Okumura

**Shigeo Okumura** (奥村 茂雄, *Okumura Shigeo*, born May 25, 1972) is a Japanese professional wrestler who works for the Mexican professional wrestling promotion Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL) and is billed as **Okumura**. Okumura originally worked for Tokyo Pro Wrestling (TPW) and later on All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW) in Japan but moved to Mexico in 2005 to work for CMLL full-time. Okumura usually teams up with wrestlers from Japan who visit CMLL, currently as a group known as *La Ola Amarilla* (Spanish for "The Yellow Wave"). Okumura and Yujiro won the 2009 version of the *Gran Alternativa* tournament.

## Professional wrestling career

Shigeo Okumura began his professional wrestling career in 1994, working for the Japanese promotion Tokyo Pro Wrestling (TPW). Okumura worked under both his birth name and as "Okumura" during his time in TPW. In 1996 TPW Closed and Okumura became a freelance wrestler, working for a variety of companies on the Japanese independent circuit as well as a few one-shot appearances for New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) and All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW). At some point between 1996 and 1999 Okumura won the CCW Heavyweight Championship and the CAWF Tag Team Championship, teaming with Nobutaka Araya. In late 1999 Okumura began working for Frontier Martial Arts Wrestling (FMW), teaming with Atsushi Onita and Mitsunobu Kikuzawa in a tournament to crown the first ever Barbed-wire Stretfight Six-man Tag Team Title. The team made it to the finals but were defeated by Mr. Pogo, Shoji Nakamaki, and Ichiro Yaguchi on December 26, 1999. On January 28, 2000, Onita, Okumura and Kikuzawa won the Barbed-Wire Street Fight Six-Man Tag Title, defeating Nakamaki, Yaguchi, and the Geat Kendo for the vancat title. The trio only held the belt for four days before losing to Nakamaki, Yaguchi, and Kendo.

### All Japan Pro Wrestling (2000–2004)

When Mitsuharu Misawa left AJPW to form Pro Wrestling NOAH along with a large group of AJPW wrestlers Shigeo Okumura was given a full-time contract with AJPW to fill the void left by the exodous. On September 8, 2001 Okumura and Nobutaka Araya lost to Arashi and Koki Kitahara, in a match for the vacant All Asia Tag Team Championship. When Arashi and Kitahara vacated the titles in early 2002 Okumura and Mitsuya Nagi entered the tournament to crown new champions. The team made it all the way to the final match, only to lose to Arashi and Okumura's former partner Nobutaka Araya. In 2002 Okumura participated in the "Giant Baba Cup", competing in block A. Okumura accumulated 14 points but was defeated by Mitsuya Naga in the Block final. Over the next two years Okumura would work as a mid-card wrestler, often in makeshift tag teams with other mid-card wrestlers.

### Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (2004–present)

In mid-2004 Okumura travelled to Mexico on a "learning trip", to improve his in ring skills by being exposed to other wrestling styles than the Japanese style. In Mexico he began working for Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL) as a Heel (or "bad guy") "Anti-Mexico" character. The "Anti-Mexico" character stood in contrast to Okumura's personal views as he liked living and working in Mexico so much that he has remained there since 2004. On December 5, 2004, Okumura participated in a four-man, *Lucha de Apuesta* (Bet match) steel cage match where the last man in the cage would have his hair shaved off as a result. The match came down to Okumura and Negro Casas and saw Casas escape, leaving Okumura to be shaved bald per Lucha traditions.

