Masaaki Mochizuki
Encyclopedia
is a Japan
ese 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. He is a former FIP World Champion
.
's Bukō Dōjō, Masaaki spent the early part of his career wrestling for various promotions across Japan, namely WAR
and BattlARTS
. Most notable was his appearance in the 1995 Super J Cup, where he took on Shinjiro Otani of New Japan Pro Wrestling
in the first round. Despite losing, Masaaki looked very competitive, using his sharp kicks and quick submission holds to pose a serious threat to the more experienced Otani.
, and Magnum TOKYO
. In April 2000, he formed the heel
group M2K with Susumu Mochizuki
(no relation), and Yasushi Kanda, the stable's name coming from their surnames. Darkness Dragon and Chocoball KOBE would join later in the year as well. The group wreaked havoc on Toryumon's initial El Numero Uno Tournament in 2001, forcing every group member's matches, except for Susumu's, to end in double-countouts. However, Masaaki won a second-chance battle royal
to get back into the tournament. After defeating CIMA via knockout in the semi-finals, he pinned Magnum TOKYO in the finals; his only pinfall victory of the whole tournament. His issue with both, namely CIMA and his Crazy MAX stable, would continue through the end of the year; such was M2K's chicanery that Crazy MAX, the original renegade group of Toryumon, was turned face
by default. After losing a hair vs. hair lumberjack match to CIMA in December 2001, Masaaki was humiliated into cleaning up M2K's act.
He returned in 2002, claiming to be a "good person", and made a conscious effort to rid M2K of its evil ways, something his stablemates would have none of; kicking him out of the group not long after. He got one back on them on February 24, though, when he beat Susumu for the rights to the Mochizuki surname, forcing Susumu to take on "Yokosuka" as his new surname.
He would then go on to lead the Toryumon Army with Dragon Kid and Ryo Saito
throughout 2002. On January 23, 2003, he formed the much-maligned Shin M2K, and they lasted until December 16 when he lost to fellow member Keni'chiro Arai
in a match and was forced to disband the unit. At the beginning of 2004, he turned heel again to become leader of the Aagan Iisou stable. His time with them lasted a mere three months, when personality clashes between him and the other members resulted in him being kicked out. He turned face again and repented for his heel turn, and then on July 4, he and former M2K members from both generations banded with him to form Final M2K as Toryumon became Dragon Gate
.
. He held the title for 11 months before losing it to Magnitude Kishiwada
on November 4, 2005. When 2006 rolled around, he began to distance himself from Final M2K a bit, giving the reins of leadership to Susumu and joining up with Magnum TOKYO in his short-lived Renaissance project.
He also returned to the old WAR
promotion, reviving their International Junior Heavyweight Title, which he lost to Pentagon Black on July 27. He won it back on November 23, but vacated it immediately after winning it. He beat Gedo
in a decision match on January 26, 2007 to determine the final champion and then retired the title. He also teamed with fellow Renaissance member Don Fujii
to win the revived WAR International Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Titles on August 6, 2006, beating Gamma & Dr. Muscle in a tournament final. They would hold the title until January 7, 2007, when they lost them to Jado & Gedo
.
In December 2006, he won the 2nd King of Gate
Tournament, beating last year's champion Ryo Saito in the finals. On January 14, 2007, the Final M2K stable came to an end, after he, Susumu & K-ness lost to CIMA, Don Fujii
& Matt Sydal
of the also-ending Blood Generation. He then decided that he would not become part of another unit, instead continuing his team with Don Fujii, who also refused to join another unit.
In 2007, he hosted his first self-produced show, Buyuden. The show became a success, and it has since become a monthly show, with talent from different promotions in Japan participating. He - along with Don Fujii - was made the company ambassador to promotions within Japan while CIMA spearheaded the company's international expansion. He also challenged for the Dream Gate Title twice, but when he failed to win it either time, he decided to continue to focus on outside efforts with Fujii.
Towards the end of the year, they united with K-ness
to form Mushozoku, a team of wrestlers 35 years and older. On September 9, they won the Open the Triangle Gate Titles, defeating Naruki Doi
, Masato Yoshino
& Magnitude Kishiwada, and defended them right up until February 24, 2008, when they lost them to Shingo Takagi
, BxB Hulk
& Cyber Kong
. K-ness stepped into a background role, and soon, the newly-face Magnitude Kishiwada took his place, forming Zetsurins. On September 28, the trio won the Open the Triangle Gate Titles from Yasushi Kanda, YAMATO
& Gamma. They made a defense against Keni'chiro Arai
, Akira Tozawa
& Taku Iwasa
of Tozawa-juku on November 16, and Tozawa added the stipulation that if his team lost, then Tozawa-juku would disband. Mochizuki scored the winning pinfall, bringing Tozawa-juku to an end.
