Wikipedia

Kintaro Kanemura

Yukihiro Kanemura(Kim thôn hành hạo,Kanemura Yukihiro,born August 9, 1970),better known by hisring nameKintaro Kanemura(Kim thôn キンタロー,Kanemura Kintarō),is aZainichi Koreanretiredprofessional wrestler.He also wrestled under the ring nameWing Kanemura(ウイング kim thôn,Uingu Kanemura)(stylized asW*ING Kanemura). He is best known for hisdeath matchesinApache Army,Big Japan Pro Wrestling(BJW),Extreme Championship Wrestling(ECW),Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling(FMW),International Wrestling Association(IWA) andWrestling International New Generations(W*ING).

Kintaro Kanemura
Kanemura in February 2013
Birth nameYukihiro Kanemura
Born(1970-08-09)August 9, 1970(age 54)
Tsu, Mie,Japan
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s)Kintaman
Kintaro Kanemura
W*ING Kanemura
Wing Kanemura
Yukihiro Kanemura
Billed height1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Billed weight112 kg (247 lb; 17.6 st)
DebutDecember 20, 1990
RetiredDecember 27, 2016

After beginning his career in the Japaneseindependent circuitin 1990, Kanemura joined W*ING in 1991 where he got his first mainstream exposure in professional wrestling and became skilled in deathmatch wrestling style as he participated in many notable deathmatches in the promotion, becoming one of the top stars of W*ING and became aone-timeCaribbean Heavyweight Champion,one-timePacific Northwest Heavyweight Championandone-timeWorld Tag Team Champion.He then worked briefly for IWA Japan after W*ING folded in 1994 before ultimately joining FMW. He made a name for himself in FMW by rising from a mid-carder to one of FMW's top main eventers as a member ofW*ING AllianceandTeam No Respect.He was the first title holder of theIndependent Heavyweight Championshipand theHardcore Championship.He became a three-timeworld championin FMW, winning theBrass Knuckles Heavyweight Championshiponce,the Independent Heavyweight Championshiponceand theWEW World Heavyweight Championshiponce.After FMW folded down, Kanemura became a freelancer in the independent circuit and founded his own promotion, Apache Army, an offshoot of FMW, which ended with Kanemura's retirement in 2016. Other major titles won by Kanemura were theBJW Deathmatch Heavyweight Championshipand theKO-D Openweight Championship.

Kanemura is of Korean descent. His Korean name isKim Hyeong-ho(Korean:김행호), but he has used aJapanese namein and outside of the ring. However, his best known pseudonym reflected his background, as theforenamewas a reference to South Korean professional wrestlerKintarō Ōki.He also had a short-lived marriage to Shiho Tsubaki ofAll Japan Women's Pro-Wrestling(AJW), having first met each other when she was touring with W*ING.[1]

Professional wrestling career

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Pioneer Senshi (1990–1991)

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Yukihiro Kanemura made his debut in December 1990 for Pioneer Senshi, againstAkitoshi Saito,who also debuted. Within months, Pioneer Senshi folded.

Wrestling International New Generations (1991–1994)

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Kanemura made his debut forWrestling International New Generations(W*ING) on August 7, 1991, as afan favoriteunderdogby teaming with Ryo Miyake againstThe Headhuntersin a losing effort.[2]Although he started in the undercard, he worked his way up the ladder in W*ING and quickly became one of the top stars of the company due to his willingness to take damage indeathmatches.On May 5, 1992, he defeatedThe GrapplerinOsakato lay claim to a version of thePacific Northwest Heavyweight Championship,whose championship belt was owned by Grappler[1][3](that title win, however, is not recognized as part of the official title history for theNWA Pacific Northwest Heavyweight Championship,which was held at that point byC.W. Bergstrom[4]and would be untilPacific Northwest Wrestlingfolded in July 1992 afterDon Owen's retirement; however, W*ING recognized Kanemura as their Pacific Northwest Heavyweight Champion until the promotion's closure).[5]On June 4, Kanemura teamed with Mitsuteru Tukoda against The Headhunters in asteel cage match,which Kanemura lost after suffering an injury which put him out of action for two months.[1][6]

