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Osaka Pro Wrestling

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Osaka Pro Wrestling (Japanese: 大阪プロレス, Hepburn: Ōsaka Puroresu) is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion based in Osaka. The promotion was founded by Super Delfin on March 4, 1999 following his departure from Michinoku Pro Wrestling, and has been operated by Zeus since July 2021. Commonly associated with the comedy wrestling and lucha libre genres, Osaka Pro features a variety of masked wrestlers inspired by Osaka characters.

Osaka Pro Wrestling
AcronymOPW
FoundedMarch 4, 1999; 25 years ago (March 4, 1999)
StylePuroresu
Comedy
Lucha libre
HeadquartersOsaka, Japan
Founder(s)Super Delfin
Owner(s)Zeus
Split fromMichinoku Pro Wrestling
Websitewww.osakaprowres.com Edit this at Wikidata

History

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In January 1999, Super Delfin announced that due to disagreements with The Great Sasuke regarding the direction of Michinoku Pro Wrestling, he would be leaving the promotion alongside several wrestlers and backstage personnel. On March 4, he officially founded Osaka Pro Wrestling (OPW) in his hometown of Osaka. Starting April 29, OPW produced their first tour, the Spicy Series 1999. The first event took place at the Namihaya Dome – now the Towa Pharmaceutical Ractab Dome – in Kadoma, Osaka and saw the team of Super Delfin, Masato Yakushiji and Naohiro Hoshikawa defeat Dick Togo, Black Buffalo and Violencia.[1]

The promotion held a major flagship event called the Osaka Hurricane each year from 2003 to 2012 and also hosted the fourth edition of the Super J-Cup in 2004, which was the second edition of Osaka Hurricane.

In 2010 Osaka Pro started a close working relationship with American promotion Chikara.

On March 1, 2014, Osaka Pro announced that it would fold on April 20, 2014 due to financial difficulties, after which all of its wrestlers would become freelancers.[2] Osaka Pro later announced that the promotion would continue under new president Yuji Sakagami and wrestlers Kuishinbo Kamen and Takoyakida. The new Osaka Pro Wrestling lost many of the old one's key wrestlers as well as their home base of Nasci Hall Umeda, forcing them to employ a new tour format.[3]

In October 2021, it was announced that Zeus had been appointed as the owner and president of OPW. He became president on July 30, and on August 26, he received a share transfer from former owner Yuji Sakagami. However, he remained under contract with All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW) for the rest of the year.[4]

Roster

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Ring name[5] Real name Notes
Aran Sano Undisclosed
Arashi Undisclosed
Billyken Kid Undisclosed Osaka Pro Wrestling Tag Team Champion
Black Buffalo Keisuke Yamada Sales manager
The Bodyguard Noboru Kurakawa
Ebessan III Osamu Suganuma
Goliath Undisclosed
Joichiro Osaka Undisclosed
Kuishinbo Kamen Akinori Tsukioka
Osaka Banpaku Machine Undisclosed Alter ego of Billyken Kid
Quiet Storm Undisclosed Osaka Pro Wrestling Champion
Ryuya Matsufusa Ryuya Matsufusa Osaka Light Heavyweight Champion
Signed to Dotonbori Pro-Wrestling
Shigehiro Irie Shigehiro Irie Freelancer
Shu Asakawa Taisuke Asakawa Freelancer
Takoyakida Undisclosed
Tigers Mask Atsushi Maruyama
Toru Toru Matsunaga Signed to Total Triumph Team Pro-Wrestling
Tsubasa Undisclosed Osaka Pro Wrestling Tag Team Champion
Ultimate Spider Jr. Undisclosed
Yasutaka Oosera Yasutaka Oosera Signed to Michinoku Pro Wrestling
Yuto Kikuchi Yuto Kikuchi Signed to Dotonbori Pro-Wrestling
Zeus Kensho Obayashi Owner and president of OPW

Notable alumni

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Staff

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  • Keigo Yoshino (Referee)
  • Naoki (Ring announcer)
  • Shinjiro Miyao (Ring announcer)
  • Zeus (President and Owner)

