Apache Pro-Wrestling Army

Apache Pro-Wrestling Army
AcronymApache Pro
Founded2004[1]
DefunctDecember 25, 2016
HeadquartersTokyo, Japan[1]
Founder(s)Go Ito
Kintaro Kanemura[1]
Owner(s)Go Ito and Kintaro Kanemura (2004–2008)
Takashi Sasaki (2008–2009)
Kintaro Kanemura and Tetsuhiro Kuroda (2010–2016)[1][2]
PredecessorWorld Entertainment Wrestling
Fuyuki-Gun Promotion
SuccessorXtreme Wrestling Force
Pro Wrestling Freedoms
Pro-Wrestling A-Team

Apache Pro-Wrestling Army (アパッチプロレス軍, Apatchi Puroresu-gun) was a Japanese professional wrestling promotion operating from 2004 to 2009 and from 2010 to 2016.[1]

History

Following the closure of Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling (FMW) in 2002, FMW booker Hiromichi Fuyuki formed his own promotion, which ran under the names World Entertainment Wrestling (WEW) and Fuyuki-Gun Promotion (originally used by Fuyuki for an FMW-aligned venture following his withdrawal from WAR), and administered the WEW titles originally created in FMW in 1999. FMW alumni such as Kintaro Kanemura, Tetsuhiro Kuroda, and Go Ito maintained Fuyuki-Gun Promotion and WEW even after Fuyuki's death in March 2003, but stopped in May 2004.

Apache Pro-Wrestling Army (Apache Pro) was founded by Ito and Kanemura in 2004 as a replacement for Fuyuki-Gun Promotion and WEW. Their first event was on August 30, the main event was a six-man tag team match which had Ichiro Yaguchi, Riki Choshu, and Tomohiro Ishii defeating BADBOY Hido, Dick Togo, and Kanemura.

The first WEW Heavyweight Champion under Apache Pro was Togi Makabe. On August 1, 2006, Apache Pro would hold a tournament to see which tag team would become the first WEW World Tag Team Champions under the promotion. In the finals, BADBOY Hido and Takashi Sasaki defeated Jun Kasai and Tetsuhiro Kuroda. In 2006, The Winger would win Apache Pro's first and only Death Match Tournament. In 2007, Takashi Sasaki and The Winger would win the Interim WEW Tag Team Title Tournament. In 2008, Kanemura was involved in a sexual harassment scandal with a female office worker from Big Japan Pro Wrestling. After the scandal, Kanemura departed Apache Pro. Kanemura would form a new promotion called the Xtreme Wrestling Force (XWF).[3] XWF ceased running shows in 2010.

Apache Pro closed on June 26, 2009, after which its owner Takashi Sasaki founded Pro Wrestling Freedoms.[4][5] On December 27, 2010, Kanemura and Kuroda started to promote Apache Pro shows again, this time basing the promotion around Osaka. The promotion lasted until Christmas 2016, when it closed for a final time due to Kanemura's retirement from active competition. After Apache Pro's closure, Tomohiko Hashimoto launched a new offshoot promotion Pro-Wrestling A-Team, which continues to promote the WEW titles.

Roster at the time of closure

Wrestlers

Apache Army
Demolition

Staff

  • Hasegawa (General Manager)
  • Takafumi Fujioka (Announcer)

Alumni

Championships

Championship Final recognized champion(s) Date won
WEW Heavyweight Championship Kintaro Kanemura December 25, 2016
WEW Tag Team Championship Tatsuhito Takaiwa and Tetsuhiro Kuroda December 25, 2016
Apache Opendivision Championship Tsuyoshi Kikuchi April 28, 2011

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Philip Kreikenbohm. "Apache Pro-Wrestling (Apache)".
  2. ^ "Apache Pro-Wrestling (Apache)".
  3. ^ "Xtreme Wrestling Force (XWF)". Cagematch.net. Retrieved February 28, 2024.
  4. ^ "A Brief History of Japanese Professional Wrestling". nippon.com. 3 December 2014.
  5. ^ BushidoRX. "freedoms - Puroresu Spirit".
  6. ^ a b c d e f Philip Kreikenbohm. "Roster « Apache Pro-Wrestling (Apache) « Promotions Database « CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database".
  7. ^ Philip Kreikenbohm. "Rikimaru".