Takashi Sugiura

Takashi Sugiura (May 31, 1970) is a Japanese professional wrestler, currently working for Pro Wrestling NOAH. Sugiura, an accomplished amateur wrestler, joined NOAH's dojo in 2000, making his pro debut on December 23, 2000, and thus becoming the first wrestler to make his pro wrestling debut in NOAH. He is also a founding member of the Dark Agents stable.
==Early life==
Sugiura was an accomplished judoka in high school. And narrowly missed the cut representing Japan at the 1996 Summer Olympics. He then became an Self Defense Instructor & was recruited to the All Japan Pro Wrestling Dojo by Tamon Honda, who (along with Yoshihiro Takayama) oversaw all of Sugiura's training.
==Professional wrestling career==
Initially a low-card wrestler, Sugiura's American Wrestling influenced style became popular with fans. And eventually he formed an tag team with Yoshinobu Kanemaru nicknamed "SugiKane". Within a few months the two defeated Marufuji and Kenta for the GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship ending the team's long & historic run. Sugiura owns the distinction of being the only wrestler in the history of Pro Wrestling NOAH to have been a double champion on two separate occasions. He made a name for himself in the heavyweight division receiving a title shot against then GHC Heavyweight Champion Takeshi Morishima in a highly regarded match & winning the GHC Tag Team Championship along with Naomichi Marufuji from the bigger & stronger team of D'lo Brown & Bull Buchanan. At NJPW Wrestle Kingdom III he pushed New Japan Ace Shinsuke Nakamura to his limit in a cross promotional tag team match with Mitsuharu Misawa & Hirooki Goto as their respective partners, but came up short and tapped out to Nakamura's Cross Armbar finish. Nakamura then stated that there would be a singles match between them soon, as he felt he was embarrassed by a wrestler below his standards. The two met again later in the year in a cross-promotional match, this time Sugiura teamed with blue-chip prospect Go Shiozaki & Nakamura teamed with then-RISE stablemate Milano Collection AT, who was also returning from injury. Shiozaki/Sugiura picked up the win & Nakamura demanded a rematch against the 2 with Hirooki Goto as his tag team partner.
Sugiura has also dabbled in mixed martial arts, given his amateur background. His largest victory ever in an MMA match was against Giant Silva. He participated in the Pancrase Heavyweight Championship Tournament but was eliminated by Ryuta Noji.
On July 20, he faced Hiroshi Tanahashi in the first ever NJPW vs. NOAH match for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship. After 24 minutes and 2 High Fly Flows, Tanahashi retained the Championship.
Sugiura also participated in the 2009 G1 Climax. With his rival Nakamura in his block, a long anticipated singles match came to pass. Although he lost the match he still managed to finish second in his block & advanced to the semi-finals losing to the tournament eventual winner Togi Makabe. On December 6, 2009 Sugiura pinned Go Shiozaki to win the GHC Heavyweight Championship. On January 4, 2010, at Wrestle Kingdom IV in Tokyo Dome Sugiura successfully defended the title against Hirooki Goto.On 28 February,he retained his title against Togi Makabe and then on 10 July against Yoshihiro Takayama. On October 1, 2010, Sugiura travelled to Tamaulipas, Mexico to defend the GHC Heavyweight Championship, defeating Chessman at Asistencia Asesoría y Administración (AAA) event Héroes Inmortales IV.
