Yoshihiro Takayama
Encyclopedia
is a Japan
ese professional wrestler
and mixed martial artist
. Takayama is well known for his ability to endure massive amounts of punishment, especially after his fight at PRIDE 21
against Don Frye
. He is the second of two men to hold all 3 of puroresu's major heavyweight titles (the IWGP Heavyweight Championship, the AJPW Triple Crown Championship, and the GHC Heavyweight Championship
), the other being Kensuke Sasaki
.
, but due to the focus of the promotion on star Nobuhiko Takada
, he wasn't able to go past the mid-card level. In 1995-96, with the interpromotional feuds with New Japan Pro Wrestling
and WAR, he formed the "Golden Cups" stable with Yoji Anjo
and Kenichi Yamamoto
to compete in tag team
and six-man matches. In New Japan he and Anjo assumed masks as the "200% Machines" to mock "Super Strong Machine" Junji Hirata
. In WAR, they feuded with Gedo
, Jado and Hiromichi Fuyuki
.
After UWFI's subsequent collapse, he joined Kingdom
, but after it also collapsed, he joined All Japan Pro Wrestling
as a free agent along with former UWFi comrade Masahito Kakihara. In the beginning, Takayama was put in a feud with Toshiaki Kawada
(against whom he had lost once in an interpromotional match before the UWFI's collapse), but as he lost matches often, he was back in the undercard. He joined former UWFI foreigner Gary Albright
and native Takao Ōmori
in a new version of the "Triangle of Power" stable Albright had formed with Steve Williams before he briefly went back to the United States.
In 1999, upon Shohei Baba
's death, Mitsuharu Misawa
made him and Kakihara full-time members of All Japan. Pushed as the NO FEAR
team with Ōmori, Takayama found instant success, first winning the Asian tag team title from Hayabusa
and Jinsei Shinzaki
and then the Double Cup from Johnny Ace
and Bart Gunn. However, they were eventually defeated by the combination of Misawa and Yoshinari Ogawa
. In 2000, when Misawa announced plans for his new promotion, Pro Wrestling Noah
, Takayama followed him. During the first few months of Noah's existence, Takayama competed in the first ever GHC Heavyweight Championship
tournament, but lost to Mitsuharu Misawa in the final match. He found continued success in Noah, winning the new GHC Tag Team Championship
with Takao Ōmori, too. It was around 2001 that, spurred by his old UWFI comrades' success in the PRIDE fighting circuit, decided to try his hand at mixed martial arts
competition. Although defeated by Kazuyuki Fujita
, he impressed "real-fight" pundits enough to warrant more fight offers. In what many PRIDE fans consider to be one of the organizations most exciting matches ever, Takayama faced Don Frye
in a slugfest at PRIDE 21
, and although he lost the match, Takayama solidified his reputation as one of the toughest Japanese fighters in PRIDE. Also, his battle with Frye appeared at number one on Fox Sports Network's "Best Damn 50 Beatdowns". Takayama also competed in memorable Noah matches during 2002, winning the GHC Heavyweight Championship
from Yoshinari Ogawa
on September 7 before losing it to Mitsuharu Misawa later that month.
Takayama declared free agency from Noah so he could pursue mixed martial arts
, as well as matches in New Japan Pro Wrestling
, where he began challenging the top stars, such as Yuji Nagata
, Masahiro Chono
, and Hiroyoshi Tenzan
. In 2003 and 2004 he participated in New Japan's annual G-1 Climax tournament. In mid-2004 he affiliated himself with former Pancrase
wrestler Minoru Suzuki
, and they won the IWGP Tag Team Championship, but he suffered a stroke later in the year following a brutal match with Kensuke Sasaki
. During his time away from the ring, Takayama provided occasional colour commentary for Pro Wrestling Noah, famously saying, "I hope this never ends" during a chop exchange between Kenta Kobashi
and Kensuke Sasaki
on the July 18, 2005 "Destiny" show. In June 2006, Pro Wrestling Noah announced that Takayama would return at the July 16 Nippon Budokan show, and would team with Kenta Kobashi to take on Jun Akiyama
and Mitsuharu Misawa. The match was later changed due to Kobashi needing surgery to remove a cancerous tumor, leading to Takayama teaming with Kensuke Sasaki against Akiyama and Misawa. However, when Kenta Kobashi returned, it would be in the same match, teaming with Yoshihiro Takayama to take on Jun Akiyama and Mitsuharu Misawa.
Takayama then started teaming with old UWFI comrade Takuma Sano
in a tournament for the GHC Tag Team Championship vacated by Kenta Kobashi and Tamon Honda due to Kobashi's kidney tumor (Takayama and Sano woud reach the final where they would lose to Mohammed Yone and Takeshi Morishima). On December 27, he showed up at a Pro Wrestling ZERO1-MAX
show, attacked former partner Takao Ōmori, and promised to return at the next show.
