Kouhiro Kanemura
Encyclopedia
(born August 9, 1970) is a Zainichi-Korean professional wrestler
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...

, better known by the ring name
Ring name
A ring name is a stage name used by a professional wrestler, martial artist, or boxer. While some ring names may have a fictitious first name and surname, others may simply be a nickname, such as The Undertaker.-Wrestling:...

 . He is also known as W*ING Kanemura.

He is best known for his death matches in Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling
Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling
Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling was a Japanese professional wrestling promotion founded on July 28, 1989 by Atsushi Onita that specialized in hardcore wrestling involving weapons such as barbed wire and fire. They held their first show on October 6, 1989...

 and Big Japan Pro Wrestling
Big Japan Pro Wrestling
Big Japan Pro Wrestling is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion established in 1995. It is most famous for its deathmatch style contests.-History:...

. He has also wrestled for Extreme Championship Wrestling
Extreme Championship Wrestling
Extreme Championship Wrestling was a professional wrestling promotion that was founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1992 by Tod Gordon and closed when his successor, Paul Heyman, declared bankruptcy in April 2001...

. He currently wrestles as a freelancer.

Pioneer Senshi (1990-1991)

Yukihiro Kanemura made his debut in December 1990 for Pioneer Senshi
Pioneer Senshi
Pioneer Senshi was the first-ever independent promotion in Japanese wrestling history. It was established on November 11, 1988 by former AJPW wrestlers Ryuma Go, Apollo Sugawara and Masahiko Takasugi....

, against Akitoshi Saito
Akitoshi Saito
is a Japanese professional wrestler who currently works for Pro Wrestling Noah.-Before pro wrestling:Before pro wrestling, Akitoshi Saito was trained in karate by Masashi Aoyagi. Saito seconded Aoyagi in his matches against Atsushi Onita in Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling in 1989...

, who also debuted. Within months, Pioneer Senshi folded.

Wrestling International New Generations (1991-1994)

In September 1991, Kanemura made his debut for Wrestling International New Generations. Although he started on the undercard, he work his way up the ladder in W*ING. In December 1992, he won his very first championship, the WWC Caribbean Heavyweight Championship
WWC Caribbean Heavyweight Championship
The WWC Caribbean Heavyweight Championship is a secondary title contested for in the Puerto Rican professional wrestling promotion, the World Wrestling Council ....

, defeating Miguel Perez, Jr.
Miguel Pérez, Jr.
Miguel Perez, Jr. is a professional wrestler who competed as a member of the Los Boricuas stable led by Savio Vega from June 1997 to October 1998 in the World Wrestling Federation.-ECW and WWF:Pérez is the son of Miguel Pérez, Sr...



In March 1993, during a Smoky Mountain Wrestling
Smoky Mountain Wrestling
Smoky Mountain Wrestling was a professional wrestling promotion that held events in the Appalachian area of the United States from October 1991 to December 1995, when it was run by Jim Cornette...

 TV taping, Kanemura was attacked by Kevin Sullivan
Kevin Sullivan (wrestler)
Kevin Francis Sullivan is an American professional wrestler and booker, perhaps best known for his role in WCW as "The Taskmaster" and his leading of the "Dungeon of Doom".-Early career:...

. Sullivan bladed Kanemura's arm with a spike; the incident was censored on national television in America. In April 1993, he teamed up with Mitsuhiro Matsunaga to win the W*ING World Tag Team Championship, defeating Freddy Krueger and Leatherface.

In October 1993, he took part in a Scramble Fire Death Match, teaming up with Shoji Nakamaki against Jado
Shoji Akiyoshi
, better known by his ring name is a Japanese professional wrestler, best known for his work in New Japan Pro Wrestling with his tag team partner Gedo...

 and Gedo
Keiji Takayama
Keiji Takayama better known as Gedo , is a long time professional wrestler. He formed a long-lasting tag team with Jado...

. During the match, Jado powerbombed Kanemura into the fire, burning 75 percent of his skin tissue off his back and shoulder. In March 1994, W*ING folded.

