About Me
This is a FAN'S TRIBUTE-page for wrestling legend Geni'chiro Tenryu...
Gen'ichiro Tenryu, real name, Gen'ichiro Shimada, was born on February 2nd, 1950 in Katsuyama. At age 13, he entered sumo wrestling and stayed there for 13 years, until he chose to learn the form of Western-style professional wrestling. Scouted by Giant Baba, owner of All Japan Pro-Wrestling, Tenryu was sent to the Amarillo territory in Texas to get trained by the Funk Brothers, Dory Jr. and Terry. Tenryu had his debut match in Amarillo against a young Ted DiBiase in 1976.
Upon his return to Japan, young Tenryu rose through the ranks of All Japan in the early 80's. In 1984 Tenryu won his first major title, the NWA United National title, (now also part of the Triple Crown), as well as the NWA International tag team title with Jumbo Tsuruta. In 1987, the team broke up after losing the tag team titles to the Road Warriors. Tenryu began his own stable, "Revolution", with former International Pro Wrestling wrestlers Ashura Hara and Hiromichi Fuyuki, as well as All Japan rookies Toshiaki Kawada and Yoshinari Ogawa. Tenryu and Hara feuded with Tsuruta and his new partner Yatsu over the PWF (Pacific Wrestling Federation) tag team titles and later with their replacement, the World Tag Titles (a combination of the PWF and NWA International tag belts). Hara was kicked out of the promotion in late 1988, and Tenryu replaced him with Stan Hansen, with whom he held the World Tag Titles as well.
In 1989, the Triple Crown was formed after reigining NWA International champion, Tsuruta defeated PWF & NWA United National champion Stan Hansen. Tenryu was chosen to be the first Japanese wrestler to contend for it. On June 5th, 1989, Tenryu defeated Jumbo Tsuruta for the Triple Crown Championship in a match considered so spectacular it was chosen as Match of the Year by major Japanese publications. Tenryu held the title for over 5 months before losing the championship back to Tsuruta on October 10th, 1989.
In 1990, Tenryu left All Japan to form SWS. Though the promotion was short-lived, and collapsed in 1992, Tenryu formed W.A.R. (Wrestle And Romance, later known as Wrestle Association "R"). W.A.R. became a popular alternative to the New Japan and All Japan promotions, and hosted many great interpromotional matches with top wrestlers from various promotions, including Atsushi Onita (FMW), Nobuhiko Takada (UWF-I), and Shinya Hashimoto (New Japan), to name a few.
Tenryu is considered to be the first native Japanese to break the tradition of promotional boundaries, and to fight anyone, regardless of promotion or style. Because of this, he is often referred to by Japanese fans as "Mr. Puroresu"/"Mr. Pro-Wres". Throughout the 90's, Tenryu would participate in inter-promotional shows across Japan, representing his W.A.R. promotion. Mostly in the New Japan Pro-Wrestling promotion, where he gained victories over Riki Choshu, Tatsumi Fujinami, and Antonio Inoki.
In 1998, the W.A.R. promotion began to diminish, as Tenryu had a run in New Japan. Along with New Japan star Shiro Koshinaka, the team won the IWGP Tag Team Championship from Masahiro Chono and Hiroyoshi Tenzan. On December 12th 1999, in the Tokyo Dome, Tenryu defeated Keiji Mutoh to capture the IWGP Heavyweight Championship, making him the first Japanese native to win the top two championship titles of pro-wrestling in Japan (All Japan's Triple Crown and New Japan's IWGP heavyweight title).
In 2000, after near-collapse of All Japan (due to the Pro Wrestling NOAH split), Tenryu closed the W.A.R. promotion and rejoined All Japan, where Tenryu beat Toshiaki Kawada in the finals of a tournament to decide the vacant Triple Crown Championship. During his second stay in All Japan, he would capture the belts a third time and also the World Tag Title with former W.A.R./UWF-I feud rival Yoji Anjo.
Well into his late 50's, Tenryu still wrestles in various promotions across Japan, including Pro-Wrestling NOAH and King's Road. Gen'ichiro Tenryu is a legend of not just wrestling in Japan, but wrestling, period.
thanks to Wikipedia for extra info.
