Naoya Ogawa
Encyclopedia
Naoya Ogawa is a Japanese former world judo
champion, Olympic
silver medalist, professional wrestler and mixed martial artist
. He won a total of seven medals at the All-Japan Judo Championships
(second only behind Yasuhiro Yamashita
), and a set a record of seven medals at the World Judo Championships (tied with Robert van de Walle
).
In professional wrestling, Ogawa was two-time National Wrestling Alliance world heavyweight champion
.
in his high school years. He continued on in college attending Meiji University
in 1986. In his second year at school he became a world freeclass champion, youngest in the history of Judo. He would go on to win many more championships before graduating from the College of Business Administration at Meiji University. Ogawa was
Silver medalist in judo
of 1992 Summer Olympics
, and placed fifth at the 1996 Summer Olympics
.
In 1997 he was recruited by Antonio Inoki
and was sent to train with Satoru Sayama
. Ogawa made his debut against Shinya Hashimoto
on April 12, 1997 at the Tokyo Dome
wrestling with New Japan Pro Wrestling. Subsequently he was billed as Hashimoto's arch nemesis.
On March 14, 1999, Ogawa won the NWA world title from Dan Severn
in Yokohama, Japan. Ogawa lost the title to Gary Steele
in a three-way match that also involved Brian Anthony on September 25, 1999. Ogawa won the title back on October 2, 1999. Ogawa vacated the NWA title on July 2, 2000.
Ogawa also continued to use his judo skills in PRIDE where he holds victories over Gary Goodridge
, Stefan Leko
, and American olympic silver medalist Matt Ghaffari
. After seven wins in mixed martial arts, Ogawa faced PRIDE heavyweight champion Fedor Emelianenko
, and suffered his first career loss by first round armbar. Ogawa retired from mixed martial arts after falling to fellow Japanese Judoka, and rival Hidehiko Yoshida
by an armbar in a highly anticipated MMA bout at PRIDE Shockwave 2005.
Ogawa and Yoshida were both paid $2 million USD which remains one the most expensive fight in MMA history.
Ogawa was a mainstay with the HUSTLE Wrestling group as part of the HUSTLE army, from their beginning until mid year of 2007, when Ogawa left to sign with Antonio Inoki
's new promotion, Inoki Genome Federation
.
|Loss
|7-2
|
Hidehiko Yoshida
|Submission (Armbar)
|PRIDE Shockwave 2005
|12/31/05
| 1
| 6:04
|
|
|-
|Loss
|7-1
|
Fedor Emelianenko
|Submission (Armbar)
|PRIDE Final Conflict 2004
|8/15/04
| 1
| 0:54
|
|
|-
|Win
|7-0
|
Paulo Cesar Silva
|TKO (Punches)
|PRIDE Critical Countdown 2004
|6/20/04
| 1
| 3:29
|
|
|-
|Win
|6-0
|
Stefan Leko
|Submission (Arm Triangle Choke)
|PRIDE Total Elimination 2004
|4/25/04
| 1
| 1:34
|
|
|-
|Win
|5-0
|
Matt Ghaffari
|TKO (Punches)
|UFO: Legend
|8/8/02
| 1
| 0:56
|
|
|-
|Win
|4-0
| Masaaki Satake
|Submission (Rear Naked Choke)
|PRIDE 11
|10/31/00
| 2
| 2:01
|
|
|-
|Win
|3-0
|Rob Peters
|Submission
|UFO (professional wrestling): Free Fight Gala
|11/28/99
|
|
|
|
|-
|Win
|2-0
|
Gary Goodridge
|Submission (Keylock)
|PRIDE 6
|7/4/99
| 2
| 0:36
|
|
|-
|Win
|1-0
|Rens Vrolijk
|Submission (Choke)
|Red Devil Free Fight 1
|9/27/97
| 1
|
|
|
Judo
is a modern martial art and combat sport created in Japan in 1882 by Jigoro Kano. Its most prominent feature is its competitive element, where the object is to either throw or takedown one's opponent to the ground, immobilize or otherwise subdue one's opponent with a grappling maneuver, or force an...
champion, Olympic
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
silver medalist, professional wrestler and mixed martial artist
Mixed martial arts
Mixed Martial Arts is a full contact combat sport that allows the use of both striking and grappling techniques, both standing and on the ground, including boxing, wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, muay Thai, kickboxing, karate, judo and other styles. The roots of modern mixed martial arts can be...
. He won a total of seven medals at the All-Japan Judo Championships
All-Japan Judo Championships
is a judo tournament held every year in Japan. The men's tournament is held in Nippon Budokan on April 29 and the women's tournament is held in Yokohama Cultural Gymnasium in April. The Kodokan and All-Japan Judo Federation sponsor the championship....
