Hiromichi Fuyuki Japanese wrestler Date of Birth: 11.05.1960 Country: Japan

Biography of Hiromitsu Fujuki

Hiromitsu Fujuki was born on May 11, 1960, in Tokyo, Japan. At the age of 16, he realized that he wanted to dedicate his life to wrestling and immediately started training after his 16th birthday in May 1976. After finishing school, he joined the old IWE promotion, led by Isao Yoshihara. He made his debut as a wrestler on May 4, 1980. Three months later, IWE closed down and Fujuki moved to All Japan Pro Wrestling, where he debuted in August 1981.

Fujuki temporarily left All Japan to gain international experience in November 1984. He wrestled in Puerto Rico, Mexico, and San Antonio, Texas under the name "Ricky Fujuki," paying homage to his childhood idol, Ricky Choshu. In December 1985, he returned to All Japan and started performing as Samson Fujuki. Initially, he teamed up with Genichiro Tenryu, and later formed the "Footloose" team with Toshiaki Kawada.

In November 1986, Fujuki married a woman named Kaoru, and they had two daughters together. "Footloose" won their first All Asia Tag Team titles on March 9, 1988, defeating Takashi Ishikawa and Mighty Inoue in Yokohama. They held the titles for six months before losing them to Shinichi Nakano and Shinjiro Otani on September 9, 1988. Fujuki and Kawada regained the titles on September 15, 1988, in Tokyo.

On March 4, in Fuji, Shizuoka, they successfully defended their titles against Jerry Oates and Johnny Smith, with Fujuki pinning Oates in the seventeenth minute of the match. Smith became frustrated and found a new partner for himself. Following this match, "Footloose" interfered in a memorial match between the "Can-Am Express" team (Doug Furnas and Dan Kroffat) and the legendary Dynamite Kid and Johnny Smith. In response, the "Express" defeated "Footloose" and took away their titles on June 5, 1989. They regained the titles on October 20, 1989, in Nagoya, for the third and final time. On March 2, 1990, they lost the titles to the "Express" again, and in April 1990, "Footloose" officially disbanded, with Kawada forming a new team with Tiger Mask II.

Fujuki teamed up with Yoshiaki Yatsu and lost to Kawada and Tiger Mask II on May 14, 1990. During the match, Tiger Mask II unmasked himself and revealed his true identity as Mitsuharu Misawa, shocking the audience. Upon the advice of his mentor, Tenryu, Fujuki left All Japan in July 1990 and joined the SWS promotion. He competed under his real name until June 1992 when SWS dissolved. Tenryu formed a new promotion called WAR, with Fujuki becoming the top heel.

In September 1993, Fujuki had a hair vs. hair match against Tenryu and lost. However, it was his two young assistants, Yado and Gado, who had to shave their heads. Fujuki took the young wrestlers under his wing and formed a new faction called "The Fuyki Gun" in early 1994. They debuted on May 5, 1994, as part of a united team in FMW. However, they were defeated by Big Titan, Gladiator, and Ricky Fuji in Kawasaki after Gladiator performed his devastating "Horrible Bomb" on Gado and held him down for the count of three.

Fujuki, Yado, and Gado won the 6-Man WAR World Six-Man Tag Team titles from Genichiro Tenryu, Hamaguchi, and Kita-Hara on June 30, 1994, in Sendai. They lost the titles to Bob Backlund, The Warlord, and Scott Putski on August 26, 1994, but regained them on September 1, 1994. They held the titles for three more months before losing them to Shiro Koshinaka, Tatsutoshi Goto, and Mitsuyoshi Ohara on January 8, 1995.

In August 1996, "The Fuyki Gun" had their last match in WAR. They received invitations from FMW and IWA Japan. Fujuki won the titles for the sixth time without them, teaming up with Yado and Bam Bam Bigelow on October 11, 1996, in Osaka. However, they lost the titles to Tenryu, Nobutaka Araya, and Ultimo Dragon just two weeks later. After this loss, Fujuki stopped competing for the tag titles and began performing under the shortened name, Kodo Fujuki.

Kodo debuted in FMW in March 1997. He taunted Atsushi Onita, who was attacked by "The Funk Masters," and mocked the beaten hardcore legend. This marked the beginning of a five-year feud between Onita and Fujuki. On March 21, 1997, "The Fuyki Gun" defeated Hisakatsu Oya and the "Headhunters" to become the new FMW 6-Man Street Fight Tag Team Champions. In July 1997, they vacated the titles due to interference from the "Headhunters." On August 5, 1997, Gladiator, Oya, and Gannosuke defeated "The Fuyki Gun" to become the new FMW 6-Man Street Fight Tag Team Champions when Gladiator held Fujuki down on the 20th minute.

