Minoru Kojima (born 11 October 1968) was the original guitarist for Japanese experimental punk band The Mad Capsule Markets. He is also known as Scene or Shin Murohime, which is apparently a conglomeration of characters from the names of different Boøwy members. He started The Mad Capsule Markets (which at the time was called Berrie) in 1985, with vocalist Hiroshi Kyono, in an attempt to create "loud, punk music" after becoming "bored" with music played on television and radio. After the release of Mad's debut Humanity, Minoru left the band and was replaced by "support guitarist" Ai Ishigaki. In 1991 Minoru started Die in Cries and in 1994 became a member of The Bloody Imitation Society. Over the years Minoru worked with more bands and even went solo for a short time before returning to Mad to play on "Good Day" from their album 010 and playing on their "Cistm Konfliqt" tour.

Minoru also involves himself in co-arranging music for other artists including Tetsuya and Chieko Kawabe. He has also played guitar on Aikawa Nanase's album 7 Seven and her mini album R.U.O.K.?! alongside former hide with Spread Beaver members - I.N.A., K.A.Z, Chirolyn, D.I.E, "Crazy" Cool Joe from Dead End and Pata from X Japan. He is also a member of Bug, with his former Die in Cries band mate and D'erlanger front man, Kyo. Minoru currently performs with the band Spin.

Discography[link]

Berrie[link]

The Mad Capsule Markets[link]

Optic Nerve[link]

Die in Cries[link]

Bloody Imitation Society[link]

Bug[link]

External links[link]

• Official Website (Japanese)
• Web site for new Kojima Minoru/Murohime Shin Band

Minoru Suzuki
Suzuki in April 2008.
Born	(1968-06-17) June 17, 1968 (age 44) Yokohama, Kanagawa
Nationality	Japanese
Height	1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Weight	100 kg (220 lb)
Team	Pancrase Mission
Rank	Olympian Alternate Freestyle Wrestler
Mixed martial arts record
Total	47
Wins	27
By knockout	3
By submission	19
By decision	4
By disqualification	1
Losses	20
By knockout	8
By submission	7
By decision	5
Website	Official blog
Mixed martial arts record from Sherdog
last updated on: March 14, 2011 (2011-03-14)

Minoru Suzuki (鈴木 実, Suzuki Minoru^?, ring name: 鈴木 みのる) is a Japanese professional wrestler and mixed martial artist. Suzuki was the co-founder of Pancrase, one of the first mixed martial arts organizations in the world. During the 1990s he was known as one of the best fighters in the Pancrase promotion and was the second King of Pancrase world champion. Suzuki returned to regular puroresu in 2003, where he has become a perennial top contender for all major Japanese heavyweight championships. He is currently performing for both All Japan Pro Wrestling, where he is a former two-time AJPW Triple Crown Heavyweight Champion, and New Japan Pro Wrestling.

Suzuki is well noted for his excellence in freestyle wrestling and catch wrestling. He was an Olympic alternate freestyle wrestler for Japan and former Japanese freestyle wrestling national champion. As good as his wrestling credentials are, Suzuki is even more respected for his excellence in the art of catch wrestling and submissions. Suzuki has been praised many times by elite fighters such as Josh Barnett, Bas Rutten and Ken Shamrock for his outstanding grappling and submission skills.^[1]

Career[link]

Pancrase[link]

Suzuki trained at the New Japan Pro Wrestling dojo and made his pro wrestling debut in 1988, but soon after left with catch wrestling mentor Yoshiaki Fujiwara for the newborn UWF. He joined Fujiwara's Pro Wrestling Fujiwara Gumi but then left the organization to form Pancrase, one of the first mixed martial arts organizations in the world, in 1993 with Masakatsu Funaki.

Despite his significant size disadvantage against most competitors, Suzuki became one of the most successful fighters in Pancrase with his amazing submission skills and top wrestling ability. Suzuki began his MMA career going 7-0, including a huge upset win over Pancrase's #1 fighter Ken Shamrock in early 1994. He did not lose a match until he lost to Bas Rutten via Liver shot KO due to a knee to the body. In 1995, he won the King of Pancrase (now KOP Open-Weight) title to become the second ever King of Pancrase. Suzuki twice defeated Ken Shamrock and is the only man to hold two wins over Shamrock in the Pancrase era.

Over time, Suzuki's body became damaged and worn down from various injuries and resulted in his skills diminishing. He then decided to focus on the business and training side of Pancrase. He collaborated with the Tekken series of fighting video games as a motion actor. His last non-worked fight for Pancrase was against a professional wrestler, Jushin Liger, whom Suzuki had known as Keiichi Yamada in his first NJPW stint. At the time he competed in grappling matches almost exclusively. Suzuki witnessed the transition Pancrase made from the so-called "hybrid wrestling" style to that of regular MMA and was instrumental in paving the way for mixed martial arts in Japan.

Suzuki is also erroneously credited on his mixed martial arts record by various MMA websites with a loss to Maurice Smith on the event Pancrase- Yes, We are Hybrid Wrestlers 3. Suzuki did lose the bout with Smith, but the bout was a kickboxing match with kickboxing rules and kickboxing gloves and was not a mixed martial arts match.

Return to professional wrestling[link]

Suzuki (right) in the ring at a Hustle show.

In 2003, Suzuki and Yusuke Fuke announced their plan to return to puroresu and invade promotions under the stable name Pancrase MISSION. Suzuki began competing for New Japan Pro Wrestling as a freelancer, where he aligned himself with Yoshihiro Takayama and won the IWGP Tag Team Championship from Hiroyoshi Tenzan and Osamu Nishimura on February 1, 2004. They were stripped of the title later in the year, following Takayama's mounting injuries. In 2005, Suzuki began competing in Pro Wrestling Noah, and would receive a GHC Heavyweight Championship shot against then Champion Kenta Kobashi, but he was defeated. After this, he found an unlikely ally in Naomichi Marufuji, whose style was Lucha Libre (rather than shoot-style). Nonetheless, Suzuki taught Marufuji some of what he knew and they clicked, winning the GHC Tag Team Titles from 2 Cold Scorpio and Doug Williams on June 18, 2005. After losing the belts to Muhammad Yone and Takeshi Morishima in October, Suzuki challenged for the GHC Heavyweight Championship shot against champion Jun Akiyama on March 5, 2006, but he was once again unsuccessful.

All Japan Pro Wrestling[link]

On March 10, 2006, Suzuki made a surprise appearance in All Japan Pro Wrestling, attacking then Triple Crown Heavyweight Champion Satoshi Kojima after he had just defended his title against The Great Muta. Pundits at once considered Suzuki to have issued a challenge for the Triple Crown. Suzuki participated in the 2006 Champion's Carnival, and made it to the semifinals before being defeated by Taiyō Kea. On September 3, Suzuki challenged Kea, who had won the Triple Crown from Kojima in July. He was successful in his bid to become the new Triple Crown Champion, and will end up having successful defenses against RO'Z, Yuji Nagata, Kojima, Tajiri and Keiji Mutoh. Suzuki has formed a grouping called "Minoru Gundan" consisting of himself, Nosawa Rongai, and MAZADA. In May 2007 he went on a tour of Mexico's CMLL with Takayama and experienced Lucha Libre battles. He lost the Triple Crown Championship to Kensuke Sasaki on August 26, 2007 at AJPW's PRO WRESTLING LOVE in RYOGOKU pay-per-view event.