In the mid-2005 NJPW sent Shinsuke Nakamura and Hiroshi Tanahashi to Mexico, in order for them to gain international experience, just like Okumura had been sent the year before. Okumura teamed with Nakamura and Tanahashi, as well as worked as their guide and contact outside the ring. The trio worked on CMLL's 72nd Anniversary show, losing to the all-Mexican team of Último Guerrero, Rey Bucanero and Averno. On May 12, 2006, Okumura participated in CMLL's International Gran Prix, teaming with other foreign wrestlers to take on a team of eight Mexican wrestlers. Okumura was the 12th man eliminated, pinned by eventual winner Último Guerrero. On June 18, 2006, Okumura once again participated in a multi-man Steel Cage *Lucha de Apuesta* match, putting his hair on the line against Rey Bucanero, Universo 2000, Negro Casas, Tarzan Boy, Máximo, Heavy Metal, and El Terrible. In the end Rey Bucanero pinned Okumura, forcing him to once again be shaved bald. In August 2006, Okumura began teaming up with Hajime Ohara and Hirooki Goto, both on a "learning trip" like Okumura had been, both young wrestlers from NJPW. The three teamed up in tag team and trios matches, taking on various Mexica combinations in low and mid-card matches. On May 11, 2007, Okumura and Goto both participated in that year's International Gran Prix teaming with Alex Koslov, Marco Corleone, Minoru Suzuki, Jushin Thunder Liger, and Último Dragón. Okumura was the second wrestler eliminated, pinned by Rey Bucanero. Ohara and Goto would both remain in Mexico for almost a year, returning to NJPW in mid-2007. In the fall of 2007 Shigeo Okumura broke his collar bone when an Asai Moonsault attempt by the inexperienced *Fabián el Gitano* went wrong and Fabián struck Okumura with his knees, breaking the bone. The injury sidelined Okumura for the remainder of 2007 and a large part of 2008 as his recovery from the injury combined with a long trip back to Japan kept him out of the ring.

#### La Ola Amarilla

In mid-2009 Okumura was once again teamed up with a couple of Japanese wrestlers on a learning trip; this time he teamed with No Limit (Yujiro and Naito) to form an "Anti-Mexico" faction called *La Ola Amarilla* (Spanish for "The Yellow Wave"). The team was given a strong push, booked to win a series of high-profile matches against various Mexican *tecnicos* (Faces or "good guys"). All three members of *La Ola Amarila* were involved in a 15-man *Lucha de Apuesta* steel cage match, which was the main event of CMLL's 2009 *Infierno en el Ring* event. Okumura escaped the cage as the fourth man and watched as Naito defeated Toscano to win the match. Throughout mid-2009 *Ola Amarilla* received further reinforcement as Jushin Thunder Liger toured Mexico. Okumura teamed with Liger, Yujiro, and Naito to defeat the team of Último Guerrero, Atlantis, Black Warrior and Héctor Garza, representing Mexico in one of the main events of CMLL's 76th Anniversary Show. The following week Yujiro was scheduled to team with Camorra in the 2009 *Gran Alternativa* tournament where a veteran teams with a rookie. Before the match Okumura made his way to the ring, objecting to Yujiro being forced to team with a Mexican and in a scripted moment, attacked Camorra