Biography
Patrick Tanaka is an American professional wrestler recognized for his roles in the American Wrestling Association (AWA) as one half of Badd Company and in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) as one half of The Orient Express. He is the son of Duke Keomuka. Over a career spanning nearly three decades, Tanaka has competed in the AWA, WWF, World Championship Wrestling (WCW), Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW), Continental Wrestling Association (CWA), and New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW). Trained by his father Duke Keomuka, Hiro Matsuda, and the NJPW Dojo, Tanaka made his debut in 1984 with NJPW, facing opponents such as Keiichi Yamada, Shunji Kosugi, Black Cat, Naoki Sano, Tatsutoshi Goto, Shinichi Nakano, and Hirokazu Hata. After a year in NJPW, he began wrestling as a jobber for Jim Crockett Promotions in 1985. In 1986, Tanaka relocated to Memphis, Tennessee, working for Jerry Lawler and Jerry Jarrett’s Continental Wrestling Association. Early in his tenure, he teamed with Jeff Jarrett to capture the AWA Southern Tag Team Championship. Later that year, Tanaka paired with fellow tag-team specialist Paul Diamond to form Badd Company. The team quickly found success, winning the CWA/AWA International Tag Team Championship by defeating Tarzan Goto and Akio Sato on December 15, 1986. Their first reign was brief, losing the titles to The Sheepherders (Luke Williams and Butch Miller) on January 10, 1987. Badd Company regained the championships but dropped them again to Goto and Sato on February 5, 1987. Their third reign began on May 9, 1987, after defeating Mark Starr in a handicap match, though they soon lost the titles back to Starr and his new partner Billy Joe Travis. Badd Company secured the vacant International Tag Team titles once more on May 25, 1987, holding them until July 6, 1987, when they were defeated by Bill Dundee and Rocky Johnson, the final champions of the title. During their time in Memphis, Badd Company also won the CWA’s premier tag team title, the AWA Southern Tag Team Championship, by defeating Jeff Jarrett and Billy Joe Travis on August 8, 1987.