Kanemura returned to W*ING atOne Night One Soulon August 2, where he teamed with Tokuda to defeatSuper InvaderandThe Masked Infernoin ahair vs. maskbarbed wire barricade matchwhen Kanemura pinned Masked Inferno, forcing Inferno to take off his mask and begin competing as Rochester Roadblock.[1][7]As a result, Kanemura began feuding with Roadblock and the two wrestled each other to a double disqualification on August 14.[8]After coming up short in a title shot on September 27,[9]Kanemura finally defeatedMiguel Perez Jr.on December 18 to win theCaribbean Heavyweight Championship.[10]

On March 1, 1993, Kanemura wrestledKevin Sullivanat a television taping forSmoky Mountain Wrestling(SMW) in theUnited States,which Kanemura won by disqualification after Sullivan bladed Kanemura's arm with a spike; the incident was censored on national television in America.[1][11]The injury required Kanemura to get fifty-eight stitches.[1]On April 3, he teamed up withMitsuhiro Matsunagato win theWorld Tag Team Championship,defeatingFreddy KruegerandLeatherface.[12]However, Matsunaga vacated the title only six days later to wrestle Leatherface. Kanemura continued his feud with Sullivan to avenge the attack in SMW and the two battled each other to no contest atDog in the Boxon May 27.[13]The two had another rematch atHollywood Nightmare,which again ended in a no contest.[14]Kanemura became W*ING's top fan favorite after Mitsuhiro Matsunaga left the company to joinFrontier Martial-Arts Wrestling(FMW).[1]

On September 26, Kanemura lost the Caribbean Heavyweight Championship toJado.[15]On October 19, Kanemura and Shoji Nakamaki lost toJadoandGedo in afalls count anywhere match.[16]AtOdawara Brazing Night,Kanemura and Nakamaki lost to Jado and Gedo in a No Ropes Barbed Wire Scramble Fire Deathmatch, when Jado executed aPowerbombon Kanemura into the fire withHido's help, burning 75 percent of his skin tissue off his back and shoulder. As a result, Jado and Gedo were awarded the win by forfeit and Kanemura was taken to hospital on a stretcher.[17]Kanemura returned to W*ING on November 20 to show his burns to the crowd and Gedo and Hido tried to confront him until he chased them away with his umbrella. He made his in-ring return to W*ING on February 15 by defeating Hido in aLoser Leaves W*INGStreet Fight,forcing Hido to leave W*ING.[18]On March 13, Kanemura headlined the show by teaming with Shoji Nakamaki againstKendo Nagasakiand Nobutaka Araya in aRing Filled with Cream tornado tag team match,which Kanemura's team lost.[19]This would turn out to be W*ING's last show as the promotion closed due to financial loss on March 21.[1]

International Wrestling Association of Japan (1994)

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After W*ING folded, Kanemura joined the upstartInternational Wrestling Association of Japan(IWA), defeating The Winger in IWA Japan's debut show on May 21, 1994.[20]While there, he feuded with Shoji Nakamaki in a series of chain matches, until a dispute with bookers caused Kanemura to quit on August 31, 1994.[1]

Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling

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W*ING Alliance (1994–1997)

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Main article:W*ING Alliance

Kanemura signed with FMW for a deal of a monthly salary of $10,000.[1]He debuted in FMW on September 7, 1994, as avillainby attackingAtsushi Onitaand joiningMr. Pogo's group.Mitsuhiro Matsunagawould join Kanemura after a falling out with Onita, which was the genesis of theW*ING Alliance.The aim of the group was to end FMW as they held Onita and FMW responsible for ending W*ING.[1]On September 25, Kanemura made his in-ring debut for FMW by teaming with Matsunaga againstHisakatsu OyaandTarzan Gotoin anexploding barbed wire dynamite poolelimination match,which ended in a no contest after Oya turned on Goto to join W*ING Alliance.[21]W*ING and FMW battled each other in many matches between late 1994 and early 1995 and W*ING established itself as the top villainousgroup.[22]On March 7, 1995, Kanemura won his firsttitlein FMW as he and Mr. Pogo defeated Atsushi Onita andMr. Gannosuketo win theBrass Knuckles Tag Team Championship.[23]They lost the title to Hisakatsu Oya andRicky Fujiat the6th Anniversary Showafter a miscommunication took place between Kanemura and Pogo.[24]This led Pogo toblow fireon Kanemura after the match to turn on W*ING and join Lethal Weapon.[1]

