Stinger (professional wrestling)
Stinger (スティンガー, Sutingā) (often stylized in all uppercase as STINGER) is a Japanese villainous professional wrestling stable, based in the Pro Wrestling Noah (Noah) promotion formed in 2018. Led by Yoshinari Ogawa the stable also consists of Chris Ridgeway and Daga
History edit
Formation. Under Kotaro Suzuki and Yoshinari Ogawa's leadership (2018-2020) edit
In October 2018, Kotaro Suzuki began a rivalry with the Ratel's stable during which he was joined by Yoshinari Ogawa. On October 30, Suzuki defeated Ratel's leader Daisuke Harada to win the GHC Junior Heavyweight Championship for the third time. Harada demanded a rematch which Suzuki accepted on condition that if Harada lost, Ratel's would be forced to disband. On December 16 at Great Voyage In Yokohama Vol. 2, Suzuki lost the title against Harada and after the match Yo-Hey turned against Ratel's to join Suzuki and Ogawa and the three were dubbed Stinger.[1]
On January 4, 2020, Ogawa defeated Hayata to win the GHC Junior Heavyweight Championship.[2]
The rebirth of the stable. Under Hayata's leadership (2020-present) edit
On March 29, Ogawa disbanded Stinger. On April 19 at The Spirit, Suzuki defeated Ogawa to win the GHC Junior Heavyweight Championship for the fourth time. Suzuki then asked Ogawa to team up with him to fight for the GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship, which Ogawa accepted.[3] On May 9, during the GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship tournament against Ratel's (Hayata and Yo-Hey), Hayata turned on Yo-Hey, joining Suzuki and Ogawa to reform Stinger.[4] The following day, Hayata and Ogawa defeated Ratel's (Tadasuke and Yo-Hey) to win the vacant GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship, meaning Stinger held both Noah's Junior Heavyweight Championships.[5] On August 8 at NOAH The Chronicle Vol. 3, Hayata defeated former Ratel's teammate Daisuke Harada to win the IPW:UK Junior Heavyweight Championship and in a behind-the-scenes interview he threw the title in a trash can, causing the title to be deactivated.[6] On October 11, Hayata and Ogawa lost the GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship to Momo no Seishun Tag (Atsushi Kotoge and Daisuke Harada).[7]
Arrival of Seiki Yoshioka edit
On May 2, 2021, during a match between Stinger and Full Throttle, Seiki Yoshioka turned against Hajime Ohara, leaving Full Throttle to become the fourth member of Stinger.[8] On May 31, Hayata and Ogawa lost the GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship to Harada and Hajime Ohara.[9]
On August 1, at Cross Over 2021 In Hiroshima, Yoshioka and Susumu defeated Daisuke Harada and Hajime Ohara to win the GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship.[10] On September 12 at N-1 Victory, they lost the titles against Kotoge and Ohara.[11] At Noah The Best 2021 on November 28, Hayata and Yoshinari Ogawa defeated Eita and Nosawa Rongai to win the GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship.[12]
At Noah The New Year 2022 on January 1, Seiki Yoshioka and Yuya Susumu fell short to Kongo (Aleja and Hao.[13] At Noah Bumper Crop 2022 In Sendai on January 16, Hayata and Yuya Susumu fell short to Atsushi Kotoge and Hajime Ohara.[14] At Noah Gain Control 2022 In Nagoya on February 23, Hayata and Yuya Susumu dropped the GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship to Atsushi Kotoge and Yo-Hey.[15] At Noah Great Voyage in Fukuoka 2022 on March 21, Hayata and Yoshinari Ogawa defeated Eita and Super Crazy.[16]
On the first night of the Noah Majestic 2022 event from April 29, Chris Ridgeway and Yoshinari Ogawa went into a time limit draw against stablemates Seiki Yoshioka and Yuya Susumu in a match disputed for the GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship, and Seiki Yoshioka fell short to Xtreme Tiger.[17] On the second night from April 30, Chris Ridgeway, Hayata, Seiki Yoshioka, Yoshinari Ogawa and Yuya Susumu defeated Los Perros del Mal de Japón (Eita, El Texano Jr., Kotaro Suzuki, Nosawa Rongai and Super Crazy).[18] At Noah Dream On Final on May 21, 2022, Chris Ridgeway and Yoshinari Ogawa went on a time-limit draw against Seiki Yoshioka and Yuya Susumu in an intern stable clash for the GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship, and Hayata successfully defended the GHC Junior Heavyweight Championship against Xtreme Tiger.[19]
