Mr. Gannosuke
Encyclopedia
is a Japanese professional wrestler better known as Mr. Gannosuke, who competed primarily for 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...

's 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...

 promotion. He also held the NWA World Tag Team Championship
NWA World Tag Team Championship
The National Wrestling Alliance World Tag Team Championship is the professional wrestling world tag team championship within the NWA framework.-History:...

.

Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling (1991–1995)

In 1987, he met Eiji Ezaki
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 :...

, while attending Kumamoto University
Kumamoto University
is a university located in Kumamoto, Japan. It was established on May 31, 1949, at which time the following institutions were subsumed into it; Kumamoto Teachers College , Kumamoto Pharmaceutical College , The Fifth High School , Kumamoto Medical College , and Kumamoto Technical College ....

. In February 1991, Ezaki and Honda joined the 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...

 (FMW) Dojo, where they were trained by Tarzan Goto
Tarzan Goto
, better known by his ring name , is a Japanese professional wrestler who has wrestled on the independent circuit most of his career. He is best known for his exploding steel cage matches againest Atsushi Onita and Pat Tanaka in Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling ....

. Honda made his debut for FMW in June 1991 against Akihito Ichihara. He and Ezaki wrestled as 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...

 and against each other on the cards, until Onita saw potential in Honda. Onita gave him the name Mr. Gannosuke, after actor Ashiya Gannosuke.

With a new name, Mr. Gannosuke moved up to the upper mid-card, with the occasional main event status. In main events, Gannosuke would team up with Atsushi Onita in numerous tag team death matches. In February 1995, Gannosuke won his first championship, 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 :...

 with Onita, defeating Mr. Pogo and 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...

. Their reign was short-lived, as they lost the belts two months later back to Mr. Pogo and his new partner, Yukihiro Kanemura. On April 23, 1995, however, Gannosuke, along with Tarzan Goto and Flying Kid Ichihara, announced that they were leaving FMW.

International Wrestling Association of Japan (1995–1996)

Upon his arrival in 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....

 in May 1995, Mr. Gannosuke was heavily pushed alongside Tarzan Goto and Flying Kid Ichihara as the top villains
Heel (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a heel is a villain character. In non-wrestling jargon, heels are the "bad guys" in professional wrestling; the term heel coming from the term take to you heels, which means to run away which heel champions tend to do to avoid losing their titles.storylines...

, as the stable, Shin-FMW. Gannosuke also aligned himself with Terry Gordy
Terry Gordy
Terry Ray 'Bam Bam' Gordy, Sr. was a professional wrestler who was best known in North America for being a member of the Fabulous Freebirds.-Career:...

.

In August 1995, Gannosuke took part in the IWA King Of The Deathmatch tournament, losing to Tiger Jeet Singh
Tiger Jeet Singh
Jagjit Singh Hans is a semi-retired professional wrestler, known better by his ring name Tiger Jeet Singh. He wrestled as a crazed heel, coming to the ring with a sword in his mouth . Singh wrestled in Japan for 22 years...

 in a Barbed Wire Chain Death match in the first round. Two months later, he teamed with Tarzan Goto to win the IWA World Tag Team Championship
IWA World Tag Team Championship
IWA World Tag Team Championship is a tag team titles being defending in the International Wrestling Association in Puerto Rico. It has been an active wrestling championship since January 6, 2000.-Title history:-References:*General...

, defeating 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...

 and Tracy Smothers
Tracy Smothers
Tracy Smothers is an American professional wrestler.-Early career:Tracy started his career in the Memphis promotion on Saturday morning TV. Steve Armstrong and Tracy Smothers started teaming as The Southern Boys in Florida Championship Wrestling in 1987 where they feuded with The New Breed...

. Another two months later, Gannosuke and Goto won their second set of tag team gold in the NWA World Tag Team Championship
NWA World Tag Team Championship
The National Wrestling Alliance World Tag Team Championship is the professional wrestling world tag team championship within the NWA framework.-History:...

, defeating Cactus Jack and Tiger Jeet Singh, despite having a bye to the finals. Despite holding two sets of tag team titles, IWA Japan lost tons of money and suspended operations. In October 1996, Shin-FMW left, forcing Gannosuke and Goto to vacate both the IWA and NWA World Tag Team titles, although they wrestled their last match for the promotion in November 1996.

Tokyo Pro Wrestling (1996–1997)

Mr. Gannosuke, along with Goto and Ichihara ended up in Tokyo Pro Wrestling, but by December 1996, it went out of business.

Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling (1997–2002)

In January 1997, Mr. Gannosuke and Ichihara returned to FMW, confronting Hayabusa, upset that Hayabusa did not leave FMW with him. They joined 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 stable. In February 1997, he wrestled his first match back, teaming with 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....

 to defeat Hayabusa 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...

