Yoshinobu Kanemaru

Infobox Wrestler|name=Yoshinobu Kanemaru


birth_date = Birth date and age|1976|9|23|mf=y
height=5'8"
weight= 187 lbs
trainer=All Japan Pro Wrestling Dojo
debut=July 6, 1996 w/ Masao Inoue vs. Satoru Asako & Kentaro Shiga

Yoshinobu Kanemaru (金丸義信 "Kanemaru Yoshinobu") is a Japanese professional wrestler, currently working for Pro Wrestling NOAH, where he holds 1 half of the GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship with Kotaro Suzuki. Kanemaru holds the records for the most reigns of both of Pro Wrestling NOAH's Jr. Heavyweight titles.

Career

Kanemaru debuted in 1996 for All Japan Pro Wrestling, in the last years of owner Giant Baba's regime, which had isolated the promotion from outsider wrestlers at the expense of the younger, lighter-weight talent. His first high-profile match in 1997 saw him team with New Japan Pro Wrestling's Koji Kanemoto to battle freelancer Satoru Sayama, the original Tiger Mask, and his disciple, Michinoku Pro Wrestling's Tiger Mask IV. (As Mitsuharu Misawa, who once portrayed Tiger Mask II, was now a heavyweight and fully focused on the AJPW Triple Crown, Kanemaru had to substitute for him in this interpromotional bout.)

Despite Baba's death in 1999, Kanemaru rarely had further opportunities to go into other promotions. It was only in 2000, after Misawa broke with AJPW to create NOAH that his experience began widening. In a brief promotional alliance with FMW, Kanemaru was able to win his first championship, the WEW tag team title, with heavyweight Masao Inoue.

In 2001, Kanemaru underwent a transformation. His simple Bermuda shorts and boots were changed for tights and shinguards, and he began executing more high-risk maneuvers proper for a junior heavyweight. This paid off well for Kanemaru, as he plowed through a field of unlikely but talented competitors to win a tournament for the first-ever GHC Junior Heavyweight Championship. He would go on to win the title twice more, including a win over NJPW's long time junior ace, Jushin Liger. In tag teams his experience widened as well, teaming with Tsuyoshi Kikuchi to win the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship, and with Takashi Sugiura to win the GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship twice. His win of the NJPW title served as a catalyst for the creation of the equivalent NOAH title.

In 2008, Kanemaru showed a serious shift in his attitude after the "SugiKane" team of himself and Takashi Sugiura went their separate ways after Sugiura moved to the heavyweight division. Kanemaru began using heel tatics in his matches. And in the summer convinced Kotaro Suzuki to betray his friend & tag team partner Ricky Marvin and attacked the reigning Jr. Heavyweights champions KENTA and Taiji Ishimori. The new team would defeat the champions for their titles two weeks later after Kanemaru beat KENTA using his "Touch-Out" brainbuster.

Long overlooked in AJPW, Kanemaru has steadily built himself as one of the top junior heavyweight fighters in Japan for the foreseeable future.

In wrestling

*Finishing and signature moves:*Multiple DDT variations::*"Deep Impact" (Diving)::*Tilt–a–whirl::*Elevated:*"Touch–Out" (Twisting brainbuster):*Diving or a split–legged moonsault:*Seated chinlock:*Frog splash:*Guillotine leg drop onto an opponent who is hanging on a guardrail:*Stalling low dropkick on an opponent held in the Tree of Woe position

Championships and accomplishments

*Pro Wrestling NOAH:*GHC Junior Heavyweight Championship (4 times) - Most Reigns:*GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship (3 times, current) – with Takashi Sugiura (2) & Kotaro Suzuki (1)

*New Japan Pro Wrestling:*IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Tsuyoshi Kikuchi

*World Entertainment Wrestling
**WEW World Tag Team Championship (2 time) – with Masao Inoue (1), Kintaro Kanemura (1)

ources

* [http://noah.puroresufan.com/roster/kanemaru.php Green Destiny's Yoshinobu Kanemaru entry]