At CyberFight Festival 2022 on June 12, Yoshinari Ogawa and Hayata teamed up with Rob Van Dam to defeat Kaito Kiyomiya, Daisuke Harada and Yo-Hey in six-man tag team action.[20] At Destination on July 16, 2022, Yoshinari Ogawa and Yuya Susumu unsuccessfully faced Eita and Kotaro Suzuki, and Hayata successfully defended the GHC Junior Heavyweight Championship against Seiki Yoshioka.[21] At Departure on August 5, 2022, Yoshinari Ogawa and Yuya Susumu teamed up with Kai Fujimura to defeat Los Perros del Mal de Japón (Eita, Nosawa Rongai and Super Crazy), and Hayata successfully defended the GHC Junior Heavyweight Championship against Shuji Kondo.[22] At Grand Ship In Nagoya on September 25, 2022, Atsushi Kotoge and Seiki Yoshioka defeated Chris Ridgeway and Yoshinari Ogawa in an intern stable clash to win the GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship, and Hayata successfully defended the GHC Junior Heavyweight Championship against Yo-Hey.[23] At Ariake Triumph on October 30, 2022, Chris Ridgeway and Yoshinari Ogawa teamed up with Yasutaka Yano to defeat Los Perros del Mal de Japón (Eita, Nosawa Rongai and Super Crazy) in a six-man tag team match, Atsushi Kotoge and Seiki Yoshioka defeated Kongo (Hi69 and Tadasuke) to retain the GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship, and Hayata dropped the GHC Junior Heavyweight Championship to Ninja Mack.[24] At Global Honored Crown on November 10, 2022, Atsushi Kotoge and Seiki Yoshioka dropped the GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship to Kongo (Hajime Ohara and Shuji Kondo).[25] At N Innovation 2022 on December 23, Kotoge and Yoshioka dropped the Junior Tag titles again to Kzy and Yo-Hey.[26]
At Noah The New Year 2023 on January 1, Yoshinari Ogawa teamed up with Eita to win the GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship.[27] At The Great Muta Final "Bye-Bye" on January 22, 2023, Seiki Yoshioka teamed up with Atsushi Kotoge in a losing effort against Kongo (Hajime Ohara and Hi69), and Yoshinari Ogawa teamed up with Eita and Nosawa Rongai in a losing effort against Junta Miyawaki, Alejandro and Yasutaka Yano.[28] At Noah Majestic 2023 on May 4, Daga joined the unit after betraying Eita and aligning himself with Ogawa and Ridgeway.[29]
Members edit
| * | Founding member |
|---|---|
| I-III | Leader |
Current members edit
| Member | Tenure(s) | |
|---|---|---|
| Hayata | * III | February 19, 2019–present |
| Chris Ridgeway | June 9, 2019–March 29, 2020 April 29, 2022–present | |
| Yoshinari Ogawa | * II | December 16, 2018–March 29, 2020 May 9, 2020–present |
| Daga | May 4, 2023–present | |
Former members edit
| Member | Tenure | |
|---|---|---|
| Atsushi Kotoge | September 3, 2019 – March 29, 2020 | |
| Kotaro Suzuki | * I | December 16, 2018–March 29, 2020 May 9, 2020 – October 28, 2020 |
| Yo-Hey | * | December 16, 2018 – May 9, 2019 |
| Yuya Susumu | December 6, 2020 – September 3, 2022 | |
| Seiki Yoshioka | May 2, 2021 – June 8, 2022 | |
Sub-groups edit
Former edit
| Affiliate | Members | Tenure | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scramble Time | Seiki Yoshioka Yuya Susumu | 2021–2022 | Tag team |
| The Hiroshima Boys | Hayata Seiki Yoshioka Yuya Susumu | 2021–2022 | Trio/tag team |
Timeline edit
Championships and accomplishments edit
- International Pro Wrestling: United Kingdom
- IPW:UK Junior Heavyweight Championship (2 times) – Kotoge (1) and Hayata (1)
- Pro Wrestling Noah
- GHC National Championship (1 time, current) – Hayata
- GHC Junior Heavyweight Championship (7 times) – Suzuki (2), Ogawa (1), Hayata (4) and Daga (1)
- GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship (10 times) – Ogawa and Suzuki (1), Kotoge and Suzuki (1), Hayata and Ogawa (3), Yoshioka and Susumu (2), Ridgeway and Ogawa (1), Ogawa and Eita[a] (1), Ridgeway and Daga (1)[30]
- Global Junior Heavyweight Tag League (2019) – Ogawa and Suzuki
- NOAH Jr. Rumble (2021) – Hayata
- Pro Wrestling Illustrated
- Ranked Hayata No. 87 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2023[31]
- Ranked Ridgeway No. 292 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2023[31]
- Ranked Kotoge No. 294 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2019
- Ranked Suzuki No. 322 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2019
- Ranked Ogawa No. 412 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2022[32]
See also edit
Notes edit
- ^ Eita was not part of the stable while holding the titles with Ogawa.
