Francesco Akira
Real name: Francesco Begnini
Height: 5’9
Weight: 154 lbs.
Date of birth: November 12, 1999
From: Bergamo, Italy
Pro debut: August 29, 2015
Trained by: ICW Academy
Finishing move: Akirasault
Biography
– After completing his training with Italian Championship Wrestling, Begnini debuted for the promotion as ‘Akira’ on August 29, 2015, losing to Mr Excellent
– In early 2016, Akira began teaming with Gravity as ‘I Ragazzi Prodigio’ (loosely translated, The Prodigy Boys)
– On January 4, 2017, Akira defeated Andy Manero to win the Rising Title and would defend it against Kobra later that day
– On March 25, Akira defeated Chris Tyler & Matt Disaster to retain the Rising Title
– On August 20, Akira defeated Ashley Dunn to regain the Rising Title, having lost it in a Ladder Match two months prior
– On September 16, Akira & Gravity defeated Jay & Patrick Sammon to win the vacant ASCA Tag Team Titles
– On November 25, Akira defeated Morgan Webster & Ashley Dunn to retain the Rising Title, before he and Gravity defeated The Aerial Hybrids (Kai Payne & Jay Garner) in a Ladder Match to retain the ASCA Tag Team Titles
– On December 9, Akira & Gravity defeated Gil Urban Guerrilla (Tony Callaghan & Riot) to retain the ASCA Tag Team Titles and win the ICW Italian Tag Team Titles
– On December 30, Akira & Gravity defeated Charlie Kid & Nick Lenders to retain the ICW Italian Tag Team Titles
– On Janary 21, 2018, Akira & Gravity defeated La Dinastia Oscura (Ombra & Gargoyle) to retain the ICW Italian Tag Team Titles
– In early 2018, Akira travelled outside Italy for the first time, working several dates in the UK
– Akira won the 2018 ICW Numero Uno Tournament, defeating Andy Manero in the final
– In early 2019, Akira travelled to Japan, working a tour for AJPW under the name ‘Akira Francesco’. He would soon ink a deal with the promotion and moved to Japan full-time
– Francesco won the 2021 AJPW Junior Battle Of Glory Tournament, defeating El Lindaman in the final
– On June 26, Francesco defeated Koji Iwamoto to win the AJPW Junior Heavyweight Title, but would lose it to SUGI in his first defense a month later
– In late 2021, Francesco left All Japan
– On October 17, the now-renamed Francesco Akira defeated Alex Flash & Rafael to win the SIW Italian Title, but lost it back to Alex Flash two weeks later
– Akira debuted for New Japan in April 2022, revealing himself to be the newest member of Will Ospreay’s United Empire stable. He would soon begin tagging with stablemate TJP as ‘Catch 22’
– On June 20, 2022, Catch 22 defeated Six Or Nine (Ryusuke Taguchi & Master Wato) to win the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Titles
– Akira won the 2022 Skandi Graps Tournament, defeating Xander in the final
– On September 25, Catch 22 (Akira & TJP) defeated Six Or Nine (Ryusuke Taguchi & Master Wato) to retain the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Titles
– On November 5, Catch 22 defeated Los Ingobernables de Japon (BUSHI & Titan) to retain the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Titles
– At the NJPW/Stardom X-Over event, United Empire (Akira, Kyle Fletcher, Mark Davis, Gideon Grey & TJP) defeated Los Ingobernables de Japon (Tetsuya Naito, Shingo Takagi, Hiromu Takahashi, SANADA & BUSHI)
– At Wrestle Kingdom 17, Catch 22 defeated Lio Rush & YOH to retain the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Titles
– At Dominion 2023, Catch 22 defeated Intergalactic Jet Setters (Kevin Knight & KUSHIDA) to regain the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Titles, having only lost them in April
– At the 2023 All Together Again event, United Empire (Akira, Jeff Cobb, Great-O-Khan, Aaron Henare & TJP) defeated Jun Saito, Rei Saito, Hikaru Sato, Dan Tamura & Ryuki Honda
– At Impact/NJPW Multiverse United 2, Catch 22 (Akira & TJP) defeated TMDK (Robbie Eagles & Kosei Fujita)
– Catch 22 won the 2023 Super Junior Tag League, defeating House of Torture (Yoshinobu Kanemaru & SHO) in the final
– At Wrestle Kingdom 18, Catch 22 defeated BULLET CLUB War Dogs (Clark Connors & Drilla Moloney) to win the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Titles
