Taishi Ozawa

Taishi Ozawa
Born (1996-10-23) 23 October 1996 (age 28)[1]
Shizuoka, Japan
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s)
  • Taishi Ozawa
    Ozawa
Billed height181 cm (5 ft 11 in)[2]
Billed weight87 kg (192 lb)
Trained byKaito Kiyomiya
Debut2022

Taishi Ozawa (小澤大嗣, Ozawa Taishi) is a Japanese professional wrestler. He is signed to Pro Wrestling Noah where he is the current GHC Heavyweight Champion and a member of Team 2000X.[3]

Professional wrestling career

Pro Wrestling Noah (2022–present)

Rookie years (2022–2024)

Ozawa made his professional wrestling debut in Pro Wrestling Noah as a rookie trainee on the first night of the Star Nagivation 2022 from September 15, where he lost to Yoshiki Inamura in singles competition.[4] Ozawa made his pay-per-view debut at Noah Ariake Triumph 2022 on October 30, where he fell short to Kai Fujimura. During his rookie years, he competed in opener bouts of pay-per-views, mainly against other rookies and in multiple-competitor matches.[5] At Noah Global Honored Crown 2022 on November 10, he teamed up with Yasutaka Yano in a losing effort to Kai Fujimura and Yoshiki Inamura in tag team competition.[6]

At Noah The New Year 2023 on January 1, he fell short to Yasutaka Yano in singles competition.[7] On the first night of the Noah Star Navigation 2023 from February 5, Ozawa teamed up with Kinya Okada in a losing effort against Kongo (Tadasuke and Hi69).[8] At Noah Great Voyage in Osaka 2023 on February 12, he teamed up with Kinya Okada in a losing effort against Funky Express (Muhammad Yone and Akitoshi Saito).[9] At Noah Great Voyage in Yokohama 2023 on March 19, he fell short to Yasutaka Yano.[10] One month later at Noah Green Journey in Sendai 2023 on April 16, he fell short to Anthony Greene.[11] At Noah Majestic 2023 on May 4, he teamed up with Akitoshi Saito in a losing effort against Super Crazy and Mohammed Yone in tag team competition.[12] At Noah Great Journey in Nagoya 2023 on, Ozawa teamed up with Yone and Alejandro in a losing effort against Akitoshi Seiki Yoshioka and Stallion Rogers in six-man tag team competition.[13] At Noah Grand Ship In Nagoya 2023 on September 24, he teamed up with Stallion Rogers, Atsushi Kotoge and Akitoshi Saito to defeat Yu Owada, Hi69, Daiki Inaba and Muhammad Yone as a result of an eight-man tag team bout, which represented his first pay-per-view victory.[14] At Noah Demolition Stage In Fukuoka 2023 on October 28, he teamed up with Yone and Ozawa in a losing effort against Kai Fujimura, Stallion Rogers and Akitoshi Saito.[15]

At Noah The New Year 2024 on January 1, Ozawa fell short to Yu Owada in singles competition.[16]

Foreign excursion (2024)

After spending roughly one and a half years as a rookie in Noah, Ozawa started a foreign excursion in January 2024 in which he has mainly strolled through the British independent scene. Most of his work took place in Progress Wrestling. He made his debut at Chapter 162: The Light Of The Dragon on January 28, 2024, where he fell short to Rob Drake.[17] At Progress Chapter 165: Diamond Dust on March 7, 2024, Ozawa fell short to Connor Mills in singles competition.[18] At Progress Chapter 167: One Bump Or Two? on April 21, 2024, he fell short to Luke Jacobs.[19] During his time in Progress, Ozawa developed heel character tendencies while helping other villainous wrestlers such as Gene Munny and Luke Jacobs attack opponents post matches. During the 2024 Super Strong Style tournament, Ozawa competed in a Rufus Hound invitational battle royal won by Gene Munny.[20] At Progress Chapter 169: The Devil On My Shoulder on July 28, 2024, he fell short to Saxon Huxley.[21] At Progress Chapter 171: History Is Written By The Victors on September 22, 2024, he teamed up with Gene Munny in a losing effort against Lykos Gym (Kid Lykos and Kid Lykos II).[22] Ozawa wrestled his last match in the excursion pay-per-views at Progress x Noah x DEFY on October 5, 2024, where he fell short to Cara Noir.[23]

Team 2000X (2024–present)

Main articles: All Rebellion and Team 2000X

Ozawa returned to Japan on October 14, 2024, at Noah Star Navigation Premium: Akitoshi Saito Road Last, being announced as a new member of "All Rebellion".[24] One month later at Noah Deathnity on November 17, 2024, Ozawa attacked stablemate Kaito Kiyomiya after the latter's successful defense of the GHC Heavyweight Championship in the main event against Takashi Sugiura, betraying All Rebellion and joining villainous stable of "Team 2000X".[25]

At Noah The New Year 2025, Ozawa defeated Kiyomiya to win the GHC Heavyweight Championship.[26]

New Japan Pro Wrestling (2023)

Ozawa made his debut in New Japan Pro Wrestling as a guest competitor on the second night of Wrestle Kingdom 17 from January 21, where he teamed up with Yasutaka Yano and fell short to Kosei Fujita and Ryohei Oiwa.[27]

