Tatsumi Fujinami

Tatsumi Fujinami
Fujinami in 2020
Born (1953-12-28) December 28, 1953 (age 70)[1]
Kunisaki, Ōita, Japan
Spouse(s)Kaori Fujinami
ChildrenLeona Fujinami (son)
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s)
  • Tatsumi Fujinami
  • Dr. Fujinami
Billed height1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Billed weight103 kg (227 lb)
Trained byKarl Gotch
Antonio Inoki[1]
Roy Wood
DebutMay 9, 1971

Tatsumi Fujinami (藤波 辰巳, Fujinami Tatsumi, ring name: 藤波 ) (born December 28, 1953)[2][3] is a Japanese professional wrestler currently signed to WWE on a legend's contract. Fujinami is most well known for his long tenure with New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he was a six-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion. He was famously nicknamed "The Dragon", and is credited for inventing the dragon sleeper and the dragon suplex.

He is also the owner and founder of the Dradition wrestling promotion. In 2015, Fujinami was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame, while also becoming an ambassador for the company. Bret Hart said of Fujinami: "I always wanted to be the great wrestler that Tatsumi Fujinami was".[4] He is a nine time World Champion, winning world titles in NJPW, NWA, UWA and WCWA.

  1. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference SlamQuestions was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ "Tatsumi Fujinami profile". Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved 2014-10-12.
  3. ^ "Profile at Puroresu Central". Puroresu Central. Retrieved 2014-10-12.
  4. ^ Bret Hitman Hart – The Dungeon Collection (Documentary film). U.S.A; Canada: WWE (2013).