Masao Orihara

**Masao Orihara** (折原昌夫, *Orihara Masao*) (born June 16, 1969) is a Japanese professional wrestler.

Orihara is known by his career in numerous Japanese promotions such as Michinoku Pro Wrestling, Wrestle Association R, Battlarts and Dramatic Dream Team.

## Professional wrestling career

Orihara was trained in the All Japan Pro Wrestling Dojo under Genichiro Tenryu's tutelage. When Tenryu left for Super World of Sports, Orihara and others followed him to the new promotion. In 1992, Orihara was sent to Mexico, where he learnt the high-flying lucha libre style and wrestled for Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre as **Iga**, a masked ninja character. Upon his return to SWS, now named Wrestle Association R, Masao showed his new style and competed in memorable cruiserweight bouts with Ultimo Dragon, with whom he formed a long friendship. After the WAR demise, Orihara landed in Michinoku Pro Wrestling, where he became **Sasuke the Great**, a The Great Sasuke copycat. Orihara formed a tag team with Takeshi Ono (who competed as Masked Tiger) and feuded with Sasuke and Tiger Mask. Alongside their work in Michinoku Pro, Orihara and Ono became a mainstay team on Battlarts. In 1999, Orihara competed in New Japan Pro Wrestling and Dramatic Dream Team.

Currently, Orihara is a part of Satoru Sayama's Real Japan Pro Wrestling and Tenryu Project.

## In wrestling

* **Finishing moves**

* Moonsault
* Sitout scoop slam piledriver
* Somersault missile dropkick

* **Signature moves**

* Asai moonsault
* Diving headbutt
* Piledriver
* Powerbomb
* *Sasuke Special* (Cartwheel over the top rope suicide moonsault) - adopted from The Great Sasuke
* *Spider German Suplex* (Pendulum German superplex)

* **Entrance themes**
	+ "Atomic Playboys" by Steve Stevens (AJPW/SWS/WAR, 1990–1993)
	+ "Phoenix" (WAR/Freelance, 1993–present)

## Championships and accomplishments

* **Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre**

* CMLL Japan Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Nosawa

* **Dramatic Dream Team**

* KO-D Openweight Championship (1 time)

* **Guts World**

* GWC Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Masked Mystery

* **Michinoku Pro Wrestling**

* APEX OF TRIANGLE Six–Man Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Takeshi Ono & KAW\*KAW
* Futaritabi Tag Team League (2003) - with Dick Togo

* **Mobius**

* APEX OF TRIANGLE Six–Man Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Dick Togo & Kintaro Kanemura (1) and Dick Togo & Tomohiko Hashimoto

* **Pro Wrestling Illustrated**

* PWI ranked him # **47** of the best 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2000

* **Real Japan Pro Wrestling**

* RJPW Legends Championship (1 time)

* **Tenryu Project**

* Tenryu Proyect International Junior Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
* Tenryu Project International Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship (2 times) - with Black Tiger V (1) and Hiroki (1)

* **Tokyo Sports**

* Rookie of the Year (1991)

* **Universal Wrestling Association / Universal Wrestling Federation**

* UWA/UWF Intercontinental Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with The Great Sasuke

* **Wrestling Entertainment Wrestling**

* APEX OF TRIANGLE Six–Man Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Dick Togo & Kintaro Kanemura

* **Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards**

* Best Wrestling Maneuver (1991) Moonsault to the outside of the ring

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 Profile at Puroresu Central . Puroresu Central. Retrieved on 2012-03-07.