Takayama defeated Great Muta on March 14, 2009 at Pro-Wrestling Love in Ryogoku Vol. 7 to win the AJPW Triple Crown Championship. With this victory, Takayama became the second wrestler (the other being Kensuke Sasaki
) to win the three major heavyweight titles in Japan: NOAH's GHC Championship
, New Japan's IWGP Heavyweight Championship, and All Japan's Triple Crown Championship. Takayama held the Triple Crown for almost seven months, losing the title to Satoshi Kojima
on September 26.
On January 4, 2010, at Wrestle Kingdom IV in Tokyo Dome Shinsuke Nakamura
defeated Takayama to retain his IWGP Heavyweight Championship. In 2010 Takayama and Sano competed in NOAH's "Global Tag League" tournament and emerged the victors, however they were subsequently unable to dethrone the GHC Tag Team Champions Takeshi Rikio and Mohammed Yone.
From March 28 to May 2, 2010, Takayama competed in (and eventually won) Pro-Wrestling Noah's 1st ever Global League Tournament. He defeated Jun Akiyama
in the final match of the tournament, finishing up with a total of 7 points. It was then announced that due to his victory, Takayama had earned a GHC Heavyweight Championship
match versus Takashi Sugiura
on July 10. On September 18, 2010, Takayama and Takuma Sano defeated Akitoshi Saito
and Bison Smith
to win the vacant GHC Tag Team Championship. On January 4, 2011, at New Japan's Wrestle Kingdom V in Tokyo Dome Takayama and Sugiura defeated Hirooki Goto
and Kazuchika Okada
in a tag team match. Takayama and Sano would lose the GHC Tag Team Championship to New Japan's Giant Bernard and Karl Anderson
on June 18, 2011, in a match contested also for the IWGP Tag Team Championship.
|Loss
|align=center|0-4
|
Bob Sapp
|Submission (armbar)
|Inoki Bom-Ba-Ye 2002
|
|align=center|1
|align=center|2:16
|Saitama, Japan
|
|-
|Loss
|align=center|0-3
| Don Frye
|TKO (punches)
|Pride 21
|
|align=center|1
|align=center|6:10
|Saitama, Japan
|
|-
|Loss
|align=center|0-2
|
Semmy Schilt
|KO (punches)
|Pride 18
|
|align=center|1
|align=center|3:09
|Fukuoka, Japan
|
|-
|Loss
|align=center|0-1
|
Kazuyuki Fujita
|Submission (arm triangle choke
)
|Pride 14
|
|align=center|2
|align=center|3:10
|Yokohama, Japan
|
|-
in 2002, and continuing with Cromartie High - The Movie
and Nagurimono in 2005. He also appeared in 2004's The Calamari Wrestler
, playing himself in a cameo role.
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...
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...
. Takayama is well known for his ability to endure massive amounts of punishment, especially after his fight at PRIDE 21
PRIDE 21
Pride 21: Demolition was a mixed martial arts event held by the Pride Fighting Championships. It took place at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan on June 23, 2002.-Results:...
against Don Frye
Don Frye
Donald Frye is a retired American mixed martial artist, actor, and professional wrestler. Frye rose to fame fighting in early Ultimate Fighting Championship events, winning the UFC 8 and Ultimate Ultimate 96 tournaments...
. He is the second of two men to hold all 3 of puroresu's major heavyweight titles (the IWGP Heavyweight Championship, the AJPW Triple Crown Championship, and the GHC Heavyweight Championship
GHC Heavyweight Championship
The Global Honored Crown Heavyweight Championship is the top professional wrestling title in Japanese promotion Pro Wrestling Noah. It was created on April 15, 2001 when Mitsuharu Misawa defeated Yoshihiro Takayama in a 16-man tournament final...
), the other being Kensuke Sasaki
Kensuke Sasaki
is a Japanese professional wrestler who currently wrestles for various promotions through his own agency, Kensuke Office. He is the first of two men ever to hold all 3 of puroresu's major heavyweight titles , the other being Yoshihiro Takayama.-Early years :Kensuke Sasaki...
.
Career
Takayama started in UWF InternationalUWF International
Union of Wrestling Forces International, better known as UWF International, U-Inter, or simply UWFi, was a shoot style professional wrestling promotion in Japan from 1991 to 1996. Although the matches were worked , the UWF-i was very convincing for its time, promoting a more hard-hitting, realistic...
, but due to the focus of the promotion on star Nobuhiko Takada
Nobuhiko Takada
Nobuhiko Takada is a Japanese mixed martial arts fighter and professional wrestler. He is best known for helping to popularize shoot-style professional wrestling, as one of the biggest stars of the Universal Wrestling Federation and Union of Wrestling Force International in the '80s and '90s. He...
