Kohei Suwama (November 23, 1976) is a Japanese professional wrestler also known simply as Suwama. He is best known for his work in All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW) as part of the Voodoo Murders stable.
Career[]
All Japan Pro Wrestling[]
Early days (2004-2006)[]
Suwama was scouted and recruited to All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW) by Hiroshi Hase, particularly because of his amateur wrestling background. He joined the All Japan Dojo on March 1, 2004, and teamed with All Japan president Keiji Mutoh early in his career, defeating many of his seniors. In 2005, he defeated Muto in the 2005 Champion Carnival.
VooDoo Murders (2006-2008)[]
Suwama aligned himself with the Voodoo Murders stable on January 8, 2006, following an AJPW Triple Crown Championship match between Satoshi Kojima and stable leader TARU. Upon joining the group, he officially changed his name to Suwama, which translates to "Suwa evil spirit".
He formed a team with RO'Z in early 2007, as the two set their sights on the vacant AJPW World Tag Team Championship. Their pursuit would be unsuccessful, as Toshiaki Kawada and Taiyō Kea defeated them in a decision match for the vacant belts on February 17, 2007. Suwama was sent by the group to Orlando, Florida on July 2, 2007, in order to secure Total Nonstop Action Wrestling star Scott Steiner for All Japan's Pro Wrestling Love in Ryogoku, Vol. 3 event in Sumo Hall on August 26, 2007. Suwama had observed Steiner's match and shortly afterwards came to an agreement with Steiner to team with him and challenge the team of The Great Muta and TAJIRI. They were unsuccessful in the challenge.
For the rest of the year, Suwama mainly competed in 6-man tags with TARU and Satoshi Kojima (who joined the group in July), but also had a short feud with rookie gaijin Joe Doering. Suwama teamed with Kojima in the 2008 Real World Tag League, where they defeated Toshiaki Kawada and Kensuke Sasaki to reach the finals, but lost to Keiji Mutoh and Joe Doering. Suwama and Kojima scored 10 points.
All Japan Ace[]
At All Japan's New Year's Shining Series show on January 3, 2008, Suwama saved Keiji Mutoh and Joe Doering from a post-match attack by the VooDoo Murders stable. After Suwama tore off his VooDoo Murders shirt, he shook hands with Mutoh and signaled his return to the All Japan Home Unit. On March 1, 2008, Suwama defeated TARU at PRO WRESTLING LOVE in RYOGOKU, Vol. 4. From April 5–9, Suwama participated in All Japan's annual Champion's Carnival tournament, which he ultimately won on April 9 by defeating New Japan Pro Wrestling star Hiroshi Tanahashi in the finals. Suwama finished the Carnival with 3 wins, 1 loss and 1 draw, which earned him 7 points.
On April 29, 2008, Suwama defeated Kensuke Sasaki to win the All Japan Triple Crown Championship.
Suwama first defended the Triple Crown on June 28, 2008 vs Osamu Nishimura beating Nashimura with the Last Ride. Suwama challenged Taiyo Kea and Minoru Suzuki on August 3, 2008 for the AJPW Unified World Tag Team Championship teaming with Osamu Nishimura but did not win the belts. Suwama's second defense of the Triple crown was on August 31, 2008 vs Taiyo Kea it went to a 60-minute time limit draw. Suwama team up with Ryuji Hijikata in the AJPW All Asia Tag Team Championship Tournament on January 2–3, 2009 to crown new AJPW All Asia Tag Team Champions. Suwama and Hijikata got eliminated in the first round of the AJPW All Asia Tag Team Championship Tournament they lost to Satoshi Kojima and KAI when Kojima used a lariat on Hijikata. Suwama and Shuji Kondo defeated Joe Doering and ZODIAC on March 1, 2009 to become the number one contenders for the AJPW Unified World Tag Team Championship but did not win the Championship from Taiyō Kea and Minoru Suzuki. On August 29, 2010, Suwama defeated Minoru Suzuki to win the AJPW Triple Crown Championship for the second time.
In wrestling[]
- Finishing moves
- Signature moves
- Tag teams and stables
- Violent Giants with Shuji Ishikawa
- Last Revolution with Masahiro Chono, Joe Doering, Shuji Kondo, Kaz Hayashi & Yasufumi Nakanoue
- Evolution with Joe Doering, Atsushi Aoki, Hikaru Sato, Super Tiger, Naoya Nomura, Rey Paloma & Yusuke Okada
- New Generation Force with Masayuki Kono, Ryota Hama, Seiya Sanada & Manabu Soya
- Team Destruction with Shuji Kondo, Kaz Hayashi & Takumi Soya
- Voodoo Murders with TARU, Minoru, KONO, Big Daddy Voodoo, Nobukazu Hirai, Rene Dupree, MAZADA, Charlie Haas, KENSO, Lance Cade, Toshizo, Zodiac, YASSHI, Joe Doering, Shuji Kondo, Satoshi Kojima, Giant Bernard, Chuck Palumbo, Johnny Stamboli & Silver King
- Wrestlers trained
Championships and accomplishments[]
- All Japan Pro Wrestling
- AJPW Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship (8 times)
- AJPW Unified World Tag Team Championship (7 times) – with Joe Doering (1), Shuji Ishikawa (4), Shotaro Ashino (1) and KONO (1)
- Champion's Carnival (2008)
- Taiwan Cup (2009)
- January 2 Korakuen Hall Heavyweight Battle Royal Winner (2005)
- Ōdō Tournament (2016, 2017)
- Taiwan Cup (2009)
- World's Strongest Tag Determination League (2013) – with Joe Doering
- World's Strongest Tag Determination League (2015) – with Kento Miyahara
- World's Strongest Tag Determination League (2017) – with Shuji Ishikawa
- Nikkan Sports
- Best Bout (2011) – vs. Jun Akiyama on October 23
- Pro Wrestling Illustrated
- PWI ranked him #14 of the best 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2011
- Tenryu Project
- Tenryu Project Six Man Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Arashi and Tomohiro Ishii
- Tokyo Sports Grand Prix
- Performance Award (2010)
- Tag Team Of The Year (2006) - with TARU, Shuji Kondo, & "brother" YASSHI
- Tag Team of the Year (2017, 2018, 2019) - with Shuji Ishikawa
