Kendo Kashin
Encyclopedia
Tokimitsu Ishizawa better known by his ring name
Kendo Kashin (ケンドー・カシン), is a Japanese
professional wrestler. Though in Japan he is a widely known professional wrestler, in the West he is probably best known for his forays into mixed martial arts
organization PRIDE Fighting Championship, where he defeated Gracie Jiu Jitsu fighter Ryan Gracie
.
star of Waseda University
before being scouted and initiated into the New Japan Pro Wrestling
promotion on September 21, 1992, wrestling against Tiger Mask III
. During the NJPW vs. UWFi feud, he was taught the shoot style by Kazuo Yamazaki
. After defeating Yuji Nagata
to win the 1996 Young Lion Cup, he left on a learning excursion to Austria's CWA promotion, where he disguised himself under a mask and called himself Kendo Kashin.
He returned to New Japan as Kashin in May 1997 at the Osaka
Dome, facing his mentor, Kazuo Yamazaki. Kendo Kashin quickly rose up the ranks of the Junior Heavyweight division,
utilizing a cross armbreaker and other armbar techniques to quickly submit opponents. After defeating Koji Kanemoto
to win the 1999 Best of the Super Juniors Tournament, he defeated Kanemoto again in August of that year to capture the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship
for the first time.
In August 2000 Ishizawa ventured into the mixed martial arts
world and fought under his real name and without the mask in PRIDE 10. He lost his match with Ryan Gracie by TKO in little more than two minutes. However, it is said that he was forced to fight in the PRIDE's ring by Antonio Inoki
, the owner of NJPW at the time, without enough time to train for mixed martial arts fighting. Continuing to suffer many losses, Kashin took several months off from New Japan to train. In July 2001 Ishizawa challenged Ryan for a rematch at PRIDE 15. This time he TKO'd Ryan in under 5 minutes, which would advance his wrestling career more than ever. That same month he returned to New Japan as Kendo Kashin and won the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Title for the second time by defeating Masayuki Naruse
in just 26 seconds.
Kashin would make a shocking move in January 2002 when, while he was still champion, he followed fellow New Japan stars Keiji Mutoh
and Satoshi Kojima
to rival promotion All Japan Pro Wrestling
. In All Japan, Kashin quickly established himself as the Junior ace, submitting Masanobu Fuchi
to win the vacant AJPW World Junior Heavyweight Championship
. He also won the AJPW World Tag Team Championships with Yuji Nagata
.
In 2004 Kashin split from All Japan to become a freelancer, taking one of the two AJPW World Tag Team Championship belts with him, with Nagata taking the other. The championship was later declared vacant by AJPW six months later. However, he kept the actual physical belt for himself, something which AJPW sued him in August, 2005. Kashin's tag partner, Yuji Nagata, gave one of those belts back to AJPW soon after it was declared vacant, when they requested it.
In 2005 he returned to New Japan as a regular for a few months, working through the Inoki Office agency. The agency's and New Japan's association ended in late 2005 due to disputes. Kashin returned the AJPW belts back to them in May 2006.
On April 2, 2005, Kashin competed under a mask as Dragon Soldier B in Ring of Honor
's Best of the American Super Juniors Tournament. Despite not being American, he was booked to win and wrestled three matches, prompting a "Don't come back" chant from the ROH fans. Kashin never returned to ROH.
Lately, he has been interested in joining MUGA.
After a long hiatus from wrestling, Kashin returned on December 20, 2007 at the Inoki Genome Federation
's show in Tokyo and faced off against Kurt Angle
for IGF's version of the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship in a losing effort.