, he wasn't able to go past the mid-card level. In 1995-96, with the interpromotional feuds with New Japan Pro Wrestling
New Japan Pro Wrestling
is a major professional wrestling promotion in Japan, founded by Antonio Inoki in June 1972 and owned by Yuke's since 2005, when Inoki sold the promotion. Naoki Sugabayashi is the current President of the promotion and has held that position from 2007. Owing to its TV program aired on TV Asahi, it...
and WAR, he formed the "Golden Cups" stable with Yoji Anjo
Yoji Anjo
, is a Japanese professional wrestler and mixed martial artist. He was born in Suginami, Japan on December 31, 1969.-Professional wrestling career:...
and Kenichi Yamamoto
Kenichi Yamamoto
was a Japanese cross country skier who competed in the 1950s. He finished 22nd in the 18 km event at the 1952 Winter Olympics in Oslo.-References:...
to compete in tag team
Tag team
Tag team professional wrestling is a variation in which matches are contested between teams of multiple wrestlers. A tag team may comprise two wrestlers who normally wrestle in singles competition, but more commonly are made of established teams who wrestle regularly as a unit and have a team name...
and six-man matches. In New Japan he and Anjo assumed masks as the "200% Machines" to mock "Super Strong Machine" Junji Hirata
Junji Hirata
is a Japanese professional wrestler who wrestles for the New Japan Pro Wrestling promotion, and currently uses the ring name .-Career:Hirata made his debut in New Japan on August 26, 1978 against Yoshiaki Fujiwara...
. In WAR, they feuded with Gedo
Keiji Takayama
Keiji Takayama better known as Gedo , is a long time professional wrestler. He formed a long-lasting tag team with Jado...
, Jado and Hiromichi Fuyuki
Hiromichi Fuyuki
was a Japanese professional wrestler and promoter who competed in All Japan Pro Wrestling, New Japan Pro Wrestling, Wrestle Association R and other Japanese and international promotions during the 1980s and 1990s as the leader of 6-man tag team Fuyuki-Gun with Gedo and Jado.He is best known,...
.
After UWFI's subsequent collapse, he joined Kingdom
Kingdom (professional wrestling)
Kingdom, was a professional wrestling company in Japan from 1997 to 1998. It was essentially a continuation of UWF International, having most of its former roster: Nobuhiko Takada, Yoji Anjo, Kazushi Sakuraba, Daijiro Matsui, Naoki Sano, Masahito Kakihara, Yoshihiro Takayama, Kenichi Yamamoto and...
, but after it also collapsed, he joined All Japan Pro Wrestling
All Japan Pro Wrestling
is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion established in 1972. All Japan Pro Wrestling still remains one of the most popular puroresu promotions still in operation.-The Giant Baba Era :...
as a free agent along with former UWFi comrade Masahito Kakihara. In the beginning, Takayama was put in a feud with Toshiaki Kawada
Toshiaki Kawada
is a Japanese professional wrestler who is most known for his work in All Japan Pro Wrestling. In 2005, he started freelancing in other promotions....
(against whom he had lost once in an interpromotional match before the UWFI's collapse), but as he lost matches often, he was back in the undercard. He joined former UWFI foreigner Gary Albright
Gary Albright
Gary Albright was an American professional wrestler who performed mainly in Stampede Wrestling in Canada and with UWF International and All Japan Pro Wrestling in Japan. Albright was a member through marriage of the famous Anoa'i wrestling family, including Afa and Sika, Yokozuna, Rikishi, and The...
and native Takao Ōmori
Takao Omori
is a Japanese semi-retired professional wrestler, currently competing for New Japan Pro Wrestling. He has formerly competed in All Japan Pro Wrestling, Pro Wrestling Noah and Pro Wrestling Zero1.-All Japan Pro Wrestling :...
in a new version of the "Triangle of Power" stable Albright had formed with Steve Williams before he briefly went back to the United States.
In 1999, upon Shohei Baba
Shohei Baba
was a professional wrestler and co-founder of All Japan Pro Wrestling. He was also known as Giant Baba. Baba, along with Antonio Inoki, became one of the most famous Japanese wrestlers of his era, with a popularity in Japan comparable to Hulk Hogan's in the United States of America...
