Masato Onodera
Encyclopedia
is a Japanese professional wrestler and former mixed martial artist, known by his ring name Yamato (stylized as YAMATO), who competes for Dragon Gate
and its international expansion Dragon Gate USA
.
and was recruited into Final M2K directly after his debut. Yasushi Kanda
gave him his "Gekokujoh" character, and inherited a lot of the Gekokujoh-era moves that Kanda had used during his own career. He later chose to leave Final M2K so he could grow along his own path, which was one of the reasons for the M2K break-up.
He won the first NEX-1 tournament, which earned him the right to travel to the U.S. His stay was brief, at under three months. He returned in May, aligning with his generation peers Shingo Takagi
, BxB Hulk
& Cyber Kong
in New Hazard
, dropping the Gekokujoh lineage completely and renaming himself to YAMATO.
He appeared in Ring Of Honor's All Star Extravaganza III and Super Card of Honor II. He defeated Pelle Primeau and was beaten by Claudio Castagnoli
during a U.S. tour.
On April 17, 2008, YAMATO betrayed New Hazard and sided with the Muscle Outlaw'z
after he attacked his partner Naoki Tanisaki
in a tag match against Gamma and Genki Horiguchi
. However, the betrayal was a ruse, for on May 14, Takagi and Kong betrayed Hulk before the trio were scheduled to defend their Open the Triangle Gate titles against YAMATO, Gamma & Horiguchi. New Hazard was ended, and Takagi and Kong joined up with YAMATO and company to form the new super-heel group Real Hazard. Then, he, Gamma, and Takagi won the newly-vacant Open the Triangle Gate titles in an impromptu match against Hulk, Naruki Doi
& Masato Yoshino
. Their title reign lasted until June 28, when they were defeated by Keni'chiro Arai
, Taku Iwasa
& Shinobu. However, he would win them back from them on July 12, along with Yasushi Kanda & Gamma, and the trio would lose the titles to Masaaki Mochizuki
, Don Fujii
& Magnitude Kishiwada
on September 28. But, YAMATO would not be without a championship for long, for a week later, he teamed with Cyber Kong to defeat Naruki Doi & Masato Yoshino for the Open the Twin Gate Titles.
When Gamma and Yasushi Kanda began to have serious problems with each other, he helped organize a match between them where the loser would be kicked out of Real Hazard. Even though Kanda lost, Gamma ended up being the one ousted from the unit, after Keni'chiro Arai joined the group's ranks and assisted them in beating down Gamma. YAMATO then took over Gamma's role as leader.
On March 1, he and Cyber Kong would lose the Open the Twin Gate titles to Susumu Yokosuka & Gamma after stablemate KAGETORA
interfered and turned on them. He then began to provoke BxB Hulk, and even offered him to join Real Hazard under his Black Hulk persona. Hulk responded by randomly attacking members of Real Hazard as Black Hulk, dominating each attack until April 15, when Real Hazard got the better of him and laid him out. YAMATO then challenged him to a match, and said he did not care whether Hulk fought him as Black Hulk or his normal self. The match, held on May 5, saw BxB Hulk as Black Hulk beat him by referee stoppage.
Shortly after this, a lot of friendly fire began to occur between Real Hazard in their matches. On May 23, YAMATO told the group not to interfere in his match the next day against Shingo Takagi. However, Kanda still hits Takagi with a blue box and then tossed the box to YAMATO. A disappointed YAMATO refused to use the blue box and even gave Takagi a free shot on him due to the interference. In the end, YAMATO lost the match. The refusal of help from his stable caused Genki Horiguchi to question his reasoning. He then went to New Japan Pro Wrestling to compete in their annual Best Of The Super Juniors tournament, hoping tensions would've cooled down by the time he returned to Dragon Gate. Though he was eliminated from contention in the round-robin portion of the tournament, only winning two of six matches, his two wins came against junior heavyweight greats Jushin Liger
and eventual winner Koji Kanemoto
. When he returned to Dragon Gate, he continually refused to team with his Real Hazard stablemates, and finally quit the group altogether on June 26.
He joined up with KAMIKAZE and re-formed his team with Shingo Takagi, and they made a challenge for Ryo Saito
& Genki Horiguchi's Open the Twin Gate Titles on July 19. They failed to capture the titles due to him being blinded by a protein powder attack from Keni'chiro Arai. However, they would gain another title shot in August, after winning the annual Summer Adventure Tag League
Tournament, and they would win the titles a month later. They would lose the titles to CIMA & Gamma on December 27.
