Yukihiro "W*ING / Kintaro" Kanemura
FMW is planning to send Masato Tanaka and "Kintaro" Kanemura to the ECW TV taping at Westchester County Center in White Plains, New York on Thursday, December 23. ECW would like to bring them to not only New York, but also to two more shows in Tennessee, at Nashville Municipal Auditorium on December 17 and Chattanooga State Technical College on December 18. Anyway, Kanemura is, no doubt, a tailor-made wrestler for ECW from Japan. By the way, "Kintaro" (Golden Boy) is a popular prodigy of Herculean strength who wrestled with bears and other beasts in Japanese folklore.
Tsu Castle---in Kanemura's hometown
Kanemura, 6 ft / 253 lbs., real name Kouhiro Kanemura, was born in Tsu City in Mie Prefecture on Sunday, August 9, 1970. Tsu City is situated on Ise Bay and known as a prosperous port city in Japan. Kanemura played rugby football in school and debuted as a pro wrestler against Akitoshi Saito on Ryuma Go's Pioneer Senshi (Warriors) show at Handa Civic Hall in Aichi Prefecture on Thursday, December 20, 1990. He was just one of the "Mr. Nobodies" in those days.
Kanemura joined W*ING in September 1991. W*ING (Wrestling's International New Generations) was founded by Kazuyoshi Osako, Kiyoshi "Micky" Ibaragi, and Victor Quinones, who split with Atsushi Onita and his FMW. W*ING had its opening show at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo on August 7, 1991. They produced Mitsuhiro "Mr. Danger" Matsunaga, Head Hunters, a lot of monsters such as Leather Face, Freddy Krueger, Jason the Terrible, and Crypt Keeper, and many kinds of death matches. They had a large cult following for three years until March 21, 1994.
Kanemura leaped into American fans' eyes when Kevin Sullivan cut his arm with his infamous spike at an SMW (Smoky Mountain Wrestling) TV taping in Sevierville, Tennessee on March 1, 1993. He was hospitalized after the match and needed 58 stitches to close the wound. Quinones and SMW promoter Jim Cornette had exchanged wrestlers with each other in those days. W*ING sent Quinones himself, Miguel Perez Jr., Crash the Terminator (Bill DeMott / Hugh Morrus), and Hiroshi Itakura to SMW. SMW sent Tracy Smothers ("Evil" Jason the Terrible) and Killer Mark Kyle to W*ING.
In 1993, another disaster happened to Kanemura. He and Shoji Nakamaki had a "Fire Death Match" against Jado (Shoji Akiyoshi) and Gedo (Keiji Takayama) in a ring surrounded by fire on October 31, 1993 (Halloween night) at Odawara City Baseball Stadium in Kanagawa. Jado poured gasoline on the mat, lit the mat on fire, and then powerbombed Kanemura onto the fire. Kanemura burned his back and took four months to recover.
Yukihiro Kanemura with Masanori at Sabu's wedding in Japan, December 1998
After W*ING folded, Kanemura joined Quinones' new group, IWA (International Wrestling Association), sponsored by the infamous Mr. Asano. However, he had a dispute with Mr. Asano, and he quit the IWA on August 31, 1994. He suddenly ran in and attacked Atsushi Onita after Onita beat Mr. Pogo in the World Brass Knuckles title match at Sapporo Nakajima Sports Center in Hakkaido on August 7, 1994. Since then, he has wrestled for the FMW as a member of various groups (W*ING, ZEN, TNR [Team No Respect]).
Kanemura, in his private time, is one of the funniest men I've ever seen in wrestling; however, he will be a psychotic daredevil when he steps foot in the ring. He loves his business and feels happy being a pro wrestler. When he signs autographs for fans, he always adds "Pro Wrestling" under his autograph. He has changed his professional name sometimes, like "Yukihiro" Kanemura, which he used in Pioneer Senshi, Seishin Kaikan, W*ING, Union, IWA, and FMW; "W*ING" Kanemura, which he used in FMW, and "Kintaro" Kanemura, which he started to use at Nagaoka Welfare Hall in Niigata on September 20, 1999, and claimed to be the first WEW (World Entertainment Wrestling) Hard Core Champion.
