is a Japanese
professional wrestler
Professional wrestling is a form of theater that revolves around staged wrestling matches. The mock combat is performed in a ring similar to the kind used in boxing, and the dramatic aspects of pro wrestling may be performed both in the ring or ...
and former
mixed martial artist, better known by his
mononym
A mononym is a name composed of only one word. An individual who is known and addressed by a mononym is a mononymous person. In some cases, a mononym selected by an individual may have originally been from a polynym, a word which refers to one o ...
ous
ring name
A ring name is a type of stage name used by an athlete such as a professional wrestler, mixed martial artist, or boxer whose real name is considered unattractive, dull, difficult to pronounce or spell, amusing for the wrong reasons, or projecting ...
Kushida. He is currently signed to
New Japan Pro-Wrestling
(NJPW) is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion based in Nakano, Tokyo. Founded on January 13, 1972, by Antonio Inoki, the promotion was sold to Yuke's, who later sold it to Bushiroad in 2012. TV Asahi and Amuse, Inc. own minority shares ...
(NJPW), as well as
Impact Wrestling
Impact Wrestling (stylized as ''IMPACT! Wrestling''), is an American professional wrestling promotion based in Nashville, Tennessee. It is a subsidiary of Anthem Sports & Entertainment.
Founded by Jeff and Jerry Jarrett in 2002, the promot ...
.
He is best known for his tenure in NJPW, where he is a former six-time
IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion and a
two-time IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champion
The is a professional wrestling tag team championship owned by the New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) promotion. "IWGP" is the acronym of NJPW's governing body, the . The title was introduced on August 8, 1998, at an NJPW live event. The IWGP Junior ...
(with
Time Splitters teammate
Alex Shelley
Patrick Kenneth Martin (born May 23, 1983) is an American professional wrestler and physical therapy clinician, better known by the ring name, Alex Shelley, makes appearances with Impact Wrestling (formerly known as Total Nonstop Action Wrestl ...
). He was the winner of the
2015
File:2015 Events Collage new.png, From top left, clockwise: Civil service in remembrance of November 2015 Paris attacks; Germanwings Flight 9525 was purposely crashed into the French Alps; the rubble of residences in Kathmandu following the Apri ...
and
2017
File:2017 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The War Against ISIS at the Battle of Mosul (2016-2017); aftermath of the Manchester Arena bombing; The Solar eclipse of August 21, 2017 ("Great American Eclipse"); North Korea tests a ser ...
Best of the Super Juniors
The Best of the Super Juniors (often abbreviated BOSJ) is an annual professional wrestling tournament held by New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), typically in May or June. Originally known as Top of the Super Juniors, the first tournament was held in ...
tournaments, the
2016
File:2016 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Bombed-out buildings in Ankara following the 2016 Turkish coup d'état attempt; the impeachment trial of Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff; Damaged houses during the 2016 Nagorno-Karabakh ...
Super J-Cup
The Super J-Cup is a periodically held professional wrestling tournament featuring junior heavyweight wrestlers from all over the world promoted by New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). This tournament differs from NJPW's annual Best of the Super Junio ...
, and the 2017 Pro Wrestling World Cup, a tournament co-promoted by NJPW with What Culture Pro Wrestling (WCPW) and
Revolution Pro Wrestling (RevPro). Kushida previously made appearances for NJPW's American partner
Ring of Honor
Ring of Honor (ROH) is an American professional wrestling promotion based in Jacksonville, Florida. The promotion was founded by Rob Feinstein on February 23, 2002, and was operated by Cary Silkin from 2004 until 2011, when the promotion was so ...
(ROH), where he is a former
ROH World Television Champion. In 2019, Kushida signed with
WWE
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc., d/b/a as WWE, is an American professional wrestling promotion. A global integrated media and entertainment company, WWE has also branched out into other fields, including film, American football, and vario ...
, who assigned him to perform on the
205 Live
''WWE 205 Live'' is an American professional wrestling streaming television program that was produced by WWE. It premiered on November 29, 2016, and ended on February 11, 2022. The show originally aired exclusively on the WWE Network until March ...
and
NXT
NXT may refer to:
Professional wrestling
* '' WWE NXT'', a professional wrestling television program produced by WWE that began in 2010
** NXT (WWE brand), WWE's Florida-based brand and former developmental territory
* '' NXT UK'', the British spi ...
brands
A brand is a name, term, design, symbol or any other feature that distinguishes one seller's good or service from those of other sellers. Brands are used in business, marketing, and advertising for recognition and, importantly, to create an ...
. In WWE, he is a former one-time
NXT Cruiserweight Champion.
Kushida began training for a
mixed martial arts
Mixed martial arts (MMA), sometimes referred to as cage fighting, no holds barred (NHB), and ultimate fighting, and originally referred to as Vale Tudo is a full-contact combat sport based on striking, grappling and ground fighting, inc ...
(MMA) career at
Nobuhiko Takada's
Takada Dojo
The Takada Dojo is a mixed martial arts academy in Tokyo, Japan. The dojo takes its name from Nobuhiko Takada its founder. Many members, including Takada, have participated in both professional wrestling and mixed martial arts. The dojo and it ...
while in junior high school. He made his professional MMA debut in 2003 for the
ZST
ZST (pronounced ''Zest'') is a Japan-based mixed martial arts promotion and sanctioning organization holding amateur and semi-professional MMA events. ZST adopts unique rules in the MMA industry and also used to hold tag-team MMA matches.
Hist ...
promotion, winning the following year's ZST Genesis Lightweight Tournament. In 2005, he retired from MMA, ending his career with an undefeated record.
MMA and professional wrestling career
Takada Dojo and ZST (2003–2005)
Kushida joined
Nobuhiko Takada's
Takada Dojo
The Takada Dojo is a mixed martial arts academy in Tokyo, Japan. The dojo takes its name from Nobuhiko Takada its founder. Many members, including Takada, have participated in both professional wrestling and mixed martial arts. The dojo and it ...
during his junior high school years, where he started learning both pro wrestling and
mixed martial arts
Mixed martial arts (MMA), sometimes referred to as cage fighting, no holds barred (NHB), and ultimate fighting, and originally referred to as Vale Tudo is a full-contact combat sport based on striking, grappling and ground fighting, inc ...