(second only behind Yasuhiro Yamashita
Yasuhiro Yamashita
is one of the most successful judo competitors of all time. He currently works as an instructor or advisor for numerous organizations, including Tokai University, the International Judo Federation, and the...
), and a set a record of seven medals at the World Judo Championships (tied with Robert van de Walle
Robert Van De Walle
Robert Van de Walle is a Belgian judoka. He was the first judoka to ever compete at five Olympics.He was born in Ostend....
).
In professional wrestling, Ogawa was two-time National Wrestling Alliance world heavyweight champion
NWA World Heavyweight Championship
The National Wrestling Alliance World Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in the National Wrestling Alliance. Its lineage has been traced from the first World Heavyweight Championship, which traces its lineage to Georg Hackenschmidt's 1905 title and...
.
Biography
Ogawa Naoya first started in JudoJudo
is a modern martial art and combat sport created in Japan in 1882 by Jigoro Kano. Its most prominent feature is its competitive element, where the object is to either throw or takedown one's opponent to the ground, immobilize or otherwise subdue one's opponent with a grappling maneuver, or force an...
in his high school years. He continued on in college attending Meiji University
Meiji University
is a private university in Tokyo and Kawasaki, founded in 1881 by three lawyers of the Meiji era, Kishimoto Tatsuo, Miyagi Kōzō, and Yashiro Misao. It is one of the largest and most prestigious Japanese universities in Tokyo, Japan....
in 1986. In his second year at school he became a world freeclass champion, youngest in the history of Judo. He would go on to win many more championships before graduating from the College of Business Administration at Meiji University. Ogawa was
Silver medalist in judo
Judo at the 1992 Summer Olympics
The Judo competition at the 1992 Summer Olympics was contested in fourteen weight classes, seven each for men and women. The seven men's weight classes continued to be those first used in 1980. This was the first Olympic competition to award medals to women judoka; women competed in 1988 as a...
of 1992 Summer Olympics
1992 Summer Olympics
The 1992 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event celebrated in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, in 1992. The International Olympic Committee voted in 1986 to separate the Summer and Winter Games, which had been held in the same...
, and placed fifth at the 1996 Summer Olympics
1996 Summer Olympics
The 1996 Summer Olympics of Atlanta, officially known as the Games of the XXVI Olympiad and unofficially known as the Centennial Olympics, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia, United States....
.
In 1997 he was recruited by Antonio Inoki
Antonio Inoki
is a Japanese professional wrestling promoter and retired professional wrestler and mixed martial artist who now resides between New York City and Tokyo. He was also the founder and former owner of New Japan Pro Wrestling before selling his controlling share in the promotion to Yukes...
and was sent to train with Satoru Sayama
Satoru Sayama
is a Japanese professional wrestler, best known as the original Tiger Mask. He's wrestled under his real name as well as the names Sammy Lee, and masked Super Tiger, Tiger King, Tiger Mask and The Mask of Tiger...
. Ogawa made his debut against Shinya Hashimoto
Shinya Hashimoto
, was a Japanese professional wrestler. Along with Masahiro Chono and Keiji Mutoh, Hashimoto was dubbed one of the "Three Musketeers" that began competing in New Japan Pro Wrestling in the mid 1980s and dominated the promotion in the 1990s....
on April 12, 1997 at the Tokyo Dome
Tokyo Dome
Tokyo Dome is a 55,000-seat baseball stadium located in Bunkyo Ward of Tokyo, Japan.The stadium opened for business on March 17, 1988. It was built on the site of the Velodrome which was next door to the site of the predecessor ballpark, Kōrakuen Stadium...
wrestling with New Japan Pro Wrestling. Subsequently he was billed as Hashimoto's arch nemesis.
On March 14, 1999, Ogawa won the NWA world title from Dan Severn
Dan Severn
Daniel DeWayne Severn is an American mixed martial artist and professional wrestler, notable for his success in the early years of Ultimate Fighting Championship tournaments. Severn has fought and wrestled for many mixed martial arts and professional wrestling promotions, including King of the...
in Yokohama, Japan. Ogawa lost the title to Gary Steele
Gary Steele
Gary Steele is a retired British professional wrestler, who has competed in European and North American promotions and has been a popular longtime mainstay of NWA UK Hammerlock since the mid-1990s...
in a three-way match that also involved Brian Anthony on September 25, 1999. Ogawa won the title back on October 2, 1999. Ogawa vacated the NWA title on July 2, 2000.
