Jun Akiyama

Infobox Wrestler
name=Jun Akiyama


names=Jun Akiyama
height=188 cm (6 ft 2 in)
weight=110 kg (243 lb)
birth_date = Birth date and age|1969|10|2|mf=y
birth_place = Izumi, Osaka
debut=September 17, 1992 vs. Kenta Kobashi|

Jun Akiyama (秋山準 "Akiyama Jun") is a Japanese professional wrestler who currently works for Pro Wrestling NOAH. Akiyama is known for his serious style and outstanding, time-tested work as a tag team wrestler. He also gained notoriety for his innovation of the Exploder suplex.

Early Career & All Japan Pro Wrestling (1992-2000)

In junior high school, Akiyama practiced swimming and in senior high school he did freestyle amateur wrestling and judo. After high school he went to Senshu University in Tokyo. There he joined an amateur wrestling team that produced other professional wrestlers Riki Chōshū, Hiroshi Hase and Manabu Nakanishi.

He had great success as an amateur wrestler and so was scouted by All Japan Pro Wrestling scouts. He made his professional wrestling debut in September of 1992 against Kenta Kobashi, which he lost. He gradually rose in rank, getting a trial series in January 1993. Afterwards, Akiyama started competition in tag teams. The tag team division soon became his specialty, teaming with Takao Ōmori against Kenta Kobashi and Mitsuaharu Misawa. On more than one occasion, Dave Meltzer rated the matches they had together five stars. In 1995, he split with Taue, and was selected to be Misawa's partner after he split with Kobashi. The two teamed together successfully to win a title with him. After teaming with Misawa, Akiyama started teaming with Kobashi for a while. He was closing in on the Triple Crown, getting his first shot in September 1997 and steadily rising in rank over the coming years. However, he was unable to gain the title.

Pro Wrestling NOAH

After a controversy in AJPW over the direction and management, he left the company with Mitsuharu Misawa, and half the roster, for Misawa's newly created Pro Wrestling NOAH in mid-2000. Like many other members who made the jump Akiyama gave himself a makeover, dropping his trademark Blue Trunks & Blue/White Boots for white trunks/boots and dyed his hair brown. He was quickly established as a top star of the company, choking out Kenta Kobashi in the first NOAH show & becoming the second GHC Heavyweight Champion, but failed to shine in the position with NOAH eventually being forced to abandon his push, using Yoshinari Ogawa to transition the title back to Misawa. He continued work in NOAH as a tag team competitor again to critical acclaim, winning the GHC Tag Team Championship with Akitoshi Saito.

In April 2004 he created the GHC Openweight Hardcore Championship Title to get back into singles competitions, and adapting an attitude manifested by wearing trunks that were odd colors for him. This put him into a position to challenge for the GHC title against Kenta Kobashi, which was voted the Match of the Year. Late 2004 and much of 2005 were highlighted by his feud with protégé Makoto Hashi where Akiyama used "tough love" to toughen up young Hashi. On January 22, 2006, Akiyama defeated Akira Taue to become the GHC Heavyweight Champion for the second time, defending the title against Minoru Suzuki on March 5 and Masao Inoue on April 24. Akiyama was defeated by Naomichi Marufuji on NOAH's September 9 Nippon Budokan show in his third defense of the GHC Heavyweight Title.

Following his title loss to Naomichi Marufuji, Akiyama made good his promise to Tsuyoshi Kikuchi, going back to wearing blue trunks, and wrestling mainly in the undercard. He successfully redeemed himself by defeating Kikuchi and once again wore white trunks following that match. This put him back in line for success, which had him winning the tag titles a second time with Takeshi Rikio. However, due to a injury to Rikio they were forced to vacate the titles.

In wrestling

*Finishing and signature moves:*"Sternness Dust α" (Wrist-clutch Death Valley driver):*"Sternness Dust γ" (Wrist-clutch fisherman buster):*"Exploder '98" (Wrist–clutch exploder suplex, sometimes from the top rope) – Innovated:*Running high knee strike:*"Blue Thunder Driver" (Spin–out sitout powerbomb) – Innovated:*"King Crab Lock" (Guillotine choke with opponent's legs trapped):*Piledriver:*Snap DDT, sometimes followed into the "King Crab Lock":*Arm trap Northern Lights suplex:*German suplex

*Nicknames:*Blue Thunder:*Supernova

*Notable factions:*STERNNESS

Championships and accomplishments

*All Japan Pro Wrestling:*AJPW All Asia Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Takao Ōmori:*AJPW Unified World Tag Team Championship (3 times) – Kenta Kobashi (2) and Mitsuharu Misawa (1):*World's Strongest Tag Team League (1998, 1999) – with Kenta Kobashi

*Pro Wrestling NOAH:*GHC Heavyweight Championship (2 times):*GHC Openweight Hardcore Championship (1 time):*GHC Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Akitoshi Saito (1) and Takeshi Rikio (1)

*Pro Wrestling Illustrated:*PWI ranked him # 90 of the 500 best singles wrestlers during the "PWI Years" in 2003

*Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards:*5 Star Match (1993) with Mitsuharu Misawa and Kenta Kobashi vs. Akira Taue, Toshiaki Kawada, and Yoshinari Ogawa on July 2:*5 Star Match (1996) with Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Toshiaki Kawada and Akira Taue on May 23:*5 Star Match (1996) with Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Steve Williams and Johnny Ace on June 7:*5 Star Match (1996) with Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Toshiaki Kawada and Akira Taue on December 6:*5 Star Match (1997) with Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Toshiaki Kawada and Akira Taue on December 5:*5 Star Match (1999) with Kenta Kobashi vs. Mitsuharu Misawa and Yoshinari Ogawa on October 23:*5 Star Match (2004) vs. Kenta Kobashi on July 10:*Match of the Year (1996) with Mitsuharu Misawa vs Steve Williams and Johnny Ace on June 7:*Match of the Year (2004) vs. Kenta Kobashi on July 10:*Rookie of the Year (1993):*Tag Team of the Year - with Mitsuharu Misawa (1996, 1997):*Tag Team of the Year - with Kenta Kobashi (1999)

External links

* [http://noah.puroresufan.com/roster/akiyama.php Profile at Green Destiny, a NOAH fan site]
* [http://www.geocities.com/smokyrobmoore/jp040300.htm View from the Rising Sun - Misawa vs. Kawada vs. Taue vs. Kobashi vs. Akiyama]
* [http://www.noah.co.jp/fighter02.html#akiyama Official profile at NOAH site (in Japanese)]