Yoshiaki Fujiwara (藤原喜明 Fujiwara Yoshiaki) is a Japanese professional wrestler who has worked for New Japan Pro Wrestling, Pro Wrestling ZERO-ONE, and UWF. This article does not cite any references or sources. ... New Japan Pro Wrestling (新日本プロレス, shin nihon puroresu) is a major professional wrestling federation in Japan, founded by Antonio Inoki in 1972. ... Pro Wrestling ZERO-ONE is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion founded in 2001. ... The original Japanese-based Universal Wrestling Federation (UWF) was a Japanese professional wrestling promotion from 1984 to 1986, formed by wrestlers who had left New Japan Pro Wrestling. ...

Career

Fujiwara was the first graduate of the New Japan Pro Wrestling dojo (Mr. Pogo was the first debutante in the promotion, but he and Gran Hamada had trained with Tatsumi Fujinami before he and Antonio Inoki left the Japanese Wrestling Association). A former Muay Thai kickboxer, Fujiwara was easily able to absorb and apply the "Strong Style" of professional wrestling taught by Inoki and Karl Gotch. In 1975, this led Fujiwara to win the Karl Gotch Cup (a tournament for rookies named after Karl Gotch and forerunner to the latter Young Lions Cups). In the late 1970's, Fujiwara became embroiled in a feud with Allen Coage (a former Olympic judo bronze medal winner who had debuted as a pro wrestler in NJPW, and one of the first gaijins to be trained at the NJPW dojo) over the petty issue of who had the strongest head. Fujiwara would bang his head repeatedly against the ring's corner post's metal face to provoke Coage, and behind the scenes, Coage would advise him not to do so repeatedly, in fear of suffering permanent real-life damage. Tetsuo Sekigawa (born May 2, 1951 in Japan) is a former Japanese professional wrestler, very well known for his hardcore matches, competing in his most popular gimmick, Mr Pogo. ... Gran Hamada (real name Hiroaki Hamada) is Japanese professional wrestler, the first to adopt the high-flying Mexican lucha libre style. ... Tatsumi Fujinami (Fujinami Tatsumi, 藤波辰巳) is a Japanese professional wrestler who is famous for his gimmick as The Dragon. He is the one who is credited for inventing the Dragon Sleeper and the Dragon Suplex. ... Antonio Inoki (アントニオ猪木), real name Kanji Inoki (猪木寛至 Inoki Kanji, born February 20, 1943) is a retired Japanese professional wrestler and mixed martial artist who now resides in New York City. ... Nihon Puroresu Kyōkai (日本プロレス協会, Japan Pro Wrestling Alliance or Japan[ese] Wrestling Association) was the first professional wrestling promotion to be based in Japan. ... Muay Thai (IPA: [/muai32 32/]; Thai: ) also known as Thai Boxing,The Deadly Art, The Art of the Eight Limbs is the Thai name for a form of hard martial art practiced in several Southeast Asian countries including Thailand. ... Categories: American professional wrestlers | Professional wrestling stubs ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Judo ), meaning gentle way, is a modern Japanese martial art (gendai budō) and combat sport, that originated in Japan in the late nineteenth century. ... This article is about the Japanese word for foreigner. ...

