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Takada Nobuhiko | |
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| Date of Birth | 12 April 1962 |
| Place of Birth | Yokohama |
Takada Nobuhiko is a great professional wrestler. But his fighting style is a little different from the pro-wrestling which most people imagine. It is called the "U-style".
He was fascinated with Nagashima Shigeo, a super star of the professional baseball (manager of the Yomiuri Giants, now), and wanted to be a pro-baseball player in his childhoods. He also selected for the best player.
But he has yearned to be like Antonio Inoki, a famous pro-wrestler, since he watched him on TV. Although he entered junior high school, he went to not school but a park and trained there. In 1980, Takada took a test of New Japan pro-wrestling and passed it. However he sympathized with Maeda Akira and transferred to old U.W.F. (Universal Wrestling Federation) with Fujiwara Yoshiaki in June 1984.
Unfortunately, he returned to New Japan pro-Wrestling in December 1985 according to the bankruptcy of the U.W.F. He won against Koshinaka Shiro and captured IWGP (International Wrestling Grand Prix) Junior Heavyweight Championship. These two wrestler born many impressive fights one after another.
In 1988, the new U.W.F was formed and Takada transferred to again. The U.W.F was booming among young people not only pro-wrestling fans but the general public in those days. Their fights were composed of only punches, kicks, and suplexes. They never fought out of the ring. It was very sensational. So it was called the "U-style".
Unfortunately, the new U.W.F was also disbanded 1991. But he established the U.W.F International in Feburary and took office as president. He captured a first Pro-Wrestling World Heavyweight Championship in 1992, beating Gary Albright.
Though he couldn't win a double championship, (IWGP and Pro-Wrestling World Championship), the first time, he managed to beat IWGP champion Muto Keiji at the Tokyo Doom in January 4, 1996.
Recently, he fought against Rickson Gracie but he couldn't beat him. Now Gracie is recognized as the strongest fighter in the world. People are interested in who can beat him. Of course, a chance remains for Takada,too. Someday, he will capture a fame; the strongest in the world.
References: Moving on; Nobuhiko TAKADA
Reported by: Hiroki Ito
Date verified by: Fumiaki Horigame
Date of Report: November 1997