On May 17, Kanemura changed hisring nametoW*ING Kanemuraas a homage to W*ING during his first match againstMasato Tanaka,which Kanemura won.[25]The following month, Kanemura took on Mr. Pogo in a Street Fight on June 25 to avenge the betrayal at 6th Anniversary Show, which he lost.[26]In July, Kanemura participated in theYoung Spirit Tournament,a tournament featuring the new generation of young wrestlers of FMW after the departure of Atsushi Onita. He made to the finals of the tournament, where he lost to Masato Tanaka on July 30,[27]but reaching in the finals earned both men place in theGrand Slam Tournamentfor the vacantBrass Knuckles Heavyweight Championship.Kanemura was eliminated from the tournament and scored only two points as his only win in the tournament came against Masato Tanaka on September 5.[28]W*ING briefly turnedfan favoritesby siding with FMW after Mitsuhiro Matsunaga showed respect toHayabusaafter Hayabusa defeated Matsunaga in a match. On October 28, Kanemura and Tanaka lost to Hayabusa and Matsunaga in a match and all four men formed an alliance to fight Lethal Weapon.[29]Super LeatherandHidotook exception to it and joined Lethal Weapon. However, it turned out to be aswerveas Matsunaga turned on Hayabusa during a match against Mr. Pogo and Super Leather of Lethal Weapon and then Super Leather and Hido turned on Lethal Weapon and W*ING Alliance reunited as a group and became a serious threat to FMW and Lethal Weapon.[30]

AtYear End Spectacular,the W*ING Alliance squared off against each other as the team of Super Leather, W*ING Kanemura and Hido lost to Mitsuhiro Matsunaga, Jason the Terrible andHideki Hosakain a W*ING Caribbean Barbed Wire Double Hell Glass Deathmatch.[31]On February 23, W*ING alliance lost to the FMW team ofKoji Nakagawa,Masato Tanaka andTetsuhiro Kurodain the first-everWarGames matchin FMW, which ended FMW's feud with W*ING asVíctor Quiñonesreturned to FMW and introduced Puerto Rican Army to attack FMW and W*ING.[30][32]As a result, W*ING reverted to fan favorites. At7th Anniversary Show,Kanemura replaced Mitsuhiro Matsunaga and challengedCactus Jackfor theIWA King of the Deathmatch Championshipin a Caribbean Barbed Wire Barricade Spider Net Glass Deathmatch, which Kanemura ended up losing.[33]The match raised Kanemura's stock and enabled him to shine as W*ING's standout performer as Mitsuhiro Matsunaga would leave FMW after the event and Kanemura became the main focus of the group and began rising in popularity in FMW.[1]

Kanemura participated in a tournament for the newIndependent Heavyweight Championship,defeating Koji Nakagawa in the quarter-final[34]and Super Leather in the semi-final, a Caribbean Barbed Wire Deathmatch[35]to advance to the final round to determine the first champion atSummer Spectacular,where he defeated Masato Tanaka to win the tournament and become the inaugural Independent Heavyweight Champion.[36]On September 1, the FMW team of Koji Nakagawa, Masato Tanaka and Tetsuhiro Kuroda took on Kanemura, Hido and Hideki Hosaka in a no rope barbed wire double hell deathmatch, during which Kanemura injured his ear after Nakagawa threw him into the exploding barbed wire.[37]Kanemura returned to FMW on October 12 by teaming with Jason the Terrible to defeat Hisakatsu Oya andThe Gladiator.[38]After the match, Kanemura was attacked by Gladiator, setting up atitle unification matchbetween the two atYear End Spectacular,where Gladiator's Brass Knuckles Heavyweight Championship would also be on the line. After successfully defending the Independent Heavyweight Championship against Hisakatsu Oya in his first title defense on October 26,[39]Kanemura lost the title to Gladiator in the title unification match at Year End Spectacular. This led to the unification of the Independent Heavyweight Championship and the Brass Knuckles Heavyweight Championship which would be collectively defended as the FMW Double Championship.[40]

