Mao (wrestler)

{{Infobox professional wrestler

|name = Mao

|birthname = Mao Inoue

|image = Mao (wrestler), February 3, 2024 (cropped).jpg

|caption = Mao in February 2024

|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1997|1|28|mf=y}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.wrestlingdata.com/index.php?befehl=bios&wrestler=31013|title=MAO/General Information|work=wrestlingdata.com|first=Axel|last=Saalbach|access-date=March 14, 2021}}

|birth_place = Osaki, Miyagi, Japan

|alma mater =

|resides =

|names = Mao Inoue
Mao

|height = 1.77 m{{Cite web|url=https://www.cagematch.net/?id=2&nr=16721|title=Mao-Personal Data|work=cagematch.de|language=German|first=Philip|last=Kreikenbohm|access-date=March 14, 2021}}

|weight = 80 kg

|billed =

|trainer = Yasu Urano

|debut = 2015

|retired =

}}

{{nihongo|Mao Inoue|井上麻生|Inoue Mao|born January 28, 1997}}, better known by his ring name Mao (stylized in all capital letters as MAO), is a Japanese professional wrestler. He is signed to the Japanese professional wrestling promotion DDT Pro-Wrestling (DDT).{{Cite web|url=http://www.profightdb.com/wrestlers/mao-13619.html|title=MAO • Profile & Match Listing|work=profightdb.com|access-date=March 14, 2021}}

Professional wrestling career

=Independent circuit (2015–present)=

File:DDT MAO選手(2020).jpg

Mao made his professional wrestling debut as Mao Inoue at DDT Pro-Wrestling's Ryōgoku Peter Pan 2015 event from August 23, 2015, where he teamed up with Mizuki Watase and Kota Umeda, losing to Ryota Nakatsu and Smile Squash (Akito and Yasu Urano) in a six-man tag team match.{{cite web | url = http://extremeparty.heteml.jp/2015/d150823-3.htm | script-title=ja:DDT “両国ピーターパン2015～DDTより愛をこめて～” 8/23 両国国技館大会その３ | accessdate=January 29, 2020 | work=Extreme Party | language=Japanese}} He is known for tenures with other promotions such as Pro Wrestling Noah, participating in the NOAH Summer Navigation 2017 ~ 11th Global Junior Heavyweight Tag League ~ multiple-night event where he teamed up with his New Wrestling Aidoru (NωA) stablemate Shunma Katsumata. They faced other infamous wrestlers such as Ratel's (Hayata and Yo-Hey) which they defeated on July 15, and Phil Atlas and Seiya Morohashi whom they lost to on July 16.{{Cite web|url=https://en.superluchas.com/pro-wrestling-noah-resultados-summer-navigation-2017-jr-heavy-tag-league-15-16072017/|title=Pro Wrestling NOAH: Results «Summer Navigation 2017 ~ Jr. Heavy Tag League» 15/16/07/2017|work=superluchas.com|author=Dark angel|date=July 18, 2017|access-date=March 14, 2021}} A couple of months later, on the second night of The Great Voyage 2017 In Yokohama event from October 1, 2017, Mao and Katsumata challenged Hayata and Yo-Hey again, third time for the GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship but unsuccessfully.{{cite web | url =https://www.voicesofwrestling.com/2017/09/28/noah-great-voyage-2017-in-yokohama-vol-2-preview-predictions/|title=NOAH GREAT VOYAGE 2017 IN YOKOHAMA VOL.2 PREVIEW & PREDICTIONS|work=voicesofwrestling.com|first=JoJo|last=Remy|date=September 28, 2017|access-date=March 14, 2021}} Mao worked for Evolve, teaming up with Konosuke Takeshita to unsuccessfully challenge The Unwanted (Eddie Kingston and Joe Gacy) for the Evolve Tag Team Championship at EVOLVE 125 on April 4, 2019.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cagesideseats.com/2019/4/4/18294869/evolve-125-live-results-theory-oreilly-henry-allin-unwanted-ddt-mao-takeshita|title=Evolve 125 live results: Theory vs. O'Reilly, Henry vs. Allin, and more!|work=cagesideseats.com|author=Rev. Claire Elizabeth|date=April 4, 2019|access-date=March 14, 2021}} On April 18, 2019, he made an appearance for Oriental Wrestling Entertainment on the first night of OWE First Time Japan event, where he teamed up with Kazuki Hirata and Yuki Ueno to defeat Michael Nakazawa, Tang Huaqi and Yang Hao.{{Cite web|url=https://twitter.com/ORIENTALWRESTL1/status/1096074662616809472/photo/1|title=#OWE lands in Japan! - 19:00 April 18th, Shinjuku Tokyo|work=twitter.com|author=Oriental Wrestling Entertainment|date=February 14, 2019|access-date=March 14, 2021}} At the Revolution Pro Wrestling's Live At The Cockpit 47 show, Mao teamed up with Mike Bailey as Moonlight Express to defeat Deadly Sins (JK Moody & Kane Khan) for the SWE Tag Team Championship.{{Cite web|url=https://www.postwrestling.com/2019/11/03/results-revolution-pro-live-at-the-cockpit-47/|title=Live Report: Revolution Pro Live at The Cockpit 47|work=postwrestling.com|author=Post Wrestling Staff|date=November 3, 2019|access-date=March 14, 2021}}

