Yoshihiro Tajiri (born September 29, 1970 in Yokohama), better known simply as Tajiri, is a Japanese professional wrestler, best known for his appearances in the United States of America with Extreme Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment.
| Yoshihiro Tajiri | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | September 29, 1970 Yokohama |
| Professional wrestling career | |
| Ring name(s) | Aquarius Yoshihiro Tajiri "The Japanese Buzzsaw" Tajiri |
| Billed height | 175 cm (5 ft 9 in) |
| Billed weight | 95 kg (209 lb) |
| Billed from | Tokyo |
| Trained by | Kendo Nagasaki Bill DeMott Ricky Santana |
| Debut | September 19, 1994 |
Career
Tajiri trained in traditional Japanese style and lucha libre and debuted in the early 1990s, wrestling primarily IWA Japan and later for the Japanese division of Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre. In 1997, he left CMLL and joined the hardcore wrestling promotion Big Japan Pro Wrestling in Tokyo.
Extreme Championship Wrestling
While wrestling in Mexico in late 1998, Tajiri was observed by Extreme Championship Wrestling owner Paul Heyman, who invited Tajiri to wrestle for ECW in the United States. While in ECW, Tajiri had a long feud with Super Crazy, and formed a tag team with Mikey Whipwreck known as The Unholy Alliance.
Tajiri was also the ECW World Television Champion while part of the company, defeating his rival Super Crazy, until he was defeated by Rhino.
World Wrestling Entertainment
Tajiri remained in ECW until Heyman declared bankruptcy in April 2001. Soon after the closure of ECW, Tajiri was hired by the World Wrestling Federation. Tajiri debuted as a face, and was given the gimmick of WWF Commissioner William Regal's assistant. After Regal turned heel by joining The Alliance, Tajiri feuded with him throughout late-2001. In the same time period, he began an on-screen relationship with Torrie Wilson and defeated Chris Kanyon for the WCW United States Heavyweight Championship. He lost the belt to Rhino soon afterwards at the September PPV Unforgiven.
In 2002, the World Wrestling Federation was renamed World Wrestling Entertainment and the roster was divided into two "brands", RAW and SmackDown!. Tajiri, along with Torrie Wilson, were drafted to SmackDown!. He turned heel by forcing Wilson to dress like a geisha against her will, with Wilson eventually abandoning him and joining forces with Tajiri's rival Maven. Tajiri won the WWE Cruiserweight Championship on two occasions in 2002 and 2003, and formed a short-lived stable with Akio and Sakoda known as Kyo Dai.
In 2004, following WrestleMania XX, Tajiri was drafted to RAW, where he turned face once again and feuded with Eric Bischoff and Jonathan Coachman.
On February 4, 2005, Tajiri teamed with William Regal to defeat La Résistance for the World Tag Team Championship on an episode of RAW emanating from Japan. After successfully defending the titles against La Résistance on a number of occasions, Tajiri and Regal issued an open challenge to "any tag team in the world". On the following episode of RAW, they retained their titles in a match with the debuting Heart Throbs. Their reign ended on May 1, 2005, at Backlash, when they were eliminated from a tag team turmoil match by La Résistance.
Tajiri lost to Super Crazy at ECW One Night Stand 2005 on June 12, 2005. In late-2005, Tajiri formed a short-lived tag team with Eugene.
In December 2005, it was announced that Tajiri had requested his release from WWE, with his contract expiring on December 12, he decided to spend more time with his wife and family in Japan. His final televised WWE match was a loss to Gregory Helms on HEAT in Boston.
He has since resurfaced with the HUSTLE promotion and debuted at the March 15 Yokohama Bunka Gym show, while returning at the end of April to Big Japan. Tajiri appeared at ECW One Night Stand 2006 teaming with Super Crazy to take on the Full Blooded Italians (F.B.I.) in a losing effort. At the start of the match, he received several chants of "Welcome Back" from the ECW fans.
Wrestling facts
Finishing and signature moves
- Buzzsaw Kick (quick low roundhouse kick to the upper back or head of a seated opponent)
- Tarantula (Upside down rope hung leg hook Boston crab)
- Brainbuster (in ECW)
- Bridging German Suplex
- Handspring Back elbow smash
- Octopus stretch
- Springboard/Asai Moonsault
- Dragon Suplex
- Spits Asian mist at opponent's eyes in order to blind them; Tajiri has, however, been known to spit Red Mist (which is purported to burn rather than blind) and Black Mist (which is significantly more powerful, provided the storyline on SmackDown! where Nidia was blinded for weeks by it). All three mists were previously used by Japanese wrestler Keiji Mutoh, most notably when he appeared as his alter-ego "Great Muta"
- Baseball slide to opponent who is hanging upside down on a turnbuckle
- Shining Wizard
- Multiple kicks
- Swinging DDT (as a counter to a powerbomb)
- Diving Double Foot Stomp
- Super Whippersnapper
Championships and accomplishments
- 1-time BJPW Junior Heavyweight Champion
- 2-time BJPW Tag Team Champion (with Ryuji Yamakawa)
- 1-time CZW Heavyweight Champion
- 1-time ECW World Television Champion
- 1-time ECW World Tag Team Champion (with Mikey Whipwreck)
- 1-time IWA Hardcore Champion
- World Championship Wrestling [WWF/E owned]
- 1-time WCW United States Champion
- 3-time WWE Cruiserweight Champion
- 1-time WWF Light Heavyweight Champion
- 1-time WWE Tag Team Champion (with Eddie Guerrero)
- 1-time WWE World Tag Team Champion (with William Regal)