Akira Taue

Infobox Wrestler
name=Akira Taue


names= Akira Taue
Tamakirin
height=height|ft=6|in=4
weight=convert|265|lb|kg st|abbr=on|lk=on
birth_date=birth date and age|1961|5|8
death_date=
birth_place=Chichibu, Saitama, Japan
death_place=
resides=
billed=
trainer=
debut=January 2 1988
retired=

nihongo|Akira Taue|田上 明|Taue Akira is a Japanese professional wrestler, who works for Pro Wrestling NOAH.

Career

Before becoming a professional wrestler, Akira Taue competed as a sumo wrestler, debuting in January 1980 and coached by former ozeki Daikirin (his shikona was Tamakirin, based on his stablemaster's). He fought in the second highest juryo division for seven tournaments before retiring from sumo in July 1987. He debuted in a tag team match for All Japan Pro Wrestling in 1988, teaming with the legendary Giant Baba. As with Genichiro Tenryu, Hiroshi Wajima and Arashi before him, his debut was much hyped. Throughout the years he became one of AJPW's top stars, even holding the Triple Crown on one occasion in 1996.

However, he became better known for tag team wrestling. He won his first championship in 1990, the All Asia Tag Team Championship with Shinichi Nakano. He won the AJPW Unified World Tag Team Championship for the first time in 1992, teaming with Jumbo Tsuruta. He formed a tag team with Toshiaki Kawada, called Holy Demon Army, a team which ended up holding the AJPW Unified World Tag Team Championship 6 times. The team split when Taue left AJPW for Mitsuharu Misawa's new Pro Wrestling NOAH promotion, while Toshiaki Kawada decided to stay.

In NOAH Taue continued tag team wrestling, teaming mostly with Takuma Sano. On November 5, 2005, Taue was able to defeat Takeshi Rikio with his Ore ga Taue finisher to capture the GHC Heavyweight Championship, which he held into the new year before losing it to Jun Akiyama on January 22, 2006.

His theme tune is a variation on Yngwie Malmsteen's song 'Eclipse'.

In wrestling

*Finishing and signature moves
**Multiple chokeslam variations
***"Ore ga Taue" "(Translated to I am Taue in English)" (Belly to back) – Innovated
***"Chichibu Cement" (Vertical) – Innovated
***Standing, sometimes from the top rope
**Multiple suplex variations
***"Tsukuba Makiwari" (Choke)
***"Dynamic Suplex" (Trapping)
***German
**"Dynamic Bomb" (Sitout powerbomb)
**"Dynamic Kick" (Running big boot)

Championships and accomplishments

*All Japan Pro Wrestling
**AJPW All Asia Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Shinichi Nakano
**AJPW Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
**AJPW Unified World Tag Team Championship (7 times) – with Jumbo Tsuruta (1) and Toshiaki Kawada (6)
**Champion's Carnival (1996)
**World's Strongest Tag Team League (1996, 1997) – with Toshiaki Kawada (1996)
*Pro Wrestling NOAH
**GHC Heavyweight Championship (1 time)

*Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards
**5 Star Match (1990) with Jumbo Tsuruta and Masanobu Fuchi vs. Mitsuharu Misawa, Toshiaki Kawada and Kenta Kobashi on October 19
**5 Star Match (1991) with Jumbo Tsuruta and Masanobu Fuchi vs. Mitsuharu Misawa, Toshiaki Kawada and Kenta Kobashi on April 20
**5 Star Match (1992) with Jumbo Tsuruta and Masanobu Fuchi vs. Mitsuharu Misawa, Toshiaki Kawada and Kenta Kobashi on May 22
**5 Star Match (1993) with Toshiaki Kawada and Yoshinari Ogawa vs. Mitsuharu Misawa, Kenta Kobashi and Jun Akiyama on July 2
**5 Star Match (1993) with Toshiaki Kawada vs. Mitsuharu Misawa and Kenta Kobashi on December 3
**5 Star Match (1994) with Toshiaki Kawada and Masanobu Fuchi vs. Mitsuharu Misawa, Kenta Kobashi & Giant Baba on February 13
**5 Star Match (1994) with Toshiaki Kawada vs. Mitsuharu Misawa & Kenta Kobashi on May 21
**5 Star Match (1995) with Toshiaki Kawada vs. Mitsuharu Misawa & Kenta Kobashi on January 24
**5 Star Match (1995) vs. Mitsuharu Misawa on April 15
**5 Star Match (1995) with Toshiaki Kawada vs. Mitsuharu Misawa and Kenta Kobashi on June 9
**5 Star Match (1995) with Tamon Honda and Toshiaki Kawada vs. Mitsuharu Misawa, Kenta Kobashi and Satoru Asako on June 30
**5 Star Match (1996) with Toshiaki Kawada vs. Mitsuharu Misawa & Jun Akiyama on May 23
**5 Star Match (1996) with Toshiaki Kawada vs. Mitsuharu Misawa & Jun Akiyama on December 6
**5 Star Match (1997) with Toshiaki Kawada vs. Mitsuharu Misawa & Jun Akiyama on December 5

References

* [http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profiles/a/akira-taue.html Profile at Online World of Wrestling]
* [http://noah.puroresufan.com/roster/taue.php Profile at Green Destiny]