Funaki (Wrestler)
Shoichi Funaki (船木 勝一, Funaki Shoichi?) (born August 24, 1968 is a Japanese/American professional wrestler best known for his time in World Wrestling Entertainment, where he was a one-time Cruiserweight Champion. He made his debut in WWF where he seems losing to Jonathan and Jesus. He was teaming up with Taka Michinoku better know as Chan they form an stable name Kai En Tai, Tajiri join with Funaki forces too. His career and Chan career was over after losing in Backlash (2000) to APA. Vince MacMahon fired him for losing a lot of macthes. Funaki came back in WWE where he won the Cruiserweight championship to Spike Dudley at Armageddon (2004). MacMahon later on realease him from the contract after losing to Chavo Guerrero for a short time. he also seems appear in Royal Rumble for the Cruiserweight Championship where Gregory Helms seems winning. He also appear in a four on Five Tag Team againts La Familia, Funaki team up with Nunzio, Pretty Boy and Batista.
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Early Year
Funaki started as a shoot style wrestler in Yoshiaki Fujiwara's Pro Wrestling Fujiwara Gumi promotion and moved to its successor promotion, Battlarts. He later found the lucha libre style more to his liking, so he moved to the Great Sasuke's promotion, Michinoku Pro Wrestling. In that promotion, he joined with Taka Michinoku, Dick Togo, Men's Teioh and Shiryu in the Kai En Tai stable. Funaki also wrestled in the Universal Wrestling Association (UWA) where he face El Pantera on March 19, 1997, in Japan.
World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment
Personal Life
Along with Japanese and English, Funaki is semi-fluent in French, German, Portuguese and Spanish. This was helpful when he was a regular in the short-lived WWE Spanish-language show Los Super Astros, which was televised on Univision.
On August 30, 2007, Funaki, along with nine other superstars, were named in Sports Illustrated as recipients of illegal steroids not in compliance with the WWE Talent Wellness Program. Funaki was said to have received somatropin in March 2006.
Moves
- Finishing moves
- Rising Sun (Tornado DDT)
- Signature moves
- Cross kneelock
- Diving crossbody
- Diving somersault cutter
- Enzuigiri
- Fisherman buster
- Front dropkick
- Powerbomb
- Jumping one–handed bulldog
- Legsweep
- Reverse DDT
- Nicknames
- "SmackDown's #1 Announcer"
Championships and accomplishments
WWE Cruiserweight Championship (1 time)
