Tuesday, February 24, 1970

KENJI TANAMURA (棚村鎌二)

Real Name: Kenji Tanamura
Nickname: "Gladiator King"
Birthplace: Kobe, Hyogo
Birthdate: December 02, 1976
Theme Music: "The Final Countdown" by Europa
Weight: 91kg
Height: 181cm (5'11")
Debut: January 18, 2003 (w/ Hiroaki Nakata & Akira Takayoshi vs. Tetsuhisa NAKAI, Masafuji Yoshida & Chikao Kessin)

Physical Appearance: Now in his mid-30's, Tanamura shows his age facially. Physically however, Kenji has the body fit for a 20-year-old due to his years of diligent diet and nutrition. While not shredded, his tan body is very tone, showing him to still be a very formidable foe. His hair is jet black, and at about shoulder's length. The back of Kenji's hair is straightened; almost seemingly like the result of a bad static cling incident.



Ring Costume: Kenji wears turquoise trunks with "KT" fashioned to the front left side in fancy, white cursive letters. The back of the trunks feature "ARMADA" in hardened white font. In addition to white wrist tape, Kenji wears knee pads, boots, and kick pads to match his trunks. He dawns a slick, turquoise ring jacket for his entrances; typically with the hood up.

Title History:

* UCC Openweight Title
- Hayato Ikeda (11/19/2003) / Vacated due to inactivity
- Shane Jackson (8/18/2005) / Vacated due to inactivity

* OLYMPUS-FS Heavyweight Title
- Karlson Goold (12/31/2005) / Jake Smith (05/05/2006)

Tournament History:

* THE WORLD FIGHT SERIES (FURY - 11/19/2003): Kenji Tanamura beat Hayato Ikeda (7:33) with a front neck long.

Trademark Moves:

* Hammerlock Front Sleeper
* High Kick
* Triangle hold
* Backdrop

Biography: Kenji Tanamura was a martial arts prodigy before he even became an adult, as he garnered headlines across many sports papers by earning high marks in Judo, Karate, and Amateur Wrestling. At 18, he won the All Japan National Full-Contact Karate Championships, along with placing bronze in Olympic qualifiers in Judo and Freestyle Wrestling. Representing Japan in the Olympic games seemed inevitable for Kenji, until an Achilles tendon injury would force him to sit out the coming Games.

Upon recovery, Tanamura made the transition to the professional kakutougi world, competing in full-contact fights with primitive rules. He competed in both MMA and Kickboxing rings; though he fared better in the MMA ring due to being allowed to use his superb submission skills. He would still earn respect among fans in the striking realm for his sheet tenacity and fighting spirit.

After highly publicized contract dispute with his promoter, Tanamura made the shocking, albeit logical transition to pro-wrestling. Kenji reached out to Kazuma Fujita, who he met years before at a wrestling meet in Osaka, and entered Fujita's dojo, and would eventually debut for Pro-Wrestling FURY. He'd wrap up his MMA career on 01/15/2003 in a special bout held on FURY's big Osaka Central Gymnasium event, losing to fellow fighter-turned-wrestler, Shigeru Iwasaki (though many question the validity of the fight...)

Tanamura was a special case, separate from your traditional pro-wrestling rookie. The tools and athleticism honed from years of full-contact fighting served him well in the pro-wrestling ring. For all intents and purposes, he was considered to be a top level fighter before competing in his first official match.

However, the idealistic Tanamura grew weary of the traditional pro style, and set out to create his own brand of Pro-Wrestling, patterned more on realistic action and removing many of the questionable aspects of pro-wrestling entirely. Tanamura was given the right to create the brand as an extension of FURY itself, calling it "Fighting Union Revolt 'Y'." The brand saw unique integration of fighters from other disciplines, including Canadian Silver Medalist in Freestyle Wrestling Karlson Goold. The brand held a tournament in 2003 to determine World's Strongest, comprised of many accomplished fighters. Tanamura would come out on top, submitting well-known hybrid fighter Hayato Ikeda to become the Universal Combat Crown Champion. The title would go through various states of flux, with Tanamura himself winning it a second time after the belt had become inactive.

After the FUR'Y" brand was dismissed, Tanamura quietly exited FURY, and would eventually return to the MMA ring as part of the SICA organization. However, with Tanamura's senses dulled,  he would encur three consecutive losses, which would lead to Kenji temporarily retiring from the ring.  However, in mid 2005, Tanamura would be lured out by the OLYMPUS-FS organization, which boasted a state-of-the-art production and backing. Despite criticism for being given an unwarranted title match, Tanamura silenced critics by submitting OFS Heavyweight Champion Karlson Good in 85 seconds to become champion. Kenji's reign, and MMA career would end once and for all in his next fight, as he suffered a staggering knockout to brutal striker Jake Smith.

Since retiring from the MMA ring, Tanamura had made sporadic appearances in the pro-wrestling ring, showing that his heart was still in it. Older, and with his more idealistic days behind him, Tanamura was reportedly the first wrestler to personally approach KJPW about joining their roster, and was considered to be a gigantic coup for the company. He brings with him a literal armada in the form of Yuichi Miwa, Harumi Sakai, and Yusaku Kitajima; all proud disciples of Tanamura's years of combat tutelage. The four formed "Hybrid Corps ARMADA" upon their first appearance, promising to fight for not just themselves, but for KJPW as a whole.