- Minoru Suzuki
-
Minoru Suzuki 
Suzuki in April 2008.Born June 17, 1968
Yokohama, KanagawaNationality Japanese Height 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) Weight 100 kg (220 lb) Style Catch wrestling Team Pancrase Mission Rank Olympian Alternate Freestyle Wrestler Mixed martial arts record Total 47 Wins 27 By knockout 3 By submission 19 By decision 4 By disqualification 1 Losses 20 By knockout 8 By submission 7 By decision 5 Other information Website Official blog Mixed martial arts record from Sherdog last updated on: March 14, 2011 Minoru Suzuki (鈴木 実 Suzuki Minoru, ring name: 鈴木 みのる) is a Japanese professional wrestler and mixed martial artist. Suzuki was the co-founder of Pancrase, one of the first mixed martial arts organizations in the world. During the 1990s he was known as one of the best fighters in the Pancrase promotion and was the second King of Pancrase world champion. Suzuki returned to regular puroresu in 2003, where he has become a perennial top contender for all major Japanese heavyweight championships. He is currently performing for both All Japan Pro Wrestling, where he is a former two-time AJPW Triple Crown Heavyweight Champion, and New Japan Pro Wrestling.
Suzuki is well noted for his excellence in freestyle wrestling and catch wrestling. He was an Olympic alternate freestyle wrestler for Japan and former Japanese freestyle wrestling national champion. As good as his wrestling credentials are, Suzuki is even more respected for his excellence in the art of catch wrestling and submissions. Suzuki has been praised many times by elite fighters such as Josh Barnett, Bas Rutten and Ken Shamrock for his outstanding grappling and submission skills.[1]
Contents
Career
Pancrase
Suzuki trained at the New Japan Pro Wrestling dojo and made his pro wrestling debut in 1988, but soon after left with catch wrestling mentor Yoshiaki Fujiwara for the newborn UWF. He joined Fujiwara's Pro Wrestling Fujiwara Gumi but then left the organization to form Pancrase, one of the first mixed martial arts organizations in the world, in 1993 with Masakatsu Funaki.
Despite his significant size disadvantage against most competitors, Suzuki became one of the most successful fighters in Pancrase with his amazing submission skills and top wrestling ability. Suzuki began his MMA career going 7-0, including a huge upset win over Pancrase's #1 fighter Ken Shamrock in early 1994. He did not lose a match until he lost to Bas Rutten via Liver shot KO due to a knee to the body. In 1995, he won the King of Pancrase (now KOP Open-Weight) title to become the second ever King of Pancrase. Suzuki twice defeated Ken Shamrock and is the only man to hold two wins over Shamrock in the Pancrase era.
Over time, Suzuki's body became damaged and worn down from various injuries and resulted in his skills diminishing. He then decided to focus on the business and training side of Pancrase. He collaborated with the Tekken series of fighting video games as a motion actor. His last non-worked fight for Pancrase was against a professional wrestler, Jushin Liger, whom Suzuki had known as Keiichi Yamada in his first NJPW stint. At the time he competed in grappling matches almost exclusively. Suzuki witnessed the transition Pancrase made from the so-called "hybrid wrestling" style to that of regular MMA and was instrumental in paving the way for mixed martial arts in Japan.
Suzuki is also erroneously credited on his mixed martial arts record by various MMA websites with a loss to Maurice Smith on the event Pancrase- Yes, We are Hybrid Wrestlers 3. Suzuki did lose the bout with Smith, but the bout was a kickboxing match with kickboxing rules and kickboxing gloves and was not a mixed martial arts match.
Return to professional wrestling
Suzuki (right) in the ring at a Hustle show.
In 2003, Suzuki and Yusuke Fuke announced their plan to return to puroresu and invade promotions under the stable name Pancrase MISSION. Suzuki began competing for New Japan Pro Wrestling as a freelancer, where he aligned himself with Yoshihiro Takayama and won the IWGP Tag Team Championship from Hiroyoshi Tenzan and Osamu Nishimura on February 1, 2004. They were stripped of the title later in the year, following Takayama's mounting injuries. In 2005, Suzuki began competing in Pro Wrestling Noah, and would receive a GHC Heavyweight Championship shot against then Champion Kenta Kobashi, but he was defeated. After this, he found an unlikely ally in Naomichi Marufuji, whose style was Lucha Libre (rather than shoot-style). Nonetheless, Suzuki taught Marufuji some of what he knew and they clicked, winning the GHC Tag Team Titles from 2 Cold Scorpio and Doug Williams on June 18, 2005. After losing the belts to Muhammad Yone and Takeshi Morishima in October, Suzuki challenged for the GHC Heavyweight Championship shot against champion Jun Akiyama on March 5, 2006, but he was once again unsuccessful.
