Takao Omori
Encyclopedia
is a Japan
ese semi-retired professional wrestler
, currently competing for New Japan Pro Wrestling
. He has formerly competed in All Japan Pro Wrestling
, Pro Wrestling Noah
and Pro Wrestling Zero1.
, initially languishing in the mid-card and only able to get some recognition in 1995, when he and Jun Akiyama
captured the AJPW All Asia Tag Team Championship
. His first American venture was in the World Wrestling Federation
, where he competed in the 1996 Royal Rumble
, before being eliminated by the returning Jake Roberts
. In 1998, he and newcomer Yoshihiro Takayama
formed the NO FEAR
tag team
. The team soon won both the AJPW All Asia Tag Team Championship and the AJPW Double Cup Tag Team Championship, becoming the first team to win both titles at the same time. When Mitsuharu Misawa
formed Pro Wrestling Noah
, they followed him and dyed their hair blond to match the change of environment.
in the middle of their singles match at Noah's Great Voyage 2000 event, which was the company's most important event up to that point. Because of this, Ōmori was immediately in Misawa's doghouse, and after the NO FEAR team broke up (so Takayama could pursue mixed martial arts
matches) Ōmori was sent abroad to Harley Race
's World League Wrestling promotion
in the American Midwest, where he won the company's heavyweight title. During his excursion, Misawa continued to deny that Ōmori had been sent abroad by Noah, and Ōmori was not welcomed back to Noah when he returned from the excursion. As a result, Ōmori joined Fighting World of Japan Pro Wrestling
, where he feud
ed with Riki Chōshū
, Genichiro Tenryu
and Kensuke Sasaki
.
, where he remains one of the strong native competitors along with (fellow Hamaguchi Dojo classmate) Shinjiro Otani. He has feuded with old team mate Yoshihiro Takayama, resulting in many bloody battles and disqualifications. On March 8, 2007, he and Manabu Nakanishi
lost the ZERO1-MAX Intercontinental Tag Team Championship to Yoshihiro Takayama and Kohei Sato. On March 31, 2007, he defeated Steve Corino
for the AWA Superstars of Wrestling World Heavyweight Championship, becoming a three-time champion. Nearly seven months to the day Ōmori won the AWA World Heavyweight championship, he would lose the title to Masato Tanaka
. On August 16, 2008 Ōmori announced that he was leaving ZERO1-MAX and taking a break from pro wrestling.
show on March 15, 2009 to revive his team with Manabu Nakanishi. He also participated in the 2009 G1 Climax, pulling off two impressive victories in his first two matches by defeating both IWGP Heavyweight Champion Hiroshi Tanahashi
and eventual tournament winner Togi Makabe
. In January 2010 Omori announced his semi-retirement.
1Although the title still uses the NWA initials, it is not recognized or sanctioned by the National Wrestling Alliance
since the promotion withdrew from the NWA in 2004.
2This title shouldn't be confused with the NWA United National Championship
, a defunct NWA singles championship that is currently one of the three championships used to comprise the AJPW Triple Crown Championship
.
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 semi-retired 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...
, currently competing 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...
. He has formerly competed 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 :...
, 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...
and Pro Wrestling Zero1.
All Japan Pro Wrestling (1992-2000)
After being trained by Animal Hamaguchi, Ōmori debuted in All Japan Pro WrestlingAll 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 :...
, initially languishing in the mid-card and only able to get some recognition in 1995, when he and Jun Akiyama
Jun Akiyama
is a Japanese professional wrestler who currently works for Pro Wrestling Noah and All Japan Pro Wrestling, where he is the current AJPW Triple Crown Heavyweight Champion. Akiyama is known for his serious style and outstanding, time-tested work as a tag team wrestler...
captured the 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 &...
. His first American venture was in the World Wrestling Federation
World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
, where he competed in the 1996 Royal Rumble
Royal Rumble (1996)
Royal Rumble was the ninth annual Royal Rumble professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It took place on January 21, 1996 at the Selland Arena in Fresno, California....
, before being eliminated by the returning Jake Roberts
Jake Roberts
Aurelian Jake Smith, Jr. is a second-generation American professional wrestler, the son of former wrestler Aurelian "Grizzly" Smith...
. In 1998, he and newcomer Yoshihiro Takayama
Yoshihiro Takayama
is a Japanese professional wrestler and mixed martial artist. Takayama is well known for his ability to endure massive amounts of punishment, especially after his fight at PRIDE 21 against Don Frye...
formed the NO FEAR
No Fear (professional wrestling)
No Fear was a professional wrestling tag team that consisted of Takao Omori and Yoshihiro Takayama. During their history, the team competed in All Japan Pro Wrestling and Pro Wrestling Noah.-All Japan Pro Wrestling :...
