Makai Club
Encyclopedia
Makai Club was a professional wrestling
stable that competed in New Japan Pro Wrestling
, it was led by Tadao Yasuda
and managed by Kantaro Hoshino
.
. One of the masked men would reveal himself as MMA fighter: Ryushi Yanagisawa
while the other two were Makai No. 1 and Makai #2.
The groups first tour was the September 2002 G1 World Tour which they dominated and would go 13–3 on the entire tour and would also go on to add a new member: Kazunari Murakami
. The Makai Club would continue to enjoy success as the group added another member: Makai #3. The group also would go on to win a three match 5 vs. 5 series against New Japan which gave Hoshino the chance to name challengers for the IWGP Titles. Following the G1 World Tour, the Club would go on a slump for the remainder of the year. In November 2002, Yasuda, Yanagisawa, and Makai No. 1 entered the 2002 Triathlon Survivor League but finished in last place with 1 point. Then on December 10, 2002, Yasuda and Yanagisawa challenged Cho-Ten
for the IWGP Tag Team Championship but lost, later in the night Murakami challenged Yuji Nagata
for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship but he too came up short.
The Makai Club bounced back at Wrestling World 2003. Yanagisawa won the Young Generation Cup defeating Kenzo Suzuki
in the semi-finals and Yutaka Yoshie
in the finals. Makai No. 1 and one night only member: Dai Majin defeated Hiro Saito
and Tatsutoshi Goto
. The new members Makai No. 4 and Makai No. 5 defeated Takashi Iizuka and Masahito Kakihara. The group would suffer one loss with Yasuda and Murakami losing to Michiyoshi Ohara
and Shinsuke Nakamura
. On February 1, 2003, Makai Club entered the Teisen Hall Six-Man Tag Team Tournament with Yanagisawa, Makai No. 1, and Makai No. 2 forming one team and Kazunari Murakami, Makai No. 4, and Makai No. 5 forming another team. However neither team would win with both team losing to eventual winners Shinsuke Nakamura, Hiro Saito, and Tatsutoshi Goto. Also in February, the Makai Club entered a No. 1 contenders tournament for the IWGP Tag Team Championship. On January 30, Makai No. 1 and No. 2 lost an entrance match to Saito and Goto, Makai No. 4 and No. 5 lost in the first round to Iizuka and Kakihara on February 6, and Yasuda and Murakami would make it to the finals where they lost to Mike Barton and Jim Steele
. Despite the loss, Yasuda and Murakami would ultimately be granted the title match after Steele suffered an injury a few days later. On February 16, 2003, Yasuda and Murakami challenged Cho-Ten for the IWGP Tag Titles but would fail to win the titles, in the main event Yanagisawa challenged Yoshihiro Takayama
for the NWF Heavyweight Championship
but lost. By the spring, the group began a feud with the Crazy Dogs (Tatsutoshi Goto
, Hiro Saito
, Michiyoshi Ohara
, & Enson Inoue
) and Makai No. 5 began a feud with Iizuka who recognized him as Nagai (who injured Iizuka a year earlier) with Iizuka defeating him in a best of series (with Nagai even unmasking for the final match). On April 23, 2003, Yasuda challenged Nagata for the IWGP Title in a rematch from a year ago (where Nagata won the title from Yasuda) but Yasuda lost. At Ultimate Crush on May 2, 2003, Ken Shamrock
joined the Makai Club for one night defeating Takashi Iizuka while Murakami lost to Enson Inoue. Following Ultimate Crush, The Makai Club for the most part went to the midcard and would only receive a few more title shots afterwards. On July 9, 2003, Makai No. 4 and No. 5 challenged Hiroshi Tanahashi
and Yutaka Yoshie
for the IWGP Tag Team Championship but came up short, on July 13, Yasuda challenged Yoshihiro Takayama
for the NWF Title but he also came up short. Yasuda and Shibata entered the 2003 G-1 Climax with Shibata finishing third while Yasuda finished last in their block. In the fall of 2003, Makai No. 2, #4, and No. 5 unmasked and began going by their real names, also during this time Yasuda and Makai No. 1 entered the 2003 G-1 Tag League finishing in 5th place with 7 points.