(MMA) under
Takumi Adachi
is a Japanese former wrestler who competed in the 1992 Summer Olympics
The 1992 Summer Olympics ( es, Juegos Olímpicos de Verano de 1992, ca, Jocs Olímpics d'estiu de 1992), officially known as the Games of the XXV Olympiad ( es, Juegos ...
.
[''Wrestler Human Story 19: Kushida'', Shukan Puroresu magazine, November 24, 2010] He had his MMA debut five years later for
ZST
ZST (pronounced ''Zest'') is a Japan-based mixed martial arts promotion and sanctioning organization holding amateur and semi-professional MMA events. ZST adopts unique rules in the MMA industry and also used to hold tag-team MMA matches.
Hist ...
, defeating Kenji Mizuno by disqualification after the latter grabbed the ropes to defend a takedown. Kushida followed his debut with a draw, a win, and a three-match tournament victory at the 2004 ZST Genesis Lightweight Tournament.
Around the same time, he held a part-time job with the '' Tokyo Sports'' magazine and began attending Senshu University.[
His performance in the tournament earned him offers from multiple MMA promotions, but he would turn them down instead choosing to embark on a professional wrestling career. Soon after his final MMA fight, Kushida was granted a one-year temporary absence from the Senshu University, during which he would travel to Mexico with money borrowed from his mother.][ In Mexico, he learned the style of '']lucha libre
Lucha libre (, meaning "freestyle wrestling" or literally translated as "free fight") is the term used in Latin America for professional wrestling. Since its introduction to Mexico in the early 20th century, it has developed into a unique form ...
'' under Oriental
The Orient is a term for the East in relation to Europe, traditionally comprising anything belonging to the Eastern world. It is the antonym of ''Occident'', the Western World. In English, it is largely a metonym for, and coterminous with, the ...
in his Aztec Budokan wrestling school, where he had his professional debut on September 16, 2005 as the masked wrestler Yujiro. This Mexican endeavour is not acknowledged by many wrestling sites, which label his first match in Hustle as his professional wrestling debut.[
]
Hustle (2006–2009)
Kushida returned to Japan on February 10, 2006 and signed up with his trainer Takada's promotion Hustle
Hustle or The Hustle may refer to:
Film
* ''Hustle'' (1975 film), an American crime film starring Burt Reynolds
* ''Hustle'' (2004 film), an American television film about Pete Rose
* ''Hustle'' (2008 film), a film starring Bai Ling
* ''The H ...
after being scouted by Tajiri and Hiroshi Nagao
is a retired Japanese professional wrestler, perhaps most famous for competing for New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) and Hustle. Throughout Nagao's career, he would compete mainly on the mid-card.
Personal life
Hiroshi has a background in sports. ...
. Tajiri eventually took Kushida under his wing. Kushida debuted as a pro wrestler on September 7, 2006, with Tajiri to take on Red Onigumo and Blue Onigumo
is a Japanese professional wrestler, better known by the ring name Gentaro (stylized in all capital letters). Though officially affiliated with the Pro Wrestling Freedoms promotion, Gentaro also works for several other independent promotions, in ...
. Kushida quickly earned the title "Hustle Supernova" and became one of the top up-and-comers of the babyface faction Hustle Army, forming a team with Tajiri and fellow apprentice Banzai Chie
is a Japanese retired professional wrestler, better known for her ring name Banzai Chie (stylised as ). She is known for her work in Hustle.
Background
Chie first competed as a decorated amateur wrestler in high school, reaching third place i ...
. Kushida and Chie, assisted by guest tarento Hitomi Kaikawa, entered a feud
A feud , referred to in more extreme cases as a blood feud, vendetta, faida, clan war, gang war, or private war, is a long-running argument or fight, often between social groups of people, especially families or clans. Feuds begin because one part ...
with villainous Monster Army member Giant Vabo (Nagao), but they were mostly unsuccessful. Moreover, their alliance with Tajiri broke up when he was brainwashed in a storyline by Yinling into joining Monster Army, so they enlisted Ryoji Sai to help them to turn Tajiri back into his former self. They eventually brought Tajiri back to his senses in 2007, returning to their usual trios matches.
In 2009, Kushida got into a heated rivalry with his Monster Army counterpart, NWA International Junior Heavyweight Champion Ray Ohara
Ray may refer to:
Fish
* Ray (fish), any cartilaginous fish of the superorder Batoidea
* Ray (fish fin anatomy), a bony or horny spine on a fin
Science and mathematics
* Ray (geometry), half of a line proceeding from an initial point
* Ray (gra ...
. Kushida faced Ohara several times for his title, but was defeated each time despite Tajiri's best efforts to help him. Ohara allied himself with Minoru Fujita as his mentor to counter Tajiri, and stipulated a last title match in which Kushida would put his Hustle career in line. Kushida accepted, but was defeated due to a miscommunication with Tajiri, forcing him to abandon the Hustle Army and the promotion itself.
All Japan Pro Wrestling and Osaka Pro Wrestling (2007–2008)
Kushida started competing in All Japan Pro Wrestling in July 2007, wrestling against Ryuji Hijikata and T28. 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. 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. 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
is a Japanese professional wrestler better known as , a masked clown character. Kuishinbo Kamen is Japanese for "Gluttonous Mask". For a while he was forced to give up the Kuishinbo Kamen character, instead he worked as "Super Robo K", a futuri ...
and Kanjyuro Matsuyama. After teaming up with Billyken 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.
North America promotions (2009–2010, 2016)
In March 2009, Kushida faced Rey Ohara in a loss that marked a turning point in his career, as the stipulations forced him to leave Japan. Kushida went on to compete in wrestling promotions in Canada, Mexico, and the United States, most notably Chikara and Border City Wrestling. Kushida participated in a steel cage match for the BSE Suicide Six Pack title in which he was defeated by Tyson Dux. On November 3, 2010, while competing for Canadian Wrestling's Elite, he challenged for the CWE Championship against AJ Sanchez, but failed to win the title. Kushida won his last match in Canada, defeating Michael Von Payton at Capital City Championship Combat on March 13, 2010. In October 2010, Kushida made two appearances for American promotion Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW).
On June 1, 2016, the Mexican Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre
Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre Co., Ltd. (CMLL; , "World Wrestling Council") is a ''lucha libre'' professional wrestling promotion based in Mexico City. The promotion was previously known as ''Empresa Mexicana de Lucha Libre'' (''EMLL'') (''Mexi ...