All Japan Pro Wrestling
On March 10, 2006, Suzuki made a surprise appearance in All Japan Pro Wrestling, attacking then Triple Crown Heavyweight Champion Satoshi Kojima after he had just defended his title against The Great Muta. Pundits at once considered Suzuki to have issued a challenge for the Triple Crown. Suzuki participated in the 2006 Champion's Carnival, and made it to the semifinals before being defeated by Taiyō Kea. On September 3, Suzuki challenged Kea, who had won the Triple Crown from Kojima in July. He was successful in his bid to become the new Triple Crown Champion, and will end up having successful defenses against RO'Z, Yuji Nagata, Kojima, Tajiri and Keiji Mutoh. Suzuki has formed a grouping called "Minoru Gundan" consisting of himself, Nosawa Rongai, and MAZADA. In May 2007 he went on a tour of Mexico's CMLL with Takayama and experienced Lucha Libre battles. He lost the Triple Crown Championship to Kensuke Sasaki on August 26, 2007 at AJPW's PRO WRESTLING LOVE in RYOGOKU pay-per-view event.
At the All Japan FAN APPRECIATION DAY event on December 16, 2007, the Mexico Amigos teamed with "Ray Suzuki" and defeated Ryuji Hijikata, Kikutaro, T28 & Ryuji Yamaguchi. After the match, Ray Suzuki reveled himself as Minoru Suzuki and vowed that El NOSAWA Mendoza would throw his Amigos tights away and return as NOSAWA Rongai, and then kidnapped him to start early training.
On March 1, 2008, Minoru Suzuki made an appearance at the Dory Funk, Jr. retirement show, providing commentary for the Triple Crown Championship main event (between Kensuke Sasaki and Satoshi Kojima), as well as pledging to participate in the upcoming Champion's Carnival. From April 5 to 9, Suzuki competed in Block B of All Japan's annual Champion's Carnival, finishing the league with 2 wins (over Kensuke Sasaki and Suwama) and 2 losses (to Osamu Nishimura and Joe Doering), as well as teaming with TAKEMURA to defeat Toshiaki Kawada and Nobutaka Araya on Day 2 (April 6) of the Carnival. During the Hold Out tour, Suzuki confronted a losing-streak Taiyō Kea about joining the stable GURENTAI (alongside NOSAWA, MAZADA and TAKEMURA), which resulted in Kea joining and focusing on winning the tag titles with Suzuki. On June 28, 2008, Suzuki and Kea won the AJPW Unified World Tag Team Championship from Joe Doering and Keiji Mutoh. On September 28, 2008 he attacked The Great Muta after Muta had successfully defeated Suwama for the Triple Crown Championship, setting up a match between the two in which he lost on November 3, 2008.
On January 3, 2009, Suzuki and stable mate NOSAWA Rongai won the restored AJPW All Asia Tag Team Championship, over the course of a 2-day tournament. Later in the year, Suzuki won the 2009 Champion's Carnival beating Kaz Hayashi in the Finals. He would end up challenging the then Triple Crown Champion, Yoshihiro Takayama, on May 30, 2009, albeit in a losing effort. On September 23, 2009, Suzuki and NOSAWA lost the All Asia Tag Team Championship at the hands of Akebono and Ryota Hama. On January 3, 2010, Suzuki and Kea lost the Unified World Tag Team Championship at the hands of Masakatsu Funaki and Keiji Mutoh.
On March 21, 2010, Suzuki lost to long-time rival Masakatsu Funaki in All Japan's First Cage Match. Suzuki then entered the Champion Carnival and won it for the second straight year, being the third man to do so by beating Funaki in the Final - weeks removed from their Cage Match. After the final, Suzuki buried the hatchet with Funaki by shaking his hand, thus ending the decade-long rivalry. Suzuki then declared his GURENTAI stable on hiatus. As a result of his Champion Carnival victory, Suzuki earned a Triple Crown championship match versus Ryota Hama on May 2. In the match, Suzuki defeated Hama to claim his second Triple Crown championship. He would go on to lose the title to Suwama on August 29, 2010.
