Masahiro Chono

Masahiro Chono (蝶野正洋) is an American-born Japanese-American retired professional wrestler and actor best known for his 26-year stint with New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW).

Chōno debuted in 1984 against Keiji Mutoh at a New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) event in Saitama, Japan.

In 1987, he defeated Shinya Hashimoto to win the Young Lions Cup.

After winning the tournament, he went on an excursion that started in Europe, wrestling for Otto Wanz's Catch Wrestling Association.

After a while in Europe, Chono went on an excursion to North America, starting in the United States for Central States Wrestling in Kansas City, which by then broke away from the National Wrestling Alliance to form the World Wrestling Alliance.

He would also later wrestle in the Canadian Maritimes for Atlantic Grand Prix Wrestling and in Puerto Rico, where he, Hashimoto, and Mutoh formed The Three Musketeers.

Chono returned to NJPW part-time in July 1988.

He came back to the United States in October 1988 and teamed with Mike Davis in Continental Championship Wrestling (CCW), by then renamed the Continental Wrestling Federation (CWF), and won that company's tag titles as the Japanese Connection.

In April 1989, he took part in the IWGP Heavyweight Championship tournament, held at New Japan's very first show at the Tokyo Dome; he lost to eventual winner of the tournament and new champion Big Van Vader in the quarterfinals.

During this time, he would return to the United States and have a brief run in Australia.

Upon Chono's return to New Japan in October 1989, he reinvented himself.

On October 15, 1989 during a match against Matt Borne where he was victorious, he debuted his signature move, the STF.

On February 10, 1990, he wrestled in the main-event of NJPW's second Tokyo Dome show, teaming with Shinya Hashimoto against Antonio Inoki and Seiji Sakaguchi, on April 27 he won the IWGP Tag Team Championship with Mutoh, and on December 26 he defeated his mentor, wrestling legend Lou Thesz, when Thesz came out of retirement for one last match.

The next year, Chono solidified his main-event status with an amazing performance in the first G1 Climax tournament, winning the tournament in a thirty-minute final over Mutoh.

He won the tournament again in 1992, winning the NWA World Heavyweight Championship in the process.

Since then, he has won the tournament on three more occasions.

On September 23, 1992, Chono suffered a serious neck injury from a botched sitdown tombstone piledriver while defending the NWA World Heavyweight Championship against Steve Austin.

On January 4, 1993, he lost the NWA World title to IWGP Heavyweight champion The Great Muta in a Title vs. Title match.

Around 1993, he participated in his third G1 Climax tournament, losing to Hiroshi Hase in the semi-finals.

In January 1994, he received a shot at the IWGP Heavyweight Championship against Shinya Hashimoto, though he would ultimately lose the match.

In August 1994, he won his third G1 Climax tournament, defeating Power Warrior in the finals.

A short time after winning his third G1 Climax, Chono underwent a change in attitude.

Originally a clean-cut fan favorite during his NWA World title reign, he turned heel, angered that Power Warrior received a shot at the IWGP Heavyweight Championship before him, as he won the tournament.

He also changed his image and adopted a yakuza gimmick, complete with sunglasses, menacing mannerisms and black coats and tights.

Chono's partnering with Hiroyoshi Tenzan and Hiro Saito as "Team Wolf" provided a foundation to NJPW's nWo Japan.

Establishing himself as leader of its Japanese sister stable, Chono joined the American nWo in December 1996 as it was gaining momentum in World Championship Wrestling (WCW).

He won the IWGP Tag Team Titles on six occasions and also won the very prestigious IWGP Heavyweight Title in 1998.

As the leader of nWo Japan, Team 2000 and Black New Japan, he was the promotion's top heel for much of his career, beginning in 1994 when he adopted his yakuza inspired gimmick.

Aside from his work in NJPW, Chono has also made appearances for World Championship Wrestling (WCW), as a member of the New World Order, as well as occasional appearances in All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW), Pro Wrestling Noah and Pro Wrestling Zero1.

Chono holds the record for most wins of the G1 Climax at 5, which has earned him the nicknames "Mr. August" and "Mr. G1".

Overall, he is a two-time world champion, with one reign as IWGP Heavyweight Champion and NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion each.

He is also a seven-time IWGP Tag Team Champion.

He would also join its successor, Team 2000, which would eventually restructure again.

In a match against WCW's Bill Goldberg, Chono supposedly "shot" the match (actually employing legitimate combat) and dislocated his shoulder.

Upon returning to Japan, Chono rejoined NJPW, where he achieved much success.

In 2002, Chono won his fourth G1 Climax tournament and had a brief, memorable feud with WWE's Chyna.

He also became a booker for NJPW around this time.

In 2003, Chono briefly joined Pro Wrestling NOAH for a handful of matches and was defeated by GHC Champion Kenta Kobashi on 2 May of that year.

On October 13, he lost to Hulk Hogan.

In early 2004, Chono became the leader of the Black New Japan stable, which was the most dominating heel stable in NJPW until it was disbanded by Riki Choshu.