Shoichi Funaki

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Shoichi Funaki
An image of Shoichi Funaki.
Statistics
Ring name(s) Shoichi Funaki
Sho Funaki
Funaki
Billed height 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m)[1]
Billed weight 180 lb (82 kg/13 st)[1]
Born August 24, 1968 (1968-08-24) (age 39)[2]
Tokyo, Japan[2]
Resides San Antonio, Texas[2]
Trained by Animal Hamaguchi,
Yoshiaki Fujiwara[2]
Debut 1990[2]

Shoichi Funaki[2] (born August 24, 1968)[2] is a Japanese/American professional wrestler currently signed to World Wrestling Entertainment wrestling on its SmackDown! brand, Born in Japan. While in WWF/E, he is a 1 time Cruiserweight Champion and 1 time Hardcore Champion.[3][4]

Contents

Career

Funaki started as a shoot style wrestler in Yoshiaki Fujiwara's Fujiwara Gumi promotion and moved to its successor promotion, BattlARTS. He later found the lucha libre style more to his liking, so he moved to the Great Sasuke's promotion, Michinoku Pro Wrestling. In that promotion, he joined with TAKA Michinoku, Dick Togo, Mens Teioh and Shiryu in the Kai En Tai stable. Funaki also wrestled in the Universal Wrestling Association (UWA) where he won the UWA World Middleweight Championship from Pantera on March 19, 1997 in Japan.[5]

World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment (1998-present)

Kai En Tai (1998-2001)

In March 1998, Funaki, along with Teioh and Togo, joined the World Wrestling Federation.[2] Initially, they feuded with TAKA Michinoku and defeated him and his partner Justin Bradshaw in a 3-on-2 handicap match at Over The Edge 1998.[6] They lost to TAKA and The Headbangers at King of the Ring 1998 in a six-man tag team match.[7]

TAKA eventually turned heel and joined the group. At SummerSlam 1998, Kai En Tai lost to Oddities members Kurrgan, Giant Silva and Golga in a handicap match.[8] Over time, the stable turned into a tag team, as in 1999, Teioh and Togo (and manager Yamaguchi-san) were given their releases. Michinoku and Funaki were often used for comedic purposes, often having their pre-match promos dubbed—while Michinoku would "deliver" the majority of dialogue for the duo, Funaki would "respond" strongly with a simple "INDEED".

At WrestleMania 2000, Funaki participated in a 15-minute hardcore battle royal for the WWF Hardcore Championship. Funaki pinned Viscera after a flying shoulder block from Bradshaw but he was later pinned by Rodney.[4][9] At Unforgiven 2000, Funaki once again participated in a hardcore battle royal which was won by the defending champion Steve Blackman.[10]

In 2001, Kai En Tai started participating in dark matches before pay-per-view events such as Royal Rumble 2001[11] and Judgment Day 2001.[12] After Michinoku left the WWF, Funaki found himself as a lower card wrestler and adopted the gimmick of "SmackDown!'s number one announcer", performing backstage interviews between matches, while competing in the WWF's cruiserweight division.

Post-Kaientai (2001-2003)

At Survivor Series 2001, Funaki participated in an "Immunity Battle Royal" which was won by Test.[13] In 2002, WWF was renamed "World Wrestling Entertainment" due to a lawsuit with World Wildlife Fund. Funaki was drafted to WWE's SmackDown! brand. As part of SmackDown! brand, Funaki wrestled for most of the time on Velocity. At Rebellion 2002, Funaki defeated Crash Holly.[14] At Vengeance 2003, Funaki participated in the APA Invitational Bar Room Brawl which was won by Bradshaw.[15]

Cruiserweight Champion (2004-2005)

Funaki started wrestling in the cruiserweight division around 2003. On March 4, 2004 edition of SmackDown!, Funaki lost to WWE Cruiserweight Champion at the time Chavo Guerrero in a non-title match.[16] On March 11 edition of SmackDown!, Funaki participated in an 8-man cruiserweight tag team match teaming with fellow cruiserweights Rey Mysterio, Ultimo Dragon and Billy Kidman against Tajiri, Akio, Sakoda and Jamie Noble.[17] At WrestleMania XX, Funaki participated in a Cruiserweight Open for the WWE Cruiserweight Championship but was pinned by Jamie Noble.[18]

On December 9 edition of SmackDown!, Funaki won a Cruiserweight Over the Top Rope #1 Contender's Battle Royal which included Chavo Guerrero, Paul London, Billy Kidman, Akio, Shannon Moore and Nunzio.[19] At Armageddon 2004, Funaki defeated Spike Dudley to win his first WWE Cruiserweight Championship.[20][21] Funaki defended the Cruiserweight title against Spike Dudley,[22] Akio,[23] Nunzio[24] and Chavo Guerrero.[25]

Cruiserweight Division (2005-present)

He lost the championship to Chavo Guerrero in a six-man Cruiserweight Open match at No Way Out 2005.[26] Since then, Funaki has mainly been a jobber to new and returning talent. At Armageddon 2005, he lost to Jamie Noble in a Heat match.[27] During an interview with then Cruiserweight Champion Kid Kash on an episode of SmackDown!, Funaki was assaulted by Kash, who gave him a brainbuster onto the interview platform.[28]

At Royal Rumble 2006, Funaki faced Kid Kash in a match for the title, when he was entered into a Cruiserweight Open along with 4 other former Cruiserweight champions, and the champ, Kid Kash. Funaki was pinned in this one fall match by Gregory Helms, who won the match and title.[29] At No Way Out 2006, Funaki participated in a Nine Man Cruiserweight Match for the WWE Cruiserweight Championship but Helms retained the title.[30] Since that time Funaki, would regularly team with Scotty 2 Hotty during episodes of Velocity and SmackDown!. However, during one such Velocity taping, Funaki suffered a 2nd Grade concussion, where he was unconscious for just under two minutes. Funaki would resume wrestling later that year, forming a tag team of sorts with Scotty 2 Hotty, which was mainly used to put over debuting wrestlers or tag teams.