Iwasa began a rivalry with him after swearing revenge on him for causing the end of Tozawa-juku. They faced off in a second round match in the King of Gate Tournament in December, where Mochizuki had promised that he would show Iwasa's one "fundamental flaw." Mochizuki won, and afterwards, he told Iwasa that his "fundamental flaw" was that he had been a tag team wrestler for so long that he had forgotten how to wrestle on his own, and would have to re-learn how. Mochizuki would get to the finals of the tournament, but lost to Naruki Doi
. On February 15, 2009, he, Fujii & Kishiwada lost the Triangle Gate titles to Shingo Takagi
, Taku Iwasa & Dragon Kid, where he took the fall, being pinned by Iwasa.
In August, he teamed with Katsuhiko Nakajima
to participate in the annual Summer Adventure Tag League
Tournament, and they made it to the finals, but they lost to Shingo Takagi & YAMATO. Two months later, he would hold the Triangle Gate titles for a third time, teaming with Don Fujii & Akebono
to beat Masato Yoshino, BxB Hulk
& PAC.
After teaming with Anthony W. Mori against Takuya Sugawara
& Minoru Fujita
, Mori turned to Mochizuki and named him as the heir to the throne of Phillip J. Fukumasa. Mochi took the crown, and agreed the three would do the Royal Brothers (Anthony W. Mori, Henry III Sugawara, Phillip J. Mochizuki) on the first Buyuden after the generation war was over. On May 13, 2010, Mochizuki, Fujii and Akebono lost the Open the Triangle Gate Championship to CIMA
, Gamma and Genki Horiguchi
. On January 10, 2011, Mochizuki and Fujii defeated Naruki Doi and Gamma to win the Open the Twin Gate Championship
. They would lose the title to Genki Horiguchi and Ryo Saito on February 6, 2011. On April 14, 2011, Mochizuki defeated Masato Yoshino to win the Open the Dream Gate Championship for the second time. On April 24 Mochizuki agreed to form a new alliance with former World-1 members Masato Yoshino, BxB Hulk, PAC and Susumu Yokosuka to battle the promotion's new top heel stable, Blood Warriors. On June 8, the new group was named Junction Three (JIII) in reference to it being a union between the former members of World-1, KAMIKAZE and the Veteran Army.
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese 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...
, currently performing for 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,...
, where he is the current Open the Dream Gate Champion
Dragon Gate Open the Dream Gate Championship
The Open the Dream Gate Championship is the top professional wrestling title in Japanese promotion Dragon Gate. The wrestler who holds it is considered the top singles wrestler in Dragon Gate. It was created on July 4, 2004 when CIMA was awarded the title as a result of being the last Último Dragón...
in his second reign and the leader of the Junction Three stable. He is a former FIP World Champion
FIP World Heavyweight Championship
The FIP World Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship owned by the Full Impact Pro promotion. It is currently the highest ranked championship in FIP. The title was introduced on September 25, 2004 at FIP's "Emergence: Part Two" event as the FIP...
.
Early years
A graduate of Koji KitaoKoji Kitao
Kōji Kitao is a former sumo wrestler and professional wrestler, born in Mie, Japan. He was sumo's 60th Yokozuna, and the only yokozuna in sumo history not to win a top division tournament championship...
's Bukō Dōjō, Masaaki spent the early part of his career wrestling for various promotions across Japan, namely WAR
WAR (wrestling promotion)
Wrestle and Romance, and later Wrestle Association R, was a professional wrestling promotion founded and run by Genichiro Tenryu as the successor to Super World of Sports, and which lasted from 1992 to 2000. The promotion had very few regular contracted workers, instead most of the workers were...
and BattlARTS
BattlARTS
was a professional wrestling promotion based in Koshigaya, Saitama, Japan. The promotion was formed in 1996 by Japanese wrestler Yuki Ishikawa and featured all of the wrestlers from the Fujiwara Gumi promotion, who had abandoned the promotion in favor of Battlarts...
