Wrestling New Classic (WNC) (レスリング・ニュー・クラシック, Resuringu Nyū Kurashikku) was a Japanese puroresu or professional wrestling promotion, founded in April 2012 by Yoshihiro Tajiri. WNC was the follow-up promotion to Smash, which folded in March 2012.[2][3]
Acronym | WNC |
---|---|
Founded | April 5, 2012 |
Defunct | June 26, 2014 |
Style | Puroresu Strong style |
Headquarters | Roppongi, Minato, Tokyo[1] |
Founder(s) | Tajiri Akira Kana |
Sister | Reina Joshi Puroresu |
Merged with | Wrestle-1 |
Predecessor | Smash |
History
editOn April 5, 2012, Tajiri held a press conference to announce the forming of Wrestling New Classic, which would hold its first two events on April 26 at Shinjuku Face and on May 24 at Korakuen Hall.[4][5] The promotion's new financial backer at the time was Tsutomu Takashima, the executive director of real estate company Avance Avant Corporation.[6] WNC continued Smash's working relationship with Finnish professional wrestling promotion Fight Club Finland.[7] Unlike Smash, which held, on average, one event per month, WNC had a more regular schedule, producing three events in its official opening month, May 2012.[8] The promotion is named after a comment made by final Smash Champion Dave Finlay, who, at the promotion's penultimate event, told Tajiri to "keep wrestling classic" with his new promotion.[9] Several WNC wrestlers also booked and promoted their own events in collaboration with the promotion, including Kana's Kana Pro,[10] Makoto's Mako Pro,[11] Syuri's Stimulus,[12] and Takuya Kito's Kuzu Pro.[13]
In late 2013, WNC also established a working relationship with joshi puroresu promotion Reina Joshi Puroresu,[14] as part of which all of WNC's female wrestlers became officially affiliated with both promotions in January 2014.[15] On June 18, 2014, Tajiri held a press conference with Keiji Mutoh, where he announced that WNC would be going inactive following June 26. Afterwards, all female WNC wrestlers remained affiliated with WNC-Reina, while six male wrestlers, Tajiri and Akira included, transferred over to Mutoh's Wrestle-1 promotion.[16] WNC held its final event on June 26, 2014, in Tokyo's Shinjuku Face.[17]
Final roster
editWrestlers
editRing name | Real name | Notes |
---|---|---|
Akira | Akira Nogami | |
Haruka Kato | Haruka Kato | WNC-Reina |
Jiro Kuroshio | Soujiro Higuchi | |
Koji Doi | Koji Doi | |
Makoto | Unknown | WNC-Reina |
Rionne Fujiwara | Rionne McAvoy | |
Tajiri | Yoshihiro Tajiri | |
Yusuke Kodama | Yusuke Kodama | |
Masaya Takahashi | Masaya Takahashi | |
Syuri | Syuri Kondo | WNC-Reina |
Takuya Kito | Yuji Kito |
Staff
editName | Notes |
---|---|
Chiho Tomiyama | Ring announcer |
High Step Shota | Referee |
Katsumi Tamagawa | Referee |
Serena Higa | Ring announcer |
Soft Imai (Daisuke Imai) | Referee |
Yula | Ring announcer |
Alumni
editRing name | Real name | Notes |
---|---|---|
Hajime Ohara | Hajime Ohara | Resigned January 31, 2013 |
Haruka Yoshimura | Haruka Yoshimura | Retired February 28, 2014 |
Hiroki Murase | Hiroki Murase | Resigned January 11, 2014 |
Horizon | Yoshihiro Horaguchi | Signed with Kaientai Dojo on September 14, 2014 |
Josh O'Brien | Josh O'Brien | Resigned January 31, 2013 |
Kaho Kobayashi | Kaho Kobayashi | Resigned on September 16, 2014, to sign with Asuka Project and Pro Wrestling Wave |
Kana | Kanako Urai | Resigned November 28, 2012 |
Koharu Hinata | Koharu Hinata | Resigned June 18, 2014 |
Lin Byron | Unknown | Resigned June 26, 2014 |
Mitoshichi Shinose | Akira Shinose | Resigned January 30, 2014 |
Nagisa Nozaki | Nagisa Nozaki | Went inactive on January 25, 2013 |
Notable guests
editChampionships
editChampionship | Final champion(s) | Date won | Defeated |
---|---|---|---|
WNC Championship | Yuji Kito | March 24, 2018 | Retired[18] |
WNC Women's Championship | Syuri | September 18, 2013 | Serena |
Annual tournaments
editTournament | Last winner | Last held |
---|---|---|
Dave Finlay Cup | Hiro Tonai | January 4, 2014 |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ 会社概要. Wrestling New Classic (in Japanese). Retrieved December 27, 2012.
- ^ "【※重要】「Smash」第1章活動休止のお知らせ". Smash (in Japanese). February 10, 2012. Archived from the original on November 7, 2023. Retrieved April 16, 2012.
- ^ Caldwell, James (February 10, 2012). "Japanese promotion shutting down". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved April 16, 2012.
- ^ プレ旗揚げ戦決定!. Wrestling New Classic (in Japanese). April 5, 2012. Retrieved April 16, 2012.
- ^ "Tajiri新団体発表「若手を海外に」". Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). April 6, 2012. Retrieved April 16, 2012.
- ^ "WNC高島代表が就任挨拶!". Wrestling New Classic (in Japanese). May 9, 2012. Retrieved May 9, 2012.
- ^ "7・15Wrestling New Classic後楽園大会(後楽園ホール) 開場11:00 開始12:00". Wrestling New Classic (in Japanese). June 22, 2012. Retrieved June 22, 2012.
- ^ 5月旗揚げシリーズ全カード決定!. Wrestling New Classic (in Japanese). May 4, 2012. Retrieved May 26, 2012.
- ^ "TajiriとAkira、最後の闘いで謎解きへ!!=Smash フィンレーが残した"Keep wrestling classic"とは?". Sports Navi (in Japanese). Yahoo!. March 8, 2012. Retrieved April 16, 2012.
- ^ 6・17 ぷちカナプロ 試合結果. Wrestling New Classic (in Japanese). June 18, 2012. Retrieved July 21, 2012.
- ^ 7・8 まこプロ 開催延期 および ぷちクズプロ開催のお知らせ. Wrestling New Classic (in Japanese). June 27, 2012. Retrieved July 21, 2012.
- ^ "WNC朱里自主興行「Stimulus」新宿Face大会". Wrestling New Classic (in Japanese). Archived from the original on January 29, 2013. Retrieved August 9, 2013.
- ^ 7・8『ぷちクズプロ』全試合結果. Wrestling New Classic (in Japanese). July 9, 2012. Retrieved July 21, 2012.
- ^ "WNCとReina女子プロレスが業務提携". Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). November 18, 2013. Retrieved November 18, 2013.
- ^ "旗揚げ前から波乱のReina!!1・30WNC新宿で4Wayマッチが決定!!". Wrestling New Classic (in Japanese). January 9, 2014. Archived from the original on January 9, 2014. Retrieved January 9, 2014.
- ^ "Tajiri、Akiraら6選手W-1へ移籍のお知らせ". Wrestling New Classic (in Japanese). June 19, 2014. Archived from the original on June 19, 2014. Retrieved June 19, 2014.
- ^ WNC超満員のラスト興行. Tokyo Sports (in Japanese). June 27, 2014. Retrieved June 27, 2014.
- ^ "ASUKA PROJECT results for March 24, 2018 – Puroresu Spirit". puroresuspirit.net. Archived from the original on 2018-03-30.