Naoki Tanisaki
Encyclopedia
Naoki Tanisaki is a Japan
ese wrestler currently competing for Dragon Gate
, where he is currently one third of the Open the Triangle Gate Champions
.
. He joined up with Magnum Tokyo's Do FIXER stable and became Shingo Takagi
's rival. He was soon overshadowed by Shingo
and BxB Hulk
and showed signs of breaking into singles competition. He was recruited for CIMA
's Blood Generation stable and after showing heelish
mannerisms, he eventually turned on his Do FIXER stablemates and joined up with CIMA in 2006. The night that he joined, Blood Generation split into two separate factions known as the Muscle Outlaw'z
and CIMA's new version of the Blood Generation. Tanisaki joined up with Muscle Outlaw'z but soon had a losing streak against Jack Evans
and any other gaijin wrestler CIMA brought in. His contract was then terminated in July and he officially left in December.
roster, even though he continued to remain a freelance wrestler. He was out injured after his second match with the company, however. He joined up with Shuji Kondo
upon returning. Parts of his freelancing included forays into Pro Wrestling ZERO1-MAX
, Big Japan Pro Wrestling
and Kaientai Dojo
. In the latter, he joined the heel stable Omega. In 2008, he resigned from El Dorado.
, Masato Yoshino
, BxB Hulk
and m.c.KZ
in Doi & Yoshino's new faction WORLD-1.
On December 21, he fought Cyber Kong
in a Mask vs. Hair match, which he initially won after interference from Cyber Kongcito
backfired. Real Hazard (Kong's stable) came out to protest the result, but Cyber Kong said he would own up to the mask stipulation - except that it would be Kongcito's mask, not his. Kongcito was unmasked, beaten up, and kicked out of Real Hazard. Cyber Kong then demanded a restart, due to Kongcito's intrusion, and CIMA
came out, appointed the special referee, and agreed to let the match restart, since both Real Hazard and WORLD-1 had intruded in the match. Cyber Kong won, and Tanisaki lost his hair.
On August 30, 2009, he won his first title in his career when he defeated KAGETORA in a tournament final to win the vacant Open the Brave Gate Championship
. He successfully defended the title six times before dropping it to K-ness
on January 11, 2010.
On June 13, 2010 he started showing some heel tendencies during his match against Super Shisa
where he used a low blow to set up for his Implant finisher. Later during the main event he almost cost his fellow World-1 teammate Masato Yoshino a chance at becoming the number one contender for YAMATO
's Open The Dream Gate title by mistakenly hitting him with the Deep Drunkers signature Blue Box nearly costing him the match to Deep Drunkers leader Takuya Sugawara
. On June 20, 2010 he teamed up with Naruki Doi
and PAC to defeat the Warriors team of Genki Horiguchi
, CIMA
, Gamma to win the Open the Triangle Gate Championship
for the first time. During the final moments of the match he once again used a low blow as a set up for his Implant finisher further teasing a heel turn. However only 4 days later they were beaten in a rematch and lost the titles back to the former champions.
On August 5, 2010 he interfered in a match pitting his World-1 teammates Naruki Doi and Masato Yoshino against the Warriors team of CIMA and Gamma assisting them in gaining the victory without there consent and expressed anger towards them since no one from World-1 was in his corner for his dark match. On August 24, 2010 he accidentally cost his team the win against Deep Drunkers after a misfired Protein Powder attack struck PAC leading to their loss, he quickly apologized to his partners after they questioned what was wrong with him lately and told them everything was fine. On August 29, 2010 he competed in a tournament to crown a new Open The Brave Gate Champion after Masato Yoshino vacated the title but fell to his Deep Drunkers rival Kzy in the first round. On September 3, 2010 he along with Naruki Doi and BxB Hulk challenged for the Open The Triangle Gate Championship but fell short after he was pinned following Genki Horiguchi's Backslide From Heaven. The team then argued with one another and agreed to face off in a Three Way Match on October 3rd.
