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Revision as of 00:06, 18 August 2005 by 4.236.57.39 (talk) (→Career)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)Masahiro Chōno (born September 17, 1963 in Mitaka, Tokyo) is a Japanese professional wrestler.
Career
Masahiro Chōno debuted in 1984 against Keiji Mutoh at an event in Saitama, Japan. He soon came to the United States and wrestled in the Kansas City and Alabama areas.
He primarily wrestles for New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW), but he has also made appearances for the now defunct World Championship Wrestling as a member of the nWo. Chono, called "Mister Black Jack" when he first started as a heel, is one of the top heels in Japan wrestling history. Originally a clean cut face during his NWA title reign, he turned heel beginning in 1995. His team with Hiroyoshi Tenzan was called "Team Wolf" and it was the core for the formation of the stables nWo Japan in NJPW when the nWo was huge in WCW, and its successor stable, Team 2000 which eventually was restructured again.
In a match against WCW's Bill Goldberg, Chono supposedly "shot the match" (actually hurting the opponent) and dislocated his shoulder. Given Goldberg's temperment and abuse of other wrestlers, it would stand to reason his actions and personality would conflict with NJPW employees seeing as how Japanese pro-wrestling puts more emphasis on the match instead of the gimmick.
Upon returning to Japan, Chono rejoined NJPW, where he acheived much success. He won the IWGP Tag Team Titles on six occasions and also won the very prestigious IWGP Heavyweight Title. In 2002, he won his fourth G1 Tournament.
In early 2004, Masahiro Chono became the leader of the Black New Japan stable, which is currently the most dominating heel stable in NJPW.
Chono recently won the 2005 G1 Tournament, thus having acheived a record-setting five G1 victories - a fact that overshadows his only IWGP World heavyweight title reign.
In Wrestling
Styles used
- Catch-as-Catch-Can
- British Style Grappling
- Judo Locks
Finishing and signature moves
- STF
- Cross leg STF
- FTS (Surfboard STF)
- Kenka ("Yakuza") Kick
- Shining Yakuza: a jumping Yakuza kick (modeled on Keiji Mutoh's "Shining Wizard" knee bash)
- Butterfly Lock: a front face full nelson applied to the opponent when he is in the mat
- Rolling Butterfly Lock: A standing variation of the butterfly lock. Chono locks on the shoulder/neck lock and rolls either forward or backward.
Managers
Championships and accomplishments
National Wrestling Alliance
- 1-Time NWA World Heavyweight Champion
- 1-Time NWA Central States Television Champion
New Japan Pro Wrestling
- 1-Time IWGP World Heavyweight Champion
- 6-Time IWGP World Tag Team Champion (with Keiji Mutoh once, Mutoh as Great Muta once and Hiroyoshi Tenzan four times)
Other championships
- 1-Time WWA Heavyweight Champion
- 1-Time CWF Tag Team Champion (with Mike Davis)
- 1-Time Hawaiian Kamehameha Heritage Champion
Tournament victories
- Winner 1991 NJPW G1 Climax Tournament (beat Keiji Mutoh)
- Winner 1992 NJPW G1 Climax Tournament (beat Rick Rude)
- Winner 1994 NJPW G1 Climax Tournament (beat Kensuke Sasaki)
- Winner 2002 NJPW G1 Climax Tournament (beat Yoshihiro Takayama)
- Winner 2005 NJPW G1 Climax Tournament (beat Kazuyuki Fujita)
- Winner 1987 NJPW Young Lions Cup (beat Shinya Hashimoto)
- Winner 1990 NJPW Japan/China Friendship Tournament (beat Kensuke Sasaki)
Pro Wrestling Illustrated
- Pro Wrestling Illustrated (PWI) ranked him # 70 of the 500 best singles wrestlers of the "PWI Years" in 2003