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Tatsumi Fujinami (Fujinami Tatsumi, 藤波辰巳)is a Japanese Professional wrestler who is famous for his gimmick as "The Dragon". He is the one who is credited for inventing the Dragon Sleeper and the Dragon Suplex.
Career
Fujinami started in the old Japanese Wrestling Association under Antonio Inoki's wing. When Inoki was fired from JWA in 1971, Fujinami and a few others followed him in forming a new promotion, New Japan Pro Wrestling. Inoki, Fujinami, Osamu Kido and Kotetsu Yamamoto are recognized as NJPW's founding fathers.
In those early days he served as opponent for debuting rookies, such as Mr. Pogo, Yoshiaki Fujiwara and Gran Hamada. Fujinami, Fujiwara, Hamada and three other rookies competed in the 1974 Karl Gotch Cup (a tournament for rookies, forerunner to the later Young Lions Leagues.
In the late 1970's Fujinami was sent abroad, to Mexico's Universal Wrestling Association and to Jim Crockett Promotions in the U. S. In the early 1980's he went to the WWF, where he won their junior heavyweight title and brought it back to Japan, establishing it as the premier junior heavyweight title in Japan. Fujinami would be the first wrestler to be successful in both the junior heavyweight and heavyweight divisions, thanks to his strong work ethic and stamina.
His "most remembered" match in the U. S. was when he wrestled Ric Flair in a re-match at the first ever WCW SuperBrawl in Florida after a controversial match in Japan. Flair retained his championship by a school boy pin with a handful of tights.
Finishing and signature moves
- Dragon sleeper
- Dragon suplex
- Dragon screw
- Figure four leglock
- Belly to back backbreaker
- Cobra Twist (Abdominal stretch)
- Ground Cobra Twist (Outside cradle)
Championships and accomplishments
- 5-time IWGP Tag Team Champion (4 times with Kengo Kimura and once with Osamu Nishimura)
- 2-time WWF International Heavyweight Champion
- 1-time WWF International Tag Team Champion (with Kengo Kimura)
- 2-time WWF Junior Heavyweight Champion
- Others
- 1-time WCWA World Heavyweight Champion
- 1-time NWA Pacific Northwest Heavyweight Champion
- 1-time CWA (Europe) Intercontinental Champion
- 2-time NWA International Junior Heavyweight Champion
- Pro Wrestling Illustrated (PWI) ranked him #31 of the 500 best singles wrestlers during the "PWI Years" in 2003.
- He is a member of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame (inducted in 1996)
- 1985 Best Technical Wrestler
- 1986 Best Technical Wrestler
- 1988 Best Technical Wrestler
- 1998 Most Oustanding Wrestler
"Tatsumi Fujinami"