At Wrestling World 2004, Makai No. 1, Yanagisawa, Nagai, and Chikuzen defeated The Crazy Dogs, Yasuda lost to Masayuki Naruse
, and Murakami & Shibata lost to Josh Barnett
and Takashi Iizuka. One of the groups last big moments occurred in February 2004 when Yasuda took part in a tournament for the vacated IWGP Heavyweight Championship but he would lose to Yuji Nagata
in the first round. The Club would remain for only a few more months until Yasuda left New Japan in the summer of 2004, ending the Makai Club.
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...
stable that competed in 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...
, it was led by Tadao Yasuda
Tadao Yasuda
Tadao Yasuda is a retired sumo and professional wrestler from Ōta, Tokyo, Japan. He competed in sumo from 1979 to 1992, under the shikona of Takanofuji, achieving the rank of komusubi, and afterwards turned to professional wrestling, in which he competed from 1994 to 2011.-Sumo career:He made his...
and managed by Kantaro Hoshino
Kantaro Hoshino
Takeo Hoshino was a Japanese born, Korean professional wrestler, manager, and promoter best known for his time in New Japan Pro Wrestling. As a wrestler he was perhaps best known for his team: The Yamaha Brothers with Kotetsu Yamamoto...
.
History
The Makai Club first formed in the summer of 2002 during New Japan's G-1 Climax when Tadao Yasuda sent three masked men against Masahiro ChonoMasahiro Chono
, is a Japanese professional wrestler. He primarily wrestles for New Japan Pro Wrestling , but has also made appearances for the now defunct World Championship Wrestling, as a member of the New World Order. Chono was also known as Mister Black Jack when he first started as a villain. He is a...
. One of the masked men would reveal himself as MMA fighter: Ryushi Yanagisawa
Ryūshi Yanagisawa
Ryūshi Yanagisawa is a Japanese professional wrestler, mixed martial artist and kickboxer. His real name is Atsushi Yanagisawa . As a martial artist, he competed in K-1, Pancrase Hybrid Wrestling and Fighting Network RINGS and holds victories over Oleg Taktarov, Paul Varelans, Vernon White, Jason...
while the other two were Makai No. 1 and Makai #2.
The groups first tour was the September 2002 G1 World Tour which they dominated and would go 13–3 on the entire tour and would also go on to add a new member: Kazunari Murakami
Kazunari Murakami
is a Japanesefreelance professional wrestler and a retired mixed martial artist, best known for his appearances in Pro Wrestling ZERO1-MAX and Big Mouth LOUD, of which he was a founding member...
. The Makai Club would continue to enjoy success as the group added another member: Makai #3. The group also would go on to win a three match 5 vs. 5 series against New Japan which gave Hoshino the chance to name challengers for the IWGP Titles. Following the G1 World Tour, the Club would go on a slump for the remainder of the year. In November 2002, Yasuda, Yanagisawa, and Makai No. 1 entered the 2002 Triathlon Survivor League but finished in last place with 1 point. Then on December 10, 2002, Yasuda and Yanagisawa challenged Cho-Ten
Cho-Ten
Cho-Ten was a professional wrestling team that competed in New Japan Pro Wrestling on and off from February 1995 - September 2006. The team consisted of Masahiro Chono and Hiroyoshi Tenzan. Cho-Ten is one of the most decorated and successful tag teams in New Japan history. They held the IWGP Tag...
for the IWGP Tag Team Championship but lost, later in the night Murakami challenged Yuji Nagata
Yuji Nagata
is a Japanese professional wrestler. He was known for his perennial tweener status, currently a solid fan favorite, and his stiff, shoot style wrestling technique....
for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship but he too came up short.