Kanemura is hardcore
May 5, 1992---Izumi-sano City Gym, Osaka
Pacific Northwest Heavyweight title match
Yukihiro Kanemura beat The Grappler (Len Denton) (13:50)---Kanemura became the new champion.
May 7, 1992---Korakuen Hall, Tokyo
Pacific Northwest Heavyweight title match
Yukihiro Kanemura beat Super Invader (9:04 countout)---Kanemura kept the title.
September 27, 1992---Korakuen Hall, Tokyo
WWC Caribbean Heavyweight title match
Miguel Perez Jr. beat Yukihiro Kanemura (14:10)---Perez kept the title.
December 18, 1992---Fukushima City Gym
WWC Caribbean Heavyweight title match
Yukihiro Kanemura beat Miguel Perez Jr. (12:18)---Kanemura became the new champion.
January 2, 1993---Korakuen Hall, Tokyo
WWC Caribbean Heavyweight title match
Yukihiro Kanemura beat Ricky Patterson (Leather Face [#2]) (11:00)---Kanemura kept the title.
February 3, 1993---Korakuen Hall, Tokyo
WWC Caribbean Heavyweight title match
Yukihiro Kanemura beat El Vigilante (12:28)---Kanemura kept the title.
February 18, 1993---Sportatorium, Tampa, Florida (ICWA)
WWC Caribbean Heavyweight title match
Yukihiro Kanemura beat Cuban Assassin (David Sierra Patterson) (13:06 disqualification)---Kanemura kept the title.
March 2, 1993---San Juan, Puerto Rico (WWC)
WWC Caribbean Heavyweight title match
Yukihiro Kanemura beat El Exotico (10:16)---Kanemura kept the title.
March 18, 1993---Ota Ward Gym, Tokyo
W*ING World Tag Team title match
Mr. Pogo & Crash the Terminator (Bill DeMott / Hugh Morrus) beat Mitsuhiro Matsunaga & Yukihiro Kanemura (10:03 Crash beat Kanemura)---Pogo & Crush kept the title.
April 3, 1993---Kagoshima Prefectural Gym
W*ING World Tag Team title match
Scramble Bunkhouse Death Match (Barbed Wire Baseball Bat Death Match)
Mitsuhiro Matsunaga & Yukihiro Kanemura beat Leather Face (Mike Kerchner) & Freddy Kruger (Doug Gilbert) (13:53 Matsunaga beat Freddy by referee stop)---Matsunaga & Kanemura became the fourth champions.
May 9, 1993---Honjo City Gym, Saitama
W*ING World Tag Team title match
Barbed Wire Net Death Match
Head Hunters A & B beat Yukihiro Kanemura & Miguel Perez Jr. (15:46 A beat Kanemura)---Head Hunters became the fifth champions.
May 19, 1993---JR Gym, Kanazawa, Ishikawa
WWC Caribbean Heavyweight title match
Yukihiro Kanemura beat Killer Mark Kyle (7:55 disqualification)---Kanemura kept the title.
June 18, 1993---Korakuen Hall, Tokyo
WWC Caribbean Heavyweight title match
Yukihiro Kanemura beat Jesus Castillo Jr. (14:53)---Kanemura kept the title.
September 20, 1993---Hachioji Oroshi Center, Tokyo
WWC Caribbean Heavyweight title match
Yukihiro Kanemura drew Jado (Shoji Akiyoshi) (7:39 No Contest)
Jado beat Kanemura (3:02 TKO)---Jado became the new champion.