(CMLL) promotion announced Kushida as a participant in the 2016 International Gran Prix. On June 25, Kushida made it to the semifinals of Lucha Libre Elite
Lucha Libre Elite, also referred to as simply Elite, is a ''lucha libre'' (Mexican professional wrestling) professional wrestling promotion, promotion based in Mexico City, Mexico. The promotion, founded in 2014 as Asociación de Lucha Libre É ...
's World Championship tournament, before losing to Volador Jr.
Ramón Ibarra Rivera (born January 26, 1981), better known by his ring name Volador Jr., is a Mexican ''Lucha libre, luchador'' (or professional wrestler), who works for Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL). He portrays a ''Face (professional ...
On July 1, Kushida took part in the 2016 International Gran Prix, from which he was eliminated by La Máscara
Felipe de Jesús Alvarado Mendoza (born January 8, 1982) is a Mexican ''luchador'', or professional wrestler best known by the ring name La Máscara for his time working for Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide (AAA) and was the co-founder and leader of '' ...
. On July 8, Kushida unsuccessfully challenged Volador Jr. for the NWA World Historic Welterweight Championship. On July 12, Kushida and Marco Corleone won a one-night tag team tournament, defeating Rey Escorpión and Shocker in the finals. The tournament concluded his Mexican tour.
Smash (2010–2011, 2012)
Kushida was in the main event at Smash.1 where he defeated Hajime Ohara, and went on to team with Lin Byron
Ray (February 14, 1982 – August 30, 2018) was a Hong Kong professional wrestler. After being trained by Emi Sakura, Ray made her professional wrestling debut in September 2003 and would for the next several years wrestle under different masks, b ...
to defeat Ohara and Syuri in the main event of Smash.2. Kushida lost to Prince Devitt in Smash.3's main event. Kushida defeated Isami Kodaka in a world tryout match on Smash.4, only to lose his next three matches for the promotion. He ended his losing streak alongside Tajiri and Akira Shoji with a victory against Ohara, Jessica Love, and Kageman Guro at Smash.8. At Smash.9, Kushida challenged Mike Mondo for the OVW Heavyweight Championship, but lost. At Smash.10 Kushida participated in his first hardcore match, teaming with Super Crazy
Francisco Islas Rueda (born December 3, 1973), better known by his ring name Super Crazy, is a Mexican ''luchador'' (or professional wrestler). In Mexico, Islas has worked for Asistencia Asesoría y Administración (AAA) and made appearances f ...
and Isami Kodaka to defeat Hajime Ohara, Heimo Ukonselkä, and Jessica Love. Kushida's initial run with Smash ended on March 31, 2011, at Smash.15, where he was defeated by Ohara. On March 14, 2012, Kushida returned to Smash to compete in the promotion's final event, in a victory over Yusuke Kodama
is a Japanese professional wrestler and currently wrestlers for All Japan Pro Wrestling as a freelancer. Kodama is best known for his time with Wrestle-1 (W-1), where he is a former two time UWA World Trios Champion, two time Wrestle-1 Cruiser ...
.
New Japan Pro-Wrestling
First storylines (2010–2012)
Kushida participated in the annual Best of the Super Juniors
The Best of the Super Juniors (often abbreviated BOSJ) is an annual professional wrestling tournament held by New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), typically in May or June. Originally known as Top of the Super Juniors, the first tournament was held in ...
tournament, which began on May 30, 2010. He participated in seven matches winning four out of them, 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
Austin Watson (born September 4, 1986) is an American professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the NXT brand under the ring name Xavier Woods. He appeared on WWE's NXT brand as one-half of the current NXT Tag T ...
, 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 6 Man Tag Tournament 2010, the team beat Chaos 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. On March 19 Kushida unsuccessfully challenged Prince Devitt for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship. 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. Kushida then went on to compete in J Sports Crown Openweight 6 Man Tag Tournament 2011 with Hiroshi Tanahashi and Máscara Dorada, however the trio were beaten in the second round by Jyushin Thunder Liger, Karl Anderson
Chad Allegra (born January 20, 1980), better known by the ring name Karl Anderson, is an American professional wrestler currently signed to WWE where he performs on the Raw brand. He also makes appearances for New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW), whe ...
and Giant Bernard. On August 27, 2011, he participated in the Destroyer Cup, a special battle royal at All Together. 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. On September 19, Kushida was defeated by Prince Devitt in a match for the vacant IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship. On November 12 at Power Struggle
In political science and political history, the term power vacuum, also known as a power void, is an analogy between a physical vacuum to the political condition "when someone in a place of power, has lost control of something and no one has repla ...
, Kushida and Tiger Mask unsuccessfully challenged Davey Richards
Wesley David Richards (born March 1, 1983) is an American professional wrestler. He is currently signed to Major League Wrestling (MLW), under the ring name Davey Richards, and is the current MLW National Openweight Champion in his first reign. ...
and Rocky Romero for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship.
At Wrestle Kingdom VI
was a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event produced by the New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) promotion, which took place at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan on January 4, 2012. It was the 21st January 4 Tokyo Dome Show and the sixth held und ...
, Kushida participated in his first match on January 4 Dome Show by teaming up with Jyushin Thunder Liger, Tiger Mask IV and Mascara Dorada to defeat Atlantis, Valiente and Suzuki-gun ( Taichi and Taka Michinoku). Liger won the match by pinning Valiente. On January 21, Kushida returned after the NJPW break period to take part in the ''Fantastica Mania 2012
''Fantastica Mania'' 2012 was the name of two professional wrestling major shows produced that took place on January 21 and January 22, 2012 in Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan. The event was the second ever co-promoted events between Japanese New J ...
'' events, teaming with Hirooki Goto, beating Máscara Dorada and Rush
Rush(es) may refer to:
Places
United States
* Rush, Colorado
* Rush, Kentucky
* Rush, New York
* Rush City, Minnesota
* Rush Creek (Kishwaukee River tributary), Illinois
* Rush Creek (Marin County, California), a stream
* Rush Creek (Mono Cou ...
. The second night Kushida lost to Máscara Dorada in a match for the CMLL World Welterweight Championship. At The New Beginning, Kushida along with Seigigun (Wataru Inoue
is a Japanese retired professional wrestler currently working for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW).
