Tatsumi Fujinami

Japanese professional wrestler

Tatsumi Fujinami (藤波 辰巳, Fujinami Tatsumi, born December 28, 1953) is a Japanese professional wrestler. He is best known for competing in New Japan Pro Wrestling from 1972 to 2006. He has been competing for Dradition since 2004.

Tatsumi Fujinami
Fujinami being inducted into the 2015 WWE Hall of Fame
Born (1953-12-28) December 28, 1953 (age 70)
Kunisaki, Ōita Prefecture
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s)Tatsumi Fujinami
Dr. Fujinami
Billed height1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Billed weight103 kg (227 lb)
Trained byKarl Gotch
Antonio Inoki
DebutMay 9, 1971
藤波 辰巳
Japanese name
Kanji藤波 辰巳
Hiraganaふじなみ たつみ
Katakanaフジナミ タツミ

He was the innovator of both the Dragon sleeper and Dragon suplex wrestling movies. He used them as his finishing moves.

He has a son named Leona who is also a professional wrestler and made his debut on November 19, 2013.[1]

On March 28, 2015, he was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame by Ric Flair.[2]

Championships change

  • Catch Wrestling Association
    • CWA Intercontinental Heavyweight Championship (one time)
  • Dramatic Dream Team
  • New Japan Pro Wrestling
    • IWGP Heavyweight Championship (six times)
    • IWGP Tag Team Championship (five times) (with Kengo Kimura (four) and Osamu Nishimura (one))
    • NWA International Junior Heavyweight Championship (two times)
    • NWA World Heavyweight Championship (one time)
    • WCWA World Heavyweight Championship (one time)
    • WWF International Heavyweight Championship (one time)
    • WWF International Tag Team Championship (one time) (with Kengo Kimura)
    • WWF Junior Heavyweight Championship (one time)
    • G1 Climax (1993)[4]
    • Super Grade Tag League (1991) (with Big Van Vader)[5]
    • Karl Gotch Cup (1974)
  • Pacific Northwest Wrestling
    • NWA Pacific Northwest Heavyweight Championship (one time)
  • Pro Wrestling Illustrated
    • He was ranked #31 of the 500 best singles wrestlers during the "PWI Years" in 2003.[6]
  • Tokyo Sports
    • Best Bout Award (1983) (vs. Riki Chōshū on April 3)
    • Best Bout Award (1986) (vs. Akira Maeda on June 12)
    • Best Tag Team (1981) (with Antonio Inoki)
    • Distinguished Service Award (1978)
    • Fighting Spirit Award (1984)
    • MVP Award (1985)
    • Outstanding Performance Award (1980, 1982, 1987, 1988)
    • Rookie of the Year (1974)
    • Technique Award (1979)
  • Universal Wrestling Association
    • UWA World Heavyweight Championship (one time)
  • World Wide Wrestling Federation/World Wrestling Federation
  • Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards
    • Best Technical Wrestler (1985, 1986, 1988)
    • Most Outstanding Wrestler (1988)
    • Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame (Class of 1996)

References change

  1. "船木に決めたドラスクは父の真似ではなく蛇の穴直伝の技!藤波玲於奈改めLeonaがデビュー!憧れの藤波に金本が一騎打ちを直訴!". Battle News (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 2013-12-06. Retrieved 2013-12-12.
  2. "WWE Hall of Fame Report 3/28: Complete "virtual-time" coverage of 2015 Ceremony - Randy Savage inducted, Nash, Zbyszko, Schwarzenegger, Flair, Michaels, more". Pro Wrestling Torch. Archived from the original on 2020-12-03. Retrieved 2015-04-03.
  3. "武道館ピーターパン~DDTの15周年、ドーンと見せます超豪華4時間SP~". Dramatic Dream Team (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 2013-10-03. Retrieved 2013-12-12.
  4. Royal Duncan & Gary Will (2000). "Japan: New Japan G-1 (Grade-1) Climax Tournament Champions". Wrestling Title Histories. Archeus Communications. p. 375. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
  5. Royal Duncan & Gary Will (2000). "Japan: New Japan G-1 (Grade-1) Climax Tag Tournament Champions". Wrestling Title Histories. Archeus Communications. p. 374. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
  6. "Pro Wrestling Illustrated's Top 500 Wrestlers of the PWI Years". Wrestling Information Archive. Archived from the original on 2003-04-12. Retrieved 2013-12-12.
  7. "Abandoned: The History of the WWF International Heavyweight Championship". Bleacher Report. Retrieved 2013-12-12.
  8. "10 championships you never knew existed in WWE: Junior Heavyweight Championship". WWE. Archived from the original on 2013-11-21. Retrieved 2013-12-12.

Other websites change