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...
. The team soon won both the AJPW All Asia Tag Team Championship and the AJPW Double Cup Tag Team Championship, becoming the first team to win both titles at the same time. When Mitsuharu Misawa
Mitsuharu Misawa
was a Japanese professional wrestler. He made his professional debut on August 21, 1981 for All Japan Pro Wrestling . From 1984 until 1990, Misawa wrestled as the second generation Tiger Mask, as All Japan Pro Wrestling had purchased the rights of the Tiger Mask gimmick from New Japan Pro Wrestling...
formed 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...
, they followed him and dyed their hair blond to match the change of environment.
Pro Wrestling Noah, Excursion, and World Japan (2000-2004)
For an undisclosed reason, Ōmori called for an early ending to his singles bout with Shinya HashimotoShinya 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 the middle of their singles match at Noah's Great Voyage 2000 event, which was the company's most important event up to that point. Because of this, Ōmori was immediately in Misawa's doghouse, and after the NO FEAR team broke up (so Takayama could pursue mixed martial arts
Mixed martial arts
Mixed Martial Arts is a full contact combat sport that allows the use of both striking and grappling techniques, both standing and on the ground, including boxing, wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, muay Thai, kickboxing, karate, judo and other styles. The roots of modern mixed martial arts can be...
matches) Ōmori was sent abroad to Harley Race
Harley Race
Harley Leland Race is a retired American professional wrestler and current promoter and trainer. During his career as a wrestler, he held the NWA World Heavyweight Championship 7 times...
's World League Wrestling promotion
Professional wrestling promotion
A professional wrestling promotion is a company or business that regularly performs shows involving professional wrestling. Promotion also describes a role which entails management, advertising and logistics of running a wrestling event...
in the American Midwest, where he won the company's heavyweight title. During his excursion, Misawa continued to deny that Ōmori had been sent abroad by Noah, and Ōmori was not welcomed back to Noah when he returned from the excursion. As a result, Ōmori joined 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....
, where he feud
Feud (professional wrestling)
A professional wrestling feud is a staged rivalry between multiple wrestlers or alliances of wrestlers. They are integrated into ongoing storylines, particularly in events which are televised...
ed with Riki Chōshū
Riki Choshu
Mitsuo Yoshida , better known by his stage name Riki Chōshū , is a Korean-Japanese professional wrestler who is most known for his longtime work in New Japan Pro Wrestling as a wrestler and a booker...
, Genichiro Tenryu
Genichiro Tenryu
Genichiro Tenryu , real name Genichiro Shimada , is a Japanese professional wrestler. At age 13, he entered sumo wrestling and stayed there for 13 years, after which he turned to Western-style professional wrestling...
and 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...
.
Pro Wrestling ZERO-ONE (2004-2008)
In 2004, he joined Pro Wrestling ZERO1-MAXPro 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...
, where he remains one of the strong native competitors along with (fellow Hamaguchi Dojo classmate) Shinjiro Otani. He has feuded with old team mate Yoshihiro Takayama, resulting in many bloody battles and disqualifications. On March 8, 2007, he and 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:...
lost the ZERO1-MAX Intercontinental Tag Team Championship to Yoshihiro Takayama and Kohei Sato. On March 31, 2007, he defeated Steve Corino
Steve Corino
Steven Eugene "Steve" Corino is a Canadian professional wrestler, who currently works for Pro Wrestling Zero1, Ring of Honor and numerous other independent promotions. Corino is a former NWA World Heavyweight Champion and ECW World Heavyweight Champion.-Early years :Corino began wrestling in 1994...
for the AWA Superstars of Wrestling World Heavyweight Championship, becoming a three-time champion. Nearly seven months to the day Ōmori won the AWA World Heavyweight championship, he would lose the title 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...
. On August 16, 2008 Ōmori announced that he was leaving ZERO1-MAX and taking a break from pro wrestling.
New Japan Pro Wrestling (2009-2010)
This break would not last long, as Omori appeared at a New Japan Pro WrestlingNew 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...
show on March 15, 2009 to revive his team with Manabu Nakanishi. He also participated in the 2009 G1 Climax, pulling off two impressive victories in his first two matches by defeating both IWGP Heavyweight Champion Hiroshi Tanahashi
Hiroshi Tanahashi
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.-Early life:...
and eventual tournament winner Togi Makabe
Togi Makabe
, better known by his ring name is a Japanese professional wrestler, trained by and currently performing for New Japan Pro Wrestling , where he is a former IWGP Heavyweight and IWGP Tag Team Champion....