On March 22, 2010, YAMATO defeated Naruki Doi via Gallaria to become the 11th Open the Dream Gate Champion at Compilation Gate 2010 in Tokyo. Following this match, YAMATO enjoyed three successful title defenses against Susumu Yokosuka, Shingo Takagi and Masaaki Mochizuki. On July 11, 2010, YAMATO lost the Open the Dream Gate Championship to Masato Yoshino at Kobe World 2010. On May 13, 2011, Takagi disbanded KAMIKAZE and the following day both him and YAMATO joined Masaaki Mochizuki's new stable, Junction Three, to battle CIMA
's Blood Warriors. On June 18, YAMATO, Gamma and Yoshino defeated the Blood Warriors team of CIMA, Naruki Doi and BxB Hulk to win the vacant Open the Triangle Gate Championship. They would go on to lose the title to the Blood Warriors team of Kzy
, Naoki Tanisaki and Naruki Doi on September 2. On October 16, YAMATO lost his hair to Cyber Kong in a six-way steel cage Hair vs. Hair match.
's first pay-per-view Enter the Dragon
, first aired on September 4, 2009, YAMATO defeated BxB Hulk in the opener. The very same show, he later cimented his heel status teaming with Chikara's own Gran Akuma to post-match attack Quackenbush and Jigsaw. During the second DGUSA pay-per-view Untouchable
, YAMATO teamed with Gran Akuma
in a losing effort to Mike Quackenbush & Jigsaw
.
At Freedom Fight
, YAMATO entered the tournament to crown the first Open the Freedom Gate Champion. He defeated Davey Richards
in a first round match, but lost in the finals to BxB Hulk
in an elimination match with CIMA and Akuma. At Fearless
, YAMATO teamed with Shingo Takagi
in an elimination match against Naruki Doi
& Masato Yoshino
and The Young Bucks
. The duo would survive seeing the Bucks eliminated but fell to Doi & Yoshino in defeat. YAMATO would unofficially align with Takagi, Richards and Akuma when participating in a post match beatdown at the end of Fearless.
At Mercury Rising
, YAMATO successfully defended his Open the Dream Gate championship against Susumu Yokosuka in his first defense. He also created a new stable, KAMIKAZE USA, together with Takagi and Jon Moxley
. Gran Akuma and Akira Tozawa were later added to the stable.
At Uprising
, YAMATO teamed again with Takagi to defeat the team of CIMA and Dragon Kid. At Enter The Dragon 2010, YAMATO, Tozawa, Moxley and Akuma, representing Kamikaze USA, were defeated by Yoshino, Quackenbush, Jigsaw and Hallowicked, ending the feud between Kamikaze USA and the Chikara wrestlers. During the next show, Untouchable 2010, YAMATO faced the newest WWE superstar Bryan Danielson in a losing cause during the Main Event.
On January 28, 2011, YAMATO defeated BxB Hulk to win the DGUSA Open the Freedom Gate Championship
. The following night at the United: Philly ippv, YAMATO won his match against Brodie Lee via submission. It was a non-title bout between the two opponents. During the event of United: Finale, YAMATO was added impromptu to a match pitting the newly Blood Warriors against Jimmy Jacobs and the team of his choice. Jacobs' team ended up being Jacob himself, Open the Freedom gate champion YAMATO, Austin Aries and Sami Callihan. YAMATO's team wrestled in a losing effort.
On the April 2nd show, Mercury Rising 2011, YAMATO was set to defend the Open the Freedom gate belt against a desperate Austin Aries. The match was set because Aries vowed to put his career on the line for the match, meaning a win from YAMATO would made Aries quit the company. Open the freedom Gate champion YAMATO went on to defeat Aries and retain the DGUSA top belt. YAMATO showed respect for Aries after the match. The last show of the triple shot pitted YAMATO and his former stable partner Akira Tozawa. In what was supposed to be a non-title match, Jon Moxley challenge Tozawa in a match and if Tozawa would won, the match against YAMATO would be a title match. Tozawa defeated Moxley quickly and went to face the Freedom gate champion for his belt. YAMATO won the match and successfully defended his belt two nights in a row.