==In wrestling==
*Finishing moves
:*Ankle lock, sometimes followed by grapevining the opponent's leg
:*Olympic slam, sometimes from the top rope
*Signature moves
:*Backbreaker rack
:*Brainbuster
:*Karelin Lift
:*Lariat
:*Multiple suplex variations
::*Belly to belly
::*Capture
::*German, sometimes rolled into a Dragon Suplex
::*Gutwrench
::*Northern lights
::*Slingshot
:*One shoulder powerbomb
:*Running big boot
:*Spear
:*Spinebuster
*Entrance music
:*"War" by Edwin Starr
:*"Do The Evolution" by Pearl Jam
:*"Fell in Love With a Girl" by The White Stripes
:*"Le-Mans Mesai" by The HIGH-Lows
:*"When Love Comes To Town" by U2
==Championships and accomplishments==
*Nikkan Sports
** Best Tag Team Award (2014) with Masato Tanaka
** Fighting Spirit Award (2009, 2011)
** MVP Award (2010)
*Pro Wrestling Illustrated
**PWI ranked him #62 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2020
**PWI ranked him #139 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2019
**PWI ranked him #101 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2018
**PWI ranked him #136 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2017
**PWI ranked him #44 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2016
**PWI ranked him #211 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2015
**PWI ranked him #165 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2014
**PWI ranked him #128 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2013
**PWI ranked him #24 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2012
**PWI ranked him #5 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2011
**PWI ranked him #14 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2010
**PWI ranked him #218 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2007
**PWI ranked him #97 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2006
*Pro Wrestling NOAH
**GHC Heavyweight Championship (4 times)
**GHC Junior Heavyweight Championship (2 times)
**GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Yoshinobu Kanemaru
**GHC National Championship (2 times)
**GHC Tag Team Championship (9 times) – Naomichi Marufuji (2), Masato Tanaka (1), Kenou (1), KAZMA SAKAMOTO (1), Kazushi Sakuraba (1), Hideki Suzuki (1), Satoshi Kojima (1) and Shuhei Taniguchi (1)
**Global League (2014)
**Global Tag League (2014, 2015) – with Masato Tanaka
**Global Tag League (2019) – with Kazma Sakamoto
**One Night Junior Heavyweight Six Man Tag Team Tournament (2003) – with Yoshinobu Kanemaru and Makoto Hashi
**Best Bout Award (2014) vs. Daisuke Sekimoto on November 8
**Global League Outstanding Performance Award (2013)
**Global Tag League Fighting Spirit Award (2010) – with Shuhei Taniguchi
**Global Tag League Technique Award (2013) – with Atsushi Kotoge
*Pro Wrestling ZERO1
**NWA Intercontinental Tag Team Championship (1 time) with Masato Tanaka
**Furinkazan (2014) – with Masato Tanaka
*Tokyo Sports Grand Prix
**Best Tag Team Award (2014) with Masato Tanaka
**Best Tag Team Award (2020) with Kazushi Sakuraba
**Most Valuable Player (2010)
**Outstanding Performance Award (2009)
*Westside Xtreme Wrestling
**Trios Tournament (2006) – with Doug Williams and Yoshinobu Kanemaru
* Wrestling Observer Newsletter
** 5 Star Match (2020) vs. Go Shiozaki on December 6
==External links==
* Profile
* Profile
Category:Japanese wrestlers
Category:1970 births
Category:2000 debuts
Category:3 Count Wrestling alumni
Category:All Japan Pro Wrestling alumni
Category:Asistencia Asesoría y Administración alumni
Category:Big Japan Pro Wrestling alumni
Category:Diamond Ring alumni
Category:Dradition Pro-Wrestling alumni
Category:Fu-Ten Promotion alumni
Category:FWA Academy alumni
Category:International Catch Wrestling Alliance alumni
Category:International Pro Wrestling: United Kingdom alumni
Category:IWA Japan alumni
Category:New Japan Pro Wrestling alumni
Category:Premier Promotions alumni
Category:Pro Wrestling NOAH current roster
Category:Pro Wrestling ZERO1 alumni
Category:Westside Xtreme Wrestling alumni
Category:Living people
Category:Male wrestlers
Category:Active Advance Pro Wrestling alumni
Category:Big Japan Pro Wrestling alumni
Category:CombatStar Promotions alumni
Category:Dramatic Dream Team alumni
Category:One Pro Wrestling alumni
Category:Real Japan Pro Wrestling alumni
Category:World Entertainment Wrestling alumni