| Yujiro Kushida | |
|---|---|
Kushida in 2008 |
|
| Ring name(s) | Yujiro Kushida Kushida[1] |
| Billed height | 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)[1] |
| Billed weight | 85 kg (190 lb)[1] |
| Born | May 12, 1983 [1] Tokyo, Japan[1] |
| Billed from | Tokyo, Japan |
| Trained by | Nobuhiko Takada Yoshihiro Tajiri |
| Debut | September 7, 2006 w/ Tajiri vs. Red Onigumo & Blue Onigumo [2] |
| Website | www.plus-blog.sportsnavi.com/hustle kushida/ |
| Yujiro Kushida | |
|---|---|
| Mixed martial arts record | |
| Total | 8 |
| Wins | 6 |
| By knockout | 2 |
| By submission | 3 |
| By decision | 1 |
| Losses | 2 |
| Draws | 0 |
Yujiro Kushida (櫛田 雄二郎 Kushida Yūjirō, born May 12, 1983) is a Japanese professional wrestler. He currently competes in New Japan Pro Wrestling as KUSHIDA. He won the ZST Genesis Lightweight Tournament and AJPW's U-30 Tag Team Tournament in 2008 with T28
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Yujiro Kushida trained at Takada training hall to be a professional wrestler since he was in junior high school. He debuted at ZST in a fight against Kenji Mizuno in January 2003. He won the ZST Genesis Light Weight Tournament in 2004.[2]
Kushida was offered to continue on in the MMA field, but his dream was to become a professional wrestler and he went out to do just that. Soon after he would embark to Mexico and begin training as wrestler. He would return to Japan and on February 10th, 2006 was signed under Hustle to be under Tajiri & Hiroshi Nagao. Tajiri eventually took Kushida under his wing completely as his apprentice. He debuted as a pro wrestler on September 7, 2006 with Tajiri to take on Red Onigumo & Blue Onigumo. Kushida quickly earned the title “Hustle Supernova” and became one of their top up and comers.
In 2007, Kushida competed in All Japan Pro Wrestling, Apache Pro-Wrestling, Dradition Pro-Wrestling, Hustle) and various independent shows.[3]
In February, 2008 Kushida teamed up with T28 to participate in the U-30 Tag Team Tournament, a one night tournament that featured AJPW's top young wrestlers. The team defeated CJ Otis and Mototsugu Shimizu in the first round, Kaji Yamato and Taishi Takizawa in the second round and the team of Daichi Kakimoto and Manabu Soya in the finals to win the U30 Tag Team tournament.[4] The team would go on to compete in AJPW's 2008 Junior Tag League, the team ended up tied for last place with only four points for two victories and three losses.
Kushida and Tajiri competed in Osaka Festival 2008 and reached the semi final of the tournament but were knocked out by Daisuke Harada and Zeus.[5]. Kushida also competed in the Mondo 21 Cup 13 Man Battle Royal. On 12 June, Kushida won his first three-way dance against Kuishinbo Kamen and Kanjyouro Matsuyama.[6] After teaming up with Billy Ken Kid and defeating Takoyakida and Tigers Mask, Kushida went on a winning streak at Osaka Pro Wrestling in both singles and tag team matches which is still intact today.
In March 2009, Kushida faced Rey Ohara in a match that was a turning point in his career as he lost and was forced to leave Japan. Kushida went on to compete in wrestling promotions in Canada, Mexico and America, most notably in Chikara and Border City Wrestling. Kushida participated in a steel cage match for BSE Suicide Six Pack Title and was defeated by Tyson Dux.[7] On November 3, 2010 while competing for Canadian Wrestling's Elite, he received a CWE Championship match against the then champion AJ Sanchez but lost.[7] Kushida won his last match in Canada defeating Michael Von Payton at Capital City Championship Combat in March 13, 2010.[7] In October 2010, Kushida made two appearances for American promotion Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW).[8]
Kushida was the main event for Smash.1 were he defeated Hajime Ohara, he then went on to pair up with Lin Bairon to defeat Ohara and Syuri for the main event of Smash.2.[9] He lost to Prince Devitt on Smash.3 main event. Kushida went up against Isami Kodaka in a world tryout match on Smash.4. He then went on to lose his next three matches.[9] He ended his losing streak when he teamed up with Tajiri and Akira Shoji against Ohara, Jessica Love and Kageman Guro on Smash.8.[9] At Smash.9, Kushida went up against Mike Mondo for the OVW Heavyweight Championship but lost. At Smash.10 Kushida participated in his first hardcore match with Super Crazy & Isami Kodaka against Hajime Ohara, Heimo Ukonselkä & Jessica Love which his team won. Kushida's run with Smash ended on March 31, 2011, at Smash.15, where he was defeated by Ohara in the main event of the evening.
Kushida participated in the annual tournament Best of the Super Juniors which began on May 30, 2010. He participated in seven matches winning four out of the seven matches giving him a total of eight points, just coming shy of the semi finals. Kushida also participated in the new tag team tournament called Super J Tag Tournament, Kushida partnered with Gedo. The pair first went up against Kota Ibushi and Austin Creed, Kushida pinned Austin to advance to the semi final. However the pair lost to Ryusuke Taguchi and Prince Devitt in the semi final so were out of the tournament. Kushida then went on to team up with Hiroshi Tanahashi and Tajiri to compete in J Sports Crown Openweight Six Man Tag Team Tournament 2010, the team beat Chaos and Masato Tanaka to progress to the finals where they were eventually beaten by Hirooki Goto, Prince Devitt, and Ryusuke Taguchi. Kushida participated in Super J Tag League teaming up with Akira in block B, the pair won two matches and lost two matches amassing a total of four points, missing out on the final by two points.
On February 25, 2011, it was announced that Kushida, with Tajiri's blessing, would be leaving Smash and becoming a full time member of the New Japan roster, beginning on April 1.[10] On March 19 Kushida unsuccessfully challenged Prince Devitt for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship.[11] On May 26, Kushida entered the 2011 Best of the Super Juniors tournament. After winning five out of his eight round robin stage matches, he finished fourth out of the nine wrestlers in his block, narrowly missing the semifinals of the tournament.[12]. Kushida then went on to compete in J Sports Crown Openweight Six Man Tag Team Tournament 2011 with Hiroshi Tanahashi and Máscara Dorada, however the trio were beaten in the second round by Jushin Thunder Liger, Karl Anderson and Giant Bernard
On August 27, 2011, he participated in the Destroyer Cup, a Special Battle Royale at All Together. 3 days later, he teamed with Togi Makabe to face Suzuli & Taichi. He lost after a Cradle Piledriver of Suzuki and got pinned by Taichi.
On September 19, Kushida was set to challenge Kota Ibushi for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship, but a week earlier, Ibushi was forced to pull out of the match and vacate the title, after dislocating his left shoulder. Kushida was then booked in a decision match against former champion Prince Devitt to determine a new champion.[13] On September 19, Kushida was defeated by Prince Devitt in a match for the vacant IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship.[14] On November 12, Kushida and Tiger Mask IV unsuccessfully challenged Davey Richards and Rocky Romero for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship.[15]