Masashi Takeda

For the fictional character, see Masashi Takeda (My-HiME).

Masashi Takeda (竹田 誠志, Takeda Masashi, born August 13, 1985)^[1] is a Japanese professional wrestler and mixed martial artist, primarily working for Big Japan Pro Wrestling (BJW) in the Deathmatch division. Takeda also competes as a freelancer for Freedoms and occasionally, All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW).

Masashi Takeda
Takeda in June 2020
Birth name	Masashi Takeda (竹田 誠志, Takeda Masashi)
Born	(1985-08-13) August 13, 1985 (age 39)[1] Machida, Tokyo
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s)	Masashi Takeda[2]
Billed height	173 cm (5 ft 8 in)
Billed weight	87 kg (192 lb)
Trained by	Jun Kasai[1]
Debut	January 20, 2007[1]

Early life

While in junior high school, Takeda discovered deathmatch wrestling and mixed martial arts, becoming a huge fan of both. After graduating from high school, he enrolled in the U-File Camp, training for a career in MMA. After receiving some pro wrestling training from Jun Kasai, Takeda debuted as a wrestler for Style-E in January 2007.^[1]

Professional wrestling career

Big Japan Pro Wrestling (2008–present)

Takeda in September 2015

Takeda debuted in BJW on May 23, 2008, teaming with Kankuro Hoshino in a loss to Craig Classic and Masada.^[3] In October of that year, he competed in his first ever deathmatch, teaming with Shuji Ishikawa and Ryuji Ito in a loss to Saboru Inematsu, Jaki Numazawa and mentor Jun Kasai.^[4] In early 2009, Takeda teamed with Isami Kodaka in the Maximum Tag League, winning his first deathmatch on March 26, when he and Kodaka defeated Numazawa and Kasai. The two finished first in their block with 6 points, allowing them to advance to the semi-finals where they defeated Block A runners-up Ryuji Ito and Shuji Ishikawa. In the final, Takeda and Kodaka wrestled Takashi Sasaki and Yuko Miyamoto to a draw in a Fluorescent Lighttubes Tower Of Death Match, but defeated them in overtime to become the new BJW Tag Team Champions.^[5] Takeda and Kodaka held the championships until July, dropping them to Daisuke Sekimoto and Yuji Okabayashi in their first defence.^[6] That same month, Takeda won the D-Dash Tournament, defeating Shinya Ishikawa in the final,^[7] and unsuccessfully challenged Yuko Miyamoto for the BJW Deathmatch Heavyweight Championship in a scaffold deathmatch.^[8] In December, Takeda teamed with Takuma Obe in the D-Dash Tag Tournament, making it to the semi-finals before being eliminated by Ryuichi Kawakami and Shinya Ishikawa.^[9] Takeda again challenged for the Deathmatch Heavyweight Championship in July 2010, this time losing to Ryuji Ito in a glass and fluorescent light tubes alpha deathmatch.^[10]

In early 2011, Takeda participated in the Ikkitosen Death Survival Tournament, finishing first in his block with 6 points, but losing to Takashi Sasaki in the final.^[11] Takeda received his third opportunity at the BJW Deathmatch Heavyweight Championship in February 2012, losing to Abdullah Kobayashi in an Open Finger Gloves Spike Nail Deathmatch.^[12] Takeda made his debut outside of Japan in June 2013, losing to Combat Zone Wrestling (CZW)'s Drake Younger in a deathmatch in Germany.^[13] Takeda unsuccessfully challenged for the BJW Deathmatch Heavyweight Championship for the fourth time on June 30, losing to Shuji Ishikawa.^[14] In February 2014, while riding his motorcycle, Takeda was involved in an accident, injuring his ankle and missing 4 months of action. He wrestled his return match on June 14, losing to Danny Havoc in the first round of the 2014 Tournament Of Death for CZW in the United States.^[15] Takeda received his 5th opportunity at the Deathmatch Heavyweight Championship in August, losing to Yuko Miyamoto.^[16] In early 2015, Takeda again participated in the Ikkitosen Survival Tournament, finishing first in his block with 8 points but losing to Abdullah Kobayashi in the final.^[17] On August 19, 2017, Takeda defeated Masaya Takahashi to win the BJW Deathmatch Heavyweight Championship for the first time in his career.^[18]

All Japan Pro Wrestling (2016–present)

Beginning in May 2016, Takeda began making appearances for All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW). On May 25, Takeda unsuccessfully challenged Atsushi Aoki for the World Junior Heavyweight Championship.^[19] In August, Takeda gained his biggest win in All Japan to date when he teamed with Nextream (Jake Lee and Kento Miyahara) to defeat Evolution (Suwama and Aoki) and Super Tiger. On October 15, Takeda and Atsushi Maruyama unsuccessfully challenged Evolution (Aoki and Hikaru Sato) for the All Asia Tag Team Championship.^[20]

Personal life

Takeda is a birdkeeper in his spare time; he owns a pet barn owl named 12, and runs a Twitter account where he posts pictures and updates of the owl.^[21]

He married his wife, Yuka Omori, a former member of the idol group "Through Skills" in June 2019. Together, the couple had a daughter. Takeda announced on January 30, 2022 that his wife had died suddenly on January 7, and her funeral had been held on January 14. He also announced that he would be taking a break from professional wrestling as a result. He eventually returned to the ring in July 2022.^[22]

