, 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 ...

, currently working under the name for

All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW/AJP) or simply All Japan is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion established on October 21, 1972 when Giant Baba split away from the Japanese Wrestling Association and created his own promotion. Many wrestlers had left with Baba, ...

where he is a former four-time Gaora TV Champion. He was previously known as the similar masked character , under which he performed for several

independent Independent or Independents may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups * Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in the New Hope, Pennsylvania, area of the United States during the early 1930s * Independ ...

promotions, most notably Okinawa Pro Wrestling.

Professional wrestling career

Okinawa Pro Wrestling (2008–2012)

Nakajima, under the name Menso-re Oyaji, made his professional wrestling debut on July 5, 2008 for Okinawa Pro Wrestling. He portrays a unique character, wearing a

kariyushi shirt The is a style of dress shirt originating in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. Similar to aloha shirts, these shirts are mainly worn in summer. The shirts are printed, mostly short-sleeved, and collared. Kariyushi shirts may be worn as casual, informal w ...

to the ring, wearing a mask that has a cartoonish bowl of Ramen noodles on top of it, and drinking a brand of beer (Orion) which is brewed in Okinawa. Oyaji's character has been described as comedic as well as "mellow" and "drunk," in some cases forgetting to put down his can of beer before wrestling a match. Essentially, Oyaji's character is a compilation of several stereotypes of Okinawan people held by those from elsewhere in Japan. is a stylisation of the okinawan word for "

welcome A welcome is a kind of greeting designed to introduce a person to a new place or situation, and to make them feel at ease. The term can similarly be used to describe the feeling of being accepted on the part of the new person. In some context ...

". In addition to wrestling on Okinawa Pro Wrestling cards, Oyaji would occasionally sing for audiences who gathered to watch the company's wrestling shows. Oyaji has received multiple title shots thus far in his wrestling career. He has challenged for the Okinawa Wrestling Championship on two separate occasions, though he has not succeeded in winning the title. Additionally, Oyaji has unsuccessfully challenged for the MWF World Junior Heavyweight Championship. Oyaji is typically featured when Okinawa Pro wrestlers compete in larger companies, including three matches on New Japan Pro Wrestling's annual "Exciting Battle in Okinawa" shows between 2009 and 2011. Okinawa Pro Wrestling folded in late 2012.

Freelance (2012–2014)

On September 12, in his first wrestling appearance since the closure of Okinawa Pro, Oyaji lost to Kaijin Habu Otoko in the opening round of Pro Wrestling Zero1's Tenkaichi Jr. Tournament. Oyaji went on to make appearances for several major and independent promotions including

Big Japan Pro Wrestling (BJW) is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion established in 1995. It is most famous for its deathmatch style contests. History Big Japan Pro Wrestling was founded in March 1995 by former AJPW wrestlers Shinya Kojika and Kendo Nagasak ...

Kaientai Dojo Active Advance Pro Wrestling (2AW) is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion and training facility originally owned and promoted by Taka Michinoku. The promotion places emphasis on a style of puroresu that combines high-flying, technical wr ...

Michinoku Pro Wrestling (originally known as North Eastern Wrestling) is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion founded by The Great Sasuke on October 1, 1992. It was the first independent wrestling promotion in Japan to not base its operations in Tokyo, but rather ...

and

Union Pro Wrestling is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion based in Shinjuku, Tokyo. Its name stands for Dramatic Dream Team, which was the promotion's official name from 1997 to 2004. Founded in March 1997 by Shintaro Muto, the promotion was eventually bo ...

