# Osaka Pro Wrestling

Osaka Pro Wrestling (Japanese: 大阪プロレス, Hepburn: Ōsaka Puroresu) is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion based in Osaka. The promotion was founded by Super Delfin on March 4, 1999 following his departure from Michinoku Pro Wrestling, and has been operated by Zeus since July 2021. Commonly associated with the comedy wrestling and lucha libre genres, Osaka Pro features a variety of masked wrestlers inspired by Osaka characters.

## History

In January 1999, Super Delfin announced that due to disagreements with The Great Sasuke regarding the direction of Michinoku Pro Wrestling, he would be leaving the promotion alongside several wrestlers and backstage personnel. On March 4, he officially founded Osaka Pro Wrestling (OPW) in his hometown of Osaka. Starting April 29, OPW produced their first tour, the Spicy Series 1999. The first event took place at the Namihaya Dome – now the Towa Pharmaceutical Ractab Dome – in Kadoma, Osaka and saw the team of Super Delfin, Masato Yakushiji and Naohiro Hoshikawa defeat Dick Togo, Black Buffalo and Violencia.
The promotion held a major flagship event called the Osaka Hurricane each year from 2003 to 2012 and also hosted the fourth edition of the Super J-Cup in 2004, which was the second edition of Osaka Hurricane.
In 2010 Osaka Pro started a close working relationship with American promotion Chikara.
On March 1, 2014, Osaka Pro announced that it would fold on April 20, 2014 due to financial difficulties, after which all of its wrestlers would become freelancers. Osaka Pro later announced that the promotion would continue under new president Yuji Sakagami and wrestlers Kuishinbo Kamen and Takoyakida. The new Osaka Pro Wrestling lost many of the old one's key wrestlers as well as their home base of Nasci Hall Umeda, forcing them to employ a new tour format.
In October 2021, it was announced that Zeus had been appointed as the owner and president of OPW. He became president on July 30, and on August 26, he received a share transfer from former owner Yuji Sakagami. However, he remained under contract with All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW) for the rest of the year.

## Roster

| Ring name | Real name | Notes |
| Aran Sano | Undisclosed | |
| Billyken Kid | Undisclosed | |
| Black Buffalo | Keisuke Yamada | Sales manager |
| The Bodyguard | Noboru Kurakawa | |
| Ebessan III | Osamu Suganuma | |
| Goliath | Undisclosed | Freelancer |
| Hub | Yuto Kigawa | |
| Joichiro Osaka | Undisclosed | |
| Kuishinbo Kamen | Akinori Tsukioka | |
| Osaka Banpaku Machine | Undisclosed | Alter ego of Billyken Kid |
| Quiet Storm | Undisclosed | Freelancer Osaka Pro Wrestling Tag Team Champion |
| Ryuya Matsufusa | Ryuya Matsufusa | Osaka Light Heavyweight Champion Signed to Dotonbori Pro-Wrestling |
| Shigehiro Irie | Shigehiro Irie | Freelancer Osaka Pro Wrestling Tag Team Champion |
| Shu Asakawa | Taisuke Asakawa | Freelancer |
| Super Delfin | Hiroto Wakita | Affiliated with Sea Food Pro Wrestling |
| Suzaku | Undisclosed | |
| Takoyakida | Undisclosed | |
| Tigers Mask | Atsushi Maruyama | |
| Toru | Toru Matsunaga | Freelancer Osaka Pro Wrestling Champion |
| Tsubasa | Undisclosed | |
| Ultimate Spider Jr. | Undisclosed | |
| Yasutaka Oosera | Yasutaka Oosera | Signed to Michinoku Pro Wrestling |
| Yuto Kikuchi | Yuto Kikuchi | Freelancer Signed to Dotonbori Pro-Wrestling |
| Zeus | Kensho Obayashi | Owner and president of OPW |

### Notable alumni

* Apple Miyuki (RDPW)
* Atsushi Kotoge (Noah)
* Azumi Hyuga (JWP Joshi Puroresu)
* Daigoro Kashiwa (Kaientai Dojo)
* Daisuke Harada (Noah)
* Gamma (D-Gate)
* Gami (Wave Pro)
* Hayata (Noah)
* Kaito Ishida (D-Gate)
* Kanjyuro Matsuyama
* Kuuga
* Magnitude Kishiwada (Freelancer)
* Masamune (DES)
* Orochi (DES)
* Rising Hayato (AJPW)
* Sawako Shimono (Freelancer)
* Super Delfin (Okinawa Pro Wrestling)
* Tadasuke
* Thunder
* Yuu Yamagata

## Staff

* Keigo Yoshino (Referee)
* Naoki (Ring announcer)
* Shinjiro Miyao (Ring announcer)
* Zeus (President and Owner)

## Championships
### Active

| Championship | Current champion(s) | Reign | Date won | Days held | Location | Notes |
| Osaka Pro Wrestling Championship | Toru | 1 | December 29, 2024 | 59+ | Osaka, Japan | Defeated Zeus at Excalibur 2024. |
| Osaka Light Heavyweight Championship | Yasutaka Oosera | 1 | January 12, 2025 | 45+ | Osaka, Japan | Defeated Ryuya Matsufusa at Name der Veranstaltung: Osaka Pro New Year Special 2025 - Day 2. |
| Osaka Meibutsu Sekaiichi Championship | Joichiro Osaka | 2 | December 29, 2024 | 59+ | Osaka, Japan | Defeated Kanjyuro Matsuyama at Excalibur 2024. |
| Osaka Pro Wrestling Tag Team Championship | Quiet Storm and Shigehiro Irie | 1 (1, 1) | December 29, 2024 | 59+ | Osaka, Japan | Defeated Rogue Nation (Shu Asakawa and Yasutaka Oosera) at Excalibur 2024. |

### Inactive

| Championship | Last champion(s) | Reign | Date won | Location | Notes |
| Osaka Owarai Championship | Joichiro Osaka | — | January 8, 2023 | Osaka, Japan | Won a battle royal to win the championship. The title change was voided when Billyken Kid confessed he had lost the physical title belt prior to the match. It was then replaced with the revived Osaka Meibutsu Sekaiichi Championship. |
| Super Welterweight Championship | Super Delfin | 5 | November 28, 1999 | Osaka, Japan | Defeated Black Buffalo then immediately abandoned the title to create the Osaka Pro Wrestling Championship. |
| MWF World Junior Heavyweight Championship | Goya Mask | 2 | October 3, 2008 | Naha, Japan | Won a 10-man battle royale by last eliminating Kaijin Habu-otoko to win the vacant title. Title deactivated in 2012 when Okinawa Pro-Wrestling, where the title had moved to in May 2008, closed. |
| Tenpohzan Grand Prix Championship | Miracle Man | 2 | November 22, 2011 | Osaka, Japan | Defeated Takoyakida at Osaka Happy Weekday. Title moved to FFF Pro-Wrestling. |
| Osaka Pro Wrestling Battle Royal Championship | Tigers Mask | 1 | April 20, 2014 | Osaka, Japan | Won a 18-man battle royale by last eliminating Billyken Kid to win the title. Title deactivated two days later when Tigers Mask left the promotion. |

## Annual tournaments

| Tournament | Last winner(s) | Date won |
| Osaka Tag Festival | Aran Sano and Tigers Mask | February 24, 2025 |
| Osaka Pro Light Heavyweight Tournament | Yasutaka Oosera | May 26, 2024 |
| Tennōzan | Toru | September 23, 2024 |

## Major events

* Osaka Hurricane