Tetsuya Bushi

Tetsuya Bushi
Bushi in February 2016
Birth name Tetsuya Shimizu
Born (1983-04-05) April 5, 1983[1][2]
Adachi, Tokyo, Japan[2]
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s) Bushi
Bushiroad
T28
Tetsuya
Tetsuya Bushi
Billed height 1.72 m (5 ft 7 1⁄2 in)[1][2]
Billed weight 83 kg (183 lb)[1][2]
Trained by AJPW Dojo[1]
Animal Hamaguchi[1]
Kaz Hayashi[1]
Keiji Mutoh[1]
Skayde[1]
Debut March 12, 2007[1]

Tetsuya Shimizu (清水 哲也, Shimizu Tetsuya, born April 5, 1983) is a Japanese professional wrestler who has worked under the ring names T28, Tetsuya, and Tetsuya Bushi. He works as the masked Bushi (stylized in all capital letters) for New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW), where he is a one-time IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion and three-time NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Champion. Having worked for All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW) for most of his career, Bushi transferred to NJPW in April 2012. Together with Super Crazy Bushi won AJPW's 2010 Junior Tag League and has previously won AJPW's U-30 Tag Team Tournament in 2008 with Kushida. Bushi spent 2009 working in Mexico for International Wrestling Revolution Group (IWRG), gaining international experience before returning to AJPW in February, 2010. Through NJPW's working relationship with the Mexican Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre promotion, Bushi has held the CMLL World Welterweight Championship.

Professional wrestling career

All Japan Pro Wrestling

Early career (2007–2008)

Tetsuya Shimizu trained in the AJPW Dojo under Animal Hamaguchi as well as receiving extra training by Kaz Hayashi and Keiji Muto for his professional wrestling debut. Upon his debut he adopted the ring name T28, inspired by the Japanese Manga Tetsujin 28-go.[1] Shimizu, as T28 wrestled his first match on March 12, 2007, losing to Nobukazu Hirai in the opening match of an All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW) show in Gunma, Japan.[3] Only two months after making his debut, T28 participated in the "Tag Team Samurai! TV Cup Triple Arrow Tournament", teaming up with veterans Satoshi Kojima and Taiyo Kea. In the first round they defeated a team known as Grappler, Susumu, and Hanzo, before losing to Katsuhiko Nakajima, Kensuke Sasaki and Seiya Sanada in the second round.[4][5] In February 2008, T28 teamed up with Kushida to participate in the U-30 Tag Team Tournament, a one night tournament that featured AJPW's top young wrestlers. The team defeated CJ Otis and Mototsugu Shimizu in the first round, Kaji Yamato and Taishi Takizawa in the second round and the team of Daichi Kakimoto and Manabu Soya in the finals to win the U30 Tag Team tournament.[6] The team would go on to compete in AJPW's 2008 Junior Tag League, the team ended up tied for last place with only four points for two victories and three losses.[7] He also competed in the 2008 AJPW Junior League, earning three points for one win and one time limit draw.[8] In late 2008 it was announced that T28 would undertake a "learning excursion" to Mexico to help him gain international experience, a tradition for many young Japanese wrestlers. He wrestled his last match for AJPW on September 19 before travelling to Mexico.

Learning excursion in Mexico (2008–2010)

In Mexico Tetsuya Shimizu began learning the Lucha libre style under Skayde.[1] On January 29, 2009, he made his debut for the Naucalpan, State of Mexico based International Wrestling Revolution Group (IWRG), working as a masked rudo (bad guy) character called Tetsuya.[1] In only his second match in IWRG he defeated reigning IWRG Intercontinental Lightweight Champion Freelance, which earned him a chance at the title only 10 days after making his IWRG debut. Tetsuya defeated Freelance to win the title, in a match that also included Dr. Cerebro.[9] His run with the title lasted for more than a month and did not feature any successful title defenses before he lost the belt to Zatura.[10] He spent the next several months teaming with other heels for random trios matches. He participated in IWRG's 2009 Rey del Ring tournament but was eliminated as number 14 out of 30.[11] Over the summer of 2009 he began wrestling as Tetsuya Bushi, or at times just Bushi after the Japanese term Bushido, the Samurai code. After losing a tag team match he was attacked by his partner Fantasma de la Opera and Tetsuya Bushi was turned technico (good guy). On November 11, 2009 Tetsuya Bushi became a two time IWRG Intercontinental Lightweight Champion as he defeated Avisman to win the title, becoming the only wrestler to hold the title two times up to that point.[12] After the success of the title victory Bushi tasted the sting of defeat as he was beaten by Oficial 911 in a Lucha de Apuesta, mask vs. mask match and had to unmask.[13] Traditionally foreign wrestlers who travel to Mexico to learn lose an Apuesta match and either unmask or have their hair shaved before their tour ends.[13] Tetsuya Bushi's tour of Mexico ended in January 2010 when he lost the IWRG Intercontinental Lightweight Championship to Dr. Cerebro. After the match El Hijo del Diablo used a Tombstone piledriver on Bushi, which in storyline terms injured Bushi, explaining his absence.[14]