At the All Japan FAN APPRECIATION DAY event on December 16, 2007, the Mexico Amigos teamed with "Ray Suzuki" and defeated Ryuji Hijikata, Kikutaro, T28 & Ryuji Yamaguchi. After the match, Ray Suzuki reveled himself as Minoru Suzuki and vowed that El NOSAWA Mendoza would throw his Amigos tights away and return as NOSAWA Rongai, and then kidnapped him to start early training.

On March 1, 2008, Minoru Suzuki made an appearance at the Dory Funk, Jr. retirement show, providing commentary for the Triple Crown Championship main event (between Kensuke Sasaki and Satoshi Kojima), as well as pledging to participate in the upcoming Champion's Carnival. From April 5 to 9, Suzuki competed in Block B of All Japan's annual Champion's Carnival, finishing the league with 2 wins (over Kensuke Sasaki and Suwama) and 2 losses (to Osamu Nishimura and Joe Doering), as well as teaming with TAKEMURA to defeat Toshiaki Kawada and Nobutaka Araya on Day 2 (April 6) of the Carnival. During the Hold Out tour, Suzuki confronted a losing-streak Taiyō Kea about joining the stable GURENTAI (alongside NOSAWA, MAZADA and TAKEMURA), which resulted in Kea joining and focusing on winning the tag titles with Suzuki. On June 28, 2008, Suzuki and Kea won the AJPW Unified World Tag Team Championship from Joe Doering and Keiji Mutoh. On September 28, 2008 he attacked The Great Muta after Muta had successfully defeated Suwama for the Triple Crown Championship, setting up a match between the two in which he lost on November 3, 2008.

On January 3, 2009, Suzuki and stable mate NOSAWA Rongai won the restored AJPW All Asia Tag Team Championship, over the course of a 2-day tournament. Later in the year, Suzuki won the 2009 Champion's Carnival beating Kaz Hayashi in the Finals. He would end up challenging the then Triple Crown Champion, Yoshihiro Takayama, on May 30, 2009, albeit in a losing effort. On September 23, 2009, Suzuki and NOSAWA lost the All Asia Tag Team Championship at the hands of Akebono and Ryota Hama. On January 3, 2010, Suzuki and Kea lost the Unified World Tag Team Championship at the hands of Masakatsu Funaki and Keiji Mutoh.

On March 21, 2010, Suzuki lost to long-time rival Masakatsu Funaki in All Japan's First Cage Match. Suzuki then entered the Champion Carnival and won it for the second straight year, being the third man to do so by beating Funaki in the Final - weeks removed from their Cage Match. After the final, Suzuki buried the hatchet with Funaki by shaking his hand, thus ending the decade-long rivalry. Suzuki then declared his GURENTAI stable on hiatus. As a result of his Champion Carnival victory, Suzuki earned a Triple Crown championship match versus Ryota Hama on May 2. In the match, Suzuki defeated Hama to claim his second Triple Crown championship. He would go on to lose the title to Suwama on August 29, 2010.

Return to New Japan Pro Wrestling[link]

On December 12, 2010, Suzuki returned to New Japan Pro Wrestling, attacking old rival Yuji Nagata.^[2] On January 4, 2011, at Wrestle Kingdom V in Tokyo Dome, Suzuki faced Nagata in a losing effort.^[3][4] Suzuki made another return to New Japan on May 3, 2011, when he took over the Kojima Army, after its members Taichi and Taka Michinoku had turned on their leader Satoshi Kojima.^[5] Later that same month, the newly renamed Suzukigun was joined by Lance Archer.^[6] On July 18, Suzuki defeated Kojima in a singles match.^[7] The two had a rematch on August 1 during the first day of the 2011 G1 Climax, where Kojima managed to pick up the win.^[8] Suzuki then went on a six match win streak, but losses to Strong Man and Shinsuke Nakamura on the last two days of the tournament, caused him to narrowly miss advancing to the finals.^[9] On October 10 at Destruction '11, Suzuki defeated Kojima's number one ally, Togi Makabe, in a grudge match.^[10] In the 2011 G1 Climax Tag League, Suzuki teamed with Lance Archer and, after four wins and one loss, the team finished second in their block, advancing to the semifinals of the tournament.^[11] On November 6, Suzuki and Archer first defeated the CHAOS Top Team (Shinsuke Nakamura and Toru Yano) in the semifinals and then IWGP Tag Team Champions Bad Intentions (Giant Bernard and Karl Anderson) in the finals to win the 2011 G1 Climax Tag League.^[12] On November 12, Suzuki and Archer failed in their attempt to capture the IWGP Tag Team Championship from Bad Intentions.^[13] After defeating Giant Bernard in a singles match on December 4, Suzuki challenged IWGP Heavyweight Champion Hiroshi Tanahashi to a title match at Wrestle Kingdom VI in Tokyo Dome.^[14] At the event on January 4, 2012, Suzuki was unsuccessful in his title challenge.^[15] On February 12 at The New Beginning, Suzuki led Lance Archer, Taichi, Taka Michinoku and Yoshihiro Takayama of the Suzukigun to a dominant 5–1 win over Kushida, Tiger Mask IV, Togi Makabe, Wataru Inoue and Yuji Nagata in a ten man elimination tag team match.^[16] On May 3 at Wrestling Dontaku 2012, Suzuki pinned Makabe in a tag team match, where he and Takayama faced Makabe and Yuji Nagata.^[17]

In wrestling[link]

Suzuki performing a Gotch Piledriver

• Finishing moves
  • Gotch-Style Piledriver (Cradle piledriver)
  • Saka Otoshi (Inverted facelock takeover followed into a rear naked choke)
  • Sleeper hold

• Signature moves
  • Hard slaps to the opponent's face
  • Octopus hold, sometimes to a seated opponent
  • Running low-angle dropkick to an opponent seated in the corner

• Entrance themes
  • "Kaze ni Nare" by Ayumi Nakamura

Championships and accomplishments[link]

Professional wrestling[link]

• All Japan Pro Wrestling
  • AJPW All Asia Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Nosawa Rongai
  • AJPW Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship (2 times)
  • AJPW Unified World Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Taiyō Kea
  • Champion's Carnival (2009, 2010)
  • Kokomi Sakura Cup (2010)

• New Japan Pro Wrestling
  • IWGP Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Yoshihiro Takayama
  • G1 Climax Tag League (2011) – with Lance Archer^[12]

• Pro Wrestling Illustrated
  • PWI ranked him #14 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2007^[18]

• Pro Wrestling Noah
  • GHC Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Naomichi Marufuji

• Tokyo Sports Grand Prix
  • Best Tag Team (2004) with Yoshihiro Takayama^[19]
  • Best Tag Team (2008) with Taiyō Kea^[19]
  • Most Valuable Player (2006)^[19]
  • Technique Award (2004)^[19]

Mixed martial arts[link]

• Pancrase
  • King of Pancrase Openweight Championship (1 time)

Mixed martial arts record[link]

