The Amazing True Story Behind AEW's Next Big Breakout Stars

OWE Oriental Wrestling Entertainment
Twitter, @orientialwrestl1

CIMA's involvement with Shanghai, China's young Oriental Wrestling Entertainment promotion commenced in summer 2017, when Dragon Gate announced an agreement with the company. The rest of the year saw him lead several training excursions to work with the kung fu-influenced roster, the idea being that OWE's development style would benefit from meshing with the adjacent lucharesu. All fine and well, until CIMA's Dragon Gate appearances grew fewer and further between in early 2018, hinting at what was next.

The departed DG ace dove headfirst into OWE upon leaving his old home. China gave him the opportunity to build - to create - and after 21 years in the game (CIMA's been at this for so long he actually wrestled for WCW in 1998), the promise of crafting a generation of new, exciting stars in a potentially huge but untapped market was too much to resist. Thus, he was named OWE's head coach and President upon trading Japan for China.

CIMA didn't leave Dragon Gate alone, though. Accompanying him were the two men he wrestled with at Double Or Nothing, T-Hawk and El Lindaman, and, disappointingly, Takehiro Yamamura. Though severely injured at the time, the dynamic then 22-year-old had long been pinpointed as a future DG megastar. Now, he'd be fulfilling his potential outwith the Dragon system.

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Andy has been with WhatCulture for six years and is currently WhatCulture's Senior Wrestling Reporter. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.