View source for Shinya Hashimoto

{{Short description|Japanese professional wrestler (1965–2005)}}
{{Infobox professional wrestler
|name = Shinya Hashimoto
|image = Shinya Hashimoto 3.jpg
|caption = Hashimoto in 2004
|names = Hashif Khan<br />Shinya Hashimoto<br />Shogun
|height = {{convert|1.80|m|ftin|abbr=on}}<!-- In Japan they measure in meters so that should be first. --><ref name=PWI500-2004/>
|weight = {{convert|130|kg|lb|0|abbr=on}}<!-- In Japan they measure in kilos so that should be first. --><ref name=PWI500-2004/>
|birth_date = {{birth date|1965|7|3|mf=y}}
|birth_place = [[Toki, Gifu|Toki City]], [[Gifu Prefecture|Gifu]], [[Japan]]
|death_date = {{death date and age|2005|7|11|1965|7|3}}<ref name=slam>{{Cite web|url=http://slam.canoe.com/Slam/Wrestling/2005/07/11/1126351.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20161027091555/http://slam.canoe.com/Slam/Wrestling/2005/07/11/1126351.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 27, 2016|title=Shinya Hashimoto dies suddenly|publisher=SLAM Wrestling|access-date=January 1, 2018|date=July 11, 2005}}</ref>
|death_place = [[Yokohama]], [[Japan]]<ref name=slam/>
|death_cause = [[Brain hemorrhage]]
|trainer = [[Antonio Inoki]]<br />[[Stu Hart]]<br />[[Joe Daigo|Tokyo Joe]]<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.f4wonline.com/other-wrestling/tokyo-joe-daigo-passes-away-75-years-old-245761|title='Tokyo' Joe Daigo passes away at 75 years old|last=Meltzer|first=Dave|author-link=Dave Meltzer|date=2017-11-05|access-date=2017-11-05|work=[[Wrestling Observer Newsletter]]}}</ref>
|debut = September 1, 1984
|retired = September 2, 2004
}}
{{nihongo|'''Shinya Hashimoto'''|橋本 真也|Hashimoto Shin'ya|extra=July 3, 1965 – July 11, 2005}} was a Japanese [[Puroresu|professional wrestler]], promoter and actor. Along with [[Masahiro Chono]] and [[Keiji Mutoh]], Hashimoto was dubbed one of the "[[The Three Musketeers (professional wrestling)|Three Musketeers]]" that began competing in [[New Japan Pro-Wrestling]] (NJPW) in the mid-1980s and dominated the promotion in the 1990s.

He is one of three wrestlers (the others being Keiji Mutoh and [[Satoshi Kojima]]) that have held the [[NWA World Heavyweight Championship]], the [[Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship]] and the [[IWGP Heavyweight Championship]] and is an overall five-time [[Professional wrestling championship#World championships|world champion]].

== Professional wrestling career ==

=== Early years (1984–1988) ===
Hashimoto grew up in Toki City in Gifu and began training in [[judo]] and [[karate]] in his late teens. His training helped him in his transition to professional wrestling, as he joined the [[NJPW Dojo]] in April 1984. He made his debut for NJPW in September 1984 at the age of 19, wrestling against [[Tatsutoshi Goto]]. Hashimoto worked on becoming a skilled wrestler over the next few years, traveling whenever necessary to gain more seasoning, such as over in the United States ([[Continental Wrestling Association]]), Canada ([[Stampede Wrestling]]), and Puerto Rico ([[World Wrestling Council]]).

It was in Puerto Rico in 1988 that Hashimoto formed [[The Three Musketeers (professional wrestling)|The Three Musketeers]] with [[Masahiro Chono]] and [[Keiji Mutoh]].

===New Japan Pro-Wrestling (1988–2000)===
Upon Hashimoto's return to New Japan in July 1988, he started to climb his way up the NJPW ladder. By this time, he introduced a [[martial artist]] [[Gimmick (professional wrestling)|gimmick]] based on his background, which he represented by wearing a [[hachimaki]] during his ring entrances and utilizing a wrestling style based on shoot kicks, karate strikes, and submission holds. In April 1989, he took part in the [[IWGP Heavyweight Championship]] tournament at New Japan's first show in the [[Tokyo Dome]], [[Battle Satellite in Tokyo Dome]] he defeated [[Riki Choshu]] and [[Victor Zangiev]], before losing to [[Big Van Vader]] in the finals. In September 1989, Hashimoto teamed with Masa Saito to win his first gold, the [[IWGP Tag Team Championship]], beating Choshu and [[Takayuki Iizuka]]. The two held the belts until the next year, losing in April 1990 to two other up-and-comers: [[Masahiro Chono]] and [[Keiji Mutoh]].

