_2024.jpg) Sho in May 2024 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | Sho Tanaka (1989-08-27)August 27, 1989 (age 36)[2] Uwajima, Ehime, Japan[2] |
| Alma mater | Tokuyama University[2] |
| Website | |
| Professional wrestling career | |
| Ring name(s) | Raijin Sho[1] Sho Tanaka |
| Billed height | 173 cm (5 ft 8 in)[2] |
| Billed weight | 93 kg (205 lb)[2] |
| Trained by | NJPW Dojo Junji Hirata |
| Debut | November 15, 2012[2] |
Sho Tanaka (田中 翔,Tanaka Shō) (born August 27, 1989), knownmononymously asSho (stylised inall caps asSHO), is a Japaneseprofessional wrestler. He is signed toNew Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he is a member ofHouse of Torture.
He is a former member of bothChaos andBullet Club, and was a part of the junior heavyweighttag teamRoppongi 3K, along withYoh. The tag team were five-timeIWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champions and three-time winners of theSuper Junior Tag League. Additionally, Sho is a three-time NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Champion.
He has previously worked for the American promotionRing of Honor (ROH) and Mexican promotionConsejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL). In the latter promotion, he was known under thering nameRaijin (雷神,Raijin), named after the Japanese God of thunder, and was part ofLa Ola Amarilla ("the Yellow Wave") alongsideOkumura,Kamaitachi and Fujin (the name Yoh worked under in Mexico).
Sho Tanaka was born on August 27, 1989, inUwajima, Ehime,Japan. While in high school he became involved withGreco-Roman wrestling, something he continued to practice as he attendedTokuyama University. At Tokuyama, he was the vice-captain of the wrestling team, competing in the 7th All-Japan University Championship for Greco-Roman wrestling, where he came in third over all.[2]
Inspired byNew Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) wrestlerHiroshi Tanahashi, Tanaka attended the NJPW Dojo in February 2012, training for his professional wrestling career.[2][3]
On November 11, 2012, Tanaka made his professional wrestling debut in the opening match of theNEVER: Shodai NEVER Musabetsu Kyu Oza Kettei Tournament 1st round show where he lost toTakaaki Watanabe.[4][5] Tanaka competed as one of NJPW's "Young Lions" a class of rookie wrestlers who work mostly against each other early on, wearing all black gear and with no particular ring character, all part of the structured learning process in NJPW.[3] Throughout 2013 and 2014, Tanaka often faced off against fellow Young LionYohei Komatsu, with both men trading victories in both singles and tag team competition.[6] By 2015, Tanaka and Komatsu had begun teaming together on a regular basis, including working together in theNew Japan Rumble as part ofWrestle Kingdom 9 on January 5, 2015. The two teamed up to eliminateTiger Mask andTaichi but were both eliminated byTama Tonga.[7] Tanaka was called upon to replace an injuredRey Cometa on a NJPW/Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre co-promotedFantastica Mania 2015 show on January 14. Tanaka andStigma lost toLa Peste Negra ("The Black Plague";Bárbaro Cavernario andMr. Niebla)[8][9] On February 11, 2015, Tanaka defeated rival and occasional tag team partner Yohei Komatsu in the opening match of NJPW's 2015The New Beginning in Osaka show.[10] In June and July 2015, Tanaka represented NJPW inPro Wrestling Noah'sGlobal Junior Heavyweight League. During the tournament, he earned two points by defeatingHitoshi Kumano, but lost the rest of his matches to be eliminated from the tournament.[3] AtDestruction in Kobe, Tanaka and Komatsu defeated fellow Young LionsDavid Finlay andJay White.[11]
In early 2016, it was announced that Tanaka and Komatsu would compete in the 2016Fantastica Mania series of shows, competing in what NJPW called the "Yohei Komatsu and Sho Tanaka send-off game", announcing that the two would travel to Mexico and work for CMLL as part of their continued in-ring skill development.[12] The team worked the opening match for each of the six Fantastica Mania events, losing each time.[13][14][15][16][17][18]
Tanaka and Komatsu became be the latest in a long line of young Japanese wrestlers to travel to Mexico to learn thelucha libre style. In Mexico, Tanaka was given thering name Raijin, named after theJapanese God of Thunder, teaming with Komatsu who would be known as Fujin, named after theJapanese God of Wind.[19] The duo made their Mexican debut on January 31, 2016, teaming up withOkumura, forming the most recent version ofLa Ola Amarilla ("The Yellow Wave").[20] The group was joined byKamaitachi, a previous NJPW trainee who had worked for CMLL since 2014.[21]
In October 2016, Tanaka and Komatsu, now billed as "Sho" and "Yohey" and known as "The Tempura Boyz", began working regularly for American promotionRing of Honor (ROH), with whom NJPW also had a working relationship.[22]
