Hideo Takayama made his professional wrestling debut for Wrestling International New Generations (W*ING) against Masahiko Takasugi in a losing effort on January 20, 1993 at an interpromotional show between W*ING, Michinoku Pro Wrestling (MPW) and Union Pro Wrestling (UPW).[3] Takayama picked up his first win against Ryo Miyake on October 23.[4] At Odawara Brazing Night in Odawara, Takayama developed himself as a villain by shortening his given name to "Hido", but lost to Takashi Okano.[5] Hido would lose most of his matches during his early career in W*ING but learned the hardcore wrestling style of W*ING which would continue with him throughout his career. He began feuding with Yukihiro Kanemura, which culminated in a loser leaves W*INGstreet fight on February 15, 1994, which Hido lost, forcing him to leave W*ING.[6] Coincidentally, W*ING disbanded shortly after Hido's departure from the promotion.
Wrestle Association R / Wrestle and Romance (1994)
After leaving W*ING, Takayama joined Wrestle Association R (WAR), where he debuted for the promotion on June 1 under a new characterYaiba by teaming with Arashi and Ashura Hara to defeat Genichiro Tenryu, Animal Hamaguchi and Koji Ishinriki in a six-man tag team match.[7] On June 3, Yaiba defeated Matsuoka in his first singles match and faced Koki Kitahara in a match later at the event, which Yaiba won by disqualification.[8] This led to a rematch between the two on June 5, which Yaiba lost.[9] Takayama soon dropped the Yaiba character and began competing under his real name. On June 30, Takayama teamed with Hiroshi Itakura and Ichiro Yaguchi against Fuyuki-Gun in a losing effort in the quarter-final round of a tournament to crown the promotion's first World Six-Man Tag Team Champions.[10] Takayama joined Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling (FMW) in the fall of 1994, which would lead to his departure from WAR. His last match took place on October 16, in which Takayama and Yaguchi lost to Jado and Gedo.[11]
Takayama debuted in FMW on October 9 as a member of W*ING Alliance, a group consisting of former wrestlers from the defunct W*ING who wanted to avenge the end of W*ING from Atsushi Onita and his FMW and they aimed to end FMW. His debut match was a six-man tag team match with W*ING members Hideki Hosaka and Mitsuhiro Matsunaga against FMW's Koji Nakagawa, Battle Ranger Z and Masato Tanaka, which W*ING won.[12] Hido mainly competed as a mid-carder and was usually utilized in tag team matches alongside W*ING members while losing in singles competition.[13] Hido picked up his first win in a singles match in FMW on April 24, 1995 against Gosaku Goshogawara.[14] At 6th Anniversary Show, Hido, Hideki Hosaka and Mitsuhiro Matsunaga lost a match to Takashi Ishikawa, Apollo Sagawa and Kishin Kawabata.[15] Hido began getting more wins against lower-tier wrestlers of the company but failed to win against more established wrestlers. He participated in the Young Spirit Tournament to promote the younger generation of FMW which would lead the company after the company's aceAtsushi Onita retired from wrestling.[16] Hido scored only four points with two wins against Koji Nakagawa[17] and Tetsuhiro Kuroda,[18] while losing to Hideki Hosaka,[19]W*ING Kanemura[20] and Masato Tanaka.[21]
On September 26, Hido turned on his W*ING partners Hideki Hosaka and W*ING Kanemura in a match against Masato Tanaka, Koji Nakagawa and Tetsuhiro Kuroda to join Lethal Weapon and insulted W*ING for siding with FMW.[22][23] Hido, along with Super Leather and other Lethal Weapons feuded with their former W*ING teammates for the next two months. On November 25, Hido and Super Leather rejoined W*ING in a swerve by turning on Horace Boulder against Hideki Hosaka, Mitsuhiro Matsunaga & W*ING Kanemura in a street fight.[22][24] In early 1996, W*ING turned into fan favorites and formed an alliance with FMW after the formation of Funk Masters of Wrestling.[16] At the 7th Anniversary Show, Hido, Hosaka and Matsunaga defeated Miguel Perez, Shoji Nakamaki and Toryu.[25] This would be Matsunaga's last match in FMW as he left the company after the match.