Return to New Japan Pro Wrestling
On December 12, 2010, Suzuki returned to New Japan Pro Wrestling, attacking old rival Yuji Nagata.[2] On January 4, 2011, at Wrestle Kingdom V in Tokyo Dome, Suzuki faced Nagata in a losing effort.[3][4] Suzuki made another return to New Japan on May 3, 2011, when he took over the Kojima Army, after its members Taichi and Taka Michinoku had turned on their leader Satoshi Kojima.[5] Later that same month, the newly renamed Suzuki Army was joined by Lance Archer.[6] On July 18, Suzuki defeated Kojima in a singles match.[7] The two had a rematch on August 1 during the first day of the 2011 G1 Climax, where Kojima managed to pick up the win.[8] Suzuki then went on a six match win streak, but losses to Strong Man and Shinsuke Nakamura on the last two days of the tournament, caused him to narrowly miss advancing to the finals.[9] On October 10 at Destruction '11, Suzuki defeated Kojima's number one ally, Togi Makabe, in a grudge match.[10] In the 2011 G1 Climax Tag League, Suzuki teamed with Lance Archer and, after four wins and one loss, the team finished second in their block, advancing to the semifinals of the tournament.[11] On November 6, Suzuki and Archer first defeated the CHAOS Top Team (Shinsuke Nakamura and Toru Yano) in the semifinals and then IWGP Tag Team Champions Bad Intentions (Giant Bernard and Karl Anderson) in the finals to win the 2011 G1 Climax Tag League.[12] On November 12, Suzuki and Archer failed in their attempt to capture the IWGP Tag Team Championship from Bad Intentions.[13]
In wrestling
Suzuki performing a Gotch Piledriver- Finishing moves
- Gotch-Style Piledriver (Cradle piledriver)
- Saka Otoshi (Inverted facelock takeover followed into a rear naked choke)
- Sleeper hold
- Signature moves
- Hard slaps to the opponent's face
- Octopus hold, sometimes to a seated opponent
- Running low-angle dropkick to an opponent seated in the corner
- Entrance themes
- "Kaze ni Nare" by Ayumi Nakamura
Championships and accomplishments
Professional wrestling
- All Japan Pro Wrestling
- AJPW All Asia Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Nosawa Rongai
- AJPW Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship (2 times)
- AJPW Unified World Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Taiyō Kea
- Champion's Carnival (2009, 2010)
- Kokomi Sakura Cup (2010)
- New Japan Pro Wrestling
- IWGP Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Yoshihiro Takayama
- G1 Climax Tag League (2011) – with Lance Archer[12]
- Tokyo Sports Grand Prix
Mixed martial arts
Mixed martial arts record
Professional record breakdown 47 matches 27 wins 20 losses By knockout 3 8 By submission 19 7 By decision 4 5 By disqualification 1 0 Result Record Opponent Method Event Date Round Time Location Notes Win 27–20 
Jushin LigerSubmission (rear naked choke) Pancrase: Spirit 8 November 30, 2002 1 1:48 Yokohama, Japan Win 26–20 
El SolarDQ (groin strikes) Deep 4th Impact March 30, 2002 1 2:26 Nagoya, Japan Win 25–20 Takaku FukeSubmission (kneebar) Pancrase: 2001 Anniversary Show September 30, 2001 1 5:09 Yokohama, Japan Loss 24–20 
Denis KangSubmission (back injury) Pancrase: 2000 Anniversary Show September 24, 2000 1 3:43 Yokohama, Japan Win 24–19 
Sean DaughertySubmission (kimura) Pancrase: Trans 3 April 30, 2000 1 1:01 Yokohama, Japan Loss 23–19 Sanae KikutaTKO (arm triangle choke) Pancrase: Breakthrough 11 December 18, 1999 1 2:39 Yokohama, Japan Loss 23–18 Osami ShibuyaTKO (hip injury) Pancrase: Advance 12 December 19, 1998 1 2:31 Urayasu, Japan Loss 23–17 
Omar BouicheSubmission (rear naked choke) Pancrase: Advance 10 October 26, 1998 1 0:45 Tokyo, Japan Loss 23–16 Kazuo TakahashiTKO (lost points) Pancrase: 1998 Anniversary Show September 14, 1998 1 8:06 Tokyo, Japan Loss 23–15 Takaku FukeDecision (lost points) Pancrase: Advance 8 June 21, 1998 1 10:00 Kobe, Japan Win 23–14 John LoberDecision (lost points) Pancrase: Advance 7 June 2, 1998 1 15:00 Tokyo, Japan Win 22–14 Tony RojoDecision (unanimous) Pancrase: Advance 5 April 26, 1998 2 3:00 Yokohama, Japan Win 21–14 Kosei KubotaSubmission Pancrase: Advance 4 March 18, 1998 1 3:38 Tokyo, Japan Loss 20–14 Keiichiro YamamiyaDecision (majority) Pancrase-Advance 3 March 1, 1998 1 20:00 Kobe, Japan Loss 20–13 