's death, Mitsuharu Misawa
Mitsuharu Misawa
was a Japanese professional wrestler. He made his professional debut on August 21, 1981 for All Japan Pro Wrestling . From 1984 until 1990, Misawa wrestled as the second generation Tiger Mask, as All Japan Pro Wrestling had purchased the rights of the Tiger Mask gimmick from New Japan Pro Wrestling...
made him and Kakihara full-time members of All Japan. Pushed as the NO FEAR
No Fear (professional wrestling)
No Fear was a professional wrestling tag team that consisted of Takao Omori and Yoshihiro Takayama. During their history, the team competed in All Japan Pro Wrestling and Pro Wrestling Noah.-All Japan Pro Wrestling :...
team with Ōmori, Takayama found instant success, first winning the Asian tag team title from Hayabusa
Eiji Ezaki
is a former Japanese professional wrestler better known as the masked Hayabusa , who worked primarily for Atsushi Onita's Frontier Martial Arts Wrestling promotion.-Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling :...
and Jinsei Shinzaki
Jinsei Shinzaki
Kensuke Shinzaki is a Japanese professional wrestler, better known by his stage names Jinsei Shinzaki and Hakushi...
and then the Double Cup from Johnny Ace
John Laurinaitis
John Joseph Laurinaitis is the Executive Vice President of Talent Relations for WWE and appears on WWE's Raw Brand as interim General Manager. He was previously a professional wrestler under the ring name Johnny Ace, and wrestled for such promotions as the National Wrestling Alliance and All...
and Bart Gunn. However, they were eventually defeated by the combination of Misawa and Yoshinari Ogawa
Yoshinari Ogawa
Yoshinari Ogawa is a Japanese professional wrestler who currently works for Pro Wrestling Noah. He has earned the nickname of "Rat Boy" due to his sneaky, clever in-ring tactics and baiting his opponents into quick pins.- Career :...
. In 2000, when Misawa announced plans for his new promotion, Pro Wrestling Noah
Pro Wrestling Noah
is a major Japanese professional wrestling promotion, founded in 2000 by former All Japan Pro Wrestling ace Mitsuharu Misawa. NOAH is broadcast weekly in Japan...
, Takayama followed him. During the first few months of Noah's existence, Takayama competed in the first ever GHC Heavyweight Championship
GHC Heavyweight Championship
The Global Honored Crown Heavyweight Championship is the top professional wrestling title in Japanese promotion Pro Wrestling Noah. It was created on April 15, 2001 when Mitsuharu Misawa defeated Yoshihiro Takayama in a 16-man tournament final...
tournament, but lost to Mitsuharu Misawa in the final match. He found continued success in Noah, winning the new GHC Tag Team Championship
GHC Tag Team Championship
The Global Honored Crown Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling tag team title in Japanese promotion Pro Wrestling Noah. It was created on October 19, 2001, when Scorpio & Vader defeated Jun Akiyama & Akitoshi Saito in a tournament final...
with Takao Ōmori, too. It was around 2001 that, spurred by his old UWFI comrades' success in the PRIDE fighting circuit, decided to try his hand at mixed martial arts
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...
competition. Although defeated by Kazuyuki Fujita
Kazuyuki Fujita
is a Japanese professional wrestler, mixed martial artist and a former amateur wrestler. He has fought in mixed martial arts promotions including PRIDE, K-1 and currently fighting in Sengoku....
, he impressed "real-fight" pundits enough to warrant more fight offers. In what many PRIDE fans consider to be one of the organizations most exciting matches ever, Takayama faced Don Frye
Don Frye
Donald Frye is a retired American mixed martial artist, actor, and professional wrestler. Frye rose to fame fighting in early Ultimate Fighting Championship events, winning the UFC 8 and Ultimate Ultimate 96 tournaments...
in a slugfest at PRIDE 21
PRIDE 21
Pride 21: Demolition was a mixed martial arts event held by the Pride Fighting Championships. It took place at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan on June 23, 2002.-Results:...
, and although he lost the match, Takayama solidified his reputation as one of the toughest Japanese fighters in PRIDE. Also, his battle with Frye appeared at number one on Fox Sports Network's "Best Damn 50 Beatdowns". Takayama also competed in memorable Noah matches during 2002, winning the GHC Heavyweight Championship
GHC Heavyweight Championship
The Global Honored Crown Heavyweight Championship is the top professional wrestling title in Japanese promotion Pro Wrestling Noah. It was created on April 15, 2001 when Mitsuharu Misawa defeated Yoshihiro Takayama in a 16-man tournament final...
from Yoshinari Ogawa
Yoshinari Ogawa
Yoshinari Ogawa is a Japanese professional wrestler who currently works for Pro Wrestling Noah. He has earned the nickname of "Rat Boy" due to his sneaky, clever in-ring tactics and baiting his opponents into quick pins.- Career :...
on September 7 before losing it to Mitsuharu Misawa later that month.
Takayama declared free agency from Noah so he could pursue mixed martial arts
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...
, as well as matches in New Japan Pro Wrestling
New Japan Pro Wrestling
is a major professional wrestling promotion in Japan, founded by Antonio Inoki in June 1972 and owned by Yuke's since 2005, when Inoki sold the promotion. Naoki Sugabayashi is the current President of the promotion and has held that position from 2007. Owing to its TV program aired on TV Asahi, it...