On September 17, 2010 following another loss Tanisaki finally snapped as he and his partner BxB Hulk argued over the loss only to be stopped by Dr. Muscle who then attacked BxB Hulk and gave him an Implant, he offered a handshake to Tanisaki only to be refused. Later on in the main event pitting his World-1 teammates Masato Yoshino and Naruki Doi against K-ness and Susumu Yokosuka
for the Open The Twin Gate Championship he attacked both Yoshino and Susumu giving both men an Implant but then laying Yokosuka over Yoshino costing them the titles. He further cemented his betrayal of World-1 by joining up with The Deep Drunkers Stable thus completing his heel turn. On October 3, 2010 he went on to win the Three Way Match between himself, Hulk, and Doi following interference from his new Deep Drunkers teammates as he eliminated both men and went so far as to mock them by saying their diamonds were probably made of glass, a knock on the World-1 logo. On October 13, 2010, the Deep Drunkers were forced to split up, after losing a match against World–1 (BxB Hulk, Masato Yoshino and Naruki Doi), but after the match Doi turned on his partners to form a new stable with Tanisaki, Yasushi Kanda
, Kzy and Takuya Sugawara. On October 25 Tanisaki, Kanda and Sugawara defeated CIMA
, Gamma and Genki Horiguchi to win the Open the Triangle Gate Championship. They would lose the title to CIMA, Dragon Kid
and Ricochet
on December 26, 2010. On January 14, 2011, Team Doi aligned themselves with the Warriors stable, who turned heel in the process. On January 18 the new group was named Blood Warriors. On July 17, Tanisaki attacked Open the Brave Gate Champion and member of rival group Junction Three, PAC, and stole his championship belt. Tanisaki then announced that since PAC was heading home to England for the next month, he would defend the championship in his place. Blood Warriors named the title the "Blood Warriors Authorized Open the Brave Gate Championship" with Tanisaki defending it in matches, where he only needed to score two counts to win them. On September 2, Tanisaki, Kzy and Naruki Doi defeated Gamma, Masato Yoshino and YAMATO to win the Open the Triangle Gate Championship. On September 16, the returning PAC defeated Tanisaki to regain possession of the Open the Brave Gate Championship.
1Championship not recognized by Dragon Gate.
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...
ese wrestler currently competing for Dragon Gate
Dragon Gate
is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion formerly known as Toryumon Japan. Most of Dragon Gate's wrestlers are graduates from Último Dragón's Toryumon Gym, and thus the promotion is based on a Junior Heavyweight style with varying emphasis on high flying maneuvers, flashy technical grappling,...
, where he is currently one third of the Open the Triangle Gate Champions
Dragon Gate Open the Triangle Gate Championship
The Open the Triangle Gate Championship is a professional wrestling trios title in Japanese promotion Dragon Gate. It was created on November 7, 2004 when The Italian Connection faction of Milano Collection AT, Anthony W. Mori & YOSSINO defeated Aagan Iisou's Shuji Kondo, Takuya Sugawara &...
.
Toryumon/Dragon Gate (2002–2006)
Originally from the Toryumon X promotion, Tanisaki soon made the jump to Dragon GateDragon Gate
is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion formerly known as Toryumon Japan. Most of Dragon Gate's wrestlers are graduates from Último Dragón's Toryumon Gym, and thus the promotion is based on a Junior Heavyweight style with varying emphasis on high flying maneuvers, flashy technical grappling,...
. He joined up with Magnum Tokyo's Do FIXER stable and became Shingo Takagi
Shingo Takagi
Shingo Takagi is a former Japanese bodybuilder, turned professional wrestler. Shingo is currently competing for the Japanese promotion Dragon Gate and American promotion Dragon Gate USA...
's rival. He was soon overshadowed by Shingo
Shingo Takagi
Shingo Takagi is a former Japanese bodybuilder, turned professional wrestler. Shingo is currently competing for the Japanese promotion Dragon Gate and American promotion Dragon Gate USA...
and BxB Hulk
BxB Hulk
, better known by his ring name BxB Hulk , is a Japanese professional wrestler, currently working for Dragon Gate, where he is currently one half of the Open the Twin Gate Champions, and Dragon Gate USA.-Professional wrestling career:...
and showed signs of breaking into singles competition. He was recruited for CIMA
Nobuhiko Oshima
, better known by his ring name Cima , is a Japanese professional wrestler who currently wrestles for Dragon Gate and its international expansion Dragon Gate USA...
