Yuji Nagata

At 56 years old, Yuji Nagata has this physical status:

Yuji Nagata (born April 24, 1968) is a Japanese professional wrestler signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW).

He is known for his perennial tweener status, currently a solid fan favorite, and his stiff, shoot style wrestling technique. A former two-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion, World Heavyweight Champion and a GHC Heavyweight Champion.

He is the fifth longest-reigning IWGP Heavyweight Champion with a reign of 392 days.

He held the record for most successful title defenses with 10, until Hiroshi Tanahashi broke the record at Wrestle Kingdom VI.

He is the only wrestler to have won Japanese professional wrestling's three biggest singles tournaments; New Japan Pro-Wrestling's G1 Climax (in 2001), All Japan Pro Wrestling's Champion Carnival (in 2011) and Pro Wrestling Noah's Global League (in 2013).

Personal life

Nagata is married to a woman named Chieko. Together, they have a son named Yusei.

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Amateur wrestling career

Nagata was a good amateur wrestler before turning professional. In the amateur wrestling world, Nagata met future professional wrestling champion Minoru Suzuki. Suzuki placed Nagata first in a Tokyo high school tournament and then in the Japanese sectionals in 1986, when they were both seniors. Nagata has represented Japan twice in the Asian Championships, placing fifth in 1993 and fourth in 1994, and fifth in the 1991 World Championships, placing twentieth in the first class.

Professional wrestling career

Nagata began training in the NJPW Dojo in April 1992 and joined New Japan Pro-Wrestling. He made his debut on September 14th of this year, against Hiroyoshi Yamamoto. Nagata's stature soared during the 1995 inter-promotional match pitting NJPW faithfulists against UWF International wrestlers. Nagata learned the gun-style by Kazuo Yamazaki, who had returned to NJPW after leaving UWFI, and learned the look that has been his trademark ever since.

Nagata was promoted to the American World Championship Wrestling Association in February 1997 as an arrogant villain. Sonny Onoo, who also served as his translator, was in charge of him. With Nagata regularly injuring the Dragon's shoulder, he began feuding with ltimo Dragón. On October 26, the two rivals clashed at Halloween Havoc, with Nagata compeling his younger brother to obey with an arm submission hold. On November 23, they clashed with each other in a rematch at World War 3 on the condition that, if Dragon win, he would spend five minutes alone in the ring with the Interfering Onoo. Following Onoo's distraction, Nagata was able to pin Dragon, putting an end to the feud.

Nagata defeated Kensuke Sasaki in 1998 and entered a tournament for the WCW World Tag Team Championship's number one contender. Nagata and Sasaki won the tournament, but they were unable to capture the titles in their second title match. Nagata left WCW in August 1998 and returned to New Japan.

Nagata began competing for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship on his return to the country. Nagata defeated Scott Norton for the vacant title on September 23, 1998 (the previous champion, Masahiro Chono, had suffered a neck injury) in Yokohama but was dissatisfied.

Nagata and Manabu Nakanishi defeated Tatsutoshi Goto and Michiyoshi Ohara in the IWGP Tag Team Championship in Tokyo on August 28, 1999. They held the title until July 20, 2000, when they lost to Satoshi Kojima and Hiroyoshi Tenzan in Sapporo, Hokkaido. Nagata and Nakanishi feuded with Kojima and Tenzan for several months, but they were unable to regain power. On January 4, 2000, Kazuo Yamazaki retired, and Nagata became his last adversary, winning the match.

Nagata formed Fighting Club G-EGGS in March 2000, with all the stable members having legitimate sporting backgrounds. Manabu Nakanishi, Nagata's tag team member and co-IWGP Tag Team Champion at the time, as well as Brian Johnston, were among the stable members, including Masakazu Fukuda, Yutaka Yoshie, and Brian Johnston. Fukuda died in April 2000 after suffering from a brain hemorrhage during a match against rookie Katsuyori Shibata, and was honoured with a ten-bell salute and a tribute show in September of that year. Following Johnston's injury, his participation in the group was mainly limited, and Nagata eventually dropped G-EGGS on June 16, 2001.