In August 1991, Hashimoto, Chono, and Mutoh cemented their status as the aces of NJPW during the [[G1 Climax]], surpassing longtime aces [[Antonio Inoki]], [[Tatsumi Fujinami]], and Riki Choshu. In July 1992, he replaced an eye injured [[Akira Nogami]] (where it turns out, it was a kick by Hashimoto that caused the injury on June 20) to team with [[Hiroshi Hase]] to participate in the [[NWA World Tag Team Championship]] tournament held by [[World Championship Wrestling]] and they defeated [[The Fabulous Freebirds]] in the quarterfinals, before losing to [[Dustin Rhodes]] and [[Barry Windham]] in the semi-finals. Hashimoto finally hit the big time in 1993, as he won the IWGP Heavyweight Championship from the Great Muta in September. Hashimoto held the biggest belt in NJPW for the next seven months before being taken down by the legendary Tatsumi Fujinami. Hashimoto regained the gold only a month later, in May 1994. For the next year, Hashimoto stayed a dominating force in New Japan, defeating challenger after challenger. Hashimoto reigned as the IWGP Heavyweight Champion for over a year, losing the belt to Mutoh only two days after celebrating the milestone.

A few months after losing the gold, Hashimoto teamed up with [[Junji Hirata]] in July 1995 to face and defeat [[Scott Norton]] and [[Mike Enos]] to win the vacated IWGP Tag Team Championship, making Hashimoto a [[IWGP Tag Team Championship#Title history|two-time]] champion in both divisions. Soon, Hashimoto enjoyed another lengthy championship run, as he and Hirata remained the champions for almost another year. Hashimoto also became a double champion, as he defeated [[Nobuhiko Takada]] to regain the IWGP Heavyweight Title on April 29, 1996. Hashimoto and Hirata lost the tag title in June 1996, when they fell to [[Takayuki Iizuka|Takashi Iizuka]] and [[Kazuo Yamazaki]]. Hashimoto soldiered on to focus solely on the singles gold, as he worked on another lengthy run. In 1997, he was presented with a new championship belt (the second-generation IWGP Heavyweight Championship). On August 31, 1997, Hashimoto lost the title to Kensuke Sasaki, after reigning as a champion for a record-breaking 489 days (the record has since been broken by [[Kazuchika Okada]] in 2017). Hashimoto continued to work for NJPW for the next few years, earning another great honor by winning the G1 Climax in [[G1 Climax#1998|1998]].

Hashimoto launched into a brutal rivalry against Judo champion [[Naoya Ogawa]] in 1997, leading to Hashimoto vowing to retire from NJPW if he lost again, which happened in April 2000. He stayed at New Japan for the New Japan/All Japan "Do Judge!" card on October 9, where he defeated Tatsumi Fujinami by submission, and also appeared at the ''Great Voyage 2000'' event for [[Pro Wrestling Noah]] on December 23, where he defeated [[Takao Omori]], but he later left NJPW as promised.

====Different Style Fights (1990–1998)====
Between 1990 and 1998, Hashimoto took part in various worked [[mixed martial arts]]-like worked bouts in NJPW, called "Different Style Fights", where he defeated the likes of [[Tony Halme]], Ramzan Shibiev, and Dennis Lane. Most of the bouts lasted from 3 to 14 minutes and usually ended via submission or knockout.

Due to his success at this field, Hashimoto was scouted by [[K-1]] executive [[Kazuyoshi Ishii]] to compete in their '93 GP tournament, but he declined. He was also invited to a 1994 all-star [[shoot wrestling]] tournament in [[Union of Wrestling Forces International]], NJPW's rival promotion, in which the winner would receive a hundred million yen prize, but he refused again.<ref name=Files>{{cite book|title=Pride: The Secret Files|date=2008|publisher=Kamipro|language= ja}}</ref>

