Osamu Matsuda
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| Osamu Matsuda | |
|---|---|
| Statistics | |
| Ring name(s) | El Samurai Osamu Matsuda |
| Billed height | 180 cm (5 ft 11 in) |
| Billed weight | 92 kg (203 lb) |
| Born | April 19, 1966 Hanamaki, Iwate, Japan |
| Trained by | New Japan Dojo |
| Debut | July 24, 1986 against Yuji Funaki |
Osamu Matsuda is a Japanese professional wrestler who is best known for his work in New Japan Pro Wrestling, and is better known by his stage name El Samurai.
Contents |
[edit] Career
Matsuda graduated from high school in 1985, and joined the New Japan Pro Wrestling dojo. He debuted a year later and spent a few years working at the bottom of the card. In March 1991 he went to Mexico, and while there adopted a mask and the El Samurai stage name. He returned to NJPW in early 1992, and quickly defeated Jushin Liger for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship in June. In 1997 he adopted a new costume and won the Best of Super Junior tournament. Only a month later he defeated Liger, winning the unified J-Crown Championship which at that time consisted of 7 junior heavyweight championships. In April 2004 Matsuda unmasked for the first time since adopting the El Samurai character, for a match against Osamu Nishimura, but it was for one night only. Up until at the end of January 2005, Matsuda was unmasked again in a MUGA-style match against Shinsuke Nakamura. Though Matsuda has not been a top contender in the NJPW Junior Heavyweight division for a few years, he still continues to be a veteran in it, recently winning a second IWGP Junior tag team title, this time with rookie Ryusuke Taguchi.
On February 1st, 2008 New Japan agreed to let El Samurai leave the company after his contract expired. He had been hit by injuries, which caused Samurai not to be seen much in the ring in late 07 & early 08. His departure comes as some surprise as he leaves as one of New Japan's longest serving mainstays.
On February 17, El Samurai appeared in All Japan Pro Wrestling, aiding Kaz Hayashi & Shuji Kondo by fending off NOSAWA Rongai & MAZADA.
[edit] In wrestling
- Finishing and signature moves
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- Double wrist lock
- Samurai Buster (Reverse brainbuster)
- Samurai Bomb (One shoulder powerbomb)
- Reverse DDT, sometimes from the top rope
- Top rope frankensteiner
- German suplex
- Suicide dive
- Diving elbow drop
[edit] Championships and accomplishments
-
- IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship (2 times)
- IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Jushin Liger (1) and Ryusuke Taguchi (1)
- UWA World Junior Light Heavyweight Championship (2 times)
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- WAR International Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Jushin Liger
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- Most Improved Wrestler award in 1992
1Despite still using the NWA initials in the championship, CMLL is no longer a member of the National Wrestling Alliance. As a result, the NWA no longer recognizes or sanctions the title as a world championship.
²Although he did win the WWF Light Heavyweight Championship twice, neither of his reigns are officially recognized by World Wrestling Entertainment. No reign prior to December of 1997 is officially recognized by the WWE.