's Blood Generation stable and after showing heelish
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...
mannerisms, he eventually turned on his Do FIXER stablemates and joined up with CIMA in 2006. The night that he joined, Blood Generation split into two separate factions known as the Muscle Outlaw'z
Muscle Outlaw'z
Muscle Outlaw'z, or MO'z for short, were a professional wrestling stable in the Japanese promotion Dragon Gate, formed on April 23, 2006. It was founded by former Blood Generation members Naruki Doi, Masato Yoshino, Naoki Tanisaki, and Gamma, intending to compete with CIMA's faction...
and CIMA's new version of the Blood Generation. Tanisaki joined up with Muscle Outlaw'z but soon had a losing streak against Jack Evans
Jack Evans
Jack Edward Miller is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Jack Evans. He currently performs for the Mexican-based promotion Asistencia Asesoría y Administración, where he is the current World Cruiserweight Champion and a former World Tag Team Champion. He is the cousin...
and any other gaijin wrestler CIMA brought in. His contract was then terminated in July and he officially left in December.
Independent circuit (2006–2008)
Tanisaki quickly joined the El Dorado WrestlingEl Dorado Wrestling
El Dorado was a Japanese professional wrestling promotion that was seen as the evolution of dragondoor. Most of El Dorado's wrestlers were graduates from Ultimo Dragon's Toryumon Gym, and thus the promotion was based on a Junior Heavyweight style with varying emphasis on high flying maneuvers,...
roster, even though he continued to remain a freelance wrestler. He was out injured after his second match with the company, however. He joined up with Shuji Kondo
Shuji Kondo
is a Japanese professional wrestler who currently works for All Japan Pro Wrestling. Prior to becoming a pro wrestler, he played rugby.-Toryumon/Dragon Gate:Kondo was part of the T2P class in Toryumon. At first he was a face in the Toryumon Seikegun....
upon returning. Parts of his freelancing included forays into Pro Wrestling ZERO1-MAX
Pro Wrestling ZERO1-MAX
Pro Wrestling Zero1 , formerly known as Pro Wrestling Zero-One and Pro Wrestling Zero1-Max, is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion founded in 2001. It was affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance from 2001 until late 2004 and again from 2011 onwards...
, 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:...
and Kaientai Dojo
Kaientai Dojo
Kaientai Dojo is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion and training facility owned and promoted by Taka Michinoku....
. In the latter, he joined the heel stable Omega. In 2008, he resigned from El Dorado.
Dragon Gate (2008–present)
Tanisaki once again signed with Dragon Gate six days after announcing he was becoming freelance again, as a result of being sacrificed to the newly arriving Magnitude Kishiwada just like in 2005. He signed an open contract, in which he competes on all Dragon Gate shows but is also free to compete elsewhere. Tozawa-juku offered him membership into their stable, but he ended up joining Naruki DoiNaruki Doi
is a Japanese wrestler for Dragon Gate, where he is currently one third of the Open the Triangle Gate Champions. He also wrestled for Ring of Honor, where he is a former World Tag Team Champion with Shingo Takagi, as well as Total Nonstop Action Wrestling....
, Masato Yoshino
Masato Yoshino
Masato Yoshino is a Japanese professional wrestler, currently working for the Dragon Gate wrestling promotion.-Toryumon:...
, BxB Hulk
BxB Hulk
, better known by his ring name BxB Hulk , is a Japanese professional wrestler, currently working for Dragon Gate, where he is currently one half of the Open the Twin Gate Champions, and Dragon Gate USA.-Professional wrestling career:...
and m.c.KZ
M.c.KZ
Kzy is a Japanese wrestler for Dragon Gate, where he is a member of the Blood Warriors stable and currently one third of the Open the Triangle Gate Champions.-Career:...
in Doi & Yoshino's new faction WORLD-1.