, where he began challenging the top stars, such as Yuji Nagata
Yuji Nagata
is a Japanese professional wrestler. He was known for his perennial tweener status, currently a solid fan favorite, and his stiff, shoot style wrestling technique....
, Masahiro Chono
Masahiro Chono
, is a Japanese professional wrestler. He primarily wrestles for New Japan Pro Wrestling , but has also made appearances for the now defunct World Championship Wrestling, as a member of the New World Order. Chono was also known as Mister Black Jack when he first started as a villain. He is a...
, and Hiroyoshi Tenzan
Hiroyoshi Tenzan
is a Japanese professional wrestler who currently works for New Japan Pro Wrestling, and is better known by his ring name . With Satoshi Kojima, in 2008, they won the Real World Tag League in All Japan Pro Wrestling and the G1 Climax Tag League in NJPW becoming in the only tag team which has done...
. In 2003 and 2004 he participated in New Japan's annual G-1 Climax tournament. In mid-2004 he affiliated himself with former Pancrase
Pancrase
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...
wrestler Minoru Suzuki
Minoru Suzuki
is a Japanese professional wrestler and mixed martial artist. Suzuki was the co-founder of Pancrase, one of the first mixed martial arts organizations in the world. During the 1990s he was known as one of the best fighters in the Pancrase promotion and was the second King of Pancrase world champion...
, and they won the IWGP Tag Team Championship, but he suffered a stroke later in the year following a brutal match with Kensuke Sasaki
Kensuke Sasaki
is a Japanese professional wrestler who currently wrestles for various promotions through his own agency, Kensuke Office. He is the first of two men ever to hold all 3 of puroresu's major heavyweight titles , the other being Yoshihiro Takayama.-Early years :Kensuke Sasaki...
. During his time away from the ring, Takayama provided occasional colour commentary for Pro Wrestling Noah, famously saying, "I hope this never ends" during a chop exchange between Kenta Kobashi
Kenta Kobashi
Not to be confused with his protégé Kenta Kobayashi is a Japanese professional wrestler currently under contract to Pro Wrestling Noah. He worked for All Japan Pro Wrestling from 1988–2000, where he became one of the promotion's top stars....
and Kensuke Sasaki
Kensuke Sasaki
is a Japanese professional wrestler who currently wrestles for various promotions through his own agency, Kensuke Office. He is the first of two men ever to hold all 3 of puroresu's major heavyweight titles , the other being Yoshihiro Takayama.-Early years :Kensuke Sasaki...
on the July 18, 2005 "Destiny" show. In June 2006, Pro Wrestling Noah announced that Takayama would return at the July 16 Nippon Budokan show, and would team with Kenta Kobashi to take on Jun Akiyama
Jun Akiyama
is a Japanese professional wrestler who currently works for Pro Wrestling Noah and All Japan Pro Wrestling, where he is the current AJPW Triple Crown Heavyweight Champion. Akiyama is known for his serious style and outstanding, time-tested work as a tag team wrestler...
and Mitsuharu Misawa. The match was later changed due to Kobashi needing surgery to remove a cancerous tumor, leading to Takayama teaming with Kensuke Sasaki against Akiyama and Misawa. However, when Kenta Kobashi returned, it would be in the same match, teaming with Yoshihiro Takayama to take on Jun Akiyama and Mitsuharu Misawa.
Takayama then started teaming with old UWFI comrade Takuma Sano
Naoki Sano
is a Japanese professional wrestler and former mixed martial artist. He currently goes by the name Takuma Sano.-New Japan Pro Wrestling :...
in a tournament for the GHC Tag Team Championship vacated by Kenta Kobashi and Tamon Honda due to Kobashi's kidney tumor (Takayama and Sano woud reach the final where they would lose to Mohammed Yone and Takeshi Morishima). On December 27, he showed up at a Pro Wrestling ZERO1-MAX
Pro Wrestling ZERO1-MAX
Pro Wrestling Zero1 , formerly known as Pro Wrestling Zero-One and Pro Wrestling Zero1-Max, is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion founded in 2001. It was affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance from 2001 until late 2004 and again from 2011 onwards...
show, attacked former partner Takao Ōmori, and promised to return at the next show.
Takayama defeated Great Muta on March 14, 2009 at Pro-Wrestling Love in Ryogoku Vol. 7 to win the AJPW Triple Crown Championship. With this victory, Takayama became the second wrestler (the other being Kensuke Sasaki
Kensuke Sasaki
is a Japanese professional wrestler who currently wrestles for various promotions through his own agency, Kensuke Office. He is the first of two men ever to hold all 3 of puroresu's major heavyweight titles , the other being Yoshihiro Takayama.-Early years :Kensuke Sasaki...