===Pro Wrestling Zero-One (2001–2005)===
Hashimoto registered the [[Pro Wrestling Zero1|Pro Wrestling Zero-One]] name on November 13, 2000, after being fired from New Japan Pro-Wrestling, and the promotion had its first show on March 2, 2001. Hashimoto challenged [[Steve Corino]] for the [[NWA World Heavyweight Championship]] in October 2001. The match ended in controversy, leading to the belt being vacated. In December 2001, Hashimoto faced off against Corino and [[Gary Steele]] in a [[Professional wrestling match types#Basic non-elimination matches|Triple Threat Match]], winning the vacated NWA World Heavyweight Title. Hashimoto's NWA World Title reign would come to an end in March 2002 through duplicitous means, as a crooked referee gave a fast count, allowing [[Dan Severn]] to win the title. Hashimoto then went back to concentrating on Zero-One, where he was an active competitor. In October 2002, Hashimoto teamed with his old rival, Naoya Ogawa, to win the NWA Intercontinental Tag-Team Title (which were usually defended in Zero-One) from [[John Heidenreich]] and [[Nathan Jones (wrestler)|Nathan Jones]]. The two defended the championship for the next few months, before falling to [[Matt Ghaffari]] and [[Tom Howard (wrestler)|Tom Howard]] in December 2002. The two teams feuded on and off over the next few months, even as Hashimoto looked to another organization for a major accomplishment.

[[File:Shinya Hashimoto.jpg|thumb|Hashimoto in January 2004]]
On February 23, 2003, Hashimoto defeated the Great Muta to win All Japan Pro Wrestling's [[Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship]]; as a result, Hashimoto became only the second man to have held the NJPW, AJPW, and NWA World Titles (as Keiji Mutoh was the first).<ref name=PWI500-2004>{{cite news|title=Pro Wrestling illustrated 500 – 2004 :47 Shinya Hashimoto|work=[[Pro Wrestling Illustrated]]|publisher=Sports and Entertainment publications LLC|location=Blue Bell, [[Pennsylvania]], [[United States]]|id=December 2004|page=25|date=October 2004}}</ref> Hashimoto and Ogawa won back the NWA Intercontinental Tag Team Title from Ghaffari and Howard in April 2003. However, due to Ogaya having thrown Ghaffari over the top rope at one point in the match, NWA President Richard Arpin stripped them of the championship a few days later, as throwing an opponent over the top rope is against the rules in the NWA. Hashimoto's Triple Crown would face a similar fate, as Hashimoto suffered a shoulder injury in July 2003 and had to vacate the belt.

Despite the build-up of several injuries, Hashimoto continued to wrestle on and off in Zero-One, including teaming with Yoshiaki Fujiwara to get the NWA Intercontinental Tag-Team Titles for a third time, defeating Takao Omori and Shiro Koshinaka in June 2004. The two remained the champions until before Omori found a new partner in Shinjiro Otani to win the championship in August 2004. Going into 2005, Hashimoto left Zero-One and placed Otani in charge, citing financial problems as the reason for his departure.

==Personal life==
Hashimoto has a son, [[Daichi Hashimoto]], who made his pro wrestling debut for the Zero1 promotion at their 10th Anniversary Show on March 6, 2011, facing Masahiro Chono in a losing effort.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.zerooneusa.com/news102.php|title=Pro Wrestling ZERO1 News|publisher=Pro Wrestling ZERO1 USA|access-date=2010-11-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100723082037/http://www.zerooneusa.com/news102.php|archive-date=2010-07-23|url-status=dead}}</ref> He also left behind two young daughters.

==Death==
Hashimoto suddenly died of a [[brain aneurism|brain aneurysm]] on July 11, 2005; he was pronounced dead at 10:36&nbsp;a.m. while en route to the hospital.<ref name=slam/> Hashimoto's sister Masanari claimed that Hashimoto had been complaining about chest pains and thought that his heart was beating too fast a week prior to his death, but refused to contact his doctor about the conditions. Hashimoto had a heart problem in 2004 and was put on medicine, but he had to stop taking it after having shoulder surgery. Hashimoto's doctor claimed that high blood pressure was the most likely cause for his brain hemorrhage and proposed that other stress over the years led to these problems.

