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 ...

signed to

Pro Wrestling Noah (stylised as Pro Wrestling NOAH) is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion, founded in 2000 by former All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW) ace Mitsuharu Misawa after he had led a mass exodus in which 24 of AJPW's 26 contracted wrestlers left the ...

. Kitamiya's ring name is a tribute to former professional wrestler

Masa Saito was a Japanese professional wrestler better known as Mr. Saito or , who wrestled for 33 years around the world. He had success as a singles wrestler, winning the AWA World Heavyweight Championship in 1990, and as a tag team wrestler with multip ...

. Kitamiya also wears a similar ring attire to Saito as tribute.

Early life

Kitamiya was an amateur wrestler throughout high school, and went on to be the captain of his college amateur team.

Professional wrestling career

Kensuke Office/Diamond Ring (2011–2014)

Kitamiya joined

Kensuke Office Diamond Ring was an independent Japanese professional wrestling promotion that, until 2012, was known as Kensuke Office. The promotion was founded and owned by puroresu legend Kensuke Sasaki, who has owned and operated it since its creation in 20 ...

in early 2011 and made his debut later that year on September 25, losing to Satoshi Kajiwara.

Pro Wrestling Noah (2012–present)

Kitamiya made his debut for

alongside Diamond Ring representative and NOAH regular

Katsuhiko Nakajima is a Japanese professional wrestler, signed to Pro Wrestling Noah. He started his career in Riki Choshu's Fighting World of Japan Pro Wrestling (WJ) promotion before heading to Kensuke Sasaki's Kensuke Office/Diamond Ring dojo and promotion. He ...

in a losing effort to

Naomichi Marufuji (born September 26, 1979) is a Japanese professional wrestler who competes for Pro Wrestling Noah, with occasional appearances in other professional wrestling promotions including New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW), R ...

and

Taiji Ishimori is a Japanese professional wrestler currently signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he wrestles as part of the Bullet Club. He is the current IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion in his third reign, and is also a one-time NEVER Openweight 6 ...

. For the next year, Kitamiya regularly competed in NOAH undercard matches against fellow Diamond Ring wrestlers, losing all of them. On September 18, 2013, Kitamiya earned the first win of his career, defeating

Hitoshi Kumano is a Japanese professional wrestler trained by and signed to Pro Wrestling Noah. Early life Kumano first became interested in professional wrestling while still in elementary school after playing ''King of Colloseum 2'' on the PlayStation 2. ...

. Kitamiya participated in the 2014

NTV G+ Cup Junior Heavyweight Tag League The Global Junior Heavyweight Tag League is an annual professional wrestling round-robin tag team tournament held by Pro Wrestling Noah since 2007. Originally known as the Nippon TV Cup Jr. Heavyweight Tag League and from 2011 until 2017 as the NT ...

alongside Kumano, with the two finishing last in their block with just one win and two points after they defeated Jinzo and Rocky Lobo. In late 2014, Kitamiya graduated from junior heavyweight to heavyweight. On January 10, 2015, Kitamiya began a five match series, with the fifth match being against NOAH veteran and former GHC Heavyweight Champion

Takeshi Morishima (born October 15, 1978) is a Japanese former professional wrestler. Morishima is best known for his work with Pro Wrestling Noah, where he is a former three-time GHC Heavyweight Champion. He has also performed for Ring of Honor (ROH) in the Uni ...

, in a losing effort. Following the match, Kitamiya surprised many and joined the

Choukibou-gun was a professional wrestling stable in Pro Wrestling Noah. It was led by Takeshi Morishima. History 2014 Choukibou-gun officially formed on January 5, 2014 at New Years Navigation following the main event where Takeshi Morishima defeated K ...

stable. In the 2015

Global Tag League The 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 no ...

, Kitamiya was scheduled to team with Morishima until the latter announced his retirement. Morishima was replaced 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 ...

, with the team finishing last in their block with zero points. On August 19, Kitamiya teamed up with his fellow Choukibou-gun stablemates,

Hajime Ohara is a Japanese professional wrestler. Ohara worked for Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL) in Mexico for several years as part of his training, mixing the ''lucha libre'' style of Mexico with the Japanese Puroresu style of wrestling. In Japan, ...

and

Kenoh (born January 1, 1985) is a Japanese professional wrestler and martial artist, better known by the ring name . He currently wrestles in Pro Wrestling Noah, where he is a former GHC National Champion and a former two-time GHC Heavyweight Champion ...

to participate in the Arukas Cup Six Man Tag Tournament, but they were eliminated in the first round after failing to defeat Brave (

, Katsuhiko Nakajima) and Hitoshi Kumano). Kitamiya participated in the

2015 Global League The Global League is an annual professional wrestling round-robin tournament held by Pro Wrestling Noah, established in 2010. In 2019, the Global League was rebranded as the N-1 Victory. The Global League adopts a points system, with two points f ...

