(HOLY WAR VOL.3) Akira Taue, loved 30 minute "Battle" after a long absence

Nikkan Sports

9th October 2018 

Akira Taue (57), who established an era as one of The Four Heavenly Kings in All Japan, and retired in 2013, made an appearance before the fans after a long period following the complete removal of the stomach due to cancer on April 16th. He appeared in the "Talk Battle" of the pro-wrestling produce "Holy War" at Shinjuku Face, produced by Toshiaki Kawada (54) on the 1st October.
Kawada was also active in All Japan.

They were known as a tag team combination in the promotion, and even in their private life they are good friends and visit the restaurants each run. Kawada, when he realised he wanted Taue for it, went straight to Ibaraki Prefecture where Taue runs "Steak IZAKAYA" in Tsukuba City.

Taue smiled when Kawada, in the suit, was in the ring and stretch bending in the corner.
"After bending and stretching, I would fall over. I thought about doing the sumo wrestler leg stomp, but I stopped myself", Taue said with a laugh at the end of the interview.
Akira Taue was a sumo wrestler under the name of "Tamakirin" and reached the second highest division. After turning to professional wrestling he made his debut in a tag with Giant Baba to great hype. After that he belonged to the Super Generation Army with Kawada, but he remained unnoticed. However, the turning point came with the partnership of Jumbo Tsuruta. After Tsuruta became ill, he formed a tag with Kawada, who had been hostile to him until then. They called themselves the ""
Seiki Gun", and won the world tags six times at the most and took the world by storm.
Talking about their days as a tag team, Taue said "In the beginning it was difficult, and I did not like it. However, he is the most trustworty partner that I have ever had. Teaming up was as good as his Ramen is now." With Kawada's Ramen shop firmly advertised, Kawada said, "I feel at ease as I have no worries, Taue and I have something we love."

In 2000, Mitsuharu Misawa left All Japan with Kobashi and Taue etc after the death of Giant Baba. Kawada remained in All Japan, and he and Taue, who participated in Noah's debut show, swere seperated. Immediately after the walkout, Taue contacted Kawada and invited him to Noah.
"Only Taue had contacted me at that time" Kawada said. He refused, but their friendship continued.

Kawada also participated in Taue's retirement match in December 2013. Kawada said, "Congratulations on the retirement match! From now on, Noah's president Taue like a great volcano wil erupt in the future". Speaking on the subject, Taue said, "I rapidly sunk. Being president did not suit me." He gave a bitter laugh. No matter the agony of the era of his Noah presidency, the two laughed away the talk show.

Akira Taue looked very thin after the proceedure to remove the stomach cancer, he said "Good rivals when we were young, and good drinking friends as old men".
Kawada said, "as a good drinking buddy, I want you to stay healthy, and stop smoking."

They had their last singles match in April 1998 at in Sendai, when the match was finished early due to a leg injury.

Link to original article from Nikkan Sports