Katsuhiko Nakajima
Encyclopedia
is a Japanese
professional wrestler
, represented as a freelancer by his mentor Kensuke Sasaki's
Kensuke Office dojo and agency. He along with Sasaki and other Kensuke Office graduates currently most frequently wrestle in Pro Wrestling Noah
, where he is the current GHC Junior Heavyweight Champion
in his third reign, as well as sporadic self-produced independent shows. Prior to that Nakajima wrestled for All Japan Pro Wrestling
, where he is a former AJPW World Junior Heavyweight Champion
.
Having made his professional debut aged 15, Nakajima has already made a significant impact on puroresu
, earning the nickname "Supernova" and facing Hall of Famers
such as Kenta Kobashi
, Satoru Sayama
, Jushin Liger
, and Tatsumi Fujinami
. He has competed in several notable Japanese promotions, including New Japan Pro Wrestling
, All Japan Pro Wrestling
, Inoki Genome Federation
, Pro Wrestling Zero1, Michinoku Pro
, Dragon Gate
, and currently, Noah.
He has set several age records over his short career, including being the youngest wrestler to compete in AJPW's Champion's Carnival
tournament and the youngest to hold the AJPW Junior Heavyweight Championship. He won the Tokyo Sports Grand Prix "Rookie of the Year" award in 2004 and the Fighting Spirit award in 2005.
, Nakajima was hired by Riki Chōshū
's World Japan
promotion in December 2002 at the age of 14. He debuted for World Japan (WJ) in September 2003, facing American fighter Jason Leigh in a steel cage vale tudo
match, winning via knockout in one minute and thirty-five seconds. His true professional wrestling debut came on the main event of World Japan's "RESOLUTION" card on January 5, 2004, losing via submission to Tomohiro Ishii.
Nakajima continued to wrestle for WJ for a short time, even wrestling the original Tiger Mask Satoru Sayama
before signing with Kensuke Office in April. This led to his debut with New Japan Pro Wrestling
, facing legendary junior heavyweight Jushin Liger
in the Tokyo Dome
on May 3, 2004. He made his debut with All Japan Pro Wrestling the next day, successfully teaming with Toshiaki Kawada
in a six-man tag team match. He continued to wrestle for both promotions extensively throughout 2004, even competing in Block B of NJPW's Best of the Super Juniors
tournament, finishing with two points by defeating Curry Man
and reaching the finals of the Young Lion Toukon (fighting spirit) tournament, losing to Ryusuke Taguchi
.
On June 12, 2004 in AJPW, Nakajima received the first championship match of his career, teaming with Kensuke Sasaki to unsuccessfully challenge Masanobu Fuchi
& Genichiro Tenryu
for the AJPW All Asia Tag Team Championship
. On September 17, 2004, Nakajima made his debut in Dragon Gate
on their pay-per-view
Gate of Sanctuary, losing to Masaaki Mochizuki
. The following month, Nakajima entered the Osaka Pro
Tenno-zan single-elimination tournament
, losing to eventual winner Big Boss MA-G-MA
in the first round. Nakajima and Sasaki teamed up in the World's Strongest Tag Team League
in November and December 2004, finishing with four points in Block B.
TAKA Michinoku
. His appearances in NJPW became much more sporadic around this time, with his final match to date taking place on April 24, 2005, a loss to 6-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion Tatsumi Fujinami
.
On May 7, 2005, Katsuhiko participated in the 2005 Differ Cup
, a biennial cross-promotional junior heavyweight tag team tournament, teaming with Osaka Pro's Takehiro Murahama; the two lost to Super Shisa and Tiger Emperor
in the first round. He also teamed with Tomoaki Honma
in a tournament throughout June 2005 to decide the vacant All Asia Tag Team Championship, making it to the finals before losing to Shuji Kondo
& "brother" YASSHI
. Just over one month later on July 26, 2005, Nakajima and Kensuke Sasaki defeated Kondo and YASSHI for the titles in their second defense, giving Nakajima his first championship. They would continue to defend the titles through 2005, against such teams as Arashi
& Ryuji Hijikata and Buchanan
& D'Lo Brown
.
On July 18, 2005, Nakajima made his debut in Pro Wrestling Noah
, wrestling in a six-man tag team match in the Tokyo Dome. He would continue by teaming with Kensuke Sasaki against Kenta Kobashi
and his own protege Go Shiozaki
in an inter-generation tag team match on November 5, 2005, with Sasaki pinning Shiozaki after a lariat. This match was rated 4 3/4 out of 5 stars by wrestling journalist Dave Meltzer
, one of only eight NOAH matches to receive that or a higher rating.
Nakajima made his debut for Pro Wrestling ZERO1-MAX
on July 9, 2005, winning a six-man junior tag team match. He went on to defeat Osamu Namiguchi on August 31 for his first singles title, the WWA World Junior Light Heavyweight Championship
, though whether this can be considered part of the title's official lineage is disputed. He held it until June 24, 2006, losing the title to premier ZERO1-MAX junior Tatsuhito Takaiwa
. This is to date Nakajima's last appearance with the promotion.
On February 11, 2006 at a Kensuke Office show celebrating Kensuke Sasaki's 20th career anniversary, Nakajima teamed with Genichiro Tenryu against the "dream team" of Kenta Kobashi and Kensuke Sasaki, falling to a Sasaki lariat. On March 21, 2006, Nakajima won a three-way elimination match in AJPW, defeating both Tomoaki Honma and NOSAWA Rongai to earn a spot in Block B of the prestigious 2006 Champion's Carnival
, becoming the youngest man to participate in the tournament. Nakajima finished in last place in the block with two points by defeating D'Lo Brown
. On April 19, 2006, Nakajima entered Big Mouth Loud
(BML), losing to company ace Katsuyori Shibata. The following month, Nakajima and Kensuke Sasaki battled in Big Japan Pro Wrestling
(BJW), defeating Big Japan's Daisuke Sekimoto
and Dramatic Dream Team
's (DDT) Daichi Kakimoto in a tag team match when Nakajima pinned Kakimoto.
Nakajima then participated in the 2006 Junior League
tournament from June 25, 2006 to July 3, 2006, to decide a challenger for the Junior Heavyweight Championship; Katsuhiko won his block with five points, before losing in the final to Kaz Hayashi
. On July 2, 2006, Nakajima's partner Kensuke Sasaki suffered a left eye fracture in a match against Katsuyori Shibata in BML, taking him out of action for the foreseeable future and forcing the team to vacate the All Asia Tag Team Championship on October 29, 2006 after holding the titles since July 2005.
On October 15, 2006, Katsuhiko Nakajima and Kaz Hayashi were announced as one of seven teams in the 2006 World's Strongest Tag Team League, to take place in December 2006. They had a strong showing in the tournament, defeating such teams as NOSAWA Rongai & Triple Crown Champion
Minoru Suzuki
and RO'Z
& Suwama
and drawing with Taiyō Kea
& TAKA Michinoku, finishing with 5 points overall. On November 14, 2006, Nakajima wrestled in the main event of the debut show of the Global Professional Wrestling Alliance
, a cooperation of several different promotions, teaming with NOAH's Go Shiozaki and El Dorado
's Takuya Sugawara
to defeat ZERO1-MAX's Ryouji Sai
, Dramatic Dream Team
's HARASHIMA and Kaientai Dojo
's KAZMA.
