Funky Express (ファンキー・エクスプレス Fankī Ekusupuresu) was a professional wrestling stable in Pro Wrestling NOAH (NOAH) formed by Shuhei Taniguchi and Muhammad Yone on December 29, 2020.
Akitoshi Saito and Masao Inoue became the newest members of Funky Express, after losing to Taniguchi and Yone, turning the team into a stable. Shortly after the stable was marked by the struggle for its leadership, which culminated in a four-way match between the members of the stable, with Taniguchi becoming the stable's "King", renaiming himself to King Tany. The stable disbanded in 2023.
As part of the stable, all of the stable's members repackeged themselves to Yone's gimmick of a disco dancer, with a flamboyant attire and celebrating victories with a post-match dance, encouraging his partners to join in during tag team matches.
History[]
Formation (2020)[]
On December 29, 2020, Shuhei Taniguchi and Muhammad Yone faced the Anti Wrestlers Alliance (Akitoshi Saito and Masao Inoue) in winning effort. Afterwards, Yone, who was recently looking for a tag team partner, after Quiet Storm left Pro Wrestling Noah during the year, asked Taniguchi, who had recently been part of the Unchains alongside Kaito Kiyomiya to form a team with him, which he accepted. Their team would later be dubbed "Funky Express". As part of forming a team with Yone, Taniguchi was repackaged to a disco dancer gimmick, usually dancing through his entrance with a yellow feather boa, and pants to co-ordinate with Yone's and celebrating victories with a post-match dance, encouraging his partners to join in during tag team matches.
Expansion and King Tany's leadership (2021–2022)[]
In March 2021, Funky Express began feuding with the Anti Wrestlers Alliance, after Akitoshi Saito confronted them during a post-match interview, questioning Taniguchi's recent change of his appearance, which in turn led to Taniguchi challenging Anti Wrestlers Alliance to a match, where the loser would be forced to disband their team and join the winning team, including being repackaged as part of the new stable's addition. This led to on March 21, Taniguchi and Yone defeating Akitoshi Saito and Masao Inoue to force the Anti Wrestlers Alliance to disband, while Saito and Inoue became the newest members of Funky Express, turning the team into a stable. As part of their addititon Saito and Inoue were also repackaged to a disco dancer gimmick. In May, Funky Express began a short feud with Noah's villanous stable KONGOH and following a victory against them on May 15, Taniguchi and Yone challenged The Aggression (Katsuhiko Nakajima and Masa Kitamiya to a title match for the GHC Tag Team Championship on May 31 at Mitsuharu Misawa Memorial. At the event on May 31, Taniguchi and Yone unsuccessfully challenged The Aggresion for the GHC Tag Team Championship.
In June, following a disapoting run of results, which included being defeated by Sugiura-gun (Kazunari Murakami, Kazushi Sakuraba, Kendo Kashin and Takashi Sugiura) in a elimination match on June 26, it was agreed on June 26, that their problems were caused by a lack of leadership, leading Taniguchi to decide a match, where instead of a leader a "King" would be decided. The following day, at Muta The World, Taniguchi defeated Inoue, Saito and Yone to become the King of the stable, leading Taniguchi to rename himself to "King Tany".
Disbanding (2022–2023)[]
Following a losing streak which lasted since April 2022, Tany announced that he was leaving the stable and its gimmick, before reverting to his original ring name Shuhei Taniguchi. Afterwards, NOAH announced a match between Yone and Taniguchi. On May 21, Yone faced Taniguchi in a losing effort. Shortly after, the stable quietly disbanded, following Tany's departure.
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| Members | Muhammad Yone • Akitoshi Saito • Masao Inoue • King Tany |