On April 5, 2025, it was announced that Mao will participate in New Japan Pro Wrestling's 2025 Best of the Super Juniors tournament.{{Cite web |last=Editor |first=Chinyere Okafor |date=2025-04-06 |title=NJPW Best of the Super Jr. 32 Entrants Revealed |url=https://lastwordonsports.com/prowrestling/2025/04/06/njpw-best-of-the-super-jr-32-entrants-revealed/ |access-date=2025-04-14 |website=Last Word on Pro Wrestling |language=en-US}}

=DDT Pro-Wrestling (2015–present)=

Mao worked almost his entire career for DDT, where he is a former KO-D 6-Man Tag Team Champion alongside Makoto Oishi and Shunma Katsumata as NωA, title which they won at Judgement 2017: DDT 20th Anniversary on March 20 after defeating Kazusada Higuchi, Kouki Iwasaki and Mizuki Watase.{{cite web | url = http://www.ddtpro.com/ddtpro/45951/ | script-title=ja:Judgement2017～DDT旗揚げ20周年記念大会～ | access-date=March 20, 2017 | work=DDT Pro-Wrestling | language=ja}} On July 22, 2018, at Summer Vacation, Mao teamed up with Mike Bailey to defeat Damnation (Mad Paulie and Tetsuya Endo to win the KO-D Tag Team Championship.{{cite web | url =https://www.ddtpro.com/results/1059|title=ウチコミ！presents Summer Vacation 2018|author=DDT PRO-WRESTLING|language=Japanese|date=July 22, 2018|access-date=March 14, 2021}} Mao is a former multiple-time Ironman Heavymetalweight Champion, last time winning it at WrestleCon Joey Ryan's Penis Party, a freelance event held and produced by Joey Ryan, in a 7-person gauntlet match also involving Danshoku Dino, Makoto Oishi, Sanshiro Takagi, Antonio Honda, Maki Itoh and Yoshihiko (a love doll).{{cite web | url =https://lastwordonsports.com/prowrestling/2019/04/05/wrestlemaniaweek-preview-wrestlecon-presents-joey-ryans-penis-party-4-5-19/|title=#WrestleManiaWeek Preview: WrestleCon presents Joey Ryan's Penis Party (4/5/19)|first=Jamie|last=Greer|date=April 5, 2019|access-date=March 14, 2021}}

Championships and accomplishments

Banger Zone Wrestling
BZW Tag Team Championship (1 time, current) – with Yoshihiko{{Cite web |date=November 2, 2024 |title=BZW Alcatraz |url=https://www.voxcatch.fr/evenement/bzw-alcatraz/ |website=Voxcatch |language=fr}}
DDT Pro-Wrestling
DDT Universal Championship (3 times)
Ironman Heavymetalweight Championship (8 times){{Cite web|url=https://www.wrestling-titles.com/japan/ddt/ironman-hm.html|title=Ironman Heavymetalweight Title|work=wrestling-titles.com|date=February 28, 2020|access-date=March 14, 2021}}
KO-D 6-Man Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Shunma Katsumata and Makoto Oishi{{Cite web|url=https://www.wrestling-titles.com/japan/ddt/kod-6.html|title=KO-D {{small|(King Of DDT)}} 6-man Tag Team Title|work=wrestling-titles.com|date=November 14, 2020|access-date=March 14, 2021}}
KO-D 10-Man Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Yuki Ueno, Shunma Katsumata, Toy Kojima and Shinya Aoki{{Cite web |url=https://yu39.net/title/detail?id=4024 |script-title=ja:KO-D8人タッグ／KO-D10人タッグ選手権 |work=Syu-Kaku Kombu |access-date=June 25, 2022 |language=ja}}
KO-D Tag Team Championship (5 times) – with Mike Bailey (1), Asuka (1),{{Cite web|url=https://www.wrestling-titles.com/japan/ddt/kod-t.html|title=KO-D {{small|(King Of DDT)}} Tag Team Title|work=wrestling-titles.com|date=October 25, 2020|access-date=March 14, 2021}} Shunma Katsumata (2) and To-y
King of DDT Tournament (2024)
Hanami King Of Drunk Preliminary Rumble (2025) with - Daisuke Sasaki
Hanami King Of Drunk (2025)
Kaientai Dojo/Active Advance Pro Wrestling
Strongest-K Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Mike Bailey{{Cite web|url=https://www.wrestling-titles.com/japan/kd/kd-t.html|title=Kaientai Dojo Strongest-K Tag Team Title|work=wrestling-titles.com|access-date=March 14, 2021}}
Pro Wrestling Illustrated
Ranked No. 88 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2024{{cite web|url=https://aiptcomics.com/2024/09/10/full-2024-pwi-500-list-revealed/|title=Full 2024 PWI 500 list revealed|work=aiptcomics.com|first=Patrick|last=Ross|date=September 10, 2024|access-date=September 13, 2024}}
Revolution Pro Wrestling/Southside Wrestling Entertainment
SWE Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Mike Bailey{{Cite web|url=https://www.wrestling-titles.com/europe/uk/swe/swe-t.html|title=Southside Wrestling Entertainment Tag Team Title|work=wrestling-titles.com|access-date=March 14, 2021}}