. He finished the tournament last with 2 points, with his only win coming against

Takashi Iizuka , better known by his ring name , is a Japanese retired professional wrestler. He is best known for his 33-year career in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he was a three-time IWGP Tag Team Champion. He has also worked for Pro Wrestling Noah ...

by DQ. Kitamiya left Choukibou-Gun on December 24, when Naomichi Marufuji disbanded all stables in NOAH in order to unite the roster against the invading Suzuki-Gun stable. On February 25, Kitamiya made his debut for

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 ...

Lion's Gate Project 1 Lion's Gate is the Farm team#Professional wrestling, developmental branch of professional wrestling promotion New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), which holds events under the banner of Lion's Gate Project. The branch was officially announced on July 1 ...

, losing to

Yuji Nagata is a Japanese professional wrestler currently signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). A two-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion, World Heavyweight Champion and a GHC Heavyweight Champion, making him a four-time world champion in major professional ...

in the main event. Kitamiya teamed with Katsuhiko Nakajima and

Maybach Taniguchi is a Japanese professional wrestler who has worked for Pro Wrestling Noah since his debut in December 2005. He is also known by the ring name , under which he portrays a villainous masked character. Professional wrestling career Amateur backgr ...

at We Are Suzuki-gun 2, losing to NJPW's

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 World's Strongest Tag Determination League in All Japan Pro Wrestling and the G ...

Satoshi Kojima is a Japanese professional wrestler signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling, but makes appearances for Pro Wrestling Noah. Considered to be one of the greatest Japanese professional wrestlers of the 21st century and of all-time, he was the first wrest ...

and

Juice Robinson Joseph Ryan Robinson (born April 10, 1989), better known by his ring name Juice Robinson, is an American professional wrestler, currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW). Robinson is also a member of the Bullet Club stable and also wrestles ...

. On April 10, Kitamiya defeated Hitoshi Kumano, announcing afterwards that he would now be going under the ring name "Masa Kitamiya", as tribute to former professional wrestler and Kitamiya's childhood hero,

, soon after adopting aspects of Saito's moveset and a similar attire. From April 24 to May 3, Kitamiya and Nakajima participated in the 2016 Global Tag League, finishing the tournament with 6 points and second in their block after a loss to Suzuki-gun (Shelton Benjamin and Takashi Sugiura) cost them a place in the finals. On July 16, Kitamiya and Nakajima unsuccessfully challenged Naomichi Marufuji and

Toru Yano , is a Japanese Professional wrestling, professional wrestler, trained by and currently signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he is the KOPW (New Japan Pro-Wrestling), KOPW 2020 and the provisional KOPW (New Japan Pro-Wrestling), KOPW 2 ...

for the

GHC Tag Team Championship The Global Honored Crown (GHC) 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 tourname ...

. Kitamiya again competed for NJPW on August 14 at the

G1 Climax The is a professional wrestling tournament held each August by the New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) promotion. Though it has sometimes been held as a single-elimination tournament, it is usually (and currently) held as a round-robin, with winners ...

26 final show, teaming with fellow NOAH representatives

Go Shiozaki is a Japanese professional wrestler, currently signed to the Pro Wrestling Noah promotion where he is the former GHC Heavyweight Champion in a record breaking fifth reign. He made his debut for the promotion in July 2004 and remained with it unti ...

, Maybach Taniguchi and Katsuhiko Nakajima to defeat

Katsuyori Shibata is a Japanese professional wrestler, mixed martial artist and professional wrestling trainer. In professional wrestling, he is known for his hard hitting offense. He is currently working for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). In NJPW, he is a fo ...

, Yuji Nagata, Hiroyoshi Tenzan and

Manabu Nakanishi is a Japanese retired professional wrestler and former amateur wrestler, who was primarily associated with New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). He is a one-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion, one-time G1 Climax winner and three-time IWGP Tag Team Champi ...

. On August 25, Kitamiya scored the biggest win of his career, pinning former

GHC Heavyweight Champion The is the professional wrestling world heavyweight championship created and promoted by the Japanese promotion CyberFight currently defended in the Pro Wrestling Noah brand division. It is one of CyberFight's two top men's world titles, alon ...

