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Hustle (professional wrestling)

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Hustle (ハッスル, Hassuru) was a Japanese professional wrestling promotion managed by Nobuhiko Takada. Hustle can be described as an industry experiment to market the sports entertainment style of professional wrestling in Japan.

Hustle
AcronymHustle
Founded2004
DefunctOctober 10, 2009
Style"Fighting Opera"
Founder(s)Nobuhiko Takada
Owner(s)Hustle Entertainment
SuccessorSmash

History

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Booked primarily by Nobuhiko Takada and Yuji Shimada, the promotion's basic premise pits the babyface, or good guy, Hustle faction whose goal is to “defend the industry”, against Generalissimo Takada's heel, or bad guy, Monster Faction, whose mission is to destroy the sport. Unlike the traditional puroresu, the company emphasizes melodrama and caricatures over realism and athleticism. The group once maintained a close affiliation with mixed martial arts promoters PRIDE Fighting Championships when both were owned by Dream Stage Entertainment, or DSE.

Fans in the U.S. considered HUSTLE to be an answer to Takada's original wrestling style, the serious shoot style, having lost its popularity in Japan as a result of the UWFi vs. New Japan Pro-Wrestling feud and the rise of Pride and K-1.

As of 04/24/07, Hustle's ownership group (made up of former DSE employees) became "Hustle Entertainment" and former Kami no Puroresu editor Noboru Yamaguchi (who was part of the original Hustle brain trust) became President of the new organization. The group is still running their business at the old Dream Stage Entertainment offices, which became the PRIDE Worldwide Holding offices.

Earlier in 2007, Hustle ran a storyline where General Takada bought out Hustle for 1 billion Monster dollars and that everyone within the Hustle army became part of the Takada Monster Army. Some wrestlers received new gimmicks, like Naoya Ogawa turning into "Celeb" Ogawa, where he acted like a celebrity. The storyline was in response to DSE's bleak future due to financial troubles caused by yakuza scandals; DSE would eventually close doors after Pride Fighting Championships was officially bought out by Zuffa (the organization that owned UFC at the time).

In July 2009, the leader of the Monster Army, Generalissimo Takada was "killed" when a new enemy by the name of "King RIKI" (played by actor/singer Riki Takeuchi) showed up at the "HUSTLE AID 2009" event and repelled one of Takada's lasers, sending it back towards him and wounding him. The following show the Monster Army was disbanded, as the direction of the company started to change.

In August 2009, President Noburo Yamaguchi stated that Hustle would be entering a new era. Straying away from the over the top storylines & gimmick-oriented "Fighting Opera" style that made them popular, to a more traditional wrestling "Professional Fighting" style.

Hustle president Nobuo Yamaguchi announced on October 28 that the promotion was folding. He made the announcement that they were out of money, and could no longer pay the staff and the wrestlers. He said that the scheduled 10/29 show at Korakuen Hall was canceled, as are all the rest of the shows on the schedule. Since Nobuhiko Takada left the promotion as the top heel, interest had gone way down. Many of the shows were before small crowds, and most of those crowds were papered.[citation needed] While nobody would say so publicly, they were behind on paying a lot of the wrestlers, and the demise of the promotion has been expected for the last couple of months.[citation needed] Yamaguchi said his goal was to eventually bring the promotion back. Wataru Sakata still runs Hustle shows under the banner "HUSTLE Man's World", with wrestler @UEXIL as the main eventer; however, they're only run sporadically and at the small venue Shin-Kiba FIRST Ring (approx. 250 capacity), without television exposure and attendance figures not posted.

In the beginning of 2010 some of Hustle's biggest names announced that they would be forming a new promotion, Smash, intended to replace the dead promotion. Smash held its first show on March 26, 2010.[1] After a six-month hiatus, Hustle held two shows on April 30 and May 30, 2010. After another four-month break, the promotion held two more shows in October.[2] In 2011, the Bleacher Report ranked Hustle No.13 on its list of the 25 worst professional wrestling promotions in history.[3]

Final roster

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Hustle Union Army

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Riki Army

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Alumni

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Deceased individuals are indicated with a dagger (†).