===Tributes===
In the years following Hashimoto's death, numerous wrestlers and promotions have paid tribute to him. Immediately following his death, New Japan retired the second IWGP Heavyweight Championship belt as Hashimoto was the first to wear it. A third IWGP Title belt was created and debuted in October 2005, but New Japan lost it in July 2006 when [[Brock Lesnar]] left New Japan and took the belt with him which forced New Japan to bring the second belt back. After regaining the third belt in February 2008 and the creation of the fourth IWGP Title belt, the second was retired once again. On March 2, 2008, then IWGP Heavyweight Champion: [[Shinsuke Nakamura]] visited ZERO1 for their anniversary show where he defeated [[Kohei Sato]]. After the match, he gave the second IWGP Title belt to Hashimoto's son, [[Daichi Hashimoto|Daichi]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.zerooneusa.com/news61.php |title=Pro Wrestling ZERO1 USA - the official Pro Wrestling ZERO1 English Language Website - News from 02/26/08 to 03/02/08 |access-date=2011-04-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110701045350/http://www.zerooneusa.com/news61.php |archive-date=2011-07-01 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In August 2005, Masahiro Chono used Hashimoto's Bakusho Sengen theme during the final match of the 2005 G1 Climax. At [[PRIDE Shockwave 2005]], Naoya Ogawa wore Hashimoto's signature headband and came out to Bakusho Sengen for his fight against [[Hidehiko Yoshida]]. In late 2005, Hashimoto was posthumously awarded an achievement award by [[Tokyo Sports]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.puroresu.com/awards/2000s.html|title=Puroresu Awards: 2000s|website=puroresu.com|access-date=2 April 2018}}</ref> At [[Wrestle Kingdom I|Wrestle Kingdom in Tokyo Dome]] on January 4, 2007, Chono and Mutoh paid tribute after defeating [[Tencozy]] as they wore Hashimoto's headbands while his theme song played. On September 21, 2009, ZERO1 held the ''Shinya Hashimoto 25th Anniversary Destructive King Legend In Korakuen Hall'' show which celebrated Hashimoto's would be 25th anniversary.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.purolove.com/zero1/results/results09.php|title=PUROLOVE.com|website=www.purolove.com|access-date=2 April 2018}}</ref> In 2010, Hashimoto was inducted into both New Japan's [[New Japan Pro-Wrestling#NJPW Greatest Wrestlers|Greatest Wrestlers Hall of Fame]]<ref name=Greatest/> and the [[NWA Hall of Fame]].

==Championships and accomplishments==
*'''[[All Japan Pro Wrestling]]'''
**[[Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship]] ([[Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship#Reigns|1 time]])<ref name=PWI500-2004/><ref name=slam/>
*'''[[National Wrestling Alliance]]'''
**[[NWA Hall of Fame]] (Class of 2010)
*'''[[Pro Wrestling eXpress|NWA Pro-Wrestling Xpress]]'''
**[[NWA World Heavyweight Championship]] ([[List of NWA World Heavyweight Champions|1 time]])<ref name=PWI500-2004/><ref name=slam/>
*'''[[New Japan Pro-Wrestling]]'''
**[[IWGP Heavyweight Championship]] ([[List of IWGP Heavyweight Champions|3 times]])<ref name=slam/>
**[[IWGP Tag Team Championship]] ([[List of IWGP Tag Team Champions|2 times]]) – with [[Masa Saito]] (1) and [[Junji Hirata]] (1)
**[[G1 Climax]] ([[G1 Climax#1998|1998]])<ref name=G1Climax>{{cite book|author=Royal Duncan & Gary Will|title=Wrestling Title Histories|publisher=Archeus Communications|chapter=Japan: New Japan G-1 (Grade-1) Climax Tournament Champions|page=375|year=2000|isbn=0-9698161-5-4}}</ref>
**Kyushu Cup (1990)
**[[Super Grade Tag League]] ([[Super Grade Tag League#1992|1992]]) – with [[Riki Choshu]]<ref name=G1TagClimax>{{cite book|author=Royal Duncan & Gary Will|title=Wrestling Title Histories|publisher=Archeus Communications|chapter=Japan: New Japan G-1 (Grade-1) Climax Tag Tournament Champions|page=374|year=2000|isbn=0-9698161-5-4}}</ref>
**Super Grade Tag League ([[Super Grade Tag League#1996|1996]]) – with [[Scott Norton]]<ref name=G1TagClimax/>
**[[New Japan Pro-Wrestling#NJPW Greatest Wrestlers|Greatest Wrestlers (Class of 2010)]]<ref name=Greatest>{{cite web|url=http://www.njpw.co.jp/english/data/list_greatest.html|title=NJPW Greatest Wrestlers|work=[[New Japan Pro-Wrestling]]|access-date=23 August 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140823010922/http://www.njpw.co.jp/english/data/list_greatest.html|archive-date=23 August 2014}}</ref>
*'''[[Nikkan Sports]]'''
**Match of The Year (1996) <small>vs. [[Nobuhiko Takada]] on April 29</small><ref>{{cite web|url=https://sites.google.com/site/wrestlingscout/home/updates/nikkansportsawards-1996|title=Nikkan Sports Awards - 1996|website=wrestlingscout|date=February 9, 2016|access-date=August 1, 2018|archive-date=December 1, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221201174503/https://sites.google.com/site/wrestlingscout/home/updates/nikkansportsawards-1996|url-status=dead}}</ref>
*'''[[Pro Wrestling Zero1|Pro Wrestling Zero-One]]'''
**[[NWA Intercontinental Tag Team Championship]] ([[NWA Intercontinental Tag Team Championship#Title history|3 times]]) – with [[Naoya Ogawa]] (2) [[Yoshiaki Fujiwara]] (1)
*'''''[[Pro Wrestling Illustrated]]'''''
**Ranked No. 7 of the 500 best singles wrestlers for the ''[[PWI 500]]'' in 1997.
**Ranked No. 45 of the 500 best singles wrestlers for the "PWI Years" in 2003.
*'''''[[Tokyo Sports]]'''''
**Achievement Award (2005)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.puroresu.com/awards/2000s.html|title=Puroresu Awards 2000s }}</ref>
**[[Tokyo Sports Puroresu Awards#Fighting Spirit Award|Fighting Spirit Award]] (1993)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.puroresu.com/awards/1990s.html|title=Puroresu Awards 1990s }}</ref>
**[[Tokyo Sports Puroresu Awards#Outstanding Performance Award|Outstanding Performance Award]] (1989)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.puroresu.com/awards/1980s.html |title=Puroresu Awards 1980s }}</ref>
**[[Tokyo Sports Puroresu Awards#MVP Award|Wrestler of the Year]] (1994)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.puroresu.com/awards/1990s.html |title=Puroresu Awards 1990s }}</ref>
*'''''[[Wrestling Observer Newsletter]]'''''
**[[Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame]] ([[Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame#2000|Class of 2000]])<ref name=slam/>