Professional wrestling career
Inoue made his debut on New Japan Pro-Wrestling in 1999. He aligned himself with New Japan Junior Seikigun, a face ...
and Yuji Nagata), Tiger Mask & Togi Makabe were defeated in a ten-man tag team elimination match by Suzuki-gun ( Lance Archer, Minoru Suzuki, Taichi, Taka Michinoku and Yoshihiro Takayama). On 27 May, Kushida entered the 2012 Best of the Super Juniors tournament, after a strong start beating three of his first four opponents, which included Prince Devitt, Kushida would go on to lose most of his remaining matches which, in the end, gave him eight points, once again narrowly missing out on the semi final. On July 22, Kushida picked up a big win, when he defeated IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion Low Ki in a non-title match. However, Low Ki was first scheduled to defend his title against Kota Ibushi and when, on July 29, Ibushi became the new champion, Kushida stepped up and challenged him to the title match originally scheduled for September 2011. On August 26, Kushida returned to the United States, when he wrestled at a Sacramento Wrestling Federation (SWF) event in Gridley, California, battling SWF Champion Dave Dutra to a time limit draw.
Time Splitters (2012–2015)
During the American trip, Kushida also formed a new partnership with Alex Shelley
Patrick Kenneth Martin (born May 23, 1983) is an American professional wrestler and physical therapy clinician, better known by the ring name, Alex Shelley, makes appearances with Impact Wrestling (formerly known as Total Nonstop Action Wrestl ...
, saving him from IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champions, Forever Hooligans ( Alex Koslov and Rocky Romero).[ On September 7, Kushida took on Ibushi in a match for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship and lost. On October 8 at ]King of Pro-Wrestling
King of Pro-Wrestling is an annual professional wrestling event promoted by New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). The event has been held every October since 2012 and aired domestically as a pay-per-view (PPV). The event also aired internationally as ...
, Kushida and Alex Shelley unsuccessfully challenged Forever Hooligans for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship. On October 21, the Time Splitters entered the 2012 Super Jr. Tag Tournament, defeating Jado & Gedo in their first round match. On November 2, Kushida and Shelley defeated Suzuki-gun (Taichi and Taka Michinoku) to advance to the finals, where, later that same day, they defeated Apollo 55 (Prince Devitt and Ryusuke Taguchi) to win the tournament and become the number one contenders to the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship. On November 11 at Power Struggle
In political science and political history, the term power vacuum, also known as a power void, is an analogy between a physical vacuum to the political condition "when someone in a place of power, has lost control of something and no one has repla ...
, the Time Splitters defeated Forever Hooligans in a rematch to win the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship, Kushida's first title in New Japan. On November 15, Kushida participated in the NEVER Openweight Championship tournament and was eliminated by Masato Tanaka
is a Japanese professional wrestler, best known for his appearances with Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling (FMW) in Japan where he was a one-time FMW Brass Knuckles Heavyweight Champion and a one-time WEW World Heavyweight Champion and in Ext ...
. Time Splitters made their first successful title defense on February 10, 2013, at The New Beginning, defeating Forever Hooligans in the third title match between the two teams. Their second successful defense took place on March 3 at New Japan's 41st anniversary event, where they defeated Jyushin Thunder Liger and Tiger Mask IV.
On April 7 at Invasion Attack
Sakura Genesis is an annual professional wrestling event promoted by New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) since 2013.
Held annually at Tokyo's Ryōgoku Kokugikan, the event has been nicknamed . Originally known as Invasion Attack, the event was renamed ...
, Time Splitters defeated Apollo 55 for their third successful title defense. On May 3 at Wrestling Dontaku 2013
Wrestling Dontaku 2013 was a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event promoted by New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). The event took place on May 3, 2013, in Fukuoka, Fukuoka, at the Fukuoka Kokusai Center. The event featured ten matches (includ ...
, Time Splitters lost the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship back to the Forever Hooligans in their fourth defense.
From late May to early June, Kushida took part in the 2013 Best of the Super Juniors, where he managed to win four out of his eight matches with a loss to Kenny Omega in his final match on June 6 costing him a spot in the semifinals of the tournament. On June 22 at Dominion 6.22
Dominion 6.22 was a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event promoted by New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). The event took place on June 22, 2013, in Osaka, Osaka, at the Bodymaker Colosseum. The event featured ten matches (including one dark ...
, Time Splitters failed in their attempt to regain the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship from the Forever Hooligans. On July 18, American promotion Ring of Honor
Ring of Honor (ROH) is an American professional wrestling promotion based in Jacksonville, Florida. The promotion was founded by Rob Feinstein on February 23, 2002, and was operated by Cary Silkin from 2004 until 2011, when the promotion was so ...
(ROH) announced that Kushida would be making his debut for the promotion on August 3 in Toronto, Canada. Kushida defeated Adam Page in his debut match for the promotion. Back in New Japan, Kushida and Shelley defeated Suzuki-gun (Taichi and Taka Michinoku) on September 29 at Destruction to earn another shot at the Forever Hooligans and the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship. However, Time Splitters were forced to back out of the title match, after Shelley was sidelined with a back injury. Shelley returned from his injury on January 4, 2014, at Wrestle Kingdom 8 in Tokyo Dome, where the Time Splitters unsuccessfully challenged The Young Bucks for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship in a four-way match, which also included Forever Hooligans and Suzuki-gun. Time Splitters were victorious in a non-title rematch the following day, after which they asserted themselves as The Young Bucks' next challengers. They received their title shot on February 11 at The New Beginning in Osaka, but were again defeated by The Young Bucks. In March, Kushida took part in German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
**Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ger ...
promotion Westside Xtreme Wrestling's (wXw) 16 Carat Gold weekend. On April 12, during New Japan's trip to Taiwan, Kushida unsuccessfully challenged Tomohiro Ishii for the NEVER Openweight Championship. Time Splitters received another shot at the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship on May 10 at Global Wars
Global Wars is a professional wrestling event held annually since 2012 by the American Ring of Honor (ROH) promotion. Originally named Border Wars, the event was renamed Global Wars in 2014 after ROH announced a partnership with the Japanese New ...
, a special event co-produced by NJPW and ROH in Toronto, but were defeated by The Young Bucks in a three-way match, also involving Forever Hooligans. At the second NJPW/ROH event, War of the Worlds on May 17, Kushida unsuccessfully challenged Jay Lethal for the ROH World Television Championship. On May 30, Kushida entered the 2014 Best of the Super Juniors tournament, where he won his block with a record of five wins and two losses, advancing to the semifinals. On June 8, Kushida defeated Taichi to advance to the finals of the tournament, where he was defeated by Ricochet. On June 21 at Dominion 6.21
Dominion 6.21 was a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event promoted by New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). The event took place on June 21, 2014, in Osaka, Osaka, at the Bodymaker Colosseum. The event featured nine matches, five of which were ...
