              AJPW 7/20/02 (Kea beats Tenryu)
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Biography written by Tom Lacey, maintained by myself
Title History:
IWGP Heavyweight Title (1):
IWGP Tag Team Title (1):
IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title (1):
UWF-I Pro Wrestling Title (2):
Tournament History: None won.
Signature Moves:
- Chickenwing facelock
Notes: Initiated into New Japan in 1981, originally wrestling as a junior heavyweight ... Touted by many as a successor to the great Antonio Inoki due to his athletic ability and use of submissions ... Spent the first few years of his career learning with fellow young lions, quickly becoming one of New Japan's top junior prospects ... Won the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title in 1985, defeating career long rival Shiro Koshinaka, defending the belt six times in a long reign, before losing the belt back to Koshinaka ... Moved up to the heavyweight division in 1987, forming a tag team with Akira Maeda, who returned to New Japan from the second UWF ... Reached the final of a tournament to crown new IWGP Tag Team Champions, but fell to Koshinaka (also now a heavyweight) and the then young lion, Keiji Muto ... Gained revenge for this loss when he defeated Muto & Koshinaka with Maeda to begin his only IWGP Tag Team Title reign, managing two defenses before losing the belts to Yoshiaki Fujiwara & Kazuo Yamazaki ... Followed other shoot-style wrestlers to form the third UWF, called UWF International (UWF-I), becoming its top star, winning many matches there, always main eventing and becoming an almost legendary fighter ... Defeated Gary Albright to win the UWF-I Pro Wrestling Title, the company's only belt, in 1992, holding it for over two years before losing it to Vader in an intense match ... In a shocking move, re-entered New Japan, the company he had left behind, leading a UWF-I invasion with other wrestlers ... Had the opportunity to become the only individual to have held the IWGP Heavyweight, Jr. Heavyweight and Tag Team titles, challenging Keiji Muto in their first match for a decade, at a New Japan vs. UWF-I Tokyo Dome show, fighting hard, but losing ... However, went on to win the belt, earning himself a place in the history books, defeating Muto at another sold out Dome show ... Lost the title to Shinya Hashimoto in an excellent match, and announced his departure from New Japan soon afterward ... Formed his own fighting promotion, KINGDOM, many UWF-I wrestlers following him there ... When KINGDOM died, established his own training school, the Takada Dojo, graduates from which include Daijiro Matsui ... On October 11th, 1997, came out of virtual retirement to defend his credentials as a fighter, main eventing the first PRIDE event against Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Vale Tudo legend, Rickson Gracie ... Fell to Rickson in the first round, but exceeded expectations ... Returned to PRIDE for PRIDE 3, main eventing, and this time winning, beating Kyle Sturgeon, his first legitimate fight win ... Fought a rematch against Gracie at PRIDE 4, still not able to gain a win over the deadly fighter, but bounced back at PRIDE 5, defeating UFC champion, Mark Coleman, further proving his legitimate credentials ... Drew with Rickson Gracie's brother, Royce, in the PRIDE GP 2000 first round, but lost by decision ... Fought K-1 kickboxer, Mirko Cro Cop, in his first fight for a long time on PRIDE 17 ... Went to another draw with another K-1 fighter on Antonio Inoki's 2001 Bom-Ba-Ye super-show, and then announced his retirement from MMA ... Despite his meagre MMA record, an immensely fast, fluid, and technically gifted fighter, with much charisma. A legend in both shoot and pro-style puroresu.
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