World Level Wrestling

[RazorsEdge]

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World Level Wrestling

 

TEW.com Promotion Profile:

 

World Level Wrestling is an extremely fun little promotion who have been making a name for themselves since their creation in 2000. At that time, Japanese wrestling was dominated by BHOTWG, PGHW and GCG, three promotions who take wrestling very seriously. WLW decided to be a little more rebellious, and introduced "LuchaResu" - a combination of the high-flying acrobatics of Lucha Libre and the hard-hitting toughness of PuroResu, with more than a hint of comedy.

 

Their unusual style, combined with the fantastic matches they often offer, have helped them become both a cult favourite and a major player in Japanese wrestling. Between 2008 and 2009 they had their roughest period to date, as several of their best workers were raided or moved on. WLW now have the task of rebuilding their roster once more.

 

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The Exodus Timeline (L-R: Burning Taka****a/EXILE, Haru Karofuji, The Incredible Koyama, Bairei Yasujiro & Dean Daniels)

 

Whilst hardly the worst spell of losing workers a promotion has ever endured, WLW has been rocked hard by the loss of five key workers since 2006.

 

In an incident mirroring his time with BHOTWG, Burning Taka****a was involved in an argument with WLW owner Koji Kojima, which led to his departure. Since his arrival in 2002, Taka****a had been a revelation, headlining many shows and putting on several match of the year candidates. A two time holder of the WLW Universal Champion, Taka****a earned his title reigns by defeating Awesome Thunder & Koki Ishibashi in matches that really put WLW on the map. But his success did not stop there, Taka****a took his skill to the tag team division, teaming with The Great Hisato, feuding with teams such as Ken Shimedzu & Natsu Miyamae, Haru Karofuji & Koji Kojima, and the gaijin team of Dean Daniels & Insane Machine on their way to three WLW Tag Team Title reigns. Since leaving WLW in 2006, Taka****a has taken the name Burning EXILE and declared himself a freelancer, working for promotions on a short term basis and bouncing around the indy scene. In 2009 to the surprise of many, EXILE turned up working for Hinote Dojo, BHOTWG's feeder company, with a determination to keep his skills sharp and help to give back to the business by training young wrestlers. Whether this is a sign of a more mature Taka****a is yet to be seen, but many are wondering whether a return to WLW could be in his future.

 

The next blow was in 2008, when head booker and best friend of Koji Kojima, Haru Karofuji decided that it was time to move on and left WLW to join BHOTWG. Karofuji's booking had been instrumental in WLW's popularity, and as a one time Universal Champion as well as a three time Tag Team Champion with Koji Kojima, it was a big blow for him to leave. Karofuji has left on good terms and states he will more than likely return one day, and seeing as though he is yet to break out of the opening matches for BHOTWG, perhaps that day will come sooner rather than later.

 

Despite a record-setting five reigns as WLW Tag Team Champion with Koki Ishibashi and three reigns as WLW Show Stealer Champion, The Incredible Koyama shocked the world when he sensationally refused a contract extension with WLW and left for BHOTWG. A bitter rift has since formed between Koyama and his former mentors and friends, WLW owner Koji Kojima and tag team partner Koki Ishibashi. Koyama was seen as a future star in the promotion, being groomed for the main event scene, with many tipping 2009 to be his breakout year, before he left. Marked as a traitor by the WLW faithful, it is unlikely that Koyama will return soon.

 

Bairei Yasujiro is a veteran wrestler who spent a large part of his career traveling the world whilst honing his skills in places such as Mexico, where he became the MPWF Champion in 1993. During this time he took the odd booking for BHOTWG, but it wasn't until 2006 when he actually decided to settle down in Japan, choosing, somewhat shocking, WLW as his destination. During his three year stint Yasujiro helped put on classic matches with the WLW stars, and became a two time Universal Champion. Instrumental in establishing young stars such as Emerald Angel and Magnum Kobe, Angel actually cites Yasujiro as a great mentor. In 2009, with WLW's blessing, Yasujiro said goodbye in order to join BHOTWG, to try and capture fame on an even grander scale. Yasujiro left on great terms, but with his incredible skills it is doubtful that BHOTWG would ever let him go in order for him to return.

