Changes: The Great Kojika

Revision as of 20:18, 18 May 2020

Shinya Koshika (小鹿信也, Koshika Shinya) (born 28 April 1942), known by his ring name Great Kojika (グレート小鹿, Gurēto Kojika), is a Japanese professional wrestler. He co-founded the promotion Big Japan Pro Wrestling. Kojika is the oldest active Japanese wrestler as well as the one with the longest career, having debuted in 1963.

Professional Wrestling Career

Early Career (1963–1973)

Kojika made his debut on October 13, 1963 for Japan Pro Wrestling Alliance.

In 1967 he made his debut in North America for NWA Mid-America in Tennessee. He teamed with Motoshi Okuma and they also worked for Georgia Championship Wrestling. They disbanded in 1968 and Kojika went to Florida, Detroit and St. Louis. In 1969, Kojika went to Los Angeles and won the NWA "Beat the Champ" Television Championship by defeating Pepper Martin on November 19. A month later he dropped the title back to Martin. On August 26, 1970 he defeated Les Roberts for the TV title and held it until losing to The Great Goliath on September 16.

After losing the title, Kojika returned to Japan and stayed with Japan Pro Wrestling Alliance until the company folded on April 14, 1973.

Return to North America (1973-1974, 1980)

In 1973 Kojika returned to the United States this time he wrestled in Texas as Kung Fu Lee. He would feud with Dory Funk Jr., Terry Funk, Ricky Romero and Akio Sato. He left Texas in 1974. In 1980 he went to Hawaii to work for NWA Polynesian.

All Japan Pro Wrestling (1973-1986)

After the folding of JWA, Kojika went to Giant Baba's All Japan Pro Wrestling where he reunited with Motoshi Okuma. From 1976 to 1981 he and Okuma won the All Asia Tag Team Championship four times. They were together until 1986 when Kojika retied from wrestling.

Big Japan Pro Wrestling (1995-present)

Kojika returned to wrestling in 1995, co-founding Big Japan Pro Wrestling with Kazuo Sakurada where it was a style based on deathmatches and King's Road Style. He starting wrestling again in 1996. He retired for the second time in 2000. He still co-promoted Big Japan.

In 2006 he return to wrestling for the second time. He still wrestles at 77 wrestling for Big Japan and numerous Japanese promotions.

Championships and accomplishments

All Japan Pro Wrestling
- All Asia Tag Team Championship (4 times) - with Motoshi Okuma (3) and Gantetsu Matsuoka (1)
Big Japan Pro Wrestling
- Yokohama Shopping Street 6-Man Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Masato Inaba & Kankuro Hoshino (1)
DDT Pro-Wrestling
- Jiyugaoka Six-Person Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Mr. #6 and Riho
- Nihonkai Six-Man Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Mr. #6 and Riho (1)
- UWA World Trios Championship (1 time) – with Mr. #6 and Riho (1)
National Wrestling Alliance
- NWA Western States Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
NWA Hollywood Wrestling
- NWA Americas Heavyweight Championship (1 times)
- NWA Americas Tag Team Championship (2 times) - with Don Carson (1) and John Tolos (1)

