| Osaka Pro Wrestling | |
| Acronym: | OPW |
| Style: | Puroresu Comedy Lucha libre |
| Location: | Osaka, Japan |
| Founder: | Super Delfin |
| Owner: | Zeus |
| Split: | Michinoku Pro Wrestling |
is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion based in Osaka. The promotion was founded by Super Delfin on March 4, 1999 following his departure from Michinoku Pro Wrestling, and has been operated by Zeus since July 2021. Commonly associated with the comedy wrestling and lucha libre genres, Osaka Pro features a variety of masked wrestlers inspired by Osaka characters.
In January 1999, Super Delfin announced that due to disagreements with The Great Sasuke regarding the direction of Michinoku Pro Wrestling, he would be leaving the promotion alongside several wrestlers and backstage personnel. On March 4, he officially founded Osaka Pro Wrestling (OPW) in his hometown of Osaka. Starting April 29, OPW produced their first tour, the Spicy Series 1999. The first event took place at the Namihaya Domenow the Towa Pharmaceutical Ractab Domein Kadoma, Osaka and saw the team of Super Delfin, Masato Yakushiji and Naohiro Hoshikawa defeat Dick Togo, Black Buffalo and Violencia.[1]
The promotion held a major flagship event called the Osaka Hurricane each year from 2003 to 2012 and also hosted the fourth edition of the Super J-Cup in 2004, which was the second edition of Osaka Hurricane.
In 2010 Osaka Pro started a close working relationship with American promotion Chikara.
On March 1, 2014, Osaka Pro announced that it would fold on April 20, 2014 due to financial difficulties, after which all of its wrestlers would become freelancers.[2] Osaka Pro later announced that the promotion would continue under new president Yuji Sakagami and wrestlers Kuishinbo Kamen and Takoyakida. The new Osaka Pro Wrestling lost many of the old one's key wrestlers as well as their home base of Nasci Hall Umeda, forcing them to employ a new tour format.[3]
In October 2021, it was announced that Zeus had been appointed as the owner and president of OPW. He became president on July 30, and on August 26, he received a share transfer from former owner Yuji Sakagami. However, he remained under contract with All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW) for the rest of the year.[4]
| Ring name[5] | Real name | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arashi | |||
| Billyken Kid | Osaka Pro Wrestling Tag Team Champion | ||
| Black Buffalo | Sales manager | ||
| Ebessan III | |||
| Goliath | |||
| Osaka Meibutsu Sekaiichi Champion | |||
| Signed to MoveOn Pro-Wrestling | |||
| Kuishinbo Kamen | |||
| Quiet Storm | Osaka Pro Wrestling Champion | ||
| Osaka Light Heavyweight Champion Signed to Dotonbori Pro-Wrestling | |||
| Freelancer | |||
| Freelancer | |||
| Takoyakida | |||
| Tigers Mask | |||
| Toru | Signed to Total Triumph Team Pro-Wrestling | ||
| Tsubasa | Osaka Pro Wrestling Tag Team Champion | ||
| Ultimate Spider Jr. | |||
| Signed to Dotonbori Pro-Wrestling | |||
| Zeus | Owner and president of OPW |
| Championship | Current champion(s) | Reign | Date won | Days held | Location | Notes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Osaka Pro Wrestling Championship | Quiet Storm | 2 | August 20, 2023 | + | Osaka, Japan | Defeated Tigers Mask at Osaka Pro Summer Festival 2023 to win the vacant title. | [6] | ||
| Osaka Light Heavyweight Championship | Ryuya Matsufusa | 1 | December 10, 2023 | + | Osaka, Japan | Defeated Tigers Mask at Excalibur. | [7] | ||
| Osaka Meibutsu Sekaiichi Championship | Joichiro Osaka | 1 | December 10, 2023 | + | Osaka, Japan | Defeated previous champion Kuishinbo Kamen, Ebessan III, Kikutaro and Kyusei Ninja Ranmaru in a five-way match at Excalibur. | [8] [9] | ||
| Osaka Pro Wrestling Tag Team Championship | Billyken Kid and Tsubasa | 2 | June 23, 2024 | + | Osaka, Japan | Defeated Rogue Nation (Goliath and Toru) at Osaka Castle Festival. | [10] | ||
| Championship | Last champion(s) | Reign | Date won | Location | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Osaka Owarai Championship | Joichiro Osaka | - | January 8, 2023 | Osaka, Japan | Won a battle royal to win the championship. The title change was voided when Billyken Kid confessed he had lost the physical title belt prior to the match. It was then replaced with the revived Osaka Meibutsu Sekaiichi Championship. | |
| Super Welterweight Championship | Super Delfin | 5 | November 28, 1999 | Osaka, Japan | Defeated Black Buffalo then immediately abandoned the title to create the Osaka Pro Wrestling Championship. | [11] |
| MWF World Junior Heavyweight Championship | Goya Mask | 2 | October 3, 2008 | Naha, Japan | Won a 10-man battle royale by last eliminating Kaijin Habu-otoko to win the vacant title. Title deactivated in 2012 when Okinawa Pro-Wrestling, where the title had moved to in May 2008, closed. | [12] |
| Tenpohzan Grand Prix Championship | Miracle Man | 2 | November 22, 2011 | Osaka, Japan | Defeated Takoyakida at Osaka Happy Weekday. Title moved to FFF Pro-Wrestling. | [13] [14] |
| Tigers Mask | 1 | April 20, 2014 | Osaka, Japan | Won a 18-man battle royale by last eliminating Billyken Kid to win the title. Title deactivated two days later when Tigers Mask left the promotion. | [15] | |
| Tournament | Last winner(s) | Date won | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tenno-zan | Zeus | October 29, 2023 | |
| Osaka Pro Light Heavyweight Tournament | Ultimate Spider Jr. | June 25, 2023 | |
| Osaka Tag Festival | Kazuaki Mihara and Toru | February 23, 2023 |