Akira Maeda
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 - New Japan, UWF(`84-`85), New Japan(`85), RINGS(`91-`99)
Team - RINGS Japan
Career Highlights -
- Defeats Dick Vrij in the main event of RINGS's inagural show
- Beats Bitszade Tariel via submission to win Battle Dimensions tournament `93
- Wins the Battle Dimensions tournament `95 by defeating Yoshihiso Yamamoto by submission
- Goes to a 20-minute draw with Yamamoto at his retirement show
- Comes out of retirement to battle Greco-Roman great Alexander Karelin
Favorites -
- Half Crab
- Leg Capture Suplex
- Tiger Chancery
- Belly-to-Belly Suplex
- Jumping Spin Heel Kick
- High Kick
Ringwork Rating -
technique - 7
science - 6
counters - 6
transitions - 5
diversity - 8
power - 7
strikes - 7
Intangible Rating -
entertainment - 8
selling - 7
toughness - 8
carrying - 6
heat - 10
star level - 10
Serious Injuries - Knee?
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. After participating in the UWF, Maeda formed RINGS and became the group's top star. Though he was not the best at the shoot-style, Maeda was always the biggest draw and the one everybody came to see.