Revolution (puroresu)
Encyclopedia
Revolution was a professional wrestling
stable in All Japan Pro Wrestling
(AJPW) led by Genichiro Tenryu
.
split up after losing the NWA International Tag Team Championship
to The Road Warriors in February 1987, Tenryu and Tsuruta engaged in a brutal rivalry. Tenryu would form his own group, separate from All Japan and Japan Pro Wrestling (which dissolved when most of them returned to New Japan Pro Wrestling
) called simply called Revolution. He enlisted former International Pro Wrestling
stars Ashura Hara and Samson Fuyuki, as well as AJPW youngsters Toshiaki Kawada and Yoshinari Ogawa. Tenryu and Hara would form Revolution's main tag team, while Footloose
(Fuyuki and Kawada) were the secondary tag team, and Ogawa focused on the AJPW World Junior Heavyweight Championship
.
In 1988, Revolution began its successful run, as Footloose won the AJPW All Asia Tag Team Championship
on March 9. A month later on April 4, Tatsumi Kitahara debuted and joined Revolution, before heading to Stampede Wrestling
in Calgary for seasoning. Four months later on August 29, Genichiro Tenryu and Ashura Hara defeated The Olympics (Jumbo Tsuruta and Yoshiaki Yatsu
) for the AJPW Unified World Tag Team Championship
. However, the reign didn't last long, as Tenryu and Hara lost the belts back to The Olympics 24 hours later on August 30. Footloose would lose the All Asia Tag Team titles on September 9, after a six-month reign, to Shinichi Nakano and Shunji Takano. However, Footloose rebounded and regained the titles six days later on September 15. In November 1988, Hara was fired by Giant Baba for massive gambling debts, so Kawada was chosen to team up with Tenryu for the World's Strongest Tag League. Tenryu and Kawada would be in 4th place with 14 points. 1988 capped off with Tenryu being chosen by The Road Warriors to be their partner to hold the NWA World Six-Man Tag Team Championship. The titles would be abandoned in 1989.
On June 5, 1989, Revolution would have the biggest night, when Genichiro Tenryu defeated Jumbo Tsuruta for the AJPW Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship, despite Footloose losing the All Asia Tag Team titles to The Can-Am Express
(Doug Furnas
and Dan Kroffat) the same night. Two months later on August 18, over in Canada, Tatsumi Kitahara, who was known as Sumo Hara in Stampede, teamed up with New Japan star Kensuke Sasaki
, who was known as Benkei Sasaki in Stampede, and won the Stampede Wrestling International Tag Team Championship
, defeating Bob
and Kerry Brown
. Kitahara would hold onto the title for over a month until September 29, when he and Sasaki lost the belts to the eventual final champions The Blackhearts. A month later, back in Japan, on October 11, Tenryu lost the Triple Crown back to Tsuruta. However, the group rebounded nine days later on October 20, when Footloose regained the All Asia Tag Team titles from the Can-Am Express. A month later in November, Tenryu, Fuyuki, and Kawada would take part in the World's Strongest Tag League, with Tenryu winning the tournament with Stan Hansen
as his partner, winning the vacant Unified World Tag Team titles.
1990 was the beginning of the end for Revolution. On March 2, Footloose lost the All Asia Tag Team titles back to the Can-Am Express. Four days later on March 6, Genichiro Tenryu and Stan Hansen lost the Unified World Tag Team titles to the Miracle Violence Connection
(Steve Williams and Terry Gordy
). On April 26, Tenryu abruptly left All Japan Pro Wrestling, shocking the entire wrestling industry in Japan, effectively dissolving Revolution. After Tenryu's departure, Toshiaki Kawada and Samson Fuyuki temporarily feuded, before Fuyuki joined Tenryu. Upon returning from Canada, Tatsumi Kitahara joined Tenryu as well. Kawada and Yoshinari Ogawa stayed with AJPW.
Genichiro Tenryu would use the Revolution name for his stable of his new home promotion, Super World of Sports
, in which Samson Fuyuki, Tatsumi (later Koki) Kitahara, and Ashura Hara would be part of the stable as well. After SWS shut down in June 1992, Tenryu and his group formed WAR
.
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...
stable 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 :...
(AJPW) led by 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...
.