Result	Record	Opponent	Method	Event	Date	Round	Time	Location	Notes
Win	27–20	Jushin Liger	Submission (rear naked choke)	Pancrase: Spirit 8	02002-11-30November 30, 2002	1	1:48	Yokohama, Japan
Win	26–20	El Solar	DQ (groin strikes)	Deep 4th Impact	02002-03-30March 30, 2002	1	2:26	Nagoya, Japan
Win	25–20	Takaku Fuke	Submission (kneebar)	Pancrase: 2001 Anniversary Show	02001-09-30September 30, 2001	1	5:09	Yokohama, Japan
Loss	24–20	Denis Kang	Submission (back injury)	Pancrase: 2000 Anniversary Show	02000-09-24September 24, 2000	1	3:43	Yokohama, Japan
Win	24–19	Sean Daugherty	Submission (kimura)	Pancrase: Trans 3	02000-04-30April 30, 2000	1	1:01	Yokohama, Japan
Loss	23–19	Sanae Kikuta	TKO (arm triangle choke)	Pancrase: Breakthrough 11	01999-12-18December 18, 1999	1	2:39	Yokohama, Japan
Loss	23–18	Osami Shibuya	TKO (hip injury)	Pancrase: Advance 12	01998-12-19December 19, 1998	1	2:31	Urayasu, Japan
Loss	23–17	Omar Bouiche	Submission (rear naked choke)	Pancrase: Advance 10	01998-10-26October 26, 1998	1	0:45	Tokyo, Japan
Loss	23–16	Kazuo Takahashi	TKO (lost points)	Pancrase: 1998 Anniversary Show	01998-09-14September 14, 1998	1	8:06	Tokyo, Japan
Loss	23–15	Takaku Fuke	Decision (lost points)	Pancrase: Advance 8	01998-06-21June 21, 1998	1	10:00	Kobe, Japan
Win	23–14	John Lober	Decision (lost points)	Pancrase: Advance 7	01998-06-02June 2, 1998	1	15:00	Tokyo, Japan
Win	22–14	Tony Rojo	Decision (unanimous)	Pancrase: Advance 5	01998-04-26April 26, 1998	2	3:00	Yokohama, Japan
Win	21–14	Kosei Kubota	Submission	Pancrase: Advance 4	01998-03-18March 18, 1998	1	3:38	Tokyo, Japan
Loss	20–14	Keiichiro Yamamiya	Decision (majority)	Pancrase-Advance 3	01998-03-01March 1, 1998	1	20:00	Kobe, Japan
Loss	20–13	Semmy Schilt	KO (knee)	Pancrase: Advance 1	01998-01-16January 16, 1998	1	9:52	Tokyo, Japan
Loss	20–12	Keiichiro Yamamiya	Decision (lost points)	Pancrase: 1997 Anniversary Show	01997-09-06September 6, 1997	1	20:00	Urayasu, Japan
Win	20–11	Jagjit Singh	KO	Pancrase: Alive 6	01997-06-18June 18, 1997	1	0:21	Tokyo, Japan
Win	19–11	Joel Sutton	Submission	Pancrase: Alive 5	01997-05-24May 24, 1997	1	0:48	Kobe, Japan
Win	18–11	Takafumi Ito	Decision (majority)	Pancrase: Truth 7	01996-10-08October 8, 1996	1	10:00	Nagoya, Japan
Loss	17–11	Jason DeLucia	KO (palm strike)	Pancrase: 1996 Anniversary Show	01996-09-07September 7, 1996	1	4:58	Urayasu, Japan
Loss	17–10	Vernon White	Decision (majority)	Pancrase: 1996 Neo-Blood Tournament, Round 2	01996-07-23July 23, 1996	1	15:00	Tokyo, Japan
Loss	17–9	Yuki Kondo	Decision (lost points)	Pancrase: Truth 6	01996-06-25June 25, 1996	1	15:00	Fukuoka, Japan
Loss	17–8	Guy Mezger	TKO (strikes)	Pancrase: Truth 5	01996-05-16May 16, 1996	1	7:59	Tokyo, Japan
Loss	17–7	Frank Shamrock	Submission (kneebar)	Pancrase: Truth 1	01996-01-28January 28, 1996	1	22:53	Yokohama, Japan
Win	17–6	Guy Mezger	TKO (doctor)	Pancrase: Eyes of Beast 7	01995-12-14December 14, 1995	1	7:15	Sapporo, Japan
Win	16–6	Todd Medina	Submission (armbar)	Pancrase: Eyes of Beast 6	01995-11-04November 4, 1995	1	1:39	Yokohama, Japan
Loss	15–6	Bas Rutten	Submission (guillotine choke)	Pancrase: 1995 Anniversary Show	01995-09-01September 1, 1995	1	15:35	Tokyo, Japan	Lost King of Pancrase title
Win	15–5	Jason Delucia	Submission (guillotine choke)	Pancrase: 1995 Neo-Blood Tournament Opening Round	01995-07-22July 22, 1995	1	9:23	Tokyo, Japan
Win	14–5	Larry Papadopoulos	Submission	Pancrase: Eyes of Beast 5	01995-06-13June 13, 1995	1	8:34	Sapporo, Japan
Win	13–5	Ken Shamrock	Submission (kneebar)	Pancrase: Eyes of Beast 4	01995-05-13May 13, 1995	1	2:14	Urayasu, Japan	Won King of Pancrase title
Loss	12–5	Frank Shamrock	Submission	Pancrase: Eyes Of Beast 3	01995-04-08April 8, 1995	1	3:23	Nagoya, Japan
Win	12–4	Gregory Smit	Submission	Pancrase: Eyes of Beast 2	01995-03-10March 10, 1995	1	9:10	Yokohama, Japan
Loss	11–4	Manabu Yamada	Submission (armbar)	Pancrase - King of Pancrase Tournament Second Round	01994-12-17December 17, 1994	1	14:46	Tokyo, Japan
Win	11–3	Jason DeLucia	Submission	Pancrase - King of Pancrase Tournament Opening Round	01994-12-16December 16, 1994	1	2:04	Tokyo, Japan
Win	10–3	Matt Hume	Decision (lost points)	Pancrase - King of Pancrase Tournament Opening Round	01994-12-16December 16, 1994	1	10:00	Tokyo, Japan
Loss	9–3	Masakatsu Funaki	Technical submission	Pancrase: Road to the Championship 5	01994-10-15October 15, 1994	1	1:51	Tokyo, Japan
Win	9–2	Todd Bjornethun	Submission	Pancrase: Road to the Championship 4	01994-09-01September 1, 1994	1	3:11	Osaka, Japan
Win	8–2	Remco Pardoel	KO	Pancrase: Road to the Championship 3	01994-07-26July 26, 1994	1	7:16	Tokyo, Japan
Loss	7–2	Bas Rutten	KO	Pancrase: Road to the Championship 2	01994-07-06July 6, 1994	1	3:43	Amagasaki, Japan
Win	7–1	Maurice Smith	Submission (armbar)	Pancrase: Road To The Championship 1	01994-05-31May 31, 1994	3	0:36	Tokyo, Japan
Win	6–1	Thomas Puckett	Submission (armbar)	Pancrase: Pancrash! 3	01994-04-21April 21, 1994	1	1:43	Osaka, Japan
Win	5–1	Takaku Fuke	Submission	Pancrase: Pancrash! 2	01994-03-12March 12, 1994	1	6:31	Nagoya, Japan
Win	4–1	Ken Shamrock	Submission (heelhook/kneebar)	Pancrase: Pancrash! 1	01994-01-19January 19, 1994	1	7:37	Yokohama, Japan
Win	3–1	James Mathews	Submission (keylock)	Pancrase - Yes, We are Hybrid Wrestlers 4	01993-12-08December 8, 1993	1	0:58	Hakata, Japan
Loss	2–1	Maurice Smith	KO (punches)	Pancrase - Yes, We are Hybrid Wrestlers 3	01993-11-08November 8, 1993	1	6:52	Kobe, Japan
Win	2–0	Vernon White	Submission (leg scissors)	Pancrase - Yes, We are Hybrid Wrestlers 2	01993-10-14October 14, 1993	1	2:36	Nagoya, Japan
Win	1–0	Katsuomi Inagaki	Submission (rear naked choke)	Pancrase - Yes, We are Hybrid Wrestlers 1	01993-09-21September 21, 1993	1	3:25	Urayasu, Japan