All the while, Fujiwara remained a strong member of the undercard, but rarely would he get opportunities for big singles matches or tag teams with better-known stars. In 1984, however, all that would change when Fujiwara was among the defectors who created the Japanese UWF. When he and most of them returned in 1986, they formed their own stable, indicating they would battle major New Japan wrestlers and receive recognition on their own terms. As a member of the UWF stable, Fujiwara, along with Akira Maeda, focused on Inoki's IWGP World Heavyweight Championship, pushing him to the limit in the annual IWGP tournaments. But at heart, Maeda and Fujiwara were also rivals - when unable to get the IWGP title, Maeda and Nobuhiko Takada went for and won the IWGP tag team title, Fujiwara and Kazuo Yamazaki split from the main UWF stable, and feuded with them over the title, eventually winning it. This split, also in the wake of Riki Chōshū's return to NJPW after leaving in circumstances similar to Maeda and the rest of the UWF roster, eventually weakened the UWF stable. The original Japanese-based Universal Wrestling Federation (UWF) was a Japanese professional wrestling promotion from 1984 to 1986, formed by wrestlers who had left New Japan Pro Wrestling. ... Akira Maeda is a Korean Japanese professional wrestler, also known as Kwik-kik-Lee for his time on the British Wrestling show World of Sport . ... The IWGP (International Wrestling Grand Prix) World Heavyweight Championship is the top professional wrestling title in Japanese promotion New Japan Pro Wrestling. ... Nobuhiko Takada (Japanese:髙田延彦, born April 12, 1962) is a Japanese mixed martial arts fighter and professional wrestler. ... Kazuo Yamazaki(born 1962 August 15) is a former Japanese professional wrestler, who is known for his work in UWF International. ... Mitsuo Yoshida(吉田光雄), better known by his stage name Riki Choshu(長州力), 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. ...

When Maeda was fired from New Japan for a shoot attack on Chōshū during a match in late 1987, all the other UWF stable members except for Fujiwara and Osamu Kido left NJPW to reform the UWF. Kido and Fujiwara attempted to get back into the good graces of the rest of the NJPW roster - and for a time, Fujiwara seemed to go back into the NJPW undercard, although with more respect from his peers. Inoki had already gained respect for him enough to be his tag team partner in 1986 for the annual tag team tournament (despite being affiliated with the UWF stable). In the meantime, Fujiwara trained rookies Masakatsu Funaki and Minoru Suzuki. In 1989, however, Fujiwara felt the need to continue shoot-style wrestling, also due to the rise of Chōshū in backstage politics, so he moved to the UWF with Funaki and Suzuki. In professional wrestling, a shoot refers to any unplanned event – that is, the event is real and not staged. ... Masakatsu Funaki is a well-known Japanese professional wrestler who performed in New Japan Pro Wrestling, PWFG, as well as the UWF and its later incarnation, the UWFi. ... Minoru Suzuki (Suzuki Minoru, 鈴木 実; stage name 鈴木みのる) is a Japanese professional wrestler and mixed martial artist. ...

In the newborn UWF, Fujiwara was clearly seen as the senior peer to Maeda, but eventually jobbed to him. After UWF collapsed, Fujiwara, Funaki, Suzuki and rookie Yusuke Fuke formed Pro Wrestling Fujiwara Gumi (Gumi [組] in Japanese means "group", but it is used in the underworld lingo to mean organized crime family. Fujiwara styled himself kumichō [組長], literally, the gang leader). Although it was a shoot style promotion, Fujiwara had agreements with SWS, W*ING and Universal Lucha Libre, whereupon he would send talent to compete in them (but not viceversa, in order to keep the shoot-style "feel" to his promotion). Fujiwara Gumi had a big supercard at the Tokyo Dome in 1992, involving all the great talents in the promotion: Fujiwara, Funaki, Suzuki, Fuke, Yoshiki Takahashi, Yuki Ishikawa, and others. Pro Wrestling Fujiwara Group (Purofesshonaru-resuringu Fujiwara-Gumi, プロフェッショナルレスリング藤原組) was a shoot style professional wrestling promotion based in Japan, operating from 1991 to 1995. ... Yakuza ), also known as gokudō (極道), are members of traditional organized crime groups in Japan. ... Organized crime or criminal organizations are groups or operations run by criminals, most commonly for the purpose of generating a monetary profit. ... Shoot style is a form of professional wrestling in which strikes and holds are real and still, however the matches are still predetermined. ... Super World of Sports, more commonly known as SWS, was a Japanese professional wrestling promotion from 1990 to 1992. ... Universal Lucha Libre (Universal Pro-Wrestling until 1991; Federación Universal de Lucha Libre afterwards) was a professional wrestling promotion in Japan from 1990 to 1995. ... Tokyo Dome Baseball at the Tokyo Dome The Tokyo Dome and the amusement park Tokyo Dome City Attractions. ... Yuki Ishikawa (石川友紀 Ishikawa Yuki, born 26 April 1987) is a Japanese volleyball player who plays for Takefuji Bamboo. ...