, Time Splitters defeated The Young Bucks to win the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship for the second time. On July 4 at Kizuna Road 2014, Kushida became a double champion, when he defeated Kota Ibushi for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship. On August 10, Time Splitters made their first successful defense of the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship against the ROH tag team reDRagon ( Bobby Fish and Kyle O'Reilly). On September 21 at Destruction in Kobe, Kushida lost the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship to Ryusuke Taguchi in his first defense. Two days later at Destruction in Okayama, Time Splitters made their second successful defense of the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship against Suzuki-gun ( El Desperado and Taichi). On October 13 at King of Pro-Wrestling
King of Pro-Wrestling is an annual professional wrestling event promoted by New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). The event has been held every October since 2012 and aired domestically as a pay-per-view (PPV). The event also aired internationally as ...
, Time Splitters made their third successful title defense in a three-way match against Forever Hooligans and The Young Bucks. On November 8 at Power Struggle
In political science and political history, the term power vacuum, also known as a power void, is an analogy between a physical vacuum to the political condition "when someone in a place of power, has lost control of something and no one has repla ...
, Time Splitters lost the title to 2014 Super Jr. Tag Tournament winners reDRagon. On December 7, Kushida returned to ROH at Final Battle 2014
Final Battle 2014 was the 13th Final Battle professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by Ring of Honor (ROH). It took place on December 7, 2014 at the Terminal 5 in New York City, New York.
Storylines
Final Battle 2014 featured eight ...
, where he and Shelley unsuccessfully challenged reDRagon for the ROH World Tag Team Championship. Time Splitters received a rematch for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship on January 4, 2015, at Wrestle Kingdom 9 in Tokyo Dome, in a four-way match also involving Forever Hooligans and The Young Bucks, but were again defeated by reDRagon. On February 11 at The New Beginning in Osaka, Time Splitters received another title shot in a three-way match, but were this time defeated by The Young Bucks, who became the new champions.
In May, Kushida entered the 2015 Best of the Super Juniors tournament. He finished his block on June 3 with a record of six wins and one loss. Despite others in the block having as many as two matches left to wrestle, Kushida secured the top spot in the block and a place in the finals. Kushida's early qualifying to the finals happened due to his Time Splitters partner Alex Shelley being forced to pull out of their last scheduled match against each other due to a foot injury.
IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion (2015–2019)
On June 7, 2015, Kushida defeated Kyle O'Reilly in the finals to win the 2015 Best of the Super Juniors and earn a shot at the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship. On July 5 at Dominion 7.5 in Osaka-jo Hall
Dominion 7.5 in Osaka-jo Hall was a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event promoted by New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). The event took place on July 5, 2015, in Osaka, Osaka Prefecture, Osaka, at the Osaka-jō Hall. The event featured ten m ...
, Kushida defeated Kenny Omega to win the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship for the second time. He made his first successful title defense on August 16 against the winner of the 2014 Best of the Super Juniors, Ricochet. On August 21, Kushida returned to ROH, losing to Matt Sydal in a non-title match, after which he agreed to defend his title against Sydal. On September 23 at Destruction in Okayama, Kushida lost the title back to Kenny Omega. Four days later at Destruction in Kobe, Kushida and the returning Alex Shelley unsuccessfully challenged reDRagon for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship. On January 4, 2016, at Wrestle Kingdom 10 in Tokyo Dome
Wrestle Kingdom 10 in Tokyo Dome was a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event promoted by New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). The event took place on January 4, 2016, in Tokyo, Japan, at the Tokyo Dome. It was the 25th January 4 Tokyo Dome Sh ...
, Kushida defeated Kenny Omega to regain the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship. He made his first successful title defense on February 14 at The New Beginning in Niigata
The New Beginning in Niigata was a professional wrestling event promoted by New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). The event took place on February 14, 2016, in Nagaoka, Niigata, at the Aore Nagaoka. The event featured nine matches, four of which were ...
against Bushi. Kushida's second title defense took place on March 12 at an ROH event in Philadelphia, where he defeated A. C. H. On April 10 at Invasion Attack 2016
Invasion Attack 2016 was a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event promoted by New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). The event took place on April 10, 2016, in Tokyo at Ryōgoku Kokugikan, and featured nine matches, six of which were contested ...
, Kushida defeated the debuting Will Ospreay for his third successful defense. His fourth defense took place on May 3 at Wrestling Dontaku 2016
Wrestling Dontaku 2016 was a professional wrestling event promoted by New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). The event took place on May 3, 2016, in Fukuoka, Fukuoka at Fukuoka Kokusai Center and featured ten matches, six of which were contested for cham ...
, where he defeated veteran wrestler Jyushin Thunder Liger. Later in the month, Kushida entered the 2016 Best of the Super Juniors. Finishing with a record of four wins and three losses, he was eliminated from the tournament after losing to Bushi in his final round-robin match. On June 19 at Dominion 6.19 in Osaka-jo Hall
Dominion 6.19 in Osaka-jo Hall was a professional wrestling event promoted by New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). The event took place on June 19, 2016, in Osaka, Osaka, at the Osaka-jō Hall and was the eighth event under the Dominion name and second ...
, Kushida defeated Best of the Super Juniors winner Will Ospreay for his fifth successful title defense. On July 20, Kushida entered the 2016 Super J-Cup tournament, defeating Pro Wrestling Noah representative Taiji Ishimori in his first round match. On August 21, Kushida first defeated another Noah representative, Kenoh, in the second round and then two Suzuki-gun representatives, Taichi and Yoshinobu Kanemaru, in the semifinals and finals, respectively, to win the 2016 Super J-Cup.
On September 17 at Destruction in Tokyo
Destruction is a professional wrestling event promoted by New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) annually since 2007. In 2016, NJPW produced three events under the Destruction name; Destruction in Tokyo on September 17, Destruction in Hiroshima on Septemb ...
, Kushida lost the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship to Bushi. Kushida regained the title from Bushi on November 5 at Power Struggle
In political science and political history, the term power vacuum, also known as a power void, is an analogy between a physical vacuum to the political condition "when someone in a place of power, has lost control of something and no one has repla ...