Return from Mexico (2010–2012)

Bushi in November 2010.

When Shimizu returned to All Japan, he used the name Bushi instead of T28 and resumed wearing the mask he had lost to Oficial 911, since Japan are not subject to the strict mask rules of Mexico. After returning Bushi teamed with AJPW's top star Keiji Mutoh as well as luchador Super Crazy. The team with Super Crazy became a semi-regular feature, at times even as a six-man team with Kiyoshi who himself had recently returned from his own "learning excursion". On April 11, 2010, Bushi received his first shot at the World Junior Heavyweight Championship, but champion Kaz Hayashi successfully defended the title against Bushi in a very close match, a testament to the improvements he had made in Mexico[15] He teamed up with Super Crazy to win the 2010 Junior Tag League, defeating Hiroshi Yamato and Shuji Kondo in the finals.[16] In August 2011, All Japan introduced a new character named Black Bushi, portrayed by Canadian Adam Filangeri, who started a rivalry with the original Bushi, imitating the famous rivalry between the Tiger Mask and Black Tiger characters.[17]

New Japan Pro Wrestling (2012–present)

On April 16, 2012, New Japan Pro Wrestling announced it had reached an agreement with AJPW, which would see Bushi switch promotions in what was referred to as a "one year rental transfer".[18] Bushi debuted as a NJPW wrestler in the 2012 Best of the Super Juniors tournament, where he won three out of his eight round-robin stage matches and finished second to last in his block.[19] On October 21, Bushi and Mexican wrestler Negro Casas entered the 2012 Super Jr. Tag Tournament as "Grupo Cibernetico".[20] However, the team was eliminated from the tournament in the first round by Suzuki-gun (Taichi and Taka Michinoku).[21] On November 15, Bushi participated in the NEVER Openweight Championship tournament, but was eliminated in his first round match by Kengo Mashimo.[22] On January 18, 2013, New Japan and Bushi held a press conference to announce that he had signed a contract to make his move from All Japan permanent.[23] On June 7, Mexican Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL) promotion, with which New Japan Pro Wrestling had a working relationship, announced that Bushi, working under the ring name "Bushiroad", would start his first tour with the promotion the following week.[24] In his Mexican return match on June 14, Bushiroad teamed with Guerrero Maya, Jr. and Tritón to defeat Bobby Zavala, Namajague and Puma in a six-man tag team match.[25][26] In an unusual role for Japanese wrestlers in CMLL, Bushiroad was positioned as a technico, leading to Okumura of La Fiebre Amarilla branding him a traitor for going against his own people.[27] Bushi returned to New Japan on September 5.[28] From May 30 to June 6, Bushi took part in the 2014 Best of the Super Juniors tournament, where he finished with a record of four wins and three losses, with a loss against Ricochet on the final day costing him a spot in the semifinals.[29][30] On October 13 at King of Pro-Wrestling, Bushi unsuccessfully challenged the visiting Chase Owens for the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) World Junior Heavyweight Championship.[31] On December 19, Bushi suffered an epidural hematoma, cervical cord neurapraxia and a thoracic vertebrae fracture, which were estimated to sideline him for six months.[32]