. Most notable was his appearance in the 1995 Super J Cup, where he took on Shinjiro Otani of 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...
in the first round. Despite losing, Masaaki looked very competitive, using his sharp kicks and quick submission holds to pose a serious threat to the more experienced Otani.
Toryumon
In late 1999, Masaaki joined Toryumon, Último Dragón's upstart promotion, and quickly became recognized as one of the three "aces" of the company, alongside CIMANobuhiko Oshima
, better known by his ring name Cima , is a Japanese professional wrestler who currently wrestles for Dragon Gate and its international expansion Dragon Gate USA...
, and Magnum TOKYO
Katsumasa Kuroki
Katsumasa Kuroki is a Japanese professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Magnum TOKYO. He wrestles for the HUSTLE professional wrestling promotion, and has competed in the past for World Championship Wrestling, Toryumon, and Dragon Gate as Tokyo Magnum and Magnum TOKYO.-Professional...
. In April 2000, he formed the heel
Heel (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a heel is a villain character. In non-wrestling jargon, heels are the "bad guys" in professional wrestling; the term heel coming from the term take to you heels, which means to run away which heel champions tend to do to avoid losing their titles.storylines...
group M2K with Susumu Mochizuki
Susumu Mochizuki
Susumu Mochizuki , better known by his ring name Susumu Yokosuka is a Japanese professional wrestler currently performing for the Dragon Gate professional wrestling promotion...
(no relation), and Yasushi Kanda, the stable's name coming from their surnames. Darkness Dragon and Chocoball KOBE would join later in the year as well. The group wreaked havoc on Toryumon's initial El Numero Uno Tournament in 2001, forcing every group member's matches, except for Susumu's, to end in double-countouts. However, Masaaki won a second-chance battle royal
Battle royal (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a battle royal is a multi-competitor match type in which wrestlers are eliminated until one is left and declared winner...
to get back into the tournament. After defeating CIMA via knockout in the semi-finals, he pinned Magnum TOKYO in the finals; his only pinfall victory of the whole tournament. His issue with both, namely CIMA and his Crazy MAX stable, would continue through the end of the year; such was M2K's chicanery that Crazy MAX, the original renegade group of Toryumon, was turned face
Face (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a babyface or face or in simple words, a fan favorite is a character who is portrayed as a heroic relative to the heel wrestlers, who are analogous to villains...
by default. After losing a hair vs. hair lumberjack match to CIMA in December 2001, Masaaki was humiliated into cleaning up M2K's act.
He returned in 2002, claiming to be a "good person", and made a conscious effort to rid M2K of its evil ways, something his stablemates would have none of; kicking him out of the group not long after. He got one back on them on February 24, though, when he beat Susumu for the rights to the Mochizuki surname, forcing Susumu to take on "Yokosuka" as his new surname.
He would then go on to lead the Toryumon Army with Dragon Kid and Ryo Saito
Ryo Saito
, is a Japanese professional wrestler . he wrestled for Dragon Gate, where he was a member of the Blood Warriors stable. His name is sometimes abbreviated as SaiRyo, so as not to confuse him with Toryumon/DG alumni SAITO.-Toryumon:...
throughout 2002. On January 23, 2003, he formed the much-maligned Shin M2K, and they lasted until December 16 when he lost to fellow member Keni'chiro Arai
Keni'chiro Arai
Keni'chiro "AraKen" Arai is a Japanese wrestler for Dragon Gate.-Biography:Keni'chiro Arai, also known as AraKen, is a second term graduate of Ultimo Dragon's Toryumon Japan group, and has been a mainstay on the roster ever since. He participated in FMW before joining Toryumon...
in a match and was forced to disband the unit. At the beginning of 2004, he turned heel again to become leader of the Aagan Iisou stable. His time with them lasted a mere three months, when personality clashes between him and the other members resulted in him being kicked out. He turned face again and repented for his heel turn, and then on July 4, he and former M2K members from both generations banded with him to form Final M2K as Toryumon became 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,...
.
Dragon Gate
In December, he celebrated 10 years in wrestling by defeating CIMA for Dragon Gate's top prize, the Open the Dream Gate ChampionshipDragon Gate Open the Dream Gate Championship
The Open the Dream Gate Championship is the top professional wrestling title in Japanese promotion Dragon Gate. The wrestler who holds it is considered the top singles wrestler in Dragon Gate. It was created on July 4, 2004 when CIMA was awarded the title as a result of being the last Último Dragón...