& "brother" YASSHI. The following day Nakajima faced YASSHI in a match to determine Shuji Kondo's next challenger for the Junior Heavyweight Championship, winning via disqualification when Kondo himself interfered. He made his challenge on February 17, 2007, defeating Kondo to end his 16-month reign, and becoming the youngest junior heavyweight champion in history. Nakajima made his first defense of the title on April 30, 2007, defeating Kondo's Voodoo Murders
partner "brother" YASSHI, as well as Ryuji Hijikata on May 27, 2007.
Nakajima once again participated in the Junior League in June 2007, finishing in third place for his block with four points, behind Hijikata and Kondo. The league was won by American wrestler Chris Sabin
, setting up a title match between Sabin and Nakajima on August 26, 2007, in which Nakajima was victorious. On September 1, 2007, Nakajima challenged Pro Wrestling Noah's Takeshi Morishima
for his ROH World Championship
in the main event of a Kensuke Office show, putting up a good fight but losing in the end. On September 19, 2007, Nakajima was pinned in a tag team match by visiting luchador Silver King, who then challenged Nakajima to a future junior heavyweight title match. The match was made official for October 18, 2007 at All Japan's 35th anniversary show; on October 8, 2007, Nakajima suffered a fractured navicular bone
in his right hand, forcing him off of several shows on the tour, though he defended the title as scheduled. When the match came, Nakajima and Silver King fought to a no contest, forcing PWF commissioner Hiroshi Hase to hold up the title belt, although Nakajima remained the official champion. Katsuhiko then took time off to nurse his injured hand.
and KUSHIDA, as well as Kaz Hayashi and El Samurai
in the final, who had defeated them in the group stage. On March 28, 2008, Nakajima faced and defeated Osaka Pro
and Dragon Gate wrestler Magnitude Kishiwada
on Kensuke Office's first event in the Fukuoka region.
In March and April 2008, Nakajima and Sasaki participated in Pro Wrestling Noah's Global Tag League, a 9-team round-robin tag team tournament. The two finished tied in 5th place with 8 points, defeating the teams of Jun Akiyama
and Takeshi Rikio
, D'Lo Brown and Buchanan, and Go Shiozaki and Akira Taue
, and drawing with Takeshi Morishima and Mohammed Yone
, and GHC Tag Team Champions
Naomichi Marufuji
and Takashi Sugiura
. On May 25, 2008 in AJPW, Nakajima and Sasaki lost to Taiyō Kea and Minoru Suzuki in a match to determine the #1 contenders to the AJPW Unified World Tag Team Championship
. On June 13, 2008 at Kensuke Office's "Take the Dream Vol. 5", Nakajima faced NOAH's Kenta
, losing the contest after 27 minutes. The following night in NOAH, Sasaki and Nakajima faced Kenta Kobashi and Kenta, wrestling to a 30-minute time limit draw. On June 29, 2008, Nakajima wrestled what would be his last match in AJPW for the time being, teaming with Kaz Hayashi to defeat Ryuji Hijikata and T28. Nakajima began to wrestle consistently with NOAH starting July 2, 2008, and it was announced the following week that he and the rest of Kensuke Office would be lending their support to NOAH instead of All Japan for the foreseeable future. Among Nakajima's first matches in NOAH were singles contests against former GHC Heavyweight Champions
Jun Akiyama and Mitsuharu Misawa
on July 5, 2008 and July 13, 2008 respectively, losing both matches.
In August and September 2008, Nakajima entered NOAH's annual NTV Cup junior heavyweight tag team league, teaming with DDT's Kota Ibushi
in the 8-team tournament. The two finished in fifth place with eight points, including a victory over 2007 winners, as well as the eventual 2008 winners, Kenta and Taiji Ishimori
. Nakajima and Ibushi would team once more on September 8, 2008 on a co-production between DDT and SEM, NOAH's offshoot promotion for younger wrestlers, against DDT's HARASHIMA and Antonio Honda. The match originally went to a 20-minute time limit draw, but was restarted and Nakajima pinned Honda shortly thereafter. On September 14, 2008, Nakajima participated in American promotion Ring of Honor
's second tour of Japan, teaming with Naomichi Marufuji against Kenta and Kota Ibushi in a special tag match. The two teams went to a 30-minute time limit draw; the match was restarted, but ended once more in a draw after an additional five minutes expired. The following week on September 20, Nakajima wrestled his first match in the United States, challenging GHC Junior Heavyweight Champion
Bryan Danielson
at ROH's Glory by Honor VII. Danielson would retain his title, making Nakajima submit to the Cattle Mutilation.
He would then lose the GHC Junior Heavyweight Championship back to Kenta via a Go 2 Sleep at the March 1st Pro Wrestling Noah event; coincidentally, Sasaki would lose the GHC Heavyweight Title later that night.
On Nov. 13 Nakajima made his return to Ring of Honor
in Novi, Michigan
in a losing effort against Kenny Omega. The next night in Mississauga Ontario
he was victorious against El Generico
in a match that was hard hitting and fast paced. The fans in turn gave Nakajima the "please come back" chant.
to win the GHC Junior Heavyweight Championship for the second time. However, he was forced to vacate the title just nine days later, after undergoing surgery for acute appendicitis
. Nakajima returned on November 27 and defeated Ricky Marvin
in a decision match to regain the GHC Junior Heavyweight Championship.
Japanese people
The are an ethnic group originating in the Japanese archipelago and are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan. People of Japanese ancestry who live in other countries...
professional wrestler
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
, represented as a freelancer by his mentor Kensuke Sasaki's
Kensuke Sasaki
is a Japanese professional wrestler who currently wrestles for various promotions through his own agency, Kensuke Office. He is the first of two men ever to hold all 3 of puroresu's major heavyweight titles , the other being Yoshihiro Takayama.-Early years :Kensuke Sasaki...
Kensuke Office dojo and agency. He along with Sasaki and other Kensuke Office graduates currently most frequently wrestle in Pro Wrestling Noah
Pro Wrestling Noah
is a major Japanese professional wrestling promotion, founded in 2000 by former All Japan Pro Wrestling ace Mitsuharu Misawa. NOAH is broadcast weekly in Japan...
, where he is the current GHC Junior Heavyweight Champion
GHC Junior Heavyweight Championship
The Global Honored Crown Junior Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling title in Japanese promotion Pro Wrestling Noah, specifically for junior heavyweight The Global Honored Crown (GHC) Junior Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling title in Japanese promotion Pro...
in his third reign, as well as sporadic self-produced independent shows. Prior to that Nakajima wrestled for All Japan Pro Wrestling
All Japan Pro Wrestling
is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion established in 1972. All Japan Pro Wrestling still remains one of the most popular puroresu promotions still in operation.-The Giant Baba Era :...
, where he is a former AJPW World Junior Heavyweight Champion
AJPW World Junior Heavyweight Championship
The All Japan Pro Wrestling World Junior Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling title in Japanese promotion All Japan Pro Wrestling, contested exclusively among junior heavyweight The All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW) World Junior Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling...
.