Bushi with Los Ingobernables de Japon in February 2016

Bushi was set to wrestle his return match on August 16, 2015, but the match had to be postponed, after he broke the orbital floor in his right eye while training.[33] Bushi's comeback was postponed until November 21, 2015.[34] However, on November 20, New Japan announced they had pulled Bushi from his return match due to being unable to get into contact with him.[35] However, the following day this was revealed to be a storyline as Bushi accompanied Tetsuya Naito and Evil to their match, joining their villainous Los Ingobernables de Japon (L.I.J.) stable in the process.[36] On December 9, Bushi attacked Máscara Dorada after he refused to join L.I.J., ripped off his mask and stole the CMLL World Welterweight Championship belt, setting up a future title match between the two.[37] On December 19, Bushi defeated Dorada with help from Evil to become the new CMLL World Welterweight Champion.[38] On January 22, 2016, at Fantastica Mania 2016, Bushi lost the title back to Dorada.[39] On February 14 at The New Beginning in Niigata, Bushi unsuccessfully challenged Kushida for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship.[40] In May, Bushi entered the 2016 Best of the Super Juniors. Though he failed to advance from his block with a record of four wins and three losses, he scored a big win over Kushida in his final match, eliminating the reigning IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion from the tournament in the process.[41] On July 20, Bushi entered the 2016 Super J-Cup, but was eliminated in his first round match by Yoshinobu Kanemaru.[42]

Bushi with Sanada and Evil as the NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Champions in February 2017

On September 17 at Destruction in Tokyo, Bushi defeated Kushida to win the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship for the first time.[43] He lost the title back to Kushida on November 5 at Power Struggle.[44] On January 4, 2017, at Wrestle Kingdom 11 in Tokyo Dome, Bushi, Evil and Sanada won a four-team gauntlet match to become the new NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Champions.[45] They lost the title to Hiroshi Tanahashi, Manabu Nakanishi and Ryusuke Taguchi the next day,[46] before regaining it on February 11 at The New Beginning in Osaka.[47] They lost the title to Tanahashi, Taguchi and Ricochet in their second defense on April 4,[48] before regaining it on May 3 at Wrestling Dontaku 2017.[49] Bushi then entered the 2017 Best of the Super Juniors, where he finished with a record of four wins and three losses, same as block winner Kushida, but failed to advance to the finals due to losing to Kushida in their head-to-head match.[50] In late 2017, Bushi started teaming regularly with L.I.J. stablemate Hiromu Takahashi in NJPW's junior tag team division.[51] On December 17, Bushi, Evil and Sanada lost the NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Championship to Bullet Club's Bad Luck Fale, Tama Tonga and Tanga Loa in their fourth defense.[52] On January 4 at Wrestle Kingdom 12, Bushi competed in the New Japan Rumble to a losing effort.[53] In May 2018, he entered the 2018 Best of the Super Juniors. He finished the tournament with 3 win and 4 loses, failing to advance to the finals.