. He held the title for 11 months before losing it to Magnitude Kishiwada
Magnitude Kishiwada
, better known under his current stage name Magnitude Kishiwada is a Japanese wrestler.-Career:...
on November 4, 2005. When 2006 rolled around, he began to distance himself from Final M2K a bit, giving the reins of leadership to Susumu and joining up with Magnum TOKYO in his short-lived Renaissance project.
He also returned to the old WAR
WAR (wrestling promotion)
Wrestle and Romance, and later Wrestle Association R, was a professional wrestling promotion founded and run by Genichiro Tenryu as the successor to Super World of Sports, and which lasted from 1992 to 2000. The promotion had very few regular contracted workers, instead most of the workers were...
promotion, reviving their International Junior Heavyweight Title, which he lost to Pentagon Black on July 27. He won it back on November 23, but vacated it immediately after winning it. He beat Gedo
Gedo
Gedo is an administrative region , formerly part of the historic Upper Juba Region in southern Somalia. Its regional capital is Garbahaarreey. Gedo is a region created in 1980s and is bordered by the Ogaden in Ethiopia, the North Eastern Province in Kenya, and the Somali regions of Bakool, Bay,...
in a decision match on January 26, 2007 to determine the final champion and then retired the title. He also teamed with fellow Renaissance member Don Fujii
Don Fujii
, is a Japanese wrestler for Dragon Gate, best known by his ring name Don Fujii. He was one-half of the inaugural Open the Owarai Twin Gate Champions and a former Open the Twin Gate Champion with Masaaki Mochizuki. He was previously in the Crazy MAX and Blood Generation stables.-Biography:He was...
to win the revived WAR International Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Titles on August 6, 2006, beating Gamma & Dr. Muscle in a tournament final. They would hold the title until January 7, 2007, when they lost them to Jado & Gedo
Keiji Takayama
Keiji Takayama better known as Gedo , is a long time professional wrestler. He formed a long-lasting tag team with Jado...
.
In December 2006, he won the 2nd King of Gate
King of Gate
King of Gate is an annual single-elimination professional wrestling singles tournament held in the Japanese promotion Dragon Gate. It is the successor to El Numero Uno, previously held in Dragon Gate and Toryumon, although Uno was a round-robin tournament, as opposed to the single-elimination...
Tournament, beating last year's champion Ryo Saito in the finals. On January 14, 2007, the Final M2K stable came to an end, after he, Susumu & K-ness lost to CIMA, Don Fujii
Don Fujii
, is a Japanese wrestler for Dragon Gate, best known by his ring name Don Fujii. He was one-half of the inaugural Open the Owarai Twin Gate Champions and a former Open the Twin Gate Champion with Masaaki Mochizuki. He was previously in the Crazy MAX and Blood Generation stables.-Biography:He was...
& Matt Sydal
Matt Sydal
Matthew Joseph Korklan is an American professional wrestler, also known as Matt Sydal and Evan Bourne. He is signed with WWE and wrestles on its Raw brand under the ring name Evan Bourne, where he is currently one half of the WWE Tag Team Champions with Kofi Kingston as Air Boom.Before signing...
of the also-ending Blood Generation. He then decided that he would not become part of another unit, instead continuing his team with Don Fujii, who also refused to join another unit.
In 2007, he hosted his first self-produced show, Buyuden. The show became a success, and it has since become a monthly show, with talent from different promotions in Japan participating. He - along with Don Fujii - was made the company ambassador to promotions within Japan while CIMA spearheaded the company's international expansion. He also challenged for the Dream Gate Title twice, but when he failed to win it either time, he decided to continue to focus on outside efforts with Fujii.
Towards the end of the year, they united with K-ness
Makoto Saito (wrestler)
Makoto Saito, better known by his stage name K-ness is a Japanese professional wrestler for Dragon Gate.-Early years:...
to form Mushozoku, a team of wrestlers 35 years and older. On September 9, they won the Open the Triangle Gate Titles, defeating Naruki Doi
Naruki Doi
is a Japanese wrestler for Dragon Gate, where he is currently one third of the Open the Triangle Gate Champions. He also wrestled for Ring of Honor, where he is a former World Tag Team Champion with Shingo Takagi, as well as Total Nonstop Action Wrestling....
