Preface: That Stalin-esque Community Leader Jason Le Blanc demanded I do this as my homework. I really don't like that Le Blanc guy. Who does he think he is? Seriously, does it look like I want to open up my eyes and see information out there beyond the WWE and TNA. Grr, I really don't like that JLB guy.
When many Westerners think about Asian professional wrestlers they are probably envisioning someone the likes of Tajiri, Funaki, Taka Michinoku, and more presently, Yoshi Tatsu.
These men are all light on the feet, acrobatic, and possess a smaller frame. The fact is, though, not all Asian wrestlers appear this way.
Manabu Nakanishi is one of those individuals who do not fit your Tajiri and Funaki mold. Nakanishi is a 6'1", 265 pound monster of a man. But he's a monster who is not afraid to climb the top rope for a dropkick or ax-handle smash from time to time.
You need not look further than this man to see what New Japan's strong style of professional wrestling is all about.
He had all the potential in the world, yet like so many others, could not fulfill what many had hoped for. Trained by the "God" of wrestling Karl Gotch (trained the likes of Antonio Inoki, Osamu Kido, Tiger Mask, etc.), Nakanishi was looked at to be the Ace (face) of his promotion. Unfortunately, that wasn't to be.
Back in August 1992 at the Barcelona Olympic Games, the then 25-year old amateur wrestler Nakanishi was a competitor in the Freestyle Men's Heavyweight category. He would be eliminated in the second round of the competition.
Later that month, he would debut for New Japan Pro Wrestling. At this point in his wrestling career, he was like many others, basic and didn't do anything to stand out. It would be a couple of years before anything of true significance happened for Nakinishi.
In 1994 he would lose to Satoshi Kojima in the finals of the NJPW's Young Lions Cup tournament. The following year he would win the tournament, defeating Yuji Nagata.
The next year American fans would get a chance to see Nakanishi as he came over to join World Championship Wrestling (WCW) for a year. He went under the moniker of Kurasawa (yes, he won using an armbar).
Not sure if any remembers the match where Kurasawa teamed up with Meng and fought the Road Warriors. The Road Warriors would win the match but post-match saw Kurasawa break Hawk's arm.
It was the Road Warriors who would help Nakanishi improve his workout regime. According to Wikipedia (you be the judge) the "Road Warrior Workout" was a workout that was not only taught to Nakanishi but also to the greats Kenta Kobashi and Kensuke Sasaki.
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