. He lost the title to Hiromu Takahashi on January 4, 2017, at Wrestle Kingdom 11 in Tokyo Dome. Kushida received his title rematch against Takahashi on April 9 at Sakura Genesis 2017
Sakura Genesis 2017 was a professional wrestling event promoted by New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), which took place on April 9, 2017, in Tokyo at Ryōgoku Kokugikan. The event featured nine matches (in addition to one match on the pre-show), main ...
, but was defeated in less than two minutes. The following month, Kushida took part in the NJPW and ROH co-produced War of the Worlds tour. On the final night of the tour, May 14, Kushida defeated Marty Scurll to become the new ROH World Television Champion. Upon his return to Japan, Kushida entered the 2017 Best of the Super Juniors
The Best of the Super Juniors (often abbreviated BOSJ) is an annual professional wrestling tournament held by New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), typically in May or June. Originally known as Top of the Super Juniors, the first tournament was held in ...
, where he won his block with a record of four wins and three losses, advancing to the finals. On June 3, Kushida defeated Will Ospreay in the finals to win his second Best of the Super Juniors. On June 11 at Dominion 6.11 in Osaka-jo Hall
Dominion 6.11 in Osaka-jo Hall was a professional wrestling event promoted by New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). The event took place on June 11, 2017, in Osaka, Osaka, at the Osaka-jō Hall and was the ninth event under the Dominion name and third i ...
, Kushida defeated Hiromu Takahashi to win the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship for the fifth time. On September 22, Kushida returned to ROH at Death Before Dishonor XV
Death Before Dishonor XV was the 15th Death Before Dishonor professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event produced by Ring of Honor (ROH), which took place on September 22, 2017, at Sam's Town Live in Sunrise Manor, Nevada.
Wrestlers from N ...
, where he lost the ROH World Television Championship to Kenny King. On October 9 at King of Pro-Wrestling
King of Pro-Wrestling is an annual professional wrestling event promoted by New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). The event has been held every October since 2012 and aired domestically as a pay-per-view (PPV). The event also aired internationally as ...
, Kushida lost the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship to Will Ospreay. At Wrestle Kingdom on January 4, 2018, he failed to regain the title from Marty Scurll in a four-way match that also included Hiromu Takahashi and Will Ospreay, who won the championship by pinning Scurll. Kushida got another rematch for the title on May 4 at Wrestling Dontaku, but was again defeated by Ospreay. Around this time, he began helping Jushin Liger & Togi Makabe train the Young Lions in New Japan’s Dojo, and attended the LA Dojo’s opening tryout class. Later that month, he entered the 2018 Best of the Super Juniors tournament. He finished the tournament with 4 wins and 3 losses, failing to advance to the finals. After the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship was vacated when Hiromu Takahashi suffered a neck injury during a successful title defense against Dragon Lee at the G1 Special In San Francisco, Kushida was entered into a four-man tournament to crown a new champion. He defeated BUSHI in the semifinals on September 23 at Destruction In Kobe and would go on to face the other semifinalist Marty Scurll at King Of Pro-Wrestling on October 8, whom he defeated at the event to win the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship for the sixth time. However, he lost the title against Taiji Ishimori at Wrestle Kingdom 13. On January 7, 2019, it was announced that Kushida would be leaving New Japan Pro-Wrestling. On January 29 at Road To The New Beginning , Kushida wrestled his final NJPW match, being defeated by Hiroshi Tanahashi.
WWE
Signing and debut (2019–2020)
After months of rumored interest in Kushida by American promotion WWE
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc., d/b/a as WWE, is an American professional wrestling promotion. A global integrated media and entertainment company, WWE has also branched out into other fields, including film, American football, and vario ...
, the wrestler's signing was officially announced at a press conference in New York City a few days before WrestleMania 35 in April 2019. On April 5, Kushida appeared in the crowd at NXT TakeOver: New York, making his debut for NXT
NXT may refer to:
Professional wrestling
* '' WWE NXT'', a professional wrestling television program produced by WWE that began in 2010
** NXT (WWE brand), WWE's Florida-based brand and former developmental territory
* '' NXT UK'', the British spi ...
in the process. On the May 1 episode of ''NXT
NXT may refer to:
Professional wrestling
* '' WWE NXT'', a professional wrestling television program produced by WWE that began in 2010
** NXT (WWE brand), WWE's Florida-based brand and former developmental territory
* '' NXT UK'', the British spi ...
'', Kushida made his in-ring debut in a winning effort against Kassius Ohno
Cassius may refer to:
People
* Cassius, an ancient Roman family name, see Cassia gens
**Gaius Cassius Longinus (died 42 BC), Roman senator and a leader of Julius Caesar's assassination
** Avidius Cassius (130–175), usurper Roman Emperor
* Cassi ...
. Kushida appeared on the September 10 episode of ''205 Live
''WWE 205 Live'' is an American professional wrestling streaming television program that was produced by WWE. It premiered on November 29, 2016, and ended on February 11, 2022. The show originally aired exclusively on the WWE Network until March ...
'', teaming with Gentleman Jack Gallagher to defeat Akira Tozawa and The Brian Kendrick
Brian David Kendrick (born May 29, 1979) is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his time in WWE. Kendrick is also known for his appearances with Ring of Honor (ROH), Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA), New Japan Pro-Wrestl ...
. On the January 1, 2020 episode of ''NXT'', the participants for the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic The Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic is an annual professional wrestling tag team tournament held by the American promotion WWE, and is featured on its NXT brand, having first been established in 2015. In subsequent years, wrestlers from the NXT UK and ...
were revealed, with Kushida being announced along with a mystery partner. On January 8, Alex Shelley
Patrick Kenneth Martin (born May 23, 1983) is an American professional wrestler and physical therapy clinician, better known by the ring name, Alex Shelley, makes appearances with Impact Wrestling (formerly known as Total Nonstop Action Wrestl ...
was announced as Kushida's partner, reforming the Time Splitters tag team for the first time since 2015. On January 15, Time Splitters were eliminated in the first round after being defeated by NXT UK's Grizzled Young Veterans
The Dyad is a British professional wrestling tag team consisting of Jagger Reid and Rip Fowler, currently performing in WWE on the NXT brand. They are members of The Schism stable alongside Joe Gacy and Ava Raine. Reid and Fowler were previously ...