On June 12, Hido competed as BADBOY Hido for the first time at a W*ING promoted show W*ING Take Off 2nd.[26] Hido participated in a tournament to crown the inaugural Independent Heavyweight Champion, losing to Super Leather in the quarter-final.[27] Hido's first major win of his FMW career took place at Summer Spectacular on August 1, where he won a Royal Rumble by last eliminating Tetsuhiro Kuroda.[28][29] Hido received his first title shot on September 20 as he and Hideki Hosaka unsuccessfully challenged The Headhunters for the Brass Knuckles Tag Team Championship.[30] On April 25, 1997, Hido and W*ING Kanemura defeated Headhunters to win the title thus ending Headhunters' year-long reign and Hido won the first championship of his career.[31] At 8th Anniversary Show, Hido and Dragon Winger lost to Ricky Fuji and Ricky Morton.[32] Hido lost to Kodo Fuyuki at Shiodome Legend.[33] After holding the title for nearly four months, Hido and Kanemura lost the Brass Knuckles Tag Team Championship to Mr. Gannosuke and Hisakatsu Oya in their fourth title defense on August 21.[34] W*ING Alliance was forced to disband after W*ING Kanemura lost a match to Atsushi Onita at Kawasaki Legend.[16][35]
On January 7, 1998, Gannosuke, Kanemura and Hido lost a street fight to ZEN's Atsushi Onita, Koji Nakagawa and Tetsuhiro Kuroda at ZEN's first promoted show.[38] After the match, Fuyuki-Gun joined Gannosuke, Kanemura and Hido in attacking ZEN and both groups merged to form Team No Respect. Hido was involved in a hilarious skit of TNR in which the group mocked Hido's legitimate wedding with Megumi Kudo by holding their own wedding of Hido and Jado as "Megumi Jado" in their white underwears.[39] On March 29, Hido and Kodo Fuyuki defeated their own TNR teammates Mr. Gannosuke and Yukihiro Kanemura to win the Brass Knuckles Tag Team Championship.[40] They lost the title to Hayabusa and Masato Tanaka on April 17.[41]
At 9th Anniversary Show, Hido picked up a major win by defeating ZEN member and former ally Hideki Hosaka.[42] On May 5, Hido replaced the injured Mr. Gannosuke to team with Kodo Fuyuki and Yukihiro Kanemura to defeat Atsushi Onita, Koji Nakagawa and Tetsuhiro Kuroda for the World Street Fight 6-Man Tag Team Championship.[43] On May 19, Hido and Super Leather took on their TNR teammates Jado and Gedo in a losing effort.[44] On June 19, Hido picked up an upset win over Leather in a loser leaves TNR match with the help of Jado and Yukihiro Kanemura.[45] As a result, Hido began feuding with Super Leather and the match culminated in a chain street fight between the two on July 10, which Leather won.[46] Hido would lose to Leather in another rematch at Welcome to the Darkside.[47]
On November 20, Hido teamed with Go Ito to defeat Kaori Nakayama and Ricky Fuji in an intergender tag team match.[48] The following month, Hido participated in the Over the Top Tournament to determine the #1 contender for the Double Championship (the unifiedBrass Knuckles Heavyweight Championship and the Independent Heavyweight Championship). Hido defeated Takeshi Ono in the quarter-final[49] and Masao Orihara in the final before losing to eventual winner Mr. Gannosuke in the semi-final.[50] Orihara and Ono left TNR due to their differences with the group and Gedo and Hido defeated Orihara and Ono on January 5, 1999.[51] On January 6, Hido lost to Ono to end the feud.[52] Hido teamed with Yukihiro Kanemura to participate in a round robin tournament for the vacant Brass Knuckles Tag Team Championship and ended the tournament by losing all the matches.[53] Hido continued to compete with TNR against FMW throughout the year.