International Wrestling Association of Japan (1994)

After W*ING folded, Kanemura joined the International Wrestling Association of Japan
International Wrestling Association of Japan
International Wrestling Association of Japan, more commonly known as IWA Japan, was a Japanese professional wrestling promotion operating from 1994 to 1996....

. While there, he feuded with Shoji Nakamaki in a series of chain matches, until a dispute with bookers caused Kanemura to quit in August 1994.

Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling (1994-2002)

Kanemura made his debut for Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling
Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling
Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling was a Japanese professional wrestling promotion founded on July 28, 1989 by Atsushi Onita that specialized in hardcore wrestling involving weapons such as barbed wire and fire. They held their first show on October 6, 1989...

 in September 1994, attacking Atsushi Onita
Atsushi Onita
Atsushi Onita is a Japanese former politician and active professional wrestler best known for his work in Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling...

, joining Mr. Pogo's group. Mitsuhiro Matsunaga would join Kanemura after a falling out with Onita, which was the genesis of the W*ING stable. In March 1995, he and Mr. Pogo won the FMW Brass Knuckles Tag Team Championship
FMW Brass Knuckles Tag Team Championship
The FMW Brass Knuckles Tag Team Championship was a tag team hardcore wrestling championship contested in Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling.-WWA World Martial Arts Tag Team Championship :-FMW Brass Knuckles Tag Team Championship :...

, defeating Mr. Gannosuke
Mr. Gannosuke
is a Japanese professional wrestler better known as Mr. Gannosuke, who competed primarily for Atsushi Onita's Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling promotion. He also held the NWA World Tag Team Championship.-Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling :...

 and Onita. They would hold the belts for two months, before losing the titles to Hisakatsu Oya
Hisakatsu Oya
Kenichi Oya is a semi-retired Japanese professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Hisakatsu Oya. Although he started out for New Japan Pro Wrestling, he is well-known for his stint in Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling....

 and Ricky Fuji
Ricky Fuji
is a Japanese professional wrestler, better known under his ring name .-Professional wrestling career:Morimura started training in the New Japan Pro Wrestling Dojo in 1984. He then left Japan in January 1987 for a training expedition in Canada, where he was trained in the Dungeon by Stu Hart and...

 at Kawasaki Stadium
Kawasaki Stadium
was a stadium in Kawasaki, Kanagawa, Japan. The stadium was opened in 1952 and had a capacity of 30,000 people.It was primarily used for baseball and was home of the Taiyo Whales until they moved to Yokohama in 1977 and became the Yokohama Taiyo Whales...

.

In May 1995, he changed his name to W*ING Kanemura. Kanemura would take part in the FMW Young Lions Tournament, where he made it to the finals, before losing to 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...

. In July 1995, Kanemura took part in another tournament, this time for the vacant FMW Brass Knuckles Heavyweight Championship
FMW Brass Knuckles Heavyweight Championship
The FMW World Brass Knuckles Heavyweight Championship was a premiere championship in the wrestling promotion Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling, or FMW....

. He lost every single match but one: a win over Masato Tanaka. By November 1995, Kanemura and his W*ING stable has established themselves to be a threat to FMW, led by Hayabusa
Eiji Ezaki
is a former Japanese professional wrestler better known as the masked Hayabusa , who worked primarily for Atsushi Onita's Frontier Martial Arts Wrestling promotion.-Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling :...

.

In May 1996, he replaced Mitsuhiro Matsunaga to wrestle Cactus Jack
Mick Foley
Michael Francis "Mick" Foley, Sr. is an American semi-retired professional wrestler, author, comedian, actor, voice actor and former color commentator. He has worked for many wrestling promotions, including WWE, WCW, ECW and TNA. He is often referred to as "The Hardcore Legend", a nickname he...

 at Kawasaki Stadium in a Caribbean Spider Net Glass Double Hell Death Match. Despite a valiant effort, he lost the match. In August 1996, Kanemura became the first FMW Indepdendent Heavyweight Champion
FMW Independent Heavyweight Championship
-Title History:...