Nagata claimed the 11th annual G1 Climax tournament in August 2001, defeating Keiji Mutoh in the finals by submission. Nagata had participated in the tournament twice before but was disqualified in semi-final matches on both directions. Nagata registered for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship once more after being vacated by the injured Kazuyuki Fujita on January 4, 2002, but the team lost to Tadao Yasuda in a tournament final on February 16, 2002. In the Nippon Budokan, Nagata defeated Yasuda for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship on April 5, 2002. Pro Wrestling Noah mainstay Yoshihiro Takayama struck Nagata immediately after his triumph. He held the title for thirteen months (setting a record for the most successful title defenses in the process) before losing in the Tokyo Dome on May 2, 2003.

He defeated Kensuke Sasaki in 2004 after 12 minutes of ferocious combat at the Tokyo Dome. Nagata formed "Team JAPAN" in April 2005, a group of former amateur wrestlers with a grudge against the younger generation of wrestlers in NJPW. Nagata defeated Brock Lesnar in the IWGP 3rd Belt Championship on December 11, 2005, but was disqualified.

Nagata was confirmed as a participant in the 2006 G1 Climax, his eighth appearance in the tournament, on June 28, 2006. At the Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship in Tokyo Dome, Nagata faced Minoru Suzuki, the new Triple Crown champion. Nagata lost after Suzuki used the Saka-otoshi. He did not submit, but the hold was enough to knock him out.

On March 21, 2007, he won the third annual New Japan Cup, becoming the first man to win both the New Japan Cup and the G1 Climax Tournaments. Nagata captured the IWGP Heavyweight Championship on April 13, 2007, marking his second appearance in the sport and the first time he has held the title since April 2002. Hiroshi Tanahashi won the IWGP title on October 8, 2007, beating Yuji Nagata at Tokyo Sumo Hall. Yuji met Kurt Angle in January 2008 for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship, which was defeated by submission.

Nagata returned from an undisclosed accident in the summer of 2008 to lead New Japan over Zero1 as the New Japan's ace. Yuji argued particularly with World Heavyweight Champion Masato Tanaka, and Nagata defeated Tanaka to win the World Heavyweight Championship following two Backdrop Drivers on October 13, a New Japan event. He recently defended the belt against Kohei Sato. Nagata appeared in his V2 title defense against Tatsuhito Takaiwa on December 16th.

Nagata would defend the belt at the Wrestle Kingdom III Dome Exhibition after this triumph. Nagata won his third battle against Tanaka in 11:41 after a Backdrop Suplex Hold.

Nagata defeated Hirooki Goto at New Japan's ISM tour on February 15, a match that was supposed to take place at last year's ISM tour show. After a Dragon Suplex Hold, Nagata lost the World Heavyweight Championship to Shinjiro Otani on February 27. Nagata and Hiroshi Tanahashi would defeat Masahiro Chono and Goto the following day. Nagata revealed his participation in the New Japan Cup and planned on winning so he could face the winner of the Tanahashi-Angle IWGP Championship match. Nagata will progress to the semifinals of the tournament before losing to Hirooki Goto. Nagata's stable Seigigun ("Blue Justice Army") was formed in 2009 with Wataru Inoue, Mitsuhide Hirasawa, and Super Strong Machine. Yuji had begun mentoring Both Inoue & Hirasawa, and Strong Machine, and Yuji had started teaching at New Japan's dojo.