Hustle Kamen

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Championships

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No. Championship Date of entry First champion(s) Date retired Final champion(s) Years active Notes
1 Hustle Hardcore Hero Championship March 18, 2005 Masato Tanaka October 10, 2009 Tadao Yasuda 4 years, 206 days Title abandoned on October 10, 2009, when promotion shuts down.
2 Hustle Super Tag Team Championship November 3, 2005 Genichiro Tenryu and Tadao Yasuda Team 3D
(Brother Ray and Brother Devon) 		3 years, 341 days

Hustle Hardcore Hero Championship

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The Hustle Hardcore Hero Championship (also referred to as the HHH Championship) was the top championship in the Japanese professional wrestling promotion Hustle. The title was more of a joke title since the Hustle promotion was never meant to be taken seriously. The title was represented by a giant gold and black spiked baseball bat.[4][5]

Key
No. Overall reign number
Reign Reign number for the specific champion
Days Number of days held
No. Champion Championship change Reign statistics Notes Ref.
Date Event Location Reign Days
1 Masato Tanaka March 18, 2005 Hustle 8 Tokyo, Japan 1 176 Won an eight-man battle royal, last eliminating Wataru Sakata, to become the first champion. Other participants included Giant Silva, Dan Bobish, The Flying Vampire XVI, Kintaro Kanemura, Tetsuhiro Kuroda and Leonardo Spanky. [6][7]
2 Tadao Yasuda September 10, 2005 Hustle 12 Nagoya, Japan 1 1,491 This was a six-man battle royal also involving Monster C, King Giraffa, Quick Cook Lee and Tetsuhiro Kuroda. [8][9]
— Deactivated October 10, 2009 — — — — Championship deactivated when Hustle folded.

Hustle Super Tag Team Championship

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The Hustle Super Tag Team Championship was the tag team championship in the Japanese professional wrestling promotion Hustle.

Key
No. Overall reign number
Reign Reign number for the specific team—reign numbers for the individuals are in parentheses, if different
Days Number of days held
No. Champion Championship change Reign statistics Notes Ref.
Date Event Location Reign Days
1 Tadao Yasuda and Genichiro Tenryu November 3, 2005 Hustle Mania 2005 Yokohama, Japan 1 122 Defeated Kintaro Kanemura and Masato Tanaka to win the inaugural title. [10]
2 Wakaru Sakata and Ryoji Sai March 5, 2006 Hustle 14 Yokohama, Japan 1 104 [11]
3 Erica and Margaret June 17, 2006 Hustle Aid 2006 Saitama, Japan 1 114 [12]
4 Team 3D
(Bubba Ray and Devon) 		October 9, 2006 Hustle 20 Nagoya, Japan 1 1,097 This was three-way tag team match also involving Sodom and Gomorrah. [13]
— Deactivated October 10, 2009 — — — — Championship deactivated when Hustle folded.

Events

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[14]

