Gran Naniwa

Gran Naniwa
	<img src="https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/puroresusystem/images/1/18/GranNaniwa.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20170812233253" alt="GranNaniwa" class="" data-image-key="GranNaniwa.jpg" data-image-name="GranNaniwa.jpg" width="250" height="313" >
Birth name	Yoshikuni Kimura
Born	February 15, 1977
	Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan
Died	October 6, 2010 (aged 33)
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s)	Gran Naniwa; The Claw
Height	1.77 m (5 ft 10 in)
Weight	98 kg (216 lb)
Trained By	The Great Sasuke
Debut	June 2, 1993

Yoshikuni Kimura (木村吉公, Kimura Yoshikuni)^[1] (February 15, 1977 – October 6, 2010)^[2] was a Japanese professional wrestler, better known by the ring name Gran Naniwa (愚乱・浪花, Guran Naniwa). Naniwa was known for his comedic gimmick, in which he performed mannerisms of crabs.^[3] This was also reflected upon in the design of his wrestling mask.

CareerEdit

Naniwa debuted professionally in 1993 in Michinoku Pro Wrestling, immediately making an impact as one of the most popular faces within the company. His first major attempt at becoming a top performer saw him compete in the 1995 Super J-Cup. Naniwa managed to get to the quarterfinals, but he was later eliminated by Jushin Thunder Liger, who later went on to win the Super J-Cup.^[2] In the late 1990s, Naniwa competed in the United States for Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW), where he wrestled Gran Hamada in January 1998 at the ECW House Party event.^[3] After this, Naniwa took a brief hiatus for a few years but made his return in 2006, again under his Gran Naniwa ring name, competing in a match for New Japan Pro Wrestling's now defunct WRESTLE LAND "brand".

DeathEdit

Kimura died on October 6, 2010 due to a heart attack at the age of 33.

In wrestlingEdit

Finishing moves
- Clutch de Naniwa (Modified arm wrench inside cradle)^[1]
- Driver de Naniwa (Sitout scoop slam piledriver)^[1]
- Naniwa Bomb (Spinning gutwrench powerbomb)^[1]^[4]
Signature moves
- Chokebomb^[1]
- Crab Walk (Sideways ropewalk elbow drop)^[1]
- Diving splash^[1]
- Double underhook backbreaker^[1]
- Double underhook DDT^[1]
- Dropkick,^[4] sometimes from the top rope^[4]
- Emerald flowsion
- Frankensteiner^[1]
- Lariat^[4]
- Octopus hold^[4]
- Over the top rope suicide dive^[4]
- Sitout powerbomb^[4]

Championships and accomplishmentsEdit

Michinoku Pro Wrestling

Central American Middleweight Championship (1 time)

ReferencesEdit

↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 ^1.2 ^1.3 ^1.4 ^1.5 ^1.6 ^1.7 ^1.8 ^1.9 Profile at Puroresu Central . Puroresu Central. Retrieved on 2013-11-26.
↑ ^2.0 ^2.1 ja:選手名鑑 (in ja). New Japan Pro Wrestling. Retrieved on 2010-10-09.
↑ ^3.0 ^3.1 Caldwell, James 2010-11-21. Japan News: Japanese pro wrestler Gran Naniwa dies at age 33, briefly wrestled for ECW in 1990s . Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved on 2010-11-21.
↑ ^4.0 ^4.1 ^4.2 ^4.3 ^4.4 ^4.5 ^4.6 WAR Super J Cup 1995 . Puroresu Central. Retrieved on 2014-08-04.

External linksEdit

Cagematch profile

[Puro-0] 1.0 ^1.1 ^1.2 ^1.3 ^1.4 ^1.5 ^1.6 ^1.7 ^1.8 ^1.9 Profile at Puroresu Central . Puroresu Central. Retrieved on 2013-11-26.

[njpw-1] 2.0 ^2.1 ja:選手名鑑 (in ja). New Japan Pro Wrestling. Retrieved on 2010-10-09.

[torch-2] 3.0 ^3.1 Caldwell, James 2010-11-21. Japan News: Japanese pro wrestler Gran Naniwa dies at age 33, briefly wrestled for ECW in 1990s . Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved on 2010-11-21.

[WAR-3] 4.0 ^4.1 ^4.2 ^4.3 ^4.4 ^4.5 ^4.6 WAR Super J Cup 1995 . Puroresu Central. Retrieved on 2014-08-04.

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