In a three-way match, Nagata and Wataru Inoue defeated No Limit (Tetsuya Naito and Yujiro Takahashi) and Bad Intentions (Giant Bernard and Karl Anderson) to win the IWGP Tag Team Championship on May 3, 2010. Nagata and Inoue lost the Tag Team Championship to Bernard and Anderson in a three-way elimination match, which also included No Limits, on June 19 at Dominion 6.19. Mitsushide Hirasawa went to Puerto Rico in September and was awarded King Fale, who was also trained by Nagata & Strong Machine, in September. Nagata and Inoue joined the 2010 G1 Tag Tournament on October 22, 2010. Nagata and Inoue won their block and advanced to the semifinals of the tournament, where they defeated the IWGP Tag Team Champions, Giant Bernard, and Karl Anderson after four victories and a loss. Nagata and Inoue won the 2010 G1 Tag League, ten years after Nagata defeated Tetsuya Naito and Yujiro Takahashi for the first time. Nagata and Inoue won the IWGP Tag Team Championship on December 11, 2010, but the defending champions, Bad Intentions, denied them a shot at the IWGP Tag Team Championship on December 11, 2010. Minoru Suzuki returned to New Japan the next day and reignited his old rivalry with Nagata by attacking him after a match. Nagata defeated Suzuki in a grudge match on January 4, 2011, at Wrestle Kingdom V in Tokyo Dome. Nagata defeated Giant Bernard in his first round match on March 13, advancing to the 2011 New Japan Cup. Nagata defeated Masato Tanaka in the semifinals of the tournament on March 19 and then Shinsuke Nakamura in the finals on March 20, the tournament's top contender. Nagata qualified for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship on April 3, but Hiroshi Tanahashi, the current champion, defeated him. Nagata defeated Seiya Sanada in the finals and became only the fourth man to have won both the Champion Carnival and G1 Climax tournaments the following week. Mitsuhide Hirasawa, a Seigigun member who now works under the ring name Hideo Saito, returned from his Puerto Rican tour, turning on Nagata and joining Chaos on June 18th. Nagata earned his prize by winning the Champion Carnival on the following day, but Suwama defeated him. Nagata competed in the 2011 G1 Climax, winning five out of a total of five times, and he hoped to progress to the final day of the tournament with a chance of making it to the finals. However, Hideo Saito, his former protégé who had lost all eight of his previous matches in the G1 Climax, was barred from contention for a spot in the finals. Nagata appeared to have wrapped up his rivalry with Saito by defeating him in a singles match, but Toru Yano, his CHAOS stablemate, was subsequently chastised. Nagata defeated Yano by rolling him up for the three counts on October 10 at Destruction '11, a new feature. Nagata defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi in the IWGP Heavyweight Championship after the main event. However, Tanahashi had accepted the challenge, Yano, who then proceeded to rob the championship belt, struck him. After Tanahashi beat Yano for the title, he defended it against Nagata on December 4, tying his record of ten successful defenses in the process.

Nagata teamed with Wataru Inoue in a tag team match where they were defeated by the All Japan Pro Wrestling team of Masakatsu Funaki and Masayuki Kono on January 4, 2012. Nagata broke Funaki's orbital bone during the match, effectively ending him from in-ring action for at least six months. Nagata began appearing in More Regular Publications for All Japan, sparring with Funaki's protégé, Kono, in the hopes of Funaki's return in the summer. Nagata lost in All Japan's 2012 Champions Carnival in April and May, losing his only round-robin loss to Kono. Nagata was defeated by Taiy-kea in the semifinals of the tournament on May 7, which went on to win the entire tournament. Nagata was defeated by Masakatsu Funaki in a gruesome match on July 29, which was a grudge match. Nagata commemorated his 20th anniversary of professional wrestling with an exhibition that saw him, Jun Akiyama and Masaaki Mochizuki defeat Kazuchika Nakamura and Yujiro Takahashi in the main event, with Nagata defeating Takahashi for the win. Nagata and Mochizuki competed in the 2012 World Tag League's round-robin round, winning and two losses, barely missing out on the tournament's semifinals.