, defeating Masato Tanaka in a tournament final. In December 1996, he lost the title to Brass Knuckles Heavyweight Champion The Gladiator
Mike Awesome
Michael Lee Alfonso , better known by his ring name Mike Awesome, was an American professional wrestler best known in America for his work in Extreme Championship Wrestling, World Championship Wrestling, and in World Wrestling Federation and also in Japan for his work with Frontier Martial-Arts...

 in a title unification match.

In 1997, he aligned with Masato Tanaka and Atsushi Onita to feud with Terry Funk
Terry Funk
Terrence "Terry" Funk is an American professional wrestler and actor known chiefly for the hardcore wrestling style he adopted in the latter part of his career that inspired many younger wrestlers, including Mick Foley...

's Funk Masters of Wrestling. After the feud died down, Kanemura challenged Onita to a death match, Onita's career vs. the W*ING stable. In September 1997, Kanemura and Onita fought in a Exploding Barbed Wire Bomb Cage Death Match, in which Kanemura lost, which in turn disbanded W*ING and he reverted back to his old name, Yukihiro Kanemura.

In October 1997, Kanemura and Onita stunned the world by joining forces in a stable called ZEN. Around this time, Kanemura teamed with Onita at first, then with Mr. Gannosuke, with whom he had a better chemistry with. In December 1997, Kanemura, Gannosuke, and Bad Boy Hido left ZEN by attacking Onita, until Koji Nakagawa made the save.

In January 1998, Kanemura's group and Fuyuki-Gun, led by Kodo Fuyuki
Hiromichi Fuyuki
was a Japanese professional wrestler and promoter who competed in All Japan Pro Wrestling, New Japan Pro Wrestling, Wrestle Association R and other Japanese and international promotions during the 1980s and 1990s as the leader of 6-man tag team Fuyuki-Gun with Gedo and Jado.He is best known,...

, merged to form Team No Respect, with Gannosuke as their leader. In March 1998, Kanemura took part of a tournament to determine the number one contender to the FMW Double Titles, held by Mr. Gannosuke; he defeated Koji Nakagawa in the quarterfinals, before losing to The Gladiator in the semifinals. In May 1998, Kanemura and Fuyuki would form a tag team called The New Footloose (Fuyuki and 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....

 were the original Footloose tag team in All Japan Pro Wrestling
All Japan Pro Wrestling
is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion established in 1972. All Japan Pro Wrestling still remains one of the most popular puroresu promotions still in operation.-The Giant Baba Era :...

).

In November 1998, Kanemura took part in another tournament to determine the number one contender for the FMW Double Titles, now held by Kodo Fuyuki; he defeated Hideki Hosaka in the first round, before losing to Mr. Gannosuke in the quarterfinals. In May 1999, he made his debut in the 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...

 in a six-man tag team match, in which he lost. Later that month, he was awarded the FMW Brass Knuckles Heavyweight title by Fuyuki, who was splitting the Double Titles. In August 1999, he lost the title to Hayabusa.

In September 1999, he changed his name to Kintaro Kanemura and was awarded the WEW Hardcore Championship; he would trade the title several times with Big Japan Pro Wrestling
Big Japan Pro Wrestling
Big Japan Pro Wrestling is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion established in 1995. It is most famous for its deathmatch style contests.-History:...

's Ryuji Yamakawa, until finally retiring the title in May 2001. In March 2000, he wrestled for Extreme Championship Wrestling
Extreme Championship Wrestling
Extreme Championship Wrestling was a professional wrestling promotion that was founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1992 by Tod Gordon and closed when his successor, Paul Heyman, declared bankruptcy in April 2001...

. In June 2000, Kanemura disbanded Team No Respect to join Kodo Fuyuki's Shin-Fuyuki-Gun. He would be involved in a comedy feud with Hisakatsu Oya and a violent feud with Masato Tanaka, until Tanaka was released from his contract in February 2001.