, Masato Yoshino
Masato Yoshino
Masato Yoshino is a Japanese professional wrestler, currently working for the Dragon Gate wrestling promotion.-Toryumon:...
& Magnitude Kishiwada, and defended them right up until February 24, 2008, when they lost them to Shingo Takagi
Shingo Takagi
Shingo Takagi is a former Japanese bodybuilder, turned professional wrestler. Shingo is currently competing for the Japanese promotion Dragon Gate and American promotion Dragon Gate USA...
, BxB Hulk
BxB Hulk
, better known by his ring name BxB Hulk , is a Japanese professional wrestler, currently working for Dragon Gate, where he is currently one half of the Open the Twin Gate Champions, and Dragon Gate USA.-Professional wrestling career:...
& Cyber Kong
Cyber Kong
Takashi Yoshida is a Japanese wrestler better known by his ring name, Cyber Kong. He currently wrestles for Dragon Gate.-Biography:...
. K-ness stepped into a background role, and soon, the newly-face Magnitude Kishiwada took his place, forming Zetsurins. On September 28, the trio won the Open the Triangle Gate Titles from Yasushi Kanda, YAMATO
Masato Onodera
is a Japanese professional wrestler and former mixed martial artist, known by his ring name Yamato , who competes for Dragon Gate and its international expansion Dragon Gate USA.-Dragon Gate:...
& Gamma. They made a defense against Keni'chiro Arai
Keni'chiro Arai
Keni'chiro "AraKen" Arai is a Japanese wrestler for Dragon Gate.-Biography:Keni'chiro Arai, also known as AraKen, is a second term graduate of Ultimo Dragon's Toryumon Japan group, and has been a mainstay on the roster ever since. He participated in FMW before joining Toryumon...
, Akira Tozawa
Akira Tozawa
, is a Japanese professional wrestler, mainly performing for Dragon Gate, where he is currently one half of the Open the Twin Gate Champions...
& Taku Iwasa
Taku Iwasa
Taku Iwasa is a Japanese professional wrestler who currently wrestles for Dragon Gate.-Early:Iwasa graduated as part of the Toryumon T2P class. He initially portrayed Takamichi Iwasa, a Satanic character. Injuries derailed his career, and he soon ended up as a jobber to the stars. He was briefly...
of Tozawa-juku on November 16, and Tozawa added the stipulation that if his team lost, then Tozawa-juku would disband. Mochizuki scored the winning pinfall, bringing Tozawa-juku to an end.
Iwasa began a rivalry with him after swearing revenge on him for causing the end of Tozawa-juku. They faced off in a second round match in the King of Gate Tournament in December, where Mochizuki had promised that he would show Iwasa's one "fundamental flaw." Mochizuki won, and afterwards, he told Iwasa that his "fundamental flaw" was that he had been a tag team wrestler for so long that he had forgotten how to wrestle on his own, and would have to re-learn how. Mochizuki would get to the finals of the tournament, but lost to Naruki Doi
Naruki Doi
is a Japanese wrestler for Dragon Gate, where he is currently one third of the Open the Triangle Gate Champions. He also wrestled for Ring of Honor, where he is a former World Tag Team Champion with Shingo Takagi, as well as Total Nonstop Action Wrestling....
. On February 15, 2009, he, Fujii & Kishiwada lost the Triangle Gate titles to Shingo Takagi
Shingo Takagi
Shingo Takagi is a former Japanese bodybuilder, turned professional wrestler. Shingo is currently competing for the Japanese promotion Dragon Gate and American promotion Dragon Gate USA...
, Taku Iwasa & Dragon Kid, where he took the fall, being pinned by Iwasa.
In August, he teamed with Katsuhiko Nakajima
Katsuhiko Nakajima
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...
to participate in the annual Summer Adventure Tag League
Summer Adventure Tag League
Summer Adventure Tag League is an annual professional wrestling tag team tournament held in the Japanese promotion Dragon Gate since 2007. It features a round-robin first round, after which the top four teams participate in the single-elimination portion to crown the winner...