Semmy SchiltKO (knee) Pancrase: Advance 1 January 16, 1998 1 9:52 Tokyo, Japan Loss 20–12 Keiichiro YamamiyaDecision (lost points) Pancrase: 1997 Anniversary Show September 6, 1997 1 20:00 Urayasu, Japan Win 20–11 
Jagjit SinghKO Pancrase: Alive 6 June 18, 1997 1 0:21 Tokyo, Japan Win 19–11 Joel SuttonSubmission Pancrase: Alive 5 May 24, 1997 1 0:48 Kobe, Japan Win 18–11 Takafumi ItoDecision (majority) Pancrase: Truth 7 October 8, 1996 1 10:00 Nagoya, Japan Loss 17–11 Jason DeluciaKO (palm strike) Pancrase: 1996 Anniversary Show September 7, 1996 1 4:58 Urayasu, Japan Loss 17–10 Vernon WhiteDecision (majority) Pancrase: 1996 Neo-Blood Tournament, Round 2 July 23, 1996 1 15:00 Tokyo, Japan Loss 17–9 Yuki KondoDecision (lost points) Pancrase: Truth 6 June 25, 1996 1 15:00 Fukuoka, Japan Loss 17–8 Guy MezgerTKO (strikes) Pancrase: Truth 5 May 16, 1996 1 7:59 Tokyo, Japan Loss 17–7 Frank ShamrockSubmission (kneebar) Pancrase: Truth 1 January 28, 1996 1 22:53 Yokohama, Japan Win 17–6 Guy MezgerTKO (doctor) Pancrase: Eyes of Beast 7 December 14, 1995 1 7:15 Sapporo, Japan Win 16–6 Todd MedinaSubmission (armbar) Pancrase: Eyes of Beast 6 November 4, 1995 1 1:39 Yokohama, Japan Loss 15–6 Bas RuttenSubmission (guillotine choke) Pancrase: 1995 Anniversary Show September 1, 1995 1 15:35 Tokyo, Japan Lost King of Pancrase title Win 15–5 Jason DeluciaSubmission (guillotine choke) Pancrase: 1995 Neo-Blood Tournament Opening Round July 22, 1995 1 9:23 Tokyo, Japan Win 14–5 
Larry PapadopoulosSubmission Pancrase: Eyes of Beast 5 June 13, 1995 1 8:34 Sapporo, Japan Win 13–5 Ken ShamrockSubmission (kneebar) Pancrase: Eyes of Beast 4 May 13, 1995 1 2:14 Urayasu, Japan Won King of Pancrase title Loss 12–5 Frank ShamrockSubmission Pancrase: Eyes Of Beast 3 April 8, 1995 1 3:23 Nagoya, Japan Win 12–4 Gregory SmitSubmission Pancrase: Eyes of Beast 2 March 10, 1995 1 9:10 Yokohama, Japan Loss 11–4 Manabu YamadaSubmission (armbar) Pancrase - King of Pancrase Tournament Second Round December 17, 1994 1 14:46 Tokyo, Japan Win 11–3 Jason DeluciaSubmission Pancrase - King of Pancrase Tournament Opening Round December 16, 1994 1 2:04 Tokyo, Japan Win 10–3 Matt HumeDecision (lost points) Pancrase - King of Pancrase Tournament Opening Round December 16, 1994 1 10:00 Tokyo, Japan Loss 9–3 Masakatsu FunakiTechnical submission Pancrase: Road to the Championship 5 October 15, 1994 1 1:51 Tokyo, Japan Win 9–2 Todd BjornethunSubmission Pancrase: Road to the Championship 4 September 1, 1994 1 3:11 Osaka, Japan Win 8–2 Remco PardoelKO Pancrase: Road to the Championship 3 July 26, 1994 1 7:16 Tokyo, Japan Loss 7–2 Bas RuttenKO Pancrase: Road to the Championship 2 July 6, 1994 1 3:43 Amagasaki, Japan Win 7–1 Maurice SmithSubmission (armbar) Pancrase: Road To The Championship 1 May 31, 1994 3 0:36 Tokyo, Japan Win 6–1 Thomas PuckettSubmission (armbar) Pancrase: Pancrash! 3 April 21, 1994 1 1:43 Osaka, Japan Win 5–1 Takaku FukeSubmission Pancrase: Pancrash! 2 March 12, 1994 1 6:31 Nagoya, Japan Win 4–1 Ken ShamrockSubmission (heelhook/kneebar) Pancrase: Pancrash! 1 January 19, 1994 1 7:37 Yokohama, Japan Win 3–1 James MathewsSubmission (keylock) Pancrase - Yes, We are Hybrid Wrestlers 4 December 8, 1993 1 0:58 Hakata, Japan Loss 2–1 Maurice SmithKO (punches) Pancrase - Yes, We are Hybrid Wrestlers 3 November 8, 1993 1 6:52 Kobe, Japan Win 2–0 Vernon WhiteSubmission (leg scissors) Pancrase - Yes, We are Hybrid Wrestlers 2 October 14, 1993 1 2:36 Nagoya, Japan Win 1–0 Katsuomi InagakiSubmission (rear naked choke) Pancrase - Yes, We are Hybrid Wrestlers 1 September 21, 1993 1 3:25 Urayasu, Japan References
- ^ Scientific wrestling video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ee9XqhiFEBY
- ^ "(Results) New Japan, 12/12/10". Strong Style Spirit. 2010-12-12. http://www.puroresufan.com/njpw/?p=2448. Retrieved 2010-12-12.
