Konosuke Takeshita

Konosuke Takeshita

Takeshita in August 2012
Birth name Konosuke Takeshita
Born (1995-05-29) May 29, 1995[1]
Osaka, Osaka[1]
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s) Konosuke Takeshita
The Nishinaritaker[2]
Billed height 187 cm (6 ft 2 in)[1]
Billed weight 99 kg (218 lb)[1]
Trained by DDT Pro-Wrestling[3]
Debut August 18, 2012[1]

Konosuke Takeshita (竹下　幸之介 Takeshita Kōnosuke, born May 29, 1995)[1] is a Japanese professional wrestler, who has worked for DDT Pro-Wrestling (DDT) since his debut in August 2012. Dubbed the "Future of DDT", Takeshita was named the Rookie of the Year by Tokyo Sports in 2013. He is the youngest KO-D Openweight Champion in history, having won the title on his 21st birthday, and has also held the KO-D Tag Team Championship, the KO-D 6-Man Tag Team Championship and the Ironman Heavymetalweight Championship.

Professional wrestling career

DDT Pro-Wrestling (2011–present)

Takeshita, with a sports background in track and field, began training for a career in professional wrestling in 2011 with the DDT Pro-Wrestling promotion. On April 1, 2012, DDT announced that Takeshita would be debuting for the promotion on August 18 in Tokyo's Nippon Budokan.[3] Prior to his debut match, Takeshita took part in exhibition matches.[4] During one of these matches on August 4, Takeshita scored an upset win over Hiroshi Fukuda, winning the Ironman Heavymetalweight Championship in the process.[5] The title had a 24/7 rule, where it could be won anytime and anywhere.[6] As Takeshita was being congratulated by DDT general manager Amon Tsurumi for winning his first match before his debut, Fukuda hit him with a low blow and then pinned him to regain the title.[5]

On August 18, 2012, Takeshita was defeated by El Generico in his official debut match.[1][7] On November 25, Takeshita pinned Poison Sawada Julie in his retirement match, a six-man tag team match.[8] At the end of 2013, Tokyo Sports named Takeshita Japanese professional wrestling's Rookie of the Year, with him becoming the first wrestler still in high school to win the award.[9] He also finished second in Wrestling Observer Newsletter's award category for Rookie of the Year, losing to Yohei Komatsu by four votes (906–902).[10]

Takeshita in November 2014

On January 26, 2014, Takeshita received his first-ever shot at one of the King of DDT (KO-D) titles, when he and Tetsuya Endo challenged for the KO-D Tag Team Championship in a three-way match, which was won by the Golden☆Lovers (Kenny Omega and Kota Ibushi) and also included Isami Kodaka and Yuko Miyamoto.[11][12] On May 6, Takeshita came together with Antonio Honda to form the "Happy Motel" stable.[1] The two were eventually joined by Tetsuya Endo, with whom they went on to win the KO-D 6-Man Tag Team Championship by defeating Shuten-dōji (Kudo, Masa Takanashi and Yukio Sakaguchi) on July 13.[1] They lost the title back to Shuten-dōji seven days later.[13]

On August 17, Takeshita took part in a high-profile interpromotional match, when he was defeated by New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) representative Hiroshi Tanahashi at DDT's annual Ryōgoku Kokugikan event.[14][15] On September 28, Takeshita and Endo defeated Kenny Omega and Kota Ibushi to win the KO-D Tag Team Championship for the first time.[1][16] Afterwards, Omega dubbed Takeshita the "Future of DDT".[1] Takeshita and Endo went on to lose the title to Daisuke Sekimoto and Yuji Okabayashi on February 15, 2015.[1][17] The following June, Takeshita made it to the finals of the 2015 King of DDT tournament, but was defeated there by Yukio Sakaguchi.[1][18] On December 23, Takeshita and Endo defeated Shigehiro Irie and Yuji Okabayashi in the finals of a tournament to regain the vacant KO-D Tag Team Championship.[1][19]

With Kudo sidelined with an injury and Kota Ibushi announcing his resignation from DDT, Takeshita was poised to take a larger role in the promotion.[19][20] On January 3, 2016, he received his first shot at DDT's top title, the KO-D Openweight Championship, but was defeated by the defending champion, Isami Kodaka.[1] On March 21, Takeshita and Endo lost the KO-D Tag Team Championship to Daisuke Sasaki and Shuji Ishikawa.[1] On May 29, his 21st birthday, Takeshita defeated Daisuke Sasaki to win the KO-D Openweight Championship for the first time.[21][22] With the win, Takeshita became the youngest KO-D Openweight Champion in history,[23] beating the previous record held by Nosawa Rongai by three years and six months.[20] On June 15, Takeshita made his debut for All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW), teaming with Tetsuya Endo in a tag team match, where they defeated Jun Akiyama and Yuma Aoyagi.[24][25] On July 17, Takeshita successfully defended the KO-D Openweight Championship against his tag team partner Tetsuya Endo. After the match, Endo turned on Takeshita and joined Daisuke Sasaki's Damnation stable.[26][27] After three successful title defenses, Takeshita lost the KO-D Openweight Championship to Shuji Ishikawa on August 28 at DDT's biggest event of the year, Ryōgoku Peter Pan 2016.[28][29] On December 4, Takeshita and Mike Bailey defeated Daisuke Sasaki and Tetsuya Endo to win the KO-D Tag Team Championship.[30]