Having made his professional debut aged 15, Nakajima has already made a significant impact on puroresu
Professional wrestling in Japan
Puroresu is the popular term for the predominant style or genre of professional wrestling that has developed in Japan. The term comes from the Japanese pronunciation of "professional wrestling" , which is shortened to puroresu . The term became popular among English-speaking fans due to Hisaharu...
, earning the nickname "Supernova" and facing Hall of Famers
Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame
The Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame is a professional wrestling hall of fame that recognizes people who make significant contributions to the sport. It was founded in 1996 by Dave Meltzer, editor of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. The Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame is not...
such as Kenta Kobashi
Kenta Kobashi
Not to be confused with his protégé Kenta Kobayashi is a Japanese professional wrestler currently under contract to Pro Wrestling Noah. He worked for All Japan Pro Wrestling from 1988–2000, where he became one of the promotion's top stars....
, Satoru Sayama
Satoru Sayama
is a Japanese professional wrestler, best known as the original Tiger Mask. He's wrestled under his real name as well as the names Sammy Lee, and masked Super Tiger, Tiger King, Tiger Mask and The Mask of Tiger...
, Jushin Liger
Jushin Liger
, better known as and later, is a Japanese professional wrestler who primarily works for New Japan Pro Wrestling.He has wrestled and beaten many of the top smaller wrestlers in both Japan and the United States, and is frequently cited as one of the greatest and most revolutionary junior...
, and Tatsumi Fujinami
Tatsumi Fujinami
is a Japanese professional wrestler who is famous for his gimmick as "The Dragon." He is the one who is credited for inventing the Dragon Sleeper and the Dragon Suplex...
. He has competed in several notable Japanese promotions, including New Japan Pro Wrestling
New Japan Pro Wrestling
is a major professional wrestling promotion in Japan, founded by Antonio Inoki in June 1972 and owned by Yuke's since 2005, when Inoki sold the promotion. Naoki Sugabayashi is the current President of the promotion and has held that position from 2007. Owing to its TV program aired on TV Asahi, it...
, All Japan Pro Wrestling
All Japan Pro Wrestling
is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion established in 1972. All Japan Pro Wrestling still remains one of the most popular puroresu promotions still in operation.-The Giant Baba Era :...
, Inoki Genome Federation
Inoki Genome Federation
Inoki Genome Federation is a professional wrestling promotion in Japan founded by Antonio Inoki in 2007.The IGF is now also the official National Wrestling Alliance territory of Japan, since Antonio Inoki is the person who holds those rights and transferred them to IGF from New Japan Pro...
, Pro Wrestling Zero1, Michinoku Pro
Michinoku Pro Wrestling
Michinoku Pro Wrestling is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion, founded by The Great Sasuke in 1993. Michinoku Pro was the first independent wrestling promotion in Japan to not base its operations in Tokyo, but rather in Morioka, Iwate...
, Dragon Gate
Dragon Gate
is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion formerly known as Toryumon Japan. Most of Dragon Gate's wrestlers are graduates from Último Dragón's Toryumon Gym, and thus the promotion is based on a Junior Heavyweight style with varying emphasis on high flying maneuvers, flashy technical grappling,...
, and currently, Noah.
He has set several age records over his short career, including being the youngest wrestler to compete in AJPW's Champion's Carnival
Champion's Carnival
The Champion's Carnival is an annual professional wrestling tournament held by All Japan Pro Wrestling, established in 1973. Originally a single-elimination tournament, the Champion's Carnival is currently held as a round-robin, with a victory worth 2 points, a time limit draw worth 1 and a loss,...
tournament and the youngest to hold the AJPW Junior Heavyweight Championship. He won the Tokyo Sports Grand Prix "Rookie of the Year" award in 2004 and the Fighting Spirit award in 2005.
2002-2004
An accomplished jūdōkaJudo
is a modern martial art and combat sport created in Japan in 1882 by Jigoro Kano. Its most prominent feature is its competitive element, where the object is to either throw or takedown one's opponent to the ground, immobilize or otherwise subdue one's opponent with a grappling maneuver, or force an...
, Nakajima was hired by Riki Chōshū
Riki Choshu
Mitsuo Yoshida , better known by his stage name Riki Chōshū , is a Korean-Japanese professional wrestler who is most known for his longtime work in New Japan Pro Wrestling as a wrestler and a booker...
's World Japan
Fighting World of Japan Pro Wrestling
Fighting World of Japan Pro-Wrestling, frequently shortened to World Japan or WJ, and also known as "Riki Pro", was a professional wrestling promotion formed in Japan in 2003....
promotion in December 2002 at the age of 14. He debuted for World Japan (WJ) in September 2003, facing American fighter Jason Leigh in a steel cage vale tudo
Vale tudo
Vale tudo are full-contact unarmed combat events, with a limited number of rules, that became popular in Brazil during the 20th century. Vale tudo has been considered a combat sport by some observers...
match, winning via knockout in one minute and thirty-five seconds. His true professional wrestling debut came on the main event of World Japan's "RESOLUTION" card on January 5, 2004, losing via submission to Tomohiro Ishii.
Nakajima continued to wrestle for WJ for a short time, even wrestling the original Tiger Mask Satoru Sayama
Satoru Sayama
is a Japanese professional wrestler, best known as the original Tiger Mask. He's wrestled under his real name as well as the names Sammy Lee, and masked Super Tiger, Tiger King, Tiger Mask and The Mask of Tiger...
before signing with Kensuke Office in April. This led to his debut with New Japan Pro Wrestling
New Japan Pro Wrestling
is a major professional wrestling promotion in Japan, founded by Antonio Inoki in June 1972 and owned by Yuke's since 2005, when Inoki sold the promotion. Naoki Sugabayashi is the current President of the promotion and has held that position from 2007. Owing to its TV program aired on TV Asahi, it...
, facing legendary junior heavyweight Jushin Liger
Jushin Liger
, better known as and later, is a Japanese professional wrestler who primarily works for New Japan Pro Wrestling.He has wrestled and beaten many of the top smaller wrestlers in both Japan and the United States, and is frequently cited as one of the greatest and most revolutionary junior...
in the Tokyo Dome
Tokyo Dome
Tokyo Dome is a 55,000-seat baseball stadium located in Bunkyo Ward of Tokyo, Japan.The stadium opened for business on March 17, 1988. It was built on the site of the Velodrome which was next door to the site of the predecessor ballpark, Kōrakuen Stadium...
on May 3, 2004. He made his debut with All Japan Pro Wrestling the next day, successfully teaming with Toshiaki Kawada
Toshiaki Kawada
is a Japanese professional wrestler who is most known for his work in All Japan Pro Wrestling. In 2005, he started freelancing in other promotions....
in a six-man tag team match. He continued to wrestle for both promotions extensively throughout 2004, even competing in Block B of NJPW's Best of the Super Juniors
Best of the Super Juniors
This article is about the professional wrestling tournament. For the South Korean boy band, see Super Junior.The Best of the Super Juniors is an annual professional wrestling tournament held by New Japan Pro Wrestling , typically in May or June...
tournament, finishing with two points by defeating Curry Man
Christopher Daniels
Daniel Christopher Covell is an American professional wrestler, best known in the United States by his ring name "The Fallen Angel" Christopher Daniels. He is also known for performing under the ring name Curry Man. He is currently under contract with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , while also...
and reaching the finals of the Young Lion Toukon (fighting spirit) tournament, losing to Ryusuke Taguchi
Ryusuke Taguchi
is a Japanese professional wrestler, trained by and currently performing for New Japan Pro Wrestling , where he is a former one-time IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion and a four-time IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champion....