References edit
- ^ "NOAH GREAT VOYAGE IN YOKOHAMA VOL.2 (DEC 16) RESULTS & REVIEW". voicesofwrestling.com. 2019-01-03. Retrieved 2021-06-29.
- ^ "５３歳小川良成、ＧＨＣジュニア初奪取にホール総立ち…１・４後楽園ホール全成績". headlines.yahoo.co.jp. 2020-01-05. Retrieved 2020-01-05.
- ^ "4･19 ノアTVマッチ NOAH the SPIRIT2020 防護服の厳戒TVマッチ…ワグナーJr.デュプリGHCタッグ奪取でW制覇 試合後コメント". noah.co.jp (in Japanese). 2020-04-20. Retrieved 2021-06-29.
- ^ "5･9 ノアTVマッチ 杉浦陥落…中嶋がナショナル王座奪取 "AXIZ"がシングル2大王者に 試合後コメント". noah.co.jp (in Japanese). 2020-05-10. Retrieved 2021-06-29.
- ^ "5･10 ノアTVマッチ "魔流不死"初降臨でムタと魔界タッグ 桜庭&望月と超異次元マッチ展開 試合後コメント". noah.co.jp (in Japanese). 2020-05-11. Retrieved 2021-06-29.
- ^ "8･10横浜文化体育館大会 潮崎-拳王、真夏の死闘60分 "ノアラスト文体"W王座戦はフルタイムドロー 試合後コメント". noah.co.jp. 2020-08-11. Retrieved 2020-08-13.
- ^ "10･11大阪大会 清宮粉砕で中嶋がN-1制覇! ｢出戻り王者｣狩り&｢絶景｣披露公約 試合後コメント". noah.co.jp. 2020-10-12. Retrieved 2021-06-29.
- ^ "5・2後楽園 試合後コメント ノア無観客で「清宮vs田中」サプライズ実現 完勝・田中が稲村狩りも予告". noah.co.jp (in Japanese). 2021-05-03. Retrieved 2021-06-28.
- ^ "5・31後楽園 試合後コメント GHC王者・武藤が三沢メモリアルでエメラルドF発射! 丸藤連破でさいたま防衛戦へ". noah.co.jp (in Japanese). 2021-05-31. Retrieved 2021-06-29.
- ^ "PRO WRESTLING NOAH CROSS OVER 2021 IN HIROSHIMA (AUGUST 1) RESULTS & REVIEW". voicesofwrestling.com. 2021-08-02. Retrieved 2021-09-30.
- ^ "#AndNEW: Hajime Ohara and Atsushi Kotoge Win GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship". lastwordonsports.com. 2021-09-12. Retrieved 2021-10-12.
- ^ Evagood, Jeri (November 28, 2021). "PRO WRESTLING NOAH THE BEST 2021 (NOVEMBER 28) RESULTS AND REVIEW". voicesofwrestling.com. Retrieved December 30, 2021.