and threw him out of the ring, taking his place. Yujiro and Okumura defeated Toscano and Rouge in the first round of the tournament, then were victorious against Héctor Garza and Ángel de Plata, before defeating Místico and Ángel de Oro in the finals to win the 2009 *Gran Alternativa*. Following the *Gran Alternativa* tournament Okumura began focusing on Máximo, while No Limit began a storyline with the team of El Terrible and El Texano, Jr.. Okumura and Máxmio faced off several times, usually as part of trios matches and each time the tension between the two wrestlers built. On November 5, 2009, the two faced off in a *Lucha de Apuesta* match, which saw Okumura win his first ever *Apuesta*, leaving Máximo bald in the process. While Yujiro and Naito left Mexico for NJPW by the end of 2009 Naito has already returned and announced he will work for CMLL on a regular basis and that he would be joined by NJPW rookie Taichi, keeping *La Ola Amarilla* alive in CMLL. On May 7, 2010, Okumura and Taichi teamed up with former IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Hiroshi Tanahashi to defeat El Hijo del Fantasma, La Máscara, and Héctor Garza to win the CMLL World Trios Championship in the main event of the weekly Friday night Super Viernes show. *Ola Amarilla's* reign as Trios champions only lasted two weeks as they were defeated by La Máscara, La Sombra and Máscara Dorada on May 21, 2010. On July 12, 2011, Okumura defeated El Gallo for CMLL's Guadalajara branch's Occidente Light Heavyweight Championship. He went on to lose the title to El Sagrado on July 11, 2012. In March 2012 NJPW trainee Kyosuke Mikami came to Mexico for an extended learning tour, he was given the ring name Namajague and a mask to go with it and teamed up with Okumura. The team of Okumura and Namajague was labelled *La Fiebre Amarilla* ("The Yellow fever") and not simply "La Ola Amarilla". In September 2012 *La Fiebre Amarilla* unsuccessfully challenged for the CMLL Arena Coliseo Tag Team Championship as defending champions Fuego and Stuka, Jr. were victorious. In the months following their first match against Stuka, Jr. and Fuego, *La Fiebre Amarilla* developed a long running storyline with Stuka, Jr. and Rey Cometa that evolved into the main event of the 2013 *Homenaje a Dos Leyendas* show contested under *Luchas de Apuestas*, or "bet match" rules where Namajague and Stuka, Jr. both risked their masks and Okumura and Rey Cometa would risk their hair on the outcome of the match. On March 3, 2013, Okumura and Namajague defeated Fuego and Stuka, Jr. to win the CMLL Arena Coliseo Tag Team Championship. On March 15, 2013, Okumura and Namajague were defeated by Stuka, Jr. and Rey Cometa in the main event of the 2013 *Homenaje a Dos Leyendas* show, forcing Okumura to have all his hair shaved off and Namajague was unmasked and had to reveal his real name, Kyosuke Mikami, as per lucha libre traditions. On November 3, Okumura and Namajague lost the Arena Coliseo Tag Team Championship to Delta and Guerrero Maya, Jr. In January 2015, Okumura returned to Japan to take part in the *Fantastica Mania 2015* tour, during which he unsuccessfully challenged Ángel de Oro for the CMLL World Light Heavyweight Championship.