.
On June 12, 2004 in AJPW, Nakajima received the first championship match of his career, teaming with Kensuke Sasaki to unsuccessfully challenge Masanobu Fuchi
Masanobu Fuchi
is a Japanese professional wrestler currently working for All Japan Pro Wrestling as a full-time wrestler, as well as a director. Fuchi holds the record for the longest AJPW World Junior Heavyweight Championship reign and has competed in All Japan Pro Wrestling longer than any wrestler on the...
& Genichiro Tenryu
Genichiro Tenryu
Genichiro Tenryu , real name Genichiro Shimada , is a Japanese professional wrestler. At age 13, he entered sumo wrestling and stayed there for 13 years, after which he turned to Western-style professional wrestling...
for the AJPW All Asia Tag Team Championship
AJPW All Asia Tag Team Championship
The All Japan Pro Wrestling All Asia Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling tag team title in Japanese promotion All Japan Pro Wrestling . It was created on November 16, 1955 in the Japan Wrestling Association when King Kong Czaya & Tiger Jokinder defeated JWA founder Rikidōzan &...
. On September 17, 2004, Nakajima made his debut in Dragon Gate
Dragon Gate
is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion formerly known as Toryumon Japan. Most of Dragon Gate's wrestlers are graduates from Último Dragón's Toryumon Gym, and thus the promotion is based on a Junior Heavyweight style with varying emphasis on high flying maneuvers, flashy technical grappling,...
on their pay-per-view
Pay-per-view
Pay-per-view provides a service by which a television audience can purchase events to view via private telecast. The broadcaster shows the event at the same time to everyone ordering it...
Gate of Sanctuary, losing to Masaaki Mochizuki
Masaaki Mochizuki
is a Japanese professional wrestler, currently performing for Dragon Gate, where he is the current Open the Dream Gate Champion in his second reign and the leader of the Junction Three stable...
. The following month, Nakajima entered the Osaka Pro
Osaka Pro Wrestling
Osaka Pro Wrestling is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion, founded in 1998 by Super Delfin.-Current champions:-External links:**...
Tenno-zan single-elimination tournament
Single-elimination tournament
A single-elimination tournament, also called a knockout, cup or sudden death tournament, is a type of elimination tournament where the loser of each match or bracket is immediately eliminated from winning the championship or first prize in the event...
, losing to eventual winner Big Boss MA-G-MA
Magnitude Kishiwada
, better known under his current stage name Magnitude Kishiwada is a Japanese wrestler.-Career:...
in the first round. Nakajima and Sasaki teamed up in the World's Strongest Tag Team League
World's Strongest Tag Team League
The , more commonly known in the West as the Real World Tag League, is an annual professional wrestling tournament held by All Japan Pro Wrestling since 1977, usually run on the first weeks of December...
in November and December 2004, finishing with four points in Block B.
2005
Nakajima received his first opportunity at a singles championship on April 20, 2005, losing to AJPW World Junior Heavyweight ChampionAJPW World Junior Heavyweight Championship
The All Japan Pro Wrestling World Junior Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling title in Japanese promotion All Japan Pro Wrestling, contested exclusively among junior heavyweight The All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW) World Junior Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling...
TAKA Michinoku
Takao Yoshida
, better known by his ring name TAKA Michinoku , is a professional wrestler who has wrestled all over the world as well he was a former Mixed Martial Artist...
. His appearances in NJPW became much more sporadic around this time, with his final match to date taking place on April 24, 2005, a loss to 6-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion Tatsumi Fujinami
Tatsumi Fujinami
is a Japanese professional wrestler who is famous for his gimmick as "The Dragon." He is the one who is credited for inventing the Dragon Sleeper and the Dragon Suplex...
.
On May 7, 2005, Katsuhiko participated in the 2005 Differ Cup
Differ Cup
The Differ Cup is a biennial, cross-promotional professional wrestling tournament in Japan, contested among several teams of junior heavyweight tag teams, each typically representing a particular promotion. It was first held in 2003, and has since been held in 2005 and 2007...
, a biennial cross-promotional junior heavyweight tag team tournament, teaming with Osaka Pro's Takehiro Murahama; the two lost to Super Shisa and Tiger Emperor
Kotaro Suzuki
Kotaro Suzuki , born June 18, 1978 in Warabi, Saitama is a professional wrestler who currently wrestles for Pro Wrestling Noah, where he is one half of the reigning GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champions.- Career :...
in the first round. He also teamed with Tomoaki Honma
Tomoaki Honma
Tomoaki Honma is a freelance Japanese professional wrestler, currently touring with New Japan Pro Wrestling.-Career:Honma trained in the Big Japan dojo before debuting for the promotion in May, 1997...
in a tournament throughout June 2005 to decide the vacant All Asia Tag Team Championship, making it to the finals before losing to Shuji Kondo
Shuji Kondo
is a Japanese professional wrestler who currently works for All Japan Pro Wrestling. Prior to becoming a pro wrestler, he played rugby.-Toryumon/Dragon Gate:Kondo was part of the T2P class in Toryumon. At first he was a face in the Toryumon Seikegun....
& "brother" YASSHI
Yasushi Tsujimoto
, better known by his ringname "brother" YASSHI, is a Japanese professional wrestler, known for his appearances in El Dorado Wrestling, Dragon Gate, and All Japan Pro Wrestling. He was an amateur wrestler before becoming a pro wrestler.-Toryumon - Japan:...
. Just over one month later on July 26, 2005, Nakajima and Kensuke Sasaki defeated Kondo and YASSHI for the titles in their second defense, giving Nakajima his first championship. They would continue to defend the titles through 2005, against such teams as Arashi
Isao Takagi
Isao Takagi , who goes by the stage name Arashi, is a Japanese professional wrestler from Moriguchi, Osaka Prefecture, who works for Dradition. He has previously worked for All Japan Pro Wrestling.-Career:...
& Ryuji Hijikata and Buchanan
Barry Buchanan
Barry Buchanan is an American professional wrestler, best known for his appearances as Bull Buchanan and B-2 in the World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment.-National Championship Wrestling :...
& D'Lo Brown
D'Lo Brown
Accie Julius Connor better known by his ring name D'Lo Brown , is an American professional wrestler. Well known for his appearances with World Wrestling Entertainment, he is currently working as an agent for Impact Wrestling.Connor has held forty-eight championships in various promotions during...
.
On July 18, 2005, Nakajima made his debut in Pro Wrestling Noah
Pro Wrestling Noah
is a major Japanese professional wrestling promotion, founded in 2000 by former All Japan Pro Wrestling ace Mitsuharu Misawa. NOAH is broadcast weekly in Japan...
