Oz Academy

Oz Academy (OZアカデミー, OZ Akademī) is a Japanese joshi puroresu or women's professional wrestling promotion founded by Mayumi Ozaki. The promotion's full official name is Oz Academy Women's Professional Wrestling (OZアカデミー女子プロレス, OZ Akademī Joshi Puroresu).[1] In addition to the contracted members of the roster, Oz Academy has also employed some of the top freelancers in all of joshi puroresu, including Ayumi Kurihara, Hiroyo Matsumoto, Manami Toyota and Tomoka Nakagawa. The promotion has a television deal with Gaora.[2]

Oz Academy
AcronymOz
FoundedJune 21, 1998[1]
StyleJoshi puroresu
Hardcore wrestling
HeadquartersShinjuku, Tokyo[1]
Founder(s)Mayumi Ozaki[1]
Websiteoz-academy.com

History

Oz Academy founder Mayumi Ozaki

While working in the Gaea Japan promotion in mid-90s, Ozaki formed the villainous Oz Academy stable with Chikayo Nagashima, Rieko Amano and Sugar Sato, eventually opening a training school under the same name.[3] Oz Academy eventually started promoting sporadic independent events, featuring members of the stable and Ozaki's trainees, with the first event held on June 21, 1998.[1] Following the folding of Gaea Japan in 2005, Ozaki turned Oz Academy into a full promotion with a full schedule of approximately one to two events per month, while also recruiting veteran wrestlers Aja Kong, Dynamite Kansai and Sonoko Kato to serve as the backbone of the promotion.[1][4][5] Oz Academy remained without championships for nearly nine years, before introducing the Oz Academy Openweight Championship in March 2007 and the Oz Academy Tag Team Championship in July 2008.[6][7]

Mayumi Ozaki has always been a focal point of Oz Academy events and storylines, with different variations of her original Oz Academy stable trying to dominate and keep themselves on top of the promotion. The stable has gone under many different names, including D-Fix,[8] Ozaki-gun,[9] Ozaki-gundan,[10] and currently, Seikigun.[11] At the end of each year, Oz Academy allows its fans to vote on different awards, including MVP of the Year, Singles Match of the Year and Tag Team Match of the Year, which are then presented to the winners at the "Best Wizard" award ceremony.[12] Oz Academy is based in Shinjuku, Tokyo and holds most of its events in Shinjuku Face.[1][4] The promotion itself considers the formation of the stable in 1996 as its starting point and celebrated its 20th anniversary on November 13, 2016.[13]

Roster

Wrestlers

Ring name Real name Notes
Aja Kong Erika Shishido[14]
Akino Mika Akino[15]
Hikaru Shida Hikaru Shida[16] AEW
Makai
Hiroyo Matsumoto Hiroyo Matsumoto[17] Freelancer
Kaho Kobayashi Kaho Kobayashi[18] Pro Wrestling Wave
Asuka Project
Kaori Yoneyama Kaori Yoneyama[19] Freelancer
Kyusei Sakura Hirota Unknown Freelancer
Maya Yukihi Unknown ICE×∞ Champion
Mayumi Ozaki Mayumi Ozaki[20]
Sonoko Kato Sonoko Kato[21]
Syuri Syuri Kondo[22] Pancrase Women's Strawweight Champion
UFC
Freelancer
Tsubasa Kuragaki Yasuko Kuragaki[23] Freelancer
Tsukasa Fujimoto Tsukasa Fujimoto Ice Ribbon
Yoshiko Yoshiko Hirano Seadlinnng
Yumi Ohka Yumiko Abe[24] Pro Wrestling Wave

Non-wrestlers

Ring name Real name Notes
Mio Unknown[25] Referee
Police Unknown[26] Manager of Seikigun
Ring Ana Nakamura Hiroyuki Nakamura[27] Ring announcer
Sayuri Kokushō Sayuri Koda Occasional manager of Seikigun
Sachiko Ito Sachiko Ito[28] Referee