Ogawa also continued to use his judo skills in PRIDE where he holds victories over Gary Goodridge
Gary Goodridge
Gary Goodridge , nicknamed "Big Daddy", is a Trinidadian and Tobagonian-Canadian former super heavyweight kickboxer and heavyweight mixed martial artist fighting out of Barrie, Ontario. Goodridge is known for his hard-hitting fighting style and showmanship...
, Stefan Leko
Stefan Leko
Stefan "Blitz" Leko is a German-Croatian heavyweight kickboxer. He is former Muay Thai world heavyweight champion and Kickboxing world super-heavyweight champion, K-1 European Grand Prix 1998 champion, 1999 K-1 Dream champion and two time K-1 World Grand Prix in Las Vegas tournament champion...
, and American olympic silver medalist Matt Ghaffari
Matt Ghaffari
Siamak Ghaffari is an American-Iranian Olympic silver-medal winning wrestler. He was a two-time Olympic team member obtaining a silver medal after losing against Alexander Karelin in the final of 1996. In total holds four World and Olympic MedalsGhaffari attended Paramus High School in Paramus,...
. After seven wins in mixed martial arts, Ogawa faced PRIDE heavyweight champion Fedor Emelianenko
Fedor Emelianenko
Fedor Vladimirovich Emelianenko) is a Russian heavyweight mixed martial artist. He has won numerous tournaments and accolades in multiple sports, most notably the Pride 2004 Grand Prix and the World Combat Sambo championship on four occasions, as well as medaling in the Russian national Judo...
, and suffered his first career loss by first round armbar. Ogawa retired from mixed martial arts after falling to fellow Japanese Judoka, and rival Hidehiko Yoshida
Hidehiko Yoshida
is a Japanese gold-medalist judoka and retired mixed martial artist. He is a long time veteran of Japan's Pride Fighting Championships, competing in the light heavyweight and heavyweight divisions, also managing to fight in the semi-finals in the Pride 2003 Middleweight Grand Prix...
by an armbar in a highly anticipated MMA bout at PRIDE Shockwave 2005.
Ogawa and Yoshida were both paid $2 million USD which remains one the most expensive fight in MMA history.
Ogawa was a mainstay with the HUSTLE Wrestling group as part of the HUSTLE army, from their beginning until mid year of 2007, when Ogawa left to sign with Antonio Inoki
Antonio Inoki
is a Japanese professional wrestling promoter and retired professional wrestler and mixed martial artist who now resides between New York City and Tokyo. He was also the founder and former owner of New Japan Pro Wrestling before selling his controlling share in the promotion to Yukes...
's new promotion, Inoki Genome Federation
Inoki Genome Federation
Inoki Genome Federation is a professional wrestling promotion in Japan founded by Antonio Inoki in 2007.The IGF is now also the official National Wrestling Alliance territory of Japan, since Antonio Inoki is the person who holds those rights and transferred them to IGF from New Japan Pro...
.
MMA record
|-|Loss
|7-2
|
Hidehiko YoshidaHidehiko Yoshida
is a Japanese gold-medalist judoka and retired mixed martial artist. He is a long time veteran of Japan's Pride Fighting Championships, competing in the light heavyweight and heavyweight divisions, also managing to fight in the semi-finals in the Pride 2003 Middleweight Grand Prix...
|Submission (Armbar)
|PRIDE Shockwave 2005
PRIDE Shockwave 2005
Pride Shockwave 2005 was a mixed martial arts event held by the Pride Fighting Championships at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan on December 31, 2005. In Japan, the event was called "Otoko Matsuri 2005 – Itadaki"...
|12/31/05
| 1
| 6:04
|
|
|-
|Loss
|7-1
|
Fedor EmelianenkoFedor Emelianenko
Fedor Vladimirovich Emelianenko) is a Russian heavyweight mixed martial artist. He has won numerous tournaments and accolades in multiple sports, most notably the Pride 2004 Grand Prix and the World Combat Sambo championship on four occasions, as well as medaling in the Russian national Judo...
|Submission (Armbar)
|PRIDE Final Conflict 2004
PRIDE Final Conflict 2004
Pride Final Conflict 2004 was a mixed martial arts event held by Pride Fighting Championships. This event held the final round of the 2004 Heavyweight Grand Prix Tournament...
|8/15/04
| 1
| 0:54
|
|
|-
|Win
|7-0
|
Paulo Cesar Silva|TKO (Punches)
|PRIDE Critical Countdown 2004
PRIDE Critical Countdown 2004
Pride Critical Countdown 2004 was a mixed martial arts event held by Pride Fighting Championships. It took place on June 20th, 2004, at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan.-Background:...