The Makai Club bounced back at Wrestling World 2003. Yanagisawa won the Young Generation Cup defeating Kenzo Suzuki
Kenzo Suzuki
Kenzo Suzuki is a Japanese professional wrestler. He is perhaps best known for his appearances with New Japan Pro Wrestling and in the United States with World Wrestling Entertainment...
in the semi-finals and Yutaka Yoshie
Yutaka Yoshie
, is a Japanese professional wrestler, currently working as a freelancer in Japan, performing for promotions such as All Japan Pro Wrestling, New Japan Pro Wrestling, Pro Wrestling Noah and Pro Wrestling Zero1...
in the finals. Makai No. 1 and one night only member: Dai Majin defeated Hiro Saito
Hiro Saito
Hiroyuki Saito is a professional wrestler best known by the shortened name of .-Career:Hiro debuted in 1978 in New Japan Pro Wrestling. In May 1985, he defeated The Cobra to win the WWF Junior Heavyweight Championship only to lose back to him 2 months later...
and Tatsutoshi Goto
Tatsutoshi Goto
is a Japanese professional wrestler. He competed primarily in WAR and New Japan Pro Wrestling using the name "T2000 Machine". He also briefly competed in WCW as part of the nWo Japan.-Career:...
. The new members Makai No. 4 and Makai No. 5 defeated Takashi Iizuka and Masahito Kakihara. The group would suffer one loss with Yasuda and Murakami losing to Michiyoshi Ohara
Michiyoshi Ohara
Michiyoshi Ohara is a Japanese professional wrestler and mixed martial artist, best known for his work in New Japan Pro Wrestling where he wrestled from 1990 to 2004 where he enjoyed success winning the IWGP Tag Team Championship with Tatsutoshi Goto in 1999....
and Shinsuke Nakamura
Shinsuke Nakamura
is 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 :...
. On February 1, 2003, Makai Club entered the Teisen Hall Six-Man Tag Team Tournament with Yanagisawa, Makai No. 1, and Makai No. 2 forming one team and Kazunari Murakami, Makai No. 4, and Makai No. 5 forming another team. However neither team would win with both team losing to eventual winners Shinsuke Nakamura, Hiro Saito, and Tatsutoshi Goto. Also in February, the Makai Club entered a No. 1 contenders tournament for the IWGP Tag Team Championship. On January 30, Makai No. 1 and No. 2 lost an entrance match to Saito and Goto, Makai No. 4 and No. 5 lost in the first round to Iizuka and Kakihara on February 6, and Yasuda and Murakami would make it to the finals where they lost to Mike Barton and Jim Steele
Mike Barton and Jim Steele
The tag team of Mike Barton and Jim Steele was a professional wrestling tag team that competed in several puroresu promotions including All Japan Pro Wrestling and New Japan Pro Wrestling.-All Japan Pro Wrestling :...
. Despite the loss, Yasuda and Murakami would ultimately be granted the title match after Steele suffered an injury a few days later. On February 16, 2003, Yasuda and Murakami challenged Cho-Ten for the IWGP Tag Titles but would fail to win the titles, in the main event Yanagisawa challenged Yoshihiro Takayama
Yoshihiro Takayama
is a Japanese professional wrestler and mixed martial artist. Takayama is well known for his ability to endure massive amounts of punishment, especially after his fight at PRIDE 21 against Don Frye...
for the NWF Heavyweight Championship
NWF Heavyweight Championship
The NWF Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling championship used as part of the National Wrestling Federation and later New Japan Pro Wrestling.- History :...
but lost. By the spring, the group began a feud with the Crazy Dogs (Tatsutoshi Goto
Tatsutoshi Goto
is a Japanese professional wrestler. He competed primarily in WAR and New Japan Pro Wrestling using the name "T2000 Machine". He also briefly competed in WCW as part of the nWo Japan.-Career:...
, Hiro Saito
Hiro Saito
Hiroyuki Saito is a professional wrestler best known by the shortened name of .-Career:Hiro debuted in 1978 in New Japan Pro Wrestling. In May 1985, he defeated The Cobra to win the WWF Junior Heavyweight Championship only to lose back to him 2 months later...