On December 21, he fought Cyber Kong
Cyber Kong
Takashi Yoshida is a Japanese wrestler better known by his ring name, Cyber Kong. He currently wrestles for Dragon Gate.-Biography:...
in a Mask vs. Hair match, which he initially won after interference from Cyber Kongcito
Yuki Ono
is an Japanese wrestler who most notably worked for Dragon Gate.-Dragon Gate:He is the 4th graduate from the Dragon Gate dojo. He debuted in October 2005 against Don Fujii. After losing the match he was renamed Katsuo by Fujii....
backfired. Real Hazard (Kong's stable) came out to protest the result, but Cyber Kong said he would own up to the mask stipulation - except that it would be Kongcito's mask, not his. Kongcito was unmasked, beaten up, and kicked out of Real Hazard. Cyber Kong then demanded a restart, due to Kongcito's intrusion, and CIMA
Nobuhiko Oshima
, better known by his ring name Cima , is a Japanese professional wrestler who currently wrestles for Dragon Gate and its international expansion Dragon Gate USA...
came out, appointed the special referee, and agreed to let the match restart, since both Real Hazard and WORLD-1 had intruded in the match. Cyber Kong won, and Tanisaki lost his hair.
On August 30, 2009, he won his first title in his career when he defeated KAGETORA in a tournament final to win the vacant Open the Brave Gate Championship
Dragon Gate Open the Brave Gate Championship
The Open the Brave Gate Championship is a professional wrestling title in Japanese promotion Dragon Gate; it has a weight limit of , though it has been defended against heavier wrestlers in the past. It can be considered the secondary singles title in Dragon Gate and is more of a light heavyweight...
. He successfully defended the title six times before dropping it to K-ness
Makoto Saito (wrestler)
Makoto Saito, better known by his stage name K-ness is a Japanese professional wrestler for Dragon Gate.-Early years:...
on January 11, 2010.
On June 13, 2010 he started showing some heel tendencies during his match against Super Shisa
Super Shisa
Yoshiyuki Saito is a Japanese professional wrestler best known by his ring name Super Shisa, currently wrestling for Dragon Gate. His gimmick is inspired by the Ryukyuan Shisa...
where he used a low blow to set up for his Implant finisher. Later during the main event he almost cost his fellow World-1 teammate Masato Yoshino a chance at becoming the number one contender for YAMATO
Masato Onodera
is a Japanese professional wrestler and former mixed martial artist, known by his ring name Yamato , who competes for Dragon Gate and its international expansion Dragon Gate USA.-Dragon Gate:...
's Open The Dream Gate title by mistakenly hitting him with the Deep Drunkers signature Blue Box nearly costing him the match to Deep Drunkers leader Takuya Sugawara
Takuya Sugawara
is a Japanese professional wrestler, currently wrestling for Pro Wrestling ZERO1-MAX and Dragon Gate.-Toryumon/Dragon Gate:He debuted in the 9th term of T2P as Henry III Sugawara, a Prince character. He joined with and eventually with Anthony W. Mori and Phillip J. Fukumasa, forming the Royal...
. On June 20, 2010 he teamed up with Naruki Doi
Naruki Doi
is a Japanese wrestler for Dragon Gate, where he is currently one third of the Open the Triangle Gate Champions. He also wrestled for Ring of Honor, where he is a former World Tag Team Champion with Shingo Takagi, as well as Total Nonstop Action Wrestling....
and PAC to defeat the Warriors team of Genki Horiguchi
Genki Horiguchi
, is a Japanese professional wrestler. He is currently a full time wrestler and booker for Dragon Gate, where he is currently a member of the Blood Warriors stable. He has also competed in Wrestling Society X and Ring of Honor....
, CIMA
Nobuhiko Oshima
, better known by his ring name Cima , is a Japanese professional wrestler who currently wrestles for Dragon Gate and its international expansion Dragon Gate USA...