Championships and accomplishments

Bushi as the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion

Luchas de Apuestas record

Winner (wager) Loser (wager) Location Event Date Notes
Oficial 911 (mask)Tetsuya Bushi (mask)Naucalpan, Mexico StateIWRG Live eventDecember 3, 2009[13]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Rivera, Luis Manuel (February 2, 2010). "IWRG en Arena Naucalpan". SuperLuchas (in Spanish). pp. 20–21. issue 300.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Bushi" (in Japanese). New Japan Pro Wrestling. Retrieved December 25, 2012.
  3. ↑ "AJPW All Japan Pro-Wrestling EX – Tag 1". CageMatch. March 12, 2007. Retrieved April 30, 2010.
  4. ↑ "AJPW Appropriate Pro-Wrestling Love in Kurashiki". CageMatch. May 28, 2007. Retrieved April 30, 2010.
  5. ↑ "AJPW Pro-Wrestling Love in Hiroshima". CageMatch.net. May 29, 2007. Retrieved April 30, 2010.
  6. 1 2 "U-30 Tag Team Tournament". CageMatch.net. February 15, 2008. Retrieved April 30, 2010.
  7. ↑ "Junior Heavyweight Tag Team League 2008". Pro Wrestling History. March 23, 2008. Retrieved April 30, 2010.
  8. ↑ "Junior Champion Carnival 2008". Pro Wrestling History. August 3, 2008. Retrieved April 30, 2010.
  9. 1 2 Boutwell, Josh (February 12, 2009). "Viva La Raza! Lucha Weekly". WrestleView. Retrieved February 26, 2010.
  10. ↑ Boutwell, Josh (March 20, 2009). "Viva La Raza! Lucha Weekly". WrestleView. Retrieved February 26, 2010.
  11. ↑ "Turnierverlauf". CageMatch.net. Retrieved April 30, 2010.
  12. 1 2 Rivera, Luis Manuel (November 30, 2009). "El Pantera celebra 25 años". SuperLuchas (in Spanish). pp. 18–19. issue 342. Retrieved April 30, 2010.
  13. 1 2 3 Rivera, Luis Manuel (December 7, 2009). "Bushi perdió la máscara". SuperLuchas (in Spanish). pp. 22–23. issue 343. Retrieved April 30, 2010.
  14. ↑ Rivera, Luis Manuel (January 18, 2010). "Polémica coronación de Dr. Cerebro". SuperLuchas (in Spanish). pp. 18–19. issue 347. Retrieved April 30, 2010.
  15. ↑ Flores, Manuel (April 26, 2010). "Minoru Suzuki gana el Campion Carnival". SuperLuchas (in Spanish). pp. 10–11. issue 361. Retrieved April 30, 2010.
  16. 1 2 Flores, Manuel (April 29, 2010). "Ultima hora: Súper Crazy y Bushi ganan el torneo de parejas Jr. de AJPW". SuperLuchas (in Spanish). Retrieved April 30, 2010.
  17. ↑ "Black Bushi来日"偽者"と対決". Nikkan Sports. August 13, 2011. Retrieved August 8, 2014.
  18. ↑ "全日本プロレスのBushi選手が新日本プロレスへ1年間のレンタル移籍！ 『Super Jr.』にも出場！" (in Japanese). New Japan Pro Wrestling. April 16, 2012. Retrieved April 16, 2012.
  19. ↑ "NJPW 40th anniversary Tour Best of the Super Jr. XIX ～The door to the glory～" (in Japanese). New Japan Pro Wrestling. Retrieved June 9, 2012.
  20. ↑ "【いよいよ開幕!!】 10.21＆11.2後楽園で 「Super Jr.Tag Tournament」!!　あのネグロ・カサスも来日!!" (in Japanese). New Japan Pro Wrestling. October 19, 2012. Retrieved October 21, 2012.
  21. ↑ "NJPW 40ｔｈ anniversary Tour Road to Power Struggle" (in Japanese). New Japan Pro Wrestling. Retrieved October 21, 2012.
  22. ↑ http://www.puroresufan.com/njpw/2012/11/15/results-never-111512/
  23. ↑ "Bushi選手が新日本プロレスへ完全移籍！ 「このライオンマークを誇りに、改めて新日本プロレス所属・Bushiとしてがんばっていきます！」" (in Japanese). New Japan Pro Wrestling. January 18, 2013. Retrieved January 18, 2013.
  24. ↑ "Carteleras: Viernes 14 de Junio '13" (in Spanish). Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre. Archived from the original on June 8, 2013. Retrieved June 8, 2013.
  25. ↑ "Resultados Arena México Viernes 14 de Junio '13" (in Spanish). Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre. Archived from the original on June 15, 2013. Retrieved June 15, 2013.
  26. ↑ "CMLL遠征中のBushiが、メキシコ限定"ブシロｰド"でアレナメヒコに登場!!" (in Japanese). New Japan Pro Wrestling. June 15, 2013. Retrieved June 17, 2013.
  27. ↑ "Okumura llama traidor a Bushiroad". Medio Tiempo (in Spanish). June 17, 2013. Retrieved June 17, 2013.
  28. ↑ "Road to Destruction" (in Japanese). New Japan Pro Wrestling. Retrieved September 6, 2013.
