Pat Tanaka

Pat Tanaka - born Patrick Tanaka on August 5, 1963 in Honolulu, Hawaii) is a professional wrestler. He is the son of legendary Duke Keomuka.

Career

Pat Tanaka started wrestling as a jobber in Jim Crockett Promotions in 1985 after being trained by his father, Duke Keomuka. His skill was evident and he was allowed a lot of offense during his matches.

In 1986, Tanaka went to Mid-Southern Wrestling and formed the tag team called Badd Company with Paul Diamond. They were successful and won the Tag Team titles while there.

In late 1987, they left Mid-Southern for the American Wrestling Association where they would win the AWA World Tag Team Championship and hold them for over a year. They were joined by manager Diamond Dallas Page and his Diamond Dolls during their title reign. They feuded with Shawn Michaels and Marty Jannetty, Chavo and Mando Guerrero, Ricky Rice and Derrick Dukes, and Ken Patera and Brad Rheingans.

Upon losing their titles in 1989 to Patera and Rheingans, they split with DDP and engaged in a brief feud before concentrating on singles competition. Tanaka left the AWA for the World Wrestling Federation in early 1990 to form a team with fellow AWA wrestler Akio Sato, managed by Mr. Fuji. Diamond soon followed and would eventually replace Sato as part of the team. Obviously not of Oriental descent, Diamond was put under a mask and called "Kato". They were known in the WWF as The Orient Express rather than Badd Company. They did not achieve the success that they had in the AWA, primarily feuded with mid-card teams like The Bushwackers.

Tanaka left the WWF in 1992 and wrestled in the indpendents throughout the 1990's and also World Championship Wrestling as a jobber toward the end of the decade.

Tanaka now appears in New Japan Pro Wrestling as "GOKU-DO". He also wrestles for Dory Funk, Jr.'s BANG promotion in Florida.

Personal

In mid-March 2006, Tanaka opened Fighting Spirit Dojo in Minster, Ohio with shoot-fighter Jody Poff. Poff teaches a group of mixed-martial-artists while Tanaka teaches judo to more than 50 students.

Profile

• Height: 5 ft 10 in (178 cm)
• Weight: 225 lb (102 kg)
• Birthday: August 5, 1963
• Birthplace: Honolulu, Hawaii
• Hometown: Tokyo, Japan
• Debut: 1985
• Trainer: Duke Keomuka

Factions

• Badd Company
• The Orient Express
• Total Elimination

Stage names

• GOKU-DO
• El Gato
• Tanaka San

Managers

• Downtown Bruno (David Lauer)
• Mr. Fuji (Harry Fujiwara)
• Sonny King
• Madusa Miceli (Debra Miceli)
• Diamond Dallas Page (Page Falkenburg)

Championships and accomplishments

American Wrestling Association

• 1-Time AWA World Tag Team Champion (with Paul Diamond)

Mid-Southern Wrestling

• 2-Time Mid-Southern Tag Team Champion (with Jeff Jarrett and Paul Diamond)
• 4-Time Mid-Southern International Tag Team Champion (with Jeff Jarrett once and Paul Diamond three times)

Other titles

• 1-Time ICWA Junior Heavyweight Champion
• 1-Time UWA Intercontinental Tag Team Champion (with Bulldog K.T.)
• 1-Time WAW Heavyweight Champion

Pro Wrestling Illustrated

• Pro Wrestling Illustrated ranked him # 355 of the 500 best singles wrestlers during the "PWI Years" in 2003. PWI also ranked him # 99 of the 100 best tag teams of the "PWI Years" with Paul Diamond.

External links

• Pat Tanaka's MySpace profile