Problems involving the collapsing Japanese economy and the essence of Fujiwara Gumi's wrestling, however, forced its roster to assess their individual futures. Funaki, Suzuki, Fuke and Takahashi, apparently unsettled by the "performing" direction Fujiwara was taking, abandoned him in late 1993 to form Pancrase. Fujiwara already had back-up talent - Ishikawa, Daisuke Ikeda, Katsumi Usuda, Minoru Tanaka, Mamoru Okamoto, Muhammad Yone, and Shoichi Funaki. In need of funds, however, Fujiwara proposed to cooperate with their root promotion, New Japan. Fujiwara and the rest of the roster began having a small "feud" with NJPW, Fujiwara challenging the heavyweights (he challenged future partner Shinya Hashimoto for the IWGP title, but failed again), and the rest the junior heavyweight division. The NJPW-PWFG feud, however, did not have the star-studded impression on fans that the NJPW-UWFI feud later had. Year 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1993 Gregorian calendar). ... Pancrase Federation Logo Pancrase Hybrid Wrestling is a mixed martial arts organization founded in Japan in 1993 by Masakatsu Funaki and Minoru Suzuki. ... Daisuke Ikeda (池田大輔; Ikeda Daisuke, born February 13, 1968) is a Japanese professional wrestler who is currently wrestling in the Independent circuit in Japan. ... For a Japanese mathematician , see Minoru Tanaka (mathematician). ... Mohammed Yone Satoshi Yoneyama ), better known by his ring name Mohammed Yone, is a Japanese professional wrestler, currently working for Pro Wrestling NOAH, where he is one half of the GHC Tag Team Champions with Takeshi Morishima. ... Shoichi Funaki (born August 24, 1968) is a Japanese American professional wrestler currently signed to World Wrestling Entertainment wrestling on its SmackDown! brand. ... Shinya Hashimoto (July 3, 1965 - July 11, 2005), was a Japanese professional wrestler. ... Union of Wrestling Forces International, better known as UWF International or simply UWFi, was a stiff-style|shoot-style professional wrestling promotion in Japan from 1991 to 1996. ...

In late 1995, Ishikawa and the rest of the Fujiwara Gumi roster abandoned Fujiwara and formed their own promotion, BattlARTS, citing problems with Fujiwara's management team. Since 1996, Fujiwara, the only remaining member of Fujiwara Gumi and thus a de facto free agent (as the promotion no longer operates), has competed in several promotions, mostly in legends matches. NJPW, All Japan Pro Wrestling, Pro Wrestling ZERO-ONE, WAR, and several independents have seen his presence. Currently, Fujiwara is associated with the American catch wrestling organization Scientific Wrestling. BattlARTS (格闘探偵団バトラーツ, Kakutō Tentei-dan Batorātsu, Fighting Investigation Team Battlarts) is a professional wrestling promotion based in Koshigaya, Saitama, Japan. ... All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW) (全日本プロレス, zen nihon puroresu) is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion established in 1972. ... Pro Wrestling ZERO-ONE is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion founded in 2001. ... WAR (wrestling promotion) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ...

Fujiwara is also an actor who has had a few parts in Japanese movies and dramas. He's also a prolific artisan potter. Actors in period costume sharing a joke whilst waiting between takes during location filming. ... Japanese dramas (Japanese: ドラマ dorama; J-dramas; from English drama) are a staple of Japanese television and are broadcast daily. ... Unfired green ware pottery on a traditional drying rack at Conner Prairie living history museum. ...