Championships and accomplishments

References

  1. ^ Saalbach, Axel. "Taishi Ozawa • General Information". wrestlingdata.com. Retrieved 1 January 2025.
  2. ^ Kreikenbohm, Philip. "OZAWA/Career Data". cagematch.de (in German). Retrieved 30 December 2024.
  3. ^ Internet Wrestling Database (IWD). "Taishi Ozawa Profile & Match Listing". profightdb.com. Retrieved 1 January 2025.
  4. ^ Black, Ethan (15 September 2022). "Pro Wrestling NOAH Star Navigation Night 1 Results – September 15, 2022". pwmamia.com. Retrieved 1 January 2025.
  5. ^ Lambert, Jeremy (30 October 2022). "Pro Wrestling NOAH Ariake Triumph Results (10/30): New GHC Junior Heavyweight Champ, NJPW Stars Compete". fightful.com. Retrieved 31 December 2022.
  6. ^ "NOAH Global Honored Crown 2022 Results". catch-newz.com. Catch Newz. 14 November 2022. Retrieved 14 November 2022.
  7. ^ Rose, Bryan (1 January 2023). "NOAH The New Year notes: Jake Lee, Hiroshi Hase, new champions crowned". F4WOnline.com. Archived from the original on 4 January 2023. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
  8. ^ Dark Angelita (10 February 2023). "NOAH: "Star Navigation 2023" Defensa del título Nacional". Superluchas.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 2 March 2023.
  9. ^ Carlan, Lewis (21 February 2023). "Pro Wrestling NOAH Reveals Next Challenger for GHC Heavyweight Champion Kaito Kiyomiya". PWMania.com. Archived from the original on 6 March 2023. Retrieved 2 March 2023.
  10. ^ Thompson, Andrew (19 March 2023). "Jake Lee captures GHC Heavyweight Championship at NOAH Great Voyage". Post Wrestling. Archived from the original on 24 March 2023. Retrieved 19 March 2023.
  11. ^ Carlan, Lewis (16 April 2023). "Pro Wrestling NOAH Green Journey 2023 In Sendai Results (4/16/2023)". PWMania.com. Archived from the original on 23 April 2023. Retrieved 16 April 2023.
  12. ^ Lambert, Jeremy (6 May 2023). "NOAH Majestic 2023 Results (5/4): New GHC Tag Champions, Multiple Title Bouts". fightful.com. Retrieved 6 May 2023.
  13. ^ Carlan, Lewis (17 June 2023). "Pro Wrestling NOAH Green Journey 2023 In Nagoya Results For 6/17/2023". bodyslam.net. Archived from the original on 17 June 2023. Retrieved 17 June 2023.
  14. ^ Carlan, Lewis (24 September 2023). "Pro Wrestling NOAH GRAND SHIP 2023 In NAGOYA Results (9/24/2023), New Champions Crowned". bodyslam.net. Archived from the original on 11 November 2023. Retrieved 24 September 2023.
  15. ^ Pollock, John (28 October 2023). "New champions crowned at NOAH's Demolition Stage in Fukuoka". Post Wrestling. Archived from the original on 24 February 2024. Retrieved 28 October 2023.
  16. ^ Lambert, Jeremy (2 January 2024). "NOAH The New Year 2024 Results (1/2): Kota Ibushi, Naomichi Marufuji, Kenoh In Action". fightful.com. Retrieved 2 January 2024.
  17. ^ Brennan, Corey (3 February 2024). "PROGRESS Chapter 162: The Light Of The Dragon Results (2/2): Mustafa Ali And More Compete". fightful.com. Retrieved 1 January 2025.
  18. ^ Tarrier, Lee (8 March 2024). "Top Takeaways & Results From PROGRESS Wrestling Chapter 165: Diamond Dust". pwmania.com. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
  19. ^ Lambert, Jeremy (22 April 2024). "PROGRESS Chapter 167 Results (4/21): SAnitY, Homicide, Mark Haskins In Action". fightful.com. Retrieved 29 May 2024.
  20. ^ Brennan, Corey (27 May 2024). "Luke Jacobs Wins PROGRESS Super Strong Style 16 2024". fightful.com. Retrieved 27 May 2024.
  21. ^ "Luke Jacobs Captures PROGRESS World Championship At Devil On My Shoulder". 411mania.com. 411Mania. 28 July 2024. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  22. ^ Lambert, Jeremy (22 September 2024). "PROGRESS Wrestling Chapter 171 Results (9/22): Cara Noir Returns, Luke Jacobs vs. Eddie Dennis". fightful.com. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
  23. ^ Brennan, Corey (5 October 2024). "NOAH/DEFY/PROGRESS Results (10/5): Rhio Defends". fightful.com. Retrieved 5 October 2024.
  24. ^ Black, Ethan (14 October 2024). "Pro Wrestling Noah Star Navigation Night 9 Results – October 14, 2024". PWMania.com. Archived from the original on 10 November 2024. Retrieved 27 October 2024.
  25. ^ Pickering, Mark (28 December 2024). "Kaito Kiyomiya Puts OZAWA Through A Table At NOAH Press Conference". fightful.com. Retrieved 28 December 2024.
  26. ^ Thompson, Andrew (1 January 2025). "OZAWA def. Kaito Kiyomiya to become GHC Heavyweight Champion at NOAH The New Year 2025". POSTWrestling. Retrieved 1 January 2025.
  27. ^ "2023.01.21 Wrestle Kingdom 17 in Yokohama Arena". New Japan Pro-Wrestling. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
  28. ^ Wrestling Titles. "Global Honored Crown Heavyweight Title". wrestling-titles.com. Retrieved 1 January 2025.