The main theme for weekend of June was the Championship Challenge. On the 3rd of June, Fearless 2011, YAMATO and his partner of choice, Akira Tozawa, tried to win the United belts from PAC and Yoshino. However, PAC had other plans, pinning Tozawa, and kept his belt. The following event, Uprising 2011, YAMATO got involved in a 4-way match against stablemate Yoshino, Ronin's Johnny Gargano
and Blood Warriors' leader CIMA. It was ultimately CIMA who won the match by pinning YAMATO. It was during the Enter the Dragon: Second Anniversary that YAMATO had to face PAC for the Dragon Gate USA top belt. Being back at New York city seemed to smile to YAMATO, being exactly the same venue where he won the Freedom gate championship, as he went to defeat PAC to close the second anniversary show. YAMATO showed respect to his stablemate and went on to celebrate when CIMA's Blood Warriors crashed the party and the leader of the heel stable challenged YAMATO for the Freedom Gate in September.
Dragon Gate USA came back, in Indianapolis on September 9th. YAMATO, still the reigning Freedom Gate champion, was teaming with is stablemate Masato Yoshino to face Ronin's duo of Gargano and Taylor. YAMATO's partner went on to submit Taylor to the Sol Nasciente. The following night was set to be the biggest defense yet of YAMATO's belt against the Dragon Gate icon himself, CIMA. YAMATO ultimately triumph over is long time rival to successfully defend the Freedom Gate for the 5th time. After the match, CIMA informed the champion that BxB Hulk, the former champion, wants a no DQ, no ropes match for the championship. The challenge was accepted but will not be for the title. On September 11th, YAMATO teamed up with AR Fox to face the D.U.F. pair of Sami Callihan and Arik Cannon. YAMATO's team ended up losing when Fox submitted to the Strech Muffler. On November 13, YAMATO lost the Open the Freedom Gate Championship to Johnny Gargano.
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 its international expansion Dragon Gate USA
Dragon Gate USA
Dragon Gate USA is an American professional wrestling promotion founded in 2009 as an international expansion of the Japanese promotion Dragon Gate.Gabe Sapolsky, former head booker of Ring of Honor, serves as the promotion's Vice President....
.
Dragon Gate
The 5th graduate of the Dragon Gate dojo, Onodera had previous professional fighting experience competing under his real name in PancrasePancrase
Pancrase is a mixed martial arts promotion company founded in Japan in 1993 by professional wrestlers Masakatsu Funaki and Minoru Suzuki. Pancrase is taken from Pankration, a sport in the ancient Olympic games. Suzuki and Funaki are particularly skilled in the art of catch wrestling and based the...
and was recruited into Final M2K directly after his debut. Yasushi Kanda
Yasushi Kanda
Hiroyuki Kanda, better known as Yasushi Kanda, born on August 29, 1978 in Inage-ku, Chiba, Japan, is a Japanese wrestler currently performing for the Dragon Gate wrestling promotion in Japan. He is considered one of Toryumon's greatest heel characters, and was a founding member of the M2K stable...
gave him his "Gekokujoh" character, and inherited a lot of the Gekokujoh-era moves that Kanda had used during his own career. He later chose to leave Final M2K so he could grow along his own path, which was one of the reasons for the M2K break-up.
He won the first NEX-1 tournament, which earned him the right to travel to the U.S. His stay was brief, at under three months. He returned in May, aligning with his generation peers 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:...
in New Hazard
New Hazard
New Hazard was a professional wrestling stable in the Japanese promotion Dragon Gate, formed in April 2007. It was founded by former Typhoon and Muscle Outlaw'z members BxB Hulk and Cyber Kong, intending to compete with the two opposing factions. Shingo Takagi and Yamato, who were on tours of the...
, dropping the Gekokujoh lineage completely and renaming himself to YAMATO.
He appeared in Ring Of Honor's All Star Extravaganza III and Super Card of Honor II. He defeated Pelle Primeau and was beaten by Claudio Castagnoli
Claudio Castagnoli
Claudio Castagnoli is a Swiss professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, working in its developmental territory Florida Championship Wrestling under the ring name Antonio Cesaro...
during a U.S. tour.