  29. ↑ "Best of the Super Jr.XXI". New Japan Pro Wrestling (in Japanese). Retrieved June 6, 2014.
  30. ↑ "Best of the Super Jr.XXI". New Japan Pro Wrestling (in Japanese). Retrieved June 6, 2014.
  31. ↑ "King of Pro-Wrestling". New Japan Pro Wrestling (in Japanese). Retrieved October 13, 2014.
  32. ↑ "【お知らせ】Bushi選手が、全治6ヶ月の負傷により長期欠場へ". New Japan Pro Wrestling (in Japanese). December 20, 2014. Retrieved December 20, 2014.
  33. ↑ "【G125】【お詫びとお知らせ】Bushi選手が 右目眼窩底骨折負傷により、復帰戦が延期に". New Japan Pro Wrestling (in Japanese). August 11, 2015. Retrieved August 11, 2015.
  34. ↑ "11月21日（土）後楽園ホール大会にて、Bushi選手の"復帰戦"が決定！". New Japan Pro Wrestling (in Japanese). November 9, 2015. Retrieved November 9, 2015.
  35. ↑ "【お知らせ】11月21日（土）後楽園大会、Bushi選手の欠場が決定". New Japan Pro Wrestling (in Japanese). November 20, 2015. Retrieved November 20, 2015.
  36. ↑ "World Tag League 2015". New Japan Pro Wrestling (in Japanese). Retrieved November 21, 2015.
  37. ↑ Rose, Bryan (December 9, 2015). "NJPW World Tag League Finals report: Evil and Naito vs. Makabe and Honma". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Retrieved December 13, 2015.
  38. 1 2 Rose, Bryan (December 19, 2015). "NJPW results: Okada and Tanahashi battle in tag action, CMLL title bout". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Retrieved December 19, 2015.
  39. ↑ "NJPW Presents CMLL Fantastica Mania 2016". New Japan Pro Wrestling (in Japanese). Retrieved January 22, 2016.
  40. ↑ "The New Beginning in Niigata". New Japan Pro Wrestling (in Japanese). Retrieved February 14, 2016.
  41. ↑ "Best of the Super Jr.XXIII". New Japan Pro Wrestling (in Japanese). Retrieved June 6, 2016.
  42. ↑ "Super J-Cup 2016". New Japan Pro Wrestling (in Japanese). Retrieved July 20, 2016.
  43. 1 2 "Destruction in Tokyo". New Japan Pro Wrestling (in Japanese). Retrieved September 17, 2016.
  44. ↑ Rose, Bryan (November 4, 2016). "NJPW Power Struggle live results: Tetsuya Naito vs. Jay Lethal". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Retrieved November 5, 2016.
  45. 1 2 Rose, Bryan; Currier, Joseph (January 3, 2017). "NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 11 live results: Kazuchika Okada vs. Kenny Omega". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Retrieved January 4, 2017.
  46. ↑ 戦国炎舞 -Kizna- Presents New Year Dash !!. New Japan Pro Wrestling (in Japanese). Retrieved January 5, 2017.
  47. 1 2 Rose, Bryan (February 10, 2017). "NJPW New Beginning in Osaka live results: Naito vs. Elgin". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Retrieved February 11, 2017.
  48. ↑ 戦国炎舞-Kizna- Presents Road to Sakura Genesis 2017. New Japan Pro-Wrestling (in Japanese). Retrieved April 4, 2017.
  49. 1 2 Rose, Bryan (May 2, 2017). "NJPW Wrestling Dontaku live results: Okada faces Bad Luck Fale". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Retrieved May 3, 2017.
  50. ↑ 鉄拳7 Presents Best of the Super Jr.24. New Japan Pro-Wrestling (in Japanese). Retrieved June 1, 2017.
  51. ↑ Bushi×高橋ヒロム、待望の“初対談”が実現！ “危ない二人”がジュニアタッグ戦線殴り込みへ宣言！ウワサの“Roppongi 3K”にも言及!!（第1回）. New Japan Pro-Wrestling (in Japanese). October 3, 2017. Retrieved October 23, 2017.
  52. ↑ "JRA presents Road to Tokyo Dome". New Japan Pro-Wrestling (in Japanese). Retrieved December 17, 2017.
  53. ↑ "NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 12 live results: Okada-Naito, Omega-Jericho". WON/F4W - WWE news, Pro Wrestling News, WWE Results, UFC News, UFC results. 2018-01-03. Retrieved 2018-01-05.
  54. ↑ "Pro Wrestling Illustrated (PWI) 500 for 2016". The Internet Wrestling Database. Retrieved 2016-09-01.
  55. ↑ Alvarez, Bryan (March 15, 2018). "WOR: 2017 WRESTLING OBSERVER NEWSLETTER AWARDS DISCUSSION AND MORE!". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Retrieved March 15, 2018.
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