) to win the three major heavyweight titles in Japan: NOAH's GHC Championship
GHC Heavyweight Championship
The Global Honored Crown Heavyweight Championship is the top professional wrestling title in Japanese promotion Pro Wrestling Noah. It was created on April 15, 2001 when Mitsuharu Misawa defeated Yoshihiro Takayama in a 16-man tournament final...
, New Japan's IWGP Heavyweight Championship, and All Japan's Triple Crown Championship. Takayama held the Triple Crown for almost seven months, losing the title to Satoshi Kojima
Satoshi Kojima
is a Japanese professional wrestler, currently signed to New Japan Pro Wrestling. As a singles wrestler, he was the first wrestler to hold NJPW's IWGP Heavyweight Championship and All Japan Pro Wrestling's Triple Crown Championship simultaneously...
on September 26.
On January 4, 2010, at Wrestle Kingdom IV in Tokyo Dome Shinsuke Nakamura
Shinsuke Nakamura
is a Japanese professional wrestler and mixed martial artist currently working for New Japan Pro Wrestling, where he is a former three-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion.-Super Rookie :...
defeated Takayama to retain his IWGP Heavyweight Championship. In 2010 Takayama and Sano competed in NOAH's "Global Tag League" tournament and emerged the victors, however they were subsequently unable to dethrone the GHC Tag Team Champions Takeshi Rikio and Mohammed Yone.
From March 28 to May 2, 2010, Takayama competed in (and eventually won) Pro-Wrestling Noah's 1st ever Global League Tournament. He defeated Jun Akiyama
Jun Akiyama
is a Japanese professional wrestler who currently works for Pro Wrestling Noah and All Japan Pro Wrestling, where he is the current AJPW Triple Crown Heavyweight Champion. Akiyama is known for his serious style and outstanding, time-tested work as a tag team wrestler...
in the final match of the tournament, finishing up with a total of 7 points. It was then announced that due to his victory, Takayama had earned a GHC Heavyweight Championship
GHC Heavyweight Championship
The Global Honored Crown Heavyweight Championship is the top professional wrestling title in Japanese promotion Pro Wrestling Noah. It was created on April 15, 2001 when Mitsuharu Misawa defeated Yoshihiro Takayama in a 16-man tournament final...
match versus Takashi Sugiura
Takashi Sugiura
is a Japanese professional wrestler, currently working for Pro Wrestling Noah. Sugiura, an accomplished amateur wrestler, joined NOAH's dojo in 2000, making his professional debut on December 23, 2000, and thus becoming the first wrestler to make his pro wrestling debut in NOAH. He has also...
on July 10. On September 18, 2010, Takayama and Takuma Sano defeated Akitoshi Saito
Akitoshi Saito
is a Japanese professional wrestler who currently works for Pro Wrestling Noah.-Before pro wrestling:Before pro wrestling, Akitoshi Saito was trained in karate by Masashi Aoyagi. Saito seconded Aoyagi in his matches against Atsushi Onita in Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling in 1989...
and Bison Smith
Bison Smith
Mark Smith was an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Bison Smith. He best known for his appearances with Pro Wrestling Noah in Japan and International Wrestling Association in Puerto Rico...
to win the vacant GHC Tag Team Championship. On January 4, 2011, at New Japan's Wrestle Kingdom V in Tokyo Dome Takayama and Sugiura defeated Hirooki Goto
Hirooki Goto
is a Japanese professional wrestler. He has wrestled primarily for New Japan Pro Wrestling since his debut.-Career:Goto attended Kokushikan University, where he took part in freestyle wrestling and Greco-Roman wrestling. Upon graduating, Goto qualified to join New Japan Pro Wrestling, but left the...
and Kazuchika Okada
Kazuchika Okada
is a Japanese professional wrestler, currently signed to New Japan Pro Wrestling. From February 2010 until October 2011, he was on a developmental tour, working for American promotion Total Nonstop Action Wrestling under the name Okada.-Training and debut:Trained by Último Dragón at his Toryumon...
in a tag team match. Takayama and Sano would lose the GHC Tag Team Championship to New Japan's Giant Bernard and Karl Anderson
Karl Anderson
Chad Allegra is an American professional wrestler better known by his stage name Karl "Machine Gun" Anderson currently working for New Japan Pro Wrestling, where he is currently one half of the IWGP and GHC Tag Team Champions with partner Giant Bernard.-Personal life:Allegra grew up in Asheville,...
on June 18, 2011, in a match contested also for the IWGP Tag Team Championship.
