Puroresu Central

Takeshi Rikio

Birthdate: December 20th, 1972
Height: 6'3"
Weight: 275 lbs.
Debut: May 28th, 2000
Background: Sumo wrestling
Promotion History: All Japan (2000) and NOAH (2000 to present)
Alliances: Teams with a variety of wrestlers, including Morishima and Akiyama
Ring Attire: Red short tights
Card Position: Upper Mid-Card
Major Tournaments Won: None
Championship History: GHC Heavyweight Championship and the GHC Heavyweight Tag Team Championship
Current Title Held: None

Biggest Matches:
- February 17th, 2002 with Morishima vs. Takao Omori and Takayama (title win)
- September 7th, 2002 with Morishima vs. Mitsuharu Misawa and Sano (title challenge)
- March 5th, 2005 vs. Kenta Kobashi (title win)
- September 18th, 2005 vs. Mitsuharu Misawa (title challenge)
- April 1st, 2007 with Akiyama vs. Takeshi Morishima and Yone (title win)

Pictures:
- The Muso
- A diving body press by Rikio
- Rikio with a chokeslam
- Akiyama and Rikio with the GHC Tag Team Championships

Signature Moves:
- Chokeslam
- Diving Body Press
- Lariat
- Muso
- Waist-Lift Backdrop Suplex

Super Signature Moves:
- World Muso

No Longer Uses:
- Rikibono Splash 63 (with Akebono)

2005 Recap:
In 2005, Rikio accomplished the impossible when he ended Kobashi's two year run as the GHC Heavyweight Championship on March 5th. Rikio would successfully defend the championship three times, including a win against Mitsuharu Misawa. Even though Rikio was able to beat both Kobashi and Misawa (no small feat), he would lose the belt to Akira Taue on November 5th. Where Rikio goes from here is unknown, but there is little doubting that he had a great year.

2006 Recap:
Rikio was not pinned at all during 2006.On March 5th, he defeated Ogawa in short order to show that he was still a dominant force in NOAH. For the July Budokan Show, Rikio teamed with Morishima to take on KENTA and Marufuji, but the match ended in a 30 minute draw. Rikio took part in the Tag Team Championship Tournament in the fall (teaming with Takashi Sugiura), but they lost in the first round to eventual winners Morishima and Yone. Expect for Rikio to get another GHC Heavyweight Title shot sometime in 2007.

2007 Recap:
In 2007 Rikio regained a title he had last held over four years ago but he also suffered a serious enough injury to force him to miss six months. On April 1st, Rikio teamed with Akiyama to defeat his old partner Morishima and Yone for the GHC Heavyweight Tag Team Championship. They would successfully defend the titles over the next four months against Yoshihiro Takayama and Takashi Sugiura, D-Lo Brown and Buchanan, and Kentaro Shiga and Kishin Kawabata. Unfortunately Rikio was injured in the summer, forcing him to vacate his title and also to miss the remainder of the year.

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