- ^ Buckeldee, Mark (January 1, 2022). "NOAH "The New Year 2022" Report: Katsuhiko Nakajima vs. Go Shiozaki". postwrestling.com. Retrieved February 6, 2023.
- ^ David, Neil (January 17, 2022). "PRO WRESTLING NOAH BUMPER CROP IN SENDAI (JANUARY 16) RESULTS AND REVIEW". voicesofwrestling.com. Retrieved January 31, 2023.
- ^ Rose, Bryan (February 23, 2022). "Kazuyuki Fujita wins GHC Heavyweight Championship at NOAH Gain Control Fujita defeated Katsuhiko Nakajima to win the championship for the first time". f4wonline.com. Retrieved January 29, 2023.
- ^ Dark Angel (March 26, 2022). "NOAH: "Great Voyage 2022 in Fukuoka" 1st defense of Kazuyuki Fujita". superluchas.com. Retrieved January 28, 2023.
- ^ Thompson, Andrew (March 24, 2022). "Ninja Mack making his Pro Wrestling NOAH debut on 4/29". postwrestling.com. Retrieved January 28, 2023.
- ^ Di Trolio, Gerard (April 30, 2022). "NOAH MAJESTIC 2022 (APRIL 30) RESULTS & REVIEW". voicesofwrestling.com. Retrieved January 28, 2023.
- ^ Dark Angel (May 25, 2022). "NOAH: "Dream On 2022 Final" The return of Mutoh, new couples monarchs". superluchas.com. Retrieved January 2, 2023.
- ^ Lambert, Jeremy (June 12, 2022). "CyberFight Festival 2022 Results (6/12): DDT, NOAH, TJPW, NJPW Talent In Action". fightful.com. Retrieved July 6, 2022.
- ^ Flanagan, Neal (July 16, 2022). "New GHC Heavyweight and Tag Team Champions crowned at NOAH's 'Destination' event". postwrestling.com. Retrieved January 1, 2023.
- ^ Dark Angel (August 8, 2022). "NOAH: "Departure 2022" HAYATA retains; Son of the Saint triumphs in his debut". superluchas.com. Retrieved January 1, 2023.
- ^ Pollock, John (September 25, 2022). "POST PURORESU: Burning Spirit, Kiyomiya wins title, AJPW 50th Anniversary". postwrestling.com. Retrieved January 1, 2023.
- ^ Lambert, Jeremy (October 30, 2022). "Pro Wrestling NOAH Ariake Triumph Results (10/30): New GHC Junior Heavyweight Champ, NJPW Stars Compete". fightful.com. Retrieved December 31, 2022.
- ^ Carlan, Lewis (November 10, 2022). "Pro Wrestling NOAH "Global Honored Crown" Results (11/10/22), 3 Title Changes". pwmania.com. Retrieved December 30, 2022.
- ^ Pollock, John (December 23, 2022). "Two title changes highlight final Pro Wrestling NOAH card of 2022". postwrestling.com. Retrieved December 28, 2022.
- ^ Rose, Bryan (January 1, 2023). "NOAH The New Year notes: Jake Lee, Hiroshi Hase, new champions crowned". f4wonline.com. Retrieved January 1, 2023.
- ^ Fritts, Chick (January 22, 2023). "Great Muta Final Bye-Bye live results: Muta, Sting & Darby Allin trios match/Kazushi Sakuraba takes on Hideki Suzuki in a GHC martial arts rules match". f4wonline.com. Retrieved January 22, 2023.
- ^ Pollock, John (May 4, 2023). "New GHC tag champions crowned at NOAH's Majestic". postwrestling.com. Retrieved May 4, 2023.
- ^ Wrestling Titles. "Global Honored Crown Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Title". wrestling-titles.com. Retrieved April 17, 2023.
- ^ a b Ruth, Sondra (September 14, 2023). "Complete 2023 PWI 500 List Revealed, Top NJPW Star Absent". tjrwrestling.net. Retrieved September 20, 2023.
- ^ Dilta, Abhishek (September 16, 2022). "PWI 500 2022 List Rankings Full List Male And Female Wrestlers". thesportsgrail.com. Retrieved December 18, 2022.