In wrestling
- Finishing moves
- Everest Suplex (Delayed bridging high-angle German suplex)
- Running high knee strike
- Signature moves
- Big boot
- Cross armbar
- 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- Belly to belly
- Double underhook
- Dragon
- Tiger
- Straight punchPunch (strike)A punch is a striking blow with the fist. It is the most commonly used attack in hand to hand combat. It is used in some martial arts and combat sports, most notably boxing where it is the only type of technique allowed...
to the opponent's jaw
Championships and accomplishments
- All Japan Pro WrestlingAll Japan Pro Wrestlingis a Japanese professional wrestling promotion established in 1972. All Japan Pro Wrestling still remains one of the most popular puroresu promotions still in operation.-The Giant Baba Era :...
- AJPW Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- AJPW All Asia Tag Team ChampionshipAJPW All Asia Tag Team ChampionshipThe All Japan Pro Wrestling All Asia Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling tag team title in Japanese promotion All Japan Pro Wrestling . It was created on November 16, 1955 in the Japan Wrestling Association when King Kong Czaya & Tiger Jokinder defeated JWA founder Rikidōzan &...
(1 time) – with Takao ŌmoriTakao Omoriis a Japanese semi-retired professional wrestler, currently competing for New Japan Pro Wrestling. He has formerly competed in All Japan Pro Wrestling, Pro Wrestling Noah and Pro Wrestling Zero1.-All Japan Pro Wrestling :... - AJPW Unified World Tag Team ChampionshipAJPW Unified World Tag Team ChampionshipThe All Japan Pro Wrestling Unified World Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling tag team title in Japanese promotion All Japan Pro Wrestling...
(1 time) – with Takao Ōmori
- 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...
- IWGP Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- IWGP Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Minoru SuzukiMinoru Suzukiis a Japanese professional wrestler and mixed martial artist. Suzuki was the co-founder of Pancrase, one of the first mixed martial arts organizations in the world. During the 1990s he was known as one of the best fighters in the Pancrase promotion and was the second King of Pancrase world champion...
- NWF Heavyweight ChampionshipNWF Heavyweight ChampionshipThe NWF Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling championship used as part of the National Wrestling Federation and later New Japan Pro Wrestling.- History :...
(1 time)
- 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 #40 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2010
- Pro Wrestling NoahPro Wrestling Noahis a major Japanese professional wrestling promotion, founded in 2000 by former All Japan Pro Wrestling ace Mitsuharu Misawa. NOAH is broadcast weekly in Japan...
- GHC Heavyweight ChampionshipGHC Heavyweight ChampionshipThe Global Honored Crown Heavyweight Championship is the top professional wrestling title in Japanese promotion Pro Wrestling Noah. It was created on April 15, 2001 when Mitsuharu Misawa defeated Yoshihiro Takayama in a 16-man tournament final...
(1 time) - GHC Tag Team ChampionshipGHC Tag Team ChampionshipThe Global Honored Crown Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling tag team title in Japanese promotion Pro Wrestling Noah. It was created on October 19, 2001, when Scorpio & Vader defeated Jun Akiyama & Akitoshi Saito in a tournament final...
(2 times) – with Takao Ōmori (1) and Takuma SanoNaoki Sanois a Japanese professional wrestler and former mixed martial artist. He currently goes by the name Takuma Sano.-New Japan Pro Wrestling :...
(1) - Global Tag LeagueGlobal Tag LeagueThe Global Tag League is a professional wrestling round-robin tag team tournament held by Pro Wrestling NOAH. It was created in 2008.The Global Tag League is held under a points system, with two points for a win, one for a time limit draw and none for a loss. The team finishing atop the points...
(2010) - with Takuma Sano - Global League TournamentGlobal League TournamentThe Global League Tournament is an annual professional wrestling round-robin tournament held by Pro Wrestling NOAH, established in 2010.The Global League Tournament adopts a points system, with two points for a win, one for a time expired draw, and, none for other draw or a loss...
(2010) - 2 Days Tag Tournament (2011) - with KENTAKenta Kobayashi, also known by his ring name KENTA, is a Japanese professional wrestler currently signed to Pro Wrestling Noah, where he is a former three-time Global Honored Crown Junior Heavyweight Champion...
- GHC Heavyweight Championship
- Pro Wrestling Zero1
- NWA Intercontinental Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Kohei SatoKohei Satois a Japanese professional wrestler contracted with Pro Wrestling ZERO1. Sato is also a former mixed martial artist.-In wrestling:*Finishing moves*Briging German suplex*Cross Armbreaker*Pole Star *Signature moves...
- NWA Intercontinental Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Kohei Sato
- Tenryu Project
- Tenryu Project 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, current) - with Tatsutoshi GotoTatsutoshi Gotois a Japanese professional wrestler. He competed primarily in WAR and New Japan Pro Wrestling using the name "T2000 Machine". He also briefly competed in WCW as part of the nWo Japan.-Career:...
and Daisuke SekimotoDaisuke Sekimotois a Japanese professional wrestler, best known for his appearances in Big Japan Pro Wrestling and Pro Wrestling ZERO1-MAX. He is a former six-time BJW Tag Team Champion, as well as a former NWA United National Heavyweight Champion in ZERO1-MAX...