Kashin's whereabouts where in question after the earthquake and Tsunami, but he has telephoned both Simon Inoki and Yuji Nagata to say he is fine.
| align="center" colspan=8 |1-5-1 (Wins-Losses-Draws)
|-
| align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #f0f0f0"|Date
| align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #f0f0f0"|Result
| align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #f0f0f0"|Opponent
| align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #f0f0f0"|Event
| align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #f0f0f0"|Method
| align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #f0f0f0"|Round
| align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #f0f0f0"|Time
| align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #f0f0f0"|Notes
|-align=center
|10/25/2009||Loss||Katsuyori Shibata
||Dream 12||TKO (Punches)||1||4:52||
|-align=center
|-align=center
|12/31/2006||Loss||Taiei Kin
||K-1 - Premium 2006 Dynamite!!||KO (Head Kick)||1||2:48||
|-align=center
|10/9/2006||Loss||Carlos Newton
||Hero's 7
||TKO (Punches)||1||0:22||
|-align=center
|3/15/2006||Loss||Yoshihiro Akiyama
||Hero's 4
||Submission (Gi Choke)||2||1:41||
|-align=center
|12/31/2001||Draw||Shingo Koyasu||Inoki Bom-Ba-Ye 2001
||Draw||5||3:00||
|-align=center
|7/29/2001||Win||Ryan Gracie||PRIDE 15: Raging Rumble
||TKO (Injury)||1||4:51||
|-align=center
|8/27/2000||Loss||Ryan Gracie
||PRIDE 10: Return of the Warriors
||KO (Punches)||1||2:16||
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:...
Kendo Kashin (ケンドー・カシン), is a Japanese
Japanese people
The are an ethnic group originating in the Japanese archipelago and are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan. People of Japanese ancestry who live in other countries...
professional wrestler. Though in Japan he is a widely known professional wrestler, in the West he is probably best known for his forays into 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...
organization PRIDE Fighting Championship, where he defeated Gracie Jiu Jitsu fighter Ryan Gracie
Ryan Gracie
Ryan Gracie , was a Brazilian mixed martial artist with a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. He was a member of the Gracie family, and the grandson of Carlos Gracie, one of the founders of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu...
.
Career
Ishizawa was an outstanding Amateur wrestlingAmateur wrestling
Amateur wrestling is the most widespread form of sport wrestling. There are two international wrestling styles performed in the Olympic Games under the supervision of FILA : Greco-Roman and freestyle. Freestyle is possibly derived from the English Lancashire style...
star of Waseda University
Waseda University
, abbreviated as , is one of the most prestigious private universities in Japan and Asia. Its main campuses are located in the northern part of Shinjuku, Tokyo. Founded in 1882 as Tokyo Senmon Gakko, the institution was renamed "Waseda University" in 1902. It is known for its liberal climate...
before being scouted and initiated into the 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...
promotion on September 21, 1992, wrestling against Tiger Mask III
Koji Kanemoto
is a professional wrestler. He is of Zainichi Korean descent.-Career:Kanemoto practiced Judo during his high school days and won a few championships as a professional before being recruited by the New Japan Dojo. He debuted in November 1990, wrestling against Michiyoshi Ohara. In March 1992, he...
. During the NJPW vs. UWFi feud, he was taught the shoot style by Kazuo Yamazaki
Kazuo Yamazaki
Kazuo Yamazaki is a former Japanese professional wrestler, who is known for his work in New Japan Pro Wrestling and UWF International.-New Japan Pro Wrestling :...
. After defeating Yuji Nagata
Yuji Nagata
is a Japanese professional wrestler. He was known for his perennial tweener status, currently a solid fan favorite, and his stiff, shoot style wrestling technique....
to win the 1996 Young Lion Cup, he left on a learning excursion to Austria's CWA promotion, where he disguised himself under a mask and called himself Kendo Kashin.
He returned to New Japan as Kashin in May 1997 at the Osaka
Osaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
Dome, facing his mentor, Kazuo Yamazaki. Kendo Kashin quickly rose up the ranks of the Junior Heavyweight division,
utilizing a cross armbreaker and other armbar techniques to quickly submit opponents. After defeating Koji Kanemoto
Koji Kanemoto
is a professional wrestler. He is of Zainichi Korean descent.-Career:Kanemoto practiced Judo during his high school days and won a few championships as a professional before being recruited by the New Japan Dojo. He debuted in November 1990, wrestling against Michiyoshi Ohara. In March 1992, he...
to win the 1999 Best of the Super Juniors Tournament, he defeated Kanemoto again in August of that year to capture the 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....
for the first time.
