Akira Maeda - Pro Wrestlers Database

On this page, you find the full wrestling profile of Akira Maeda, with his Career History, real name, age, height and weight, the Promotions he worked for, all the Face/Heel turns, the Championship Titles he won, his Finishers, Theme Songs, Tag Teams and Stables, his appearance changes through the years, and more.

Akira Maeda (前田 日明) (born Go Il-myeong (高日明) was born in Taisho Ward, Osaka, Japan on January 24, 1959, and he is currently 65 years old.

Maeda helped develop the shoot-style of professional wrestling; on various occasions he started hitting his opponents with shoot kicks during matches (such as in a famous one in April 1986 against André the Giant). He is the founder of the Universal Wrestling Federation (UWF-i) and Fighting Network RINGS (MMA).

Akira Maeda was inducted in the NJPW Hall of Fame in 2009 as part of the NJPW Greatest Wrestlers wing.

Profile Info

  • Gender Male
  • Real Name Akira Maeda (前田 日明) (born Go Il-myeong (高日明)
  • Ring Names
    • Akira Maeda ( January 20, 1983 - Present)
    • Kwik-kik-Lee ( March 9, 1982 - January 19, 1983)
    • Akira Maeda ( August 25, 1978 - March 8, 1982)
  • Born January 24, 1959 (age 65)
  • Nationality Nationality: JapanJapan, Nationality: South KoreaSouth Korea
  • Birth Place Taisho Ward, Osaka, Japan
  • Billed From
    • Osaka, Japan
  • Height 6 ft 3 in (191 cm)
  • Weight
    • 276 lbs (125 kg)
  • Notes Maeda helped develop the shoot-style of professional wrestling; on various occasions he started hitting his opponents with shoot kicks during matches (such as in a famous one in April 1986 against André the Giant). He is the founder of the Universal Wrestling Federation (UWF-i) and Fighting Network RINGS (MMA).

Career History

  • Roles

    • Promoter ( January 21, 2008 - April 23, 2022)
    • Promoter ( May 12, 1988 - February 15, 2002)
    • MMA Fighter ( May 11, 1991 - February 21, 1999)
    • Wrestler ( August 25, 1978 - October 25, 1990)
  • Promotions History

    Promotionfromto
    Promotion Fighting Network RingsRINGS March 30, 2008 December 16, 2012
    Promotion Fighting Network RingsRINGS March 14, 1991 February 15, 2002
    Promotion Newborn UWFUWF N April 8, 1988 December 1, 1990
    Promotion New Japan Pro WrestlingNJPWBrand Heavyweight January 3, 1986 February 1, 1988
    Promotion Universal Wrestling FederationUWF J March 1, 1984 September 11, 1985
    Promotion World Wrestling FederationWWF March 14, 1984 May 28, 1984
    Promotion New Japan Pro WrestlingNJPWBrand Heavyweight April 21, 1983 February 13, 1984
    Promotion New Japan Pro WrestlingNJPWBrand Heavyweight August 25, 1978 February 9, 1982
  • Images History

    Feb 2016
    Feb 2016
    Jan 2008
    Jan 2008
    Feb 1999
    Feb 1999
    Apr 1997
    Apr 1997
    Jan 1995
    Jan 1995
    Nov 1987
    Nov 1987
    Apr 1983
    Apr 1983
    Aug 1978
    Aug 1978
  • Face / Heel Turns

    Alignmentfromto
    Heel August 25, 1978 October 25, 1990

  • Finishers

    • Capture Suplex ( August 25, 1978 - October 25, 1990)
  • Theme Songs

    • Theme Song "Captured" by Camel - Single ( January 3, 1986 - February 21, 1999)
    • Theme Song "Dunbine Tobu" by Mio - Single ( November 18, 1983 - February 13, 1984)
    • Theme Song "Gonna Fly Now" by Maynard Ferguson - Single ( April 21, 1983 - November 17, 1983)
    • Theme Song "Ride of the Valkyries" by Richard Wagner - Single ( February 10, 1982 - April 20, 1983)
    • Theme Song "The Room, pt. 1" by Rick Wakeman - Single ( August 25, 1978 - February 9, 1982)

Titles & Accomplishments

  • Halls of Fame

    • NJPW Hall of Fame - Year 2009, NJPW Greatest Wrestlers
  • World Wrestling Entertainment & New Japan Pro Wrestling

    New Japan Pro Wrestling

  • Joint Promotions

    • 1 European Heavyweight Championship

    Universal Wrestling Federation

    • 1 UWF Heavyweight Championship
  • Other Accomplishments

    • RINGS Mega Battle Tournament Winner (1993, 1995)
    • Tokyo Sports MVP Award (1989)
    • Tokyo Sports Match of the Year Award (1986 - vs. Tatsumi Fujinami on 06/12)
    • Tokyo Sports Special Grand Prize (1988)
    • Tokyo Sports Technique Award (1983)
    • Tokyo Sports Effort Award (1981)
    • 13° in PWI Years Top 100 Tag Teams (2003 - with Nobuhiko Takada)
    • 40° in PWI Years Top 500 (2003)
    • Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame induction (class of 1996)
    • WON Wrestler of the Year (1988)
    • WON Promoter of the Year (1989)

Teams & Relations

  • Tag Teams & Stables

    • Akira Maeda & Osamu Kido - Osamu Kido ( July 10, 1983 - November 19, 1987)
    • Nobuhiko Takada and Akira Maeda - Nobuhiko Takada ( March 2, 1987 - September 16, 1987)

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