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Wrestler Naming Help: Oriental

TheWavePosted on 06/09/09 at 07:11:56

Hello,

The wrestler Oriental was in a U.S.-based TNM circuit I had, but he left there and is next going to a Japan-based circuit.  

I'm not familiar with the wrestler but I wanted to rename him because Oriental just seems like a silly name, especially for an Asian wrestler competing in Japan.  (I don't know if he is Mexican or Asian in real life, but for my storyline purposes, he's Asian, in keeping with his original name.)

I couldn't find his real name or any other names he's used in wrestling.  Any ideas or suggestions?  

I don't want to rebrand him as a completely new wrestler; in other words, it is public knowledge in this wrestling universe that this guy starting in the Japan circuit is the same guy who competed as Oriental in the U.S. and Mexico.  In fact, he'll probably keep his same general look.

If it matters, the Japan circuit also tried to hire Tsubusa to reunite him with Oriental, but Tsubusa said maybe and they'll try again next time.

Let me know what you think.  If I can't think of anything good, perhaps I'll go with Wild Pegasus, since I don't plan on Benoit ever wrestling under a mask.

Thanks!
MamushiPosted on 06/09/09 at 08:11:36

El Oriental is Mexican (Just FYI). As for new name suggestions he's part of the Moreno family so anything "Moreno" would be good or Alfonso Moreno Jr. since Alfonso was the family patriarch (or Acorazado Moreno Jr. since Alfonso wrestled under that name too). Also his maestros were Blue Panther and Dr. Wagner (original, not Jr.) so playing off of one of them would would good as well. "Hijo de," "Jr.," or a number are common throughout lucha libre.
Drunken FoolPosted on 06/11/09 at 04:55:01

Mamushi's right...

This is his profile from Luchawiki by the way...

http://www.luchawiki.org/index.php?title=Oriental

ps: He has wrestled in Japan in the past under that name
MamushiPosted on 06/11/09 at 05:53:53

Is there that little faith left in me in this community? :P
Drunken FoolPosted on 06/11/09 at 16:46:38

On 06/11/09 at 05:53:53, Mamushi wrote:Is there that little faith left in me in this community? :P
I knew you were right before, I just wanted to give him some information: like what the guy actually looked like and stuff  ;D
King MunshunPosted on 06/11/09 at 20:33:54

On 06/11/09 at 05:53:53, Mamushi wrote:Is there that little faith left in me in this community? :P
He's endorsed you, bro. Now you can run for President.
TheImpalerTMXPosted on 06/11/09 at 22:52:51

It'd probably be viewed as pointless to play on being a protege of one of his actual maestros since Dr. Wagner Jr. had his success in Japan and Blue Panther isn't probably that well known.

Most Japanese promotions end up carrying on masked gimmicks of very popular wrestlers (at least to that promotion). So my first thought would be is there anyone in your promotion who is popular enough to get an understudy like that?

There is also the second option and perhaps TNM has given it to you. You can always bring him in specifically as a heel-rival ala Black Tiger, Sasuke the Great, etc. If Tsubasa would be considered significant enough if he was to land in your circuit then that's where I say TNM has done the work for you - make his new gimmick specifically something to goad Tsubasa into joining the promotion. This would of course mean you couldn't tag them up, at least not without letting a long feud take place. So I would then move onto who is currently in the circuit that has a mask (or maybe even used to have a mask where Oriental can show up using that exact gimmick).

A third viable option would be to tie him in as a promotional character - Stuart (of Strong Style Spirit fame) did this for one of his circuits and it has of course happened in real life, too (Suicide in TNA, Wolf Hawkfield in AJPW... oh, and you know, that Tiger Mask guy.) Of course you could either find a real product (like a video game) or make one up yourself.

For the record NJPW has already had a second incarnation of Pegasus Kid (Wild Pegasus was when Benoit was unmasked so it doesn't make much sense to do a Wild Pegasus II, especially given the circumstances).
TheWavePosted on 06/17/09 at 00:55:42

Wow, thanks everyone for the great input!

So he wrestled in Japan as 'Oriental'?  That's interesting, didn't know that.

Another question, for anyone who may know:  Even though he's Mexican, does/did he pass himself off as being Japanese, or otherwise Asian?  I think his TNM info actually lists him as from Tokyo, which I assumed was his kayfabe hometown.

Thanks for the Luchawiki links; I had checked that profile but didn't see alternate names he used.

Little more info:  He was wrestling for a U.S.-based circuit which is, in this alternate universe, the biggest and most prestigious wrestling promotion in the world (and which has many international wrestlers on its roster).  He was pretty successful there, winning secondary singles titles, but never the primary Heavyweight title.  

Oriental also tagged with Seiji Yamakawa as a face team there and they won several matches though never won a title.  The team was originally supposed to be Yamakawa and Takashi Ishikawa, but Takashi no-showed so I put in Oriental instead.  I think they were even undefeated, winning a title match by DQ so never winning the title.  (They both afterwards were more successful in singles matches so they didn't continue tagging.)

Anyway, Oriental's now in Ultimate Japan Pro Wrestling, which is considered a minor league or feeder promotion to the larger U.S.-based one (1 of 3 such feeder promotions).  Since he was pretty successful in the bigger promotion, he comes into UJPW as somewhat of a 'big name', so that's why I wanted to continue acknowledging he's the same guy.

I thought maybe Blue Dragon would be a name he could use, still under a mask, because of the Blue Panther connection and because 'dragon' still has Asian connotations.

By the way, Blue Panther, Black Warrior, and Dr. Wagner Jr. are in Ultimate Japan too, but they're contracts are up and they're on their way out (possibly to join the bigger promotion, but don't know yet).

If I sign Tsubasa, it will be specifically as Oriental's partner (based on the rules I'm following to sign new talent), so would only have them feud after teaming up for a period or if I sign Tsubasa some other way (I sign wrestlers randomly - that's why there are a lot of guys who I don't know very well - I have a tag team partner exception to the randomness hence why/how Tsubasa would come in).

I do have Mitsuharu Misawa in this promotion, who originally was here as Tiger Mask but now is without the mask as Misawa.  Antonio Inoki is the Ultimate Japan Heavyweight Champ, just beat Sean O'Haire for the title.  

I think Maniaco and Pantera and 2 Invaders and some other masked guys are on the roster, I'll have to double-check that and think about those possibilities and suggestions.  

Thanks again everyone, big help!