. On November 29, Oyaji and

Ikuto Hidaka (born August 5, 1972) is a Japanese professional wrestler, currently performing for Pro Wrestling Noah (Noah). Hidaka was the regular partner of Minoru Fujita, with whom he has held the Zero1-Max International Lightweight Tag Team and Intercont ...

defeated Speed of Sounds (

Hercules Senga is a Japanese professional wrestler better known by his ring name . He currently wrestles as a freelancer in the Japanese independent circuit and as a regular in both Michinoku Pro Wrestling (Michinoku Pro) and Big Japan Pro Wrestling (BJW). Pro ...

and

Tsutomu Oosugi is a Japanese professional wrestler. He currently wrestles as a freelancer in the Japanese independent circuit and as a regular in both Michinoku Pro Wrestling (Michinoku Pro) and Big Japan Pro Wrestling (BJW). Professional wrestling career To ...

) to win the

UWA World Tag Team Championship The UWA World Tag Team Championship is a tag team professional wrestling championship created by the Mexican Universal Wrestling Association (UWA) and defended there until the UWA closed in 1995. After the UWA's closing, the title was inactive un ...

. They lost the titles back to Speed of Sounds on July 15, 2013.

All Japan Pro Wrestling (2014–present)

On June 30, 2014, Oyaji would unsuccessfully challenge

Kotaro Suzuki is a Japanese professional wrestler better known by the ring name . He is currently working as a freelancer, mainly for promotion Pro Wrestling Noah. Career Pro Wrestling Noah (2001-2013) Suzuki was the last person remaining of a grueling t ...

for the

Gaora TV Championship The is a professional wrestling championship owned by the All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW) promotion. On August 28, 2012, AJPW and Gaora TV announced that AJPW would introduce a new championship called the Gaora TV Championship. A tournament for t ...

. On July 27, after losing to

Sushi is a Japanese cuisine, Japanese dish of prepared , usually with some sugar and salt, accompanied by a variety of , such as seafood, often raw, and vegetables. Styles of sushi and its presentation vary widely, but the one key ingredient is " ...

, Oyaji revealed his true identity by unmasking and announced he would be working under his real name, Yohei Nakajima, from now on. Nakajima also joined Xceed with

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 ...

Kento Miyahara is a Japanese professional wrestler, currently signed to All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW), where he is the current six time Triple Crown Heavyweight Champion. He was trained by Kensuke Sasaki and started his career in his Kensuke Office promotion ...

and Kotaro Suzuki. On September 12, 2014, All Japan announced that Nakajima had signed a contract to become officially affiliated with the promotion. In October, Nakajima teamed with Suzuki to take part in the 2014

Junior Tag Battle of Glory The Junior Tag League is an annual professional wrestling tag team tournament held by the All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW) promotion. The tournament is meant for wrestlers under the weight limit of , who are referred to in Japan as junior heavyweigh ...

, finishing the tournament with no wins. On August 16, 2015, Nakajima defeated Billyken Kid to win the vacant

. In October, Nakajima and Suzuki once again participated in the Junior Tag Battle Of Glory. Although they started poorly with two losses, they managed to bounce back with a time limit draw against Isami Kodaka and Yuko Miyamoto, and a win over Manjimaru and Takeshi Minamino. On November 15, Nakajima and Suzuki lost to Kodaka and Miyamoto in a decision match for the vacant All Asia Tag Team Championship. On November 16, Xceed was disbanded, when Kotaro Suzuki also announced his departure from AJPW. On May 28, 2016, Nakajima took part in Toryumon Mexico's ''Dragonmanía XI'' event in

Mexico City Mexico City ( es, link=no, Ciudad de México, ; abbr.: CDMX; Nahuatl: ''Altepetl Mexico'') is the capital and largest city of Mexico, and the most populous city in North America. One of the world's alpha cities, it is located in the Valley o ...

, where he was defeated by

Jun Akiyama is a Japanese professional wrestler signed to DDT Pro-Wrestling, where he is a former KO-D Openweight Champion. He is best known for his time working for All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW), where he was the president, representative director, co-he ...

