Hitoshi Kumano
Kumano in 2015
Born (1991-11-22) November 22, 1991 (age 32)
Hiroshima, Japan[1]
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s)Hitoshi Kumano
Shirokuma no Hitoshi[2]
Billed height1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)[3]
Billed weight90 kg (198 lb)[3]
Trained byAtsushi Kotoge
Naomichi Marufuji
Daisuke Harada
DebutFebruary 9, 2013[3]
RetiredMarch 9, 2020

Hitoshi Kumano (熊野 準, Kumano Hitoshi, born November 22, 1991) is a Japanese professional wrestler trained by and signed to Pro Wrestling Noah.

Early life

Kumano first became interested in professional wrestling while still in elementary school after playing King of Colloseum 2 on the PlayStation 2. He joined the wrestling team at the Hiroshima International High School and became a regular competitor at national level in the 55 kg class. After graduating high school, he attended college at the Hiroshima University, where he earned qualifications to be a Sports Trainer. After graduating from college on April 15, 2012, he passed a tryout to join Pro Wrestling Noah's dojo, and began training on May 22. Whilst simultaneously training as a professional wrestler, Kumano attended school for business management.[4][5]

Professional wrestling career

After training in the NOAH dojo under the watch of Naomichi Marufuji, Daisuke Harada and Atsushi Kotoge, Kumano made his in-ring debut in January 2013, losing in a battle royal. In doing so, Kumano became the first wrestler to make his debut in NOAH since Shuhei Taniguchi in 2005. Kumano's next 7 matches were all battle royals, and he lost all of them. His singles debut took place on February 9, when he lost to his trainer, Kotoge.[6] On May 11 at Kenta Kobashi's retirement show, Final Burning in Budokan, Kumano wrestled the biggest match in his career up until that point, losing to veteran Masanobu Fuchi.[7] Kumano remained winless until June 30, when he, Harada and Taiji Ishimori defeated Kaiser, Pesadilla and Super Crazy.[8] The following month, Kumano entered the NTV G Cup Junior Heavyweight League, finishing last in Block A with zero wins and zero points.[9] On August 24, Kumano achieved the biggest win of his career so far, when he and Harada defeated his trainer Kotoge and Ishimori.[10] Kumano received his first opportunity at a championship on September 16 when he and Harada unsuccessfully challenged Jushin Thunder Liger and Tiger Mask IV for the GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship.[11] In July 2014, Kumano once again entered the NTV Junior Tag League, this time with Diamond Ring's Mitsuhiro Kitamiya. The duo won their first match, defeating Jinzo and Rocky Lobo,[12] but lost every other match they were involved in, finishing last in Block B with 1 win and 2 points.[13] Throughout 2014 and 2015, Kumano remained at the lower end of most cards and lost the majority of his matches, commonplace for young Japanese wrestlers as a way of learning respect and earning your opportunities. On June 13, 2015, the 6 year anniversary of NOAH founder Mitsuharu Misawa's death, Kumano once again unsuccessfully challenged for the GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship, teaming with Genba Hirayanagi in a loss to Suzuki-gun (Taka Michinoku and El Desperado).[14] In July, Kumano took part in the Global Junior Heavyweight League, finishing last in Block A with zero wins and zero points.[15] In September, Kumano entered the NTV G Cup Junior Heavyweight Tournament for a third time, teaming with Super Crazy and winning only one match, leaving them with two points and unable to advance to the final.[16]

On February 25, 2016, Kumano made his New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) debut, defeating Hirai Kawato at Lion's Gate Project 1, a show designed to showcase younger talent in Japanese wrestling.[17] He once again competed in NJPW on May 19 at Lion's Gate Project 2, defeating Kaientai Dojo's Ayato Yoshida.[18] On May 28 at Great Voyage, Kumano received his biggest opportunity to date when he faced Yoshinobu Kanemaru for the GHC Junior Heavyweight Championship, but was unable to win.[19] Kumano once again entered the NTV G Cup Junior Tag League, teaming with Andy Dalton. Their only win came on July 30 over Captain Noah and Genba Hirayanagi,[20] leaving them with 1 win and 2 points. On September 1, Kumano lost to Ryusuke Taguchi at Lion's Gate Project 3.[21] On January 24, 2017, Kumano defeated 18 other men and one woman (comedian Kuniko Yamada) in a battle royal. After the match, Kumano stated that 2017 would be a turning point in his career.[22] On March 12, Kumano, for the second time in his career, unsuccessfully challenged for the GHC Junior Heavyweight Championship losing to champion Hajime Ohara. Following the match's conclusion, Ohara stated in a backstage interview that the two would also be joining forces in the tag team division.[23] The following month, Kumano and Ohara's new team was named Back Breakers.[24] Kumano and Ohara participated in the 2017 Global Junior Heavyweight Tag League between July 13 and July 27. The pair had a strong showing with eight points and finished third in the group stage, however were defeated on the final day by MAO and Shunma Katsumata which prevented the team from joining a three-way tie for first place in the group.[25]