In 1997, W*ING Alliance joined forces with the returning Atsushi Onita to feud with Funk Masters of Wrestling. On April 25, Kanemura and Hido defeatedThe Headhuntersto end their year-long reign to win the Brass Knuckles Tag Team Championship.[41]At8th Anniversary Show,the team of Onita, Masato Tanaka and W*ING Kanemura defeated the team of Cactus Jack, The Gladiator andTerry Funkin a Texas Tornado Street Fight Deathmatch when Kanemura pinned Gladiator.[42]On May 25, Kanemura earned the right to face Onita in themain eventofFall Spectacular,after Onita, Kanemura and Hido defeated Koji Nakagawa, Masato Tanaka and Tetsuhiro Kuroda when Onita pinned Tanaka.[1][43]However, Tanaka begged Onita and Kanemura to give him one more chance and the request was accepted with Kanemura defeating Tanaka in a No Rope Barbed Wire Deathmatch atShiodome Legendto earn the right to face Onita in the main event of Fall Spectacular.[44]On August 21, Kanemura and Hido lost the Brass Knuckles Tag Team Championship to Mr. Gannosuke and Hisakatsu Oya.[45]Shortly after the title loss, Kanemura fractured his foot but still competed in his scheduled match against Atsushi Onita in a No Ropes Exploding Barbed Wire Steel Cage Time Bomb Deathmatch at Fall Spectacular, which stipulated that if Onita lost, he would be forced toretireand if Kanemura lost then W*ING Alliance would be forced to disband. Kanemura lost the match due to his fractured foot, resulting in him being forced to disband W*ING Alliance.[46]

ZEN and Team No Respect (1997–2000)

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Main articles:ZENandTeam No Respect

Atsushi Onita grew upset at Yukihiro Kanemura, Hideki Hosaka and Hido being worried due to the end of W*ING Alliance and no group would accept them in FMW. This led Onita to denounce himself as a FMW wrestler and take the former W*ING Alliance members and FMW's young rising star Tetsuhiro Kuroda under his wing to form a newnWo-themed group namedZENat a press conference on September 30, 1997.[30]The group emerged as the top villainous faction in FMW. On October 14, Kanemura reverted to using his previous ring nameYukihiro Kanemuraas he and Hideki Hosaka defeatedSuper LeatherandThe Gladiator.[47]On October 19, Onita and Kanemura defeated Funk Masters of Wrestling'sHisakatsu OyaandMr. Gannosuketo win theBrass Knuckles Tag Team Championship.[48]The impact of ZEN's dominance led Oya, Gannosuke and The Gladiator to end Funk Masters of Wrestling and jump ship to ZEN. The following month, Onita and Kanemura vacated the tag team titles due to Onita's inactivity. On November 28, Kanemura teamed with Mr. Gannosuke to defeatHayabusaandMasato Tanakafor the vacant Brass Knuckles Tag Team Championship.[49]Gannosuke and Kanemura had a great chemistry and they becameoverwith the fans due to their villainous antics and surpassed their leader Atsushi Onita to getheatfrom the audience.[1]

