Masayoshi Motegi
Encyclopedia
Masayoshi Motegi is a Japan
ese professional wrestler
. He is known for his background in karate
and the innovation of the Rolling German suplex. He also has been a staple of Big Japan Pro Wrestling
, IWA Japan and W*ING as well as Japanese independent promotions such as the Social Progressive Wrestling Federation (SPWF).
for the W*ING Junior Heavyweight Championship on January 7, 1993. During early August 1993, Motegi toured the United States with W*ING Tag Team Champions The Headhunters
defending his (WWC version) W*ING Junior Heavyweight title in Eastern Championship Wrestling
defeating Don E. Allen at the ECW Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
on August 7, 1993. The following night, he fought J.T. Smith
to a time limit draw.
He would win the title three more times from Hiroshi Itakura, El Texano
and Shinichi Nakano respectively and remained champion until the promotions close on March 13, 1994.
The following year, Motegi entered the 1995 Super J-Cup Tournament, losing to Gedo
in the opening rounds.
In June 1996, during a match against Héctor Garza
in Tokyo, Japan, Motegi won the UWA World Middleweight Championship
after knocking out Garza however he immiediately vacated the title soon after. The following month, he participated in the first J-Crown Tournament
held by New Japan Pro Wrestling
to unify the eight existing World Junior Heavyweight Championship titles defended in Japan. Representing Wrestle Dream Factory, he defended his NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship and lost to IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion
The Great Sasuke
in the opening rounds at Sumo Hall in Tokyo on August 2.
Two years later, he defeated Abdullah Kobayashi, Jr in a 7-man round robin championship tournament to win the BJW World Junior Heavyweight Championship
in Numazu, Japan
on June 30, 1999. Eventually losing the title to Fantastik in Hakodate, Japan
on November 6, he regained the title from Fantastik the following month as Chabinger before losing the title to Men's Teoh in Fukushima, Japan on June 21, 2000.
He later defeated Toshiyuki Moriya for the IWA (Kakuto Shijuku) World Middleweight Championship in Kanazawa
, Japan
on December 2, 2001. Although the title was vacated the following day, Motegi regained the title a week later after winning a one-day 4-man championship tournament defeating Koji Isinriki in the finals on December 16. The following year in Sapporo, Japan, he defeated The Great Takeru and Yukihide Ueno in a 3-way match to become the first IWA (Japan)
World Junior Heavyweight Champion on August 3, 2002.
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 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...
. He is known for his background in karate
Karate
is a martial art developed in the Ryukyu Islands in what is now Okinawa, Japan. It was developed from indigenous fighting methods called and Chinese kenpō. Karate is a striking art using punching, kicking, knee and elbow strikes, and open-handed techniques such as knife-hands. Grappling, locks,...
and the innovation of the Rolling German suplex. He also has been a staple of 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:...
, IWA Japan and W*ING as well as Japanese independent promotions such as the Social Progressive Wrestling Federation (SPWF).
Career
Motegi made his debut in 1991 and within two years he defeated Ray GonzalezRay Gonzalez
Ramón González Rivera, better know by his ring name Ray González, is a Puerto Rican professional wrestler who has wrestled in Mexico, Japan, as well as with the XWF in the United States, and the World Wrestling Council along with the International Wrestling Association of Puerto Rico...
for the W*ING Junior Heavyweight Championship on January 7, 1993. During early August 1993, Motegi toured the United States with W*ING Tag Team Champions The Headhunters
The Headhunters (professional wrestling)
The Headhunters is a professional wrestling tag team that consists of twin brothers Manuel and Victor Santiago , better known by their respective ring names, Headhunter A and Headhunter B.-Career:The Santiago brothers trained under Johnny Rodz and both debuted in 1987.In the early 1990s, The...
defending his (WWC version) W*ING Junior Heavyweight title in Eastern Championship Wrestling
Extreme Championship Wrestling
Extreme Championship Wrestling was a professional wrestling promotion that was founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1992 by Tod Gordon and closed when his successor, Paul Heyman, declared bankruptcy in April 2001...
defeating Don E. Allen at the ECW Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
on August 7, 1993. The following night, he fought J.T. Smith
John T. Smith
John T. "J.T." Smith is an American professional wrestler, best known for his appearances in Extreme Championship Wrestling in the 1990s.-Tri-State Wrestling Alliance:...
to a time limit draw.
He would win the title three more times from Hiroshi Itakura, El Texano
El Texano
Juan Conrado Aguilar Jáuregui , better known by his ring name El Texano, was a Mexican professional wrestler...
and Shinichi Nakano respectively and remained champion until the promotions close on March 13, 1994.
The following year, Motegi entered the 1995 Super J-Cup Tournament, losing to 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 the opening rounds.
