With TNA starting up the X-Cup tournament this week on Impact, I thought we could take a quick look at the members of the three foreign teams that might not be as well known as those on Team USA.
Great-ing Gimmicks of the Present: The TNA World X Cup – TNA, 2008
With TNA’s X Cup competition starting this week on Impact, I thought we could take a look at the various members of the foreign teams who would be competing (who are known at this time). It should be noted that Dux and Williams were announced at the CMLL press conference where they told who was going to the tournament from their company. However, Dux and Williams have not been formally confirmed by anyone yet.
TEAM MEXICO
Ultimo Guerrero began wrestling in 1990 and finally began rising to fame during the mid 90’s in Konnan’s ill-fated Promo Azteca promotion. In 1997, he jumped to CMLL. In 1999 he won the Gran Alternativa tournament (which has become a showcase for younger talent). The tournament features teams composed of one veteran and one younger wrestler. The winner is usually in line for a push.
Rey Bucanero began wrestling in 1991 and soon also made his way to CMLL where he also won the Gran Alternativa tournament in 1996. In 1997 he made his US television debut as he worked for the WWF’s Super Astros as Rey Pirata Ortiz without his mask. Rey returned to Mexico in 1999 and lost his mask to Shocker.
Shortly thereafter, Rey and Ultimo were recruited by Satanico to team as the Infernales. They turned on Satanico in 2001 and the ensuing feud saw them lose the Infernales name back to Satanico. Now known as the Guerreros del Infierno, Bucanero and Guerrero have teamed together ever since (apart from a brief feud that fizzled) and have become one of CMLL’s top teams. Apart, they are also two major stars in CMLL, although Guerrero is a bit higher up the ladder than Bucanero (because of a botched face turn).
Together, Bucanero and Guerrero are three-time CMLL Tag Team title champions. Bucanero is also the current CMLL World Light Heavyweight champion and a former World Trios champion. Bucanero also won the 2006 Leyenda de Azul tournament.
Guerrero has added two more tag team reigns to his list of championships without Bucanero. He is also a former World Light Heavyweight champion, World Trios champion, and two-time winner of the Grand Prix tournament.
Both men have competed outside of the country before. Bucanero has done several Japan tours, and Guerrero has worked for Italy’s Nu-Wrestling Revolution.
Averno debuted in 1995 as Rencor Latino. In 2001, he was abducted by Satanico who used his dark powers to turn the face Rencor into the heel Averno. He and Mephisto joined Satanico as the New Infernales during their feud with Rey Bucanero and Ultimo Guerrero. In 2003 Averno and Mephisto turned on Satanico and became members of the extended Guerreros del Infierno stable. In CMLL, Averno and Mephisto continue tagging together.
Averno is a former Mexican Trios champion. He is also the current CMLL World Middleweight champion, a current CMLL tag team champion (his second reign with Mephisto), and the current NWA World Middleweight champion (his second reign).
Volador Jr. debuted in 1997. He is another CMLL mainstay. He is the son of the original Volador and the nephew of LA Park (WCW’s La Parka). He is a two time Mexican National Trios champion and has won the Reyes del Aire tournament twice. He is also an associate of the Guerreros del Infierno.
TEAM JAPAN
Milano Collection AT debuted in 2000 in Toryumon – a Japanese promotion run by Ultimo Dragon. While in Toryumon, Milano became part of the Italian Connection faction with Masato Yoshino, Stevie Tsujimoto, Takayuki Yagi, and Shuji Kondo. In 2005 Milano stepped back from the company to mend a torn muscle. He was also dissatisfied with things going on in the company (now known as Dragon Gate following Ultimo Dragon’s signing with the WWE). In March of 2005 Milano announced he was leaving Dragon Gate and began touring in the US, notably working with Ring of Honor and CHIKARA on several occasions. He is also touring with New Japan.
Taichi Ishikari debuted in 2002 for All Japan. He made an appearance in 2004’s Super J Cup but was eliminated in the first round. He left All Japan in 2005 and is also currently affiliated with New Japan.
Naruki Doi debuted in 2000 for Toryumon. Known as Second Doi, he had the gimmick of a baseball player. He joined the Shin M2K faction in 2003. The faction fizzled with the fans and had disbanded by the end of the year. Doi rejoined M2K in 2004 when it reformed as Final M2K but turned heel and joined CIMA’s Blood Generation in early 2005. In 2006 he formed his own group that turned on the Blood Generation under the name of the Muscle Outlaw’z. In 2007 he headed to Ring of Honor, where he and Shingo Takagi won the ROH Tag Team belts. He is currently affiliated with the World-1 faction.
Masato Yoshino also debuted in 2000 for Toryumon. He soon became a member of the Italian Connection with friend Milano Collection AT under the name of YOSSINO. He won the NWA Welterweight title in 2003 and gave it up himself in 2004 after no one could defeat him for it. In 2006 Yoshino joined Doi in leaving the Blood Generation and became one of the founders of the Muscle Outlaw’z. Today he is also a part of the World-1 faction. Yoshino has also appeared on US television before. He and Genki Horiguchi formed Team Dragon Gate in MTV’s short-lived Wrestling Society X. Yoshino has not won any US titles as of yet, but has competed in Ring of Honor. While in ROH, Yoshino was part of a match that saw him teaming with Naruki Doi and CIMA against Dragon Kid, Genki Horiguchi, and Ryo Saito that earned a rare five-star rating from the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.
TEAM INTERNATIONAL
Shawn Daivari is a familiar face to wrestling fans. He debuted in 2000, and made scattered Ring of Honor and TNA appearances during 2003 and 2004. His biggest claim to fame was his signing to the WWE in 2004, where he was assigned to work as Muhammad Hassan’s manager. After Hassan left the company, Daivari allied with Kurt Angle and the Great Khali before being released in October of 2007. Daivari is an American but also full-blooded Iranian, which is the reason for his exclusion from Team USA.
Alex Koslov debuted in 2003. By 2006 he was making the rounds of the Southern California independent scene, including matches in Pro Wrestling Guerrilla and training at the Inoki Dojo. Later in 2006 Koslov traveled to Mexico. He is now a regular with CMLL. His gimmick is being a proud Russian, which is the reason for his selection for Team International.
Doug Williams debuted in 1993 and began wrestling in NWA Hammerlock in Great Britain. During 2003 and 2004 Williams went on a brief US tour, primarily making stops in Ring of Honor, where he won the #1 Contender’s Trophy and the Pure Wrestling championship. Also in 2004 Williams began touring with Pro Wrestling NOAH in Japan.
Canadian Tyson Dux is rumored to be the final member of Team International. Dux debuted in 1997 and began working for International Championship Wrestling. Between 2002 and 2005 Dux made sporadic WWE appearances. Dux has appeared for TNA before as he was a part of Team Canada during the 2006 X-Cup tournament.