In August 2000 Ishizawa ventured into the 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...
world and fought under his real name and without the mask in PRIDE 10. He lost his match with Ryan Gracie by TKO in little more than two minutes. However, it is said that he was forced to fight in the PRIDE's ring by Antonio Inoki
Antonio Inoki
is a Japanese professional wrestling promoter and retired professional wrestler and mixed martial artist who now resides between New York City and Tokyo. He was also the founder and former owner of New Japan Pro Wrestling before selling his controlling share in the promotion to Yukes...
, the owner of NJPW at the time, without enough time to train for mixed martial arts fighting. Continuing to suffer many losses, Kashin took several months off from New Japan to train. In July 2001 Ishizawa challenged Ryan for a rematch at PRIDE 15. This time he TKO'd Ryan in under 5 minutes, which would advance his wrestling career more than ever. That same month he returned to New Japan as Kendo Kashin and won the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Title for the second time by defeating Masayuki Naruse
Masayuki Naruse
is a Japanese professional wrestler and Professional mixed martial artist.-Career:Naruse debuted in Fighting Network RINGS in 1992 where he was displayed as a scrappy junior heavyweight willing to take on opponents twice his size. He and other RINGS wrestlers made the transition to mixed martial...
in just 26 seconds.
Kashin would make a shocking move in January 2002 when, while he was still champion, he followed fellow New Japan stars Keiji Mutoh
Keiji Mutoh
is a Japanese professional wrestler who first gained international fame in the National Wrestling Alliance. He is mostly known for his work as The Great Muta in New Japan Pro Wrestling during the 1990s, but he has also competed in United States, Puerto Rico, Mexico, and Taiwan...
and Satoshi Kojima
Satoshi Kojima
is a Japanese professional wrestler, currently signed to New Japan Pro Wrestling. As a singles wrestler, he was the first wrestler to hold NJPW's IWGP Heavyweight Championship and All Japan Pro Wrestling's Triple Crown Championship simultaneously...
to rival promotion 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 All Japan, Kashin quickly established himself as the Junior ace, submitting Masanobu Fuchi
Masanobu Fuchi
is a Japanese professional wrestler currently working for All Japan Pro Wrestling as a full-time wrestler, as well as a director. Fuchi holds the record for the longest AJPW World Junior Heavyweight Championship reign and has competed in All Japan Pro Wrestling longer than any wrestler on the...
to win the vacant AJPW World Junior Heavyweight Championship
AJPW World Junior Heavyweight Championship
The All Japan Pro Wrestling World Junior Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling title in Japanese promotion All Japan Pro Wrestling, contested exclusively among junior heavyweight The All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW) World Junior Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling...
. He also won the AJPW World Tag Team Championships with Yuji Nagata
Yuji Nagata
is a Japanese professional wrestler. He was known for his perennial tweener status, currently a solid fan favorite, and his stiff, shoot style wrestling technique....
.
In 2004 Kashin split from All Japan to become a freelancer, taking one of the two AJPW World Tag Team Championship belts with him, with Nagata taking the other. The championship was later declared vacant by AJPW six months later. However, he kept the actual physical belt for himself, something which AJPW sued him in August, 2005. Kashin's tag partner, Yuji Nagata, gave one of those belts back to AJPW soon after it was declared vacant, when they requested it.
In 2005 he returned to New Japan as a regular for a few months, working through the Inoki Office agency. The agency's and New Japan's association ended in late 2005 due to disputes. Kashin returned the AJPW belts back to them in May 2006.
On April 2, 2005, Kashin competed under a mask as Dragon Soldier B in Ring of Honor
Ring of Honor
Ring of Honor ' is an American professional wrestling promotion, founded in 2002 by Rob Feinstein and Gabe Sapolsky. From 2004 to 2011, the promotion was under the ownership of Cary Silkin before being sold to the Sinclair Broadcast Group in May 2011...
