Hiroshi Tanahashi
Hiroshi Tanahashi (born November 13, 1976) is a Japanese professional wrestler. He is currently signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). He is also the president and representative director for NJPW.
| Hiroshi Tanahashi | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Ring name(s) | Hiroshi Tanahashi Tanahashi Masked Devilock[1] Wrestle Lando |
| Billed height | 1.81 m (5 ft 11 in) |
| Billed weight | 101 kg (223 lb) |
| Born | November 13, 1976
(aged 49) Ogaki, Gifu |
| Trained by | NJPW Keiji Mutoh Kensuke Sasaki Tatsumi Fujinami |
| Debut | October 10, 1999 |
| Retired | January 4, 2026 |
During his time in NJPW, he has become a six-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion. He shares the record for most reigns as IWGP Heavyweight Champion with Tatsumi Fujinami and also holds the record for most successful defenses with eleven during his fifth reign as champion.
On December 23, 2023, Tanahashi was named as both the President and Representative Director of New Japan Pro-Wrestling.[2]
Career
Before becoming a professional wrestler, Tanahashi played baseball in high school and also started wrestling during his time attending Ritsumeikan University in Kyoto.[1] While he was wrestling, he was noticed by New Japan Pro Wrestling talent scouts and was invited to try out for the New Japan Dojo. His tryout was successful and he was brought in as a trainee.[1]
Tanahashi made his debut in October 1999 in a match against Shinya Makabe.[1] During that time, he was viewed as a big prospect and he earned wins over lucha libre legend Negro Casas in July 2000 and American Scott Hall in September 2001.[1]
He would go on to team with Kenzo Suzuki with their tag team being called the Kings of the Hills.[1] The team ended when a real life incident occurred in November 2002 with Tanahashi being stabbed in the back by Hitomi Hara (a TV Asahi news reporter that he had dated for a brief amount of time).[1] He was hospitalized, but recovered.
He returned to in-ring competition this time as a singles wrestler on February 16, 2003 in a match against Manabu Nakanishi in front of a sold-out Tokyo crowd.[1]
On January 4, 2014, Tanahashi was able to defeat Shinsuke Nakamura in the main event of Wrestle Kingdom 8 in Tokyo Dome to win the IWGP Intercontinental Championship.[3] He had a rematch against Nakamura at The New Beginning in Hiroshima on February 9 where he was successful in defending his championship.[4] When Nakamura won the 2014 New Japan Cup, Tanahashi had a second rematch against Nakamura at Invasion Attack 2014 on April 6. Nakamura defeated Tanahashi for the championship in the match.[5]
Championships
- Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre
- New Japan Pro Wrestling
- IWGP Heavyweight Championship (six times)
- IWGP Intercontinental Championship (one time)[3]
- IWGP Tag Team Championship (two times) (with Yutaka Yoshie (one) and Shinsuke Nakamura (one))
- IWGP U-30 Championship (two times)
- G1 Climax (2007)
- G2 U-30 Climax (2003)[9]
- New Japan Cup (2005, 2008)
- IWGP Heavyweight Title Tournament (2007)
- U-30 One Night Tag Tournament (2004) (with Taiji Ishimori)
- Heavyweight Tag MVP Award (2005) (with Shinsuke Nakamura)[10]
- Fighting Spirit Award (2003)[11]
- New Wave Award (2002)[12]
- Outstanding Performance Award (2003, 2004)[11][13]
- Singles Best Bout (2004) (vs. Hiroyoshi Tenzan on August 15)[13]
- Young Lion Award (2001)[14]
- Pro Wrestling Illustrated
- He was ranked #3 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2013.[15]
- Pro Wrestling Noah
- GHC Tag Team Championship (one time) (with Yuji Nagata)
- Tokyo Sports Grand Prix
- Best Bout Award (2012) (vs. Kazuchika Okada on June 16)[16]
- Fighting Spirit Award (2003, 2006)
- MVP Award (2009, 2011)[17][18]
- Performance Award (2007)
- Wrestling Observer Newsletter
- 5 Star Match (2012) (vs. Minoru Suzuki on October 8)
- 5 Star Match (2013) (vs. Kazuchika Okada on April 7)
- 5 Star Match (2013) (vs. Kazuchika Okada on October 14)
- Feud of the Year (2012) (vs. Kazuchika Okada)
- Match of the Year (2012) (vs. Minoru Suzuki on October 8)
- Most Outstanding Wrestler (2012)
- Wrestler of the Year (2011, 2012)
- Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame (Class of 2013)
Hiroshi Tanahashi Media
Tanahashi in November 2015 with a briefcase containing the Wrestle Kingdom 10 IWGP Heavyweight Championship match contract
Tanahashi at Wrestle Grand Slam in MetLife Dome in 2021
Tanahashi at Forbidden Door in 2022
Tanahashi wearing the CMLL Universal Championship belt in September 2013
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References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 Puroresu Central profilePuroresu Centra. Retrieved 2013-11-11.
- ↑ Hiroshi Tanahashi named President & Representative Director of NJPWWrestling Observer Newsletter. Retrieved March 9, 2024.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 バディファイトPresents WRESTLE KINGDOM 8 in 東京ドームNew Japan Pro Wrestling (in Japanese). Retrieved 2014-04-06.
- ↑ The New Beginning in HiroshimaNew Japan Pro Wrestling (in Japanese). Retrieved 2014-04-06.
- ↑ Invasion Attack 2014New Japan Pro Wrestling (in Japanese). Retrieved 2014-04-06.
- ↑ Resultados Arena México Viernes 6 de Septiembre '13Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (in Spanish). Retrieved 2013-11-11.
- ↑ 吉野家Presents Kizuna Road 2013New Japan Pro Wrestling (in Japanese). Retrieved 2013-11-11.
- ↑ Resultados Arena México (7 de mayo 2010): ¡Tanahashi, Taichi y Okumura, nuevos Campeones de Tríos CMLL!SuperLuchas Magazine (in Spanish). Retrieved 2013-11-11.
- ↑ 2003 G2 U-30 Climax (開幕：3月6日～決勝：4月23日)Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). Retrieved 2013-11-11.
- ↑ 2005 New Japan AwardsStrong Style Spirit. Retrieved 2013-11-11.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 2003 New Japan AwardsStrong Style Spirit. Retrieved 2013-11-11.
- ↑ 2002 New Japan AwardsStrong Style Spirit. Retrieved 2013-11-11.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 2004 New Japan AwardsStrong Style Spirit. Retrieved 2013-11-11.
- ↑ 2001 New Japan AwardsStrong Style Spirit. Retrieved 2013-11-11.
- ↑ Pro Wrestling Illustrated (PWI) 500 for 2013The Internet Wrestling Database. Retrieved 2013-11-11.
- ↑ 【最年少タイ!!】オカダが『プロレス大賞』MVPを「あたりまえ」の初受賞!! ベストバウトはオカダvs棚橋！中邑は技能賞!!New Japan Pro Wrestling (in Japanese). Retrieved 2013-11-11.
- ↑ Tanahashi, ace of the universe, becomes 2009 MVP!Strong Style Spirit. Retrieved 2013-11-11.[dead link]
- ↑ (Results) New Japan, 12/14/11Strong Style Spirit. Retrieved 2013-11-11.[dead link]