. Gannosuke went on a vicious streak, defeating other wrestlers and calling them victories over Hayabusa. In April 1997, Hayabusa and Gannosuke finally wrestled one-on-one in a mask vs. hair match. Despite Hayabusa winning the match, Hayabusa did not want to cut Gannosuke's hair, instead he wanted to shake hands and be friends again. Instead, Gannosuke attacked him and ripped off his mask, before Jinsei Shinzaki
Jinsei Shinzaki
Kensuke Shinzaki is a Japanese professional wrestler, better known by his stage names Jinsei Shinzaki and Hakushi...

 made the save.

In August 1997, Gannosuke won the FMW 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...

 with Oya and The Gladiator, defeating Fuyuki-Gun (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,...

, 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...

) in a tournament final. Two weeks later, Gannosuke and Oya won the FMW Brass Knuckles Tag Team Championship, defeating W*ING Kanemura and Bad Boy Hido. By the end of the month, Gannosuke lost the 6-Man Tag Team title to Hayabusa, 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...

, and Koji Nakagawa. By October, Gannosuke had joined ZEN, led by Atsushi Onita. Within weeks, however, Gannosuke and Kanemura were arguing with Onita. In November 1997, Gannosuke and Kanemura won back the FMW Brass Knuckles Tag Team Championship that Onita and Kanemura vacated. In December 1997, Gannosuke, Kanemura, and Hido broke away from ZEN to form their own group, alongside Miss Mongol.

In January 1998, Gannosuke defeated Masato Tanaka to win the FMW Double Title. A day later, Gannosuke's group and Fuyuki-Gun merged to form Team No Respect, with Gannosuke as their leader. In March 1998, he and Kanemura lost the Brass Knuckles Tag Team title to Kodo Fuyuki and Bad Boy Hido. By the end of April 1998, Gannosuke lost the Double Title to Hayabusa. During the match, Gannosuke dislocated his knee, which required reconstructive surgery and to be out of action for six months. Kodo Fuyuki took over as leader of Team No Respect.

Gannosuke made his in-ring return in November 1998, defeating Tetsuhiro Kuroda. He won the Over The Top tournament, defeating Koji Nakagawa, Yukihiro Kanemura, Bad Boy Hido, and Hisakatsu Oya to become the number one contender to the Double title, now held by Kodo Fuyuki. Gannosuke formed Gannosuke's Outlaws with Hideki Hosaka and Super Leather. His title shot occurred in March 1999, losing to Fuyuki; it would be his final shot at the title.

In May 1999, Gannosuke rejoined Team No Respect, disbanding Gannosuke's Outlaws. He was given the FMW Independent Heavyweight Championship by Kodo Fuyuki, who was splitting the Double Title. He lostthe title in August 1999 to Masato Tanaka. Five days later, he challenged Hayabusa for the FMW Brass Knuckles Heavyweight Championship in Hayabusa's final match under the persona, which Gannosuke lost. Two days later, Hayabusa, now known as H, supposedly injured Gannosuke in a match, causing him to be out of action for a while. In September, a major swerve occurred when Gannosuke returned as "Hayabusa." Hayabusa and H were involved in a feud for much of 1999, which ended in November in a match, where Shawn Michaels
Shawn Michaels
Michael Shawn Hickenbottom , better known by his ring name Shawn Michaels, is an American television host and retired professional wrestler. He presents the Outdoor Channel show MacMillan River Adventures, and is currently signed to WWE, where he has served in an ambassadorial role since December...

 was the special referee. After the match, H and Gannosuke embraced. In December, H and Gannosuke won the WEW Tag Team Championship, defeating Tetsuhiro Kuroda and Hisakatsu Oya. In February 2000, H and Gannosuke lost the title to Kodo Fuyuki and Kyoko Inoue
Kyoko Inoue
is a Japanese female professional wrestler. She has held the WWWA World Heavyweight Championship three times, and is the first woman to win a men's title in Japan. She is also the founder of the joshi promotion NEO Japan...

. In May 2000, Gannosuke betrayed H and joined Shin-Fuyuki-Gun. Gannosuke, however, started to question Shoichi Arai
Shoichi Arai
Shoichi Arai was a Japanese professional wrestling promoter who ran Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling from 1995 until its demise in 2002...

 about FMW's direction. After clotheslining Arai, he was (kayfabe) fired. In November 2000, he lost to Tetsuhiro Kuroda, which caused him to (kayfabe) retire from wrestling (in reality, he was taking time off for the birth of his daughter).

In April 2001, Gannosuke made his full-fledged return, aligning himself with Tetsuhiro Kuroda in his feud with Hayabusa and The Great Sasuke, which culminated on May 5 in a Exploding Octagon Cage Death match, which he lost. In June 2001, he realigned with Kodo Fuyuki in his feud with Shoichi Arai and Hayabusa. In July 2001, Gannosuke, Fuyuki, and Kintaro Kanemura defeated Ricky Fuji, Hisakatsu Oya, and Flying Kid Ichihara to win the WEW 6-Man Tag Team Championship. Two months later, he and Mammoth Sasaki won the WEW Tag Team Championship, defeating GOEMON and Onryo. The same month, Gannosuke, Fuyuki, and Kanemura lost the 6-Man Tag Team title to Hayabusa, Kuroda, and GOEMON.