, Gamma to win the Open the Triangle Gate Championship
Dragon Gate Open the Triangle Gate Championship
The Open the Triangle Gate Championship is a professional wrestling trios title in Japanese promotion Dragon Gate. It was created on November 7, 2004 when The Italian Connection faction of Milano Collection AT, Anthony W. Mori & YOSSINO defeated Aagan Iisou's Shuji Kondo, Takuya Sugawara &...
for the first time. During the final moments of the match he once again used a low blow as a set up for his Implant finisher further teasing a heel turn. However only 4 days later they were beaten in a rematch and lost the titles back to the former champions.
On August 5, 2010 he interfered in a match pitting his World-1 teammates Naruki Doi and Masato Yoshino against the Warriors team of CIMA and Gamma assisting them in gaining the victory without there consent and expressed anger towards them since no one from World-1 was in his corner for his dark match. On August 24, 2010 he accidentally cost his team the win against Deep Drunkers after a misfired Protein Powder attack struck PAC leading to their loss, he quickly apologized to his partners after they questioned what was wrong with him lately and told them everything was fine. On August 29, 2010 he competed in a tournament to crown a new Open The Brave Gate Champion after Masato Yoshino vacated the title but fell to his Deep Drunkers rival Kzy in the first round. On September 3, 2010 he along with Naruki Doi and BxB Hulk challenged for the Open The Triangle Gate Championship but fell short after he was pinned following Genki Horiguchi's Backslide From Heaven. The team then argued with one another and agreed to face off in a Three Way Match on October 3rd.
On September 17, 2010 following another loss Tanisaki finally snapped as he and his partner BxB Hulk argued over the loss only to be stopped by Dr. Muscle who then attacked BxB Hulk and gave him an Implant, he offered a handshake to Tanisaki only to be refused. Later on in the main event pitting his World-1 teammates Masato Yoshino and Naruki Doi against K-ness and Susumu Yokosuka
Susumu Mochizuki
Susumu Mochizuki , better known by his ring name Susumu Yokosuka is a Japanese professional wrestler currently performing for the Dragon Gate professional wrestling promotion...
for the Open The Twin Gate Championship he attacked both Yoshino and Susumu giving both men an Implant but then laying Yokosuka over Yoshino costing them the titles. He further cemented his betrayal of World-1 by joining up with The Deep Drunkers Stable thus completing his heel turn. On October 3, 2010 he went on to win the Three Way Match between himself, Hulk, and Doi following interference from his new Deep Drunkers teammates as he eliminated both men and went so far as to mock them by saying their diamonds were probably made of glass, a knock on the World-1 logo. On October 13, 2010, the Deep Drunkers were forced to split up, after losing a match against World–1 (BxB Hulk, Masato Yoshino and Naruki Doi), but after the match Doi turned on his partners to form a new stable with Tanisaki, Yasushi Kanda
Yasushi Kanda
Hiroyuki Kanda, better known as Yasushi Kanda, born on August 29, 1978 in Inage-ku, Chiba, Japan, is a Japanese wrestler currently performing for the Dragon Gate wrestling promotion in Japan. He is considered one of Toryumon's greatest heel characters, and was a founding member of the M2K stable...
, Kzy and Takuya Sugawara. On October 25 Tanisaki, Kanda and Sugawara defeated CIMA
Nobuhiko Oshima
, better known by his ring name Cima , is a Japanese professional wrestler who currently wrestles for Dragon Gate and its international expansion Dragon Gate USA...
, Gamma and Genki Horiguchi to win the Open the Triangle Gate Championship. They would lose the title to CIMA, Dragon Kid
Dragon Kid
Dragon Kid is a Japanese professional wrestler who wrestles for Dragon Gate.-Professional wrestling career:...
and Ricochet
Ricochet (wrestler)
Trevor Mann is an American professional wrestler better known by the ring name Ricochet. He currently performs mainly for the American promotion Dragon Gate USA and its parent promotion, Japanese Dragon Gate. In both promotions he is a member of the Blood Warriors stable...
on December 26, 2010. On January 14, 2011, Team Doi aligned themselves with the Warriors stable, who turned heel in the process. On January 18 the new group was named Blood Warriors. On July 17, Tanisaki attacked Open the Brave Gate Champion and member of rival group Junction Three, PAC, and stole his championship belt. Tanisaki then announced that since PAC was heading home to England for the next month, he would defend the championship in his place. Blood Warriors named the title the "Blood Warriors Authorized Open the Brave Gate Championship" with Tanisaki defending it in matches, where he only needed to score two counts to win them. On September 2, Tanisaki, Kzy and Naruki Doi defeated Gamma, Masato Yoshino and YAMATO to win the Open the Triangle Gate Championship. On September 16, the returning PAC defeated Tanisaki to regain possession of the Open the Brave Gate Championship.