( James Drake and Zack Gibson
Jack Rea (born 8 August 1990) is an English professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the NXT brand under the ring name Rip Fowler. He is also known for his work as Zack Gibson on the UK independent circuit. He f ...
) That reunion was one-off.
NXT Cruiserweight Champion (2020–2021)
On April 12, Kushida was named a participant in the Interim NXT Cruiserweight Championship round-robin tournament
A round-robin tournament (or all-go-away-tournament) is a competition
Competition is a rivalry where two or more parties strive for a common goal which cannot be shared: where one's gain is the other's loss (an example of which is a zero ...
. Kushida defeated Tony Nese in his first match and Jake Atlas
Kenny Sanchez Marquez (born October 5, 1994), known by his ring name Jake Atlas, is an American professional wrestler known for his time in All Elite Wrestling (AEW) and WWE.
Professional wrestling career
As a native resident of Los Angeles, San ...
in his second match, but lost to Drake Maverick in third match. A triple threat match was set up between Kushida, Maverick and Atlas, as all three men were tied at 2-1, and Maverick won the match after pinning Atlas albeit in a controversial fashion. On the August 12 episode of ''NXT'', Kushida lost to Cameron Grimes in a triple threat match also involving Velveteen Dream. After the match, he was attacked by Dream, starting a feud between the two. Kushida returned on the September 8 episode of ''NXT'' and attacked Dream. This led to a match at NXT TakeOver 31, where Kushida won. In January 2021, Kushida began to pursue the North American Champion
The NXT North American Championship is a professional wrestling championship created and promoted by the American promotion WWE. It is primarily defended as the secondary men's championship of the NXT brand division, the promotion's developme ...
Johnny Gargano, beginning a feud with him. On February 4, it was announced that he would face Gargano for the title at NXT TakeOver: Vengeance Day. At the event, Kushida failed to capture the title from Gargano. Following this, Kushida would begin a feud with Pete Dunne and at NXT Takeover: Stand & Deliver, Kushida would be defeated by Dunne.
On the April 13 episode of ''NXT'', Kushida would defeat Santos Escobar
Jorge Luis Alcantar Bolly (born April 30, 1984), is a Mexican second-generation ''luchador'' (professional wrestler). He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the SmackDown brand under the ring name Santos Escobar.
Before his WWE ca ...
in an open challenge match to win the NXT Cruiserweight Championship, thus marking his first title in WWE career. Kushida would issue an open challenge for his NXT Cruiserweight Title on the April 20 episode of ''NXT'', facing Oney Lorcan
Christopher Girard (born December 21, 1985) is an American professional wrestler currently signed to WWE as a coach at their Performance Center. Previously he performed on the NXT brand under the ring name Oney Lorcan. He is a former NXT Tag Te ...
in a winning effort. On the May 11 episode, Kushida would successfully defend the title in a rematch against Escobar in a two-out-of-three falls match. Kushida would also defend the title against newcomer, Carmelo Hayes on the June 1 episode in a winning effort. Kushida would once more defend the title against Trey Baxter on the June 15 episode and following the match would be challenged by Kyle O'Reilly to a non-title match the following week to which Kushida accepted. The following episode, Kushida would be defeated by O'Reilly and after the match, would be blindsided by a returning Roderick Strong and his stable, The Diamond Mine. Kushida lost the title to Roderick Strong on the September 21 episode of ''NXT 2.0''.
Jacket Time (2021–2022)
Kushida eventually formed a team with Ikemen Jiro, due to the pair both having issues with The Diamond Mine, deciding on the name Jacket Time. Kushida would return to the ring on the November 5 episode of ''205 Live'', teaming with Jiro in a losing effort against The Grizzled Young Veterans after a distraction from The Creed Brothers
The Creed Brothers are an American professional wrestling tag team consisting of brothers Brutus Creed (Drew Kasper; born May 13, 1996) and Julius Creed (Jacob Kasper; born October 3, 1994). They are currently working for the professional wrestli ...
. Jacket Time's feud with The Diamond Mine would culminate in a Six Man Tag Team Match after Diamond Mine leader Roderick Strong got involved, along with Odyssey Jones
Omari Jahi Palmer (born May 17, 1994) is an American professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the Raw brand under the ring name Odyssey Jones.
Early life
Palmer was born in Coram, New York. He attended Longwood ...
. Jacket Time and Jones would come out on top in the match, before Jacket Time were announced as participants in the 2022 Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic The Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic is an annual professional wrestling tag team tournament held by the American promotion WWE, and is featured on its NXT brand, having first been established in 2015. In subsequent years, wrestlers from the NXT UK and ...
. However, Jacket Time were eliminated in the first round by 2021 winners MSK (Nash Carter
Zachary Green (born April 29, 1994) is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his time in WWE, where he performed on the NXT brand under the ring name Nash Carter and in Impact Wrestling under the ring name Zachary Wentz (or simp ...
and Wes Lee
Deveon Everhart Aikens (born November 2, 1988) is an American professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the NXT brand under the ring name Wes Lee, and is the current NXT North American Champion in his first reign ...
), on the January 25 episode of ''NXT 2.0''. On April 18, 2022, Kushida left WWE after his contract expired.
Return to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (2022–present)
Kushida returned to NJPW
(NJPW) is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion based in Nakano, Tokyo. Founded on January 13, 1972, by Antonio Inoki, the promotion was sold to Yuke's, who later sold it to Bushiroad in 2012. TV Asahi and Amuse, Inc. own minority shares o ...
on June 21 during the New Japan Road event. At the event, Taiji Ishimori successfully defended his title against Hiromu Takahashi in the main event. Kushida then appeared and revealed that he had signed with NJPW and would spend the rest of his career with the company.
Personal life
Kushida resides in Orlando, Florida
Orlando () is a city in the U.S. state of Florida and is the county seat of Orange County, Florida, Orange County. In Central Florida, it is the center of the Greater Orlando, Orlando metropolitan area, which had a population of 2,509,831, acco ...
with his wife and daughter. In addition to speaking Japanese, Kushida is fluent in English although he likes to incorporate much Japanese in his promos.
Kushida is good friends with fellow wrestler Alex Shelley
Patrick Kenneth Martin (born May 23, 1983) is an American professional wrestler and physical therapy clinician, better known by the ring name, Alex Shelley, makes appearances with Impact Wrestling (formerly known as Total Nonstop Action Wrestl ...
