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Akitoshi Saito AI simulator
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Akitoshi Saito AI simulator
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Akitoshi Saito
Akitoshi Saito (斎藤 彰俊, Saitō Akitoshi; born August 8, 1965) is a Japanese retired professional wrestler primarily known for his tenures with Pro Wrestling Noah (Noah) where he is a former five-time GHC Tag Team Champion and a former two-time Global Tag League winner in 2008 and 2011. Saito is also known for a seven-year stint with New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW).
Prior to his professional wrestling career, Saito was trained in karate by Masashi Aoyagi.[citation needed] Saito seconded Aoyagi in his matches against Atsushi Onita in Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling in 1989. He was trained for pro wrestling by Aoyagi and Yoshiaki Fujiwara.[citation needed]
Saito made his pro wrestling debut in Pioneer Senshi and spent much of his early career in W*ING, a small promotion where he enjoyed moderate success.[citation needed]
He joined New Japan Pro-Wrestling in December 1991, along with his mentor Masashi Aoyagi, feuding with Shiro Koshinaka and Kuniaki Kobayashi.[citation needed] In 1992, the four formed a faction later named Heisei Ishingun, but left the promotion in 1998.[citation needed]
After a lengthy hiatus, Saito made his surprise return to pro wrestling in October 2000 for Pro Wrestling Noah, teaming up with longtime mentor Masashi Aoyagi.[citation needed]
In 2001, he joined Jun Akiyama's STERNNESS faction as second-in-command and his career skyrocketed.[citation needed] Obtaining success like never before, he won the GHC Tag Team Title with Akiyama in September 2002, his first championship belt in his 12-year career.[citation needed] Akiyama and Saito proceeded to hold the titles for more than 8 months before losing them to Kenta Kobashi and Tamon Honda in June 2003.[citation needed]
Saito would go on to form his own stable, Dark Agents, with Takashi Sugiura, Masao Inoue and former Heisei Ishingun stablemate Shiro Koshinaka.[citation needed] He awarded himself the GHC Great Happy Christmas Championship in 2004, a title that was defended only once a year, on Christmas Eve.[citation needed] He would also challenge for the GHC Heavyweight Title on two separate occasions, in 2004 against Kenta Kobashi and in 2005 against Takeshi Rikio.[citation needed]
From March 29 to April 27, 2008, Saito and partner Bison Smith featured in NOAH's inaugural Global Tag League. The pair ultimately won the tournament defeating Mitsuharu Misawa and Yoshinari Ogawa in the final. As a result, the duo became number one contenders and on May 23, 2008, Saito and Smith defeated Naomichi Marufuji and Takashi Sugiura to win the GHC Tag Team Titles. The pair's first championship defense came five months later where the two defeated Jun Akiyama and Takeshi Rikio. On November 28 the pair made their second defense against Akira Taue and Takeshi Morishima. Shortly thereafter, Saito received a title opportunity against GHC Heavyweight Champion Kensuke Sasaki, however on December 7, Saito lost that title match. To finish the year, Saito won a two-night tournament simply named 'The Tournament' where he wrestled five matches with ten-minute time limits in the two nights with the result decided by judges if the time limit was reached. Saito defeated Masao Inoue in the final where the judges ruled in his favor 5–0.
Akitoshi Saito
Akitoshi Saito (斎藤 彰俊, Saitō Akitoshi; born August 8, 1965) is a Japanese retired professional wrestler primarily known for his tenures with Pro Wrestling Noah (Noah) where he is a former five-time GHC Tag Team Champion and a former two-time Global Tag League winner in 2008 and 2011. Saito is also known for a seven-year stint with New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW).
Prior to his professional wrestling career, Saito was trained in karate by Masashi Aoyagi.[citation needed] Saito seconded Aoyagi in his matches against Atsushi Onita in Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling in 1989. He was trained for pro wrestling by Aoyagi and Yoshiaki Fujiwara.[citation needed]
Saito made his pro wrestling debut in Pioneer Senshi and spent much of his early career in W*ING, a small promotion where he enjoyed moderate success.[citation needed]
He joined New Japan Pro-Wrestling in December 1991, along with his mentor Masashi Aoyagi, feuding with Shiro Koshinaka and Kuniaki Kobayashi.[citation needed] In 1992, the four formed a faction later named Heisei Ishingun, but left the promotion in 1998.[citation needed]
After a lengthy hiatus, Saito made his surprise return to pro wrestling in October 2000 for Pro Wrestling Noah, teaming up with longtime mentor Masashi Aoyagi.[citation needed]
In 2001, he joined Jun Akiyama's STERNNESS faction as second-in-command and his career skyrocketed.[citation needed] Obtaining success like never before, he won the GHC Tag Team Title with Akiyama in September 2002, his first championship belt in his 12-year career.[citation needed] Akiyama and Saito proceeded to hold the titles for more than 8 months before losing them to Kenta Kobashi and Tamon Honda in June 2003.[citation needed]
Saito would go on to form his own stable, Dark Agents, with Takashi Sugiura, Masao Inoue and former Heisei Ishingun stablemate Shiro Koshinaka.[citation needed] He awarded himself the GHC Great Happy Christmas Championship in 2004, a title that was defended only once a year, on Christmas Eve.[citation needed] He would also challenge for the GHC Heavyweight Title on two separate occasions, in 2004 against Kenta Kobashi and in 2005 against Takeshi Rikio.[citation needed]
From March 29 to April 27, 2008, Saito and partner Bison Smith featured in NOAH's inaugural Global Tag League. The pair ultimately won the tournament defeating Mitsuharu Misawa and Yoshinari Ogawa in the final. As a result, the duo became number one contenders and on May 23, 2008, Saito and Smith defeated Naomichi Marufuji and Takashi Sugiura to win the GHC Tag Team Titles. The pair's first championship defense came five months later where the two defeated Jun Akiyama and Takeshi Rikio. On November 28 the pair made their second defense against Akira Taue and Takeshi Morishima. Shortly thereafter, Saito received a title opportunity against GHC Heavyweight Champion Kensuke Sasaki, however on December 7, Saito lost that title match. To finish the year, Saito won a two-night tournament simply named 'The Tournament' where he wrestled five matches with ten-minute time limits in the two nights with the result decided by judges if the time limit was reached. Saito defeated Masao Inoue in the final where the judges ruled in his favor 5–0.