::Tatsuhito Takaiwa::
::Bio::
Real Name: Tatsuhito Takaiwa
Weight: 214 lbs
Height: 5'10"
Date Of Birth: 7/5/72
Birthplace: Kyoto, Japan
Debut: July 21st, 1992
Promotion Currently Wrestles For: ZERO-ONE
Signature Moves:
Death Valley Bomb
Lariat
Mochizuki Bomb (triple powerbomb)
Death Valley Bomb Hold
Super Death Valley Bomb
Brainbuster
Takaiwa Driver (Michinoku Driver II)
Mochizuki Bomb into Death Valley Bomb
Takaiwa Bomb (Powerbomb)
Super Takaiwa Bomb
Triple Cross Armed Powerbomb
Titles Won:
IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title (1)
IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Title (2, w/ Shinjiro Ohtani)
GHC Jr. Heavyweight Title (1)
WAR International Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Title (1, w/ Shinjiro Ohtani)
ZERO-ONE International Jr. Heavyweight Title (1)
NWA International Lightweight Tag Team Titles (1) (w/ Tomohiro Ishii)
Tournaments Won:
IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Title League 1998 (w/ Shinjiro Otani)
NJPW Best Of The Super Junior Tournament 2000
World 1 Jr. Heavweight League 2004
Notable Facts:
Was heavily involved in judo during his childhood.
Started using the Death Valley Bomb as his main move to individuate a few months after his debut.
Shockingly, with his rough power style, he initiated into the junior heavyweight division, but as shown later it was the better move.
With his power being an advantage over the other juniors, he advanced up the ladder. First with the great Shinjiro Otani, the two punks becoming the first ever IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team champions in 1998. Then in 2000, he gained two big scorings in the Best Of The Super Junior tournament, then a month later on 7/20/1998 beating the legendary Jushin Thunder Liger to win the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title.
Competed in the 2000 G1 Climax, where he only got one victory, but gave a good effort and fought good against the larger heavyweights and big names.
Quit Shin Nihon in February 2001, and followed Shinya Hashimoto and Shinjiro Otani to start up Pro-Wrestling ZERO-ONE a month later.
Had a handful of terrific matches against NOAH juniors, Naomichi Marufuji, Yoshinobu Kanemaru, Tsuyoshi Kikuchi in 2001. Won NOAH's GHC Jr. Heavyweight Title in that match against Kanemaru on 10/19/2001.
In early 2003, Takaiwa lost a good deal of his aura of being the big bully of the junior heavyweights around Japan.
After finally getting a big accomplishment in ZERO-ONE by winning the World-1 Jr. League on 4/30/2004, he announced after he wanted to face ace Shinya Hashimoto.
Gained even more success off his World-1 Jr. League win, when he defeated Tony Stradlin in a decision match the ZERO-ONE/NWA/UPW Jr. Title on 5/16/2004. Then next month on 6/4/2004, he and Tomohiro Ishii alligned to create an ultimate junior heavyweight bully tag team and the two won the NWA International Lightweight Tag Team Titles from Low Ki & Spanky.
Overall he was one of the strongest forces ever in the junior heavyweight world, having great prescence, dominance, technique, and strength.
::Pictures::
Tatsuhito Takaiwa
Tatsuhito Takaiwa 2
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