. In January 2010 Omori announced his semi-retirement.
Freelance (2010–present)
Since semi-retiring, Omori had been wrestling select shows in various promotions, both mainstream and independent. In 2011, he has been wrestling semi-regularly with All Japan Pro Wrestling.In wrestling
- Finishing moves
- Axe Bomber (Crooked arm lariat)
- Axe Guillotine Driver (Kneeling back to belly piledriver) - innovated
- Diving elbow drop - 1992-1994
- Signature moves
- Bridging / Release / Rolling dragon suplexes
- Diving knee drop
- European uppercut
- Frankensteiner
- Front powerslam
- Full nelson slam
- Neckbreaker slam
- Running arched big boot
- Running dropkickDropkickA dropkick is an attacking maneuver in professional wrestling. It is defined as an attack where the wrestler jumps up and kicks the opponent with the soles of both feet; this sees the wrestler twist as he or she jumps so that when the feet connect with the opponent one foot is raised higher than...
- Suicide dive
- Superkick
Championships and accomplishments
- All Japan Pro WrestlingAll Japan Pro Wrestlingis 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 ChampionshipAJPW All Asia Tag Team ChampionshipThe 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 &...
(2 times) – with Jun AkiyamaJun Akiyamais a Japanese professional wrestler who currently works for Pro Wrestling Noah and All Japan Pro Wrestling, where he is the current AJPW Triple Crown Heavyweight Champion. Akiyama is known for his serious style and outstanding, time-tested work as a tag team wrestler...
(1) and Yoshihiro TakayamaYoshihiro Takayamais a Japanese professional wrestler and mixed martial artist. Takayama is well known for his ability to endure massive amounts of punishment, especially after his fight at PRIDE 21 against Don Frye...
(1) - AJPW Unified World Tag Team ChampionshipAJPW Unified World Tag Team ChampionshipThe All Japan Pro Wrestling Unified World Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling tag team title in Japanese promotion All Japan Pro Wrestling...
(1 time) – with Yoshihiro Takayama - January 2nd Korakuen Hall Heavyweight Battle Royal Winner (1997)
- Asunaro Tag Team Cup (1998) - with Jun AkiyamaJun Akiyamais a Japanese professional wrestler who currently works for Pro Wrestling Noah and All Japan Pro Wrestling, where he is the current AJPW Triple Crown Heavyweight Champion. Akiyama is known for his serious style and outstanding, time-tested work as a tag team wrestler...
- AJPW All Asia Tag Team Championship
- 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 Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Manabu NakanishiManabu Nakanishiis 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:...
- IWGP Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Manabu Nakanishi
- 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 Yoshihiro Takayama
- GHC Tag Team Championship
- Pro Wrestling ZERO1-MAX
- AWA Superstars of Wrestling World Heavyweight Championship (3 times)
- NWA Intercontinental Tag Team Championship (3 times)1 – with Shiro KoshinakaShiro Koshinakais a Japanese professional wrestler who has competed in All Japan Pro Wrestling, New Japan Pro Wrestling and Wrestle Association "R" during the 1980s and 1990s...
(1), Shinjiro Otani (1), and Manabu Nakanishi (1) - NWA United National Heavyweight Championship (1 time)2
- World League WrestlingHarley Race's Wrestling AcademyHarley Race's Wrestling Academy is a professional wrestling school located in Eldon, Missouri. It was established in 1999 by former World Heavyweight Champion, Harley Race. Students of the school are incorporated into the professional wrestling promotion World League Wrestling.-School:The Harley...
- WLW Heavyweight ChampionshipWLW Heavyweight ChampionshipThe World League Wrestling Heavyweight Championship, is the top title contested for the independent professional wrestling promotion World League Wrestling. The current champion is Trevor Murdoch, who in his fourth reign...
(1 time)
- WLW Heavyweight Championship
1Although the title still uses the NWA initials, it is not recognized or sanctioned by the 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...
since the promotion withdrew from the NWA in 2004.
2This title shouldn't be confused with the NWA United National Championship
NWA United National Championship
The NWA United National Championship was a professional wrestling championship sanctioned by the National Wrestling Alliance, and best known for being defended in All Japan Pro Wrestling...
, a defunct NWA singles championship that is currently one of the three championships used to comprise the AJPW Triple Crown Championship
AJPW Triple Crown Championship
The AJPW Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship is the top professional wrestling title in Japanese promotion All Japan Pro Wrestling. The championship is a unification of the NWA United National Championship, the PWF Heavyweight Championship and the NWA International Heavyweight Championship....
.