's Best of the American Super Juniors Tournament. Despite not being American, he was booked to win and wrestled three matches, prompting a "Don't come back" chant from the ROH fans. Kashin never returned to ROH.
Lately, he has been interested in joining MUGA.
After a long hiatus from wrestling, Kashin returned on December 20, 2007 at the Inoki Genome Federation
Inoki Genome Federation
Inoki Genome Federation is a professional wrestling promotion in Japan founded by Antonio Inoki in 2007.The IGF is now also the official National Wrestling Alliance territory of Japan, since Antonio Inoki is the person who holds those rights and transferred them to IGF from New Japan Pro...
's show in Tokyo and faced off against Kurt Angle
Kurt Angle
Kurt Steven Angle is an American professional wrestler, amateur wrestler, and 1996 Olympic gold medalist. He is currently under contract with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he is recognized as a 15-time World Heavyweight Champion...
for IGF's version of the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship in a losing effort.
Kashin's whereabouts where in question after the earthquake and Tsunami, but he has telephoned both Simon Inoki and Yuji Nagata to say he is fine.
In wrestling
- Finishing moves
- Crucifix armbar, sometimes preceded by a victory roll or a standing / super frankensteiner
- Signature moves
- Double wristlock
- European uppercut
- Frankensteiner, sometimes from the top rope
- Fujiwara armbar
- Various illegal attacks
- Vertical suplex
- Victory roll
- Entrance themesMusic in professional wrestlingMusic 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...
- Sky Walk
- Sky Walk (Problem Remix)
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 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 Yuji NagataYuji Nagatais a Japanese professional wrestler. He was known for his perennial tweener status, currently a solid fan favorite, and his stiff, shoot style wrestling technique.... - AJPW World Junior Heavyweight ChampionshipAJPW World Junior Heavyweight ChampionshipThe All Japan Pro Wrestling World Junior Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling title in Japanese promotion All Japan Pro Wrestling, contested exclusively among junior heavyweight The All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW) World Junior Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling...
(1 time) - January 3 Korakuen Hall Junior Heavyweight Battle Royal Winner (2003)
- AJPW Unified World Tag Team Championship
- Catch Wrestling AssociationCatch Wrestling AssociationThe Catch Wrestling Association was a professional wrestling organization based in Austria and Germany and was founded in 1973. It was formerly run by famous AWA champion Otto Wanz. The CWA featured a traditional brand of mat wrestling mixed with various “Strong Man” competitions...
- CWA Junior Heavyweight Championship (1 Time)
- European Wrestling Promotion
- EWP Intercontinental Championship (1 Time)
- EWP Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Toru YanoToru Yano, is a Japanese professional wrestler, trained by and currently signed to New Japan Pro Wrestling , where he is a former IWGP Tag Team Champion.-New Japan Pro Wrestling :...
- 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 Junior Heavyweight ChampionshipIWGP Junior Heavyweight ChampionshipThe 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....
(2 times) - IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team ChampionshipIWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team ChampionshipThe IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling tag team 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 August 8, 1998 at a NJPW live event...
(1 time) - with Dr. Wagner, Jr.Dr. Wagner, Jr.Juan Manuel González Barrón is a Mexican Luchador Enmascarado who is best known under the ring name Dr. Wagner, Jr.. As Dr. Wagner, Jr... - Best of the Super JuniorsBest of the Super JuniorsThis article is about the professional wrestling tournament. For the South Korean boy band, see Super Junior.The Best of the Super Juniors is an annual professional wrestling tournament held by New Japan Pro Wrestling , typically in May or June...
(1999) - Young Lion Cup (1996)
- IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship
- Pro Wrestling IllustratedPro Wrestling IllustratedPro Wrestling Illustrated is a professional wrestling magazine. PWI is currently based in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania and published by Kappa Publishing Group.-History:The first issue of Pro Wrestling Illustrated was released in 1979...