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official blog (Japanese)
• Profile at Pancrase (Japanese)
• Professional MMA record for Minoru Suzuki from Sherdog

Satoshi Kojima
Kojima in November 2011.
Ring name(s)	Satoshi Kojima The Great Koji The Great Kosuke Joe-Joe Lee Lion Satoshi
Billed height	1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)[1]
Billed weight	112 kg (250 lb)[1]
Born	(1970-09-14) September 14, 1970 (age 41)[1] Kōtō, Tokyo, Japan[1]
Trained by	Animal Hamaguchi[1] Kensuke Sasaki Hiroshi Hase NJPW Dojo[1]
Debut	July 16, 1991[1]

Satoshi Kojima (小島 聡, Kojima Satoshi^?) is a Japanese professional wrestler, currently signed to New Japan Pro Wrestling.^[1] He is currently in his fourth reign as one half of the IWGP Tag Team Champions. As a singles wrestler, he was the first wrestler to hold NJPW's IWGP Heavyweight Championship and All Japan Pro Wrestling's Triple Crown Championship simultaneously. As a team, he and Hiroyoshi Tenzan became the first team to won G1 Climax Tag League and World's Strongest Tag Team League on the same year.

Before Wrestling[link]

Like many Japanese wrestlers, Kojima has a background in Judo, but he chose not to continue the sport when he went to college. He got his start loading trucks for New Japan Pro Wrestling & after some months of persuasion finally convinced head trainer Animal Hamaguchi to accept him into the dojo.

Career[link]

New Japan Pro Wrestling (1991–2002)[link]

Kojima entered the New Japan Pro Wrestling dojo in February 1991. He debuted as a wrestler on September 14 in a match against Hiroyoshi Yamamoto, who would later adopt the stage name of Hiroyoshi Tenzan. In 1994 he defeated Manabu Nakanishi in the Young Lions Cup finals, winning the tournament. In the end of that year he went to Europe, and returned to NJPW in January 1996. When he returned, he formed The Bull Powers with Nakanishi, who had returned from WCW. In May 1997 he defeated Riki Chōshū and Kensuke Sasaki with Nakanishi to become an IWGP Tag Team Champion for the first time. At the end of 1998 he joined nWo Japan, by Keiji Mutoh's leadership. Kojima and Tenzan (known together as Ten-Koji, a portmanteau of their last names) formed a tag team and ended up holding the IWGP Tag Team titles together twice.

All Japan Pro Wrestling (2002–2010)[link]

In January 2002, in opposition to Antonio Inoki focusing the IWGP title on unreliable shoot style wrestlers such as Kazuyuki Fujita and Tadao Yasuda, Kojima left NJPW with his mentor Keiji Mutoh, and joined All Japan Pro Wrestling where he was finally able to receive the push of a top star. He held both of the company's tag team titles, the AJPW Double Cup Tag Team Championship twice. On February 16, 2005, he won the Triple Crown, AJPW's unified heavyweight championship from Toshiaki Kawada. Only four days later he won NJPW's heavyweight championship, the IWGP Heavyweight Championship, from his former tag team partner Hiroyoshi Tenzan in a cross-promotional double title match. On May 14, 2005, Tenzan won the IWGP title back, but not the Triple Crown.^[2]

Upon joining AJPW, Kojima began to use the Great Koji (copying The Great Muta) and Great Kosuke (copying The Great Sasuke) personas for special matches.

On July 3, 2006 Kojima lost the Triple Crown to Taiyō Kea. Three days later it was revealed that Kojima would return to New Japan to compete in the 2006 G-1 Climax, where he would go to lose in the finals against former tag team partner and rival Hiroyoshi Tenzan.

In October 2006 it was announced that TenKoji would reform for the upcoming World's Strongest Tag Team League tournament. On December 2, 2006 the reformed TenKoji won the Real World Tag League defeating Kohei Suwama and RO'Z in the finals when Kojima used a lariat on RO'Z. The duo next faced Masahiro Chono and Keiji Muto at NJPW's Wrestle Kingdom in Tokyo Dome. They lost when Chono forced Tenzan to submit.

In July 2007, Kojima shocked the All-Japan Army when he betrayed them and joined the Voodoo Murders, where he was quickly made the group's co-leader along with TARU. Soon after joining, Kojima and TARU won the AJPW Unified World Tag Team Championships from Toshiaki Kawada and Taiyō Kea. Kojima left the group in 2008 after returning from injury to side with his sworn friend Hiroyoshi Tenzan and to feud with the alliance of Great Bash Heel (Tenzan's former group) and the VooDoo Murders.

In 2008, Tenzan and Kojima became the first tag team to ever win G1 Climax Tag League and Real World Tag League in the same year. Later he started his 1st stable named F4 (Friend Fight Fan and Future) with young proteges YAMATO and KAI. A 4th member in ZODIAC joined later in 2009. On September 26, 2009 a few days after his 39th birthday Kojima lifted the All-Japan Triple Crown off of Yoshihiro Takayama, returning the titles to All-Japan and winning them for the 2nd time. He lost the title on March 21, 2010 to Ryota Hama.^[3]

Kojima's AJPW page was taken down soon before he agreed to compete in New Japan Pro Wrestling's 20th annual G1 Climax. It's reported that he was plagued with an arm injury that required surgery and needed time off to heal. AJPW then refused to discuss resigning Kojima until he was healthy. It's been reported Kojima was not pleased with this and began entertaining other possibilities.

Return to New Japan (2010–present)[link]