On April 17, 2008, YAMATO betrayed New Hazard and sided with the Muscle Outlaw'z
Muscle Outlaw'z
Muscle Outlaw'z, or MO'z for short, were a professional wrestling stable in the Japanese promotion Dragon Gate, formed on April 23, 2006. It was founded by former Blood Generation members Naruki Doi, Masato Yoshino, Naoki Tanisaki, and Gamma, intending to compete with CIMA's faction...
after he attacked his partner Naoki Tanisaki
Naoki Tanisaki
Naoki Tanisaki is a Japanese wrestler currently competing for Dragon Gate, where he is currently one third of the Open the Triangle Gate Champions.-Toryumon/Dragon Gate :...
in a tag match against 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....
. However, the betrayal was a ruse, for on May 14, Takagi and Kong betrayed Hulk before the trio were scheduled to defend their Open the Triangle Gate titles against YAMATO, Gamma & Horiguchi. New Hazard was ended, and Takagi and Kong joined up with YAMATO and company to form the new super-heel group Real Hazard. Then, he, Gamma, and Takagi won the newly-vacant Open the Triangle Gate titles in an impromptu match against Hulk, 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:...
. Their title reign lasted until June 28, when they were defeated by 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...
, 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...
& Shinobu. However, he would win them back from them on July 12, along with Yasushi Kanda & Gamma, and the trio would lose the titles 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...
, 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...
& Magnitude Kishiwada
Magnitude Kishiwada
, better known under his current stage name Magnitude Kishiwada is a Japanese wrestler.-Career:...
on September 28. But, YAMATO would not be without a championship for long, for a week later, he teamed with Cyber Kong to defeat Naruki Doi & Masato Yoshino for the Open the Twin Gate Titles.
When Gamma and Yasushi Kanda began to have serious problems with each other, he helped organize a match between them where the loser would be kicked out of Real Hazard. Even though Kanda lost, Gamma ended up being the one ousted from the unit, after Keni'chiro Arai joined the group's ranks and assisted them in beating down Gamma. YAMATO then took over Gamma's role as leader.
On March 1, he and Cyber Kong would lose the Open the Twin Gate titles to Susumu Yokosuka & Gamma after stablemate KAGETORA
Fumiyuki Hashimoto
, known by his stage name Kagetora , is a Japanese professional wrestler who works for Dragon Gate. He wrestles in independent wrestling leagues all around Japan and has wrestled in the United States for Chikara and Pro Wrestling Guerrilla...
interfered and turned on them. He then began to provoke BxB Hulk, and even offered him to join Real Hazard under his Black Hulk persona. Hulk responded by randomly attacking members of Real Hazard as Black Hulk, dominating each attack until April 15, when Real Hazard got the better of him and laid him out. YAMATO then challenged him to a match, and said he did not care whether Hulk fought him as Black Hulk or his normal self. The match, held on May 5, saw BxB Hulk as Black Hulk beat him by referee stoppage.
Shortly after this, a lot of friendly fire began to occur between Real Hazard in their matches. On May 23, YAMATO told the group not to interfere in his match the next day against Shingo Takagi. However, Kanda still hits Takagi with a blue box and then tossed the box to YAMATO. A disappointed YAMATO refused to use the blue box and even gave Takagi a free shot on him due to the interference. In the end, YAMATO lost the match. The refusal of help from his stable caused Genki Horiguchi to question his reasoning. He then went to New Japan Pro Wrestling to compete in their annual Best Of The Super Juniors tournament, hoping tensions would've cooled down by the time he returned to Dragon Gate. Though he was eliminated from contention in the round-robin portion of the tournament, only winning two of six matches, his two wins came against junior heavyweight greats 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 eventual winner Koji Kanemoto
Koji Kanemoto
is a professional wrestler. He is of Zainichi Korean descent.-Career:Kanemoto practiced Judo during his high school days and won a few championships as a professional before being recruited by the New Japan Dojo. He debuted in November 1990, wrestling against Michiyoshi Ohara. In March 1992, he...
. When he returned to Dragon Gate, he continually refused to team with his Real Hazard stablemates, and finally quit the group altogether on June 26.
He joined up with KAMIKAZE and re-formed his team with Shingo Takagi, and they made a challenge for 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:...
& Genki Horiguchi's Open the Twin Gate Titles on July 19. They failed to capture the titles due to him being blinded by a protein powder attack from Keni'chiro Arai. However, they would gain another title shot in August, after winning 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 would win the titles a month later. They would lose the titles to CIMA & Gamma on December 27.