, wrestling in a six-man tag team match in the Tokyo Dome. He would continue by teaming with Kensuke Sasaki against Kenta Kobashi
Kenta Kobashi
Not to be confused with his protégé Kenta Kobayashi is a Japanese professional wrestler currently under contract to Pro Wrestling Noah. He worked for All Japan Pro Wrestling from 1988–2000, where he became one of the promotion's top stars....
and his own protege Go Shiozaki
Go Shiozaki
is a Japanese professional wrestler currently working for Pro Wrestling Noah, where he is the current GHC Heavyweight Champion. In addition to Noah, he has previously worked in the American-based promotion Ring of Honor and its former sister promotion Full Impact Pro, where he won the latter's...
in an inter-generation tag team match on November 5, 2005, with Sasaki pinning Shiozaki after a lariat. This match was rated 4 3/4 out of 5 stars by wrestling journalist Dave Meltzer
Dave Meltzer
David A. Meltzer is the editor of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter . Sports Illustrated senior writer Frank Deford has praised Meltzer's work, saying that "Meltzer, I believe, is the most accomplished reporter in sports journalism." Meltzer has written for the Oakland Tribune, the Los Angeles...
, one of only eight NOAH matches to receive that or a higher rating.
Nakajima made his debut for Pro Wrestling ZERO1-MAX
Pro Wrestling ZERO1-MAX
Pro Wrestling Zero1 , formerly known as Pro Wrestling Zero-One and Pro Wrestling Zero1-Max, is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion founded in 2001. It was affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance from 2001 until late 2004 and again from 2011 onwards...
on July 9, 2005, winning a six-man junior tag team match. He went on to defeat Osamu Namiguchi on August 31 for his first singles title, the WWA World Junior Light Heavyweight Championship
WWA World Junior Light Heavyweight Championship
The WWA World Light Heavyweight Championship is a singles professional wrestling championship promoted by the Mexican Lucha Libre wrestling based promotion World Wrestling Association since 1989. In the 1990s the title was taken to Japan when reigning champion Gran Hamada returned to his home...
, though whether this can be considered part of the title's official lineage is disputed. He held it until June 24, 2006, losing the title to premier ZERO1-MAX junior Tatsuhito Takaiwa
Tatsuhito Takaiwa
Tatsuhito Takaiwa is a Zainichi-Korean professional wrestler. Takaiwa is one of the more well-traveled junior heavyweights in Japan, having wrestled for New Japan, and Zero-One, as well as making special appearances in All Japan and NOAH....
. This is to date Nakajima's last appearance with the promotion.
2006
Champion's Carnival
The Champion's Carnival is an annual professional wrestling tournament held by All Japan Pro Wrestling, established in 1973. Originally a single-elimination tournament, the Champion's Carnival is currently held as a round-robin, with a victory worth 2 points, a time limit draw worth 1 and a loss,...
, becoming the youngest man to participate in the tournament. Nakajima finished in last place in the block with two points by defeating D'Lo Brown
D'Lo Brown
Accie Julius Connor better known by his ring name D'Lo Brown , is an American professional wrestler. Well known for his appearances with World Wrestling Entertainment, he is currently working as an agent for Impact Wrestling.Connor has held forty-eight championships in various promotions during...
. On April 19, 2006, Nakajima entered Big Mouth Loud
Big Mouth Loud
Big Mouth LOUD was a professional wrestling promotion based in Japan. Big Mouth LOUD was based on the style of New Japan Pro Wrestling, but was not officially tied to New Japan...
(BML), losing to company ace Katsuyori Shibata. The following month, Nakajima and Kensuke Sasaki battled in Big Japan Pro Wrestling
Big Japan Pro Wrestling
Big Japan Pro Wrestling is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion established in 1995. It is most famous for its deathmatch style contests.-History:...
(BJW), defeating Big Japan's Daisuke Sekimoto
Daisuke Sekimoto
is a Japanese professional wrestler, best known for his appearances in Big Japan Pro Wrestling and Pro Wrestling ZERO1-MAX. He is a former six-time BJW Tag Team Champion, as well as a former NWA United National Heavyweight Champion in ZERO1-MAX...
and Dramatic Dream Team
Dramatic Dream Team
Dramatic Dream Team, better known by its initials DDT or its logo reading D2T, is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion founded in 1997 by Sanshiro Takagi...
's (DDT) Daichi Kakimoto in a tag team match when Nakajima pinned Kakimoto.
Nakajima then participated in the 2006 Junior League
AJPW Junior League
The Junior League is an annual professional wrestling round-robin tournament held by All Japan Pro Wrestling, to decide the promotion's top junior heavyweight wrestler, as well as the #1 contender to the AJPW World Junior Heavyweight Championship. It was established in 2006 as a two-block...
tournament from June 25, 2006 to July 3, 2006, to decide a challenger for the Junior Heavyweight Championship; Katsuhiko won his block with five points, before losing in the final to Kaz Hayashi
Kaz Hayashi
Kazuhiro "Kaz" Hayashi is a Japanese professional wrestler. He is working for All Japan Pro Wrestling. He is also the head booker for the company's junior division.-Career:...
. On July 2, 2006, Nakajima's partner Kensuke Sasaki suffered a left eye fracture in a match against Katsuyori Shibata in BML, taking him out of action for the foreseeable future and forcing the team to vacate the All Asia Tag Team Championship on October 29, 2006 after holding the titles since July 2005.
On October 15, 2006, Katsuhiko Nakajima and Kaz Hayashi were announced as one of seven teams in the 2006 World's Strongest Tag Team League, to take place in December 2006. They had a strong showing in the tournament, defeating such teams as NOSAWA Rongai & Triple Crown Champion
AJPW Triple Crown Championship
The AJPW Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship is the top professional wrestling title in Japanese promotion All Japan Pro Wrestling. The championship is a unification of the NWA United National Championship, the PWF Heavyweight Championship and the NWA International Heavyweight Championship....
Minoru Suzuki
Minoru Suzuki
is a Japanese professional wrestler and mixed martial artist. Suzuki was the co-founder of Pancrase, one of the first mixed martial arts organizations in the world. During the 1990s he was known as one of the best fighters in the Pancrase promotion and was the second King of Pancrase world champion...
and RO'Z
Matt Anoa'i
Matthew "Matt" Anoa'i is a professional wrestler, best known for his time on the independent circuit under numerous ring names, and his time in World Wrestling Entertainment , where he competed as Rosey....
& Suwama
Kohei Suwama
is a Japanese professional wrestler also known simply as . He is best known for his work in All Japan Pro Wrestling as part of the Voodoo Murders stable, where he is a former two-time All Japan Triple Crown Heavyweight Champion....
and drawing with Taiyō Kea
Taiyo Kea
Maunakea Mossman is an American professional wrestler, better known under his stage name Taiyō Kea . Although he was born in Hawaii, he has spent nearly his entire career as a member of the Japan-based All Japan Pro Wrestling promotion...
& TAKA Michinoku, finishing with 5 points overall. On November 14, 2006, Nakajima wrestled in the main event of the debut show of the Global Professional Wrestling Alliance
Global Professional Wrestling Alliance
The Global Professional Wrestling Alliance is a cooperative group of professional wrestling promotions and wrestlers from around the world. Formed in 2006, the group was founded by the professional wrestler Mitsuharu Misawa, the founder of Pro Wrestling Noah...