Friction arose between ZEN when Onitabookedhimself against Masato Tanaka in the main event of the first show of theSuper Extreme Wrestling Waron December 19, while Gannosuke and Kanemura felt that their defense of the Brass Knuckles Tag Team Championship against Hayabusa andJinsei Shinzakideserved to be the main event match. Gannosuke and Kanemura retained the titles against Hayabusa and Shinzaki and confronted Onita on his ego and selfishness.[50]On December 22, Gannosuke, Kanemura and Onita lost to Hayabusa, Jinsei Shinzaki and Masato Tanaka in a Barbed Wire Baseball Bat Ladder WarGames match and Gannosuke and Kanemuraturnedon Onita by attacking him after the match untilKoji Nakagawamade the save for Onita.[51]The duo, along withHidoleft ZEN.[1]On January 7, 1998, the trio took on Atsushi Onita, Koji Nakagawa and Tetsuhiro Kuroda in the main event of the first ZEN-promoted show. Kanemura's team lost but attacked their opponents after the match and were joined byFuyuki-Gunin the assault, leading to the two groups merging to form a new alliance calledTeam No Respect,with Mr. Gannosuke as the leader.[52][53]

On January 16, Gannosuke, Kanemura andJadodefeated Hayabusa, Hisakatsu Oya and Masato Tanaka to win theWorld Street Fight 6-Man Tag Team Championship.[54]They lost the title to Atsushi Onita, Koji Nakagawa and Tetsuhiro Kuroda on February 13.[55]The following month, Kanemura participated in a tournament to determine the #1 contender for Mr. Gannosuke's Double Championship, defeating Koji Nakagawa in the quarter-final before losing to The Gladiator in the semi-final.[56][57]Kanemura would wrestle the departing Jinsei Shinzaki in Shinzaki's last FMW match at the company's firstpay-per-viewevent9th Anniversary Show,which Kanemura lost.[58]After the event,Kodo Fuyukitook over as the leader of Team No Respect due to Mr. Gannosuke being injured. On May 5, Fuyuki, Kanemura and Hido defeated Atsushi Onita, Koji Nakagawa and Tetsuhiro Kuroda to win theWorld Street Fight 6-Man Tag Team Championshipafter Nakagawa apparently suffered a shoulder injury, forcing ZEN to disband as a result of the pre-match stipulation.[59]Later that month, Fuyuki and Kanemura formed atag teamcalledThe New Footloose,a spin-off of Fuyuki's old tag team withToshiaki KawadacalledFootlooseinAll Japan Pro Wrestling(AJPW).[52]

On May 27, New Footloose defeated Hayabusa and Masato Tanaka to win the Brass Knuckles Tag Team Championship.[60]In June, TNR vacated the World Street Fight 6-Man Tag Team Championship, only to regain it as Fuyuki, Kanemura and new member Koji Nakagawa defeated Hayabusa, Masato Tanaka and Hisakatsu Oya to win the title.[61]On June 26, Kanemura unsuccessfully challenged Hayabusa for the Double Championship.[62]TNR grew in power and began influencing FMW and feuded with Atsushi Onita'sZENand Hayabusa's Team Phoenix throughout the year. On October 26, New Footloose lost the Brass Knuckles Tag Team Championship to Hayabusa andDaisuke Ikeda.[63]On November 20, FMW PresidentShoichi Araistripped TNR of the World Street Fight 6-Man Tag Team Championship and awarded the titles to the departing Atsushi Onita as a reward for founding FMW and making it a successful promotion.[64]In December, Kanemura participated in anOver the Top Tournamentto determine the #1 contender for the Double Championship. He defeated Hideki Hosaka in the opening round before losing to eventual winner Mr. Gannosuke in the quarter-final round.[65][66]

In early 1999, Kanemura teamed with Hido to participate in a tournament for the vacant Brass Knuckles Tag Team Championship and they were eliminated from the tournament losing all of the matches.[67]On May 18, Kodo Fuyuki separated the Double Championship intoBrass Knuckles Heavyweight Championshipand theIndependent Heavyweight Championshipand awarded the Brass Knuckles Heavyweight Championship to Kanemura.[1]Kanemura would then team with Mr. Gannosuke and Jado to participate in a tournament for the newly createdWEW 6-Man Tag Team Championship,where they lost to Hayabusa, Masato Tanaka and Tetsuhiro Kuroda in the semi-final onJuly 31.[68]Kanemura lost the Brass Knuckles Heavyweight Championship to Hayabusa at theHayabusa Graduation Ceremonypay-per-view on August 23.[69]Two days later, Kanemura unsuccessfully challenged Masato Tanaka for the Independent Heavyweight Championship atLast Match,which would turn out to be the last match of the title as it would be retired after the event.[70]

