| RISE | |
|---|---|
| Stable | |
| Members | See below |
| Name | RISE |
| Debut | November 11, 2007 |
| Disbanded | March 23, 2010 |
RISE (Real International Super Elite) was aprofessional wrestlingstable that competed inNew Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) that was active from 2007 until 2010. The group was founded and led byShinsuke Nakamura. The group was the successor to the group "BLACK" which featured Nakamura as a co-leader withMasahiro Chono. At one point or anotherHirooki Goto,Giant Bernard,Prince Devitt,Minoru,Travis Tomko,Milano Collection AT,Rick Fuller andLow Ki were members of the group. Members of RISE held theIWGP Heavyweight Championship,IWGP Tag Team Championship,IWGP Junior Tag Team Championship as well as winning the2007 G1 Tag League. In 2009 several members left the group to joinGreat Bash Heel (GBH) and by early 2010 RISE was ended.
In August 2007,Masahiro Chono left BLACK to formLEGEND with other New Japan legends. In November, upon returning from injury, Shinsuke Nakamura reshaped BLACK into RISE.[1] For the new group, Nakamura retained the services ofGiant Bernard,Travis Tomko, andMilano Collection A. T. and recruitedHirooki Goto,Minoru, andPrince Devitt. The groups saw success very quickly with Bernard and Tomko already holding theIWGP Tag Team Championship and by November, they also won the2007 G1 Tag League.
By January 2008, RISE would recruitLow Ki and hold three of the four championships in New Japan as Nakamura defeatedHiroshi Tanahashi for theIWGP Heavyweight Championship atWrestle Kingdom II in Tokyo Dome on January 4, 2008.[2] Three weeks later on January 27, Minoru and Devitt, called Prince Prince as a team, defeatedTaka Michinoku andDick Togo to win theIWGP Junior Tag Team Championship.[3] RISE's dominance wouldn't last. By February, Low Ki would suffer an injury that would keep him out for months. On February 17, Minoru and Devitt lost the IWGP Jr. Tag Titles to LEGEND'sJyushin Thunder Liger andAkira, Bernard and Tomko lost the IWGP Tag Titles to the Most Violent Players (Togi Makabe andToru Yano). Despite the losses, RISE would win the big one as Nakamura defeatedKurt Angle to retain the IWGP Title and win theIWGP 3rd Belt Championship, thus unifying the titles.[3] After the February 17 show, RISE lost Tomko as a member as New Japan decided not to renew his contract. In March, Bernard and Goto entered the2008 New Japan Cup with both losing to Tanahashi (Goto in the 1st round and Bernard in the final).[4] On March 9, Nakamura and Bernard challenged Makabe and Yano for the IWGP Tag Team Championship but the match ended in a no contest.[5]On March 30, Nakamura defeated Tanahashi to retain the IWGP Title. On April 27, Nakamura lost the IWGP Heavyweight Championship toKeiji Mutoh.[6] in June, Devitt and Minoru entered the Best of the Super Juniors tournament but neither won as Minoru finished third in his block while Devitt was injured in his first match and had to withdraw.[7] In July, RISE addedRick Fuller to the group who formed a team with Bernard. On July 21, Minoru and Devitt defeated Liger and AKIRA in a rematch to regain the IWGP Jr. Tag Titles while Bernard and Fuller challenged Makabe and Yano for the IWGP Tag Title but they came up short.[8]In August, Nakamura, Goto, and Bernard entered the G1 Climax tournament with Goto ultimately winning the tournament defeating Togi Makabe in the final.[9] Weeks later on August 30, Goto enteredAll Japan Pro Wrestling to challenge Mutoh for the IWGP Title but lost.[10] On September 5, Nakamura and Goto challenged Makabe and Yano for the IWGP Tag Team Championship but lost the match when Bernard and Fuller betrayed them and cost them the match. Shortly after the match, Bernard, Fuller, and Low Ki (returning from injury) all joinedGBH. On October 13 atDestruction '08, Minoru and Devitt lost the Jr. Tag Team Titles toNo Limit (Yujiro Takahashi andTetsuya Naito), Goto fought Bernard but lost, and Nakamura challenged Mutoh for the IWGP Title but he too lost. In October, Nakamura and Goto entered the 2008 G1 Tag League while Milano entered withTaichi Ishikari but neither team won as Milano finished last in his block while Nakamura and Goto lost in the semi-finals to Makabe and Yano.[11] On December 8, Goto once again fought Giant Bernard but once again was denied revenge, but Nakamura was able to defeat Yano.[12]
In 2009, atWrestle Kingdom III in Tokyo Dome, Milano, Minoru, and Taichi defeated Mitsuhide Hirasawa,Kazuchika Okada, andNobuo Yoshihashi in the pre-show match, Devitt teamedRyusuke Taguchi andMistico to defeat Averno,Jado, andGedo, and finally Nakamura and Goto defeatedMitsuharu Misawa andTakashi Sugiura.[13] In late January, Minoru left New Japan and RISE to become afreelancer. On February 15, Nakamura challenged Hiroshi Tanahashi for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship but lost.[14] In March, Nakamura, Goto, and Milano entered the 2009 New Japan Cup. Milano and Nakamura both made it to round two while Goto was able to win the tournament defeating Giant Bernard in the final.[15] On April 5, atResolution '09, Nakamura turnedHeel during his match with Togi Makabe when Toru Yano betrayed Makabe and assisted Nakamura during the match. Following the event, Nakamura left RISE and created a new stable:Chaos. After Nakamura defected, RISE began to decline and despite the fact RISE would continue, the group largely went dormant as Goto returning to the New Japan Seikigun while Milano and Devitt would form teams and began feuding with each other.
By February 2010, Milano retired due to injuries and RISE quietly broke up.
| * | Founding member |
|---|---|
| L | Leader |
| Member | * | Tenure |
|---|---|---|
| Giant Bernard | * | November 11, 2007 –September 5, 2008 |
| Hirooki Goto | * | November 11, 2007 –March 23, 2010 |
| Low Ki | February 2, 2008 | |
| Milano Collection A. T. | * | November 11, 2007 –January 18, 2010 |
| Minoru | * | November 11, 2007 –January 31, 2009 |
| Prince Devitt | * | November 11, 2007 –April 23, 2009 |
| Rick Fuller | July 5, 2008 –September 5, 2008 | |
| Shinsuke Nakamura | *L | November 11, 2007 –April 23, 2009 |
| Travis Tomko | * | November 11, 2007 –February 17, 2008 |