In August 2001, he defeated Hayabusa to win the WEW World Heavyweight Championship. Kanemura would reign as champion for five months, before losing the title to Kodo Fuyuki in January 2002. In February 2002, FMW folded, due to bankruptcy.

Freelance (2002-present)

After FMW's demise, Kanemura joined Fuyuki's World Enertainment Wrestling, which lasted until May 2004. In May 2003, he replaced Kodo Fuyuki, who died from cancer that March, to wrestle Shinya Hashimoto
Shinya Hashimoto
, was a Japanese professional wrestler. Along with Masahiro Chono and Keiji Mutoh, Hashimoto was dubbed one of the "Three Musketeers" that began competing in New Japan Pro Wrestling in the mid 1980s and dominated the promotion in the 1990s....

 in Exploding Barbed Wire Death Match; Kanemura gave it his all, before falling to the former IWGP Heavyweight Champion.

After WEW's demise, he started the Apache Pro Wrestling promotion, out of his stable, the Apache Army. Things were going well for Kanemura until 2008, when an incident cost him several bookings from other promotions.

Nowadays, Kanemura mainly wrestles for Shin-W*ING, XWF, and Shin-FMW.

Sexual harassment scandal

In January 2008, Kanemura arrived at a Big Japan Pro Wrestling show, drunk on sake. Backstage, Kanemura would go up to a young woman, who works for BJW, sending newsletter e-mails to fans. In front of all the wrestlers, Kanemura would grab a hold of her and began rubbing her vagina through her pants, while talking dirty to her in her ear. He would eventually let her go and would wrestle later that night.

In February 2008, the woman sent an e-mail, indicating the sexual harassment by Kanemura a month before. Mainstream news in Japan caught wind of the story. Two days later at a press conference, Kanemura apologized for his actions; but the damage was done: Kanemura's bookings were cancelled and he was expelled from Apache Pro Wrestling.

In March 2008, Kanemura settled out of court to prevent a sexual harassment trial. The settlement led Kanemura to apologize to the woman nine days later, and a reconciliation.

In wrestling

  • Finishing moves
    • Blast Yama Special (Senton)
    • One shoulder powerbomb

  • Signature moves
    • Diving double foot stomp
    • Moonsault
      Moonsault
      A moonsault, moonsault press, or back flip splash is a professional wrestling aerial technique. Much of its popularity in American wrestling is attributed to The Great Muta, despite it being used in North America by "Leaping" Lanny Poffo years before Muta came from Japan.In a standard moonsault,...

    • Punching combination
    • Spinning toe hold

Championships and accomplishments

  • Big Japan Pro Wrestling
    Big Japan Pro Wrestling
    Big Japan Pro Wrestling is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion established in 1995. It is most famous for its deathmatch style contests.-History:...

    • BJW Deathmatch Heavyweight Championship
      BJW Deathmatch Heavyweight Championship
      The BJW Deathmatch Heavyweight Championship is the top title contested for in the Japanese promotion Big Japan Pro Wrestling. As its name suggests, it is exclusively defended in deathmatches. It was first created in 1998 when The Great Pogo defeated Mitsuhiro Matsunaga in a tournament final...

       (1 time)

  • Dramatic Dream Team
    Dramatic Dream Team
    Dramatic Dream Team, better known by its initials DDT or its logo reading D2T, is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion founded in 1997 by Sanshiro Takagi...

    • DDT Ironman Heavymetalweight Championship (2 times)
    • KO-D Openweight Championship
      KO-D Openweight Championship
      The DDT KO-D Openweight Championship is the top singles title in the Japanese professional wrestling promotion Dramatic Dream Team. The title was established in 2000.-Title history:-List of reigns by length:As of , ....

       (1 time)

  • Fighting World of Japan Pro Wrestling
    Fighting World of Japan Pro Wrestling
    Fighting World of Japan Pro-Wrestling, frequently shortened to World Japan or WJ, and also known as "Riki Pro", was a professional wrestling promotion formed in Japan in 2003....