Tragedy struck in FMW in October 2001, as Gannosuke's closest friend and rival, Hayabusa, suffered a career-ending neck injury in a match against Mammoth Sasaki. In January 2002, Gannosuke injured both his ankles in a six-man tag team match, causing him to be out of action as well. With Hayabusa and Gannosuke out of action and millions of dollars in debt, FMW shut down in February 2002.

late career (2002–2008)

Between August 2002 and December 2008, Mr. Gannosuke wrestled for several promotions, including Wrestling Marvelous Future, Apache Pro Wrestling, Fuyuki Army, Pro Wrestling ZERO-ONE, 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 :...

, 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....

, Kings Road, Dradition, Ice Ribbon, DDT, and his own promotion. He wrestled his final match on December 27, 2008, teaming with Jinsei Shinzaki and Mammoth Sasaki to defeat Masato Tanaka, Kintaro Kanemura, and Tetsuhiro Kuroda when he pinned Kanemura.

Gannosuke now promotes shows under his own name about every four months and is a trainer for Emi Sakura's Ice Ribbon promotion. He also runs his bar called "NOV Bar" every night.

In wrestling

  • Finishing moves
  • Fire Thunder (Over the shoulder reverse piledriver)
  • Gannosuke Clutch – innovated
  • Nirvana Strangle (Full nelson camel clutch)

  • Signature moves
  • Northern Lights suplex, sometimes with a hammerlock
  • Over the shoulder belly to back piledriver, sometimes from the top rope
  • Powerbomb
    Powerbomb
    A powerbomb is a professional wrestling throw in which an opponent is lifted up and then slammed back-first down to the mat. The standard powerbomb sees an opponent first placed in a standing headscissors position...

    , sometimes while using only one shoulder
  • Sitout suplex slam
  • Swinging neckbreaker

  • Entrance themes
    Music in professional wrestling
    Music 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...

    • "Kishindoh"

Championships and accomplishments

  • 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 :...

  • AJPW All Asia Tag Team Championship
    AJPW All Asia Tag Team Championship
    The All Japan Pro Wrestling All Asia Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling tag team title in Japanese promotion All Japan Pro Wrestling . It was created on November 16, 1955 in the Japan Wrestling Association when King Kong Czaya & Tiger Jokinder defeated JWA founder Rikidōzan &...

     (1 time) – with Tetsuhiro Kuroda

  • Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling / World Entertainment 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...

  • 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 Independent Heavyweight Championship
    FMW Independent Heavyweight Championship
    -Title History:...

     (2 times)
  • 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 :...

     (3 times) – with 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), Hisakatsu Oya (1), and Yukihiro Kanemura
    Kouhiro Kanemura
    is a Zainichi-Korean professional wrestler, better known by the ring name . He is also known as W*ING Kanemura.He is best known for his death matches in Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling and Big Japan Pro Wrestling. He has also wrestled for Extreme Championship Wrestling...

     (1)
  • FMW 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...

     (2 times) – with 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...

     and Hisakatsu Oya (1), Yukihiro Kanemura
    Kouhiro Kanemura
    is a Zainichi-Korean professional wrestler, better known by the ring name . He is also known as W*ING Kanemura.He is best known for his death matches in Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling and Big Japan Pro Wrestling. He has also wrestled for Extreme Championship Wrestling...

     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)
  • WEW 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...

     (4 times) – with H
    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 :...

     (1), Mammoth Sasaki (2), and Tetsuhiro Kuroda (1)
  • WEW 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...

     (2 times) – with Kodo Fuyuki and Shinjuku Shark (1), Kodo Fuyuki and Kintaro Kanemura
    Kouhiro Kanemura
    is a Zainichi-Korean professional wrestler, better known by the ring name . He is also known as W*ING Kanemura.He is best known for his death matches in Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling and Big Japan Pro Wrestling. He has also wrestled for Extreme Championship Wrestling...

     (1)

  • 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....

  • IWA World Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Tarzan Goto
    Tarzan Goto
    , better known by his ring name , is a Japanese professional wrestler who has wrestled on the independent circuit most of his career. He is best known for his exploding steel cage matches againest Atsushi Onita and Pat Tanaka in Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling ....


  • National Wrestling Alliance
    National Wrestling Alliance
    The National Wrestling Alliance is a wrestling promotion company and sanctions various NWA championships in the United States. The NWA has been in operation since 1948...

  • NWA World Tag Team Championship
    NWA World Tag Team Championship
    The National Wrestling Alliance World Tag Team Championship is the professional wrestling world tag team championship within the NWA framework.-History:...

     (1 time) – with Tarzan Goto

External links

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