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On October 9, 2017, atKing of Pro-Wrestling, Tanaka and Komatsu, billed as "Sho" and "Yoh", returned to NJPW, when they were revealed asRocky Romero's new tag teamRoppongi 3K. The two defeatedFunky Future (Ricochet andRyusuke Taguchi) in their return match to become the newIWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champions.[23] Through their affiliation with Romero, Sho and Yoh also became part of theChaos stable.[24] On November 5 atPower Struggle, Roppongi 3K defeatedSuper 69 (ACH and Ryusuke Taguchi) in the finals to win the2017 Super Jr. Tag Tournament.[25] On January 4, 2018, Roppongi 3K lost the Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship toThe Young Bucks (Matt Jackson and Nick Jackson) atWrestle Kingdom 12,[26] but won it back on January 28 at the New Beginning in Sapporo. Roppongi 3K lost the Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship toSuzuki-gun (El Desperado andYoshinobu Kanemaru) at the NJPW 46th Anniversary Event in March 2018. In May 2018, he entered theBest of the Super Juniors tournament. He finished the tournament with three wins and four losses, failing to advance to the finals. In October, Sho and Yoh entered the 2018 Super Junior Tag League, winning the tournament for the second time in a row to face Desperado and Kanemaru atWrestle Kingdom 13. However, an earlier loss to the team ofShingo Takagi andBushi made the title match a triple threat, that Takagi and Bushi would go onto win, with Takagi pinning Sho. At New Japan's 47th Anniversary Event, Sho and Yoh would defeat Takagi and Bushi to win the Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship for a third time. Sho would then start to call out Takagi for a singles match, even hoping to face Takagi in theBest of the Super Juniors finals. Takagi and Sho would meet on the first night of the tournament with Takagi defeating Sho. In June, Roppongi 3K would lose the Junior Tag Team Championship toBullet Club (El Phantasmo andTaiji Ishimori). In November, Sho and Yoh would win the Super Junior Tag League for the third time in a row. AtWrestle Kingdom 14, Roppongi 3K would defeat Phantasmo and Ishimori to win the titles for a fourth time. Roppongi 3K would make their first successful title defense against Desperado and Kanemaru at The New Beginning in Osaka. They would make their second successful title defense against Rocky Romero and Ryusuke Taguchi on the first night of the New Japan Road tour. Following New Japan's return to producing wrestling shows, Sho entered the 2020New Japan Cup avenging his loss to Takagi in the first round before losing toSanada in the second.[27][28] Sho challenged for his first singles title, theNEVER Openweight Championship, in a defeat to Takagi atDominion. Unfortunately during that time, Roppongi 3K was forced to relinquish the Junior Heavyweight Tag Championship due to Yoh suffering a knee injury against Bushi during the New Japan Cup.[29] In November 2020, he entered theBest of the Super Juniors tournament. He finished the tournament with 6 wins and 3 losses, failing to advance to the finals.
In 2021, Sho challenged for theIWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship for the first time in his career, but failed to capture the title fromHiromu Takahashi in the main event ofThe New Beginning. Yoh made his return from injury atSakura Genesis, reuniting Roppongi 3K. The team would then capture the Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship for the fifth time, defeating Desperado and Kanemaru. On June 23 at Kizuna Road, 3K would lose their titles to El Phantasmo and Ishimori.
In the following months 3K would hit a major slump after losing their Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship with both members having no clear direction or feuds, and with the team taking numerous losses in multi man tag matches. In late July, Yoh, who had also started sporting a more toned down look and demeanor, began to undergo a large losing streak, taking the pins in three straight matches prior to Super Jr. Tag League beginning, which left Sho seemingly worried for him and the team's future. Roppongi 3K entered the tournament, but lost their first three straight matches, immediately being eliminated from the tournament they had never failed to win in any year prior, with Yoh once again taking the falls each time out. On August 16, Roppongi 3K would lose their fourth tournament match to Desperado and Kanemaru, after Sho chose to not help Yoh escape a submission hold from Desperado. After the match Sho would attack Yoh and claim that he was now useless to him, disbanding their team after eight years, and turning heel.
