Milano Collection A. T.
Milano Collection A. T. | |
---|---|
![]() Sawafuji as Milano Collection A. T. in June 2007, after winning the 2007 Best of the Super Juniors | |
Birth name | Akihito Sawafuji[1] |
Born | [2] Morioka, Iwate, Japan[2] | August 27, 1976
Professional wrestling career | |
Ring name(s) | Milano Collection A. T. Masked Italiano |
Billed height | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)[2] |
Billed weight | 85 kg (187 lb)[3] |
Billed from | Milan, Italy[2] |
Trained by | Skayde Magnum Tokyo[3] Último Dragón Rudy Boy Gonzalez Texas Wrestling Academy |
Debut | May 13, 2000[2] |
Retired | January 18, 2010 |
Akihito Sawafuji (
Professional wrestling career
[edit]Sawafuji debuted in 2000 in Toryumon, where he later adopted the persona and ring name of Milano Collection A. T., an Italian fashion aficionado/supermodel, wearing lavish coats and trunks and walking to the ring with an invisible dog named Mikeru to much more success, and upon his arrival in Japan, he was the ace of Toryumon's T2P class. In 2002, he won the T2P Strongest Merit Assessment League defeating Masato Yoshino and received the NWA International Light Heavyweight Championship for the win. He then went on to form the Italian Connection with YOSSINO and YASSINI.[5] The unit eventually added members Pescatore Yagi, Condotti Shuji and mascot Venezia. With the closure of T2P in July 2003, he joined the Toryumon main roster. In mid-2006, he began training at the Texas Wrestling Academy in San Antonio, Texas at the urging of WWE's Shoichi Funaki, and trained under Rudy Boy Gonzalez. During his tenure in the TWA, he held the Television Championship for 8 months. He also wrestled for many other American wrestling federations, including East Coast Wrestling Association, Ring of Honor (ROH), NWA Anarchy, Chikara and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he took part in the 2008 World X Cup as part of Team Japan, winning his first and only singles match for TNA against Curry Man, gaining 2 points for his team.[6] He then competed at Victory Road in the third round, which was a four team triple elimination match, dominating early in the match before getting eliminated.[7]
After returning to Japan full time in 2007, he began working for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), as a part of the R.I.S.E. faction. He received his first title opportunity in New Japan on November 6, 2006, unsuccessfully challenging Tiger Mask IV for the NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship.[8] He achieved his greatest success in both New Japan and as a professional wrestler in 2007 when he won New Japan Pro-Wrestling's Best of the Super Juniors tournament, defeating Wataru Inoue in the final.[9] In August, he took part in the G1 Climax, finishing with 2 wins and 4 points. In November, he teamed with Hirooki Goto as R.I.S.E in the G1 Tag League, making it to the semi-finals where they were eliminated by Hiroshi Tanahashi and Koji Kanemoto.[10]
On January 18, 2010, Sawafuji announced his retirement from professional wrestling because of inferior oblique muscle palsy, brought on by an excessively strong thrust kick to the eye by Gedo. A retirement ceremony was held on February 14.
Sawafuji remains with New Japan as a member of the IWGP Championship Committee and a color commentator.
As a trainer
[edit]Sawafuji is currently a trainer for World Wonder Ring Stardom.[11]
Wrestlers trained
[edit]
Championships and accomplishments
[edit]- Chikara
- ICW/ICWA Tex-Arkana Television Championship (1 time)
- Texas Wrestling Entertainment
- TWE Television Championship (1 time)
- Toryumon
- NWA International Light Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- UWA World Trios Championship (2 times) – with Brother YASSINI and YOSSINO (1), and YOSSINO and Condotti Shuji (1)[3][4]
- T2P Strongest League (2002)[3]
- Young Dragons Cup (2000)[3]
References
[edit]- ^ a b
食 いっぱぐれない技術 に憧 れた. Tokyo Sports (in Japanese). 2012-06-13. Archived from the original on 2014-02-21. Retrieved 2014-02-03. - ^ a b c d e f "ミラノコレクションA.T." New Japan Pro-Wrestling (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 2010-06-18. Retrieved 2014-02-03.
- ^ a b c d e f "Milano Collection A.T. profile". Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved 2013-02-03.
- ^ a b c d "Profile at Puroresu Central". Puroresu Central. Retrieved 2014-02-03.
- ^ "Italian Connection". Cagematch. Retrieved 2019-03-16.
- ^ Sokol, Bryan (2008-07-04). "Impact: Bad dates and Sting's return". SLAM! Sports. Archived from the original on July 24, 2012. Retrieved 2009-04-06.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^ Kapur, Bob (2008-07-13). "Main event mars Victory Road". SLAM! Sports. Archived from the original on June 30, 2012. Retrieved 2009-04-06.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^ "NJPW Circuit 2006 Explosion ~ G1 Tag League ~ - Tag 13 « Events Database « CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database". Archived from the original on 2021-12-16.
- ^ "NJPW New Japan 35th Anniversary Tour Circuit 2007 Best Of The Super Junior XIV ~Power of Mind". Cage Match. Retrieved 6 May 2023.
- ^ "NJPW 35th Anniversary Tour ~ Circuit 2007 New Japan Truth ~G1 Tag League~ - Tag 10 « Events Database « CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database". Archived from the original on 2016-01-21.
- ^ a b c d e T.SAKAI (November 30, 2023). ミラノ
先生 「練習 時間 の確保 を」復活 スターダムに向 け岡田 社長 に進言 . Kakuto Log (in Japanese). Archived from the original on November 30, 2023. Retrieved November 30, 2023. - ^ "Q&A with Joshi Superstar Giulia". Monthly Puroresu. September 11, 2022. Archived from the original on November 4, 2023. Retrieved November 30, 2023.
- ^ "Pro Wrestling Illustrated (PWI) 500 for 2007". The Internet Wrestling Database. Retrieved 2021-04-23.
External links
[edit]- Puroresu Central profile
- Milano Collection A. T.'s profile at Cagematch.net
- Japanese male professional wrestlers
- Living people
- 1976 births
- People from Morioka, Iwate
- Sportspeople from Iwate Prefecture
- Professional wrestling announcers
- 20th-century male professional wrestlers
- 21st-century male professional wrestlers
- UWA World Trios Champions
- Open the Triangle Gate Champions
- Best of the Super Juniors winners