Genichiro Tenryu

From Freepedia

Genichirō Tenryū (天龍源一郎 Tenryū Genichirō), real name 嶋田源一郎 Shimada Genichirō, 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. "Tenryu" was his shikona.

Contents

Career

Scouted by Giant Baba, the All Japan Pro Wrestling owner, Tenryu was sent to the Amarillo territory to get trained by Dory Funk, Jr. and Terry Funk, and made his debut there. After returning to Japan, he stayed in the undercard until about 1982 when he began to get a slight push in that year's Champion Carnival tournament. In 1983, following a brief stint in Jim Crockett Promotions, his push began in earnest when Jumbo Tsuruta pursued the NWA International heavyweight title, now the main title in the Triple Crown.

1984 saw Tenryu winning the NWA United National title, now also part of the Triple Crown, as well as the NWA International tag team title with Tsuruta. Their combination was called "Kakuryu" (鶴 = kaku = tsuru (the "tsuru" in Tsuruta) + 龍 = ryu in Tenryu). The team feuded with Riki Choshu and Yoshiaki Yatsu, who were the leaders in an "invasion" angle by the Japan Pro-Wrestling promotion, an All Japan satellite made up of former New Japan Pro Wrestling talent.

In 1987, following the departure of the Japan Pro talent, Kakuryu broke up after losing the tag team titles to the Road Warriors, which led to Tenryu forming his own stable, "Revolution", with former International Pro Wrestling wrestlers Ashura Hara and Hiromichi Fuyuki, as well as All Japan rookies Toshiaki Kawada and Yoshinari Ogawa. Tenryu and Hara feuded with Tsuruta and his new partner Yatsu over the PWF (Pacific Wrestling Federation) tag team titles and later with their replacement, the Double Cup tag team titles (a combination of the PWF and International tag belts). Hara was kicked out of the promotion, however, in late 1988, and Tenryu replaced him with Stan Hansen, with whom he held the Double Cup as well.

1989 was Tenryu's banner year. The Triple Crown had just been formed with Tsuruta as the first holder, and Tenryu was chosen to be the first Japanese antagonist that contended for it. The Tsuruta-Tenryu clashes that ensued since May set the standard for all Triple Crown matches and feuds to follow. When Tenryu won the belt in June, the match was so spectacular it was deemed Match of the Year by major Japanese publications. The same year saw him finally pin his mentor Baba, albeit in a tag match - but still a major success for a Japanese wrestler. Only Mitsuharu Misawa would follow him to that.

In 1990, Tenryu left All Japan to form SWS. After its collapse in 1992, Tenryu, aided by Masatomo Takei (brother of his wife Makiyo) formed WAR. WAR became his base from where he would take on top wrestlers from other promotions, such as Atsushi Onita, Nobuhiko Takada, The Great Muta, Shinya Hashimoto and Masa Chono, all of whom he defeated. He also traded victories with Tatsumi Fujinami and Antonio Inoki, thus becoming the only Japanese to defeat both Inoki and Baba by pinfall.

In 1998, as WAR went into decline, Tenryu began an earnest comeback, this time in New Japan. He first allied with Shiro Koshinaka and they won the IWGP tag team belts from Team Wolf, Masa Chono and Hiroyoshi Tenzan. In December 1999, Tenryu made history as the first native to win the top two distinctions of professional wrestling in Japan (All Japan's Triple Crown and New Japan's IWGP heavyweight title) by beating Muta for the IWGP. (The first man to win both titles was Big Van Vader, an American.)

In 2000, following the near-collapse of All Japan due to the Pro Wrestling NOAH split, Tenryu closed WAR and rejoined All Japan, eager to test his mettle against the remaining ace, his former disciple Kawada. Tenryu beat Kawada in the subsequent tournament for the vacant Triple Crown, winning the belts for a second time. In his second stay in All Japan, he would capture the belts a third time and also the Double Cup with former WAR-UWFI feud rival Yoji Anjo.

In 2003 he joined World Japan for a few matches, but as it declined rapidly, he switched back and forth aimlessly between New Japan and All Japan.

In 2005 he entered NOAH himself, and with impending feuds with Misawa, Kenta Kobashi and other wrestlers he knew from his first All Japan stint, as well as new faces he's never met in the ring before, such as Jun Akiyama, Tenryu is sure to make a spectacular third comeback.

Tenryu was the first native Japanese to break the tradition of promotional boundaries, and to fight anyone, regardless of promotion or style. Because of this, he is often referred to by Japanese fans as "Mr. Puroresu". It's a credit to his ability that he's remained a superstar and a heavyweight title contender even past the age of 50.

Profile

Finishers and signature moves

Championships/Accomplishments

All Japan Pro Wrestling

National Wrestling Alliance

New Japan Pro Wrestling

Other Titles

Pro Wrestling Illustrated

  • Pro Wrestling Illustrated (PWI) ranked him # 44 of the 500 best singles wrestlers during the "PWI Years" in 2003. He was also ranked twice in the best tag teams of the "PWI Years". He was ranked # 14 with Jumbo Tsuruta and # 30 with Ashura Hara.


International Wrestling Grand Prix World Heavyweight Champions
Inoki | - | Fujinami | - | Fujinami | - | Vader | Hashimokov | Choshu | Vader | Choshu | Fujinami | Vader | Fujinami | Choshu | Mutoh | Hashimoto | Fujinami | Hashimoto | Mutoh | Takada | Hashimoto | Sasaki | Fujinami | Chono | - | Norton | Mutoh | Tenryu | Sasaki | - | Sasaki | Norton | Fujita | - | Yasuda | Nagata | Takayama | Tenzan | Nakamura | - | Tenzan | Sasaki | Sapp | - | Fujita | Sasaki | Tenzan | Kojima | Tenzan | Fujita | Lesnar

Retrieved from "http://en.freepedia.org/Genichiro_Tenryu.html"


Views
Personal tools
In other languages
Similar Links