On September 20, Kanemura changed his ring name toKintaro Kanemura,a name given to him byShark Tsuchiyabased on Korean wrestlerKintarō Ōkiand was awarded the newHardcore Championshipby Kodo Fuyuki.[1]He successfully defended the title againstExtreme Championship Wrestling's (ECW)Balls Mahoneyat10th Anniversary Show.[71][72]Later at the event, Kodo Fuyuki lost aloser leaves FMW matchto Masato Tanaka and Mr. Gannosuke left TNR to form a tag team withH,which left Kanemura as the leader of Team No Respect and the group turned fan favorites.[1][52]On December 11, Kanemura successfully defended the Hardcore Championship against Mahoney's tag team partnerAxl Rotten.[73]The following night, TNR defeated ECW's Balls Mahoney, Axl Rotten,Super CrazyandYoshihiro Tajiri.[74]In 2000, Kanemura began ananglewithBig Japan Pro Wrestling's (BJW)Ryuji Yamakawa,resulting in an interpromotional feud between BJW and FMW. On February 23, Kanemura lost the Hardcore Championship to Yamakawa at a BJW event.[75]Kanemura then wrestled for ECW, where he lost to Balls Mahoney atLiving Dangerously.[76]AtFMW 11th Anniversary Show,Kanemura defeated Ryuji Yamakawa to win his second Hardcore Championship.[77]

Championship reigns (2000–2002)

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On June 16, Kanemura disbanded Team No Respect to join Kodo Fuyuki'sShin Fuyuki-Gun,thus turning into a villain and teamed withHideki HosakaandYoshinori Sasakito defeatTetsuhiro Kuroda,Hisakatsu Oyaand Flying Kid Ichihara.[78]He would be involved in a comedy feud with Hisakatsu Oya, which culminated in aladder matchbetween the two on July 23, which Oya won.[79]Kanemura successfully defended the Hardcore Championship against Mike Samples on July 28.[80]He then began a violent feud with Masato Tanaka, which culminated in a match between the two for Kanemura's Hardcore Championship atDeep Throat,which Kanemura won to retain the title.[1][81]In 2001, Shin Fuyuki-Gun disbanded after Tetsuhiro Kuroda turned on Kodo Fuyuki to form Team Kuroda.[64]After a successful title defense against Azusa Kudo on February 11,[82]Kanemura teamed with Ryuji Yamakawa on February 23 to defeatGOEMONandOnryoto win theHardcore Tag Team Championship.[83]Kanemura and Yamakawa successfully defended the title against Azusa Kudo andMammoth Sasakion March 5.[84]

On March 13, Kanemura lost to Tetsuhiro Kuroda in a #1 contender's match for theWEW World Heavyweight Championship.[85]On March 18, Yamakawa suffered a severe brain injury in a match againstThe Wifebeater,which put him out of action and Kanemura continued to compete in singles competition.[1][86]Kanemuradroppedthe Hardcore Championship to Mammoth Sasaki on April 1.[87]At12th Anniversary Show,Kanemura defeated Sasaki to regain the title winning it for a third time.[88]Kanemura successfully defended the title againstJun Kasaion May 22 and then retired the title afterwards.[89]