Shoichi Funaki made a one off appearance at the Puroresu King Indy Summit, on December 31, 2006, reuniting with Kai En Tai DX in what was being billed as a Kai En Tai DX Revival Ten-Man Tag Match; Funaki reteamed with TAKA Michinoku, Kaz Hayashi, Dick Togo & MEN'S Teio to face five other wrestlers.[31] Funaki returned to WWE TV on February 16, 2007 on an edition of SmackDown! in a brawl that involved the other SmackDown! cruiserweights and the then-Cruiserweight Champion Gregory Helms.[32]

At No Way Out 2007, Funaki participated in a Cruiserweight Open match for the WWE Cruiserweight Championship but was pinned by the champion Gregory Helms.[33] On May 18 edition of SmackDown!, Funaki was made short work of by recently returned superstar Mark Henry.[34] On June 29 edition of SmackDown!, Funaki got a shot at the Cruiserweight title against Cruiserweight Champion Chavo Guerrero and Jamie Noble, but came up short.[35] At The Great American Bash 2007, he participated in a match for the Cruiserweight Championship which Hornswoggle won.[36] On December 14 edition of SmackDown!, he wrestled in a squash match against Edge.[37] He also made a televised appearance on January 4, 2008 edition of SmackDown! where he lost to Chavo Guerrero in a Beat the Clock match.[38]

Funaki legitimately broke his nose at a joint SmackDown!/ECW tapings in Houston, Texas. The injury happened during a dark match against Vladimir Kozlov. Since then, Funaki has again returned to jobber status.

In wrestling

  • Finishing and signature moves
  • "SmackDown!'s #1 Announcer"

Championships and accomplishments

  • TWA Heavyweight Championship (1 time)

Personal information

  • Funaki is fluent in French, German, and Spanish. This was helpful when he was a regular in the short-lived WWE Spanish-language show Los Super Astros, which was televised on Univision.
  • Is married and has two children.
  • Is good friends with Lita and Stone Cold Steve Austin in real life. Austin, a native Texan, suggested that Funaki relocate to Texas. Funaki fell in love with the state, and has been good friends with Austin ever since.
  • On August 30, 2007, Funaki, along with nine other superstars, were named in Sports Illustrated to have been given illegal steroids not in compliance with the WWE Talent Wellness Program. Funaki was said to have received somatropin in March 2006.[39][40]

References

  1. ^ a b Funaki's WWE Profile. WWE. Retrieved on 2007-12-30
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Funaki's OWW Profile
  3. ^ a b WWE Cruiserweight Championship official title history. WWE. Retrieved on 2007-12-27
  4. ^ a b c WWE Hardcore Championship official title history. WWE. Retrieved on 2007-12-29
  5. ^ a b U.W.A. World Middleweight Title
  6. ^ Over The Edge 1998 results
  7. ^ King of the Ring 1998 results
  8. ^ SummerSlam 1998 official results
  9. ^ WrestleMania 2000 official results
  10. ^ Unforgiven 2000 official results
  11. ^ Royal Rumble 2001 results
  12. ^ Judgment Day 2001 results
  13. ^ Survivor Series 2001 official results
  14. ^ Rebellion 2002 results
  15. ^ Vengeance 2003 official results
  16. ^ SmackDown! results - March 4, 2004
  17. ^ SmackDown! results - March 11, 2004
  18. ^ WrestleMania XX official results
  19. ^ SmackDown! results - December 9, 2004
  20. ^ Funaki's first Cruiserweight Championship reign. WWE. Retrieved on 2007-12-30
  21. ^ Armageddon 2004 official results
  22. ^ SmackDown! Night of Champions results
  23. ^ SmackDown! results - January 6, 2005
  24. ^ SmackDown! results - January 13, 2005
  25. ^ SmackDown! results - January 27, 2005 (Japan)
  26. ^ No Way Out 2005 official results
  27. ^ Armageddon 2005 results
  28. ^ A shocking return leads to new Champs. WWE
  29. ^ Royal Rumble 2006 results
  30. ^ Gregory Helms wins a Nine-Man Cruiserweight Championship Match. WWE
  31. ^ Kaientai reunite at INDIE SUMMIT 2006 froma forum at monksdiner.com. 12-12-2006
  32. ^ Difino, Lennie. Out of control. (2007-02-16). WWE
  33. ^ Tello, Craig. Chavo makes a splash. (2007-02-18). WWE
  34. ^ Difino, Lennie. Passing Judgment. (2007-05-18). WWE
  35. ^ Rote, Andrew. The Animal's revenge. (2007-06-29). WWE
  36. ^ McAvennie, Mike. A leprechaun's pot o' Cruiserweight gold. (2007-07-22). WWE
  37. ^ McAvennie, Mike. Creating the Ultimate Opportunity?. (2007-12-14). WWE
  38. ^ Dee, Louie (2008-01-04). Time on Rey's side. WWE. Retrieved on 2008-03-22. “defeated Funaki in 6:02, Chavo became the clubhouse leader.”
  39. ^ "Fourteen wrestlers tied to pipeline", Sports Illustrated, 2007-08-30. Retrieved on 2007-08-31. 
  40. ^ Pro Wrestling Suspends 10 Linked to Steroid Ring - washingtonpost.com

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