In June 1996, during a match against Héctor Garza
Héctor Garza
Héctor Solano Segura is a Mexican professional wrestler, known by his ring name Héctor Garza, who is currently working for Asistencia Asesoría y Administración and Perros del Mal Producciones...
in Tokyo, Japan, Motegi won the UWA World Middleweight Championship
UWA World Middleweight Championship
The UWA World Middleweight Championship is a professional wrestling championship originally created and sanctioend by the Mexican lucha libre promotion Universal Wrestling Association from 1976 until the UWA closed in 1995...
after knocking out Garza however he immiediately vacated the title soon after. The following month, he participated in the first J-Crown Tournament
J-Crown
-Title history:-External links:*...
held by 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...
to unify the eight existing World Junior Heavyweight Championship titles defended in Japan. Representing Wrestle Dream Factory, he defended his NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship and lost to IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion
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....
The Great Sasuke
Masanori Murakawa
, , is a Japanese professional wrestler who is best known by his stage name The Great Sasuke, as well as a former Iwate Prefectural Assembly legislator. He has wrestled in Japan and in the United States in various wrestling promotions...
in the opening rounds at Sumo Hall in Tokyo on August 2.
Two years later, he defeated Abdullah Kobayashi, Jr in a 7-man round robin championship tournament to win the BJW World Junior Heavyweight Championship
BJW World Junior Heavyweight Championship
The BJW World Junior Heavyweight Championship was a title defended in the Japanese professional wrestling promotion Big Japan Pro Wrestling. It was in use from 1998 through at least November 2002.-Title history:...
in Numazu, Japan
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...
on June 30, 1999. Eventually losing the title to Fantastik in Hakodate, Japan
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...
on November 6, he regained the title from Fantastik the following month as Chabinger before losing the title to Men's Teoh in Fukushima, Japan on June 21, 2000.
He later defeated Toshiyuki Moriya for the IWA (Kakuto Shijuku) World Middleweight Championship in Kanazawa
Kanazawa, Ishikawa
is the capital city of Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan.-Geography, climate, and population:Kanazawa sits on the Sea of Japan, bordered by the Japan Alps, Hakusan National Park and Noto Peninsula National Park. The city sits between the Sai and Asano rivers. Its total area is 467.77 km².Kanazawa's...
, Japan
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...
on December 2, 2001. Although the title was vacated the following day, Motegi regained the title a week later after winning a one-day 4-man championship tournament defeating Koji Isinriki in the finals on December 16. The following year in Sapporo, Japan, he defeated The Great Takeru and Yukihide Ueno in a 3-way match to become the first IWA (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....
World Junior Heavyweight Champion on August 3, 2002.
In wrestling
- Finishing moves
- Running sitout powerbomb
- Signature moves
- Cross armbreaker
- Missile dropkick
- Rolling German suplexes
Championships and accomplishments
- Big Japan Pro WrestlingBig Japan Pro WrestlingBig Japan Pro Wrestling is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion established in 1995. It is most famous for its deathmatch style contests.-History:...
- BJW World Junior Heavyweight ChampionshipBJW World Junior Heavyweight ChampionshipThe BJW World Junior Heavyweight Championship was a title defended in the Japanese professional wrestling promotion Big Japan Pro Wrestling. It was in use from 1998 through at least November 2002.-Title history:...
(2 times)
- IWA Japan
- IWA World Junior Heavyweight ChampionshipIWA World Junior Heavyweight ChampionshipThe IWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship was a title for wrestlers that weigh 225 pounds and under that was being defended in the International Wrestling Association in Puerto Rico.-Title history:...
(1 time)
- IWA Kakutou ShijukuInternational Pro WrestlingInternational Pro Wrestling , also known as International Wrestling Enterprise, was a professional wrestling promotion in Japan from 1966 to 1981. Founded by Isao Yoshihara, it was affiliated with the American Wrestling Association in the United States and also had tie-ins with promotions in Europe...
- IWA World Middleweight Championship (2 times)
- National Wrestling AllianceNational Wrestling AllianceThe 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 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...
(1 time)
- Universal Wrestling AssociationUniversal Wrestling AssociationThe Universal Wrestling Association was a Mexican Lucha Libre or professional wrestling promotion based in Naucalpan, Mexico State that operated from 1975 until 1995...
- UWA World Middleweight ChampionshipUWA World Middleweight ChampionshipThe UWA World Middleweight Championship is a professional wrestling championship originally created and sanctioend by the Mexican lucha libre promotion Universal Wrestling Association from 1976 until the UWA closed in 1995...
(1 time)
- Wrestling International New Generations
- W*ING/WWC Junior Heavyweight Championship (1 time)