# Event title Date Location
1 HUSTLE 1 January 4, 2004 Saitama, Japan
2 HUSTLE 2 March 7, 2004 Yokohama, Japan
3 HUSTLE 3 May 8, 2004 Yokohama, Japan
4 HUSTLE House Vol. 1 June 28, 2004 Tokyo, Japan
5 HUSTLE 4 July 25, 2004 Yokohama, Japan
6 HUSTLE House Vol. 2 September 2, 2004 Tokyo, Japan
7 HUSTLE 5 September 20, 2004 Yokohama, Japan
8 HUSTLE House Vol. 3 October 21, 2004 Tokyo, Japan
9 HUSTLE 6 October 23, 2004 Nagoya, Japan
10 HUSTLE House: Christmas Special - Night 1 December 24, 2004 Tokyo, Japan
11 HUSTLE House: Christmas Special - Night 2 December 25, 2004 Tokyo, Japan
12 HUSTLE House Vol. 4 February 8, 2005 Tokyo, Japan
13 HUSTLE House Vol. 5 February 9, 2005 Tokyo, Japan
14 HUSTLE 7 February 11, 2005 Nagoya, Japan
15 HUSTLE 8 March 18, 2005 Tokyo, Japan
16 HUSTLE House Vol. 6 March 19, 2005 Shizuoka, Japan
17 HUSTLE 9 May 10, 2005 Niigata, Japan
18 HUSTLE House Vol. 7 May 14, 2005 Sapporo, Japan
19 HUSTLE House Vol. 8 May 15, 2005 Sapporo, Japan
20 HUSTLE 10 July 13, 2005 Fukuoka, Japan
21 HUSTLE 11 July 15, 2005 Osaka, Japan
22 HUSTLE House Vol. 9 September 8, 2005 Tokyo, Japan
23 HUSTLE 12 September 10, 2005 Nagoya, Japan
24 HUSTLE House Vol. 10 October 26, 2005 Tokyo, Japan
25 HUSTLE 13 October 30, 2005 Amori, Japan
26 HUSTLEMANIA November 3, 2005 Yokohama, Japan
27 HUSTLE House: Christmas Special 2005 - Night 1 December 24, 2005 Tokyo, Japan
28 HUSTLE House: Christmas Special 2005 - Night 2 December 25, 2005 Tokyo, Japan
29 HUSTLE House Vol. 11 February 2, 2006 Tokyo, Japan
30 HUSTLE 14 February 10, 2006 Yokohama, Japan
31 HUSTLE House Vol. 12 March 9, 2006 Tokyo, Japan
32 HUSTLE 15 March 12, 2006 Nagoya, Japan
33 HUSTLE 16 April 20, 2006 Osaka, Japan
34 HUSTLE House Vol. 13 April 22, 2006 Tokyo, Japan
35 HUSTLE House Vol. 14 April 23, 2006 Tokyo, Japan
36 HUSTLE 17 May 13, 2006 Sendai, Japan
37 HUSTLE House Vol. 15: Road To HUSTLE Aid - Night 1 June 10, 2006 Hamamatsu, Japan
38 HUSTLE House Vol. 16: Road To HUSTLE Aid - Night 2 June 15, 2006 Tokyo, Japan
39 HUSTLE Aid: Save The World By Hustling June 17, 2006 Saitama, Japan
40 HUSTLE 18 July 9, 2006 Yokohama, Japan
41 HUSTLE House Vol. 17: Hustle King Forever July 11, 2006 Tokyo, Japan
42 HUSTLE House Vol. 18 August 8, 2006 Tokyo, Japan
43 HUSTLE House Vol. 19 August 9, 2006 Tokyo, Japan
44 HUSTLE House Vol. 20 September 7, 2006 Tokyo, Japan
45 HUSTLE 19 October 6, 2006 Osaka, Japan
46 HUSTLE 20 October 9, 2006 Nagoya, Japan
47 HUSTLE House Vol. 21 November 15, 2006 Tokyo, Japan
48 HUSTLEMANIA 2006 November 23, 2006 Yokohama, Japan
49 HUSTLE House: Christmas Special 2006 - Part 1 December 25, 2006 Tokyo, Japan
50 HUSTLE House: Christmas Special 2006 - Part 2 December 26, 2006 Tokyo, Japan
51 HUSTLE House Vol. 22 March 15, 2007 Tokyo, Japan
52 HUSTLE House Vol. 23 March 17, 2007 Tokyo, Japan
53 HUSTLE 21 March 18, 2007 Nagoya, Japan
54 HUSTLE 22 April 21, 2007 Osaka, Japan
55 HUSTLE House Vol. 24 May 9, 2007 Tokyo, Japan
56 HUSTLE 23 June 10, 2007 Aomori, Japan
57 HUSTLE House Vol. 25 June 14, 2007 Tokyo, Japan
58 HUSTLE Aid 2007 June 17, 2007 Saitama, Japan
59 HUSTLE House Vol. 26 July 11, 2007 Tokyo, Japan
60 HUSTLE 24 July 14, 2007 Hamamatsu, Japan
61 HUSTLE House Vol. 27 August 15, 2007 Tokyo, Japan
62 HUSTLE 25 August 18, 2007 Nagoya, Japan
63 HUSTLE House Vol. 28 September 13, 2007 Tokyo, Japan
64 HUSTLE 26 September 22, 2007 Osaka, Japan
