With the announcement of the new promotion is also the talent that will be competing as well. Keiji Mutoh himself, Masakatsu Funaki [44], Kaz Hayashi [40], Shuji Kondo [35], KAI [30], Ryota Hama [33], Masayuki Kono [33], Yasufumi Nakanoueno [27], Hiroshi Yamato [29], Minoru Tanaka [40], Andy Wu, Daiki Inaba (trainee), Brian Ishizaka (Trainee), and Seiki Yoshioka (trainee) were the names mentioned.
WRESTLE-1 will have a total of 14 wrestlers at their start.
(Pretty much everyone who left All Japan Pro-Wrestling at the end of June. - No word as of yet on Seiya Sanada, but he is no longer with All Japan.)
As some of you may remember, WRESTLE-1 originally ran from 2002 to 2005 and was a wrestling promotion that was sponsored under K-1, kickboxing organization.
Mutoh addressed the public for the first time following his resigning from All Japan as of the end of May of this year, and stated apologized for the trouble that was caused over the last several months. Mutoh noted that next year will mark his 30th anniversary as a professional wrestler and this he hopes that next year will see the establishment of this new organization.
Mutoh has studied many styles and ways of working with promotions from his many years in the USA with the American style to the last 10 years learning from All Japan Pro-Wrestling. Mutoh stated that he is confident in what is being planned.
Keiji Mutoh then went on to state that he is calling the promotion “WRESTLE-1" as he wants to make an impact. “World, Wide, and Win" can easily take the place of the W, and the number 1 for which they which to stand. There was plenty of ambition with W-1 back in the day, and Mutoh wants to rekindle that feeling. Mutoh also stated that he is already looking to expand the promotion outside of Japan with there already being a lot of consideration of holding shows in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, as well as working with other promotions.
It also seems that Mutoh will be working under GEN Sports Entertainment as the management company for the new promotion, while Keiji Mutoh will be the acting president/representing director or WORLD-1.
Some of the staff were announced as well….
Makoto Abe (ring announcer), Daichi Murayama (referee), and Daisuke Kambayashi (referee).
WRESTLE-1 "Raising an Army Event”, 9/8/2013 [Sun] 16:00 @ Tokyo Dome City Hall in Tokyo
Official Website
http://www.w-1.co.jp/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Also it seems Mutoh had consulted with a lawyer and Shiraishi has no legal grounds to force a fine/penalty on any of those who resigned from All Japan at the end of June.
Mutoh pretty much called Shiraishi a “child" for that apparent action.
決して“鎖国”はしないからね」と、他団体との協力・抗争も大歓迎。
I will never isolate (the promotion), and will welcome both a cooperation and rivalry with other organizations.
"アジア圏を足がかりとした世界進出の野望も明かした。"
Mutoh will look at competing in Asia as a stepping stone towards a future global expansion.
) federazione.