 

The final departure came in the form of someone who was not a superstar, but merely a solid, hard worker. Dean 'The Machine' Daniels, a one time Tag Team Champion with Insane Machine, left in late 2009 in order to seek a new challenge with Golden Canvas Grappling. A long time WLW regular, many were shocked when the 34 year old made the switch, but he made it known that he was very thankful for the time he had in WLW and would like to return one day.

 

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22nd WLW UNIVERSAL CHAMPION: Magnum Kobe

Previous Champions: 1. Awesome Thunder

2. Koji Kojima

3. Awesome Thunder [2]

4. Koki Ishibashi

5. Burning Taka****a

6. Awesome Thunder [3]

7. Koji Kojima [2]

8. Awesome Thunder [4]

9. Burning Taka****a [2]

10. Awesome Thunder [5]

11. Haru Karofuji

12. Dark Eagle

13. Koki Ishibashi [2]

14. The Great Hisato

15. Awesome Thunder [6]

16. Emerald Angel

17. Bairei Yasujiro

18. Emerald Angel [2]

19. Bairei Yasujiro [2]

20. The Great Hisato [2]

21. Emerald Angel [3]

 

 

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20th WLW TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS: Black House [2]

Previous Champions: 1. Haru Karofuji & Koji Kojima

2. Shimedzu & Miyamae

3. The Great Hisato & Burning Taka****a

4. Shimedzu & Miyamae [2]

5. The Great Hisato & Burning Taka****a [2]

6. Koki Ishibashi & The Incredible Koyama

7. Haru Karofuji & Koji Kojima [2]

8. Koki Ishibashi & The Incredible Koyama [2]

9. The Great Hisato & Burning Taka****a [3]

10. Koki Ishibashi & The Incredible Koyama [3]

11. Dean Daniels & Insane Machine

12. Koki Ishibashi & The Incredible Koyama [4]

13. Emerald Angel & Hell Monkey

14. Haru Karofuji & Koji Kojima [3]

15. Koki Ishibashi & The Incredible Koyama [5]

16. Acid & UK Dragon

17. Americana & Insane Machine

18. Kazuma Narata & Mokuami Maita

19. Koki Ishibashi & Koji Kojima

 

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11th WLW SHOW STEALER CHAMPION: Hell Monkey [2]

Previous Champions: 1. Emerald Angel

2. Hell Monkey

3. Magnum KOBE

4. The Incredible Koyama

5. Americana

6. The Incredible Koyama [2]

7. Magnum KOBE [2]

8. The Incredible Koyama [3]

9. Kazuma Narato

10. Acid

 

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12th WLW STREETFIGHTING CHAMPION: Insane Machine [2]

Previous Champions: 1. Ketsueki Karasu

2. Insane Machine

3. Kazuma Narato

4. Yuki Horigoshi

5. Hell Monkey

6. Magnum KOBE

7. Hell Monkey [2]

8. Toyokuni Hardcore

9. General Hayashi

10. Toyokuni Hardcore [2]

11. Ketsueki Karasu [2]

 

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8th WLW TAP OUT CHAMPION: Rogue Matsuo SF

Previous Champions: 1. Magnum KOBE

2. Koki Ishibashi

3. UK Dragon

4. Magnum KOBE [2]

5. Koji Kojima

6. Mokuami Maita

7. Americana

 

[RazorsEdge]

THE FACTIONS

 

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(L-R: Kazuma Narato, Mokuami Maita, Mr. Miwa, Rogue Matsuo SF, Toyokuni Hardcore & General Hayashi)

BLACK HOUSE NATION

Created in 2008 by Kazuma Narato and Mokuami Maita as part of their attempt to destroy WLW, the current tag team champions head up the dangerous stable that consists of them, their conniving associate Mr. Miwa, and the team Weapon X, consisting of current WLW Tap Out Champion Rogue Matsuo SF and Toyokuni Hardcore and their bossy manager General Hayashi.

 

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(L-R: Emerald Angel, Koji Kojima, Koki Ishibashi & The Great Hisato

Def-REALM

Founded by Emerald Angel in 2009 with the intention to protect WLW from threats such as Red Guild & the Black House Nation, Def-REALM faction consists of a youngster who is fast becoming considered one of the greatest wrestlers in the world in Emerald Angel, and three WLW legends in owner Koji Kojima, former Circle Of Blood member Koki Ishibashi and fan favourite The Great Hisato. With Ishibashi & Kojima taking the tag team division by storm, and Angel and Hisato staking a claim for the WLW Universal Title, Def-REALM is perhaps the strongest alliance against villainy that WLW has ever seen.