, a cooperation of several different promotions, teaming with NOAH's Go Shiozaki and El Dorado
El Dorado Wrestling
El Dorado was a Japanese professional wrestling promotion that was seen as the evolution of dragondoor. Most of El Dorado's wrestlers were graduates from Ultimo Dragon's Toryumon Gym, and thus the promotion was based on a Junior Heavyweight style with varying emphasis on high flying maneuvers,...
's Takuya Sugawara
Takuya Sugawara
is a Japanese professional wrestler, currently wrestling for Pro Wrestling ZERO1-MAX and Dragon Gate.-Toryumon/Dragon Gate:He debuted in the 9th term of T2P as Henry III Sugawara, a Prince character. He joined with and eventually with Anthony W. Mori and Phillip J. Fukumasa, forming the Royal...
to defeat ZERO1-MAX's Ryouji Sai
Ryouji Sai
is a Japanese professional wrestler contracted to Pro Wrestling Zero1, where he is a former two-time World Heavyweight Champion.-Career:...
, Dramatic Dream Team
Dramatic Dream Team
Dramatic Dream Team, better known by its initials DDT or its logo reading D2T, is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion founded in 1997 by Sanshiro Takagi...
's HARASHIMA and Kaientai Dojo
Kaientai Dojo
Kaientai Dojo is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion and training facility owned and promoted by Taka Michinoku....
's KAZMA.
2007
Kensuke Sasaki made his return from injury on January 2, 2007, teaming with Nakajima to defeat TARUYoshikazu Taru
Yoshikazu Taru is a Japanese professional wrestler, better known by his ring name TARU. He works for All Japan Pro Wrestling and El Dorado Wrestling.-Professional wrestling career:...
& "brother" YASSHI. The following day Nakajima faced YASSHI in a match to determine Shuji Kondo's next challenger for the Junior Heavyweight Championship, winning via disqualification when Kondo himself interfered. He made his challenge on February 17, 2007, defeating Kondo to end his 16-month reign, and becoming the youngest junior heavyweight champion in history. Nakajima made his first defense of the title on April 30, 2007, defeating Kondo's Voodoo Murders
Voodoo Murders
VOODOO-MURDERS was the main heel group in All Japan Pro Wrestling. They are famous for their violent actions and lack of respect for their opponents...
partner "brother" YASSHI, as well as Ryuji Hijikata on May 27, 2007.
Nakajima once again participated in the Junior League in June 2007, finishing in third place for his block with four points, behind Hijikata and Kondo. The league was won by American wrestler Chris Sabin
Chris Sabin
Joshua Harter is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Chris Sabin. He is currently working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , where he currently teams with Alex Shelley as The Motor City Machine Guns.After being trained by Scott D'Amore, Sabin debuted in 2000 for...
, setting up a title match between Sabin and Nakajima on August 26, 2007, in which Nakajima was victorious. On September 1, 2007, Nakajima challenged Pro Wrestling Noah's Takeshi Morishima
Takeshi Morishima
is a Japanese professional wrestler. He is currently performing for Pro Wrestling Noah in Japan and has performed for Ring of Honor in the United States in the past. He is a former Ring of Honor World champion...
for his ROH World Championship
ROH World Championship
The Ring of Honor World Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in Ring of Honor. The championship has also been through other companies in cooperation with ROH through the Global Professional Wrestling Alliance , the governing body of many independent wrestling...
in the main event of a Kensuke Office show, putting up a good fight but losing in the end. On September 19, 2007, Nakajima was pinned in a tag team match by visiting luchador Silver King, who then challenged Nakajima to a future junior heavyweight title match. The match was made official for October 18, 2007 at All Japan's 35th anniversary show; on October 8, 2007, Nakajima suffered a fractured navicular bone
Navicular bone
The navicular bone is a small bone found in the feet of both humans and horses.- Human anatomy :The navicular bone is one of the tarsal bones, found in the foot. Its name derives from the bone's resemblance to a small boat, caused by the strongly concave proximal articular surface...
in his right hand, forcing him off of several shows on the tour, though he defended the title as scheduled. When the match came, Nakajima and Silver King fought to a no contest, forcing PWF commissioner Hiroshi Hase to hold up the title belt, although Nakajima remained the official champion. Katsuhiko then took time off to nurse his injured hand.
2008
Nakajima returned from injury on February 11, 2008 at Kensuke Office's first anniversary show, defeating fellow Kensuke Sasaki protege Ryuji Yamaguchi; he would follow this up with victories over two more Kensuke trainees in Kento Miyahara and Takashi Okita on February 16, 2008 and March 9, 2008 respectively, held in the Kensuke Office exercise hall. On March 1, 2008, in a rematch from their October encounter, Nakajima lost to Silver King in a match to decide the vacant junior heavyweight title. Later that month, Nakajima teamed with Ryuji Hijikata to participate in the six-team junior tag league, winning the tournament with six points by defeating the teams of Silver King and Shuji Kondo, MAZADA and NOSAWA Rongai, and T28Tetsuya Bushi
Tetsuya Shimizu is a Japanese professional wrestler who has worked under the ring names T28, TETSUYA, Tetsuya Bushi and currently works as the masked BUSHI for All Japan Pro Wrestling . Together with Super Crazy Bushi won AJPW's 2010 Junior Tag League and has previously won AJPW's U-30 Tag Team...
and KUSHIDA, as well as Kaz Hayashi and El Samurai
Osamu Matsuda
is a Japanese professional wrestler who is best known for his work in New Japan Pro Wrestling, and is better known by his stage name El Samurai.-Early years :...
in the final, who had defeated them in the group stage. On March 28, 2008, Nakajima faced and defeated Osaka Pro
Osaka Pro Wrestling
Osaka Pro Wrestling is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion, founded in 1998 by Super Delfin.-Current champions:-External links:**...
and Dragon Gate wrestler Magnitude Kishiwada
Magnitude Kishiwada
, better known under his current stage name Magnitude Kishiwada is a Japanese wrestler.-Career:...
on Kensuke Office's first event in the Fukuoka region.
In March and April 2008, Nakajima and Sasaki participated in Pro Wrestling Noah's Global Tag League, a 9-team round-robin tag team tournament. The two finished tied in 5th place with 8 points, defeating the teams of Jun Akiyama
Jun Akiyama
is a Japanese professional wrestler who currently works for Pro Wrestling Noah and All Japan Pro Wrestling, where he is the current AJPW Triple Crown Heavyweight Champion. Akiyama is known for his serious style and outstanding, time-tested work as a tag team wrestler...
and Takeshi Rikio
Takeshi Rikio
Takeshi Inoue, known by his stage name , born December 20, 1972, is a Japanese professional wrestler, who works for Pro Wrestling Noah. He is also a former sumo wrestler.- Sumo career :...
, D'Lo Brown and Buchanan, and Go Shiozaki and Akira Taue
Akira Taue
is a Japanese professional wrestler, and the current President of Pro Wrestling Noah. He is also a former AJPW Triple Crown champion, a former GHC Heavyweight Champion and has had 14 5 Star Matches as awarded by the Wrestling Observer Newsletter....
, and drawing with Takeshi Morishima and Mohammed Yone
Satoshi Yoneyama
, better known by his ring name Mohammed Yone , is a Japanese professional wrestler, currently working for Pro Wrestling Noah, where he is currently one half of the GHC Tag Team Champions with Takeshi Rikio. He is known for his trademark afro hairstyle, which has earned him the nickname "Mr. Afro"...