On September 28, 1997, Fujuki fought against legendary Terry Funk at the Kawasaki Stadium but lost due to interference from the "Headhunters." After this match, Fujuki, Yado, and Gado left FMW but returned two months later in November 1997 to feud with Onita's faction, known as "ZEN." On December 5, 1997, they defeated Onita, Koji Nakagawa, and Kurouda at Korakuen Hall, and Onita was literally smashed to pieces inside a steel cage after being held by Hayabusa. After leaving "ZEN," Mr. Gannosuke, Nakagawa, and Kurouda formed their own team and often attacked Onita, Nakagawa, and Tetsuhiro Kuroda.

Following their victory over Onita's team, Gannosuke, Nakagawa, Kurouda, and "The Fuyki Gun" formed a new group called "Team No Respect." They became the top heels in FMW and feuded with Onita and Hayabusa's faction. Fujuki became a backstage influence and gained creative control, often pressuring FMW President Go Ito during decision-making. With Ito's power slowly shifting to Fujuki, Ito's longtime friend and Onita's protege, Fujuki took control of FMW officially.

On November 20, 1998, Onita defeated Mr. Pogo, and Fujuki defeated Hayabusa in his best singles match for 25 minutes to become the new FMW Champion. At Fujuki's insistence, Arai allowed Onita to win the 6-Man Street Fight Tag Team titles and keep them for life as a farewell gift. However, Fujuki's reign as champion did not last long. On December 13, 1998, he lost the title to Gannosuke in a match where Fujuki was the special referee. On the same night, Fujuki, Yado, and Gedo defeated "Super Leather," Ricky Fuji, and Isao Ishihara, with Fujuki holding Ishihara down in the second minute of the match.

Fujuki continued his feud with Masato Tanaka and even made himself the special referee in a match between Tanaka and Gannosuke. During this match, which was recognized as FMW's Match of the Year, Tanaka attempted to attack Gannosuke with an elbow strike but accidentally hit Fujuki, causing him to lose consciousness. Another referee replaced Fujuki, and Tanaka performed his signature "Diamond Dust" on Gannosuke to win the match.

In August 1999, Fujuki and "No Respect" attempted to unmask Hayabusa. Afterward, Hayabusa started competing without his mask at Fujuki's request, as Fujuki believed FMW didn't need superheroes. However, their partnership ended, and Fujuki and Hayabusa became bitter rivals. Fujuki and Hayabusa became the new FMW Tag Team Champions, but they lost the titles to Masato Tanaka and Tetsuhiro Kuroda. During the match, Tanaka knocked out Fujuki with his signature "Roaring Elbow" and held him down for the count of three. Hayabusa had to pour water on Fujuki to revive him.

Fujuki's influence behind the scenes continued, and in May 1999, he forced the FMW President to fire Masato Tanaka. He also attempted to convince Hayabusa to wrestle without his mask, stating that superheroes were not needed in FMW. In September 1999, Fujuki made Tanaka's life difficult by declaring that if Tanaka lost any match, he would be fired from FMW.

Fujuki continued to feud with Tanaka and even served as a special referee in a match between Tanaka and Gannosuke. However, Fujuki's power in FMW began to wane. On November 16, 1999, Hayabusa, Masato Tanaka, and Tetsuhiro Kuroda defeated Gannosuke, Kanemura, Hido, and Fujuki in a Scramble Ladder Dog Food Match. On March 19, 2000, Gannosuke defeated Fujuki to become the FMW Independent Heavyweight Champion.

Fujuki relinquished his title, and FMW officially split the FMW Heavyweight Championship into two titles: the FMW Independent Heavyweight Title, which went to Gannosuke, and the FMW Brass Knuckles Heavyweight Title, which went to Kanemura. Fujuki was appointed as the Commissioner of FMW by FMW President Shoichi Arai.

As the Commissioner, Fujuki declared Masato Tanaka as the public enemy number one in FMW. He also attempted to persuade Hayabusa to wrestle without his mask, stating that he didn't need superheroes in FMW. Fujuki's influence continued to grow, and he ultimately fired FMW's head booker, Go Ito, in the summer of 2000. Fujuki took complete control of FMW and became the driving force behind the promotion.

Despite his success as a promoter and commissioner, Fujuki's in-ring career declined. He occasionally competed in matches but mostly focused on his backstage role. His contributions to FMW and Japanese wrestling are highly regarded, and he is considered one of the influential figures in the promotion's history.