|6/20/04
| 1
| 3:29
|
|
|-
|Win
|6-0
|
Stefan LekoStefan Leko
Stefan "Blitz" Leko is a German-Croatian heavyweight kickboxer. He is former Muay Thai world heavyweight champion and Kickboxing world super-heavyweight champion, K-1 European Grand Prix 1998 champion, 1999 K-1 Dream champion and two time K-1 World Grand Prix in Las Vegas tournament champion...
|Submission (Arm Triangle Choke)
|PRIDE Total Elimination 2004
PRIDE Total Elimination 2004
Pride Total Elimination 2004 was a mixed martial arts event held by Pride Fighting Championships. This event consisted of the first round of the 2004 Heavyweight Grand Prix...
|4/25/04
| 1
| 1:34
|
|
|-
|Win
|5-0
|
Matt GhaffariMatt Ghaffari
Siamak Ghaffari is an American-Iranian Olympic silver-medal winning wrestler. He was a two-time Olympic team member obtaining a silver medal after losing against Alexander Karelin in the final of 1996. In total holds four World and Olympic MedalsGhaffari attended Paramus High School in Paramus,...
|TKO (Punches)
|UFO: Legend
|8/8/02
| 1
| 0:56
|
|
|-
|Win
|4-0
|
Masaaki SatakeMasaaki Satake
is a Japanese former super heavyweight karateka, kickboxer and mixed martial artist. He was one of the pioneering heavyweight fighters in K-1, after being a member of Kazuyoshi Ishii's Seido-Kaikan school and organization.-Biography and career:...
|Submission (Rear Naked Choke)
|PRIDE 11
PRIDE 11
Pride 11: Battle of the Rising Sun was a mixed martial arts event held by the Pride Fighting Championships. It took place at the Osaka Castle Hall in Osaka, Japan on October 31, 2000.-Results:...
|10/31/00
| 2
| 2:01
|
|
|-
|Win
|3-0
|Rob Peters
|Submission
|UFO (professional wrestling): Free Fight Gala
|11/28/99
|
|
|
|
|-
|Win
|2-0
|
Gary GoodridgeGary Goodridge
Gary Goodridge , nicknamed "Big Daddy", is a Trinidadian and Tobagonian-Canadian former super heavyweight kickboxer and heavyweight mixed martial artist fighting out of Barrie, Ontario. Goodridge is known for his hard-hitting fighting style and showmanship...
|Submission (Keylock)
|PRIDE 6
PRIDE 6
Pride 6 was a mixed martial arts event held by the Pride Fighting Championships. It took place at Yokohama Arena in Yokohama, Japan, on July 4, 1999. The first four matches were all won by judges decision. The event also featured a karate match between Hiroki Kurosawa and Nobuaki Kakuda...
|7/4/99
| 2
| 0:36
|
|
|-
|Win
|1-0
|Rens Vrolijk
|Submission (Choke)
|Red Devil Free Fight 1
|9/27/97
| 1
|
|
|
In wrestling
- Finishing moves
- STO – Space Tornado Ogawa – innovated
- Signature moves
- Sleeper hold
Mixed Martial Arts
- PRIDE Fighting Championships
- 2004 PRIDE Heavyweight Grand Prix SemifinalistPRIDE Final Conflict 2004Pride Final Conflict 2004 was a mixed martial arts event held by Pride Fighting Championships. This event held the final round of the 2004 Heavyweight Grand Prix Tournament...
- 2004 PRIDE Heavyweight Grand Prix Semifinalist
Pro Wrestling
- NWA NortheastNational Wrestling AllianceThe National Wrestling Alliance is a wrestling promotion company and sanctions various NWA championships in the United States. The NWA has been in operation since 1948...
- NWA World Heavyweight ChampionshipNWA World Heavyweight ChampionshipThe National Wrestling Alliance World Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in the National Wrestling Alliance. Its lineage has been traced from the first World Heavyweight Championship, which traces its lineage to Georg Hackenschmidt's 1905 title and...
(1 time)
- NWA World Heavyweight Championship
- 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...
- NWA World Heavyweight ChampionshipNWA World Heavyweight ChampionshipThe National Wrestling Alliance World Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in the National Wrestling Alliance. Its lineage has been traced from the first World Heavyweight Championship, which traces its lineage to Georg Hackenschmidt's 1905 title and...
(1 time)
- NWA World Heavyweight 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 #152 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2010
- Pro Wrestling ZERO-ONE
- NWA Intercontinental Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Shinya HashimotoShinya Hashimoto, was a Japanese professional wrestler. Along with Masahiro Chono and Keiji Mutoh, Hashimoto was dubbed one of the "Three Musketeers" that began competing in New Japan Pro Wrestling in the mid 1980s and dominated the promotion in the 1990s....
- ZERO-ONE United States Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- NWA Intercontinental Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Shinya Hashimoto