Profile

• Height: 186 cm (6 ft 1 in)
• Weight: 102 kg (225 lb)
• Born: April 27, 1949
• Hometown: Waga District, Iwate, Japan
• Stage names: Yoshiaki Fujiwara
• Debut: November 12, 1972, vs. Tatsumi Fujinami

April 27 is the 117th day of the year (118th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 248 days remaining. ... 1949 (MCMXLIX) was a common year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1949 calendar). ... Waga (和賀郡; -gun) is a district located in Iwate, Japan. ... is the 316th day of the year (317th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1972 (MCMLXXII) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Tatsumi Fujinami (Fujinami Tatsumi, 藤波辰巳) is a Japanese professional wrestler who is famous for his gimmick as The Dragon. He is the one who is credited for inventing the Dragon Sleeper and the Dragon Suplex. ...

Finishing and signature moves

• Fujiwara armbar
• Headbutt
• Achilles tendon hold
• Swinging neckbreaker
• Sunset flip powerbomb
• Gory special
• Air raid crash
• Superplex

This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Attacking maneuvers in the kayfabe of professional wrestling are mainly used to wear down an opponent for a submission hold or as a set up for a throw. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... A piledriver is a professional wrestling driver move in which the wrestler grabs his/her opponent, turns him/her upside-down, and drops into a sitting or kneeling position, driving the opponents head into the mat. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

Championships and accomplishments

• Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling

• FMW Brass Knuckles Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Daisuke Ikeda

• National Wrestling Alliance
• National

• NWA Intercontinental Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Shinya Hashimoto

• New Japan Pro Wrestling

• IWGP World Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Kazuo Yamazaki
• NJPW Karl Gotch Cup winner in 1975
• NJPW Japan Cup Tag League winner in 1986 - with Antonio Inoki

• Pro Wrestling Fujiwara Gumi

• Fujiwara Gumi Heavyweight Championship (1 time)

Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling, better known by its initials FMW, was a revolutionary Japanese professional wrestling promotion founded in 1989 by Atsushi Ōnita (often spelled Ohnita). ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article may require cleanup. ... Daisuke Ikeda (池田大輔; Ikeda Daisuke, born February 13, 1968) is a Japanese professional wrestler who is currently wrestling in the Independent circuit in Japan. ... National Wrestling Alliance logo The National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) is the governing body for a group of independent professional wrestling promotions and sanctions various NWA championships. ... The NWA Intercontinental Tag Team Championship is a tag team championship sanctioned by the National Wrestling Alliance and contested for in Japan, in Pro Wrestling ZERO1-MAX. Title history External link Wrestling-Titles. ... The NWA Intercontinental Tag Team Championship is a tag team championship sanctioned by the National Wrestling Alliance and contested for in Japan, in Pro Wrestling ZERO1-MAX. Title history External link Wrestling-Titles. ... Shinya Hashimoto (July 3, 1965 - July 11, 2005), was a Japanese professional wrestler. ... New Japan Pro Wrestling (新日本プロレス, shin nihon puroresu) is a major professional wrestling federation in Japan, founded by Antonio Inoki in 1972. ... The IWGP World Tag Team Championship is the main heavyweight tag team title in New Japan Pro Wrestling. ... The IWGP World Tag Team Championship is the main heavyweight tag team title in New Japan Pro Wrestling. ... Kazuo Yamazaki(born 1962 August 15) is a former Japanese professional wrestler, who is known for his work in UWF International. ... Antonio Inoki (アントニオ猪木), real name Kanji Inoki (猪木寛至 Inoki Kanji, born February 20, 1943) is a retired Japanese professional wrestler and mixed martial artist who now resides in New York City. ... Pro Wrestling Fujiwara Group (Purofesshonaru-resuringu Fujiwara-Gumi, プロフェッショナルレスリング藤原組) was a shoot style professional wrestling promotion based in Japan, operating from 1991 to 1995. ...

External links

• Fan Site by Robert Red-Baer
• Online video clips of Fujiwara's Sub-Mission Master instructional