, Michiyoshi Ohara
Michiyoshi Ohara
Michiyoshi Ohara is a Japanese professional wrestler and mixed martial artist, best known for his work in New Japan Pro Wrestling where he wrestled from 1990 to 2004 where he enjoyed success winning the IWGP Tag Team Championship with Tatsutoshi Goto in 1999....
, & Enson Inoue
Enson Inoue
Enson Inoue is a Japanese American mixed martial artist. He has a professional MMA record of 12-8-0. He is a former Shooto Heavyweight Champion. He had also previously fought in Pride Fighting Championships, the biggest mixed martial arts organization at the time...
) and Makai No. 5 began a feud with Iizuka who recognized him as Nagai (who injured Iizuka a year earlier) with Iizuka defeating him in a best of series (with Nagai even unmasking for the final match). On April 23, 2003, Yasuda challenged Nagata for the IWGP Title in a rematch from a year ago (where Nagata won the title from Yasuda) but Yasuda lost. At Ultimate Crush on May 2, 2003, Ken Shamrock
Ken Shamrock
Kenneth Wayne Shamrock is an American mixed martial arts fighter, UFC Hall of Famer and professional wrestler...
joined the Makai Club for one night defeating Takashi Iizuka while Murakami lost to Enson Inoue. Following Ultimate Crush, The Makai Club for the most part went to the midcard and would only receive a few more title shots afterwards. On July 9, 2003, Makai No. 4 and No. 5 challenged Hiroshi Tanahashi
Hiroshi Tanahashi
is a Japanese professional wrestler who works primarily for New Japan Pro Wrestling, where he is the current IWGP Heavyweight Champion in his fifth reign.-Early life:...
and Yutaka Yoshie
Yutaka Yoshie
, is a Japanese professional wrestler, currently working as a freelancer in Japan, performing for promotions such as All Japan Pro Wrestling, New Japan Pro Wrestling, Pro Wrestling Noah and Pro Wrestling Zero1...
for the IWGP Tag Team Championship but came up short, on July 13, Yasuda challenged Yoshihiro Takayama
Yoshihiro Takayama
is a Japanese professional wrestler and mixed martial artist. Takayama is well known for his ability to endure massive amounts of punishment, especially after his fight at PRIDE 21 against Don Frye...
for the NWF Title but he also came up short. Yasuda and Shibata entered the 2003 G-1 Climax with Shibata finishing third while Yasuda finished last in their block. In the fall of 2003, Makai No. 2, #4, and No. 5 unmasked and began going by their real names, also during this time Yasuda and Makai No. 1 entered the 2003 G-1 Tag League finishing in 5th place with 7 points.
At Wrestling World 2004, Makai No. 1, Yanagisawa, Nagai, and Chikuzen defeated The Crazy Dogs, Yasuda lost to Masayuki Naruse
Masayuki Naruse
is a Japanese professional wrestler and Professional mixed martial artist.-Career:Naruse debuted in Fighting Network RINGS in 1992 where he was displayed as a scrappy junior heavyweight willing to take on opponents twice his size. He and other RINGS wrestlers made the transition to mixed martial...
, and Murakami & Shibata lost to Josh Barnett
Josh Barnett
Joshua Lawrence Barnett is an American mixed martial artist and professional wrestler who currently fights in the heavyweight division of Strikeforce. Barnett has been an accomplished fighter in mixed martial arts, winning the UFC Heavyweight Championship and the King of Pancrase Openweight...
and Takashi Iizuka. One of the groups last big moments occurred in February 2004 when Yasuda took part in a tournament for the vacated IWGP Heavyweight Championship but he would lose to Yuji Nagata
Yuji Nagata
is a Japanese professional wrestler. He was known for his perennial tweener status, currently a solid fan favorite, and his stiff, shoot style wrestling technique....
in the first round. The Club would remain for only a few more months until Yasuda left New Japan in the summer of 2004, ending the Makai Club.
Championships and accomplishments
- 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...
- Young Generation Cup (2003)- Yanagisawa