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Junji Hirata (平田 淳嗣, Hirata Junji) is a retired Japanese professional wrestler who wrestled for the New Japan Pro Wrestling promotion, and was known primarily by his ring name Super Strong Machine (スーパー・ストロング・マシン, Sūpā Sutorongu Mashin).

Career[]

Hirata made his debut in New Japan on August 26, 1978 against Yoshiaki Fujiwara. In November 1982, he left on an overseas training expedition to Mexico, and later Canada, where in Stu Hart's Stampede Wrestling he would create the famous Super Strong Machine persona, as well as use a First Nations gimmick as Sonny Two Rivers. In April 1986, he left New Japan with Riki Choshu for rival wrestling promotion, All Japan Pro Wrestling. In June 1987, he returned to New Japan and would soon capture the IWGP Tag Team Championship on four separate occasions with George Takano, Hiro Saito, and Shinya Hashimoto as his tag team partners.

In the fall of 1986, the World Wrestling Federation introduced a stable of wrestlers called The Machines -- "The Giant Machine" (André the Giant), "Big Machine" (Blackjack Mulligan), and "Super Machine" (Bill Eadie) -- based on Junji Hirata's popular Super Strong Machine gimmick.

In December 1994, he finally unmasked, dropping the Super Strong Machine character and wrestling under his real name. He revived the Super Strong Machine persona for the first time in six years in October 2000, having a brief feud with T2000 Machine (Tatsutoshi Goto). In 2005, Hirata, as the masked persona of Black Strong Machine, became a regular fixture on New Japan shows as part of Masahiro Chono's Black New Japan. He also had a brief stint in AJPW as Super Love Machine, the leader of the Love Machines. Whatever role he plays, Junji Hirata is a very respected veteran and is well liked by wrestlers, officials, and fans alike.

In the late 2000s, Hirata was a founding member of the Legend and Seigigun stables. He wrestled his to date final match on April 2, 2014, at Wataru Inoue's retirement event. He now works as a trainer at the NJPW dojo. On April 12, 2018, it was announced that he was going to retire from active competition and his retirement ceremony would be held on June 19 at Korakuen Hall. On June 19, New Japan held an event commemorating his career, concluding with his retirement ceremony.

In wrestling[]

  • Finishing moves
  • Devil Windmill Suplex / Majin Fusha Gatame (Bridging hammerlock suplex)
  • Machine DDT (Hammerlock snap DDT)
  • Signature moves
  • Diving headbutt
  • Machine Lariat (Lariat)
  • Piledriver
  • Senton
  • Sitout powerbomb
  • Entrance themes
  • "Light Up The Sky" by Van Halen (NJPW / AJPW; 1984–1986)
  • "Hurricane's Bam" (NJPW / AJPW; 1986–1987, 1988–1994, 2000–2018)
  • "Strong Muscle" (NJPW; 1987–1988)
  • "Midnight Road" (NJPW; 1994–2000)
  • "Love Machine" by Morning Masamune (AJPW; 2004)

Championships and accomplishments[]

  • National Wrestling Alliance
    • NWA Polynesian Pacific Heavyweight Championship (1 Time)
  • Pro Wrestling Illustrated
  • PWI ranked him #105 of the 500 best singles wrestlers of the year in the PWI 500 in 1997
  • Stampede Wrestling
  • Stampede British Commonwealth Mid-Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
New Japan Pro Wrestling

Wrestlers
Heavyweight Alex ZayneBad Dude TitoBad Luck FaleChase OwensCallum NewmanDavid FinlayEVILEl PhantasmoFred RosserGabe KiddGreat-O-KhanHENAREHirooki GotoHiroshi TanahashiHiroyoshi TenzanJeff CobbKENTAMikey NichollsRen NaritaSANADASatoshi KojimaShingo TakagiShane HasteShota UminoTaichiTetsuya NaitoTogi MakabeTomoaki HonmaTomohiro IshiiToru YanoTom LawlorYoshi-HashiYuji NagataYota TsujiYujiro TakahashiYuya UemuraZack Sabre Jr.
Junior Heavyweight BUSHIClark ConnorsDick TogoDrilla MoloneyThe DKCDOUKIEl DesperadoFrancesco AkiraGedoHiromu TakahashiJadoKevin KnightKosei FujitaKUSHIDAMaster WatoRobbie EaglesRocky RomeroRyusuke TaguchiShoTaka MichinokuTaiji IshimoriTiger MaskTitánTJPYohYoshinobu Kanemaru
Women's Mayu IwataniMercedes Mone

Staff
Hiro SaitoHiroshi TanahashiKazuo YamazakiKuniaki KobayashiMilano Collection A.T.Red Shoes UnnoSeiji SakaguchiSuper Strong MachineTakaaki KidaniWataru Inoue

Championships
Active Singles IWGP World HeavyweightIWGP Global HeavyweightNEVER OpenweightIWGP Junior HeavyweightNJPW World Television
Tag Team IWGP Tag TeamIWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag TeamNEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team
Miscellaneous KOPWIWGP Women's

NJoA
Strong OpenweightStrong Openweight Tag TeamStrong Women's
Inactive Asia HeavyweightAsia Tag TeamIWGP HeavyweightIWGP IntercontinentalIWGP United States HeavyweightIWGP Provisional Tag TeamIWGP U-30 OpenweightJ-CrownNWA North American Tag TeamNWA International Junior HeavyweightNWF HeavyweightNWF North American HeavyweightThe Greatest 18 Club

Tournaments
Current G1 ClimaxNew Japan CupBest of the Super JuniorsWorld Tag LeagueSuper Jr. Tag League
Defuncted World LeagueMSG LeagueIWGP LeagueWorld Cup TournamentTop of the Super JuniorsSuper J CupMSG Tag LeagueJapan Cup Tag LeagueSuper Grade Tag LeagueG1 Tag LeagueJ Sports Crown Openweight 6 Man Tag TournamentG2 U-30 ClimaxKarl Gotch CupYoung Lion Cup
Events Wrestle KingdomFantastica ManiaThe New BeginningSakura GenesisWrestling Satsuma no KuniWrestling DontakuDominionDestructionPower Struggle
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