Personal life

In February 2014, Takeshita was admitted into the Nippon Sport Science University.[31] In June 2014, he signed with the Oscar talent agency.[32] His hobbies include weightlifting and bodybuilding.[20] Takeshita has stated that his goal was to take part in the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics as a decathlete.[33]

In wrestling

Championships and accomplishments

Takeshita holding the KO-D Openweight Championship belt in May 2016

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 竹下幸之介. DDT Pro-Wrestling (in Japanese). Retrieved May 29, 2016.
  2. ↑ 【U・S・A日本公演『Sakabash at the Beach 2016』のまとめ】ヒロシが頂天の優勝賞金50万円を使って約3年ぶりに開催したU・S・Aにユニバースは酔いしれる！／練馬スティング、ジ・ニシナリテイカー、チンスケ・ナカムラまで登場したロイヤルランブルを制したのはノブライアン！. DDT Pro-Wrestling (in Japanese). August 3, 2016. Retrieved August 3, 2016.
  3. 1 2 【4・1リポート①】ＤＤＴ戦略発表会2012. DDT Pro-Wrestling (in Japanese). April 1, 2012. Retrieved May 29, 2016.
  4. ↑ 【7・8リポート①】竹下の武道館デビュー戦の相手はジェネリコ. DDT Pro-Wrestling (in Japanese). July 8, 2012. Retrieved May 29, 2016.
  5. 1 2 【8・4リポート②】アイアンマンは竹下→福田→ニラへ. DDT Pro-Wrestling (in Japanese). August 4, 2012. Retrieved May 29, 2016.
  6. ↑ "Ironman Heavymetalweight Title". Wrestling-Titles.com. Retrieved May 29, 2016.
  7. ↑ DDTの15年の歴史は240分に収まらず、5年後は東京ドーム進出へ！飯伏はケニーとの文字通り"死闘"を制す！. Battle News (in Japanese). August 18, 2012. Retrieved May 29, 2016.
  8. ↑ 沢山の仲間に囲まれてポイズン澤田Julieが引退！蛇界転生の歴史に幕！Mikamiを下したジェネリコにケニーが挑戦表明. Battle News (in Japanese). November 25, 2012. Retrieved May 29, 2016.
  9. 1 2 【プロレス大賞】可能性は無限大！高校生レスラー竹下. Tokyo Sports (in Japanese). December 10, 2013. Retrieved May 29, 2016.
  10. ↑ Meltzer, Dave (January 27, 2014). "2013 Wrestling Observer Newsletter Awards". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Campbell, California: 23. ISSN 1083-9593.
  11. ↑ 飯伏が華麗にＫＯ―Ｄタッグ王座奪取. Tokyo Sports (in Japanese). January 27, 2014. Retrieved May 29, 2016.
  12. ↑ 高校生レスラー竹下が不退転の大学受験. Daily Sports Online (in Japanese). Kobe Shimbun. January 27, 2014. Retrieved May 29, 2016.
  13. ↑ "【DDT】HarashimavsケニーのKO-D無差別戦、6人タッグ王座戦、石森参戦". Battle News (in Japanese). July 20, 2014. Retrieved May 29, 2016.
  14. ↑ 棚橋　竹下に貫禄Ｖ. Tokyo Sports (in Japanese). August 18, 2014. Retrieved May 29, 2016.
  15. ↑ 棚橋の貫録勝ち！１９歳竹下を退ける. Daily Sports Online (in Japanese). Kobe Shimbun. August 18, 2014. Retrieved May 29, 2016.
  16. ↑ 竹下、遠藤組大金星！飯伏組破りＫＯ―Ｄタッグ王座奪取. Tokyo Sports (in Japanese). September 29, 2014. Retrieved May 29, 2016.
  17. ↑ ＫＯ―Ｄタッグは関本、岡林組が新王者. Tokyo Sports (in Japanese). February 16, 2015. Retrieved May 29, 2016.
  18. ↑ “荒鷲２世”坂口征夫が４１歳で初のシングルタイトル. Tokyo Sports (in Japanese). June 29, 2015. Retrieved May 29, 2016.