Mixed martial arts record

Masashi Takeda
Born	(1985-08-13) August 13, 1985 (age 39) Machida, Tokyo
Other names	Crazy Kid
Nationality	Japanese
Height	1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)
Weight	87 kg (192 lb)
Division	Welterweight
Team	U-File
Years active	2005-present
Mixed martial arts record
Total	16
Wins	11
By knockout	6
By submission	5
By decision	0
Losses	4
By knockout	3
By submission	1
By decision	0
Draws	1
Other information
Mixed martial arts record from Sherdog

Professional record breakdown

16 matches	11 wins	4 losses
By knockout	6	3
By submission	5	1
By decision	0	0
Draws	1

Championships and accomplishments

• All Japan Pro Wrestling
  • Jr. Tag Battle of Glory (2017) – with Atsushi Maruyama^[23]
• Big Japan Pro Wrestling
  • BJW Deathmatch Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
  • BJW Tag Team Championship (3 times) – with Isami Kodaka (1) and Takumi Tsukamoto (2)
  • Saikyo Tag League (2009) – with Isami Kodaka
  • Soushi Sousatsu Deathmatch Tag Tournament (2023)– With Takumi Tsukamoto
• Dotonbori Pro Wrestling
  • WDW Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Jaki Numazawa^[24]
• Desastre Total Ultraviolento
  • DTU World Extreme Championship (1 time)^[24]
• Guts World Pro Wrestling
  • GWC 6-Man Tag Team Championship (3 times) – with Masato Shibata and Kotaro Nasu (1), Daisuke and Kankuro Hoshino (1) and Daisuke and Bungee Takada (1)^[24]
• Game Changer Wrestling
  • GCW Ultraviolent Championship (1 time)
  • Nick Gage Invitational 3 (2018)
• Japan Indie Awards
  • Best Bout Award (2017) vs. Masaya Takahashi on December 17^[25]
• Pro Wrestling A-Team
  • WEW Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Tomohiko Hashimoto
• Pro Wrestling Freedoms
  • King of Freedom World Championship (3 times)^[24]
  • King of Freedom World Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Jun Kasai^[24]
  • Barefoot King Championship (1 time)
  • Jun Kasai Deathmatch Tournament (2013)
• Pro Wrestling Zero1
  • NWA Intercontinental Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Yuko Miyamoto
• Style-E
  • Style-E Openweight Championship (1 time)^[24]

References

1. "Masashi Takeda". 23 February 2016.
2. Kreikenbohm, Philip. "Masashi Takeda « Wrestlers Database « CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database".
3. Kreikenbohm, Philip. "BJW « Events Database « CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database".
4. Kreikenbohm, Philip. "BJW « Events Database « CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database".
5. Kreikenbohm, Philip. "Maximum Tag League « Tournaments Database « CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database".
6. Kreikenbohm, Philip. "BJW « Events Database « CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database".
7. Kreikenbohm, Philip. "D-Dash Tournament « Tournaments Database « CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database".
8. Kreikenbohm, Philip. "BJW « Events Database « CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database".
9. Kreikenbohm, Philip. "BJW Dainichi Dash « Events Database « CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database".
10. Kreikenbohm, Philip. "BJW « Events Database « CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database".
11. Kreikenbohm, Philip. "BJW « Events Database « CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database".
12. Kreikenbohm, Philip. "BJW « Events Database « CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database".
13. Kreikenbohm, Philip. "wXw World Tag Team Championship « Titles Database « CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database".
14. Kreikenbohm, Philip. "BJW « Events Database « CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database".
15. Kreikenbohm, Philip. "CZW Tournament Of Death XIII « Events Database « CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database".
16. Kreikenbohm, Philip. "BJW Death Mania « Events Database « CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database".
17. Kreikenbohm, Philip. "BJW Ikkitousen Death Match Survivor 2015 - Tag 8 « Events Database « CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database".
18. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2017-08-19. Retrieved 2017-08-19.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
19. Kreikenbohm, Philip. "AJPW Super Power Series 2016 - Tag 4 « Events Database « CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database".
20. Kreikenbohm, Philip. "AJPW Raising An Army Memorial Series 2016 - Tag 4 « Events Database « CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database".
21. "x.com".
22. "竹田誠志、元スルースキルズの妻由佳さんが急死「現実を受け止められず」 - プロレス : 日刊スポーツ".
23. 11.9後楽園大会[観衆]1241人. All Japan Pro Wrestling (in Japanese). 2017-11-09. Retrieved 2017-11-09.
24. Kreikenbohm, Philip. "Titles « Masashi Takeda « Wrestlers Database « CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database".
25. 【年越しプロレス2017のまとめ】年忘れ！シャッフル・タッグトーナメントは関口組を下した竹下＆鈴木のモースト・ストロンゲスト・コンビが優勝！／蘇る80年代ガイジン列伝！ スタン、ブロディ、タケシータ、ブッチャーが大暴れ！ カリスマバラモン、阿鼻叫喚の地獄絵図への誘い！／Taka、デビュー25周年記念試合で新年を迎えると同時にMaoにフォール負け！. DDT Pro-Wrestling (in Japanese). 2018-01-01. Retrieved 2018-01-01.

External links