Kojima returned to New Japan in August 2010 in order to take part in the 2010 G1 Climax tournament. His return match took place on August 6, 2010, when he teamed up with El Samurai in a tag team match, where they were defeated by Hirooki Goto and Ryusuke Taguchi.^[4] In the round robin stage of the tournament Kojima won five out his seven matches and won his block to advance to the finals, where, on August 15, he defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi to win G1 Climax.^[5] On October 11 Kojima defeated Togi Makabe to win the IWGP Heavyweight Championship for the second time.^[6] On December 11 Kojima made his first successful defense of the title, defeating Shinsuke Nakamura.^[7] On December 14 Kojima announced that he was starting his own stable, tentatively named Kojima Office, and named Taichi, who had accompanied him to the ring for his Nakamura match, its first member.^[8] Kojima turned heel on December 23, when he hit his number one contender Hiroshi Tanahashi with a lariat after a match, where he and Kota Ibushi had defeated Tanahashi and Prince Devitt.^[9] On January 4, 2011, at Wrestle Kingdom V in Tokyo Dome, Kojima lost the IWGP Heavyweight Championship to Tanahashi.^[10][11] On January 30 Kojima defeated Togi Makabe to earn a rematch with Tanahashi.^[12] Meanwhile, the newly renamed Kojima Army expanded to include TAKA Michinoku and NOSAWA Rongai, who in turn used his connections to get MVP to also join the group.^[13][14] Kojima received his rematch for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship on February 20, but was again defeated by Tanahashi.^[15] After Kojima was defeated by Togi Makabe on May 3, Taichi and TAKA Michinoku turned on him and named the returning Minoru Suzuki as their new leader, while Kojima himself formed a new partnership with Makabe and MVP, who left the stable after Suzuki took over.^[16][17][18] On July 18, Suzuki defeated Kojima in a singles match.^[19] The two had a rematch on August 1 during the first day of the 2011 G1 Climax, where Kojima managed to pick up the win.^[20] Kojima managed to win five more matches in the tournament, but a loss to former partner Hiroyoshi Tenzan on the final day eliminated him fron the running for a spot in the finals.^[21] After the tournament Kojima was sidelined indefinitely with an eye injury suffered during the match with Tenzan.^[22] On September 19, it was announced that Kojima had signed a contract with New Japan to become an official member of the promotion's roster. Kojima then announced that he would make his return on October 10 and challenged former partner Hiroyoshi Tenzan to be his opponent that day.^[23] Kojima would end up defeating Tenzan in his return match.^[24] In the 2011 G1 Climax Tag League, Kojima teamed with Togi Makabe as the "Beast Combination".^[25] After picking up three wins and one loss in their first four matches, Kojima and Makabe were defeated by the Billion Powers (Hirooki Goto and Hiroshi Tanahashi) on November 4, causing them to narrowly miss advancing to the semifinals of the tournament.^[26] Kojima and Tenzan faced each other yet again on November 12 in a match, which was won by Tenzan. Afterwards, the former tag team partners came together to fend off an attack from CHAOS.^[27] Ten-Koji wrestled their return match as a tag team on December 4, defeating CHAOS members Hideo Saito and Takashi Iizuka.^[28] On January 4, 2012, at Wrestle Kingdom VI in Tokyo Dome, Kojima and Tenzan defeated Bad Intentions (Giant Bernard and Karl Anderson) to win the IWGP Tag Team Championship for the third time.^[29] On May 3 at Wrestling Dontaku 2012, Kojima and Tenzan lost the title to Takashi Iizuka and Toru Yano in their third defense.^[30]

In wrestling[link]

• Finishing moves^[31]
  • CCD – Cozy Crush Dynamite (Over the shoulder reverse piledriver)^[1]
  • Koji Cutter (Three-quarter facelock bulldog, sometimes from the top rope)^[1]
  • Lariat^[1]
  • Rydeen bomb – innovated

• Signature moves
  • Arm trap neckbreaker
  • Bakayaro Elbow (Diving elbow drop)^[1]
  • Brainbuster
  • Koji MAX (Modified seated armbar)
  • Lifting DDT
  • Moonsault – 1990s
  • Pumphandle sitout powerbomb
  • Rapid knife–edged chops to a cornered opponent
  • Roaring elbow
  • Running elbow smash
  • Senton
  • Sitout double underhook powerbomb
  • Sitout scoop slam piledriver
  • Slingshot crossbody

• Entrance themes
  • "Crush Dynamite" – NJP Unit (NJPW)
  • "Ride Hover" – NJP Unit / nWo (NJPW)
  • "Rush!!" – Production theme (NJPW / AJPW)
  • "Stylus" – Production theme (AJPW)

Championships and accomplishments[link]

• All Japan Pro Wrestling
  • AJPW All Asia Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Shiryu
  • AJPW Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship (2 times)
  • AJPW Unified World Tag Team Championship (3 times) – with Taiyō Kea (1), Kaz Hayashi (1), and TARU (1)
  • Champion's Carnival (2003)
  • World's Strongest Tag Team League – with Taiyō Kea (2002), Kaz Hayashi (2003), and Hiroyoshi Tenzan (2006, 2008)
  • January 2 Korakuen Hall Heavyweight Battle Royal Winner (2003) ^[32]

• New Japan Pro Wrestling
  • IWGP Heavyweight Championship (2 times)^[2][6]
  • IWGP Tag Team Championship (4 times) – with Hiroyoshi Tenzan (3), and Manabu Nakanishi (1)
  • Super Grade Tag League/G1 Climax Tag League – with Keiji Mutoh (1998),^[33] and Hiroyoshi Tenzan (2001, 2008)
  • G1 Climax (2010)^[5]
  • Young Lion Cup (1994)^[34]
  • Fighting Spirit Award (2001)^[35]
  • Tag Team Best Bout (2000) with Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs. Manabu Nakanishi and Yuji Nagata on October 9^[36]

• Major League Wrestling
  • MLW World Heavyweight Championship (1 time)^[37]

• Pro Wrestling Illustrated
  • PWI ranked him #3 of the 500 best singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2005

• Pro Wrestling ZERO1-MAX
  • Fire Festival (2003)

• Tokyo Sports Grand Prix
  • Fighting Spirit Award (2010)^[38]
  • Most Valuable Player (2005)

• Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards
  • Tag Team of the Year (2001) with Hiroyoshi Tenzan

References[link]

External links[link]

Professional wrestling portal

• New Japan Pro Wrestling profile
• Official blog

Shuji Kondo
Kondo in 2010
Ring name(s)	Shuji Kondo Condotti Shuji Dotti Shuji
Billed height	1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)
Billed weight	100 kg (220 lb)
Born	(1981-01-28) January 28, 1981 (age 31) Fuji, Shizuoka
Debut	May 18, 2001

Shuji Kondo (近藤修司, Kondō Shūji^?) is a Japanese professional wrestler who currently works for All Japan Pro Wrestling. Prior to becoming a pro wrestler, he played rugby.

Career[link]

Toryumon/Dragon Gate[link]

Kondo was part of the T2P class in Toryumon. At first he was a face in the Toryumon Seikegun.

He would turn heel and join the Italian Connection, changing his name to Condotti Shuji, after the shopping district. One of his stablemates in the ItaCon was "brother" YASSHI, who has remained a firm ally of his ever since.

In 2003, the ItaCon was divided over the face/heel issue, with Shuji leading the heel side. He would lead the turn, briefly rename to Dotti Shuji, and soon after revert to his real name. He and YASSHI formed a group called Hagure Gundam (Stray Army in English) with fellow ItaCon member Shogo Takagi, and Torou Owashi. When Hagure Gundam was joined by Masaaki Mochizuki, it renamed to Aagan Iisou. Mochi would later be kicked out of the stable after he and Kondo feuded over who was leader, and Takuya Sugawara was added to the group.

On December 31, 2004, all five members of Aagan Iisou - Kondo, YASSHI, Sugawara, Owashi, and Shogo - were fired from Dragon Gate for alleged behavioral problems.

Dragondoor[link]

Kondo was built up as the heel ace of the dragondoor promotion. All five members of Aagan Iisou were on the roster, but Kondo only aligned himself with YASSHI and Sugawara. The three of them, despite being booked as heels, got most of the popular fan support.

AJPW[link]

He soon joined AJPW, where he and long-time associate "brother" YASSHI would ally themselves with TARU's Voodoo Murders stable and even hold the All-Asia Tag Team Titles for a short time. The Voodoo Murderers were previously in an intense feud against RO&D, but defeated their long-time foes after D'Lo Brown and Buchanan turned on RO&D and joined the Voodoo Murderers. Kondo also became the AJPW World Junior Heavyweight Champion having won the title from junior ace Taka Michinoku. On February 17, 2007, Kondo lost the Jr. Heavyweight Title to Katsuhiko Nakajima, thus ending his 1-year, 4-month title reign.