==Filmography==
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! style="width:75px;"| Year
! style="width:250px;"| Title
! style="width:150px;"| Role
|-
|1998
|''[[Ultraman Gaia]]'' - Episode 34<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.crunchyroll.com/ultraman-gaia/episode-34-crash-of-souls-693623|title=Ultraman Gaia|website=Crunchyroll|language=en|access-date=2018-10-01}}</ref>
|Himself
|-
| 2002
| ''Muscle Heat''<ref name=slam/>
| Wrestler
|-
|2003
|[[Tramps Like Us|Kimi wa Petto]] - Episode 7
|Himself
|-
| 2004
| ''[[Rikidōzan (film)|Rikidozan]]''
| [[Azumafuji Kin'ichi|Azumanami]]
|-
| 2004
| ''[[Oh! My Zombie Mermaid]]'' (''A! Ikkenya Puroresu'')
| Kota Shishio
|-
| 2005
| ''Sakigake!! Kuromati Kōkō: The Movie''
| Himself
|}

==See also==
*[[List of premature professional wrestling deaths]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20030303122321/http://www.puroresufan.com/roster/hashimoto.php Profile at Strong Style Spirit]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070410011640/http://www.zerooneusa.com/ ZERO1-MAX official English Language site]
*[http://www.accelerator3359.com/Wrestling/bios/hashimoto.html Extensive profile at Accelerator3359]
* {{Professional wrestling profiles}}

{{Navboxes|
|list1=
{{G1 Climax}}
{{G1 Tag League}}
{{IWGP Heavyweight Championship}}
{{IWGP Tag Team Championship}}
{{NWA Hall of Fame}}
{{NWA World Heavyweight Championship}}
{{All Japan Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship}}
{{Intercontinental Tag Team Championship (Zero1)}}
}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hashimoto, Shinya}}
[[Category:1965 births]]
[[Category:2005 deaths]]
[[Category:20th-century male professional wrestlers]]
[[Category:20th-century Japanese professional wrestlers]]
[[Category:21st-century male professional wrestlers]]
[[Category:21st-century Japanese professional wrestlers]]
[[Category:Deaths from intracranial aneurysm]]
[[Category:IWGP Heavyweight champions]]
[[Category:Japanese male professional wrestlers]]
[[Category:NWA World Heavyweight Champions]]
[[Category:Japanese professional wrestling executives]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Gifu Prefecture]]
[[Category:Stampede Wrestling alumni]]
[[Category:IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Champions]]
[[Category:Triple Crown Heavyweight Champions]]
[[Category:World Tag League (NJPW) winners]]
[[Category:G1 Climax winners]]
[[Category:Zero1 Intercontinental Tag Team Champions]]
[[Category:20th-century Japanese sportsmen]]