, his former tag team partner.
Championships and accomplishments
Mixed martial arts
*ZST
ZST (pronounced ''Zest'') is a Japan-based mixed martial arts promotion and sanctioning organization holding amateur and semi-professional MMA events. ZST adopts unique rules in the MMA industry and also used to hold tag-team MMA matches.
Hist ...
**ZST Genesis Lightweight Tournament (2004)[
]
Professional wrestling
* All Japan Pro Wrestling
**AJPW U-30 Tag Team Tournament (2008) – with T28
*Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre
Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre Co., Ltd. (CMLL; , "World Wrestling Council") is a ''lucha libre'' professional wrestling promotion based in Mexico City. The promotion was previously known as ''Empresa Mexicana de Lucha Libre'' (''EMLL'') (''Mexi ...
**Cuadrangular de Parejas (2016) – with Marco Corleone
*New Japan Pro-Wrestling
(NJPW) is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion based in Nakano, Tokyo. Founded on January 13, 1972, by Antonio Inoki, the promotion was sold to Yuke's, who later sold it to Bushiroad in 2012. TV Asahi and Amuse, Inc. own minority shares ...
** IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship ( 6 times)
** IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship (2 times
"2 Times" is a song co-written and recorded by British Italian-based singer Ann Lee. It was released in 1999 as the lead single from her debut album, ''Dreams'' (1999). The single entered and peaked at number two on the UK Singles Chart. Outside ...
) – with Alex Shelley
Patrick Kenneth Martin (born May 23, 1983) is an American professional wrestler and physical therapy clinician, better known by the ring name, Alex Shelley, makes appearances with Impact Wrestling (formerly known as Total Nonstop Action Wrestl ...
**IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship Tournament (2018)
**Best of the Super Juniors
The Best of the Super Juniors (often abbreviated BOSJ) is an annual professional wrestling tournament held by New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), typically in May or June. Originally known as Top of the Super Juniors, the first tournament was held in ...
(2015
File:2015 Events Collage new.png, From top left, clockwise: Civil service in remembrance of November 2015 Paris attacks; Germanwings Flight 9525 was purposely crashed into the French Alps; the rubble of residences in Kathmandu following the Apri ...
, 2017
File:2017 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The War Against ISIS at the Battle of Mosul (2016-2017); aftermath of the Manchester Arena bombing; The Solar eclipse of August 21, 2017 ("Great American Eclipse"); North Korea tests a ser ...
)
**Super J-Cup
The Super J-Cup is a periodically held professional wrestling tournament featuring junior heavyweight wrestlers from all over the world promoted by New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). This tournament differs from NJPW's annual Best of the Super Junio ...
(2016
File:2016 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Bombed-out buildings in Ankara following the 2016 Turkish coup d'état attempt; the impeachment trial of Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff; Damaged houses during the 2016 Nagorno-Karabakh ...
)
**Super Jr. Tag Tournament
The Super Junior Tag League is a professional wrestling tag team tournament held by New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW).
Established in 2010, but preceded by the G1 Climax Junior Heavyweight Tag League in 2001 (won by El Samurai and Jushin Thu ...
(2012
File:2012 Events Collage V3.png, From left, clockwise: The passenger cruise ship Costa Concordia lies capsized after the Costa Concordia disaster; Damage to Casino Pier in Seaside Heights, New Jersey as a result of Hurricane Sandy; People gather ...
) – with Alex Shelley
*'' Pro Wrestling Illustrated''
**Ranked No. 20 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the '' PWI 500'' in 2017
*Ring of Honor
Ring of Honor (ROH) is an American professional wrestling promotion based in Jacksonville, Florida. The promotion was founded by Rob Feinstein on February 23, 2002, and was operated by Cary Silkin from 2004 until 2011, when the promotion was so ...
** ROH World Television Championship ( 1 time)
*What Culture Pro Wrestling
**Pro Wrestling World Cup (2017)
**Pro Wrestling World Cup Japanese Qualifiers (2017)
*WWE
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc., d/b/a as WWE, is an American professional wrestling promotion. A global integrated media and entertainment company, WWE has also branched out into other fields, including film, American football, and vario ...
** NXT Cruiserweight Championship ( 1 time)
Mixed martial arts record
, -
, Draw
, align=center, 6–0–2
, Shinya Sato
, Draw
, ZST: Grand Prix 2 Final Round
,
, align=center, 3
, align=center, 3:00
, Tokyo, Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
,
, -
, Win
, align="center", 6–0–1
, Takahiro Uchiyama
, Submission (armbar)
, ZST: Battle Hazard 1
,
, align='center', 2
, align='center', 3:10
, Tokyo, Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
,
, -
, Win
, align="center", 5–0–1
, Takahiro Uchiyama
, Decision (unanimous)
, ZST: Grand Prix Final Round
,
, align='center', 1
, align='center', 5:00
, Tokyo, Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
,
, -
, Win
, align="center", 4–0–1
, Norimasa Isozaki
, Submission (rear-naked choke)
, ZST: Grand Prix Final Round
,
, align='center', 1
, align='center', 1:37
, Tokyo, Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
,
, -
, Win
, align="center", 3–0–1
, Tomohiko Hori
, Decision (unanimous)
, ZST: Grand Prix Final Round
,
, align='center', 1
, align='center', 5:00
, Tokyo, Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
,
, -
, Win
, align="center", 2–0–1
, Chikara Uehara
, Decision (unanimous)
, ZST: Grand Prix Opening Round
,
, align='center', 1
, align='center', 5:00
, Tokyo, Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
,
, -
, Draw
, align=center, 1–0–1
, Tomohiko Hori
, Draw
, ZST: The Battlefield 4
,
, align=center, 1
, align=center, 5:00
, Tokyo, Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
,
, -
, Win
, align="center", 1–0
, Kenji Mizuno
, DQ (rope grabbing)
, ZST: The Battlefield 3
,
, align='center', 1
, align='center', 3:13
, Tokyo, Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
,
, -
References
External links
*
*
*
Global Force Wrestling profile
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kushida
1983 births
Japanese male professional wrestlers
Japanese male mixed martial artists
IWGP Junior Heavyweight champions
Living people
NXT/WWE Cruiserweight Champions
ROH World Television Champions
Sportspeople from Tokyo
21st-century professional wrestlers
IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champions