| Shinjiro Otani | |
|---|---|
| Ring name(s) | Mr. Otani (Europe) Shinjiro Otani ACHICHI |
| Billed height | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)[1] |
| Billed weight | 102 kg (220 lb)[1] |
| Born | July 21, 1972 Yamaguchi City, Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan |
| Resides | Tokyo, Japan |
| Trained by | Animal Hamaguchi Hiroshi Hase Kensuke Sasaki |
| Debut | June 25, 1992 |
Shinjiro Otani (大谷晋二郎, born July 21, 1972) is a Japanese professional wrestler contracted to Pro Wrestling ZERO1. Otani is also the acting President of the company.
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Otani was the fifth WCW World Cruiserweight Champion, defeating Wild Pegasus in a tournament final to be crowned champion on March 20, 1996. This was the start of his push as a legitimate junior heavyweight contender. Over the years, Otani earned the J-Crown[1] and was also part of the first IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champions with Tatsuhito Takaiwa.
In 2000, New Japan booker Riki Chōshū, eager to push his protege Kensuke Sasaki above everyone else, downgraded the junior heavyweight members to mere jobbers for the heavyweights. Otani protested and was sent abroad to bulk up. Returning in 2001 as a full-fledged heavyweight, Otani challenged Sasaki for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship, but failed.[1]
He then joined Shinya Hashimoto in creating their own promotion, Pro Wrestling ZERO-ONE, where he became one of the top stars after Hashimoto's departure in 2004 and subsequent death. During the company's relaunch following Hashimoto's death it was re-named to Pro Wrestling ZERO1-MAX. In ZERO1 he formed a tag team with Masato Tanaka called Emblem;[1] Team Emblem (as they were later known) would appear in the US promotion Ultimate Pro Wrestling, and include Keiji Sakoda. This tag team has formed, disbanded, and reformed numerous times during Otani's time in ZERO1. EMBLEM would go on to win the NWA Intercontinental Tag Team Championship (ZERO1's top Tag Team Title Belt) two times. (Otani has held that title 4 times) Otani has won ZERO1's annual round-robin tournament the Fire Festival three separate times (2001, 2002, 2005). On January 22, 2006, Otani defeated Steve Corino for the AWA Superstars of Wrestling World Heavyweight Championship.[2] On December 24th, 2007 it was announced by ZERO1's parent company FIRST ON STAGE that Otani would become the President of ZERO1. Otani took office officially on January 23, 2007, replacing previous President Yoshiyuki Nakamura who became Director of FIRST ON STAGE. He defeated Yuji Nagata on February 27, 2009 to win the ZERO1 World Heavyweight Championship.
1The championship was won in Tokyo, Japan as part of an interpromotional card between New Japan Pro Wrestling and World Championship Wrestling.
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