Pro Wrestling Freedoms (プロレスリングFREEDOMS, Puroresuringu Furīdamuzu), also known simply as Freedoms (stylized in capital letters as FREEDOMS), is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion based in Chigasaki, Kanagawa. Founded by Takashi Sasaki in 2009, the promotion's name is derived from its founding philosophy of letting wrestlers choose their own fighting style, or affording them the "freedom" of choice.[1]
Acronym | Freedoms |
---|---|
Founded | 2009 |
Style | |
Headquarters | Chigasaki, Kanagawa, Japan |
Founder(s) | Takashi Sasaki |
Predecessor | Apache Pro-Wrestling Army |
Website | Official website |
History
editFollowing the closure of Apache Pro-Wrestling Army (Apache Pro) on August 8, 2009, Apache Pro's promoter Takashi Sasaki announced the creation of Pro Wrestling Freedoms (Freedoms) with Gentaro, Jun Kasai, Kumai, Mammoth Sasaki and The Winger.
Over the years, Freedoms has become one of Japan's premier deathmatch companies, alongside Big Japan Pro Wrestling. They formed an alliance with the American promotion Game Changer Wrestling (GCW) that has seen both companies trade stars and co-promote events together. In 2018, GCW initiated The Collective, a series of showcases from partnering independent promotions held during WrestleMania weekend. Freedoms was scheduled to hold their first-ever event in the United States in April 2020 as part of The Collective 2020.[2] However, the event was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In December 2020, Freedoms began a partnership with Active Advance Pro Wrestling (2AW), promoting a series of crossover shows beginning with Freedoms/2AW Versus on December 13.[3]
The promotion airs on the Independent Wrestling TV (IWTV) streaming service;[4] IWTV additionally carries events from Sendai Girls' Pro Wrestling, Defy Wrestling, Combat Zone Wrestling, Absolute Intense Wrestling, amongst other promotions.[5][6] The promotion holds most of their events in various venues such as Korakuen Hall[7] and Shin-Kiba 1st Ring.[8] Some of Freedoms' current top stars include deathmatch wrestlers Jun Kasai, Masashi Takeda, Toru Sugiura, and Daisuke Masaoka.
Roster
editActive roster
editThis is a list of professional wrestlers who currently wrestle for the company.[9]
Ring name | Real name | Notes |
---|---|---|
Daisuke Masaoka[10] | Unknown | |
Dragon Libre[11] | Unknown | |
Gentaro[12] | Gentaro Takahashi | |
Jun Kasai[13] | Jun Kasai | |
Kamui[14] | Kamui Sawaragi | |
Kenji Fukimoto[15] | Unknown | |
Kyu Mogami | Unknown | Signed to Active Advance Pro Wrestling |
Mammoth Sasaki[16] | Yoshinori Sasaki | |
Takahiro Katori | Takahiro Katori | |
Takashi Sasaki[17] | Takashi Sasaki | King of Freedom World Tag Team Champion |
Takayuki Ueki | Takayuki Ueki | Freelancer |
Tatsuhito Takaiwa | Tatsuhito Takaiwa | |
Tomoya Hirata[18] | Unknown | |
Toshiyuki Sakuda | Toshiyuki Sakuda | Freelancer |
Toru Sugiura[19] | Unknown | King of Freedom World Champion |
Violento Jack | Jack A. Romero | |
Yuya Susumu[20] | Unknown | Freelancer King of Freedom World Junior Heavyweight Champion |
Alumni/notable guests
editChampionships
editAs of November 22, 2024
Championship | Current champion(s) | Reign | Date won | Days held | Location | Notes | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
King of Freedom World Championship | Toru Sugiura | 3 | September 15, 2024 | 68+ | Yokohama, Japan | Defeated Masashi Takeda at Freedoms 15th Anniversary. | |
King of Freedom World Junior Heavyweight Championship | Yuya Susumu | 1 | September 15, 2024 | 68+ | Yokohama, Japan | Defeated Takahiro Katori at Freedoms 15th Anniversary. | |
King of Freedom World Tag Team Championship | Takashi Sasaki and Yamato | 1 (3, 1) |
September 15, 2024 | 68+ | Yokohama, Japan | Defeated Kenji Fukimoto and Violento Jack at Freedoms 15th Anniversary. | |
Barefoot King Championship | Vacant | — | July 11, 2024 | — | Tokyo, Japan | Toru Sugiura vacated the title immediately after winning it against Takayuki Ueki at Tokyo Death Match Carnival 2024 Vol. 1. |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Saalbach, Axel. "Wrestling and MMA Promotions/FREEDOMS". wrestlingdata.com. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
- ^ Greer, Jamie (October 17, 2019). "Japanese Deathmatch Promotion FREEDOMS Added to GCW Collective". Retrieved September 15, 2021.
- ^ Daly, Wayne (December 13, 2020). "FREEDOMS/2AW Results: Versus – Chiba, Japan (12/13)". wrestling-news.net. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
- ^ Independent Wrestling TV. "ALL PROMOTIONS/FREEDOMS". independentwrestling.tv. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
- ^ Greer, Jamie (May 15, 2020). "IWTV Adds Japanese Deathmatch Company FREEDOMS to Line-Up". lastwordonsports.com. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
- ^ Madison, Marc (May 16, 2020). "Japanese Deathmatch Promotion FREEDOMS Is Coming To IWTV". prowrestlingpost.com. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
- ^ "Pro wrestling FREEDOMS 2015.5.1 KORAKUEN HALL". spark.adobe.com. January 5, 2015. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
- ^ FMW Wrestling. "Freedoms FM News". fmwwrestling.us. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
- ^ Puroresu Central. "FREEDOMS Roster". puroresucentral.com. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
- ^ Freedoms. ◆正岡 大介◆. freedoms.lolipop.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved September 15, 2021.
- ^ Freedoms. ◆ドラゴン・リブレ◆. freedoms.lolipop.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved September 15, 2021.
- ^ Freedoms. ◆GENTARO◆. freedoms.lolipop.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved September 15, 2021.
- ^ Freedoms. ◆葛西 純◆. freedoms.lolipop.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved September 15, 2021.
- ^ Freedoms. ◆神威◆. freedoms.lolipop.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved September 15, 2021.
- ^ Freedoms. ◆吹本 賢児◆. freedoms.lolipop.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved September 15, 2021.
- ^ Freedoms. ◆マンモス佐々木◆. freedoms.lolipop.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved September 15, 2021.
- ^ Freedoms. ◆佐々木 貴◆. freedoms.lolipop.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved September 15, 2021.
- ^ Freedoms. ◆平田 智也◆. freedoms.lolipop.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved September 15, 2021.
- ^ Freedoms. ◆杉浦 透◆. freedoms.lolipop.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved September 15, 2021.
- ^ Freedoms. ◆進 祐哉◆. freedoms.lolipop.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved September 15, 2021.