- 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 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 Yoji AnjoYoji Anjo, is a Japanese professional wrestler and mixed martial artist. He was born in Suginami, Japan on December 31, 1969.-Professional wrestling career:...
& Kenichi YamamotoKenichi Yamamotowas a Japanese cross country skier who competed in the 1950s. He finished 22nd in the 18 km event at the 1952 Winter Olympics in Oslo.-References:...
- WAR World Six-Man Tag Team Championship
- Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards
- Best Brawler (2002)
- Fight of the Year (2002) – vs. Don FryeDon FryeDonald Frye is a retired American mixed martial artist, actor, and professional wrestler. Frye rose to fame fighting in early Ultimate Fighting Championship events, winning the UFC 8 and Ultimate Ultimate 96 tournaments...
Mixed martial arts record
|-|Loss
|align=center|0-4
|
Bob SappBob Sapp
Robert Malcolm "Bob" Sapp is an American kickboxer, mixed martial artist, professional wrestler, actor, comedian and former professional American football player. Sapp currently has a combined fight record of 21–21–0, mostly fighting in Japan...
|Submission (armbar)
|Inoki Bom-Ba-Ye 2002
Inoki Bom-Ba-Ye 2002
Inoki Bom-Ba-Ye 2002: K-1 vs. Inoki was a mixed martial arts and kickboxing event promoted by Antonio Inoki and K-1 on December 31, 2002 at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan...
|
|align=center|1
|align=center|2:16
|Saitama, Japan
|
|-
|Loss
|align=center|0-3
|
Don FryeDon Frye
Donald Frye is a retired American mixed martial artist, actor, and professional wrestler. Frye rose to fame fighting in early Ultimate Fighting Championship events, winning the UFC 8 and Ultimate Ultimate 96 tournaments...
|TKO (punches)
|Pride 21
PRIDE 21
Pride 21: Demolition was a mixed martial arts event held by the Pride Fighting Championships. It took place at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan on June 23, 2002.-Results:...
|
|align=center|1
|align=center|6:10
|Saitama, Japan
|
|-
|Loss
|align=center|0-2
|
Semmy SchiltSemmy Schilt
Semmy Schilt , also known as Sem Schilt, is a Dutch Ashihara karateka, kickboxer, mixed martial artist and four time K-1 World GP champion. He is the first and only fighter in K-1 history to win the championship three times in a row, and also shares the record with Ernesto Hoost for most GPs won,...
|KO (punches)
|Pride 18
PRIDE 18
Pride 18: Cold Fury 2 was a mixed martial arts event held by the Pride Fighting Championships. It took place at the Marine Messe Fukuoka in Fukuoka, Japan on December 23, 2001.-Results:...
|
|align=center|1
|align=center|3:09
|Fukuoka, Japan
|
|-
|Loss
|align=center|0-1
|
Kazuyuki FujitaKazuyuki Fujita
is a Japanese professional wrestler, mixed martial artist and a former amateur wrestler. He has fought in mixed martial arts promotions including PRIDE, K-1 and currently fighting in Sengoku....
|Submission (arm triangle choke
Arm triangle choke
Arm triangle choke, side choke, or head and arm choke are generic terms describing blood chokeholds in which the opponent is strangled in between his or her own shoulder and the practitioner's arm. This is as opposed to the regular triangle choke, which denotes a chokehold using the legs, albeit...
)
|Pride 14
PRIDE 14
PRIDE 14: Clash of the Titans was a mixed martial arts event held by the PRIDE Fighting Championships. It took place at the Yokohama Arena in Yokohama, Japan on May 27, 2001.-Results:...
|
|align=center|2
|align=center|3:10
|Yokohama, Japan
|
|-
Acting
Takayama has acted in small parts in several films, beginning with Muscle HeatMuscle Heat (AKA Blood Heat)
Muscle Heat is a 2002 Japanese action film starring Kane Kosugi and directed by Ten Shimoyama.- Plot :...
in 2002, and continuing with Cromartie High - The Movie
Cromartie High - The Movie
is a 2005 Japanese live-action film directed by Yūdai Yamaguchi and starring Takamasa Suga. The film is based on the manga Cromartie High School by Eiji Nonaka which had also been previously adapted as an anime series.-Plot synopsis:The film opens with a black-and-white documentary-like section...
and Nagurimono in 2005. He also appeared in 2004's The Calamari Wrestler
The Calamari Wrestler
The Calamari Wrestler is a 2004 Japanese film by director Minoru Kawasaki, starring Kana Ishida and Osamu Nishimura.-Plot:...
, playing himself in a cameo role.