History
After Genichiro Tenryu and Jumbo TsurutaJumbo Tsuruta
, better known by his ring name Jumbo Tsuruta, was a professional wrestler who wrestled for All Japan Pro Wrestling for most of his career, and is well-known for being the first ever AJPW Triple Crown Heavyweight Champion, having won the PWF Heavyweight Championship, the NWA United National...
split up after losing the NWA International Tag Team Championship
NWA International Tag Team Championship
The NWA International Tag Team Championship was a National Wrestling Alliance-sanctioned title contested for in All Japan Pro Wrestling . Prior to being used in AJPW, the title was defended in the Japan Wrestling Association . The title lasted from 1962 through 1988...
to The Road Warriors in February 1987, Tenryu and Tsuruta engaged in a brutal rivalry. Tenryu would form his own group, separate from All Japan and Japan Pro Wrestling (which dissolved when most of them returned to 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...
) called simply called Revolution. He enlisted former International Pro Wrestling
International Pro Wrestling
International 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...
stars Ashura Hara and Samson Fuyuki, as well as AJPW youngsters Toshiaki Kawada and Yoshinari Ogawa. Tenryu and Hara would form Revolution's main tag team, while Footloose
Footloose (professional wrestling)
Footloose was a professional wrestling tag team consisting of Toshiaki Kawada and Samson Fuyuki.-Career:Toshiaki Kawada and Samson Fuyuki started teaming up in 1985. In 1987, they joined Genichiro Tenryu's Revolution....
(Fuyuki and Kawada) were the secondary tag team, and Ogawa focused on the 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...
.
In 1988, Revolution began its successful run, as Footloose won 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 &...
on March 9. A month later on April 4, Tatsumi Kitahara debuted and joined Revolution, before heading to Stampede Wrestling
Stampede 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...
in Calgary for seasoning. Four months later on August 29, Genichiro Tenryu and Ashura Hara defeated The Olympics (Jumbo Tsuruta and Yoshiaki Yatsu
Yoshiaki Yatsu
Yoshiaki Yatsu is a retired Japanese professional wrestler, amateur wrestler and mixed martial artist.-1976 Summer Olympics:...
) for the AJPW Unified World Tag Team Championship
AJPW Unified World Tag Team Championship
The All Japan Pro Wrestling Unified World Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling tag team title in Japanese promotion All Japan Pro Wrestling...
. However, the reign didn't last long, as Tenryu and Hara lost the belts back to The Olympics 24 hours later on August 30. Footloose would lose the All Asia Tag Team titles on September 9, after a six-month reign, to Shinichi Nakano and Shunji Takano. However, Footloose rebounded and regained the titles six days later on September 15. In November 1988, Hara was fired by Giant Baba for massive gambling debts, so Kawada was chosen to team up with Tenryu for the World's Strongest Tag League. Tenryu and Kawada would be in 4th place with 14 points. 1988 capped off with Tenryu being chosen by The Road Warriors to be their partner to hold the NWA World Six-Man Tag Team Championship. The titles would be abandoned in 1989.
On June 5, 1989, Revolution would have the biggest night, when Genichiro Tenryu defeated Jumbo Tsuruta for the AJPW Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship, despite Footloose losing the All Asia Tag Team titles to The Can-Am Express
Doug Furnas and Phil LaFon
Doug Furnas and Phil LaFon were a professional wrestling tag team that wrestled in All Japan Pro Wrestling , Extreme Championship Wrestling , Universal Wrestling Association and World Wrestling Federation . They teamed up together for nine years from 1989 to 1999 and held success as tag team...
(Doug Furnas
Doug Furnas
Doug Furnas is a former American professional wrestler and powerlifter. Furnas briefly worked for World Championship Wrestling in the early 1990s...
and Dan Kroffat) the same night. Two months later on August 18, over in Canada, Tatsumi Kitahara, who was known as Sumo Hara in Stampede, teamed up with New Japan star 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...
, who was known as Benkei Sasaki in Stampede, and won the Stampede Wrestling International Tag Team Championship
Stampede Wrestling International Tag Team Championship
The Stampede International Tag Team Championship is the main tag-team title in the Canadian professional wrestling promotion Stampede Wrestling. It was created in 1958 as the NWA International Tag-Team Championship...
