George Takano
Encyclopedia
George Takano (born June 23, 1958) is a professional wrestler
who hailed from Uganda
under the alias The Cobra, a masked wrestler persona. He worked for various Japanese
and American wrestling promotions from the late 1970s to early 1990s.
, winning its British Commonwealth Mid-Heavyweight Championship
in September 1983. A mere two months later, he defeated Davey Boy Smith
for the vacated NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship
. Still working under the ringname The Cobra, Takano performed in the World Wrestling Federation
throughout the early and mid 1980s. In December 1984, he defeated Dynamite Kid
for its Junior Heavyweight Championship
. The following title loss to Hiro Saito
was redeemed in July 1985, the same month that he lost and then won back the NWA World Junior Heavyweight title in the same night against the very same man, Saito. In October that year, his WWF title was vacated when New Japan Pro Wrestling
separated from WWF. He would lose the number one contendership match for the new IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship
against Shiro Koshinaka
in June 1986. It was during 1986, he removed the mask and wrestled under his real name. However, Takano went on to win the IWGP Tag Team Championship with Super Strong Machine
in March 1989.
He would then join the Super World of Sports
in July 1990, which had a partnership contract with WWF. During their interpromotional events throughout 1991, he would face the likes Randy Savage
, Rick Martel
, Tito Santana
, and Legion of Doom
, and scored wins against WWF superstar Bret Hart
and, with his brother Shunji, The Rockers
and The Samoan Swat Team
. His last major career highlight would come one year later when he won the SWS Tag Team titles with Shunji, only to lose them the very next night to The Natural Disasters
of WWF fame. SWS folded in June 1992, with the Takano brothers venturing into Pro Wrestling Crusaders.
Takano maintains his place in professional wrestling today as runs his own promotion, Fighting Spirit wRestling (FSR), which is based in Hokkaidō
.
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...
who hailed from Uganda
Uganda
Uganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...
under the alias The Cobra, a masked wrestler persona. He worked for various Japanese
Professional wrestling in Japan
Puroresu is the popular term for the predominant style or genre of professional wrestling that has developed in Japan. The term comes from the Japanese pronunciation of "professional wrestling" , which is shortened to puroresu . The term became popular among English-speaking fans due to Hisaharu...
and American wrestling promotions from the late 1970s to early 1990s.
Career
Takano debuted in 1977 and worked for Stampede WrestlingStampede Wrestling
Stampede Wrestling is a Canadian professional wrestling promotion based in Calgary, Alberta and was for nearly 50 years one of the main promotions in western Canada and the Canadian Prairies...
, winning its British Commonwealth Mid-Heavyweight Championship
Stampede British Commonwealth Mid-Heavyweight Championship
The Stampede British Commonwealth Mid-Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling title for lighter wrestlers in the Canadian promotion, Stampede Wrestling. It has existed since 1978.-Title history:...
in September 1983. A mere two months later, he defeated Davey Boy Smith
Davey Boy Smith
Davey Boy Smith was a British professional wrestler, better known as "The British Bulldog" Davey Boy Smith, who was born in Golborne in North West England, United Kingdom. Smith is known for his appearances with Stampede Wrestling, the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling...
for the vacated NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship
NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship
The NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling world championship and secondary title in the National Wrestling Alliance that was for the lighter wrestlers. It started in 1945 and still exists today. The title was unified with the National Boxing/Wrestling Association's...
. Still working under the ringname The Cobra, Takano performed 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...
throughout the early and mid 1980s. In December 1984, he defeated Dynamite Kid
Dynamite Kid
Thomas Wilton Billington , best known by the ring name Dynamite Kid, is a retired British professional wrestler who competed in the World Wrestling Federation, Stampede Wrestling, All Japan Pro Wrestling and New Japan Pro Wrestling in the mid- to late-1980s...
for its Junior Heavyweight Championship
WWF Junior Heavyweight Championship
The WWWF Junior Heavyweight Championship is a former championship recognized by the World Wrestling Federation and New Japan Pro Wrestling for wrestlers of smaller size. The title existed from 1967 through 1985.-Title history:-External links:*...
. The following title loss to Hiro Saito
Hiro Saito
Hiroyuki Saito is a professional wrestler best known by the shortened name of .-Career:Hiro debuted in 1978 in New Japan Pro Wrestling. In May 1985, he defeated The Cobra to win the WWF Junior Heavyweight Championship only to lose back to him 2 months later...
was redeemed in July 1985, the same month that he lost and then won back the NWA World Junior Heavyweight title in the same night against the very same man, Saito. In October that year, his WWF title was vacated when 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...
separated from WWF. He would lose the number one contendership match for the new IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship
IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship
The IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling junior heavweight championship owned by the New Japan Pro Wrestling promotion. "IWGP" is the acronym of NJPW's governing body, the International Wrestling Grand Prix. The title was introduced on February 6, 1986 at a NJPW show....
against Shiro Koshinaka
Shiro Koshinaka
is 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...
in June 1986. It was during 1986, he removed the mask and wrestled under his real name. However, Takano went on to win the IWGP Tag Team Championship with Super Strong Machine
Junji Hirata
is a Japanese professional wrestler who wrestles for the New Japan Pro Wrestling promotion, and currently uses the ring name .-Career:Hirata made his debut in New Japan on August 26, 1978 against Yoshiaki Fujiwara...
in March 1989.