Notable alumni

Ring name Real name Notes
Ayumi Kurihara Ayumi Kurihara[29] Retired on August 4, 2013
Carlos Amano Rieko Amano[30] Retired on August 17, 2014
Chikayo Nagashima Chikayo Nagashima[31] Resigned on August 23, 2015
Devil Masami Masami Yoshida[32] Retired on December 30, 2008
Dynamite Kansai Chieko Suzuki[33] Retired on December 11, 2016[34]
Hiren Yurie Kaneko[35] Retired on November 8, 2011
Kaori Nakayama Kaori Nakayama[36] Retired on October 23, 2002
Kaoru Kaoru Maeda[37]
Manami Toyota Manami Toyota[38] Retired on November 3, 2017.[39][40]
Mika Nishio Mika Nishio[41] Retired from wrestling in April 2006, continued working as a manager until March 20, 2016, when she retired due to pregrancy[42][43]
Nao Komatsu Nao Komatsu[44] Injured on December 9, 2012
Ran Yu-Yu Tomoko Miyaguchi[45] Retired on December 9, 2012
Rie Rie Nakamura
Sugar Sato Toshie Sato[46] Retired on June 26, 2005
Takako Inoue Takako Inoue[47]
Tomoka Nakagawa Tomoka Nakagawa[48] Retired on December 4, 2014

Championships

Championship Current champion(s) Reign Date won Days held Previous champion(s)
Oz Academy Openweight ChampionshipMayumi Ozaki3April 14, 2019432+Hikaru Shida
Oz Academy Tag Team ChampionshipMission K4
(Akino and Sonoko Kato)
1
(5, 2)
August 25, 2019299+Ozaki-gun
(Maya Yukihi and Saori Anou)