Nagata defeated Minoru Suzuki in another chapter of their long rivalry on January 4, 2013 in Tokyo Dome. Nagata launched a new rivalry with Kazushi Sakuraba, which culminated in them teaming up in October to battle Chaos together. When Toru Yano interfered on November 6, 3 days before Nagata & Sakuraba meet Iizuka & Yano, Nagata defeated Chaos' Takashi Izuka (Nagata's former tag partner) by disqualification. They defeated Iizuka & Yano when Sakuraba submitted Iizuka at Power Struggle. Nagata spent the majority of NJPW's World Tag League tour after winning Noah's Global League, but due to Noah's absences, the tournament itself took a break. On the first day of the tour, he met Izuka one on one and then disqualified, this time after Iizuka choke Nagata. Nagata & Sakuraba would meet again on the final day of the tour to face Iizuka and his Chaos stablemate, Yoshi-Hashi. In just over 9 minutes, Sakuraba beat Nagata and Nagata.

Nagata and Sakuraba clashed with Daniel Gracie & Rolles Gracie on January 4, 2014, Nagata and Sakuraba teamed up on January 4, 2014, Nagata winning after Daniel illegally used his sleeve to choke Nagata. Chaos' Toru Yano & Takashi Iizuka took the lead after Sakuraba used Iguka's iron glove on them at The New Beginning in Hiroshima, Nagata, and Sakuraba. They took on the Gracies again at The New Beginning in Osaka, this time under Brazilian jiujitsu exhibition laws. Rolles won the Gracies after beating Sakuraba. Nagata competed in the 2014 G1 Climax, where he won four victories and six losses in what was the largest field in the G1's history. Nagata's victories came over Tomoaki Honma, Davey Boy Smith Jr., Katsuyori Shibata, & Shelton 'X' Benjamin. Kazushi Sakuraba had joined Chaos at one point, but Nagata & Manabu Nakanishi had reformed their tag team to face Tencozy for the NWA World Tag Team Championship in Okayama in September. When Kojima pinned Nagata after a Lariat, Tencozy was retained. Nagata returned to New Japan for the World Tag League 2014 tour, this time competing in Noah's Global League for the second time. Nagata joined Nakanishi in the league for the first time since 2007, with the pair winning by 'Meiyu Tag' (Bridging High Angle Belly-to-Back Suplex) on Shibata.

Nagata started his 2015 season without a match on January 4 in Tokyo, but he dominated New Japan Rumble, pinning Yoshi-Hashi with a Backdrop Driver to win. In a six-man tag team match involving the IWGP Intercontinental Champion, Shinsuke Nakamura, Nagata pinned Yoshi-Hashi next night. After the match, Nagata met Nakamura. Nagata defeated Nakamura in the IWGP Intercontinental Championship in Sendai on February 14, 2015. Nagata participated in the 2014 New Japan Cup, losing in the first round to Hirooki Goto after a 'Shouten-Kai' (Vertical Suplex Side Slam). Nagata competed in the 2015 G1 Climax from July 23 to August 15. Nagata ended his tournament with a big win over Hirooki Goto, the current IWGP Intercontinental Champion, despite finishing with a record of only three wins and six losses. In the World Tag League, Nagata will compete with Nakanishi. The pair won and four losses in the 2015 tournament, but Nagata won over former tag team partner Kazushi Sakuraba with the Backdrop Driver.

