(NOAH) Past Roster Spotlight: Akira Taue

Born: May 8th 1961, Chichibu, Saitama
Height: 6'4
Trained by: Giant Baba, Jumbo Tsuruta, Kazuharu Sonoda (who was tragically killed in a plane crash on his honeymoon in 1987)
Debut: January 2nd 1988
Retired: December 7th 2013
Signed with Noah: Walked out with Mitsuharu Misawa during the exodus from All Japan in 2000
Nicknames: A-T (Kenta Kobashi), Mr. Tama (from his sumo name "Tamakirin")
Fan Nicknames: Dynamic T, The Indominatable Prince
Special move(s): Chichibu Cement (innovated vertical suplex), Ore Ga Taue (aka Ruby Flowsion - innovated Back Suplex), Dynamic Bomb (Sitout powerbomb)
Style: Kings Road
Gimmick: None (although it could be argued that he took a lot from Giant Baba being of a similar height and body shape)

"The Four Pillars of Wrestling" (from left: Mitsuharu Misawa, Toshiaki Kawada, Kenta Kobashi and Akira Taue)

One of the "Four Pillars" of All Japan, Akira Taue competed in a variety of sports in High School (judo and high jump), he entered the sumo club in college, introduced to a Sumo stable in his third term and made his debut in January 1980. In 1987 he was recommended to become a pro-wrestler, and he entered All Japan, where he participated in a generational struggle of his own then (younger) generation, "The Super Generation Army", attempting to take over from the older generation.

Taue won the 1996 Champion Carnival, the Triple Crown Championship (victory over Misawa, which was the first for the "Four Pillars"), tag with Kawada and was heavyweight tag team champion. He walked out of All Japan in 2000 with Mitsuharu Misawa to form Noah (he only held the GHC Heavyweight only once, and no other titles). When Misawa died in 2009, Akira Taue was appointed to the post of president, which turned him into an old man overnight. He wrestled his last match in December 2013. Taue stepped down from Noah when the company was sold to Estbee in 2016, and inspired by and after taking advice from Mitsuhiro Matsunaga, he opened the restaurant "Steak Izakaya Champ", which is decorated with his photos and memorabilia from his wrestling days.

Somber picture of Noah in 2016 during the dark era. Maybach Taniguchi is under the mask, Kenoh can be seen with his arms crossed & scowling, Atsushi Kotoge and Daisuke Harada can be seen at the front, and Takeshi Morishima at the back next to Akira Taue who stares blankly at the camera.

In his personal life, Akira Taue had a passion for motorbikes, and he once enjoyed fishing, so much so he created the "Noah Surf Club" with Noah wrestlers (including Tamon Honda). Sadly, due to the pressures of being Noah president, Taue had to quit this and found he liked watching Korean movies as a replacement.

Known for disliking training since his sumo days, a famous story is told of how Baba gave Taue a barbell. Kyohei Wada visited Taue's home and saw the barbells and asked if he had been using them, Taue claimed to use them regularly and started practicing, but was rumbled by his young son who claimed he had never seen his father use them before.

KENTA knocks Kobashi down, sucker punches Misawa....but elects not to mess with Taue.

Three generations of Noah (from left): Junta Miyawaki, Akira Taue and Takashi Sugiura

Akira Taue on his beloved motorcycle

Akira Taue on an episode of BattleMen in March 2018, reflecting on how well business was going....that was until Noah's remorseless eating machine walked in (probably heralded by many dogs howling in the neighborhood)

Somewhat sweet scene of Akira Taue handing Junta Miyawaki the right sauce to use.

Ore ga Taue