Takayuki Iizuka, better known by his ring name Takashi Iizuka, is a Japanese retired professional wrestler.
21 Facts About Takashi Iizuka
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Takashi Iizuka is best known for his 33-year career in New Japan Pro-Wrestling, where he was a three-time IWGP Tag Team Champion.
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Takashi Iizuka has worked for Pro Wrestling Noah, where he was a one-time GHC Tag Team Champion.
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In 2008, Takashi Iizuka underwent a drastic change to his look, character and wrestling style, turning heel, shaving his head bald, growing a sinister beard, and adapting a hardcore wrestling style.
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Takashi Iizuka was given the gimmick of an uncontrollable madman, and nicknamed "The Great Traitor" for his betrayal of the New Japan roster.
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Takashi Iizuka competed for New Japan Pro-Wrestling over four separate decades before retiring from in ring competition in February 2019.
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Takashi Iizuka made his debut for New Japan Pro-Wrestling in November 1986, wrestling against Akira Nogami in a losing effort.
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Takashi Iizuka competed only twice in the United States, for the Tri-State Wrestling Alliance on September 21,1991 against Owen Hart, and for World Championship Wrestling on May 17,1992, teaming with the legendary Tatsumi Fujinami in a losing effort against The Steiner Brothers at WrestleWar.
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The feud with go through the first quarter of 2003 with Takashi Iizuka eventually winning two three-match series against Nagai to end the feud.
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On March 9,2008, after Hiroyoshi Tenzan was attacked by the rest of Great Bash Heel just weeks after he had been kicked out of the stable, Takashi Iizuka came to his aid, clearing the ring of Tomoaki Honma, Gedo and Jado.
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Takashi Iizuka was given the gimmick of an uncontrollable madman, often making his entrances through crowds, violently pushing fans and announcers around.
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Takashi Iizuka began frequently using an iron glove on opponents as his main weapon of choice.
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Since then Takashi Iizuka has gone on to feud with Yuji Nagata, again defeating him in a Chain Death Match on April 5,2009 but would lose the rematch on May 3,2009, at Wrestling Dontaku 2009.
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And, his only win came against his former tag team partner, Yuji Nagata, who got himself disqualified by throwing the referee out of the ring, whilst he was making his comeback, following Takashi Iizuka's repeated use of the steel toothguard and interference from Tomohiro Ishii.
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On January 4,2010, Takashi Iizuka teamed with fellow CHAOS members Yano and Ishii and Abdullah the Butcher against Riki Choshu, Masahiro Chono, Manabu Nakanishi, and Terry Funk.
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Takashi Iizuka's team lost when tension between Abdullah and Takashi Iizuka led to their loss.
17.
On December 11,2010, Takashi Iizuka restarted his feud with Hiroyoshi Tenzan, who had just returned after being sidelined for fifteen months due to an injury.
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On May 3,2012, at Wrestling Dontaku 2012, Takashi Iizuka won his first title in sixteen years, when he and Toru Yano defeated Hiroyoshi Tenzan and Satoshi Kojima for the IWGP Tag Team Championship.
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On May 25,2014, at Back to the Yokohama Arena, Takashi Iizuka turned on Yano and Chaos and jumped to the Suzuki-gun stable.
20.
On January 10,2015, Takashi Iizuka took part in an angle, where he, along with the rest of Suzuki-gun, invaded the Pro Wrestling Noah promotion.
21.
Takashi Iizuka worked regularly for Noah until the storyline concluded in December 2016, which led to the stable returning to NJPW on January 5,2017.