Ryusuke Taguchi is a Japanese professional wrestler, trained by and currently performing for New Japan Pro-Wrestling.
47 Facts About Ryusuke Taguchi
2.
Ryusuke Taguchi is a former two-time IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion, seven-time IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champion and three-time NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Champion.
3.
Ryusuke Taguchi was the winner of the 2012 Best of the Super Juniors.
4.
Ryusuke Taguchi's best known gimmick is akin to a disco dancer, often sporting a short afro and colorful, flamboyant attire and celebrating victories with a post-match dance, encouraging his partners to join in during tag team matches.
5.
Ryusuke Taguchi enrolled in the New Japan Pro-Wrestling dojo in March 2002, training under Kotetsu Yamamoto, passing the promotion's notoriously tough entry test, before debuting on November 22,2002, in a losing effort against Toru Yano.
6.
Ryusuke Taguchi continued to wrestle in minor matches through early 2003, before being entered into the tenth annual Best of the Super Juniors tournament by default after Heat pulled out.
7.
Ryusuke Taguchi finished in last place with zero points, losing all of his matches.
8.
On December 27,2003, Ryusuke Taguchi defeated Naofumi Yamamoto to gain a spot on the card for New Japan's annual Tokyo Dome show, Wrestling World.
9.
Ryusuke Taguchi went on to defeat Akiya Anzawa at the event on January 4,2004, in under five minutes.
10.
Ryusuke Taguchi competed in the Best of the Super Juniors tournament in June 2004, finishing with 4 points by wrestling to 20-minute time limit draws with El Samurai and American Dragon, and defeating Jyushin Thunder Liger in 45 seconds.
11.
In October and November 2004, Ryusuke Taguchi competed in the 7-man, single-elimination Young Lion Toukon Tournament, a sort of "sequel" to the Young Lion Cup; he received a bye to the semifinals as a result of winning that tournament, defeating Hiroshi Nagao and Katsuhiko Nakajima in his two matches to punctuate his YLC victory.
12.
On January 6,2005, Ryusuke Taguchi announced that he would be going on a learning excursion to Mexican promotion Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre, a common practice for young Japanese juniors, wrestling simply as "Ryusuke Taguchi".
13.
Ryusuke Taguchi competed in two farewell matches in New Japan, losing to Wataru Inoue in the first and teaming with Taiji Ishimori to defeat Tiger Mask and El Samurai in the second.
14.
Ryusuke Taguchi made his CMLL debut on February 11,2005, in the Arena Mexico, teaming with Black Tiger and Shigeo Okumura to defeat Negro Casas, Felino and Safari.
15.
Ryusuke Taguchi wrestled in Ultimo Dragon's Toryumon Mexico, teaming with Hiromi Horiguchi to win the 4-team Yamaha Cup tournament on February 27,2005.
16.
Ryusuke Taguchi continued to compete in CMLL throughout much of 2005, often teaming with fellow New Japan alumni Shinsuke Nakamura and Hiroshi Tanahashi.
17.
Ryusuke Taguchi returned to Japan on October 7,2005 and wrestled his official return match on October 22,2005, teaming with Masahito Kakihara to defeat Sangre Azteca and Hirooki Goto.
18.
Ryusuke Taguchi again competed in the BOSJ in June 2006, finishing in fourth place out of seven in his block with seven points, defeating Jyushin Thunder Liger, Sangre Azteca and Fuego, and wrestling to a double count out with Jado.
19.
Ryusuke Taguchi continued to participate in WRESTLE LAND through 2006 and 2007.
20.
On September 24,2006, Ryusuke Taguchi made his first attempt at a major singles junior title by challenging Tiger Mask for the NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship, losing in 13 minutes.
21.
At New Japan's annual Tokyo Dome event on January 4,2007, Ryusuke Taguchi teamed with El Samurai and All Japan Pro Wrestling's Masanobu Fuchi to defeat Kikutaro, Nobutaka Araya and Akira Raijin, pinning Kikutaro after the Dodon.
22.
Ryusuke Taguchi had been scheduled to compete in a four-man tournament to decide the number one contender to the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship, but was removed as a result of the injury; Taguchi returned on March 3,2007.
23.