, defeating Bob
Bob Brown (wrestler)
Robert Harold Brown was a Canadian professional wrestler, better known by his ring name "Bulldog" Bob Brown.- Early life :...
and Kerry Brown
Kerry Brown (wrestler)
Kerry Brown was a Canadian professional wrestler. Brown was best known for working in Stampede Wrestling in the 1980s under his real name, but also wrestled in Puerto Rico and the Maritimes using the ring name Rick Valentine.-Beginning and Canadian promotions:Brown began wrestling in 1979 in...
. Kitahara would hold onto the title for over a month until September 29, when he and Sasaki lost the belts to the eventual final champions The Blackhearts. A month later, back in Japan, on October 11, Tenryu lost the Triple Crown back to Tsuruta. However, the group rebounded nine days later on October 20, when Footloose regained the All Asia Tag Team titles from the Can-Am Express. A month later in November, Tenryu, Fuyuki, and Kawada would take part in the World's Strongest Tag League, with Tenryu winning the tournament with Stan Hansen
Stan Hansen
John Stanley Hansen, Jr. is an American former professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Stan Hansen. As a wrestler, Hansen was well known for his stiff wrestling style, which he attributes to poor eyesight, as he is nearly blind without glasses...
as his partner, winning the vacant Unified World Tag Team titles.
1990 was the beginning of the end for Revolution. On March 2, Footloose lost the All Asia Tag Team titles back to the Can-Am Express. Four days later on March 6, Genichiro Tenryu and Stan Hansen lost the Unified World Tag Team titles to the Miracle Violence Connection
Miracle Violence Connection
The Miracle Violence Connection was a professional wrestling tag team consisting of "Dr. Death" Steve Williams and Terry "Bam Bam" Gordy.-All Japan Pro Wrestling :...
(Steve Williams and Terry Gordy
Terry Gordy
Terry Ray 'Bam Bam' Gordy, Sr. was a professional wrestler who was best known in North America for being a member of the Fabulous Freebirds.-Career:...
). On April 26, Tenryu abruptly left All Japan Pro Wrestling, shocking the entire wrestling industry in Japan, effectively dissolving Revolution. After Tenryu's departure, Toshiaki Kawada and Samson Fuyuki temporarily feuded, before Fuyuki joined Tenryu. Upon returning from Canada, Tatsumi Kitahara joined Tenryu as well. Kawada and Yoshinari Ogawa stayed with AJPW.
Genichiro Tenryu would use the Revolution name for his stable of his new home promotion, 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 which Samson Fuyuki, Tatsumi (later Koki) Kitahara, and Ashura Hara would be part of the stable as well. After SWS shut down in June 1992, Tenryu and his group formed WAR
WAR (wrestling promotion)
Wrestle and Romance, and later Wrestle Association R, was a professional wrestling promotion founded and run by Genichiro Tenryu as the successor to Super World of Sports, and which lasted from 1992 to 2000. The promotion had very few regular contracted workers, instead most of the workers were...
.
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 &...
– Fuyuki and Kawada (3) - AJPW Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship – Tenryu (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...
– Tenryu (2), Hara (1) - Stampede Wrestling International Tag Team ChampionshipStampede Wrestling International Tag Team ChampionshipThe Stampede International Tag Team Championship is the main tag-team title in the Canadian professional wrestling promotion Stampede Wrestling. It was created in 1958 as the NWA International Tag-Team Championship...
– Kitahara (with Kensuke SasakiKensuke Sasakiis 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...
) (1) - World's Strongest Tag League – Tenryu (with Stan HansenStan HansenJohn Stanley Hansen, Jr. is an American former professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Stan Hansen. As a wrestler, Hansen was well known for his stiff wrestling style, which he attributes to poor eyesight, as he is nearly blind without glasses...
) (1989)
See also
- Footloose (professional wrestling)Footloose (professional wrestling)Footloose was a professional wrestling tag team consisting of Toshiaki Kawada and Samson Fuyuki.-Career:Toshiaki Kawada and Samson Fuyuki started teaming up in 1985. In 1987, they joined Genichiro Tenryu's Revolution....
- 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:...
- WAR (wrestling promotion)WAR (wrestling promotion)Wrestle and Romance, and later Wrestle Association R, was a professional wrestling promotion founded and run by Genichiro Tenryu as the successor to Super World of Sports, and which lasted from 1992 to 2000. The promotion had very few regular contracted workers, instead most of the workers were...