65 HUSTLE House Vol. 29 October 10, 2007 Tokyo, Japan
66 HUSTLE House Vol. 30 October 16, 2007 Tokyo, Japan
67 HUSTLE House Vol. 31 October 22, 2007 Tokyo, Japan
68 HUSTLEMANIA 2007 November 25, 2007 Yokohama, Japan
69 HUSTLE House: Christmas Special 2007 December 25, 2007 Tokyo, Japan
70 New Year's Eve: HUSTLE Festival 2007 December 31, 2007 Saitama, Japan
71 HUSTLE 27 January 13, 2008 Nagoya, Japan
72 HUSTLE House Vol. 32 January 17, 2008 Tokyo, Japan
73 HUSTLE House Vol. 33 February 21, 2008 Tokyo, Japan
74 HUSTLE 28 February 24, 2008 Saitama, Japan
75 HUSTLE House Vol. 34 March 17, 2008 Tokyo, Japan
76 HUSTLE 29 March 20, 2008 Osaka, Japan
77 HUSTLE 30 April 13, 2008 Tokyo, Japan
78 HUSTLE House Vol. 35 April 16, 2008 Tokyo, Japan
79 HUSTLE House Vol. 36 May 13, 2008 Tokyo, Japan
80 HUSTLE Aid 2008 May 24, 2008 Tokyo, Japan
81 HUSTLE House Vol. 37 June 18, 2008 Tokyo, Japan
82 HUSTLE Tour 2008 - Night 1 July 6, 2008 Fukuoka, Japan
83 HUSTLE Tour 2008 - Night 2 July 7, 2007 Tokyo, Japan
84 HUSTLE Tour 2008 - Night 3 July 27, 2008 Yokohama, Japan
85 HUSTLE Tour 2008 - Night 4 August 23, 2008 Osaka, Japan
86 HUSTLE Tour 2008 - Night 5 September 19, 2008 Tokyo, Japan
87 HUSTLE Tour 2008 - Night 6 September 28, 2009 Nagoya, Japan
88 HUSTLE Tour 2008 - Night 7 October 16, 2008 Tokyo, Japan
89 HUSTLE Tour 2008 - Night 8 October 26, 2008 Kiyohara, Japan
90 HUSTLE Tour 2008 - Night 9 November 20, 2008 Tokyo, Japan
91 HUSTLE Tour 2008 - Night 10 November 22, 2008 Mito, Japan
92 HUSTLE Tour 2008: Christmas Special Part 1 December 24, 2008 Tokyo, Japan
93 HUSTLE Tour 2008: Christmas Special Part 2 December 25, 2008 Tokyo, Japan
94 HUSTLEMANIA 2008 December 30, 2008 Tokyo, Japan
95 HUSTLE Tour 2009 - Night 1 January 29, 2009 Tokyo, Japan
96 HUSTLE Tour 2009 - Night 2 February 19, 2009 Tokyo, Japan
97 HUSTLE Tour 2009 - Night 3 February 22, 2009 Chiba, Japan
98 HUSTLE Tour 2009 - Night 4 March 25, 2009 Tokyo, Japan
99 HUSTLE Tour 2009 - Night 5 April 23, 2009 Tokyo, Japan
100 HUSTLE Tour 2009 - Night 6 April 23, 2009 Tokyo, Japan
101 HUSTLE Tour 2009 - Night 7 April 29, 2009 Nagoya, Japan
102 HUSTLE Tour 2009 - Night 8 May 4, 2009 Yokohama, Japan
103 HUSTLE Tour 2009 - Night 9 May 23, 2009 Soka, Japan
103 HUSTLE Tour 2009 - Night 10 May 27, 2005 Tokyo, Japan
104 HUSTLE Tour 2009 - Night 11 June 25, 2009 Tokyo, Japan
105 HUSTLE Tour 2009 - Night 12 June 27, 2009 Kiryu, Japan
106 HUSTLE Tour 2009 - Night 13 July 5, 2009 Fukuoka, Japan
107 HUSTLE Aid 2009 July 26, 2009 Tokyo, Japan
108 HUSTLE Tour 2009 - Night 14 July 30, 2009 Tokyo, Japan
109 HUSTLE Gaiden: Shiro Koshinaka 30th Anniversary August 27, 2009 Tokyo, Japan
110 HUSTLE Tour 2009 - Night 15 September 26, 2009 Tokyo, Japan
111 HUSTLE Jihad October 10, 2009 Tokyo, Japan
112 HUSTLE Jets: Judgement Day April 30, 2010 Tokyo, Japan
113 HUSTLE Jets: Chapter 2 May 30, 2010 Tokyo, Japan
114 HUSTLE Man's World 1 September 10, 2010 Tokyo, Japan
115 HUSTLE Man's World 2 October 27, 2010 Tokyo, Japan
116 HUSTLE Man's World 3 December 2, 2010 Tokyo, Japan
117 HUSTLE Jets 3: Road to Hustle December 4, 2010 Tokyo, Japan
118 HUSTLE Jets 4: The Wrestling Year-End Party ~ Revenge! December 28, 2010 Tokyo, Japan
119 HUSTLE Man's World 4 January 27, 2011 Tokyo, Japan
120 HUSTLE Man's World 5 April 2, 2011 Tokyo, Japan
121 HUSTLE Man's World 6 May 28, 2011 Tokyo, Japan

