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Akira Maeda

Title History

  • European Heavyweight title (as Kwik Kick Lee) defeating Wayne Bridges (January 25, 1983);
  • WWF International Heavyweight title defeating Pierre Lefebvre (March 25, 1984);
  • IWGP Tag Team titles w/Osamu Kido defeating Kengo Kimura & Tatsumi Fujinami (August 5, 1986);
  • IWGP Tag Team titles w/Nobutaka Araya defeating Shiro Koshinaka & Keiji Mutoh (March 26, 1987);

Career Highlights

New Japan Pro Wrestling:

  • 1977: Akira Maeda was discovered by Hisashi Shinma, and trained by the legendary Karl Gotch. and debuted in August 1978..
  • ~~~Hisashi Shinma had plans to groom Akira Maeda to be the next Antonio Inoki for New Japan Pro Wrestling..
  • April 1982: After a stint wrestling in England, Akira made his return to Japan, pinning Paul Orndorff..
  • April 10, 1984: Akira Maeda left New Japan Pro Wrestling to join the UWF in Japan, which had a working relationship with the WWF..

UWF & WWF:

  • Akira Maeda’s relationship with Vince McMahon soured, and he became a glorified jobber for the WWF for a while..
  • Akira Maeda tried to change the UWF into a shoot fighting league out of his distaste for “worked” matches..
  • September 2, 1985: Akira Maeda vs Satoru Sayama ended in a no contest when Maeda starting shooting on Sayama..
  • ~~~Akira Maeda lost his temper and started throwing legit kicks at Sayama until the referee stopped the match..
  • ~~~Akira Maeda was immediately fired and the UWF folded on October 11, 1985 after Sayama quit the promotion..
  • January 1986: Akira Maeda made his return to New Japan Pro Wrestling..New Japan Pro Wrestling:
  • 1986: Akira Maeda faced Andre the Giant in a match that turned into yet another shoot fight..
  • ~~~Antonio Inoki appeared and confronted the participants and eventually threw the match out..
  • June 12,1986: Akira Maeda faced off against Tatsumi Fujinami, and accidentally kicked him in the face, busting him open!
  • August 5, 1986: Akira Maeda & Osamu Kido defeated Tatsumi Fujinami & Kengo Kimura for the IWGP Tag Team championship..
  • September 23, 1986: Tatsumi Fujinami & Kengo Kimura defeated Akira Maeda & Osamu Kido to recpature the Tag Team titles!
  • March 26, 1987: Akira Maeda & Nobuhiko Takada defeated Keiji Mutoh & Shiro Koshinaka for the IWGP Tag Team championship..
  • September 1, 1987: Yoshiaki Fujiwara & Kazuo Yamazaki defeated Akira Maeda & Nobuhiko Takada to win the IWGP Tag Team titles!
  • November 19, 1987: Akira Maeda & Osamu Kido & Nobuhiko Takada vs Masa Saito & Hiro Saito & Riki Choshu..
  • ~~~In the middle of the match, Akira Maeda landed a vicious intentional shoot kick to the face of Riki Choshu, breaking his orbital bone..
  • ~~~Riki Chosyu got to his feet and had to be held back by the other four wrestlers to stop him from attacking Akira Maeda!
  • ~~~As a result of this action, Akira Maeda was suspended, and eventually fired in March of 1988…

UWF:

  • May 12, 1988: Akira Maeda opened the new UWFi promotion along with Nobuhiko Takada & Yoshiaki Fujiwara..
  • ~~~The UWFi promotion was the beginning for Japan combining shoot matches with worked matches..
  • November 10, 1988: Nobuhiko Takada defeated Akira Maeda by Knockout..
  • January 15, 1989: Akira Maeda defeated Nobuhiko Takada by submission at the Budokan Hall in Tokyo, Japan..
  • May 4, 1989: Akira Maeda defeated Chris Dolman by submission in Osaka, Japan..
  • November 29, 1989: The UWF drew 60,000 fans to the Tokyo Dome, which featured Akira Maeda beating Willie Wilhelm by submission..
  • October 25 1990: Akira Maeda defeated Masakatsu Funaki at the Tokyo Dome..
  • December 1, 1990: UWF president Shinji Jin fired all UWF employees and disbanded the promotion after a show in Nagano, Japan..

RINGS:

  • 1991: Akira Maeda formed RINGS, another promotion showcasing both worked and shoot matches..
  • ~~~Akira Maeda pushed himself as RINGS top star until his retirement in July 1998..
  • July 20, 1998 – Retirement Show: Akira Maeda defeated Yoshihisa Yamamoto by decision at the Yokohama Arena..
  • February 21, 1999: Aleksandr Karelin defeated Akira Maeda in his final match ever..

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Updated:

Trained By

Karl Gotch

Debut

August 1978

Birthday

January 24, 1959

Hometown

Osaka, Japan

Gender

Height

6'3"

Weight

225 Lbs

Finishing Move(s)

Crossface Chickenwing

Favorite Move(s)

Armlock Leglock Submission
Kick to the head

Notable Feuds

Status