Hiro Saito

Hiroyuki Saito (born March 25, 1961 in Kawasaki, Japan) is a professional wrestler best known by the shortened name of nihongo|Hiro saito|ヒロ 斉藤.

Career

He debuted in 1978 in New Japan Pro Wrestling. In May 1985, Hiro defeated The Cobra to win the WWF Junior Heavyweight Championship only to lose back to him 2 months later.cite web|title=WWF Junior Heavyweight Title|publisher=Wrestling Titles|url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/japan/newjapan/wwf-j.html|accessdate=2008-08-10] Saito went on to defeat The Cobra for the NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship on July 28, 1985 only to lose the title right back to him the same night.cite web|title=World Junior Heavyweight Championship|publisher=National Wrestling Alliance|url=http://nwawrestling.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=42&Itemid=102|accessdate=2008-08-10]

Saito soon jumped to All Japan Pro Wrestling to compete in the All-Japan World Junior Heavyweight Championship Tournament in July 1986 where defeated Brad Armstrong in the final to become the first All-Japan Junior Heavyweight Champion. After 4 months as champion, Saito would lose the title to former stablemate Kuniaki Kobayashi.cite web|title=World Junior Heavyweight Title (All Japan Pro-Wrestling)|publisher=Wrestling Titles|url=http://wrestling-titles.com/japan/alljapan/aj-j.html|accessdate=2008-08-10]

Saito joined the group known as the Raging Staff and soon won the IWGP World Tag Team Championship with Super Strong Machine from Hiroshi Hase and Kensuke Sasaki in December 1990, which they held for 3 months until Hase and Sasaki won them back.cite web|title=IWGP Tag Team Title|publisher=Strong Style Spirit|url=http://puroresufan.com/njpw/history/tagtitle.php|accessdate=2008-08-10] cite web|title=IWGP Tag Team Title|publisher=Wrestling Titles|url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/japan/newjapan/iwgp-t.html|accessdate=2008-08-10] After Raging Staff dispersed, Saito joined Team Wolf with Masa Chono and Hiroyoshi Tenzan, and was layer part of nWo Japan.

In 2006, after spending many years in relegation, Saito quit New Japan again and is helping Tatsumi Fujinami's Muga promotion, also participating in independent matches.

Hiro Saito was the first Japanese to use and popularize the senton, or seating splash off the top rope, in matches. He is not related to Masa Saito, despite sharing name and appearance; Hiro shortened his name to "Hiro" to copy him and also as a means of sharing fortune ("good luck").

Championships and accomplishments

* All Japan Pro Wrestling:* AJPW World Junior Heavyweight Championship (1 time) (First):*NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship (1 time)

*New Japan Pro Wrestling:*IWGP Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Super Strong Machine:*WWF Junior Heavyweight Championship (1 time)

References