Yoshikazu Taru

Infobox Wrestler
name=Yoshikazu Taru


names=TARU
Yoshikazu Taru
The Great Ruta
height= height|feet=6|inches=0
weight= convert|244|lb|kg st|abbr=on|lk=on
birth_date = birth date and age|1964|8|23
death_date =
birth_place = Kobe City, Japan
resides=
billed=
trainer=
debut=July 16, 1991, against
Hiroyoshi Yamamoto
retired=|

Yoshikazu Taru, better known as TARU, is a Japanese professional wrestler who currently works for All Japan Pro Wrestling and El Dorado Wrestling.

Career

Taru started wrestling in 1996 for Wrestle Yume Factory and other indy promotions. He joined Toryumon shortly after it opened and became one of the founding fathers of the Crazy MAX faction (CMAX for short) along with Shiima Nobunaga, Judo Suwa and Sumo Fuji. For many years they were a powerful faction in Toryumon Japan and Dragon Gate but the group dissolved on November 2, 2004, and TARU left the promotion.

Taru soon showed up in AJPW, where he started feuding with Taka Michinoku and his RO&D faction. He proceeded to create his own faction, Voodoo Murders, composed of himself, Johnny "The Bull" Stamboli, Chuck Palumbo, as well as former Dragon Gate trainees Shuji Kondo and "Brother" YASSHI. Giant Bernard also joined, becoming the monster of the group. Voodoo Murders became AJPW's main heel group and began an intense feud with RO&D, clashing with them on many occasions. They were also known for putting their victims in body bags and beating them senseless with baseball bats. The group suffered a major loss though when Giant Bernard left the team in order to join NJPW.

Taru is known for his bizarre entrance attires and behaviour as well as his sinister personality, often attacking bystanders to vent his aggression. He has also become notorious for his uncontrollable brutality, losing the majority of his matches by disqualification due to his inability to keep his anger in check. Conflicting this, his non-wrestling attire and personality could be classed as practically suave.

Taru wrestled one match against The Great Muta as The Great Ruta.

Taru challenged Satoshi Kojima for the Triple Crown on January 8, 2006. However, Kojima successfully defended his title. in July 2007, however, Kojima shocked the All-Japan roster when he turned on them and joined the Voodoo Murders, where he was quickly made the group's co-leader along with TARU, whom he had defeated in the previous year in a vicious match for the AJPW Triple Crown. Soon after joining, Kojima and TARU won the AJPW Unified World Tag Team Championships.

TARU has recently been appearing in El Dorado as a general manager.

In wrestling

*Finishing and signature moves:*"TARU Driller" (Spinning reverse piledriver):*"T–Crusher" (Sitout spinebuster slam):*"Malw Bomber" (Vertical suplex powerbomb):*"TARU Guillotine" (Diving leg drop):*"MoonTARUto" (Second rope double jump moonsault):*"Kakato Otoshi" (Scissors kick):*Lariat

Trivia

*Taru's theme song is "TARU Drill a Hole" by Japanese dark metal group King–Show.
*Crazy MAX had marketed its own clothing line called C+R.
*Taru even promoted his own play, the TARU Theatrical Company. It was organized by Crazy MAX and Stalker Ichikawa.

Championships and accomplishments

*All Japan Pro Wrestling:*AJPW Unified World Tag Team Championship (1 time with Satoshi Kojima)

*Universal Wrestling Association:*UWA World Trios Championship (1 time with CIMA and Big Fuji)

*Other titles:*World Lucha Libre Martial Arts Championship (1 time)

External links

* [http://dragongate.puroresufan.com/cmax.html The history of Crazy MAX]