Sonny Onoo

Infobox Wrestler
name=Kazuo Onoo


img_capt=
names=Kensuke Ishikawa
Sonny Onoo
height=
weight=
birth_date =birth date and age|1962|7|29
birth_place=Japan
resides=Mason City, Iowa, United States
billed="His many homes around the world."
trainer=
debut=1995
death_date =
death_place=
retired=1999
website=|

Kazuo Onoo, better known by his ring name, Sonny Onoo, is a Japanese professional wrestling manager. He is best known for his appearances with World Championship Wrestling between 1995 and 1999 as the manager of many of the promotion's Japanese performers.

Career

Early life

Onoo was a qualified martial artist, competing in international kickboxing and martial arts tournaments between 1975 and 1987. The Professional Karate Association named him the best bantamweight in the world, and he won numerous accolades. While touring as a martial artist, Onoo befriended Eric Bischoff in the 1970s and considered him one of the toughest fighters of the time.

World Championship Wrestling

In 1994, Bischoff, by now the president of WCW, hired Onoo as an off-camera international consultant. Onoo was the liaison between WCW and New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW), and negotiated the talent exchange programs that saw numerous Japanese performers appear with WCW.

Onoo's on-screen debut was in early 1995 at the Uncensored PPV as a special referee in a match between Hacksaw Jim Duggan and Meng. A month later, he would be seen again as Kensuke Ishikawa, a member of the WCW International committee who voted for Ric Flair to be reinstated as a wrestler (Flair had lost a retirement match to Hulk Hogan at the 1994 "Halloween Havoc"). In 1995, he made his first appearance in a WCW ring, as a special referee in a "Martial Arts Match" pitting Hacksaw Jim Duggan against Meng. The latter man ended up winning.

Later in 1995, Onoo became the on-screen manager, Sonny Onoo, translating for a number of Japanese wrestlers who could not speak English. His signature look would consist of a stylish suit and small sunglasses. When NJPW star Masahiro Chono made a special appearance on "WCW Monday Nitro" in 1996, Chono immediately turned on him and became the first international member of the New World Order (nWo). Later, in 1997, Onoo would bring in another New Japan star, The Great Muta, as a mystery opponent to get revenge on Chono. Like Chono, Muta immediately turned on Onoo, spitting his famous mist in Onoo's face before joining Chono in nWo Japan.

During this time, Onoo also managed the Último Dragón. Thanks to his interference, Dragon defeated Dean Malenko to win the WCW Cruiserweight Championship at WCW's "Starrcade" pay-per-view in 1996. This temporarily unified the title with the eight championships of the J-Crown. Dragon would go on to lose the J-Crown to Jushin Thunder Liger in Japan, while remaining WCW Cruiserweight Champion. He would lose that title in a rematch with Malenko at WCW's "Clash of the Champions XXXIV" supercard, after botched interference by Onoo. Dragon would then go on to win the WCW Television Championship from Prince Iaukea on a "Nitro" in April, and would then defend the title against former champion Steven Regal at "Slamboree". Throughout the match, Onoo attempted to interfere on Dragon's behalf, but Dragon, preferring to win the match himself, admonished Onoo. Onoo then turned on Dragon, allowing Regal to win the match and the title.

Onoo would then turn his attention to managing many of WCW's luchadores, taking both Psychosis and La Parka under his wing to feud with Dragon. Psychosis faced Dragon in a "Respect Match" at the 1997 "Great American Bash", losing by submission. Later, when popular luchador Konnan joined the nWo, Onoo would send both Psychosis and La Parka after him in subsequent matches on "Nitro", with both ending in defeat. Giving up on luchadores, Onoo would go on to manage WCW newcomer Yuji Nagata, to once again feud with Dragon. Nagata would defeat Dragon by submission at "Halloween Havoc", and again by pinfall at "World War 3", in a match where, had Dragon won, he would have five minutes in the ring alone with Onoo. Onoo parted ways with Nagata soon afterwards.

Onoo later became the manager of Ernest Miller and feuded with Perry Saturn. Onoo's character spoke broken English and described himself as "money-hungry, deceitful, conniving, and violent." During this time, he had a few matches, which he won after The Cat did the bidding. Onoo was even undefeated for a few matches. His character was originally depicted as an eccentric tourist who would take photographs of everyone he encountered.

After being released by WCW in November 1999 (Bischoff was by then no longer with the company), Onoo and a number of African American wrestlers launched racial discrimination lawsuits against WCW in February 2000. Onoo claimed that he had been given a disrespectful gimmick and that his final salary—$160,000—was only half of the average pay for a wrestler at that time. cite web | url = http://slam.canoe.ca/SlamWrestlingArchive2001/apr4_onoo-can.html | author = Altamura, M. | title = Kazuo 'Sonny' Onoo speaks out | publisher= Canadian Online Explorer | accessdate=2008-05-18|date=2001-04-04]

Independent circuit

Onoo began working on the independent circuit and was associated with the short-lived WrestleXpress and X Wrestling Federation.

Personal life

Onoo married and now resides in Mason City, IA. He has 4 children. One of the children, Kenzo,would like to follow in his fathers footsteps and join the wrestling business.

In wrestling

*Finishing and signature moves
**Roundhouse kick

*Wrestlers managed by Onoo
**Judy Bagwell
**Masahiro Chono
**The Great Muta
**Kaz Hayashi
**Akira Hokuto
**Malia Hosaka
**Koji Kanemoto
**Jushin Liger
**Ernest Miller
**Yuji Nagata
**Bull Nakano
**Shinjiro Otani
**La Parka
**Psychosis
**Masa Saito
**Kensuke Sasaki
**Hiroyoshi Tenzan
**Último Dragón
**Yuji Yasuraoka

Championships and accomplishments

*Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards
**Worst Manager (1996-1999)

Filmography

*"Fearless Tiger" (1994) as "Peng"

References

External links

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