WWE Superstars -Smackdown
Funaki
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Shoichi Funaki (born August 24, 1968) is a Japanese American professional wrestler currently signed to World Wrestling Entertainment wrestling on its SmackDown! brand. Born in Japan, Funaki now lives in San Antonio.
Funaki started as a shoot style wrestler in Yoshiaki Fujiwara's Fujiwara Gumi promotion and moved to its successor promotion, BattlARTS. He later found the lucha libre style more to his liking, so he moved to the Great Sasuke's promotion, Michinoku Pro Wrestling. In that promotion, he joined with TAKA Michinoku, Dick Togo, Mens Teioh and Shiryu in the Kai En Tai stable. Funaki also wrestled in the Universal Wrestling Association (UWA) where he won the World Middleweight Championship from Pantera on March 19, 1997 in Japan.
Funaki returned to WWE TV on February 16, 2007 on an edition of SmackDown! in a brawl that involved the other SmackDown! cruiserweights and the then-Cruiserweight Champion Gregory Helms.
Months later, on the May 18, 2007 edition of SmackDown!, Funaki was made short work of by recently returned superstar Mark Henry. then on June 29, Funaki would get a shot at the Cruiserweight title against Cruiserweight Champion Chavo Guerrero and Jamie Noble, but came up short.
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