RYŌMA

"RYŌMA in Late 2018"

Hokosawa Ryōma (細川亮馬 Ryōma Hokosawa, ring name: リョーマ) (born September 3rd, 1975) is a Japanese professional wrestler best known for his time in True-1 Pro Wrestling.

## **Early Life**

Born and raised in Kobe, Japan, Ryōma lived an average childhood, his mother was an elementary school teacher and his father wrote for a local newspaper. Ryōma performed well in school but he was far more concerned with sports and his dream to be a wrestler. Ryōma's mother was fully supportive of his dream to be a wrestler and although his father came around to the idea he was initially apprehensive. Ryōma was a huge fan of Super-Japan Pro Wrestling, one of the biggest promotions in Japan at the time, his goal was to one day wrestle for the promotion. Ryōma started training in MMA at a local gym, he took to the martial art very quickly learned it with the intention of incorporating its practices into his wrestling style. Ryōma also trained in boxing and amateur wrestling before actually beginning to train at the SJPW dojo in Osaka. However, it would be some time before he actually made his debut in the promotion.

## **Professional Wrestling Career**

### **Early Career (1989-**

The story starts with a young Ryōma taking part in the Young Lion Memorial Battle Royal, a huge battle royal showcasing the skills of the Young Lions within the promotion and to gauge for fan support for new talent. Ryōma would come out victorious with two eliminations consisting of “Ai Itami” who would later become one of the Top Four Stars in SJPW and Akio Tanaka the eventual ace of the promotion another member of the Top Four. SJPW was so pleased with Ryōma's performance they placed him with the 希望の星 (Rising Stars); a Three-Man faction consisting of Ryōma, Ai Itam, and Akio Tanaka. They would be pitted against far more prominent names within the company, always putting up a fight but eventually always losing to the more established names. Until Ai Itami had enough of 希望の星 and disbanded the team with a thunderous Dragon elbow to the back of the head of Tanaka. Leaving Ryōma conflicted and confused as to what was next for him. Eventually, after a season break on the return episode of SJPW, Tanaka would try to convince Ryōma to help him is his crusade for revenge against Itami to no avail as Ryōma considered both of these men to be his friends and he didn’t want any part of it. An angered Tanaka begrudgingly respected Ryōma's decision and backed off his advances.

A year later in 1991 at the age of 15, Ryōma would challenge the ace at the time, Ugiro Takayama for the SJPW World Championship. Although the challenge was declined as Ugiro said the Ryōma was too inexperienced and unworthy of the title. Ryōma took this as a challenge to progress and better himself, he wanted to earn his title shot, he pleaded with the higher-ups In the company to give him the chances that he and the fans agreed he deserved. So it became official Ryōma would challenge Takayama at the second annual Young Lion Memorial Event.

The match started with a feeling out process leading to Ugiro gaining an advantage, he outclassed Ryōma in wrestling ability and experience, Ryōma's only hope was to outpace the veteran attacking the stomach with strikes in order to further wear down the already slowed veteran. The match began to turn for the worse for Ryōma when Ugiro countered his running splash into the corner with a dropkick to the knee sending Ryōma head first into the turnbuckle. The rest of the match consisted of Ugiro dominating, finishing it with a Tiger Suplex before transitioning into a Fujiwara armbar. Making Ryōma submit sixteen minutes into the match halting Ryōma's dream of becoming champion for the time being.

### **Neck Injury and Temporary Retirement (1993)**

During a match with Ai Itami on an SJPW show, Ryōma was dropped viciously on his neck while attempting a suplex from the top rope. Although, Itami denies it the majority of people including Ryōma and Akio Tanaka believe that the injury was intentional. They believe that Itami was still bitter about Ryōma not choosing to side with him against Tanaka, their legitimate and in story falling out. The injury would spell a seeming end to Ryōma's career as the doctors told him he would never be allowed to wrestle again, SJPW would honor his career by naming the annual Young Lion Battle Royal after him, the very match that launched Ryōma's career and the match in which he truly found himself. Tanaka would adopt many of Ryōma's moves into his moveset in tribute to his close friend.

### **Return in True-1 Pro (2018-2019)**

Ryōma would make his return a whole 25 years after his retirement in Japan's largest promotion True-1 Pro, for Ryōma this represented a new start in his storied career and for True-1 it represented the acquisition of Japanese legend. His debut match would pit him against Akio Ryuu, the two would had a brief action-packed encounter which ended in disappointment for Ryōma as he would be rolled up by Ryuu before he could inflict any more damage.

### **Premiership Wrestling**

Ryōma was announced for Premiership Wrestling's first major show in a Two Falls to a Finish match against NAHMO. The match was set to be the meeting of Japanese smash mouth style and British technical style, NAHMO's agility verses Ryōma's unbridled power. The match was slightly more one-sided than expected with Ryōma picking up the victory with two consecutive falls. This would be Ryōma's first big win since his return to wrestling.

## **Personal Life**

Ryōma is an avid fisher and has isolated himself from society on his private compound. Ryōma maintains an extremely small circle of friends consisting mostly of his friends from his youth and a few of his co-workers in True-1 Pro. Ryōma is also a big fan of MMA and kickboxing, he enjoys watching fights and is an avid follower of many Japanese and international companies.

## **In Wrestling**

* **Finishing moves**
	+ **Pee Pee** (Reverse Sit-Out Kneeling Piledriver); Adopted from Akio Tanaka (1990-Present)

* **Signature moves**
	+ Corner Spear
	+ **Death Plex** (Top Rope Spider Suplex); Adopted from ATUMA
	+ Triple German Suplex Combo
	+ Forearm Smash Variations

* **Entrance themes**
	+ **Kieth Morrison - Spartan X (Custom Cover)**