On June 8, Kanemura affiliated with Kodo Fuyuki, who owned 48% of the company's shares and wanted to sale it to Stuart Levy'sTokyopop.Kanemura would then feud with Hayabusa and Shoichi Arai's FMW team. On July 30, Kanemura, Mr. Gannosuke and Kodo Fuyuki defeated the team of Flying Kid Ichihara, Hisakatsu Oya andRicky Fujito win theWEW 6-Man Tag Team Championship.[90]On August 3, Kanemura pinned Hayabusa in asix-man tag team matchto earn a title shot at Hayabusa's WEW World Heavyweight Championship on August 11, where he defeated Hayabusa to win the title with help from Mammoth Sasaki.[91][92]Kanemura lost the title back to Hayabusa in a rematch on September 5,[93]but the FMW President Senmu Yoshida overturned the decision on September 9 by showing a video in which Hayabusa used alow blowon Kanemura to win the title and returned the title to Kanemura.[1]Later at the event, the team of Kintaro Kanemura, Kodo Fuyuki and Mr. Gannosuke lost the WEW 6-Man Tag Team Championship to Hayabusa, GOEMON and Tetsuhiro Kuroda.[94]

On November 23, Kanemura successfully defended the WEW World Heavyweight Championship againstThe Great Sasuke.[95]Later that night, Kanemura turned fan favorite by siding with Mr. Gannosuke, Tetsuhiro Kuroda and Mammoth Sasaki to feud with Kodo Fuyuki, who had turned on FMW to ally withGenichiro Tenryu'sWARalliance.[1]On December 2, Kanemura teamed with the returningRyuji Yamakawato defend theWEW Hardcore Tag Team Championshipat a BJW event againstDaisuke SekimotoandMen's Teiohin a title vs. title match with Sekimoto and Teioh'sBJW Tag Team Championshipalso being defended. Kanemura and Yamakawa lost the match and the titles.[96][97]On December 9, FMW's team of Kuroda, Gannosuke, Kanemura and Sasaki defeated WAR's team of Fuyuki, Tenryu,ArashiandKoki Kitahara.[98]On December 23, Kanemura teamed with Sasaki and participated in a tournament for the vacantWEW World Tag Team Championship,defeatingBalls MahoneyandHorace Boulderin the quarter-final andSuper CrazyandCrazy Boyin the semi-final before losing to Mr. Gannosuke and Tetsuhiro Kuroda in the final.[99][100]On January 6, 2002, Kanemura lost the WEW World Heavyweight Championship to Kodo Fuyuki.[101]The following month, on February 4, the team of Kanemura, GOEMON and Mammoth Sasaki defeatedVic Grimes,Paul LeDuc andMitsunobu Kikuzawa.[102]This would turn out to be FMW's last show as the promotion closed on February 15 due to bankruptcy.[64]

Freelance (2002–2004)

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After FMW's demise, Kanemura joined Kodo Fuyuki's World Entertainment Wrestling (WEW), which lasted until 2004. Kanemura's home promotion was WEW but he became a freelancer and wrestled on manyindependent promotionsin Japan. Kanemura had begun wrestling for several promotions in 2000 to make more money while also competing for FMW. Kanemura had begun making appearances forDramatic Dream Team(DDT) in 2001 and began feuding with DDT's top starSanshiro Takagiin 2002. On April 18, Kanemura teamed withSuper Uchu Power,Chocoball Mukaiand Futoshi Miwa to take on Takagi, Takashi Sasaki and Tanomusako Toba in ahandicap matchwith Power'sIronman Heavymetalweight Championshipon the line. Takagi won the title and then Kanemura used the title's 24/7 rules and immediately defeated Takagi to win the title.[103]The following week, on April 25, Kanemura teamed with Super Uchu Power to defend the title against Takagi and Takashi Sasaki in a match, during which Takagi pinned Kanemura to win the title.[104]On May 16, Kanemura defeatedGENTAROand Takashi Sasaki in athree-way matchto become the #1 contender for theKO-D Openweight Championship.[105]AtMax Bump,Kanemura defeated champion Sanshiro Takagi to win the KO-D Openweight Championship, also winning Takagi's Ironman Heavymetalweight Championship for the second time in the process.[106]Kanemura lost the Ironman Heavymetalweight Championship six days later to Chocoball Mukai. Kanemura would then team with Futoshi Miwa to participate in the 2002 KO-D Tag League, in which the two managed to score eight points.[107]Kanemura lost the KO-D Openweight Championship back to Sanshiro Takagi on September 7.[108]

