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FUNAKI To ZERO1 for "ZERO1 WRESTLER'S 11 ~ GW Special" on 5/5!

April 27th, 2010

Having just retired from World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) on April 23rd, Japanese wrestler FUNAKI will return to Japan to team with his former student - ZERO1 wrestler Ikuto Hidaka. Following his victory last November in the "Tenka-ichi Jr. Tournament 2009" Hidaka was granted the traditional wish for uniting all the Dragon Balls. "I invite my teacher and master, WWE's Sho Funaki to the ring of ZERO1 for a tag match," he requested.

Now Hidaka's wish will come true as FUNAKI will team with Hidaka against the Hawaii gaijin team of Sandy Beach and Chad Aloha in Korakuen Hall. The originally scheduled NWA International Lightweight Tag Title defense against the Egyptian Osirian Portal has been moved to the Osaka show on May 8th.

Steve Corino & Colby Corino WORLD-1 Tag Title Defense on May 5th!

April 26th, 2010

May 5th is a Japanese National Holiday that occurs during Golden Week and is known as "Kodomo no hi" or "Children's Day." On this day the child of ZERO1 gaijin wrestler Steve Corino will return to Japan, this time as a professional wrestler. Since his Father began appearing for ZERO1 back in 2001, Colby Corino has traveled a few time to Japan in the past. Time passes quickly, and now Colby is 13 and a tag team champion with his father in the WORLD-1 promotion.

Current WORLD-1 Tag Team champions, Steve and Colby Corino will participate on both the May 5th and May 8th show in Osaka. On "Kodomo no hi" they will defend their tag titles against Masato Tanaka and Kenta Kakinuma, and then on May 8th he will accompany Steve Corino in a 6-man tag match. Colby sent a comment to the ZERO1 offices:

Global Challenges Arrive for Kohei!

April 21st, 2010

Since Kohei Sato won the World Heavyweight title from Toshiaki Kawada on April 11th at the Yasukuni Shrine, various challengers have come forth. As was reported earlier, both ZERO1 Presdient Shinjiro Otani and Kohei's former tag partner Ryouji Sai both threw their hats in the ring before the sweat was even dry. Otani will get his chance on May 5th in Korakuen Hall, and Ryouji will get his shot (against Kohei or Otani should he win) three days later in his hometown of Osaka.

Numerous challenges have also come from outside Japan, with foreign wrestlers also looking to make a name for themselves off of Kohei. One of those was from former WWE heavyweight Paul Burchill, a 4x Ohio Valley Wrestling Heavyweight champion.

Hailing from England, Burchill made his name early in the independents wrestling for the Frontier Wrestling Alliance in the UK. He severed ties with the WWE in February of this year and is now looking to continue his wrestling career as "The Ripper" Paul Burchill.

Burchill has already returned to the active wrestling scene since his WWE release and participated in several matches. You can learn more at www.paulburchillonline.com.

Corino Comments On Tag Title Challenge Defeat!

April 15th, 2010

Steve Corino and Australian wrestler Hartley Jackson tried and failed to take the NWA Intercontinental Tag Team titles from the Kazan tag champions of Shinjiro Otani & Akebono yesterday in the main event of ZERO1's Sapporo show in Hokkaido, Japan. The match went almost 18 minutes until Akebono pinned Corino with the "Dai Kazan" for their 3rd defense. Following the defeat the longtime ZERO1 gaijin wrestler commented:

"Frankly speaking, Akebono is like an immovable mountain. This isn't the first time in ZERO1 I've faced such a large fighter, though to be honest Akebono's ability is much higher than Matt Ghaffari! It's been a while since I've wrestled in ZERO1, and I can feel the excitement has returned like the old days.

"Hartley Jackson is a good partner, and I think he will only become better if he gets a chance to practice and compete more in Japan. I am from Philadelphia, on the east coast of the US it's cold in the winter like it is here in Hokkaido. Jackson is from a warm climate in Australia and has a harder time moving around and adapting as well to the cold."

"I've recommended that Jackson stay in Japan instead of return home, to acclimate himself more to Japan's wrestling climate. I've checked with the ZERO1 gaijin sponsor and he's given me the green light, so it's not problem. Tomorrow we team again in Hakodate to face Masato Tanaka and Kintaro Kanemura and I promise a victory."

Hartley Jackson also made a brief comment in his defense:

"We lost and there's nothing we can do about the past. It was difficult to get used to the bitter cold of Hokkaido. What happened to Global Warming? It hasn't reached Hokkaido yet? It snows in April!? I've been doing my best to get used to this, and I think I'm ready for tomorrow and a victory!"

By Decree of Osiris! The Osirian Portal To ZERO1!

April 14th, 2010

Announced for the May 5th "ZERO1 WRESTLER'S 11 ~ GW Special" show at Tokyo's Korakuen Hall will be the 1st Japan landing of the Osirian Portal tag team of Amasis & Ophidian. The Osirian Portal contacted the FIRST ON STAGE offices to introduce themselves, and warned the company that they had been contacted by the Ancient Egyptian god of the afterlife to participate in the ZERO1 ring.

"We are called the Osirian Portal. Osiris revealed himself to us in a dream the other day with a cryptic message:

"'May...Japan...ZERO1...Light...Treasure...'

"We received this message and after investigation we've concluded that this can only be a sign for us to travel to ZERO1 and fight for the NWA International Lightweight Tag Team titles. We are coming to Japan to take these title belts. We would like to express or gratitude to Osiris, and warn current champions Hidaka & Sawa to not defy the will of the gods! We pray to Osiris to give us the power to take these treasures, and warn all those who dare to stand in our lighted path and defy the oracle!!"

Ophidian wears the mask of the deadly King Cobra, and Amasis is a Pharaoh who honors his god with dancing and break dancing. As claimed they come to ZERO1 on an errand from their god Osiris, the ancient Egyptian god of the underworld. The team has participated in the United States for Chikara Pro, Ring of Honor, Jersey All Pro Wrestling and EVOLVE Pro Wrestling.

"We cannot disobey Osiris. Hidaka & Sawa have done a good job and brought happiness to the god by protecting our treasured gifts. We will shine the light of the Egyptian gods on the ring of ZERO1! We're coming for our rightful treasure and are prepared to take it with our maximum power on May 5th. People coming to the Hall for this event are permitted to find happiness and seek the blessing of Osiris by showering us with gifts on that day..."

This will be current champions Ikuto Hidaka & Munenori Sawa's 8th defense attempt of the NWA International Lightweight Tag Team titles since winning the belts way back on August 3, 2008.