Tournament, and they made it to the finals, but they lost to Shingo Takagi & YAMATO. Two months later, he would hold the Triangle Gate titles for a third time, teaming with Don Fujii & Akebono
Akebono
means dawn or daybreak in Japanese. It may also refer to:Ships* Japanese destroyer Akebono , a Fubuki class destroyer of the Imperial Japanese Navy in World War II...
to beat Masato Yoshino, BxB Hulk
BxB Hulk
, better known by his ring name BxB Hulk , is a Japanese professional wrestler, currently working for Dragon Gate, where he is currently one half of the Open the Twin Gate Champions, and Dragon Gate USA.-Professional wrestling career:...
& PAC.
After teaming with Anthony W. Mori against 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...
& Minoru Fujita
Minoru Fujita
is a Japanese professional wrestler contracted to Pro Wrestling Zero1, where he is a former AWA World Junior Heavyweight Champion, having won a tournament final against Takuya Sugawara.-Career:...
, Mori turned to Mochizuki and named him as the heir to the throne of Phillip J. Fukumasa. Mochi took the crown, and agreed the three would do the Royal Brothers (Anthony W. Mori, Henry III Sugawara, Phillip J. Mochizuki) on the first Buyuden after the generation war was over. On May 13, 2010, Mochizuki, Fujii and Akebono lost the Open the Triangle Gate Championship to CIMA
Nobuhiko Oshima
, better known by his ring name Cima , is a Japanese professional wrestler who currently wrestles for Dragon Gate and its international expansion Dragon Gate USA...
, Gamma and Genki Horiguchi
Genki Horiguchi
, is a Japanese professional wrestler. He is currently a full time wrestler and booker for Dragon Gate, where he is currently a member of the Blood Warriors stable. He has also competed in Wrestling Society X and Ring of Honor....
. On January 10, 2011, Mochizuki and Fujii defeated Naruki Doi and Gamma to win the Open the Twin Gate Championship
Dragon Gate Open the Twin Gate Championship
The Open the Twin Gate Championship is a professional wrestling tag team title in Japanese promotion Dragon Gate. Dragon Gate had used the WAR IJ Tag Team Championship since 2006, until 2007 when Naruki Doi & Masato Yoshino introduced the new Twin Gate after winning the Summer Adventure Tag League...
. They would lose the title to Genki Horiguchi and Ryo Saito on February 6, 2011. On April 14, 2011, Mochizuki defeated Masato Yoshino to win the Open the Dream Gate Championship for the second time. On April 24 Mochizuki agreed to form a new alliance with former World-1 members Masato Yoshino, BxB Hulk, PAC and Susumu Yokosuka to battle the promotion's new top heel stable, Blood Warriors. On June 8, the new group was named Junction Three (JIII) in reference to it being a union between the former members of World-1, KAMIKAZE and the Veteran Army.
In wrestling
- Finishing moves
- Reverse Twister (Twisting inverted brainbuster)
- Saikyou High Kick (Left high roundhouse kickRoundhouse kickA roundhouse kick is a kick in which the attacker swings his leg around in a semicircular motion, striking with the front of the leg or foot. This type of kick is utilized in many different martial arts and is popular in both non-contact and full-contact martial arts competitions...
) - Sankakugeri to the Face (Corner middle rope springboard gamengiri)
- Shin Saikyou High Kick (Right high roundhouse kickRoundhouse kickA roundhouse kick is a kick in which the attacker swings his leg around in a semicircular motion, striking with the front of the leg or foot. This type of kick is utilized in many different martial arts and is popular in both non-contact and full-contact martial arts competitions...
) - Twister (Twisting brainbuster)
- Twister II (Twisting falcon arrow)
- Signature moves
- Axe kick
- Back heel kick
- Bridging dragon suplex
- Corner big boot
- Ikkakugeri (Running knee strike to an opponent trapped horizontally between the turnbuckles)
- Illusion (Corkscrew roundhouse kick540 kickIn martial arts and tricking, the 540 kick, also known as inside turning kick, jump inside kick, tornado kick and Xuanfengjiao , is a jump kick move...
) - Roundhouse kickRoundhouse kickA roundhouse kick is a kick in which the attacker swings his leg around in a semicircular motion, striking with the front of the leg or foot. This type of kick is utilized in many different martial arts and is popular in both non-contact and full-contact martial arts competitions...
to the head of a kneeling or seated opponent - Running single leg dropkickDropkickA 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...