In wrestling
- Finishing moves
- Casanova (Running knee strike to a seated opponent's face)
- Implant (Cradle back to belly piledriver)
- Signature moves
- Biting Dog (Arm trap guillotine choke)
- Cross–legged fisherman buster
- DH – Dashing Hizagiri (Running jumping knee strike to an opponent's face)
- FH – Flying Hizagiri (Running step-up knee strike to a cornered opponent's face)
Championships and accomplishments
- Dragon GateDragon Gateis a Japanese professional wrestling promotion formerly known as Toryumon Japan. Most of Dragon Gate's wrestlers are graduates from Último Dragón's Toryumon Gym, and thus the promotion is based on a Junior Heavyweight style with varying emphasis on high flying maneuvers, flashy technical grappling,...
- Dragon Gate Open the Brave Gate ChampionshipDragon Gate Open the Brave Gate ChampionshipThe Open the Brave Gate Championship is a professional wrestling title in Japanese promotion Dragon Gate; it has a weight limit of , though it has been defended against heavier wrestlers in the past. It can be considered the secondary singles title in Dragon Gate and is more of a light heavyweight...
(1 time) - Dragon Gate Open the Triangle Gate ChampionshipDragon Gate Open the Triangle Gate ChampionshipThe Open the Triangle Gate Championship is a professional wrestling trios title in Japanese promotion Dragon Gate. It was created on November 7, 2004 when The Italian Connection faction of Milano Collection AT, Anthony W. Mori & YOSSINO defeated Aagan Iisou's Shuji Kondo, Takuya Sugawara &...
(3 times, current) with Naruki DoiNaruki Doiis a Japanese wrestler for Dragon Gate, where he is currently one third of the Open the Triangle Gate Champions. He also wrestled for Ring of Honor, where he is a former World Tag Team Champion with Shingo Takagi, as well as Total Nonstop Action Wrestling....
and PAC (1), Yasushi KandaYasushi KandaHiroyuki Kanda, better known as Yasushi Kanda, born on August 29, 1978 in Inage-ku, Chiba, Japan, is a Japanese wrestler currently performing for the Dragon Gate wrestling promotion in Japan. He is considered one of Toryumon's greatest heel characters, and was a founding member of the M2K stable...
and Takuya SugawaraTakuya Sugawarais a Japanese professional wrestler, currently wrestling for Pro Wrestling ZERO1-MAX and Dragon Gate.-Toryumon/Dragon Gate:He debuted in the 9th term of T2P as Henry III Sugawara, a Prince character. He joined with and eventually with Anthony W. Mori and Phillip J. Fukumasa, forming the Royal...
(1), and KzyM.c.KZKzy is a Japanese wrestler for Dragon Gate, where he is a member of the Blood Warriors stable and currently one third of the Open the Triangle Gate Champions.-Career:...
and Naruki DoiNaruki Doiis a Japanese wrestler for Dragon Gate, where he is currently one third of the Open the Triangle Gate Champions. He also wrestled for Ring of Honor, where he is a former World Tag Team Champion with Shingo Takagi, as well as Total Nonstop Action Wrestling....
(1, current) - Blood Warriors Authorized Open the Brave Gate ChampionshipDragon Gate Open the Brave Gate ChampionshipThe Open the Brave Gate Championship is a professional wrestling title in Japanese promotion Dragon Gate; it has a weight limit of , though it has been defended against heavier wrestlers in the past. It can be considered the secondary singles title in Dragon Gate and is more of a light heavyweight...
(1 time)1
1Championship not recognized by Dragon Gate.