On March 22, 2010, YAMATO defeated Naruki Doi via Gallaria to become the 11th Open the Dream Gate Champion at Compilation Gate 2010 in Tokyo. Following this match, YAMATO enjoyed three successful title defenses against Susumu Yokosuka, Shingo Takagi and Masaaki Mochizuki. On July 11, 2010, YAMATO lost the Open the Dream Gate Championship to Masato Yoshino at Kobe World 2010. On May 13, 2011, Takagi disbanded KAMIKAZE and the following day both him and YAMATO joined Masaaki Mochizuki's new stable, Junction Three, to battle 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...
's Blood Warriors. On June 18, YAMATO, Gamma and Yoshino defeated the Blood Warriors team of CIMA, Naruki Doi and BxB Hulk to win the vacant Open the Triangle Gate Championship. They would go on to lose the title to the Blood Warriors team of Kzy
M.c.KZ
Kzy is a Japanese wrestler for Dragon Gate, where he is a member of the Blood Warriors stable and currently one third of the Open the Triangle Gate Champions.-Career:...
, Naoki Tanisaki and Naruki Doi on September 2. On October 16, YAMATO lost his hair to Cyber Kong in a six-way steel cage Hair vs. Hair match.
Dragon Gate USA
On Dragon Gate USADragon Gate USA
Dragon Gate USA is an American professional wrestling promotion founded in 2009 as an international expansion of the Japanese promotion Dragon Gate.Gabe Sapolsky, former head booker of Ring of Honor, serves as the promotion's Vice President....
's first pay-per-view Enter the Dragon
DGUSA Enter The Dragon
Enter the Dragon / Open the Historic Gate is the first professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by Dragon Gate USA that was taped on July 25, 2009 at The Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and aired September 4, 2009....
, first aired on September 4, 2009, YAMATO defeated BxB Hulk in the opener. The very same show, he later cimented his heel status teaming with Chikara's own Gran Akuma to post-match attack Quackenbush and Jigsaw. During the second DGUSA pay-per-view Untouchable
DGUSA Untouchable
Untouchable featured six professional wrestling matches that involved different wrestlers from pre-existing scripted feuds and storylines. Wrestlers were portrayed as either villains or heroes in the scripted events that build tension and culminate into a wrestling match or series of matches.As...
, YAMATO teamed with Gran Akuma
Gran Akuma
Gran Akuma is a professional wrestler who currently works for Chikara and Combat Zone Wrestling, where he uses the ring name AKUMA. He has also worked for the Florida based Full Impact Pro. In Chikara, he was a member of the Kings of Wrestling stable, while also being a part of Team F.I.S.T. with...
in a losing effort to Mike Quackenbush & Jigsaw
Jigsaw (wrestler)
Jigsaw is an American professional wrestler currently competing in the Chikara and Dragon Gate USA professional wrestling promotions...
.
At Freedom Fight
DGUSA Freedom Fight
Freedom Fight / Open The Freedom Gate is a series of professional wrestling pay-per-view events produced by Dragon Gate USA.-Background:...
, YAMATO entered the tournament to crown the first Open the Freedom Gate Champion. He defeated Davey Richards
Davey Richards
Wesley David Richards is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Davey Richards.Richards is currently under contract with Ring of Honor, where he is the current ROH World Champion, but also wrestles for several companies on the independent circuit, including Pro Wrestling...
in a first round match, but lost in the finals to 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:...
in an elimination match with CIMA and Akuma. At Fearless
DGUSA Fearless
Fearless is a series of professional wrestling pay-per-view events produced by Dragon Gate USA.-Background:Fearless featured eight professional wrestling matches that involved different wrestlers from pre-existing scripted feuds and storylines...
, YAMATO teamed with 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...
in an elimination match against 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:...
and The Young Bucks
The Young Bucks
The Young Bucks is an American professional wrestling tag team, consisting of real life brothers Matt and Nick Massie from Southern California...
. The duo would survive seeing the Bucks eliminated but fell to Doi & Yoshino in defeat. YAMATO would unofficially align with Takagi, Richards and Akuma when participating in a post match beatdown at the end of Fearless.
At Mercury Rising
DGUSA Mercury Rising
Mercury Rising is a series of professional wrestling pay-per-view events produced by Dragon Gate USA.-2010:-2011:-External links:*...
, YAMATO successfully defended his Open the Dream Gate championship against Susumu Yokosuka in his first defense. He also created a new stable, KAMIKAZE USA, together with Takagi and Jon Moxley
Jon Moxley
Jonathan Good is an American professional wrestler known by his ring name Jon Moxley. He is signed to WWE, wrestling in their developmental territory, Florida Championship Wrestling , under the ring name Dean Ambrose...