- PWI ranked him 83 of the 500 best singles wrestlers of the PWI 500 in 2003
- PWI ranked him 351 of the 500 best singles wrestlers during the PWI Years in 2003
- Ring of HonorRing of HonorRing of Honor ' is an American professional wrestling promotion, founded in 2002 by Rob Feinstein and Gabe Sapolsky. From 2004 to 2011, the promotion was under the ownership of Cary Silkin before being sold to the Sinclair Broadcast Group in May 2011...
- Best of the American Super Juniors (2005)
MMA record
|-| align="center" colspan=8 |1-5-1 (Wins-Losses-Draws)
|-
| align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #f0f0f0"|Date
| align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #f0f0f0"|Result
| align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #f0f0f0"|Opponent
| align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #f0f0f0"|Event
| align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #f0f0f0"|Method
| align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #f0f0f0"|Round
| align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #f0f0f0"|Time
| align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #f0f0f0"|Notes
|-align=center
|10/25/2009||Loss||Katsuyori Shibata
Katsuyori Shibata
is a Japanese professional wrestler and mixed martial artist. In professional wrestling, he is known for his hard hitting offense and his realistic bouts.-New Japan Pro Wrestling :...
||Dream 12||TKO (Punches)||1||4:52||
|-align=center
|-align=center
|12/31/2006||Loss||Taiei Kin
Taiei Kin
Kin Taiei is a Korean-Japanese light heavyweight karateka, kickboxer and mixed martial artist competing in K-1 and DREAM. He's also a karate instructor and a trainer for professional fighters...
||K-1 - Premium 2006 Dynamite!!||KO (Head Kick)||1||2:48||
|-align=center
|10/9/2006||Loss||Carlos Newton
Carlos Newton
Carlos Newton is a Canadian mixed martial artist and former UFC Welterweight Champion. He is considered one of the true pioneers in the sport of Mixed Martial Arts. Known as the "The Ronin", he competed worldwide in the biggest MMA organizations including UFC, Pride FC, IFL, K-1, Shooto and most...
||Hero's 7
Hero's 7
Hero's 7 was a mixed martial arts event held by the Hero's promotion on October 9, 2006 at the Yokohama Arena in Yokohama, Japan.The semi-finals and final of both the 2006 Lightweight Grand Prix and the Light Heavyweight Grand Prix were held at the event....
||TKO (Punches)||1||0:22||
|-align=center
|3/15/2006||Loss||Yoshihiro Akiyama
Yoshihiro Akiyama
, born Choo Sung-hoon , is a Japanese mixed martial artist and judoka. He is a fourth-generation Japanese of Korean descent and acquired Japanese nationality in 2001....
||Hero's 4
Hero's 4
Hero's 4 was a mixed martial arts event held by the Hero's promotion on March 15, 2006 at the Nippon Budokan in Tokyo, Japan.Muay Thai kickboxer Ole Laursen made his debut in MMA at the event against Genki Sudo.-Results:...
||Submission (Gi Choke)||2||1:41||
|-align=center
|12/31/2001||Draw||Shingo Koyasu||Inoki Bom-Ba-Ye 2001
Inoki Bom-Ba-Ye 2001
Inoki Bom-Ba-Ye 2001: K-1 vs. Inoki was a mixed martial arts event promoted by Antonio Inoki on December 31, 2001 at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan....
||Draw||5||3:00||
|-align=center
|7/29/2001||Win||Ryan Gracie||PRIDE 15: Raging Rumble
PRIDE 15
Pride 15: Raging Rumble was a mixed martial arts event held by the Pride Fighting Championships. It took place at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan on July 29, 2001.-Results:...
||TKO (Injury)||1||4:51||
|-align=center
|8/27/2000||Loss||Ryan Gracie
Ryan Gracie
Ryan Gracie , was a Brazilian mixed martial artist with a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. He was a member of the Gracie family, and the grandson of Carlos Gracie, one of the founders of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu...
||PRIDE 10: Return of the Warriors
PRIDE 10
Pride 10: Return of the Warriors was a mixed martial arts event held by the Pride Fighting Championships. It took place at Seibu Dome in Tokorozawa, Saitama, Japan, on August 27, 2000...
||KO (Punches)||1||2:16||