  19. 1 2 【ＤＤＴ】ＫＯ―Ｄタッグ王座奪取の竹下にエースの自覚. Tokyo Sports (in Japanese). December 24, 2015. Retrieved May 29, 2016.
  20. 1 2 3 “ポスト飯伏”竹下幸之介 最年少戴冠への覚悟. Tokyo Sports (in Japanese). May 18, 2016. Retrieved May 29, 2016.
  21. 1 2 3 【ＤＤＴ】２１歳竹下が最年少ＫＯ―Ｄ王者に. Tokyo Sports (in Japanese). May 30, 2016. Retrieved May 30, 2016.
  22. ↑ 5･29　DDT後楽園大会　【KO-D無差別級】佐々木vs竹下　【KO-D6人タッグ】チームドリフvsスマイルスカッシュ　【Extreme級】ササダンゴvsLiLiCo. Battle News (in Japanese). May 30, 2016. Retrieved May 29, 2016.
  23. ↑ "5/29 DDT in Tokyo, Japan – Joey Ryan on-tour, Terry Funk returning to Japan, big main event title change". Pro Wrestling Torch. May 29, 2016. Retrieved May 29, 2016.
  24. ↑ 6月15日(水)【2016 ダイナマイトシリーズ[開幕戦]】 東京・後楽園ホール ［観衆］1227人. All Japan Pro Wrestling (in Japanese). June 15, 2016. Retrieved July 9, 2016.
  25. ↑ Takagi, Hiromi (June 16, 2016). 宮原が真霜を下し三冠Ｖ３　次は秋山だ！ 岡林＆関本組が世界タッグ王座初戴冠. Sports Navi (in Japanese). Yahoo!. Retrieved July 9, 2016.
  26. ↑ ＤＤＴ王者・竹下がＶ２、次期挑戦者に大鷲　８・２８両国で世界Jr.王座戦決定. Daily Sports Online (in Japanese). Kobe Shimbun. July 17, 2016. Retrieved July 17, 2016.
  27. ↑ 【ＤＤＴ後楽園】ＫＯ―Ｄ無差別級王者・竹下　ベルト守るも戦友失う. Tokyo Sports (in Japanese). July 18, 2016. Retrieved July 18, 2016.
  28. ↑ 日体大在学中の王者・竹下幸之介が王座陥落も「プロレスと五輪を同じレベルに」. Daily Sports Online (in Japanese). Kobe Shimbun. August 29, 2016. Retrieved August 29, 2016.
  29. ↑ 【ＤＤＴ両国】ＫＯ－Ｄ新王者・石川 悲しき「ススキノ追放事件」. Tokyo Sports (in Japanese). August 29, 2016. Retrieved August 29, 2016.
  30. ↑ 大阪オクトパス2016～浪花節だよプロレスは～. DDT Pro-Wrestling (in Japanese). Retrieved December 4, 2016.
  31. ↑ ＤＤＴ高校生レスラー竹下、日体大合格. Daily Sports Online (in Japanese). Kobe Shimbun. February 9, 2014. Retrieved May 29, 2016.
  32. ↑ オスカー所属の飯伏に“美女タレントと熱愛指令”. Tokyo Sports (in Japanese). June 11, 2014. Retrieved May 29, 2016.
  33. ↑ 日体大入学の竹下が早大陸上同好会入り. Daily Sports Online (in Japanese). Kobe Shimbun. June 11, 2014. Retrieved May 29, 2016.
  34. 1 2 年越しプロレス12.31後楽園大会　大日本、DDT、K-Dojoから16チーム参加の年忘れ！三団体シャッフル・タッグトーナメント. Battle News (in Japanese). January 1, 2016. Retrieved May 29, 2016.
  35. ↑ Takagi, Hiromi (September 28, 2014). 竹下組が飯伏組を破りKO-Dタッグ奪取 ディーノ、チームドリフがまさかの王座陥落. Sports Navi (in Japanese). Yahoo!. Retrieved May 29, 2016.
  36. ↑ ドラマティック・ドリームズ！ Vol.3～花も花なれ　人も人なれ～. DDT Pro-Wrestling (in Japanese). Retrieved May 29, 2016.
  37. 1 2 "Pro Wrestling Illustrated 500 – 2016: 272. Konosuke Takeshita". Pro Wrestling Illustrated. Blue Bell, Pennsylvania: Kappa Publishing Group: 51. December 2016. ISSN 1043-7576.
  38. ↑ 【後楽園リポート】トーナメント決勝戦は宮本裕向&木高イサミvs火野裕士&岡林裕二!!／インディー大賞MVPはHarashima／Takaのパートナーは小鹿. DDT Pro-Wrestling (in Japanese). December 31, 2014. Retrieved May 29, 2016.

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