In Tokyo Dome's pre-show, Nagata appeared in the New Japan Rumble on Wrestle Kingdom 10 this time, but this time he was disqualified by King Haku, who was defeated by him. Nagata participated in the 2016 New Japan Cup, being disqualified by Hirooki Goto in the first round by Hirooki Goto, this time with the 'Goto Shiki' pin. Nagata began feuding with former tag partner Sakuraba after the tour. Nagata, Kojima, & Jyushin Thunder Liger defeated Sakuraba, Yano & Yoshi-Hashi when Nagata pinned Yoshi-Hashi with the Backdrop Hold at Invasion Attack 2016, which culminated in the feud. Nagata, Kojima, & Nakanishi cornered Tenzan for his NEVER Openweight Championship match against Shibata later this year. Nagata challenged Shibata for the belt after Tenzan's loss. Nagata captured his first NJPW singles title in nine years in 2016, beating Katsuyori Shibata in the NEVER Openweight Championship on May 3, 2016. On June 19 in Osaka-jo Hall, he lost the title to Shibata. Nagata participated in the 2016 G1 Climax, with three wins and six losses from July 22 to August 13. He won his first three matches, the most notable being his first one against Tetsu Naito, the reigning IWGP Heavyweight Champion. Nagata & Nakanishi teamed up to defeat Hunter Club (Yoshitatsu & Captain New Japan) after Nagata pinned Captain after an 'Exploder of Justice' (Exploder Suplex). When taking on reDRagon (Kyle O'Reilly & Bobby Fish) at Destruction in Kobe, the pair would fall short, as O'Reilly would prepare Nakanishi with an armbar. Captain New Japan will also betray Yoshitatsu for Bullet Club at this exhibition. Nagata and Shibata have joined together for the 2016 World Tag League. This pairing will be more fruitful for Nagata, with four victories and three losses, including a win over tournament champions G'B'H. (Togi Makabe and Tomoaki Honma)

Nagata debuted on the Wrestle Kingdom pre-show in 2017. Hiro Saito, NJPW's legendary competitor, was disqualified again in the New Japan Rumble. Nagata returned to Japan in 2017 after replacing a severely injured Tomoaki Honma. In the first round, he defeated Tanga Loa with a Backdrop Driver before losing to Evil. Nagata moved to a much smaller role around this time, focusing on younger New Japan's young prospects' mentoring and education. He competed in his final G1 Climax, where he finished with a record of one win and eight losses. Despite being scheduled to miss eight of his nine matches, Nagata's "probably his best in-ring tournament," according to Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, despite the fact that several people have selected him as the tournament MVP. Fale showed him love by bowing down to him and leaving the field immediately after losing his final G1 match to Bad Luck Fale. Nagata reformed his team with Nakanishi in the 2017 World Tag League, winning two games and five losses. Nagata defeated former tag team partner Takashi Izuka with a Backdrop Driver, while Nakanishi won a submission over Nagata's trainee Fale's team when he presented Chase Owens with an Argentine Backbreaker.

Nagata will spend most of 2018 with the Young Lions. He appeared in the New Japan Rumble at Wrestle Kingdom 12, this time defeated by Nakanishi, Chase Owens, & Katsuya Kitamura all at once.

The following night, at New Year Dash!

He worked with Tenzan, Kojima & Nakanishi to defeat the 4 Young lions in training at the time, including Nagata, Shota Umino, Tetsuhiro & Ren Narita, all of whom Nagata had a hand in preparation, to defeat the 4 Young lions in training. The All Asia Tag Team Championship in Nagata, Japan's Special, was won by Nagata and Jun Akiyama on February 3. On March 25, the pair first defended themselves against a revived 'Wild Child' (Nakanishi & Takao Omori), then against 'Nextream' (Naoya & Yuma Aoyagi) on June 12. Nagata participated in the 'Strong Machine Justice' event, battling Los Ingobernables de Japón (Hiroshi Tanahashi), Strong Machine Don (Ryu & Bushi), Andya Naito (Strong Machine Ace), Hiromu Takahashi (History) & Strong Machine 69 (Ryu Nagya) and Strong Machine 69 (Ryusuke Taguchi). Nagata & Akiyama will lose their tag belts a month later to Nexteam at AJPW's 'Summer Action Series' on July 29. Nagata & Nakanishi have rejoined the World Tag League for the second time, winning three victories and ten losses in the 2018 tournament.Nagata renamed Michael Elgin in a gauntlet match to choose the top two candidates to the NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Championships teaming Jeff Cobb and David Finlay, but were dissatisfied.

The next day at New Years Dash!!

