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Sho (wrestler)

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Sho Tanaka
Tanaka in September 2015
Born (1989-08-27) August 27, 1989 (age 35)[1]
Uwajima, Ehime, Japan[1]
Alma materTokuyama University[1]
WebsiteTwitter
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s)Raijin
Sho[2]
Sho Tanaka
Billed height173 cm (5 ft 8 in)[1]
Billed weight93 kg (205 lb)[1]
Trained byNJPW Dojo
Junji Hirata
DebutNovember 15, 2012[1]

Sho Tanaka (田中 翔, Tanaka Shō) (born August 27, 1989) is a Japanese professional wrestler signed to New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW), but currently working for the American Ring of Honor through a partnership between the two promotions. He has previously also worked for the Mexican Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL), where he was known under the ring name Raijin (雷神, Raijin), named after the Japanese God of thunder, and was part of La Ola Amarilla ("the Yellow Wave") alongside Okumura, Kamaitachi and Fujin.

Early life

Sho Tanaka was born on August 27, 1989, in Uwajima, Ehime, Japan. While in high school he became involved with Greco-Roman wrestling, something he continued to practice as he attended Tokuyama University. At Tokuyama he was the vice-captain of the wrestling team, competing in the 7th All-Japan University Championship for Greco-Roman wrestling, where he came in third over all.[1]

Professional wrestling career

Inspired by New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) wrestler Hiroshi Tanahashi Tanaka attended the NJPW Dojo in February, 2012 training for his professional wrestling career.[1][3]

New Japan Pro Wrestling (2012–2016)

On November 11, 2012 Tanaka made his pro wrestling debut in the opening match of the NEVER: Shodai NEVER Musabetsu Kyu Oza Kettei Tournament 1st round show where he lost to Takaaki Watanabe.[4][5] Tanaka competed as one of NJPW's "Young Lions" a class of rookie wrestlers who work mostly against each other early on, wearing all black gear and with no particular ring character, all part of the structured learning process in NJPW.[3] Throughout 2013 and 2014 Tanaka often faced off against fellow Young Lion Yohei Komatsu, with both men trading victories in both singles and tag team competition.[6] By 2015 Tanaka and Komatsu had begun teaming together on a regular basis, including working together in the New Japan Rumble as part of Wrestle Kingdom 9 on January 5, 2015. The two teamed up to eliminate Tiger Mask and Taichi but were both eliminated by Tama Tonga[7] Tanaka was called upon to replace an injured Rey Cometa on a NJPW/Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre co-promoted Fantastica Mania 2015 show on January 14. Tanaka and Stigma lost to La Peste Negra ("The Black Plague"; Bárbaro Cavernario and Mr. Niebla)[8][9] On February 11, 2015 Tanaka defeated rival and occasional tag team partner Yohei Komatsu in the opening match of NJPW's 2015 The New Beginning in Osaka show.[10] In June and July 2015 Tanaka represented NJPW in Pro Wrestling Noah's Global Junior Heavyweight League. During the tournament he earned two points by defeating Hitoshi Kumano but lost to Daisuke Harada, Zack Sabre Jr. El Desperado, Kenou and Yoshinari Ogawa to be eliminated from the tournament.[3] At the 2015 Destruction in Kobe show Tanaka and Komatsu defeated fellow Young Lions David Finlay and Jay White.[11]

In early 2016 it was announced that Tanaka and Komatsu would compete in the 2016 Fantastica Mania series of shows, competing in what NJPW called the "Yohei Komatsu and Sho Tanaka send-off game", announcing that the two would travel to Mexico and work for CMLL as part of their continued in-ring skill development.[12] The team worked the opening match for each of the six Fantastica Mania events, losing each time.[13][14][15][16][17][18]

Overseas learning excursion (2016–present)

Tanaka and Komatsu became be the latest in a long line of young Japanese wrestlers to travel to Mexico to learn the lucha libre style. In Mexico, Tanaka was given the ring name Raijin, named after the Japanese God of Thunder, teaming with Komatsu who would be known as Fujin, named after the Japanese God of Wind.[19] The duo made their Mexican debut on January 31, teaming up with Okumura, forming the most recent version of La Ola Amarilla ("The Yellow Wave").[20] The group was joined by Kamaitachi, the previous NJPW trainee who has worked for CMLL since 2014.[21]

In October 2016, Tanaka and Komatsu, now billed as "Sho" and "Yohey", The Tempura Boyz, began working regularly for American promotion Ring of Honor (ROH), with whom NJPW also had a working relationship.[22]