. Later on in that night, Kitamiya attacked

Takashi Sugiura is a Japanese professional wrestler, currently working for Pro Wrestling Noah (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 ...

and delivered a Saito Suplex before challenging him to a match for the GHC Heavyweight Championship. On September 4, Kitamiya pinned Sugiura in a tag team match. Kitamiya failed to defeat Sugiura on September 23, with Sugiura pinning him after an Olympic Qualifying Slam from the top rope to retain. From November 3 to November 23, Kitamiya participated in the 2016 2016 Global League, defeating Takashi Sugiura,

Davey Boy Smith, Jr. Harry Francis Smith (born August 2, 1985) is a Canadian professional wrestler, best known under the ring name Davey Boy Smith Jr. and his real name Harry Smith. He currently performs for the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA), where he was one ...

, Kaito Kiyomiya, and Alejandro Saez, but losing to Go Shiozaki and

Muhammad Yone , better known by his ring name , is a Japanese professional wrestler, currently working for Pro Wrestling Noah, where he is a multi-time GHC Tag Team Champion, a one time GHC Openweight Hardcore Champion and winner of the Global Tag League in 2 ...

. Despite that, Kitamiya remained at the top of his block and defeated Naomichi Marufuji to advance to finals, finishing the tournament with five wins and two losses. Kitamiya faced A Block winner

Minoru Suzuki (born June 17, 1968) is a Japanese professional wrestler and former mixed martial artist, currently working for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) as a freelancer. In NJPW, Suzuki has held the IWGP Intercontinental Championship as well as twice hol ...

in the finals, losing after outside interference from Suzuki-Gun. On December 3, Kitamiya challenged tag team partner Katsuhiko Nakajima to a match for the GHC Heavyweight Championship, which Nakajima accepted. Kitamiya unsuccessfully challenged Nakajima on December 24. On January 21, 2017, Kitamiya and Kenoh defeated Go Shiozaki and Maybach Taniguchi to become the new GHC Tag Team Champions. On February 24, Kenoh turned on Kitamiya to form a new alliance with Takashi Sugiura, which led to the two being stripped of the title. On March 11, 2018, Kitamiya and Nakajima defeated 50FP (Quiet Storm and Mohammad Yone) to win the GHC Tag Team Championship for the first time as a team and the second time for Kitamiya individually. They lost the titles on April 29 against Go Shiozaki and Kaito Kiyomiya, but regained them on May 29, only to lose them on July 28 to Akitoshi Saito and Naomichi Marufuji. On September 2, Kitamiya unsuccessfully challenged Takashi Sugiura for the GHC Heavyweight Championship.

Championships and accomplishments

*''

Pro Wrestling Illustrated ''Pro Wrestling Illustrated'' (''PWI'') is an American internationally sold professional wrestling magazine that was founded in 1979 by publisher Stanley Weston. ''PWI'' is headquartered in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, and published by Kappa Publish ...

'' **Ranked No. 243 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the

PWI 500 ''Pro Wrestling Illustrated'' (''PWI'') is an American internationally sold professional wrestling magazine that was founded in 1979 by publisher Stanley Weston. ''PWI'' is headquartered in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, and published by Kappa Publishi ...

in 2018 *

( 6 times) – with

(1),

(3),

Kaito Kiyomiya is a Japanese professional wrestler who works for Pro Wrestling Noah, where he is the current GHC Heavyweight Champion in his second reign. Early life Kiyomiya grew up a lifelong fan of professional wrestling, citing Mitsuharu Misawa as his bigg ...

(1) and

Michael Elgin Aaron Frobel (born December 13, 1986) is a Canadian professional wrestler and promoter, better known by his ring name Michael Elgin. He most recently worked for Pro Wrestling Noah, where he was a one-time GHC Tag Team Champion with Masa Kitami ...

(1) **NTV G+ Cup Jr. Heavyweight Tag League Fighting Spirit Prize (2014) – with

References

*http://www.cagematch.net/?id=2&nr=11801 *http://www.cagematch.net/?id=2&nr=11801&page=20 *http://www.cagematch.net/?id=2&nr=11801&page=4&year=2016&promotion=8

External links

*http://puroresuspirit.net/noah/kitamiya-mitushiro/ * {{DEFAULTSORT:Kitamiya, Masa Japanese male professional wrestlers Living people 1988 births GHC Tag Team Champions