Kenzo Suzuki

Infobox Wrestler
name=Kenzo Suzuki
names=Kenzo Suzuki


height=height|m=1.91
weight=convert|118|kg|lb st|abbr=on|lk=on
birth_date = birth date and age|1974|7|25|mf=y
death_date =
birth_place =Hekinan, Aichi
resides=
billed=
trainer=New Japan Dojo
Riki Choshu
debut= January 4, 2000
retired=

Kenzo Suzuki (鈴木 健想) (born July 25 1974) is a Japanese professional wrestler. He is perhaps best known for his appearances with New Japan Pro Wrestling and in the United States with World Wrestling Entertainment He is currently wrestling in the AAA promotion in Mexico, where he is part of a heel stable known as "La Legion Extranjera" (The Foreign Legion).

Career

Early career

Suzuki was a rugby union player prior to his professional debut as a wrestler in April 1999.

New Japan Pro Wrestling (2000–2003)

Suzuki debuted at New Japan Pro Wrestling's Wrestling World 2000 event at the Tokyo Dome, replacing Bill Goldberg and losing to Manabu Nakanishi. Later that year, Suzuki won New Japan's Young Lions Cup tournament, defeating Shinya Makabe. He also won Rookie of the Year honors from New Japan in the same year. In his years in New Japan, he was teamed with fellow rookie Hiroshi Tanahashi, who had debuted only four months before him. Their combination was known as The Kings of the Hills.

World Japan (2003)

In 2003, Suzuki resigned from New Japan, choosing to follow his mentor and trainer, Riki Chōshū, to Chōshū's World Japan promotion. Later in the year, he left to wrestle in the United States. It is speculated that he was forced to resign because a wrestler he was helping to train, Giant Ochiai, died while training on his watch. [ [http://www.bodyslamming.com/deceased/ochiai.html Deceased Superstars - Giant Ochiai ] ] [http://www.1wrestling.com/columns/puroresu/default.asp?articleid=10748] The World Japan promotion had been embroiled in controversy up to that point and this news was something that the promotion did not need. This led to him being blackballed,Fact|date=February 2007 thus venturing to wrestle in the United States. Suzuki wrestled for the Major League Wrestling (MLW) promotion in the United States during 2003. Nevertheless, citing lack of competition in the World Japan roster, he quit.

World Wrestling Entertainment (2004–2005)

In 2004, Suzuki debuted for World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE)'s SmackDown! brand, along with his geisha valet (and real-life wife) Hiroko. Dan Madigan created a Hirohito gimmick for his WWE debut, but the idea was dropped and he debuted under his real name. He made his WWE TV debut on the June 10 2004 episode of "SmackDown!". His first opponent was Scotty 2 Hotty, followed by Spike Dudley and a short feud with Billy Gunn which ended with a match at the Great American Bash, which Suzuki won. Generally, he worked as a heel with two humorous gimmicks. One was convincing fans he was pro-American by poorly singing popular songs; the other was an obsession with busty wrestling divas such as Torrie Wilson (often earning Hiroko's great ire). Often at house shows and television tapings, the crowd would chant "USA! USA!", while Kenzo covered his ears and got down on one knee.

On the episode of "SmackDown!" airing September 9, Kenzo, along with Rene Dupree won the WWE Tag Team Championship, defeating Billy Kidman and Paul London. They lost the titles to Rob Van Dam and Rey Mysterio on the December 9 airing of "SmackDown!". Van Dam and Mysterio retained the titles in a rematch at Armageddon. In singles action, he briefly feuded with John Cena for the WWE United States Championship, getting into a battle rap with him at one point.

He was soon injured with a collapsed lung and was moved over to Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW) immediately after his recovery, where he continued his training until he was ready to return to the main roster. Suzuki and Hiroko were traded to "RAW" on June 30 2005 at the end of the . However, both of the Suzukis were released on July 5 before debuting on "RAW".

HUSTLE (2005–Present)

Kenzo and his wife have since returned to Japan, where he now competes for the off-beat Hustle promotion. In a match on December 25 2005 both Kenzo & Hiroko were defeated by the team of Liosazer & Riser Glen. In one of his more humorous matches, he is defeated by Razor Ramon HG when he was pantsed during a Sunset Flip maneuver.

Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (2006)

After leaving the WWE, Kenzo got booked in Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre along with Mark Jindrak who went under the name of Marco Corleone who was doing an Italian gimmick. Instantly they were put in a feud with Shocker and [http://www.luchawiki.org/index.php?title=Universo_2000| Universo 2000] . This lead to a hairs match on June 122006 which Corlone and Suzuki lost to the CMLL veterans. Over the next yer Suzuki would wrestle less and less with CMLL before departing in early 2007.

Asistencia Asesoría y Administración (2007–present)

On March 13, Kenzo was seen on Asistencia Asesoría y Administración after jumping from the rival CMLL. He is a part of the Legion Extranjera with Konnan as the ring leader. On July 7 [http://www.luchawiki.org/index.php?title=Kenzo_Suzuki] , Suzuki lost his hair in the main event of AAA's TripleMania XV. Sean Waltman was also in the match with his fiancee, Alicia Webb. Kenzo has been an active member of Konnan's Legion Extranjera since his debut. He has teamed up with the returning Electro Shock who too is a member of the Legion Extranjera. They have feuded with La Parka and Octagon. As of TripleMania XVI he has received a mini who accompanied him to the ring for a six-man tag match teaming with Electro Shock and Bobby Lashley to take on Chessman, La Parka and the returning Silver King. Kenzo's team won in the end.

Dragon Gate (2007)

On November 7 2007, Kenzo made his debut in Dragon Gate as the surprise member of the Muscle Outlaw'z unit. He came out to Anthony W. Mori's entrance theme to trick the Typhoon unit into believing one of their own betrayed them. Kenzo competed in a six-man tag team match with new teammates Genki Horiguchi, and Yasushi Kanda against CIMA, Dragon Kid, and Ryo Saito that resulted in a disqualification loss to his team for assaulting the referee. Afterward, he and the rest of the MO'z assaulted Dragon Kid and removed the ring ropes to be used against him. This set up a match between Kenzo and Dragon Kid at the big November 25 show in Osaka. His first official singles match in Dragon Gate is scheduled for November 18 against Keni'chiro Arai in Fukuoka.

Personal life

He is the real life husband of Hiroko Suzuki.

In wrestling

*Finishing and signature moves
**"Rising Sun" (Head vice STO)
**Brainbuster – CMLL
**Spear – NJPW
**"Hagakure Impact" (Shining wizard)
**Belly to back suplex
**High knee strike
**Springboard moonsault

*Managers
**Hiroko Suzuki

*Nicknames
**"The Bronze Warrior" (WWE)
**"El Aguila Imperial" (The Imperial Eagle) (AAA)

Championships and accomplishments

*New Japan Pro Wrestling
**NJPW Robert Schofield Cup Winner (2002)
**NJPW Young Lions Cup Winner (2000)
**Young Lion Cup (2000, 2002)

*World Wrestling Entertainment
**WWE Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with René Duprée

References

External links

* [http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profiles/k/kenzo-suzuki.html Online World Of Wrestling Profile]