May 23, 1994---Korakuen Hall, Tokyo
Scramble Bunkhouse Death Match (Barbed Wire Baseball Bat Death Match)
Yukihiro Kanemura beat Shoji Nakamaki
July 14, 1994---Korakuen Hall, Tokyo
IWA World Heavyweight Championship Tournament
Nobutaka Araya beat Yukihiro Kanemura (11:12)
June 18, 1994---A parking lot near Seibu Baseball Stadium, Tokorozawa, Saitama
Barbed Wire / Scramble Bunkhouse / Mascara contra Cabellera (Mask vs. Hair) Death Match
Yukihiro Kanemura beat The W*inger (Takashi Okano)
June 23, 1994---Korakuen Hall, Tokyo
Barbed Wire Board / Chain Death Match
Yukihiro Kanemura beat Shoji Nakamaki
March 7, 1995---Iwate Prefectural Gym, Morioka
World Brass Knuckles Tag Team title match
No Rope / Barbed Wire / Street Fight / Tornado / Anywhere Fall Death match
Mr. Pogo & Yukihiro Kanemura beat Atsushi Onita & Mr. Gannosuke (14:14 Kanemura beat Gannosuke)---Pogo & Kanemura became the sixth champions.
May 5, 1995---Kawasaki Baseball Stadium, Kanagawa
World Brass Knuckles Tag Team title match
Hisakatsu Oya & Ricky Fuji beat Mr. Pogo & Yukihiro Kanemura (12:45 Oya beat Kanemura)---Oya & Fuji became the seventh champions.
"Young of Independent League" Tournament:
July 18, 1995---Korakuen Hall, Tokyo
Hideki Hosaka beat W*ING Kanemura (10:02)
July 19, 1995---Fukushima City Gym
W*ING Kanemura beat Tetsuhiro Kuroda (8:49)
July 22, 1995---Shizugawa Central Civic Hall Gym, Miyagi
W*ING Kanemura beat Hido (9:47)
July 23, 1995---Ishikawa Town Gym, Fukushima
W*ING Kanemura beat Koji Nakagawa (8:41)
July 28, 1995---Kimitsu City Gym, Chiba
W*ING Kanemura beat Masato Tanaka (10:44)
July 30, 1995---Multi-Purpose Plaza, Hachioji, Tokyo
"Young of Independent League" Tournament Final
Masato Tanaka beat W*ING Kanemura (12:47)---Tanaka won the tournament.
World Brass Knuckles Heavyweight Championship Tournament:
August 22, 1995---Yokosuka Seaside Park, Kanagawa
The Gladiator (Mike Awesome) beat W*ING Kanemura (7:37)
August 25, 1995---Korakuen Hall, Tokyo
Hayabusa beat W*ING Kanemura (10:57)
August 31, 1995---Osaka Gym #2
Scramble Bunkhouse Death Match (Barbed Wire Baseball Bat Death Match)
Yukihiro Matsunaga beat W*ING Kanemura (11:13)
September 2, 1995---Noshiro City Gym, Akita
Hisakatsu Oya beat W*ING Kanemura (11:58)
September 5, 1995---Sapporo Nakajima Sports Center, Hokkaido
W*ING Kanemura beat Masato Tanaka (9:47)
September 14, 1995---Gumma Prefectural Sports Center, Maebashi
Super Leather beat W*ING Kanemura (10:05)
September 19, 1995---Niimi City Gym, Okayama
Katsutoshi Niiyama beat W*ING Kanemura
September 26, 1995---Korakuen Hall, Tokyo
World Brass Knuckles Heavyweight Championship Tournament Final
The Gladiator beat Hayabusa (23:38)---Gladiator became the ninth champion.
May 5, 1996---Kawasaki Baseball Stadium, Kawasaki, Kanagawa
Barbed Wire Barricade / Spider Net / Glass Clash / Death match
Cactus Jack beat W*ING Kanemura
July 21, 1996---Korakuen Hall, Tokyo
Independent World Heavyweight Championship Tournament:
W*ING Kanemura beat Super Leather (15:59)
Masato Tanaka beat Hisakatsu Oya (20:31)
August 1, 1996---Shiodome, Hamamatsu-cho, Tokyo
Independent World Heavyweight Championship Tournament Final
W*ING Kanemura beat Masato Tanaka (14:47)---Kanemura became the first champion.
