Entrance themesMusic in professional wrestlingMusic in professional wrestling serves a variety of purposes. The most common uses of music in professional wrestling is that of the entrance theme, a song or piece of instrumental music which plays as a performer approaches the ring...
- "Strange"
- "Do It Myself"
- "High Energy"
Championships and accomplishments
- Consejo Mundial de Lucha LibreConsejo Mundial de Lucha LibreConsejo Mundial de Lucha Libre is a Lucha Libre-style professional wrestling promotion based in Mexico City while running cards in Guadalajara, Puebla and elsewhere in central and southern Mexico...
- CMLL World Trios ChampionshipCMLL World Trios ChampionshipThe CMLL World Trios Championship is a professional wrestling championship promoted by Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre in Mexico. The title has existed since 1993 and is contested for by teams of three wrestlers...
(1 time) – with OkumuraShigeo OkumuraShigeo Okumura is a Japanese professional wrestler who currently works for the Mexican professional wrestling promotion Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre and is currently billed simply as Okumura. Okumura originally worked for Tokyo Pro Wrestling and later on All Japan Pro Wrestling in Japan but...
and TaichiTaichi IshikariMaki Taichiro is a Japanese professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Taichi Ishikari or simply Taichi, currently performing in New Japan Pro Wrestling...
- 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 Heavyweight Championship (5 times, current)
- IWGP Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Yutaka YoshieYutaka Yoshie, is a Japanese professional wrestler, currently working as a freelancer in Japan, performing for promotions such as All Japan Pro Wrestling, New Japan Pro Wrestling, Pro Wrestling Noah and Pro Wrestling Zero1...
(1) and Shinsuke NakamuraShinsuke Nakamurais a Japanese professional wrestler and mixed martial artist currently working for New Japan Pro Wrestling, where he is a former three-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion.-Super Rookie :...
(1) - IWGP U-30 ChampionshipIWGP U-30 ChampionshipThe IWGP U-30 Championship was a professional wrestling championship in New Japan Pro Wrestling for wrestlers under the age of 30. It was proposed as part of a tournament called the G2 U-30 Climax by Hiroshi Tanahashi, who ended up winning the tournament in April 2003. The U-30 Championship became...
(2 times) - G1 ClimaxG1 ClimaxThe G1 Climax professional wrestling tournament is a weeklong event held each August by the New Japan Pro Wrestling promotion. The G1 draws standing room only crowds each night, record receipt gates and generates front-page coverage on the sports sections of several of the daily newspapers in Tokyo...
(2007) - New Japan CupNew Japan CupThe New Japan Cup is an annual single-elimination professional wrestling tournament held by New Japan Pro Wrestling. Originally intended for every April, it was rescheduled to March in 2007. Though NJPW also runs the annual G1 Climax tournament, the NJC is different in that it is...
(2005, 2008) - IWGP Heavyweight Title Tournament (2007)
- U-30 One Night Tag Tournament (2004) – with Taiji IshimoriTaiji Ishimoriis a Japanese professional wrestler currently working for Pro Wrestling NOAH as well as making appearances for Asistencia Asesoría y Administración through a NOAH/AAA working relationship.-Professional wrestling career:...
- Heavyweight Tag MVP Award (2005) with Shinsuke Nakamura
- Fighting Spirit Award (2003)
- New Wave Award (2002)
- Outstanding Performance Award (2003, 2004)
- Singles Best Bout (2004) vs. Hiroyoshi TenzanHiroyoshi Tenzanis a Japanese professional wrestler who currently works for New Japan Pro Wrestling, and is better known by his ring name . With Satoshi Kojima, in 2008, they won the Real World Tag League in All Japan Pro Wrestling and the G1 Climax Tag League in NJPW becoming in the only tag team which has done...
on August 15 - Young Lion Award (2001)
- 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 #7 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2009
- Pro Wrestling NoahPro Wrestling Noahis a major Japanese professional wrestling promotion, founded in 2000 by former All Japan Pro Wrestling ace Mitsuharu Misawa. NOAH is broadcast weekly in Japan...
- GHC Tag Team ChampionshipGHC Tag Team ChampionshipThe Global Honored Crown Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling tag team title in Japanese promotion Pro Wrestling Noah. It was created on October 19, 2001, when Scorpio & Vader defeated Jun Akiyama & Akitoshi Saito in a tournament final...
(1 time) – with Yuji NagataYuji Nagatais a Japanese professional wrestler. He was known for his perennial tweener status, currently a solid fan favorite, and his stiff, shoot style wrestling technique....
- Tokyo Sports Grand Prix
- Fighting Spirit Award (2003, 2006)
- MVP Award (2009)
- Performance Award (2007)
Lucha de Apuesta record
| Wager | Winner | Loser | Location | Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mask | Hiroshi Tanahashi | Makai #2 | Osaka Osaka is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe... , Japan 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... |
Hair vs. Mask match | |
| Hair | Hiroshi Tanahashi | Toru Yano Toru Yano , is a Japanese professional wrestler, trained by and currently signed to New Japan Pro Wrestling , where he is a former IWGP Tag Team Champion.-New Japan Pro Wrestling :... |
Osaka Osaka is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe... , Japan 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... |