Akitoshi Saito
| Akitoshi Saito | |
|---|---|
| Born | August 8, 1965 Sendai, Miyagi |
| Professional wrestling career | |
| Ring name(s) | Akitoshi Saito Super Akira Taue |
| Billed height | 180 cm (5 ft 10 in) |
| Billed weight | 110 kg (243 lb) |
| Trained by | Masashi Aoyagi Yoshiaki Fujiwara |
| Debut | December 20 1990 |
Akitoshi Saito (斎藤 彰俊, Saito Akitoshi) is a Japanese professional wrestler who currently works for Pro Wrestling Noah, where he is one half of the current GHC Tag Team Champions with Bison Smith.
Career
Saito made his pro wrestling debut in Pioneer Senshi and spent much of his early career in W*ING, a small promotion where he enjoyed moderate success. He joined NJPW in the late 90's as a member of Shiro Koshinaka's Heisei Ishingun faction but left in 1998. However, he made his surprise return to pro wrestling in late 2000 for Pro Wrestling Noah, teaming up with Masashi Aoyagi.
In 2001, he joined Jun Akiyama's STERNNESS faction as second-in-command and his career skyrocketed. Obtaining success like never before, he won the GHC Tag Team Title with Akiyama in September 2002, his first championship belt in his 12-year career. Akiyama and Saito proceeded to hold the titles for more than 8 months before losing them to Kenta Kobashi and Tamon Honda in June 2003.
Saito would go on to form his own stable, Dark Agents, with Takashi Sugiura, Masao Inoue and Shiro Koshinaka. He awarded himself the GHC Great Happy Christmas Championship in 2004. The title is defended only once a year, on Christmas Eve. He would also challenge for the GHC Heavyweight Title on two separate occasions, in 2004 against Kenta Kobashi and in 2005 against Takeshi Rikio. Saito utilizes a unique form of wrestling, combining martial arts kicks and power moves. With his skill and ring presence, he remains one of Noah's top stars and a prospect for the GHC Heavyweight Title.
On May 23, 2008, Akitoshi Saito and Bison Smith defeated Naomichi Marufuji and Takashi Sugiura to win the GHC Tag Team Titles.
Tragedy struck on June 13, 2009 when in a title defense against Mitsuharu Misawa and Go Shiozaki, Misawa landed badly after a Saito back suplex and was later pronounced dead. [1]
Personal life
He is a wine aficionado, and opened his own bar during his sabbatical from wrestling.
In wrestling
- Finishing and signature moves
- Death Brand (Vertical suplex piledriver)
- Sickle of Death (Jumping high kick)
- Death Cloak (Side slam lifted and dropped into a chokeslam)
- Death Collector (Vertical suplex stunner)
- Death Punishment (Spinning headlock lariat)
- Lariat
- Multiple kick variations
- Multiple suplex variations
- Death Landing (High angle belly to back)
- Death Tornado (Twisting belly to back)
- German
- Straitjacket belly to back
- Powerbomb
- Right–handed knockout hook
Championships and accomplishments
- Pro Wrestling Noah
- GHC Tag Team Championship (2 times, current) – with Jun Akiyama (1) and Bison Smith (1)
- GHC Great Happy Christmas Championship (1 time, current)
- Global Tag League (2008) – with Bison Smith