Kensuke Sasaki
Report Last Updated - 1/06 (Fall)
Aliases - Power Warrior, Kenskee
Athletic background - Mixed Martial Arts
Teachers - Riki Choshu
Professional background - Japan Pro('85-'87), New Japan('87-`02), Stampede(`89), WCW(`93-`96), WJ(`03), Free(`03-)
Groups - Inoki's Army, Swing-Lows, Kensuke Office, Florida Express
Career Highlights -
- Defeats Shiro Koshinaka in the finals of the Japan/US All-Star tournament
- Beats Hiroyoshi Tenzan to win the 1997 G-1 Climax tournament
- Captures his first IWGP Heavyweight belt from Shinya Hashimoto
- Wins his second IWGP title by defeating Genichiro Tenryu
- Defeats Toshiaki Kawada in the finals of the IWGP Heavyweight title tournament to reclaim his belt
Finisher(s) -
- Northern Lights Bomb
- Stranglehold Alpha
- Stranglehold Beta
- Strangehold Gamma
x STK (STO with palm strike)
x Scorpion Deathlock
Favorites -
- Lariat
- Tornado Bomb (Single-Leg Powerbomb)
- Ipponzei (Shoulder Throw)
- Release German Suplex
- Chop
Ringwork Rating -
move set - 8
science - 5
aerial - 2
power - 8
strikes - 9
Intangible Rating -
entertainment - 7
selling - 7
bumping - 7
heat - 8
carrying - 6
push - 9
potential - 5
Outlook - Kensuke Sasaki has had a much more successful career than one may imagine. His alliance with Riki Choshu helped him climb the ranks in New Japan and he even did well in WCW. Like Choshu, Sasaki has had many critics over the years, but he managed to silent them to an extent in the new millenium. He has been made over and looks permanantly hush those who doubt his ability as a heavyweight. Sasaki left New Japan in 2002 with Choshu and while World Japan was a failure, its death gave Kensuke Sasaki new life. He became a freelancer and has worked everywhere since. Sasaki became an impact heavyweight in several companies, a comedian in smaller companies and an MVP in the pro-wrestling world. His alliance with teenage sensation Katsuhiko Nakajima has created a lot of media interest and given the young charge a lot of credibility and notoriety. Expect their team to continue and Sasaki to maintain his status as a top heavyweight.