- Sankakugeri (Corner middle rope springboard enzuigiri)
- Topé Masaaki (Over the top rope suicide dive)
- Twisting Ikkakugeri (Running back heel kick to an opponent trapped horizontally between the turnbuckles)
- Wagamamana Hizakozou (Repeated shoot kicks to the opponent's chest)
- Theme musicMusic in professional wrestlingMusic in professional wrestling serves a variety of purposes. The most common uses of music in professional wrestling is that of the entrance theme, a song or piece of instrumental music which plays as a performer approaches the ring...
- "Kizudarake no Eikou" performed by Masaaki Mochizuki (Available on Dragon Gate's OPEN THE MUSIC GATE album)
- "Idrake no Eikou" by Takeshi Obou (Used only for high-profile matches)
- "FINAL STAGE" by Dragon Gate productions (Used while a part of Final M2K)
- "The Worst One" by Dragon Gate (Used while part of Aagan Iisou)
Championships and accomplishments
- Dragon GateDragon Gateis 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,...
- Open the Dream Gate ChampionshipDragon Gate Open the Dream Gate ChampionshipThe Open the Dream Gate Championship is the top professional wrestling title in Japanese promotion Dragon Gate. The wrestler who holds it is considered the top singles wrestler in Dragon Gate. It was created on July 4, 2004 when CIMA was awarded the title as a result of being the last Último Dragón...
(2 times (1), and Don Fujii & Akebono (1) - Open the Twin Gate ChampionshipDragon Gate Open the Twin Gate ChampionshipThe Open the Twin Gate Championship is a professional wrestling tag team title in Japanese promotion Dragon Gate. Dragon Gate had used the WAR IJ Tag Team Championship since 2006, until 2007 when Naruki Doi & Masato Yoshino introduced the new Twin Gate after winning the Summer Adventure Tag League...
(1 time) – with Don Fujii - WAR International Junior Heavyweight ChampionshipWAR International Junior Heavyweight ChampionshipThe WAR International Junior Heavyweight Championship was a title contested for in the Japanese professional wrestling promotion Wrestle Association R , which closed in 2000. It was part of New Japan Pro Wrestling's short-lived J-Crown Championship in 1996 and 1997. The title was revived in April...
(2 times) - Open the Owarai Gate ChampionshipDragon Gate Open the Owarai Gate ChampionshipThe Open the Owarai Gate Championship is a professional wrestling title in Japanese promotion Dragon Gate. The word owarai in the title's name is the Japanese word for comedy....
(1 time) - Open the Triangle Gate ChampionshipDragon Gate Open the Triangle Gate ChampionshipThe Open the Triangle Gate Championship is a professional wrestling trios title in Japanese promotion Dragon Gate. It was created on November 7, 2004 when The Italian Connection faction of Milano Collection AT, Anthony W. Mori & YOSSINO defeated Aagan Iisou's Shuji Kondo, Takuya Sugawara &...
(3 times) – with K-nessMakoto Saito (wrestler)Makoto Saito, better known by his stage name K-ness is a Japanese professional wrestler for Dragon Gate.-Early years:...
and Don FujiiDon Fujii, is a Japanese wrestler for Dragon Gate, best known by his ring name Don Fujii. He was one-half of the inaugural Open the Owarai Twin Gate Champions and a former Open the Twin Gate Champion with Masaaki Mochizuki. He was previously in the Crazy MAX and Blood Generation stables.-Biography:He was...
(1), Don Fujii and Magnitude KishiwadaMagnitude Kishiwada, better known under his current stage name Magnitude Kishiwada is a Japanese wrestler.-Career:... - WAR International Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Don Fujii
- King of GateKing of GateKing of Gate is an annual single-elimination professional wrestling singles tournament held in the Japanese promotion Dragon Gate. It is the successor to El Numero Uno, previously held in Dragon Gate and Toryumon, although Uno was a round-robin tournament, as opposed to the single-elimination...
(2006)
- Open the Dream Gate Championship
- Full Impact ProFull Impact ProFull Impact Pro is an American independent professional wrestling promotion based in Florida. Their shows are taped and then sold as DVDs. Full Impact Pro was the sister promotion of Ring of Honor until 2009...
- FIP World Heavyweight ChampionshipFIP World Heavyweight ChampionshipThe FIP World Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship owned by the Full Impact Pro promotion. It is currently the highest ranked championship in FIP. The title was introduced on September 25, 2004 at FIP's "Emergence: Part Two" event as the FIP...