, and GHC Tag Team Champions
GHC Tag Team Championship
The Global Honored Crown Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling tag team title in Japanese promotion Pro Wrestling Noah. It was created on October 19, 2001, when Scorpio & Vader defeated Jun Akiyama & Akitoshi Saito in a tournament final...
Naomichi Marufuji
Naomichi Marufuji
is a Japanese professional wrestler who competes for Pro Wrestling Noah, with occasional appearances in other professional wrestling promotions like Ring of Honor, All Japan Pro Wrestling and New Japan Pro Wrestling, among others. Marufuji is the first of only two Grand Slam Champion in Pro...
and Takashi Sugiura
Takashi Sugiura
is a Japanese professional wrestler, currently working for Pro Wrestling Noah. Sugiura, an accomplished amateur wrestler, joined NOAH's dojo in 2000, making his professional debut on December 23, 2000, and thus becoming the first wrestler to make his pro wrestling debut in NOAH. He has also...
. On May 25, 2008 in AJPW, Nakajima and Sasaki lost to Taiyō Kea and Minoru Suzuki in a match to determine the #1 contenders to the AJPW Unified World Tag Team Championship
AJPW Unified World Tag Team Championship
The All Japan Pro Wrestling Unified World Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling tag team title in Japanese promotion All Japan Pro Wrestling...
. On June 13, 2008 at Kensuke Office's "Take the Dream Vol. 5", Nakajima faced NOAH's Kenta
Kenta Kobayashi
, also known by his ring name KENTA, is a Japanese professional wrestler currently signed to Pro Wrestling Noah, where he is a former three-time Global Honored Crown Junior Heavyweight Champion...
, losing the contest after 27 minutes. The following night in NOAH, Sasaki and Nakajima faced Kenta Kobashi and Kenta, wrestling to a 30-minute time limit draw. On June 29, 2008, Nakajima wrestled what would be his last match in AJPW for the time being, teaming with Kaz Hayashi to defeat Ryuji Hijikata and T28. Nakajima began to wrestle consistently with NOAH starting July 2, 2008, and it was announced the following week that he and the rest of Kensuke Office would be lending their support to NOAH instead of All Japan for the foreseeable future. Among Nakajima's first matches in NOAH were singles contests against former GHC Heavyweight Champions
GHC Heavyweight Championship
The Global Honored Crown Heavyweight Championship is the top professional wrestling title in Japanese promotion Pro Wrestling Noah. It was created on April 15, 2001 when Mitsuharu Misawa defeated Yoshihiro Takayama in a 16-man tournament final...
Jun Akiyama and Mitsuharu Misawa
Mitsuharu Misawa
was a Japanese professional wrestler. He made his professional debut on August 21, 1981 for All Japan Pro Wrestling . From 1984 until 1990, Misawa wrestled as the second generation Tiger Mask, as All Japan Pro Wrestling had purchased the rights of the Tiger Mask gimmick from New Japan Pro Wrestling...
on July 5, 2008 and July 13, 2008 respectively, losing both matches.
In August and September 2008, Nakajima entered NOAH's annual NTV Cup junior heavyweight tag team league, teaming with DDT's Kota Ibushi
Ibushi Kota
is a Japanese professional wrestler, who currently wrestles for Dramatic Dream Team and New Japan Pro Wrestling.-Career:...
in the 8-team tournament. The two finished in fifth place with eight points, including a victory over 2007 winners, as well as the eventual 2008 winners, Kenta and Taiji Ishimori
Taiji Ishimori
is a Japanese professional wrestler currently working for Pro Wrestling NOAH as well as making appearances for Asistencia Asesoría y Administración through a NOAH/AAA working relationship.-Professional wrestling career:...
. Nakajima and Ibushi would team once more on September 8, 2008 on a co-production between DDT and SEM, NOAH's offshoot promotion for younger wrestlers, against DDT's HARASHIMA and Antonio Honda. The match originally went to a 20-minute time limit draw, but was restarted and Nakajima pinned Honda shortly thereafter. On September 14, 2008, Nakajima participated in American promotion Ring of Honor
Ring of Honor
Ring of Honor ' is an American professional wrestling promotion, founded in 2002 by Rob Feinstein and Gabe Sapolsky. From 2004 to 2011, the promotion was under the ownership of Cary Silkin before being sold to the Sinclair Broadcast Group in May 2011...
's second tour of Japan, teaming with Naomichi Marufuji against Kenta and Kota Ibushi in a special tag match. The two teams went to a 30-minute time limit draw; the match was restarted, but ended once more in a draw after an additional five minutes expired. The following week on September 20, Nakajima wrestled his first match in the United States, challenging GHC Junior Heavyweight Champion
GHC Junior Heavyweight Championship
The Global Honored Crown Junior Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling title in Japanese promotion Pro Wrestling Noah, specifically for junior heavyweight The Global Honored Crown (GHC) Junior Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling title in Japanese promotion Pro...
Bryan Danielson
Bryan Danielson
Bryan Danielson is an American professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE where he wrestles on its SmackDown brand as Daniel Bryan, and currently holds the SmackDown Money in the Bank briefcase, which enables him to have a World Heavyweight Championship match at any time of his choosing...
at ROH's Glory by Honor VII. Danielson would retain his title, making Nakajima submit to the Cattle Mutilation.
2009
Nakajima went to win the GHC Junior Heavyweight Championship from Kenta using his Death Roll at the February 11th Kensuke Office event. A notable fact is that this was the second time Nakajima and Sasaki held the Jr. Heavyweight and Heavyweight titles of the same promotion at the same time, the first being All Japan.He would then lose the GHC Junior Heavyweight Championship back to Kenta via a Go 2 Sleep at the March 1st Pro Wrestling Noah event; coincidentally, Sasaki would lose the GHC Heavyweight Title later that night.
On Nov. 13 Nakajima made his return to Ring of Honor
Ring of Honor
Ring of Honor ' is an American professional wrestling promotion, founded in 2002 by Rob Feinstein and Gabe Sapolsky. From 2004 to 2011, the promotion was under the ownership of Cary Silkin before being sold to the Sinclair Broadcast Group in May 2011...
in Novi, Michigan
Novi, Michigan
Novi is a city in Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the population was 55,224, an increase over the 2000 census count of 47,386. The city is located approximately northwest of the center of Detroit, and northeast of the center of Ann Arbor. The city is located...
in a losing effort against Kenny Omega. The next night in Mississauga Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
he was victorious against El Generico
El Generico
Rami Sebei is a Canadian professional wrestler, better known by his ring name El Generico. Sebei uses the gimmick of a luchador from Mexico...
in a match that was hard hitting and fast paced. The fans in turn gave Nakajima the "please come back" chant.
2011
On September 23, 2011, Nakajima defeated Kotaro SuzukiKotaro Suzuki
Kotaro Suzuki , born June 18, 1978 in Warabi, Saitama is a professional wrestler who currently wrestles for Pro Wrestling Noah, where he is one half of the reigning GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champions.- Career :...
to win the GHC Junior Heavyweight Championship for the second time. However, he was forced to vacate the title just nine days later, after undergoing surgery for acute appendicitis
Appendicitis
Appendicitis is a condition characterized by inflammation of the appendix. It is classified as a medical emergency and many cases require removal of the inflamed appendix, either by laparotomy or laparoscopy. Untreated, mortality is high, mainly because of the risk of rupture leading to...