    • WMG Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Badboy Hido

  • Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling / World Entertainment Wrestling / Apache Army
    Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling
    Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling was a Japanese professional wrestling promotion founded on July 28, 1989 by Atsushi Onita that specialized in hardcore wrestling involving weapons such as barbed wire and fire. They held their first show on October 6, 1989...

    • FMW Brass Knuckles Heavyweight Championship
      FMW Brass Knuckles Heavyweight Championship
      The FMW World Brass Knuckles Heavyweight Championship was a premiere championship in the wrestling promotion Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling, or FMW....

       (1 time)
    • FMW Brass Knuckles Tag Team Championship
      FMW Brass Knuckles Tag Team Championship
      The FMW Brass Knuckles Tag Team Championship was a tag team hardcore wrestling championship contested in Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling.-WWA World Martial Arts Tag Team Championship :-FMW Brass Knuckles Tag Team Championship :...

       (4 times) – with Mr. Pogo
      Tetsuo Sekigawa
      Tetsuo Sekigawa is a Japanese professional wrestler who is very well known for his hardcore matches, competing in his most popular gimmick, Mr. Pogo.-Early years :...

       (1), Atsushi Onita
      Atsushi Onita
      Atsushi Onita is a Japanese former politician and active professional wrestler best known for his work in Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling...

       (1), Mr. Gannosuke
      Mr. Gannosuke
      is a Japanese professional wrestler better known as Mr. Gannosuke, who competed primarily for Atsushi Onita's Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling promotion. He also held the NWA World Tag Team Championship.-Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling :...

       (1), and Kodo Fuyuki (1)
    • FMW Independent Heavyweight Championship
      FMW Independent Heavyweight Championship
      -Title History:...

       (1 time)
    • FMW/WEW Hardcore Championship
      FMW/WEW Hardcore Championship
      The FMW/WEW Hardcore Championship was a hardcore wrestling championship contested in Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling.-Title History:...

       (3 times
      FMW/WEW Hardcore Championship
      The FMW/WEW Hardcore Championship was a hardcore wrestling championship contested in Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling.-Title History:...

      )
    • FMW/WEW World Street Fight 6-Man Tag Team Championship
      FMW World Street Fight 6-Man Tag Team Championship
      The FMW World Street Fight 6-Man Tag Team Championship was a championship in Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling. It was active from May 1996 until May 1999. The title was then abandoned, but it was replaced in July 1999 with the World Entertainment Wrestling Six-Man Tag Team Championship. The final...

       (3 times) – with Mr. Gannosuke and Jado
      Shoji Akiyoshi
      , better known by his ring name is a Japanese professional wrestler, best known for his work in New Japan Pro Wrestling with his tag team partner Gedo...

       (1), Kodo Fuyuki and Hido (1), and Kodo Fuyuki and Koji Nakagawa (1)
    • WEW World Heavyweight Championship (5 times, current)
    • WEW World Tag Team Championship
      WEW World Tag Team Championship
      The WEW World Tag Team Championship is a tag team professional wrestling championship formerly contested in the Japanese promotion Frontier Marital-Arts Wrestling and World Entertainment Wrestling and currently contested in Apache Army. *Note: The title is sometimes called the FMW/WEW World Tag...

       (1 time) – with Tetsuhiro Kuroda

  • Wrestling International New Generations
    • W*ING/WWC Caribbean Heavyweight Championship
      WWC Caribbean Heavyweight Championship
      The WWC Caribbean Heavyweight Championship is a secondary title contested for in the Puerto Rican professional wrestling promotion, the World Wrestling Council ....

       (1 time
      WWC Caribbean Heavyweight Championship
      The WWC Caribbean Heavyweight Championship is a secondary title contested for in the Puerto Rican professional wrestling promotion, the World Wrestling Council ....

      )
    • W*ING World Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Mitsuhiro Matsunaga

External links

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