El Dorado[link]

Kondo is also one of the main players in dragondoor's successor, El Dorado. Unlike in dragondoor, Kondo was set up to be the face ace of the promotion. He and YASSHI split for the first time in years, with YASSHI briefly leading his own faction. Kondo started a faction called Sukiyaki, named after his famous love of meat dishes. When his friend and fellow Dragon Gate exile Naoki Tanisaki abruptly left El Dorado and returned to Dragon Gate, Kondo disbanded Sukiyaki. After defeating Magnitude Kishiwada on August 15, 2008 to win the Greatest Golden League, Kondo announced his departure from El Dorado.

In wrestling[link]

• Finishing moves

• Gorilla Clutch (Inverted cloverleaf, sometimes with bodyscissors)
• King Kong Lariat (Running lariat)

• Signature moves

• Cat's Cradle (Cross-legged over the shoulder Boston crab)
• Crucifix powerbomb lift or an overhead gutwrench backbreaker rack flipped forward into a piledriver
• Hurricane Mixer (Lifting spear to an oncoming opponent spun into a modified 180° spinning side slam)
• Lanzarse (Running lifting spear dropped into a modified spinebuster)
• Military press dropped into a reverse piledriver
• Moonsault
• Original (Gorilla press powerslam)
• Original II (Standing iconoclasm)
• Release German suplex
• Suplex powerslam
• Whale Hunt (Half nelson lifted and dropped into a bridging Olympic slam)

• With "brother" YASSHI

• Big Boy (Powerbomb (Kondo) / Bad Boy (YASSHI) combination)

Championships and accomplishments[link]

• All Japan Pro Wrestling

• AJPW All Asia Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with "brother" YASSHI
• AJPW World Junior Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
• Junior Tag League (2012) - with Kaz Hayashi

• El Dorado Wrestling

• TREASURE HUNTERS Tag Tournament (2006) - with Dick Togo
• Greatest Golden League (2008)

• Tokyo Sports Grand Prix

• Match of the Year (2008)- vs. Naomichi Marufuji on November 3, 2008 ^[1]
• Tag Team Of The Year (2006)- with TARU, Suwama, & "brother" YASSHI ^[2]

• Toryumon

• British Commonwealth Junior Heavyweight Championship (1 time)

• Universal Wrestling Association

• UWA World Trios Championship (2 times) - with Milano Collection A.T. & YOSSINO (1) and Touru Owashi & "brother" YASSHI (1)

References[link]

Super Crazy
Super Crazy holding the Mexican flag
Ring name(s)	Histeria[1] El Locco[1] Super Crazy[1] Super Crazzy[2][2] Super Loco[2] Super Virus[1]
Billed height	1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)[3]
Billed weight	95 kg (210 lb)[3]
Born	(1973-12-03) December 3, 1973 (age 38)[2] Tulancingo, Hidalgo, Mexico[2]
Resides	Tupelo, Mississippi
Billed from	Tulancingo, Hidalgo, Mexico[3]
Trained by	Rey Cuervero[1] Rey Pantera[2]
Debut	February 4, 1988[3]

Francisco Islas Rueda^[1] (born December 3, 1973) is a Mexican professional wrestler, or Luchador, best known by his ring name Super Crazy. Islas is most known for his three year run in the original ECW. In Mexico Islas has worked for Asistencia Asesoría y Administración (AAA) and made appearances for various independent promotions but is not currently associated with one specific Mexican promotion. As Super Crazy, Islas first got American exposure by working for Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) between 1998 and 2000. He has also toured Japan on several occasions working for New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW), Pro Wrestling ZERO-ONE (Zero-1) and most recently for All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW) where he participated in the 2009 Junior League.

Professional wrestling career[link]

Francisco Islas made his professional wrestling debut in February 1988, at just 14 years of age, after being trained by his older brother Rey Pantera. Islas took the ring name "Super Crazy". He initially worked as an enmascarado, or masked wrestler, but lost the mask just over a month after his debut when he lost a Luchas de Apuestas (a "bet match") to El Seminarista in March, 1988.^[4] From 1988 until 1995 Super Crazy was a mainstay on the Mexican independent circuit working for various promotions, including appearances for the Universal Wrestling Association (UWA) in the year leading up to its closure. In the UWA Super Crazy won the UWA World Welterweight Championship on November 17, 1995 and held the title when the UWA closed in December 1995.^[5] After the UWA closed Super Crazy still used and defended the UWA title on various independent shows but once he signed with Asistencia Asesoría y Administración (AAA) promotion in 1996 the title was not mentioned. In AAA he was given a new gimmick, a masked Rudo (villain or heel) character called "Histeria" (sometimes Anglicised as "Hysteria"). Together with Abismo Negro, Maniaco, Mosco de la Merced I and Mach-1 he comprised a wrestling group called Rudos de la Galaxia (Spanish for "The bad guys of the universe"), a group that was involved in a storyline feud with a tecnico (good guy or face) group called Los Cadetos del Espacio (Spanish for "the Space Cadets"). In the spring of 1997 Islas, as Histeria, made a couple of appearances for the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) due to an AAA/WWF working agreement. Histeria worked mainly against Los Cadetos del Espacio, especially Venum in his appearances on RAW is WAR and Shotgun. In September 1997 Islas left AAA, giving the "Histeria" name and outfit to another AAA wrestler who had worked as "Quarterback" up until that time, he still wrestles as Histeria today.^[6]

Islas resumed working as "Super Crazy" when he left AAA to join the newly created Promo Azteca. Super Crazy also continued his feud with Venum, who now worked as "Venum Black" after leaving AAA, a feud that culminated in a "mask vs. hair" Luchas de Apuesta that Super Crazy won, unmasking Venum Black.^[7] After leaving AAA Super Crazy began defending the UWA World Welterweight title, losing it to Kid Guzmán in 1997.^[5] Super Crazy regained the title on June 15, 1998 during a show in Japan and successfully defended the title until October 13, 2000 where he lost it to El Orientál.^[5] In November 1997 Islas began working for WWF under the name "Super Loco", mainly on their Super Astros shows, his only "Main show" appearance was a loss to El Águila in the first round of the WWF Light Heavyweight Championship tournament.^[8]

Extreme Championship Wrestling (1998–2001)[link]

Super Crazy was signed to a contract by Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) owner Paul Heyman after having seen Super Crazy work for the WWF and on the recommendation of Konnan who had worked for Heyman. Super Crazy was signed in 1998 and was paired with other smaller wrestlers, such as Yoshihiro Tajiri and Little Guido Maritato, producing a series of very well received matches between 1998 and 2000. Crazy won the ECW World Television Championship at Living Dangerously 2000 Pay-Per-View (PPV). The title had been vacated by Rob Van Dam due to an injury, and a tournament was held to crown a new champion which Super Crazy won. After defeating Little Guido in the semi-finals earlier in the night, Super Crazy went on to defeat Rhino in the tournament final.^[9] Crazy lost the title a month later to Tajiri.^[9] Super Crazy kept working for ECW until it closed in early 2001.