October 26, 1996---Korakuen Hall, Tokyo
Independent World Heavyweight title match
W*ING Kanemura beat Hisakatsu Oya
November 29, 1996---Akita Prefectural Gym
World Brass Knuckles Tag Team title match
Head Hunters A & B beat W*ING Kanemura & Hideki Hosaka (15:23 A beat Hosaka)---Head Hunters kept the title.
December 11, 1996---Komazawa Olympic Gym, Tokyo
Independent World / World Brass Knuckles Heavyweight Double title match
The Gladiator beat W*ING Kanemura (17:14)---Gladiator became the Double Crown champion.
April 25, 1997---Osaka Gym #2
World Brass Knuckles Tag Team title match
W*ING Kanemura & Hido beat Head Hunters A & B (12:29 Kanemura beat A)---Kanemura & Hido became the 12th champions.
April 29, 1997---Yokohama Arena, Shin-yokohama, Kanagawa
Six-Man Street Fight
Atsushi Onita, Masato Tanaka, & W*ING Kanemura beat Terry Funk, Cactus Jack, & The Gladiator (20:20 Kanemura beat Gladiator)
May 19, 1997---Kagoshima Prefectural Gym
World Brass Knuckles Tag Team title match
W*ING Kanemura & Hido beat Ricky Fuji & Koji Nakagawa (11:12 Kanemura beat Fuji)---Kanemura & Hido kept the title.
June 22, 1997---Multi-Purpose Plaza, Hachioji, Tokyo
World Brass Knuckles Tag Team title match
W*ING Kanemura & Hido beat Masato Tanaka & Tetsuhiro Kuroda (19:43 Kanemura beat Kuroda)---Kanemura & Hido kept the title.
July 25, 1997---Taira Cycle Race Track Parking Lot, Fukushima
World Brass Knuckles Tag Team title match
W*ING Kanemura & Hido beat The Gladiator & Super Leather (10:48 Kanemura beat Leather)---Kanemura & Hido kept the title.
August 21, 1997---Yokosuka City Gym, Kanagawa
World Brass Knuckles Tag Team title match
Mr. Gannosuke & Hisakatsu Oya beat W*ING Kanemura & Hido (14:08 Gannosuke beat Hido)---Gannosuke & Oya became the 13th champions.
September 11, 1997---Tri-State Fairground, Amarillo, Texas
Wrestle Fest '97
W*ING Kanemura beat Roadkill (Amish Roadkill)
October 19, 1997---Miyagi Prefectural Sports Center, Sendai
World Brass Knuckles Tag Team title match
Atsushi Onita & Yukihiro Kanemura beat Mr. Gannosuke & Hisakatsu Oya (14:42 Kanemura beat Oya)---Onita & Kanemura became the 14th champions.
November 28, 1997---Korakuen Hall, Tokyo
World Brass Knuckles Tag Team title match
Mr. Gannosuke & Yukihiro Kanemura beat Hayabusa & Masato Tanaka (15:39 Gannosuke beat Hayabusa)---Gannosuke & Kanemura became the 15th champions.
December 10, 1997---TwinMesse Shizuoka, Shizuoka City
World Brass Knuckles Tag Team title match
Mr. Gannosuke & Yukihiro Kanemura beat Kodo Fuyuki & Super Leather (9:14 Kanemura beat Leather)---Gannosuke & Kanemura kept the title.
December 19, Komazawa Olympic Gym, Tokyo
World Brass Knuckles Tag Team title match
Mr. Gannosuke & Yukihiro Kanemura beat Hayabusa & Jinsei Shinzaki (17:49 Kanemura beat Hayabusa)---Gannosuke & Kanemura kept the title.
January 16, 1998---Australia Memorial Hall, Yokkaichi, Mie
World Street Fight Six-Man Tag Team title match
Mr. Gannosuke, Yukihiro Kanemura, & Jado beat Hayabusa, Masato Tanaka, and Hisakatsu Oya (20:01 Jado beat Oya)---Gannosuke, Kanemura, and Gedo became the ninth champions.