. Gran Akuma and Akira Tozawa were later added to the stable.
At Uprising
DGUSA Uprising
Uprising was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by Dragon Gate USA that was taped May 8, 2010 at the Mississauga International Centrein Mississauga, Ontario and aired on July 9, 2010.-External links:*...
, YAMATO teamed again with Takagi to defeat the team of CIMA and Dragon Kid. At Enter The Dragon 2010, YAMATO, Tozawa, Moxley and Akuma, representing Kamikaze USA, were defeated by Yoshino, Quackenbush, Jigsaw and Hallowicked, ending the feud between Kamikaze USA and the Chikara wrestlers. During the next show, Untouchable 2010, YAMATO faced the newest WWE superstar Bryan Danielson in a losing cause during the Main Event.
On January 28, 2011, YAMATO defeated BxB Hulk to win the DGUSA Open the Freedom Gate Championship
DGUSA Open the Freedom Gate Championship
The first holder of the Open the Freedom Gate Championship was crowned following a 14-man tournament held at DGUSA Freedom Fight on November 28, 2009. The title is also recognized by Dragon Gate USA's parent promotion, Dragon Gate, and it has been defended at a Dragon Gate show in Japan. The title...
. The following night at the United: Philly ippv, YAMATO won his match against Brodie Lee via submission. It was a non-title bout between the two opponents. During the event of United: Finale, YAMATO was added impromptu to a match pitting the newly Blood Warriors against Jimmy Jacobs and the team of his choice. Jacobs' team ended up being Jacob himself, Open the Freedom gate champion YAMATO, Austin Aries and Sami Callihan. YAMATO's team wrestled in a losing effort.
On the April 2nd show, Mercury Rising 2011, YAMATO was set to defend the Open the Freedom gate belt against a desperate Austin Aries. The match was set because Aries vowed to put his career on the line for the match, meaning a win from YAMATO would made Aries quit the company. Open the freedom Gate champion YAMATO went on to defeat Aries and retain the DGUSA top belt. YAMATO showed respect for Aries after the match. The last show of the triple shot pitted YAMATO and his former stable partner Akira Tozawa. In what was supposed to be a non-title match, Jon Moxley challenge Tozawa in a match and if Tozawa would won, the match against YAMATO would be a title match. Tozawa defeated Moxley quickly and went to face the Freedom gate champion for his belt. YAMATO won the match and successfully defended his belt two nights in a row.
The main theme for weekend of June was the Championship Challenge. On the 3rd of June, Fearless 2011, YAMATO and his partner of choice, Akira Tozawa, tried to win the United belts from PAC and Yoshino. However, PAC had other plans, pinning Tozawa, and kept his belt. The following event, Uprising 2011, YAMATO got involved in a 4-way match against stablemate Yoshino, Ronin's Johnny Gargano
Johnny Gargano
John Anthony Nicholas "Johnny" Gargano is an American professional wrestler, who performs primarily in the Absolute Intense Wrestling, Chikara, Dragon Gate USA, Evolve Wrestling and Pro Wrestling Ohio professional wrestling promotions. He has also made appearances for World Wrestling...
and Blood Warriors' leader CIMA. It was ultimately CIMA who won the match by pinning YAMATO. It was during the Enter the Dragon: Second Anniversary that YAMATO had to face PAC for the Dragon Gate USA top belt. Being back at New York city seemed to smile to YAMATO, being exactly the same venue where he won the Freedom gate championship, as he went to defeat PAC to close the second anniversary show. YAMATO showed respect to his stablemate and went on to celebrate when CIMA's Blood Warriors crashed the party and the leader of the heel stable challenged YAMATO for the Freedom Gate in September.
Dragon Gate USA came back, in Indianapolis on September 9th. YAMATO, still the reigning Freedom Gate champion, was teaming with is stablemate Masato Yoshino to face Ronin's duo of Gargano and Taylor. YAMATO's partner went on to submit Taylor to the Sol Nasciente. The following night was set to be the biggest defense yet of YAMATO's belt against the Dragon Gate icon himself, CIMA. YAMATO ultimately triumph over is long time rival to successfully defend the Freedom Gate for the 5th time. After the match, CIMA informed the champion that BxB Hulk, the former champion, wants a no DQ, no ropes match for the championship. The challenge was accepted but will not be for the title. On September 11th, YAMATO teamed up with AR Fox to face the D.U.F. pair of Sami Callihan and Arik Cannon. YAMATO's team ended up losing when Fox submitted to the Strech Muffler. On November 13, YAMATO lost the Open the Freedom Gate Championship to Johnny Gargano.
