Kazuyuki Fujita

Kazuyuki Fujita (藤田 和之) is a Japanese professional wrestler, mixed martial artist and a former amateur wrestler, currently signed to Pro Wrestling Noah, where he is a one-time GHC Heavyweight Champion.

He has most recently fought in Road FC, but is also known for his work in the PRIDE Fighting Championships, K-1, Rizin Fighting Federation, and World Victory Road.

He participated in the FILA World Championships as a junior in 1988, placing sixth, and in the Espoir division in 1989, placing eleventh.

Fujita began his career as a professional wrestler in 1993, joining the New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) dojo, while still competing as an amateur wrestler.

In 1993, Fujita placed fifth at the Asian Championships at the senior level, and in 1993 and 1994, he represented Japan as a senior in the World Cup, a dual meet tournament.

He was also a national champion in Japan in Greco-Roman wrestling.

He missed making the Japanese Olympic team by 1 point in the Olympic qualifiers.

Fujita was approached to join New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) in 1993 whilst he was still competing in amateur wrestling.

Debuting in 1996, Fujita would put his wrestling career on hiatus in early 2000 to train in MMA.

Fujita agreed to join, but because of his amateur career, his professional debut was delayed three years until 1996.

Fujita made his in-ring debut on November 1, 1996, losing to Yuji Nagata.

Fujita was trained in the NJPW dojo by Antonio Inoki and Satoru Sayama, who described him as a "monster".

Regarded as a promising rookie for his natural athletic ability and strength, Fujita was pushed as a future star during his young lion days.

In 1998, he was one of the wrestlers selected to face Riki Choshu in one of his retirement matches, and was also chosen as a training partner for former judoka Naoya Ogawa during his transition into professional wrestling.

Despite being praised and touted as a future star, Fujita had doubts about a career in professional wrestling, and didn't feel like he was adapting to it well enough.

In addition, he struggled to find a regular position on the card behind more experienced rookies like Yuji Nagata, Manabu Nakanishi and Satoshi Kojima.

In 1999, he requested to leave New Japan with the intention of joining Fighting Network Rings, a former shoot-style promotion that had recently changed itself to a full on mixed martial arts company.

New Japan higher ups agreed to the move, as did Rings' owner Akira Maeda, but at the last minute, New Japan owner and Fujita's trainer Antonio Inoki intervened and stopped it.

In a bid to keep Fujita in New Japan, Inoki sent him abroad to train for MMA, with the intention of sending him to Pride Fighting Championship as a representative of Team Inoki.

At Cross Road on August 29, Fujita entered a tournament for the vacated NWF Heavyweight Championship but was defeated by eventual winner Yoshihiro Takayama, giving Fujita his first loss in New Japan since January 2000.

On October 14, Fujita challenged Yuji Nagata for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship but came up short.

Fujita's run in Pride was successful, and in 2001 he was bought back in to wrestle for New Japan.

After over a year away from pro-wrestling, Fujita's return to NJPW was announced in early 2001 for the Strong Style 2001 pay-per-view on April 9, where he was set to face Scott Norton for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship.

Fujita dominated the match with his new shoot-based offence and quickly won the championship in just under 7 minutes.

Fujita made two successful defences, beating Yuji Nagata and Don Frye.

Fujita reigned as champion until January 2002, when he was forced to vacate the title due to injury.

Fujita returned to New Japan on July 20, 2002, at Toukon Memorial Day, beating junior heavyweight Masahito Kakihara in 1:09.

After spending most of 2003 in Pride, Fujita returned to New Japan once again in October 2003 at Ultimate Crush II, teaming with Minoru Suzuki, Bob Sapp, Yoshihiro Takayama and Shinsuke Nakamura as "Shin Inoki Gun" to defeat Yuji Nagata, Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Hiroshi Tanahashi, Manabu Nakanishi and Seiji Sakaguchi.

In June 2004, he won the vacated IWGP Heavyweight Championship for a second time by defeating Hiroshi Tanahashi.

He lost the championship to Kensuke Sasaki on October 9, 2004.

Returning the following year with a new shoot based offence, Fujita won the IWGP Heavyweight Championship immediately and went on to hold it two more times before leaving the company in 2005.

In 2005 he joined the Team JAPAN faction, and on July 18, 2005, he won the championship for the third time against Hiroyoshi Tenzan.

In August 2005, Fujita entered the 2005 G1 Climax where he won all his matches in the round robin portion, then defeated Toshiaki Kawada but lost to Masahiro Chono in the finals.

He lost the IWGP Championship to Brock Lesnar on October 8, 2005, at Toukon Souzou New Chapter in a three-way match including Masahiro Chono.

Lesnar pinned Chono to win the title.

In late 2005 he withdrew from a rematch with Lesnar, scheduled for January 4, 2006.

Fujita was represented by Inoki Office, an agency originally started by Antonio Inoki, and had not been under a contract with NJPW.

After a six-year hiatus, Fujita returned to pro wrestling in 2011 for Inoki Genome Federation (IGF), and continues to make occasional appearances as a freelancer, most recently for Pro Wrestling Noah and Real Japan Pro Wrestling (RJPW).

Fujita practiced freestyle wrestling in high school.

After almost 6 years away from the ring, Fujita returned to professional wrestling in 2011 with his longtime associate and mentor Antonio Inoki's Inoki Genome Federation (IGF) promotion where he competed for the next few years.