On March 11,2007, Ryusuke Taguchi was introduced as the first member of El Samurai's new Samurai Gym faction, and was later joined by Yujiro on March 18,2007.
24.
Ryusuke Taguchi entered the 14th annual Best of the Super Juniors tournament in June 2007, having his strongest showing to date, winning five out of six group stage matches by defeating Tetsuya Naito, Koji Kanemoto, El Samurai, Dragon Gate's BxB Hulk, and junior champion Minoru, finishing in first place for his block with 10 points.
25.
Ryusuke Taguchi made his first defense of the title on September 24,2007, defeating Tiger Mask.
26.
Ryusuke Taguchi defended the championship on October 7,2007, at independent promotion Pro Wrestling KAGEKI's tenth anniversary show, defeating the company's founder Azteca; the following day, Taguchi again defended the title, defeating Minoru once more.
27.
On October 28,2007, Ryusuke Taguchi defended the title for the third time in one month, defeating 5-time champion Koji Kanemoto in Kobe, Kanemoto's hometown.
28.
Ryusuke Taguchi lost the title in his fifth defense on December 8,2007, falling to Wataru Inoue.
29.
On January 4,2008, at Wrestle Kingdom II in Tokyo Dome, Ryusuke Taguchi teamed with Takashi Iizuka, Koji Kanemoto and Tiger Mask to face the "Alliance" of Pro Wrestling ZERO1-MAX's Masato Tanaka and Tatsuhito Takaiwa, and DRADITION's Katsushi Takemura and Yutaka Yoshie; the Alliance won the encounter, Yoshie pinning Ryusuke Taguchi.
30.
Ryusuke Taguchi faced Wataru Inoue in a rematch for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship on January 27,2008, losing to Inoue once more.
31.
In March and April 2008, Ryusuke Taguchi represented NJPW in several interpromotional matches with the newly renamed Pro Wrestling ZERO1; on March 30,2008, at New Dimension, Ryusuke Taguchi and Koji Kanemoto defeated ZERO1's Masato Tanaka and Tatsuhito Takaiwa.
32.
On June 28,2010, Ryusuke Taguchi, teaming up with Devitt and Hirooki Goto entered the J Sports Crown Openweight 6 Man Tag Tournament.
33.
In May 2011, Ryusuke Taguchi took part in the Invasion Tour 2011, New Japan's first ever tour of the United States, during which he and Devitt successfully defended the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship against the Strong Style Thugz on May 15 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
34.
On May 27, Ryusuke Taguchi entered the 2012 Best of the Super Juniors tournament.
35.
Ryusuke Taguchi made his return on January 5,2014, announcing that he was returning to the ring during the February tour, looking to continue his feud with Devitt.
36.
At the following major event, Wrestling Dontaku 2014 on May 3, Ryusuke Taguchi received a shot at the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship, but was defeated by the defending champion, Kota Ibushi.
37.
On May 30, Ryusuke Taguchi entered the 2014 Best of the Super Juniors tournament, where he finished second in his block with a record of four wins and three losses, advancing to the semifinals.
38.
On January 4,2015, Ryusuke Taguchi lost the title to Kenny Omega at Wrestle Kingdom 9 in Tokyo Dome.
39.
In May, Ryusuke Taguchi entered the 2015 Best of the Super Juniors.
40.
On July 20, Ryusuke Taguchi entered the 2016 Super J-Cup, defeating Pro Wrestling Noah representative Daisuke Harada in his first round match.
41.
Ryusuke Taguchi then took part in the 2017 Best of the Super Juniors, where he finished with a record of four wins and three losses, failing to advance to the finals.
42.
Ryusuke Taguchi then formed a new tag team named "Funky Future" with Ricochet under the banner of Ryusuke Taguchi Japan.
43.
Ryusuke Taguchi finished the tournament with 3 wins and 4 losses, failing to advance to the finals.
44.
Ryusuke Taguchi finished the tournament with 8 points, failing to advance to the finals.
45.
Later in the month, Ryusuke Taguchi competed in the Best of the Super Juniors tournament, competing in the A Block.
46.
Ryusuke Taguchi finished the tournament, with 6 points, finishing last in his block.
47.
In 2015, Ryusuke Taguchi began performing as a singer character named "Akira Michishirube".