- ^ "レッスルキングダムⅤ ｉｎ 東京ドーム" (in Japanese). New Japan Pro Wrestling. http://www.njpw.co.jp/match/detail_result.php?e=132. Retrieved 2011-01-04.
- ^ Gerweck, Steve (2011-01-04). "1/4 TNA-NJPW Results: Tokyo, Japan". WrestleView. http://www.wrestleview.com/viewnews.php?id=1294158810. Retrieved 2011-01-04.
- ^ "(Results) New Japan, 5/3/11". Strong Style Spirit. 2011-05-03. http://www.puroresufan.com/njpw/?p=2776. Retrieved 2011-05-03.
- ^ Caldwell, James (2011-05-16). "NJPW News: MVP's first IWGP IC Title defense announced, Lance Hoyt part of next New Japan PPV". Pro Wrestling Torch. http://pwtorch.com/artman2/publish/Other_News_4/article_50094.shtml. Retrieved 2011-05-16.
- ^ "New Japan Soul 2011" (in Japanese). New Japan Pro Wrestling. http://www.njpw.co.jp/match/detail_result.php?e=303. Retrieved 2011-07-18.
- ^ "(Results) New Japan, 8/1/11". Strong Style Spirit. 2011-08-01. http://www.puroresufan.com/njpw/?p=3037. Retrieved 2011-08-01.
- ^ "ブシロード Presents G1 Climax XXI ～The Invincible Fighter～" (in Japanese). New Japan Pro Wrestling. 2011-08-14. http://www.njpw.co.jp/match/detail_result.php?e=322. Retrieved 2011-08-14.
- ^ "Destruction '11" (in Japanese). New Japan Pro Wrestling. http://www.njpw.co.jp/match/detail_result.php?e=412. Retrieved 2011-10-10.
- ^ "(Results) New Japan, 11/4/11". Strong Style Spirit. 2011-11-04. http://www.puroresufan.com/njpw/?p=3235. Retrieved 2011-11-04.
- ^ a b "G1 Tag League 2011" (in Japanese). New Japan Pro Wrestling. http://www.njpw.co.jp/match/detail_result.php?e=467. Retrieved 2011-11-06.
- ^ "Power Struggle" (in Japanese). New Japan Pro Wrestling. http://www.njpw.co.jp/match/detail_result.php?e=469. Retrieved 2011-11-12.
- ^ "Pro Wrestling Illustrated Top 500 - 2007". Pro Wrestling Illustrated. Wrestling Information Archive. http://www.100megsfree4.com/wiawrestling/pages/pwi/pwi50007.htm. Retrieved 2010-08-01.
- ^ a b c d "Tokyo Sports Puroresu Awards". Purolove. http://www.purolove.com/tokyosports.php. Retrieved 2011-11-06.
External links
- Official blog (Japanese)
- Profile at Pancrase (Japanese)
- Professional MMA record for Minoru Suzuki from Sherdog
All Japan Triple Crown Heavyweight Champions Jumbo Tsuruta · Genichiro Tenryu · Terry Gordy · Stan Hansen · Mitsuharu Misawa · Steve Williams · Toshiaki Kawada · Akira Taue · Kenta Kobashi · Vader · Keiji Mutoh/Great Muta · Shinya Hashimoto · Satoshi Kojima · Taiyō Kea · Minoru Suzuki · Kensuke Sasaki · Suwama · Yoshihiro Takayama · Ryota Hama · Jun Akiyama (current)Categories:- 1968 births
- Living people
- Sportspeople from Yokohama
- Japanese mixed martial artists
- Japanese professional wrestlers
- Finishing moves
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