Kanemura would frequently make appearances inPro Wrestling Zero-Oneas part of a working partnership between WEW and Zero-One, participating in Zero-One'sFire Festival,where he won only one match in his block againstTaka Michinoku.[109]Kanemura defeated Tetsuhiro Kuroda to win the reinstatedWEW World Heavyweight Championshipon a WEW television show which aired on September 3.[110]On March 3, 2003, the team of Kanemura and Kuroda defeatedGentaroand Takashi Sasaki to win theWEW World Tag Team Championship.[111]Later that month, Kanemura defeatedShadow WXin a Lighttubes and Glass Deathmatch to win the vacantBJW Deathmatch Heavyweight Championshipon March 30 during theHarder than Hardcore IVtour.[112][113]He successfully defended the title againstAbdullah Kobayashiin a No Ropes Barbed Wire Deathmatch on June 1,[114]beforedroppingthe title toRyuji Itoin asteel cage matchon August 24.[115]Kanemura continued to compete as WEW's top wrestler until the promotion closed in 2003 due to the death of its owner Kodo Fuyuki and the promotion was changed into Fuyuki Army. Kanemura would then also begin making appearances forHayabusa's Wrestlings Marvelous Future (WMF) promotion, where he debuted atMarvelous Days 3rdevent on July 25 as the tag team partner of Mammoth Sasaki and Tetsuhiro Kuroda against Mr. Gannosuke, Mr. Iwaonosuke and Mr. Rocknosuke, which Kanemura's team won.[116]

On August 25, Kanemura defeated Mr. Gannosuke in a match and after the match, Kanemura formed astablewith several former FMW wrestlers called Apache Army.[117]The stable would include Gannosuke, Taka Michinoku, Tetsuhiro Kuroda,GOEMON,GENTARO,Hido,Go Ito and Takashi Sasaki.[118]On October 2, the team of2 Tuff Tony,Kintaro Kanemura andMad Man Pondodefeated Gosaku Goshogawara, Taka Michinoku and Tetsuhiro Kuroda to win theWEW 6-Man Tag Team Championship.[119]A week later, Kanemura and Kuroda won theAll Asia Tag Team Championshipby defeatingHirotaka YokoiandKohei Sato.[120]On December 5, Kanemura was scheduled to team with Mr. Gannosuke and Tetsuhiro Kuroda againstShinjiro Otani,Masato Tanaka andTatsuhito Takaiwabut was pulled out of the show due to alymphinfection and was replaced by Mammoth Sasaki. The injury forced Kanemura to vacate the All Asia Tag Team Championship on December 10.[118]

Apache Pro-Wrestling Army (2004–2016)

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Kanemura returned to the ring in early 2004 and WEW's successor Fuyuki Army ended on May 5. The Apache Army stable competed as freelancers in the Japaneseindependent circuit.On July 4, Kanemura promoted his own showKintaro Kanemura Festival,where he and Hido defeated the team ofDaisuke Sekimotoand Ryuji Ito in ahardcore rules match.[121]On August 19, Kanemura and Hido defeatedTomohiro IshiiandKendo Kashinto win theWMG Tag Team Championshipat aRiki Proshow.[122]On August 28, Kanemura started a promotionApache Pro-Wrestling Army,which grew out of their stable.[123]Things were going well for Kanemura until February 2008, when a sexual harassment scandal cost him several bookings from other promotions.

On November 15, 2015, Kanemura announced that he plans on retiring from the ring sometime in the next year. Kanemura's retirement match took place on December 27, 2016, and saw him, Masato Tanaka and Tetsuhiro Kuroda lose toDaisuke Sekimoto,Kohei SatoandYuji Hinoin a six-man tag team match with Sekimoto pinning Kanemura to end his career.[124]

Championships and accomplishments

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1^W*ING recognized Kanemura as the W*ING Pacific Northwest Heavyweight Champion until W*ING's closure on March 13, 1994. However, Pacific Northwest Wrestling did not recognize Kanemura's title win.

References

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