. Nakajima returned on November 27 and defeated Ricky Marvin
Ricky Marvin
Ricardo Fuentes Romero is a Mexican professional wrestler, known by his ring name Ricky Marvin and is most known for his work in the Japanese promotion Pro Wrestling NOAH...
in a decision match to regain the GHC Junior Heavyweight Championship.
In wrestling
- Finishing moves
- Bridging German suplex, sometimes while trapping the opponent's leg for extra leverage or while applying a straight jacket
- Death Roll (Jumping spinning calf kick to back of the opponent's head)
- R–15 (High–angle reverse roundhouse kick)
- Scoop brainbuster
- Signature moves
- Ankle lock, sometimes followed by grapevining the opponent's leg
- Lariat
- MoonsaultMoonsaultA moonsault, moonsault press, or back flip splash is a professional wrestling aerial technique. Much of its popularity in American wrestling is attributed to The Great Muta, despite it being used in North America by "Leaping" Lanny Poffo years before Muta came from Japan.In a standard moonsault,...
- Multiple kickKickIn combat sports and hand-to-hand combat, a kick is a physical strike using the foot, leg, or knee . This type of attack is used frequently, especially in stand-up fighting...
variations
-
-
- Big boot
- DropDropkickA dropkick is an attacking maneuver in professional wrestling. It is defined as an attack where the wrestler jumps up and kicks the opponent with the soles of both feet; this sees the wrestler twist as he or she jumps so that when the feet connect with the opponent one foot is raised higher than...
- Jumping high
- Multiple suplexSuplexA suplex is an offensive move used in professional sport wrestling . The move consists of one wrestler picking up his or her opponent off the ground and then using a large portion of his or her own body weight to drive the opponent down on the mat. Nearly all suplexes have the attacker going down...
variations
- Multiple suplex
- Belly to back
- Northern lights
- Underhook suplex
- Over the shoulder belly to back piledriver
-
Championships and accomplishments
- All Japan Pro WrestlingAll Japan Pro Wrestlingis a Japanese professional wrestling promotion established in 1972. All Japan Pro Wrestling still remains one of the most popular puroresu promotions still in operation.-The Giant Baba Era :...
- AJPW All Asia Tag Team ChampionshipAJPW All Asia Tag Team ChampionshipThe All Japan Pro Wrestling All Asia Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling tag team title in Japanese promotion All Japan Pro Wrestling . It was created on November 16, 1955 in the Japan Wrestling Association when King Kong Czaya & Tiger Jokinder defeated JWA founder Rikidōzan &...
(1 time) – with Kensuke SasakiKensuke Sasakiis a Japanese professional wrestler who currently wrestles for various promotions through his own agency, Kensuke Office. He is the first of two men ever to hold all 3 of puroresu's major heavyweight titles , the other being Yoshihiro Takayama.-Early years :Kensuke Sasaki... - AJPW World Junior Heavyweight ChampionshipAJPW World Junior Heavyweight ChampionshipThe All Japan Pro Wrestling World Junior Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling title in Japanese promotion All Japan Pro Wrestling, contested exclusively among junior heavyweight The All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW) World Junior Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling...
(1 time) - Junior Tag League (2008) – with Ryuji HijikataRyuji Hijikatais a Japanese professional wrestler. Born May 17, 1978. Started wrestling in 1998 for Yuki Isikawa's BattlARTS promotion and All Japan Pro Wrestling since 2002 where he was a former AJPW World Jr...
- January 3rd Korakuen Hall Junior Heavyweight Battle Royal Winner (2005)
- SAMURAI! TV Cup Triple Arrow Tournament Winner (2007) - with Kensuke SasakiKensuke Sasakiis a Japanese professional wrestler who currently wrestles for various promotions through his own agency, Kensuke Office. He is the first of two men ever to hold all 3 of puroresu's major heavyweight titles , the other being Yoshihiro Takayama.-Early years :Kensuke Sasaki...
& Seiya Sanada
- Michinoku Pro WrestlingMichinoku Pro WrestlingMichinoku Pro Wrestling is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion, founded by The Great Sasuke in 1993. Michinoku Pro was the first independent wrestling promotion in Japan to not base its operations in Tokyo, but rather in Morioka, Iwate...
- Tohoku Tag Team ChampionshipTohoku Tag Team ChampionshipThe Tohoku Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling tag team championship contested in Michinoku Pro Wrestling.The current champions are Takeshi Minamino & Maguro Ooma who defeated Kesen Numajiro & Kinya Oyanagi for the belts on November 15, 2009....
(1 time) – with Kensuke Sasaki
- New Japan Pro WrestlingNew Japan Pro Wrestlingis a major professional wrestling promotion in Japan, founded by Antonio Inoki in June 1972 and owned by Yuke's since 2005, when Inoki sold the promotion. Naoki Sugabayashi is the current President of the promotion and has held that position from 2007. Owing to its TV program aired on TV Asahi, it...
- Yuko Six Man Tag Team Tournament (2004) – with Blue WolfDolgorsürengiin SerjbüdeeDolgorsürengiin Serjbüdee is a Mongolian professional wrestler who wrestled for New Japan Pro Wrestling. He goes by the ring name Blue Wolf.-Career:Dolgorsürengiin Serjbüdee is the brother of Dolgorsürengiin Sumiyaabazar, a high ranking Mongolian...
and Shinsuke NakamuraShinsuke Nakamurais a Japanese professional wrestler and mixed martial artist currently working for New Japan Pro Wrestling, where he is a former three-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion.-Super Rookie :... - New Wave Award (2004)
- Pro Wrestling ZERO1-MAX
- WWA World Junior Light Heavyweight Championship (Disputed Branch)WWA World Junior Light Heavyweight ChampionshipThe WWA World Light Heavyweight Championship is a singles professional wrestling championship promoted by the Mexican Lucha Libre wrestling based promotion World Wrestling Association since 1989. In the 1990s the title was taken to Japan when reigning champion Gran Hamada returned to his home...
(1 time)
- Pro Wrestling NoahPro Wrestling Noahis a major Japanese professional wrestling promotion, founded in 2000 by former All Japan Pro Wrestling ace Mitsuharu Misawa. NOAH is broadcast weekly in Japan...
- GHC Junior Heavyweight ChampionshipGHC Junior Heavyweight ChampionshipThe Global Honored Crown Junior Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling title in Japanese promotion Pro Wrestling Noah, specifically for junior heavyweight The Global Honored Crown (GHC) Junior Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling title in Japanese promotion Pro...
(3 times, current)
- Pro Wrestling IllustratedPro Wrestling IllustratedPro Wrestling Illustrated is a professional wrestling magazine. PWI is currently based in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania and published by Kappa Publishing Group.-History:The first issue of Pro Wrestling Illustrated was released in 1979...
- PWI ranked him #49 of the 500 best singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2006
- Tokyo Sports Grand Prix
- Fighting Spirit Award (2005)
- Rookie of the Year (2004)