On September 4, 2021, he defeated his former tag team partnerYoh byreferee stoppage on Night 1 ofWrestle Grand Slam in MetLife Dome. After the match, Sho joinedBullet Club, by accepting the shirt given to him byEvil. Alongside Evil,Yujiro Takahashi andDick Togo, Sho joined the sub-groupHouse of Torture. AtPower Struggle, Sho, Takahashi and Evil defeated Sho's formerChaos stablematesHirooki Goto,Yoshi-Hashi andTomohiro Ishii, to win theNEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Championship.[30] The following week, Sho entered theBest of the Super Juniors tournament. Sho's tournament campaign ended with a total of 12 points, with a loss to Yoh on the final night, preventing him from reaching the finals.[31] On January 5 at Night 2 ofWrestle Kingdom 16, House of Torture defeated Chaos in a rematch for the Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Championship.[32] The following night, Sho defeatedPro Wrestling Noah'sAtsushi Kotoge.[33]
In February at NJPW Golden Series, House of Torture retained their titles against Chaos.[34] The following month, Sho entered theNew Japan Cup, but was defeated by Hiromu Takahashi in the first round.[35] In April atHyper Battle, Sho challengedEl Desperado for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship, but was defeated.[36] Later that month, House of Torture successfully defended their Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Championship againstGuerillas of Destiny (Tama Tonga andTanga Loa) andHiroshi Tanahashi.[37] The following month, Sho competed in theBest of the Super Juniors, competing in the A Block.[38] Sho finished the tournament with 10 points, failing to advance to the finals.[39] The following month atDominion 6.12 in Osaka-jo Hall, House of Torture defeatedSuzuki-gun (El Desperado,Yoshinobu Kanemaru andZack Sabre Jr.) to retain their Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Championship once again.[40] In July, the trio lost the Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Championship to Chaos (Hirooki Goto, Yoshi-Hashi and Yoh), ending their reign at 241 days.[41]
In September atBurning Spirit, House of Torture regained the Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Championship.[42] In November, Sho and Dick Togo entered theSuper Junior Tag League, but failed to advance to the finals after finishing with 4 points.[43] On January 4 atWrestle Kingdom 17, Sho competed in theNew Japan Rambo, where he lasted until the final four, and earnt a spot in the four-way match for the 2023 provisionalKOPW Championship atNew Year Dash!! the following day.[44] At the event, Sho failed to win the match, which was won byShingo Takagi.[45]
AtThe New Beginning in Osaka, House of Torture lost the Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Championship toMinoru Suzuki,Ren Narita and El Desperado.[46] The trio failed to regain their titles in a rematch in April. In May, Sho entered theBest of the Super Juniors, competing in the A Block.[47] Sho ended the tournament with 8 points, failing to advance to the semi-finals.[48] In August, House of Torture embarked on a feud withJust 5 Guys. After a match between the two sides, on August 13, after Sho scored a direct pinfall victory over provisional KOPW ChampionTaichi in an eight-man tag team match, Sho proceeded to attack him with the title belt, before declaring that he would take it from its rightful holder, setting up a title match atDestruction. At the event, he defeated Taichi in a seconds handcuffed match, with help from Kanemaru (who turned on Just 5 Guys), to become the new provisional KOPW Champion. At New Japan Road, in a match guest refereed by Kanemaru, Sho dropped the provisional title back to Taichi, and as a result of the stipulation, was banned from wrestling in theYamagata Prefecture.[49]
On February 23, 2024 atThe New Beginning in Sapporo, Sho defeatedEl Desperado to win theIWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship for the first time.[50]Douki would team withSho to win theIWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship fromMaster Wato andYoh.[51]
Tanaka was scheduled to make hismixed martial arts debut on May 27, 2017, fighting Nicholas Trochez inQueens, New York, for Golden MMA Championships.[52] Trochez first failed to make weight for the fight, which Tanaka was reportedly willing to overlook, but the fight ended up being canceled when Trochez's medical information also did not come in on time.[53]
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