Championships

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Active

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Championship Current champion(s) Reign Date won Days
held		 Location Notes Ref.
Osaka Pro Wrestling Championship   Quiet Storm 2 August 20, 2023 453+ Osaka, Japan Defeated Tigers Mask at Osaka Pro Summer Festival 2023 to win the vacant title. [6]
Osaka Light Heavyweight Championship   Ryuya Matsufusa 1 December 10, 2023 341+ Osaka, Japan Defeated Tigers Mask at Excalibur. [7]
Osaka Meibutsu Sekaiichi Championship   Kanjyuro Matsuyama 2 August 24, 2024 83+ Osaka, Japan Defeated Joichiro Osaka Osaka Pro Summer Festival 2024. [8][9]
Osaka Pro Wrestling Tag Team Championship  
  		Billyken Kid and Tsubasa 2
(6, 6) 		June 23, 2024 145+ Osaka, Japan Defeated Rogue Nation (Goliath and Toru) at Osaka Castle Festival. [10]

Inactive

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Championship Last champion(s) Reign Date won Location Notes Ref.
Osaka Owarai Championship Joichiro Osaka — January 8, 2023 Osaka, Japan Won a battle royal to win the championship. The title change was voided when Billyken Kid confessed he had lost the physical title belt prior to the match. It was then replaced with the revived Osaka Meibutsu Sekaiichi Championship.
Super Welterweight Championship Super Delfin 5 November 28, 1999 Osaka, Japan Defeated Black Buffalo then immediately abandoned the title to create the Osaka Pro Wrestling Championship. [11]
MWF World Junior Heavyweight Championship Goya Mask 2 October 3, 2008 Naha, Japan Won a 10-man battle royale by last eliminating Kaijin Habu-otoko to win the vacant title. Title deactivated in 2012 when Okinawa Pro-Wrestling, where the title had moved to in May 2008, closed. [12]
Tenpohzan Grand Prix Championship Miracle Man 2 November 22, 2011 Osaka, Japan Defeated Takoyakida at Osaka Happy Weekday. Title moved to FFF Pro-Wrestling. [13][14]
Osaka Pro Wrestling Battle Royal Championship Tigers Mask 1 April 20, 2014 Osaka, Japan Won a 18-man battle royale by last eliminating Billyken Kid to win the title. Title deactivated two days later when Tigers Mask left the promotion. [15]

Annual tournaments

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Tournament Last winner(s) Date won
Tennōzan Zeus October 29, 2023
Osaka Pro Light Heavyweight Tournament Ultimate Spider Jr. June 25, 2023
Osaka Tag Festival Kazuaki Mihara and Toru February 23, 2023

Major events

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ Saalbach, Axel. "Osaka Pro Debut Spicy Series - Day 1". wrestlingdata.com. Archived from the original on June 26, 2024.
  2. ^ 大阪プロ"解散"へ…所属選手ゼロに. Daily Sports Online (in Japanese). March 1, 2014. Archived from the original on March 1, 2014. Retrieved March 1, 2014.
  3. ^ 大阪プロレスが新体制で活動継続. Tokyo Sports (in Japanese). April 15, 2014. Retrieved April 15, 2014.
  4. ^ 【大阪プロレス】ゼウスが選手兼オーナー社長に就任「必ずオンリーワン、日本一の団体を作り上げます」. Tokyo Sports (in Japanese). October 18, 2021. Retrieved December 10, 2021.
  5. ^ 選手名鑑. Osaka Pro Wrestling (in Japanese). Retrieved August 17, 2023.
  6. ^ "Ōsaka Open-weight Title / Ōsaka Open-weight Title (Japan)". Wrestling-Titles.com. Retrieved March 13, 2023.
  7. ^ "Ōsaka Light Heavyweight Title (Japan)". Wrestling-Titles.com. Retrieved March 13, 2023.
  8. ^ 大阪名物世界一選手権. Wrestling-Titles.com (in Japanese). Retrieved March 13, 2023.
  9. ^ 大阪名物世界一選手権｜タイトル名鑑｜収穫昆布｜新日好きプロレス全般ファンサイト. Syu-Kaku Kombu (in Japanese). December 10, 2023. Retrieved December 19, 2023.
  10. ^ "Ōsaka Tag Team Title". Wrestling-Titles.com. Retrieved March 13, 2023.
  11. ^ "Super Welterweight Title (Japan)". Wrestling-Titles.com. Retrieved March 13, 2023.
  12. ^ "MWF World Junior Heavyweight Title". Wrestling-Titles.com. Retrieved March 13, 2023.
  13. ^ "Tenpohzan Grand Prix Title [Ōsaka Pro]". Wrestling-Titles.com. Retrieved March 13, 2023.
  14. ^ "Tenpohzan Championship" 天保山選手権. Syu-Kaku Kombu (in Japanese). Retrieved March 13, 2023.
  15. ^ "Ōsaka Pro-Wrestling Battle Royal Title". Wrestling-Titles.com. Retrieved March 13, 2023.
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