February 13, Chiba Park Gym, Chiba City
World Street Fight Six-Man Tag Team title match
Atsushi Onita, Koji Nakagawa, & Tetsuhiro Kuroda beat Mr. Gannosuke, Yukihiro Kanemura, & Jado (10:26 Nakagawa beat Kanemura by referee stop)---Onita, Nakagawa, & Kuroda became the 10th champions.
March 29, 1998---Sanjo Welfare Hall, Niigata
World Brass Knuckles Tag Team title match
Hiromichi Fuyuki & Hido beat Mr. Gannosuke & Yukihiro Kanemura (16:56 Fuyuki beat Kanemura)---Fuyuki & Hido became the 16th champions.
May 5, 1998---Marina City Hall, Wakayama
World Street Fight Six-Man Tag Team title match
Kodo Fuyuki, Yukihiro Kanemura, & Hido beat Atsushi Onita, Koji Nakagawa, & Tetsuhiro Kuroda (14:32 Hido beat Nakagawa---No Contest)
May 27, 1998---Hakata Star Lanes, Fukuoka, Fukuoka
World Brass Knuckles Tag Team title match
Kodo Fuyuki & Yukihiro Kanemura beat Hayabusa & Masato Tanaka (19:39 Kanemura beat Tanaka)---Fuyuki & Kanemura became the 18th champions.
June 26, 1998---Multi-Purpose Plaza, Hachioji, Tokyo
World Street Fight Six-Man Tag Team title match
Kodo Fuyuki, Yukihiro Kanemura, & Koji Nakagawa beat Hayabusa, Hisakatsu Oya, & Ricky Fuji (13:47 Fuyuki beat Fuji)---Fuyuki, Kanemura, and Nakagawa became the 11th champions.
October 26, 1998---Chiba Park Gym, Chiba City
World Brass Knuckles Tag Team title match
Hayabusa & Daisuke Ikeda beat Kodo Fuyuki & Yukihiro Kanemura (20:48 Ikeda beat Kanemura)---Hayabusa & Ikeda became the 19th champions.
November 20, 1998---Yokohama Bunka Gym, Kanagawa
Three Way Dance
Sabu beat Yukihiro Kanemura and One Man Gang (8:45 Kanemura beat Gang / 16:48 Sabu beat Kanemura)
May 2, 1999---Tokyo Dome (All Japan Pro)
Masanobu Fuchi, Tamon Honda, & Johnny Smith beat Yukihiro Kanemura, Gedo, and Koji Nakagawa (14:41 Honda beat Gedo)
May 30, 1999---Korakuen Hall, Tokyo
World Brass Knuckles Tag Team title match
Masato Tanaka & Tetsuhiro Kuroda beat Yukihiro Kanemura & Hido (20:31 Tanaka beat Hido)---Tanaka & Kuroda kept the title.
August 23, 1999---Korakuen Hall, Tokyo
Hayabusa beat Yukihiro Kanemura (18:28)
August 25, 1999---Sapporo Nakajima Sports Center, Hokkaido
Independent World Heavyweight title match
Masato Tanaka beat Yukihiro Kanemura (13:42)---Tanaka kept the title.
November 23, 1999---Yokohama Arena, Shin-yokohama, Kanagawa
WEW Hard Core title match
Kintaro Kanemura beat Balls Mahoney (12:34)---Kanemura kept the title.
December 11, 1999---Korakuen Hall, Tokyo
WEW Hard Core title match
Kintaro Kanemura vs. Axl Rotten
December 12, 1999---Korakuen Hall, Tokyo
Team No Respect vs. ECW Eight-Man tag team match
Kintaro Kanemura, Jado, Gedo, & Koji Nakagawa vs. Axl Rotten, Balls Mahoney, TAJIRI, & Super Crazy
Rob Van Dam, Masanori, and Yukihiro Kanemura
You may contact Masanori at masa_h@mail.goo.ne.jp
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