Independent circuit (2001–2005)[link]

After ECW folded, Super Crazy wrestled for different promotions in the US, including the hardcore promotions Xtreme Pro Wrestling (XPW) and Combat Zone Wrestling (CZW), cementing his status as "the Extreme Luchador" or "the Insane Luchador". He also began working for Puerto Rico-based International Wrestling Association (IWA). At Ring of Honor's debut show, The Era of Honor Begins on February 23, 2002, Crazy defeated Eddie Guerrero to become the inaugural IWA Intercontinental Heavyweight Champion. He was defeated for the title on April 6 by Andy Anderson. Crazy regained the title on April 13 when Anderson forfeited it due to injury. Crazy lost the title once more on April 20, when he was defeated by Anarchy.^[10] Super Crazy also held the IWA Hardcore Championship on nine occasions between 2002 and 2005.^[11] He also held the IWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship three times in that time period.^[12] On February 24, 2001 Super Crazy defeated Pablo Marquez to win the UWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship, which like the UWA Welterweight title was still used on the independent scene in Mexico and Puerto Rico.^[13] By the end of 2001 Super Crazy vacated the UWA Junior Heavyweight title.^[13] Super Crazy made a couple of special appearances for his old company AAA, teaming with El Alebrije and Randy to defeat Máscara Magligna, Pentagón and Monsther at the 2001 Verano de Escandalo.^[14] At the following year's Verano de Escandalo Super Crazy teamed with Mr. Águila, La Parka and Latin Lover to defeat Cibernético, Heavy Metal, Héctor Garza and Leatherface.^[15]

He made four tours with New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) in 2002 and 2003. His first tour lasted from November to December, 2002 and saw Super Crazy work mainly tag matches, teaming mainly with Koji Kanemoto and/or the Stampede Kid against a variety of opponents including Jushin Liger, El Samurai and Heat. His second tour took place in February, 2003 and saw Super Crazy team up mainly with Curry Man and Tiger Mask IV. Super Crazy mainly faced Jushin Liger's CTU faction. The third tour took place in May, 2003, this time Super Crazy often worked with other Luchadors touring NJPW at the time including Último Guerrero, Rey Bucanero and Sangre Azteca. His fourth, and so far final, NJPW tour took place in October and November, 2003, again Crazy mainly worked in tag team matches, siding with Koji Kanemoto or Tiger Mask IV against a variety of opponents.^[16] Super Crazy appeared on the March 5, 2003 edition of Total Nonstop Action Wrestling's weekly PPV's as one of Konnan's luchador challengers, where he lost to Jerry Lynn.**REF** Between January and March 2005 Super Crazy worked for the Japanese promotion Pro Wrestling ZERO-ONE, winning the ZERO-ONE/UPW/WORLD-1 International Junior Heavyweight Championship from Tatsuhito Takaiwa on December 18, 2004.^[17] Crazy lost the title on Ikuto Hidaka on April 14, 2005 at Zero-1's Outburst Revolution show.^[17]

World Wrestling Entertainment (2005-2008)[link]

In 2005, Crazy signed a contract with World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). He initially appeared at the WWE-promoted ECW One Night Stand on June 12, 2005 winning an international three-way dance by pinning Yoshihiro Tajiri in the final pinfall of the match. During the match, he performed a moonsault from a second story balcony.^[18]

SmackDown! (2005–2006)[link]

Crazy's first appearance on WWE television came during the June 18, 2005 airing of SmackDown!'s sister show WWE Velocity, teaming with Psicosis to defeat Akio and Billy Kidman. Psicosis, Super Crazy, and Juventud grouped together to form a stable known as The Mexicools. The group made their debut as heels on the June 23, edition of SmackDown! when all three members rode to the ring on John Deere lawn mowers with the decals altered to say Juan Deere (John in Spanish) and wearing matching coveralls.^[19][20] They then attacked Chavo Guerrero and Paul London during their Cruiserweight Championship match.^[19] Juventud cut a promo questioning the lack of "true Mexican luchadores" in the Cruiserweight Division, before going on to deride the current state of Mexican Americans in general. Psicosis dubbed the lawnmower they arrived on a "Mexican Limo 2005" and the group claimed that even Mexico's President mocks Mexicans in the United States (in reference to Vicente Fox's controversial remark that Mexican immigrants do the jobs "not even the blacks want to do"). Juventud then stated that they were "no longer there to clean toilets and work for "them" (the "gringos") but "they" were going to be working for "us" (The Mexicools)", before dubbing the team "not Mexicans but Mexicools!" In the following weeks, they continued to interfere in matches and mock the stereotypical image of Mexicans in the United States.

Despite being introduced as heels, the group quickly became favorites of the audience and eventually began acting as faces. They received strong approval from the audience even during their debut, which occurred in Tucson, Arizona. On July 24 at The Great American Bash, Psicosis pinned Stevie Richards to secure the Mexicools' first PPV win in a six-man tag match with the bWo.^[21] During December 2 edition of SmackDown!, Super Crazy and Psicosis competed in an over the top rope battle royal against 5 other tag teams.^[22] The pair managed to win and earned themselves a match against MNM at Armageddon for the WWE Tag Team Championship.^[22] Unfortunately for the Mexicools, MNM lost the tag team titles before their match.^[23] Not long after, Super Crazy and Psicosis became the only Mexicools left in WWE, as Juventud was released from WWE on January 6, 2006. Super Crazy and Psicosis continued to wrestle as a tag team, but Crazy got his own push as a singles competitor, eventually earning himself #1 contendership for the WWE Cruiserweight Championship. By June, 2006 Super Crazy's partnership with Psicosis on SmackDown! began to crumble when Psicosis repeatedly abandoned Crazy during incidents with a monster heel known as The Great Khali.^[24][25] This resulted in the pairing splitting up and then engaging in a short-lived feud after Psicosis turned heel.^[26][27] After the breakup, both Psicosis and Super Crazy disappeared off WWE programming.

Raw (2006–2008)[link]

On September 4, Super Crazy made his Raw debut with a victory over Chris Masters using his trademark moonsault.^[28] Crazy continued his feud with Masters throughout September, defeated him once more and competing with Masters, along with four other wrestlers (Johnny Nitro, Carlito, Jeff Hardy and Randy Orton) in a Six-Pack Challenge Match for the WWE Intercontinental Championship on the September 18 edition of Raw, which neither Masters or Crazy were able to win.^[29] Crazy was then involved in angles with Nitro and Melina, during which he was aligned with Mickie James, who was feuding with Melina at the time.

Super Crazy suffered an injury to his left knee at a house show which occurred on April 21, 2007 in Oberhausen, Germany.^[30] The injury was believed to be a MCL tear.^[30] Super Crazy returned to action on June 1 in a match taped for Heat, losing to the returning William Regal. On the July 2 edition of Raw, Super Crazy was Mr. Kennedy's opponent in a Beat the Clock match.^[31] Before the match began, Super Crazy appeared to have agreed to let Kennedy win, however he defeated Kennedy with a roll-up shortly after the match began, while Kennedy was performing his introduction. Kennedy assaulted Super Crazy later that night.^[31] Kennedy then defeated Super Crazy in a grudge match two weeks later. In October 2007, Super Crazy formed a tag team with Jim Duggan. The team primarily competed on Heat to moderate success until Super Crazy was drafted to the ECW brand.