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 {{Infobox wrestler 2|name = The Great Kojika|image = Kojika.jpg|caption=|Birth name = Shinja Koshika|Born = April 29, 1942|Birth place = Hakodate, Hokkaido, Japan|names = '''The Great Kojika'''<br>Dory Boy<br>Kung Fu Lee<br>Masked Man G.K.<br>Shinja Kojika|height = 6 ft 0 in (183 cm)|weight = 209 lbs (95 kg)|debut = May 9, 1963}}
+{{nihongo|'''Shinya Koshika'''|小鹿 信也|Koshika Shinya}} (born 28 April 1942), known by his ring name {{nihongo|'''Great Kojika'''|グレート小鹿|Gurēto Kojika}}, is a Japanese professional wrestler. He co-founded the promotion [[Big Japan Pro Wrestling]]. Kojika is the oldest active Japanese wrestler as well as the one with the longest career, having debuted in 1963.
-{{nihongo|'''Shinya Koshika'''|小鹿 信也|Koshika Shinya}}<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.daily.co.jp/ring/2017/04/28/0010139368.shtml|title=大日本・グレート小鹿、実は「こしか」だった! 75歳誕生日に最年長記録更新|newspaper=デイリースポーツ|date=2017-04-28|access-date=2020-02-13}}</ref> (born 28 April 1942), known by his ring name {{nihongo|'''Great Kojika'''|グレート小鹿|Gurēto Kojika}}, is a [[Japan]]ese professional wrestler. He co-founded the promotion [[Big Japan Pro Wrestling]].<ref>{{cite news|title=70歳プロレスラー小鹿「曙をブン投げる」|newspaper=東京スポーツ|date=2012-06-03|url=http://www.tokyo-sports.co.jp/prores/14781/|access-date=2018-06-21|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140111061132/http://www.tokyo-sports.co.jp/prores/14781/|archive-date=2014-01-11|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=70歳グレート小鹿「毒霧」噴射か |newspaper=東京スポーツ |date=2012-06-15 |url=http://www.tokyo-sports.co.jp/prores/16973/ |access-date=2018-06-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120917043741/http://www.tokyo-sports.co.jp/prores/16973/ |archive-date=2012-09-17 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=グレート小鹿が「古巣」乗っ取り計画 |newspaper=東京スポーツ |date=2012-06-16 |url=http://www.tokyo-sports.co.jp/prores/17679/ |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120912110622/http://www.tokyo-sports.co.jp/prores/17679/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=2012-09-12 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=曙の肉弾プレスで小鹿 〝圧死〟 |newspaper=東京スポーツ |date=2012-06-21 |url=http://www.tokyo-sports.co.jp/prores/17919/ |access-date=2018-06-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120723105451/http://www.tokyo-sports.co.jp/prores/17919/ |archive-date=2012-07-23 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=70歳Ｇ小鹿、曙に玉砕も報復「狙う」|newspaper=デイリースポーツ|date=2012-06-18 |url=http://www.daily.co.jp/ring/2012/06/18/0005144218.shtml}}</ref> Kojika is the oldest active Japanese wrestler as well as the one with the longest career, having debuted in 1963.
+==Professional Wrestling Career==
 ===Early Career (1963–1973)===
 Kojika made his debut on October 13, 1963 for [[Japan Pro Wrestling Alliance]].
-In 1967 he made his debut in North America for [[NWA Mid-America]] in Tennessee. He teamed with [[Motoshi Okuma]] and they also worked for [[Georgia Championship Wrestling]]. They disbanded in 1968 and Kojika went to Florida, Detroit and St. Louis. In 1969, Kojika went to Los Angeles and won the [[NWA "Beat the Champ" Television Championship]] by defeating [[Pepper Martin (actor)|Pepper Martin]] on November 19. A month later he dropped the title back to Martin. On August 26, 1970 he defeated Les Roberts for the TV title and held it until losing to The Great Goliath on September 16.
+In 1967 he made his debut in North America for NWA Mid-America in Tennessee. He teamed with [[Motoshi Okuma]] and they also worked for Georgia Championship Wrestling. They disbanded in 1968 and Kojika went to Florida, Detroit and St. Louis. In 1969, Kojika went to Los Angeles and won the NWA "Beat the Champ" Television Championship by defeating Pepper Martin on November 19. A month later he dropped the title back to Martin. On August 26, 1970 he defeated Les Roberts for the TV title and held it until losing to The Great Goliath on September 16.
 After losing the title, Kojika returned to Japan and stayed with Japan Pro Wrestling Alliance until the company folded on April 14, 1973.
 ===Return to North America (1973-1974, 1980)===
-In 1973 Kojika returned to the United States this time he wrestled in Texas as Kung Fu Lee. He would feud with [[Dory Funk Jr.]], [[Terry Funk]], [[Ricky Romero]] and [[Akio Sato (wrestler)|Akio Sato]]. He left Texas in 1974. In 1980 he went to Hawaii to work for [[NWA Polynesian]].
+In 1973 Kojika returned to the United States this time he wrestled in Texas as Kung Fu Lee. He would feud with [[Dory Funk Jr.]], [[Terry Funk]], Ricky Romero and [[Akio Sato]]. He left Texas in 1974. In 1980 he went to Hawaii to work for NWA Polynesian.
 ===All Japan Pro Wrestling (1973-1986)===
 After the folding of JWA, Kojika went to [[Giant Baba]]'s [[All Japan Pro Wrestling]] where he reunited with Motoshi Okuma. From 1976 to 1981 he and Okuma won the [[All Asia Tag Team Championship]] four times. They were together until 1986 when Kojika retied from wrestling.
-===Big Japan Pro Wrestling (1995-2000)===
+===Big Japan Pro Wrestling (1995-present)===
-Kojika returned to wrestling in 1995, co-founding [[Big Japan Pro Wrestling]] with [[Kazuo Sakurada]] where it was a style based on [[Hardcore wrestling|deathmatches]] and [[King's Road Style]]. He starting wrestling again in 1996. He retired for the second time in 2000. He still co-promoted Big Japan.
+Kojika returned to wrestling in 1995, co-founding [[Big Japan Pro Wrestling]] with [[Kazuo Sakurada]] where it was a style based on deathmatches and King's Road Style. He starting wrestling again in 1996. He retired for the second time in 2000. He still co-promoted Big Japan.
-===Second return to wrestling (2006-present)===
 In 2006 he return to wrestling for the second time. He still wrestles at 77 wrestling for Big Japan and numerous Japanese promotions.
@@ Line 28: / Line 28: @@
 **[[Yokohama Shopping Street 6-Man Tag Team Championship]] (1 time) - with Masato Inaba & Kankuro Hoshino (1)
 *'''[[DDT Pro-Wrestling]]'''
-**[[DDT Jiyugaoka Six-Person Tag Team Championship]] ([[DDT Jiyugaoka Six-Person Tag Team Championship#Title history|1 time]]) – with Mr. #6 and [[Riho]]
+**[[Jiyugaoka Six-Person Tag Team Championship]] (1 time) – with [[Mr. #6]] and [[Riho]]
-**DDT Nihonkai Six-Man Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Mr. #6 and Riho (1)
+**[[Nihonkai Six Man Tag Team Championship|Nihonkai Six-Man Tag Team Championship]] (1 time) – with Mr. #6 and Riho (1)
 **[[UWA World Trios Championship]] ([[UWA World Trios Championship#DDT Pro-Wrestling promoted|1 time]]) – with Mr. #6 and Riho (1)
-*'''[[National Wrestling Alliance]]
+*'''National Wrestling Alliance'''
-**[[NWA Western States Heavyweight Championship]] ([[NWA Western States Heavyweight Championship#Title history|1 time]])
+**NWA Western States Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
-*'''[[NWA Hollywood Wrestling]]'''
+*'''NWA Hollywood Wrestling'''
-**[[NWA Americas Heavyweight Championship]] ([[NWA Americas Heavyweight Championship#Title history|1 times]])
+**NWA Americas Heavyweight Championship (1 times)
-**[[NWA Americas Tag Team Championship]] ([[NWA Americas Tag Team Championship#Title history|2 times]]) - with Don Carson (1) and [[John Tolos]] (1)
+**NWA Americas Tag Team Championship (2 times) - with Don Carson (1) and John Tolos (1)
 [[Category:Wrestlers]]
 [[Category:JWA alumin]]