Real Name - Akira Maeda
Birthdate - 1/24/59
6'3" 225 lbs. - Osaka, Japan

Aliases - Kwik Kick Lee

Athletic background - Karate

Teachers - Karl Gotch

Professional background - Europe(`82-`83), New Japan(`84), UWF(`84-`85), New Japan(`85-`88), UWF(`88-`90), RINGS(`91-`99)

Team - RINGS Japan

Peak Years - `84-`94

Career Highlights -
- Forms the first UWF with a variety of New Japan talent, which does "real" pro-wrestling matches
- Upon returning to New Japan, Maeda becomes unbelievably popular and seems poised to take Inoki's spot
- Forms "RINGS," which was even more technical than the UWF incarnations and it becomes a huge hit
- Beats Bitszade Tariel via submission to win Battle Dimensions tournament `93
- Comes out of retirement to battle Greco-Roman legend Alexander Karelin

Finisher(s) -
- Leg Capture Suplex

Favorites -
- Tiger Chancery
- High Kick
- Jumping Spin Heel Kick
- Belly-to-Belly Suplex
- Leg Kick

Ringwork Rating -
move set - 8
science - 10
aerial - 2
power - 7
strikes - 10

Intangible Rating -
entertainment - 9
selling - 8
bumping - 6
carrying - 6
heat - 10
legacy - 7

Serious Injuries - Knees

Place in History - Upon his arrival in New Japan Pro-Wrestling, it seemed Antonio Inoki's successor had arrived. The company's founder and top star had long been interested in making pro-wrestling and namely himself as credible as possible and he did this by bringing in legit martial artists. Maeda's ability to work a match was sound and improving, but he grew to hate what he was doing, largely because he'd have to lose. The former karate fighter was rebellious and though most thought it would kill his career, it ended up making it. He was a pivotal character in the formation of the first UWF and he was its top star. After mismanagement the UWF did a high-profile interpromotional feud before eventually being fired after several incidents. He started another UWF, which was the first with better talent and an established style and fanbase, but again it had problems and dissolved. So three of top stars went on to create their own respective companies and be the top stars. Akira Maeda had RINGS, which outlasted the other two and probably produced better talent as well. Maeda helped the company get off the ground at the cost of his health and finally had to retire from chronic knee problems. Though RINGS was still holding some of the best matches in the world, popularity was dropping off and eventually they had to go to limited rules shootfights to compete. They survived the early years of Pride, but just couldn't compete and as Pride and K-1 just got bigger and bigger. The only remains of RINGS now exist in Holland and Lithuania where they still hold regular cards.