Masato Tanaka | |
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Tanaka in October 2011.
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Birth name | Masato Tanaka |
Born |
Wakayama, Wakayama, Japan |
February 28, 1973
Professional wrestling career | |
Ring name(s) | Masa Tanaka Masato Tanaka |
Billed height | 1.81 m (5 ft 11 in) |
Billed weight | 95 kg (209 lb) |
Billed from | Tokyo |
Trained by | Atsushi Onita |
Debut | July 23, 1993 |
Masato Tanaka (田中 正人, ring name: 田中 将斗 Tanaka Masato?, born February 28, 1973) is a Japanese professional wrestler, best known for his appearances with Frontier Martial Arts Wrestling in Japan and in Extreme Championship Wrestling in the United States where he was a one-time ECW World Heavyweight Champion. He is currently splitting his time working for Pro Wrestling Noah and Pro Wrestling Zero1.
Originally a trainee for George and Shunji Takano's Pro Wrestling Crusaders, Tanaka transferred to Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling and trained under Atsushi Onita, and debuted on July 23, 1993 in Saga City, facing Ricky Fuji. He quickly began moving up the card in FMW, widely regarded as the most hardcore professional wrestling promotion in Japan. Wrestling in matches featuring explosions and barbed wire, Tanaka earned a variety of scars, and the nickname "Dangan", which he would often shout during his matches. By 1996 he was one of the promotion's major stars, and had feuded with such luminaries as Mr. Pogo, Mr. Gannosuke, Terry Funk and Mike Awesome. His feud with Awesome would eventually span ten years and two continents. In December 1999, he left FMW for ECW, after he and Tetsuhiro Kuroda lost to H and Mr. Gannosuke.