See also

References

  1. "Ozアカデミー女子プロレス". Oz Academy (in Japanese). Retrieved July 1, 2012.
  2. "Ozアカデミー 女子プロレス". Gaora (in Japanese). Retrieved June 7, 2015.
  3. "Ozアカデミー". Gaea Japan (in Japanese). Archived from the original on July 5, 2008. Retrieved July 1, 2012.
  4. "Event". Oz Academy (in Japanese). Archived from the original on April 23, 2012. Retrieved July 1, 2012.
  5. アジャコング選手の電撃入団につきまして. Oz Academy (in Japanese). November 1, 2006. Retrieved July 1, 2012.
  6. "Ozベルト設立の理由について". Oz Academy (in Japanese). October 23, 2006. Retrieved July 1, 2012.
  7. "「~The Wizard of Oz~ Ozアカデミー認定タッグ選手権」トーナメントについて". Oz Academy (in Japanese). November 1, 2006. Retrieved July 1, 2012.
  8. "2007/08/16(木)  Oz後楽園大会 18:30~". Oz Academy (in Japanese). Archived from the original on October 20, 2007. Retrieved July 1, 2012.
  9. "Oz大阪大会 17:30~ 「Good☆day@大阪」". Oz Academy (in Japanese). Archived from the original on December 19, 2010. Retrieved July 1, 2012.
  10. "2009/02/05 Oz新宿大会 対戦全カード". Oz Academy (in Japanese). Archived from the original on January 29, 2009. Retrieved July 1, 2012.
  11. "2011/09/23(金) 12:00~「Stand By My Woman」". Oz Academy (in Japanese). Archived from the original on May 14, 2012. Retrieved July 1, 2012.
  12. "2011年ファンが選んだ Best Wizard". Oz Academy (in Japanese). Archived from the original on May 1, 2012. Retrieved July 1, 2012.
  13. "OZ結成20周年記念興行 特別ゲストは久本雅美". Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). November 11, 2016. Retrieved November 28, 2016.
  14. アジャコング. Oz Academy (in Japanese). Archived from the original on September 7, 2011. Retrieved April 4, 2013.
  15. "Akino". Oz Academy (in Japanese). Archived from the original on September 7, 2011. Retrieved April 4, 2013.
  16. "Archived copy" 志田光. Oz Academy (in Japanese). Archived from the original on May 10, 2013. Retrieved April 4, 2013.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  17. 松本浩代. Oz Academy (in Japanese). Archived from the original on April 4, 2013. Retrieved April 4, 2013.
  18. 小林 香萌. Pro Wrestling Wave (in Japanese). Archived from the original on February 12, 2015. Retrieved March 1, 2015.
  19. "米山香織". JWP Joshi Puroresu (in Japanese). FC2. January 1, 2011. Archived from the original on January 27, 2012. Retrieved December 13, 2015.
  20. 尾崎魔弓. Oz Academy (in Japanese). Archived from the original on September 7, 2011. Retrieved April 4, 2013.
  21. 加藤園子. Oz Academy (in Japanese). Archived from the original on September 7, 2011. Retrieved April 4, 2013.
  22. 朱里. Pancrase (in Japanese). Retrieved September 11, 2016.
  23. 倉垣翼. Oz Academy (in Japanese). Archived from the original on April 4, 2013. Retrieved April 4, 2013.
  24. 桜花由美. Oz Academy (in Japanese). Archived from the original on April 4, 2013. Retrieved April 4, 2013.
  25. "Archived copy" 紫雷美央. Oz Academy (in Japanese). Archived from the original on April 17, 2013. Retrieved April 4, 2013.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  26. ポリス. Oz Academy (in Japanese). Archived from the original on September 7, 2011. Retrieved April 4, 2013.
  27. 中村リングアナ. Oz Academy (in Japanese). Archived from the original on June 26, 2013. Retrieved June 26, 2013.
  28. 伊東幸子. Oz Academy (in Japanese). Archived from the original on June 29, 2013. Retrieved June 29, 2013.
  29. "Archived copy" 栗原あゆみ. Oz Academy (in Japanese). Archived from the original on April 4, 2013. Retrieved April 4, 2013.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  30. カルロス天野. Oz Academy (in Japanese). Archived from the original on September 7, 2011. Retrieved April 4, 2013.
  31. 永島千佳世. Oz Academy (in Japanese). Archived from the original on September 7, 2011. Retrieved April 4, 2013.
  32. "Devil Masami". Internet Wrestling Database. Retrieved April 4, 2013.
  33. ダイナマイト関西. Oz Academy (in Japanese). Archived from the original on September 7, 2011. Retrieved April 4, 2013.
  34. 【Ozアカデミー】尾崎からの卒業証書に涙 ダイナマイト関西が30年のレスラー人生に幕. Tokyo Sports (in Japanese). December 12, 2016. Retrieved December 12, 2016.
  35. 悲恋. Oz Academy (in Japanese). Archived from the original on April 4, 2013. Retrieved April 4, 2013.
  36. "Kaori Nakayama". Sherdog. Retrieved April 4, 2013.
  37. "Kaoru". Oz Academy (in Japanese). Archived from the original on March 4, 2013. Retrieved April 4, 2013.
  38. 豊田真奈美. Oz Academy (in Japanese). Archived from the original on April 4, 2013. Retrieved April 4, 2013.
  39. さらば“飛翔天女”豊田真奈美50人掛け引退試合完走!「どこも痛くない体に戻りたい」. Daily Sports Online (in Japanese). Kobe Shimbun. November 3, 2017. Retrieved November 3, 2017.
  40. 豊田真奈美が50人掛け引退マッチ 自身の“必殺技”に散る. Tokyo Sports (in Japanese). November 3, 2017. Retrieved November 3, 2017.
  41. 西尾美香. Oz Academy (in Japanese). Archived from the original on September 7, 2011. Retrieved April 4, 2013.
  42. 西尾美香 マイバッハ谷口との結婚公表. Daily Sports Online (in Japanese). Kobe Shimbun. February 21, 2016. Retrieved February 22, 2016.
  43. 【Ozアカデミー後楽園】西尾美香 引退セレモニーで夫マイバッハにまさかの毒霧. Tokyo Sports (in Japanese). March 20, 2016. Retrieved March 20, 2016.
  44. 小松奈央. Oz Academy (in Japanese). Archived from the original on April 4, 2013. Retrieved April 4, 2013.
  45. "Archived copy" 輝優優. Oz Academy (in Japanese). Archived from the original on January 31, 2013. Retrieved April 4, 2013.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  46. シュガー佐藤. Gaea Japan (in Japanese). Archived from the original on September 28, 2010. Retrieved April 4, 2013.
  47. 井上貴子. Oz Academy (in Japanese). Archived from the original on April 4, 2013. Retrieved April 4, 2013.
  48. 中川ともか. Oz Academy (in Japanese). Archived from the original on April 4, 2013. Retrieved April 4, 2013.
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