ECW and Departure (2008)[link]

As part of the 2008 WWE Supplemental Draft, Super Crazy was drafted to the ECW brand.^[32] Super Crazy returned to SmackDown (although wearing an ECW shirt), losing to The Brian Kendrick. On the August 19 edition of ECW on Sci-Fi, Super Crazy debuted on the ECW brand, teaming with Evan Bourne and Tommy Dreamer in a losing effort to John Morrison, Chavo Guerrero and The Miz.^[33] On October 17 edition of SmackDown!, he was defeated by The Brian Kendrick's bodyguard, Ezekiel Jackson. The following week he was defeated by The Brian Kendrick as well, in what turned out to be his last televised match with WWE. On November 5, 2008 World Wrestling Entertainment announced on their website that Islas had been released from his WWE contract. According to the latest edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Islas asked for his release on November 1 as he was unhappy with his place in the company.^[34][35]

Independent circuit (2008–present)[link]

Shortly after his release from the WWE Super Crazy returned to Mexico, working a series of shows for Perro Aguayo, Jr.'s Perros del Mal Producciones. Super Crazy wrestled several matches against the "Los Perros del Mal" group, as well as reuniting for one night with Juventud Guerrera.^[36][37] On January 10, 2009 Super Crazy defeated X-Fly (former Rudos del Galaxia teammate Mosco de la Merced under a new name) in a "Hair vs. Hair" Luchas de Apuestas^[38] His latest appearance for Los Perros del Mal saw Super Crazy side with Los Perros, teaming with Perro Aguayo, Jr. and Damian 666 in a losing effort against LA Par-K, Olímpico and Super Porky on June 20, 2009.^[39]

On February 14, 2009, Super Crazy made his return to International Wrestling Association in Puerto Rico where he won the Intercontinental Heavyweight Championship for a third time by defeating Joe Bravo. Super Crazy held the title until May 16, 2009 where he lost the title to Rick Stanley at IWA's Juicio Final Show.^[40] On May 2, 2009, he challenged Blue Demon, Jr. for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship on an event in Tyler, Texas, but was defeated by Blue Demon, Jr.^[41] Super Crazy received a second shot at the World title on August 9, 2009 in a match that also included Oliver John but once again came up short^[42] In July 2009 Super Crazy traveled to Japan to participate in All Japan Pro Wrestling's Junior League. Super Crazy qualified for the semifinal by defeating NOSAWA Rongai and Toshizo and wrestling to a draw against Kaz Hayashi. In the semifinal Super Crazy defeated Minoru but was defeated by Shuji Kondo in the final on August 7.^[43] While in Japan Super Crazy also made an appearance for HUSTLE, working as "Super Virus", teaming with Devil Pierroth and Rey Ohara, losing to KG, Shiro Koshinaka and Taijiri.^[44]

On August 8, 2009, Super Crazy made a surprise appearance for Xtreme Latin American Wrestling (X–LAW) where he defeated Panama Jack Daniels in an unannounced match to become the promotion's new Junior Heavyweight Champion.^[45] Super Crazy defended the X–LAW Junior Heavyweight Championship on September 8, 2009 against Halloween and NOSAWA in a three-way death match.^[46]

On January 30, 2010, as part of WrestleReunion 4, Super Crazy made his debut for Pro Wrestling Guerrilla in a match, where he was defeated by Human Tornado.^[47]

On June 6, 2010, Super Crazy appeared at AAA's TripleManía XVIII as a representative of Perros del Mal Producciones.^[48] On June 20, 2010, Super Crazy was a surprise at AAA's television taping in Zapopan, Jalisco. He would team with Foreign Legion members Chessman and Alex Koslov losing to Extreme Tiger, Joe Lider and Nicho el Millonario.^[49] During the main event, Crazy along with Los Perros del Mal attacked Dr. Wagner Jr..^[49] On July 4, 2010 in Merida, Yucatan, Super Crazy, Damián 666 and Halloween faced Dr. Wagner Jr., Joe Lider and Nicho el Millonario in a victorious effort.^[50]

On December 5, 2010, Super Crazy wrestled for Xplosión Nacional de Lucha (XNL) in Chile, facing XL and Giger in a three–way, two–fall match, where the first fall would be contested for XL's XNL Championship and the second for Crazy's X–LAW Junior Heavyweight Championship. In the first fall Crazy pinned XL to win the XNL Championship, but the roles were reversed in the second fall, when XL pinned Crazy to win the X–LAW Junior Heavyweight Championship.^[51]

In 2010 and 2011, Super Crazy represented Los Perros del Mal in the group's feud with Los Psycho Circus. On May 29, 2011, at Perros del Mal Producciones' third anniversary show, the two groups faced each other in a six man tag team steel cage Masks vs. Hairs Lucha de Apuesta, which ended with Super Crazy being left in the cage, forcing him to have his head shaved bald.^[52]

Personal life[link]

Islas is married to Maria Ramírez and they have two children together. He has a tattoo of a sun on one of his upper biceps, as well as a Mexican designed signature tattoo on the other. Islas' brother, cousin and nephew are also professional wrestlers, and they compete under the ring names Rey Cuervero, Crazy Boy and Pesadilla, respectively.^[1]

In wrestling[link]

• Finishing moves

• Crazy Bomb (Straight jacket powerbomb)^[1][2]
• Moonsault,^[1] sometimes while springboarding^[2]
• Trifecta (Three moonsaults in a row, one from each of the three turnbuckles in ascending order)^[1]

• Signature moves

• Corkscrew plancha^[2]
• Dropkick^[2]

• Nicknames

• "The Extreme Luchadore"^[1] (ECW)
• "The Insane Luchadore"^[1] (WWE)

• Entrance themes

• "Papercut" by Linkin Park^[53] (CMLL / AAA)
• "Roadhouse Blues" by The Doors^[53] (ECW)
• "Blue Roads" by Johnny Vicious^[53] (ECW)
• "El Guerrero Nomad" by Harry Slash & The Slashtones^[53] (ECW / WWE)
• "Muy Loco" by Jim Johnston^[53] (WWE)
• "Perros" by Cartel de Santa^[53][54] (CMLL/AAA; Used while a part of Los Perros del Mal)

Championships and accomplishments[link]

• All Japan Pro Wrestling

• AJPW Junior Tag League 2010 – with BUSHI^[55]

• Extreme Championship Wrestling

• ECW World Television Championship (1 time)^[9]

• International Wrestling Association

• IWA Hardcore Championship (9 times)^[11]
• IWA Intercontinental Heavyweight Championship (2 times)^[10]
• IWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship (3 times)^[12]

• International Wrestling League

• IWL International Tag Team Championship (1 time, current) – with Scorpio, Jr.

• NWA: Extreme Canadian Championship Wrestling

• NWA Canadian Junior Heavyweight Championship (1 time)^[56]

• Pro Wrestling Illustrated

• PWI ranked him #198 of the 500 best singles wrestlers during the PWI Years in 2003
• PWI ranked him #37 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 1999^[57]

• Pro Wrestling ZERO-ONE

• ZERO-ONE/UPW/WORLD-1 International Junior Heavyweight Championship (1 time)^[17]

• Ring of Honor

• IWA Intercontinental Heavyweight Championship (1 time)^[10]

• Súper X

• NWE World Cruiserweight Championship (1 time, current)^[58]

• Universal Wrestling Association

• UWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship (1 time)^[13]
• UWA World Welterweight Championship (2 times)^[5]

• Xplosión Nacional de Lucha

• XNL Championship (1 time, current)^[51]

• Xtreme Latin American Wrestling

• X–LAW Junior Heavyweight Championship (2 times)^[45]

Luchas de apuestas record[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

Professional wrestling portal

• Francisco Islas at the Internet Movie Database
• AAA profile
• Online World of Wrestling profile