## In wrestling

* **Finishing moves**
	+ *Okumura Special* (Hammerlock DDT)
* **Signature moves**
	+ Back elbow
	+ Exploder suplex
	+ Lariat
	+ Standing chinlock

## Championships and accomplishments

* **Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre**
	+ CMLL Arena Coliseo Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Namajague
	+ CMLL World Trios Championship (1 time) – with Hiroshi Tanahashi and Taichi
	+ Occidente Light Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
	+ Gran Alternativa (2009) – with Yujiro
* **Can-Am Wrestling Federation**
	+ CAWF Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Nobutaka Araya
* **Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling**
	+ Barbed-Wire Streetfight Six-Tag Team Championhship (1 time) – with Atsushi Onita and Mitsunobu Kikuzawa
* **Other titles**
	+ CCW Heavyweight Championship (1 time)

## Footnotes

1. ↑ This was a steel cage match that also included Rey Bucanero and Tarzan Boy.
2. ↑ This was a steel cage match. Other participants in the cage match were: Universo 2000, Negro Casas, Tarzan Boy, Máximo, Heavy Metal and El Terrible.

## References

1. ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 Rudos – Okumura  (in Spanish). *Fuego En El Ring*. Retrieved on 2009-10-21.
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Barbed-Wire Street Fight 6-Man Tag Team Heavyweight Title . wrestling-titles.com. Retrieved on 2010-02-06.
3. ↑ AJPW Summer Action Series II 2001 tour results . Shining Road. Archived from the original on 2007-09-29. Retrieved on 2007-08-29.
4. ↑ AJPW Champion's Carnival tour results . Shining Road. Archived from the original on 2007-05-30. Retrieved on 2007-08-29.
5. ↑ Giant Baba Cup 2002 . Pro Wrestling History (2002-01-11). Retrieved on 2015-06-03.
6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 "Negro Casas Rapó a Okumura". *Box y Lucha Magazine*Spanish. December 14, 2004. pp. 3–5. issue 2693.
7. ↑ Ocampo, Jorge (October 9, 2006). "Aniversario: Universo Rapó Garza". *SuperLuchas*Spanish. issue 126.
8. ↑ Gran Prix Cibernetico 2006 . Pro Wrestling History (2006-05-12). Retrieved on 2010-02-05.
9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 "Rey Bucanero rapó Okumura". *SuperLuchas*Spanish. June 18, 2006. issue 162.
10. ↑ Ocampo, Ernesto 2007-05-12. Resultados Arena Mexico (11 Mayo 07)  (in Spanish). *SuperLuchas*. Retrieved on 2010-02-05.
11. ↑ Arturo Rosas Plata (August 1, 2009). "Naitoh... Abrió los Ojos!". *Ovaciones*Spanish. Mexico, D.F.: Editorial Ovaciones, S. A. de C.V. pp. 22–23. Número 21665 Año LXII. Retrieved August 2, 2009.
12. ↑ Ruzig, Alex 2009-08-27. 76 Aniversario del CMLL (Resultados en vivo 18 septiembre 2009) – Místico vs Negro Casas – Máscara vs Cabellera  (in Spanish). *SuperLuchas*. Retrieved on 2009-08-28.
13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 Marquina, Alva 2009-09-25. CMLL- (Resultados en vivo 25 septiembre de 2009) – Último Guerrero venció a Liger. Yujiro y Okumura se llevan el Torneo la Gran Alternativa  (in Spanish). *SuperLuchas*. Retrieved on 2010-02-05.
14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 Oculto, Rostro 2009-11-16. CMLL- Arena México (15 noviembre 2009) – Máximo pierde la cabellera ante Okumura  (in Spanish). *SuperLuchas*. Retrieved on 2010-02-06.
15. ↑ Exportaciones NJPW: Kazuchika Okada irá a TNA, mientras que Taichi estará visitando Méx.ico  (in Spanish). *SuperLuchas* (2010-01-19). Retrieved on 2010-01-25.
16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 Velazquez, Israel 2010-05-07. Resultados Arena México (7 de mayo 2010): ¡Tanahashi, Taichi y Okumura, nuevos Campeones de Tríos CMLL!  (in Spanish). *SuperLuchas*. Retrieved on 2010-05-07.
17. ↑ Rivera, Manuel 2010-05-21. Resultados Arena México (21 mayo 2010): ¡Sombra, La Máscara y Máscara Dorada, nuevos campeones!  (in Spanish). *SuperLuchas*. Retrieved on 2010-05-22.
18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 Gutiérrez, Ana 2011-07-13. Mr. Águila no cambia de piel y Okumura se lleva el campeonato  (in Spanish). *Fuego en el Ring*. Retrieved on 2011-07-14.
19. ↑ Macías, Chava 2012-07-11. Sagrado es el nuevo campeón de peso semicompleto de Occidente.  (in Spanish). *Fuego en el Ring*. Retrieved on 2012-07-12.
20. ↑ Fuego y Stuka siguen reinando en la Coliseo  (in Spanish). *MedioTiempo* (2012-09-10). Retrieved on 2012-10-27.
21. ↑ Candente conferenic en la Arena México  (in Spanish). Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (2013-02-21). Retrieved on 2013-02-22.
22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 Okumura y Namajague Campeones de la Coliseo  (in Spanish). *MedioTiempo* (2013-03-03). Retrieved on 2013-03-04.
23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 Resultados Arena México  (in Spanish). Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (2013-03-15). Archived from the original on 2013-03-17. Retrieved on 2013-03-17.
24. ↑ Salazar López, Alexis A. 2013-11-04. Resultados Arena Coliseo Domingo 3 de Noviembre '13  (in Spanish). Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre. Archived from the original on 2013-11-04. Retrieved on 2013-11-04.
25. ↑ NJPW Presents CMLL Fantastica Mania 2015  (in Japanese). *New Japan Pro Wrestling*. Retrieved on 2015-01-17.