Championships and Accomplishments

References

  1. ^ Kreikenbohm, Philip. "Hitoshi Kumano « Wrestlers Database « CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database".
  2. ^ "Noahful Gift 2017 ～ファン感謝祭～". Pro Wrestling Noah (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 2017-12-26. Retrieved 2017-12-26.
  3. ^ a b c "プロレスリング・ノア公式サイト - PRO-WRESTLING NOAH OFFICIAL SITE".
  4. ^ "Hitoshi Kumano". 17 January 2014.
  5. ^ "7年ぶり新人熊野がデビュー／ノア". 日刊スポーツ. 2013-02-10.
  6. ^ Kreikenbohm, Philip. "NOAH The Second Navigation 2013 - Tag 2 « Events Database « CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database".
  7. ^ Kreikenbohm, Philip. "NOAH Final Burning In Budokan « Events Database « CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database".
  8. ^ Kreikenbohm, Philip. "NOAH Voyage For Colosseum « Events Database « CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database".
  9. ^ Kreikenbohm, Philip. "NOAH NTV G Cup Junior Heavyweight League 2013 - Tag 10 « Events Database « CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database".
  10. ^ Kreikenbohm, Philip. "NOAH Summer Navigation 2013 Ark New Chapter ~Memorable Pro-Wrestling~ - Tag 4: Naomichi Marufuji 15th Anniversary « Events Database « CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database".
  11. ^ Kreikenbohm, Philip. "NOAH Ark Houjouya « Events Database « CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database".
  12. ^ Kreikenbohm, Philip. "NOAH NTV G+ Cup Jr. Heavyweight Tag League 2014 - Tag 2 « Events Database « CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database".
  13. ^ Kreikenbohm, Philip. "NOAH NTV G+ Cup Jr. Heavyweight Tag League 2014 - Tag 6 « Events Database « CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database".
  14. ^ Kreikenbohm, Philip. "NOAH Mitsuharu Misawa Memorial Tour 2015 - Tag 2 ~ Mitsuharu Misawa Memorial Night 2015 « Events Database « CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database".
  15. ^ Kreikenbohm, Philip. "NOAH Summer Navigation 2015 - Tag 10 « Events Database « CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database".
  16. ^ Kreikenbohm, Philip. "NOAH Great Voyage 2015 In Osaka « Events Database « CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database".
  17. ^ Kreikenbohm, Philip. "NJPW Lion's Gate Project1 « Events Database « CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database".
  18. ^ Kreikenbohm, Philip. "NJPW Lion's Gate Project2 « Events Database « CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database".
  19. ^ Kreikenbohm, Philip. "NOAH Great Voyage 2016 In Osaka « Events Database « CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database".
  20. ^ Kreikenbohm, Philip. "NOAH NTV G+ Cup Junior Heavyweight Tag League 2016 - Tag 5 « Events Database « CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database".
  21. ^ Kreikenbohm, Philip. "NJPW Lion's Gate Project3 « Events Database « CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database".
  22. ^ Kreikenbohm, Philip. "NOAH New Year Never Seen Yamada Before In NOAH « Events Database « CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database".
  23. ^ "虎王&シャイニング競演! "天才タッグ"丸藤&武藤が華麗勝利 3月12日(日)横浜文化体育館大会試合後コメント". noah.co.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved 2017-03-15.
  24. ^ "【4.22新潟市体育館大会にてGHCジュニア・タッグに挑戦！】大原はじめ＆熊野準のチーム名は「Back Breakers」に決定！". Pro Wrestling Noah (in Japanese). 2017-04-07. Retrieved 2017-04-07.
  25. ^ Kreikenbohm, Philip. "NOAH Summer Navigation 2017 ~ 11th Global Junior Heavyweight Tag League ~ - Tag 7 « Events Database « CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database". www.cagematch.net. Retrieved 2017-08-24.
  26. ^ "Pro Wrestling Illustrated (PWI) 500 for 2016". The Internet Wrestling Database. Archived from the original on January 21, 2023. Retrieved February 27, 2023.
  27. ^ "NTV G+ Cup Jr. Heavyweight Tag League 2014". PUROLOVE.com (in German). Archived from the original on December 4, 2021. Retrieved February 27, 2023.

External links

GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champions
Pro Wrestling Noah personnel
Categories