In wrestling
- Finishing moves
- CBV - Cross Bone Vanguard (Stepover toehold facelock)
- Doujime Sleeper (Choke sleeper)
- Gallaria (Inverted facelock lifted and dropped into a sitout scoop slam piledriver)
- Mushakaeshi (Spear)
- Signature moves
- Ankle hold
- BrainbusterBrainbusterA brainbuster is a professional wrestling throw in which a wrestler puts his/her opponent in a front facelock, hooks his/her pants, and lifts him/her up as if he/she was executing a vertical suplex. The wrestler then falls onto his/her back so that the opponent lands on his/her head while remaining...
- Big boot
- Cloverleaf hold
- Corner elbow smash
- Crawling under the ring, emerging behind the opponent and 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...
ing the leg - Cross armbreaker
- Death Valley driver
- Enzuigiri
- Figure four leglock
- Guillotine chokeGuillotine chokeThe guillotine choke is a chokehold in martial arts and wrestling applied from in front of the opponent. The choke involves using the arms to encircle the opponent's neck in a fashion similar to a guillotine. The technique is either a type of tracheal compression restraint that prevents air flow...
- Kimura lock
- Leaping elbow
- 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- German
- Exploder
- Sleeper
- Punt kick
- Roaring elbow
- Single leg Boston crab
- NicknameNicknameA nickname is "a usually familiar or humorous but sometimes pointed or cruel name given to a person or place, as a supposedly appropriate replacement for or addition to the proper name.", or a name similar in origin and pronunciation from the original name....
s - "BATTLESHIP"
- 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...
- "YAMATO SPIRIT" performed by ACMA
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,...
- Dragon Gate 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...
(1 time) - Dragon Gate 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 Gamma and Shingo TakagiShingo TakagiShingo 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...
(1), Yasushi KandaYasushi KandaHiroyuki Kanda, better known as Yasushi Kanda, born on August 29, 1978 in Inage-ku, Chiba, Japan, is a Japanese wrestler currently performing for the Dragon Gate wrestling promotion in Japan. He is considered one of Toryumon's greatest heel characters, and was a founding member of the M2K stable...
and Gamma (1) and Gamma and Masato YoshinoMasato YoshinoMasato Yoshino is a Japanese professional wrestler, currently working for the Dragon Gate wrestling promotion.-Toryumon:...
(1) - Dragon Gate 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...
(2 times) – with Cyber KongCyber KongTakashi Yoshida is a Japanese wrestler better known by his ring name, Cyber Kong. He currently wrestles for Dragon Gate.-Biography:...
(1 time) and Shingo Takagi (1 time) - Summer Adventure Tag LeagueSummer Adventure Tag LeagueSummer 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 (2009) - with Shingo Takagi - Dragon Gate NEX-1 Winner
- Dragon Gate Open the Dream Gate Championship
- Dragon Gate USADragon Gate USADragon Gate USA is an American professional wrestling promotion founded in 2009 as an international expansion of the Japanese promotion Dragon Gate.Gabe Sapolsky, former head booker of Ring of Honor, serves as the promotion's Vice President....
- DGUSA Open the Freedom Gate ChampionshipDGUSA Open the Freedom Gate ChampionshipThe first holder of the Open the Freedom Gate Championship was crowned following a 14-man tournament held at DGUSA Freedom Fight on November 28, 2009. The title is also recognized by Dragon Gate USA's parent promotion, Dragon Gate, and it has been defended at a Dragon Gate show in Japan. The title...
(1 time)
- DGUSA Open the Freedom Gate Championship
- 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 #98 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2011
Lucha de Apuesta record
| Wager | Winner(s) | Loser(s) | Location | Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hair | 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:... |
YAMATO | 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... |
This was a six-way steel cage match, also involving 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... , 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:... , KAGETORA Fumiyuki Hashimoto , known by his stage name Kagetora , is a Japanese professional wrestler who works for Dragon Gate. He wrestles in independent wrestling leagues all around Japan and has wrestled in the United States for Chikara and Pro Wrestling Guerrilla... and 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... . |