 

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(L-R: Magnum Kobe, Dark Eagle & Silver Shark)

RED GUILD

An off-shoot of the original Circle Of Blood stable, Magnum Kobe and Dark Eagle were joined by Silver Shark in 2008 to form WLW's new dominant heel stable. With three superbly talented wrestlers, including the current Universal Champion Magnum Kobe, Red Guild have proven themselves to be stiff competition, and a thorn in the side of Def-REALM.

 

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(L-R: Acid, UK Dragon, Americana, Insane Machine & The Tic)

THE 505

The 505 is a minor stable in WLW that consists entirely of foreign workers. Led by Acid & UK Dragon, the stable is not clearly heel nor face, as the heelish tendencies of Acid & Dragon are somewhat canceled out by Americana, Insane Machine, and especially fan favourite The Tic.

 

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(L-R: Ketsueki Karasu, Nichiren Amagawa, Hypnos & SPEED D)

THE NEW CIRCLE OF BLOOD

The New Circle Of Blood was founded by former Circle Of Blood member Ketsueki Karasu, better known as Mexican worker Blood Raven. Having joined the COB towards the end of their final run and left with little to do when the group dissolved, Karasu founded the new group in 2009 with twp young workers and a veteran. Young technical prodigy Nichiren Amagawa provides strong support, whilst the group is rounding out by the tag team VILLAINS, consisting of the veteran Hypnos and the still very green SPEED D. Whilst nowhere near the threat that the original Circle Of Blood were, Karasu has proven to be a threat to main eventers on more than one occasion, and under his guidance the New Circle may just have a chance to reach the success their predecessors did.

 

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(L-R: Dark EAGLE, Magnum KOBE, KOKI Ishibashi, The Incredible KOYAMA & Acid)

THE CIRCLE OF BLOOD (DEFUNCT)

Formed by Dark Eagle, The Circle Of Blood fast became the top group in WLW, often using underhanded tactics to win their matches. Over time, their vicious assaults on some of the beloved babyfaces of WLW led to them becoming one of the most hated groups of wrestlers in Japan. Not only did the group succeed in their storyline, but they succeeding in elevating Magnum Kobe to the main event, and by the time the group disbanded, Kobe teased breaking out on his own and becoming a babyface. Kobe made himself even more hated, however, when he managed to defeat fan favourite The Great Hisato only after receiving help from his former stablemate Dark Eagle, and Silver Shark. After the match, Kobe announced that the trio would be known as Red Guild and said that they would carry on the tradition of The Circle Of Blood in dominating WLW.

 

[RazorsEdge]

UNALIGNED

 

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(L-R: Yosuke Narita, Hell Monkey, Beetle Kimura, Panda Mask II & SHIBANUMA)

 

Of the unaligned members of the WLW roster, none of them command as much respect as Yosuke Narita, who formerly worked under a mask as Awesome Thunder. Narita was unmasked following a loss to Magnum Kobe in 2009, something that still bothers Narita to this day. Under the Awesome Thunder moniker, Narita has won the Universal Championship an amazing six times, a feat that has yet to be equaled. Coming in to 2010, Narita has vowed to get vengeance on Kobe, something that the WLW fans can't wait to see.

 

The current WLW Show Stealer Champion, Hell Monkey, is a dangerous opponent to all. A two time Show Stealer Champion, two time Streetfighting Champion, and a one time Tag Team Champion with Emerald Angel, many have tipped Hell Monkey to be the next WLW Universal Champion.

 

The second Panda Mask (the first being Harrison Hash) quickly formed a team with The Great Hisato's protege Beetle Kimura upon arriving in WLW. Whilst the two are yet to really rise above the opening matches, Kimura's serious style combined with Panda Mask's antics have made HEROES a popular tag team.

 

The final member of the roster is also the newest, still awaiting his debut. Being released by BHOTWG in 2007, Silver Shibanuma has bounced around the independent scene, with his great talents largely going to waste. With an opportunity to join WLW for 2010, he jumped on the chance to get back in the spotlight. Shortening his name to SHIBANUMA, in order to avoid confusion with Silver Shark, SHIBANUMA is looking to make an impact in WLW.