. After three successful title defenses, Nakajima lost the Gaora TV Championship to

Kazuhiro Tamura is a Japanese professional wrestler currently working for Pro Wrestling Heat Up where he is the owner of the company and the current Heat Up Universal Champion. Tamura also works for All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW) where he is a former Gaora TV ...

on June 9, 2016. Nakajima regained the title six days later, before losing it to Takeshi Minamino on July 14. On August 11, Nakajima defeated Minamino in a rematch to win the Gaora TV Championship for the third time. After a nine-day reign, Nakajima lost the title to Billyken Kid. On September 19, Nakajima again regained the title from Billyken Kid. On November 27, Nakajima lost the title to Jiro Kuroshio. On February 15, 2017, after the Gaora TV Championship was vacated due to injury, AJPW president Jun Akiyama was going to award the title to the previous champion. Nakajima, however, refused as his main focus was the World Junior Heavyweight Championship and the upcoming

Junior Battle of Glory The Junior League is an annual professional wrestling round-robin tournament held by All Japan Pro Wrestling, to decide the promotion's top junior heavyweight wrestler, as well as the #1 contender to the World Junior Heavyweight Championship. It ...

Placed in the B block, Nakajima gained four points with wins over Hikaru Sato and Kazuhiro Tamura but missed out on the finals by one point. On June 16, Nakajima unsuccessfully challenged Sato for the World Junior Heavyweight Championship. On November 5, Nakajima would once again unsuccessfully challenge the World Junior Heavyweight Champion, this time losing to Tajiri. On May 13, 2018, Menso～re Oyaji made a one night return to unsuccessfully challenge Jun Akiyama for the Gaora TV Championship. In July, Nakajima was announced with

Black Tiger VII , better known by his ring names Nosawa and , (born December 17, 1976) is a Japanese Freelancer, freelance Professional wrestling, professional wrestler, best known for his appearances in All Japan Pro Wrestling and various independent promotions. ...

as a team in the upcoming Junior Tag Battle of Glory. On July 31, Nakajima announced he would be pulling out of the tournament due to a personal boycott of the league, as well as citing differences with Black Tiger VII. Nakajima would be repackaged as "Black Menso～re" and replaced himself as Black Tiger Vii partner; the duo finished the tournament with two wins. Black Menso～re went on to form a tag team with

Takao Omori is a Japanese professional wrestler, currently working for All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW), where he is a one-time Triple Crown Heavyweight Champion and seven-time World Tag Team Champion. He is also part of the All Japan Board of Directors. He ...

. They unsuccessfully challenged All Asia Tag Team Champions

Naoya Nomura Naoya Nomura (born October 26, 1993) is a Japanese professional wrestler currently signed to All Japan Pro Wrestling, where he is former All Asia Tag Team and World Tag Team Champion. He also has a background in rugby. Early life Nomura started ...

and

Yuma Aoyagi is a Japanese professional wrestler currently working for All Japan Pro Wrestling, where he is part of the stable Nextream. He is a two time AJPW All Asia Tag Team Champion, as well as a AJPW World Tag Team Champion. He is also the older brother ...

on October 10 and January 3, 2019. On February 11, Menso～re and Omori unsuccessfully challenged All Asia Tag Team Champions Jake Lee and Koji Iwamoto.

Championships and accomplishments

AJPW TV Six-Man Tag Team Championship The is a professional wrestling six-man tag team championship owned by the All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW) promotion. The championship was introduced on December 13, 2020, when Black Menso-re, Carbell Ito and Takao Omori defeated Daimonji So, Re ...

( 1 time) – with

and Carbell Ito **

( 4 times) * Kohaku Wrestling Wars **

( 1 time) – with

* Okinawa Pro Wrestling ** MWF World Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Kaijin Habuotoko * '' Pro Wrestling Illustrated'' ** Ranked No. 370 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the '' PWI 500'' in 2016

References

External links

All Japan Pro Wrestling profile
{{DEFAULTSORT:Black Menso-re 1985 births 21st-century professional wrestlers Japanese male professional wrestlers Okinawa, Okinawa Living people Gaora TV Champions