He would then join the Super World of Sports
Super World of Sports
Super World of Sports, more commonly known as SWS, was a Japanese professional wrestling promotion from 1990 to 1992. Its motto was "STRAIGHT AND STRONG".-Formation:...
in July 1990, which had a partnership contract with WWF. During their interpromotional events throughout 1991, he would face the likes Randy Savage
Randy Savage
Randall Mario Poffo , better known by his ring name "Macho Man" Randy Savage, was an American professional wrestler, best known for his time with the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling .Savage held twenty championships during his professional wrestling career and was a...
, Rick Martel
Rick Martel
Richard Vigneault is a retired Canadian professional wrestler, best known for his appearances with the World Wrestling Federation between 1980 and 1995 under the ring name Rick Martel...
, Tito Santana
Tito Santana
Merced Solis better known by his ring name Tito Santana, is an American professional wrestler whose heyday spanned from the late 1970s to the early 1990s, though he continues to appear on the independent circuit. He is best known from his time in the World Wrestling Federation...
, and Legion of Doom
Road Warriors
The Road Warriors were a professional wrestling tag team composed of Michael "Hawk" Hegstrand and Joseph "Animal" Laurinaitis. They performed under the name "Road Warriors" in the American Wrestling Association, the National Wrestling Alliance, and World Championship Wrestling, and the name Legion...
, and scored wins against WWF superstar Bret Hart
Bret Hart
Bret Hart is a Canadian on-screen personality, writer, actor and Semi-retired professional wrestler. Like others in the Hart wrestling family, Hart has an amateur wrestling background, including wrestling at Ernest Manning High School and Mount Royal College...
and, with his brother Shunji, The Rockers
The Rockers
The Rockers were a professional wrestling tag team consisting of Shawn Michaels and Marty Jannetty that teamed from 1985 to 1992. The team worked for Central States Wrestling, the American Wrestling Association, Continental Wrestling Federation, Continental Wrestling Association and the World...
and The Samoan Swat Team
The Headshrinkers
The Headshrinkers were a professional wrestling tag team in the World Wrestling Federation that consisted of Fatu and Samu. They previously competed under the name The New Wild Samoans in the National Wrestling Alliance , and as The Samoan Swat Team in World Championship Wrestling , World Class...
. His last major career highlight would come one year later when he won the SWS Tag Team titles with Shunji, only to lose them the very next night to The Natural Disasters
The Natural Disasters
The Natural Disasters were a professional wrestling tag team composed of Earthquake and Typhoon who competed in the World Wrestling Federation between 1991 and 1993...
of WWF fame. SWS folded in June 1992, with the Takano brothers venturing into Pro Wrestling Crusaders.
Takano maintains his place in professional wrestling today as runs his own promotion, Fighting Spirit wRestling (FSR), which is based in Hokkaidō
Hokkaido
, formerly known as Ezo, Yezo, Yeso, or Yesso, is Japan's second largest island; it is also the largest and northernmost of Japan's 47 prefectural-level subdivisions. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaido from Honshu, although the two islands are connected by the underwater railway Seikan Tunnel...
.
Championships and accomplishments
- 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 Super Strong MachineJunji Hiratais a Japanese professional wrestler who wrestles for the New Japan Pro Wrestling promotion, and currently uses the ring name .-Career:Hirata made his debut in New Japan on August 26, 1978 against Yoshiaki Fujiwara...
- NWA World Junior Heavyweight ChampionshipNWA World Junior Heavyweight ChampionshipThe NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling world championship and secondary title in the National Wrestling Alliance that was for the lighter wrestlers. It started in 1945 and still exists today. The title was unified with the National Boxing/Wrestling Association's...
(2 times) - WWF Junior Heavyweight ChampionshipWWF Junior Heavyweight ChampionshipThe WWWF Junior Heavyweight Championship is a former championship recognized by the World Wrestling Federation and New Japan Pro Wrestling for wrestlers of smaller size. The title existed from 1967 through 1985.-Title history:-External links:*...
(1 time)
- Stampede WrestlingStampede WrestlingStampede Wrestling is a Canadian professional wrestling promotion based in Calgary, Alberta and was for nearly 50 years one of the main promotions in western Canada and the Canadian Prairies...
- Stampede British Commonwealth Mid-Heavyweight ChampionshipStampede British Commonwealth Mid-Heavyweight ChampionshipThe Stampede British Commonwealth Mid-Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling title for lighter wrestlers in the Canadian promotion, Stampede Wrestling. It has existed since 1978.-Title history:...
(1 time)
- Super World of SportsSuper World of SportsSuper World of Sports, more commonly known as SWS, was a Japanese professional wrestling promotion from 1990 to 1992. Its motto was "STRAIGHT AND STRONG".-Formation:...
- SWS Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Shunji Takano
- World Wrestling FederationWorld Wrestling EntertainmentWorld 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...
- WWF Junior Heavyweight ChampionshipWWF Junior Heavyweight ChampionshipThe WWWF Junior Heavyweight Championship is a former championship recognized by the World Wrestling Federation and New Japan Pro Wrestling for wrestlers of smaller size. The title existed from 1967 through 1985.-Title history:-External links:*...
(1 time)
- Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards
- Most Improved (1984)