Nagata began a feud with Tomohiro Ishii. With Ishii beating Nagata after a Vertical Drop Brainbuster, the match will come to an end in the first round of the New Japan Cup. Nagata & Nakanishi, two teams from the 2019 World Tag League, have joined up in what promises to be Nakanishi's last Tag League. With two victories and thirteen losses, the pair tied for their final tournament together, finishing last. Nagata revealed in December 2019 that his deal with NJPW would continue to be fought in 2020.

Nagata was backstage at Wrestle Kingdom 14, this time in a tag team match against Nakanishi, which they lost. This will be Nakanishi's last match in the Dome. Nagata participated in Nakanishi's retirement match on February 22, joining Nakanishi & Tencozy. They met Chaos' Kazuchika Okada & Hirooki Goto, and NJPW's Hiroshi Tanahashi & Kota Ibushi in a losing effort after Nakanishi was pinched by Tanahashi following a 'High Fly Flow' (Frog splash). Nagata participated in the 2020 New Japan Cup, which was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, defeating long-time rival Minoru Suzuki in round one before losing to Kazuchika Okada in the second round. Suzuki became enraged by Nagata's death, declared war on Nagata, with Suzuki eventually defeating him in a singles match on Day 4 of New Japan's Summer Struggle series, bringing an end to their feud. Nagata did not qualify for the tournament after Nakanishi retired and a smaller field in the 2020 World Tag League.

Nagata took the pre-show at Wrestle Kingdom 15 in Tokyo Dome in January 2021. He and Suzuki, who were screaming, were disqualified from the top rope by Toa Henare at the New Japan Rambo, where they were defeated simultaneously by Toa Henare over the top rope.

2 nights later, at New Year Dash!

Nagata Lock II' defeated Young Lion, Gabriel Kidd, by submission in 7 minutes and 59 seconds (Arm-Trap Crossface).

Jon Moxley, who competes for both NJPW and American promotion All Elite Wrestling (AEW), a company that NJPW partners with Nagata, will face Nagata in a match for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship. The match was televised between the two teams on April 29 for the AEW's television show Dynamite's May 12 episode. Moxley won the match and they bowed to each other in respect afterwards.

Jon Moxley teased that he would be joined by a mystery tag team member in his match against The Good Brothers in the lead-up to Resurgence. Nagata was revealed to be the mystery partner at the masquerade on August 14, as the event was held. The Good Brothers defeated Moxley and Nagata in ten minutes and 33 seconds.

Tetsuya Naito was forced to withdraw from the G1 Climax 31 due to a knee injury he suffered during his match with Zack Saber Junior on September 21st. As a result, the majority of Naito's matches were postponed and replaced with Special Singles Matches. Nagata will be battling two of these teams, as well as Tanga Loa on September 23rd and Shingo Takagi on September 26.

Nagata's 2012 World League, where he won four out of his six matches, with a loss to GHC Heavyweight Champion Takeshi Morishima on the final day, costing him a spot in the finals. Nagata competed in Pro Wrestling Noah's 2013 Global League, defeating Takeshi Morishima in the finals on November 10 and becoming the first wrestler to win the G1 Climax, the Champion Carnival, and the Global League from late October 2013 to early November. Nagata had a chance to compete in the GHC Heavyweight Championship as a result of his Global League victory, but the defending champion, Kenta, was defeated on December 7. Nagata defeated Takeshi Morishima to become the new champion on February 8, 2014. In his fifth defense, he lost the title to Naomichi Marufuji.

Nagata's 'Maybach Blue Justice' teamed with Maybach Tanihchi and Manabu Nakanishi in the Arukas Cup Six-Man Tag Team Tournament in August 2015 (representing as 'Maybach Don'). They won the tournament, defeating Suzuki-gun's Minoru Suzuki, Takashi Iizuka, and El Desperado in the final.

Mixed martial arts career

Nagata has also participated in two mixed martial arts bouts, losing in 21 seconds to Mirko Cro Cop at Inoki Bom-Ba-Ye 2001 (Crop's third mixed martial arts fight), and in 1 minute, 2 seconds to Fedor Emelianenko at Inoki Bom-Ba-Ye 2003.'

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