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Byers, Ryan (2010-04-27). "Into the Indies 04.27.10: Hustle Gets SMASHed". 411Mania. Retrieved 2010-06-13.
  2. ^ "Hustle Results: 2010". Purolove. Retrieved 2010-10-22.
  3. ^ "25 Worst Wrestling Promotions Ever". Bleacher Report.
  4. ^ "Hustle Hardcore Hero Title (Japan)".
  5. ^ Kreikenbohm, Philip (March 18, 2005). "HUSTLE Hardcore Hero Championship". Cagematch - The Internet Wrestling Database. Retrieved January 24, 2021.
  6. ^ Kreikenbohm, Philip (March 18, 2005). "HUSTLE-8 - Pay Per View @ Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo, Japan". Cagematch - The Internet Wrestling Database. Retrieved January 24, 2021.
  7. ^ "Hustle 8" 2005年3月18日 ハッスル8 [March 18, 2005 Hustle 8]. Hustle (in Japanese). March 18, 2005. Retrieved October 18, 2022.
  8. ^ Kreikenbohm, Philip (September 10, 2005). "HUSTLE-12 - Pay Per View @ Aichi Prefectural Gym in Nagoya, Aichi, Japan". Cagematch - The Internet Wrestling Database. Retrieved January 24, 2021.
  9. ^ "Hustle 12" 2005年9月10日 ハッスル12 [September 10, 2005 Hustle 12]. Hustle (in Japanese). September 10, 2005. Retrieved October 18, 2022.
  10. ^ 2005年11月3日 ハッスル・マニア 2005 (in Japanese). Hustle. Retrieved 2009-09-11.
  11. ^ 2006年3月5日 ハッスル14 (in Japanese). Hustle. Retrieved 2009-09-11.
  12. ^ 2006年6月17日 ハッスル・エイド 2006 (in Japanese). Hustle. Retrieved 2009-09-11.
  13. ^ 2006年10月9日 ハッスル20 (in Japanese). Hustle. Retrieved 2009-09-11.
  14. ^ "ハッスル | ファイトカード".
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