(1 time)
- FIP World Heavyweight Championship
- 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...
- British Commonwealth Junior Heavyweight ChampionshipBritish Commonwealth Junior Heavyweight ChampionshipThe British Commonwealth Junior Heavyweight Championship was a professional wrestling championship that although being created in England, it gained its biggest notoriety in Japan...
(1 time)
- British Commonwealth Junior Heavyweight Championship
- Osaka Pro WrestlingOsaka Pro WrestlingOsaka Pro Wrestling is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion, founded in 1998 by Super Delfin.-Current champions:-External links:**...
- Osaka Pro Wrestling Tag Team ChampionshipOsaka Pro Wrestling Tag Team ChampionshipThe OPW Tag Team Championship is the top Tag Team title in the Japanese professional wrestling promotion Osaka Pro Wrestling. The title was established in 2001.-Title history:...
(1 time) – with Don Fujii - Osaka Tag Festival (2010) – with Don Fujii
- 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 #234 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2010
- Pro Wrestling Zero1-Max
- Zero1 International Junior Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- Toryumon JapanDragon Gateis 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,...
- UWA World Trios ChampionshipUWA World Trios ChampionshipThe UWA World Trios Championship is a tag team professional wrestling championship created by the Mexican Universal Wrestling Association and defended there until the UWA closed in 1995....
(2 times) – with Darkness DragonMakoto Saito (wrestler)Makoto Saito, better known by his stage name K-ness is a Japanese professional wrestler for Dragon Gate.-Early years:...
and Susumu MochizukiSusumu MochizukiSusumu Mochizuki , better known by his ring name Susumu Yokosuka is a Japanese professional wrestler currently performing for the Dragon Gate professional wrestling promotion...
(1) and with Keni'chiro AraiKeni'chiro AraiKeni'chiro "AraKen" Arai is a Japanese wrestler for Dragon Gate.-Biography:Keni'chiro Arai, also known as AraKen, is a second term graduate of Ultimo Dragon's Toryumon Japan group, and has been a mainstay on the roster ever since. He participated in FMW before joining Toryumon...
and Dragon KidDragon KidDragon Kid is a Japanese professional wrestler who wrestles for Dragon Gate.-Professional wrestling career:...
(1) - El Numero Uno (2001)
- UWA World Trios Championship
- Wrestle Association "R"WAR (wrestling promotion)Wrestle and Romance, and later Wrestle Association R, was a professional wrestling promotion founded and run by Genichiro Tenryu as the successor to Super World of Sports, and which lasted from 1992 to 2000. The promotion had very few regular contracted workers, instead most of the workers were...
- WAR International Junior Heavyweight ChampionshipWAR International Junior Heavyweight ChampionshipThe WAR International Junior Heavyweight Championship was a title contested for in the Japanese professional wrestling promotion Wrestle Association R , which closed in 2000. It was part of New Japan Pro Wrestling's short-lived J-Crown Championship in 1996 and 1997. The title was revived in April...
(3 times) - WAR International Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Battle Ranger (1) and Don Fujii (1)
- WAR World Six-Man Tag Team ChampionshipWAR World Six-Man Tag Team ChampionshipThe WAR World Six-Man Tag Team Championship is a tag team title previously contested for in the Japanese professional wrestling promotion Wrestle Association R ....
(1 time) – with Nobukazu Hirai and Mitsuharu KitaoKoji KitaoKōji Kitao is a former sumo wrestler and professional wrestler, born in Mie, Japan. He was sumo's 60th Yokozuna, and the only yokozuna in sumo history not to win a top division tournament championship...
- WAR International Junior Heavyweight Championship
Lucha de Apuesta record
| Wager | Winner(s) | Loser(s) | Location | Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hair | Masaaki Mochizuki | Magnum TOKYO | Osaka Osaka is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe... , Japan Japan Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south... |
Five-way steel cage match, which also included CIMA Nobuhiko Oshima , better known by his ring name Cima , is a Japanese professional wrestler who currently wrestles for Dragon Gate and its international expansion Dragon Gate USA... , Darkness Dragon and Dragon Kid Dragon Kid Dragon Kid is a Japanese professional wrestler who wrestles for Dragon Gate.-Professional wrestling career:... . |
|
| Hair | CIMA | Masaaki Mochizuki | Tokyo Tokyo , ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family... , Japan Japan Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south... |
Lumberjack match. |