Mixed martial arts career

Tanaka was scheduled to make his mixed martial arts debut on May 27, 2017, fighting Nicholas Trochez in Queens, New York for Golden MMA Championships.[23] Trochez first failed to make weight for the fight, which Tanaka was reportedly willing to overlook, but the fight ended up being canceled when Trochez's medical information also did not come in on time.[24]

In wrestling

  • Finishing moves
  • Signature moves
  • "The First Star" by Yonosuke Kitamura[25]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Database > 田中 翔" (in Japanese). New Japan Pro Wrestling. Retrieved February 9, 2016.
  2. ^ "10/15/16 Glory By Honor - Dearborn, MI". Ring of Honor. Retrieved December 2, 2016.
  3. ^ a b c "Komatsu y Tanaka". Box y Lucha magazine (in Spanish). No. 3218. January 24, 2016.
  4. ^ "NEVER". New Japan Pro Wrestling (in Japanese). Retrieved September 10, 2014.
  5. ^ "新生NEVERで新設された無差別級王座を争うトーナメント！田中や田口らが順当に勝ち上がる中、内藤が注目した選手は..." Battle News (in Japanese). November 15, 2012. Retrieved September 10, 2014.
  6. ^ "Yohei Komatsu matches against Sho Tanaka". Cagematch.net. Retrieved February 9, 2016.
  7. ^ Johnson, Mike; Trionfo, Richard. "Complete New Japan WrestleKingdom PPV coverage (page 2)". Pro Wrestling Insider. Retrieved July 5, 2015.
  8. ^ "NJPW Presents CMLL Fantastica Mania 2015". New Japan Pro Wrestling (in Japanese). Retrieved January 14, 2015.
  9. ^ Zellner, Kris (January 16, 2015). "The Lucha Report". Pro Wrestling Insider. Retrieved January 16, 2015.
  10. ^ "新日本プロレス「The New Beginning in Osaka」". Sports Navi (in Japanese). Yahoo!. February 11, 2015. Retrieved February 11, 2015.
  11. ^ Macklin, Matthew (September 27, 2015). "New Japan Destruction in Kobe results". Pro Wrestling Insider. Retrieved September 27, 2015.
  12. ^ "小松洋平、田中翔の"無期限海外遠征"が決定！ 『FANTASTICA MANIA』全6大会で"壮行試合"が実現！" (in Japanese). New Japan Pro Wrestling. January 7, 2016. Retrieved February 9, 2016.
  13. ^ "Arrancó Fantasticamanía 2016". MedioTiempo (in Spanish). January 17, 2016. Retrieved January 17, 2016.
  14. ^ Zellner, Kris (January 20, 2016). "The Lucha Report". Pro Wrestling Insider. Retrieved January 29, 2016.
  15. ^ "NJPW Presents CMLL Fantastica Mania 2016". New Japan Pro Wrestling (in Japanese). Retrieved January 20, 2016.
  16. ^ Zellner, Kris (January 25, 2016). "Mario Meija Jimenez aka the original Espectrito & WWF's Mini Vader passes away: The Lucha Report". Pro Wrestling Insider. Retrieved January 29, 2016.
  17. ^ "NJPW Presents CMLL Fantastica Mania 2016". New Japan Pro Wrestling (in Japanese). Retrieved January 23, 2016.
  18. ^ "NJPW Presents CMLL Fantastica Mania 2016". New Japan Pro Wrestling (in Japanese). Retrieved January 24, 2016.
  19. ^ "CMLL vs NJPW, en puerta". Esto Enlinea (in Spanish). Retrieved February 9, 2016.
  20. ^ "Negro Casas contra Volador; la rivalidad continúa". Esto Enlinea (in Spanish). Retrieved February 9, 2016.
  21. ^ Carrera, Pep. "La Ola Amarilla busca conquistar la Arena México" (in Spanish). Plantilla Deportivo. Retrieved February 9, 2016.
  22. ^ "Card finalized for Dearborn on October 15". Ring of Honor. Retrieved January 24, 2017.
  23. ^ Meltzer, Dave (May 29, 2017). "May 29, 2017 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: WWE weekend show reviews, CMLL drama, plus tons of news". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Campbell, California: 46–47. ISSN 1083-9593.
  24. ^ Meltzer, Dave (June 5, 2017). "June 5, 2017 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: Record low Raw ratings, death of Frank Deford, more". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Campbell, California: 48. ISSN 1083-9593.
  25. ^ "Prowrestle theme music list". RMLabel. Retrieved July 12, 2016.
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