Yuji Nagata

Yuji Nagata (永田 裕志) is a Japanese professional wrestler, and former mixed martial artist and amateur wrestler currently signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW).

Considered one of the greatest Japanese wrestlers of all time, he is the fifth longest-reigning IWGP Heavyweight Champion with a reign of 392 days, and formerly held the record for most successful title defenses with 10, until Hiroshi Tanahashi broke the record at Wrestle Kingdom VI.

In 1986, when they both were seniors, Suzuki beat Nagata first in a Tokyo high school tournament and again at the Japanese sectionals.

Nagata debuted and has worked for NJPW since 1992, where he was recognised as company ace in the early 2000s and is a two-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion, a two-time IWGP Tag Team Champion and a one-time NEVER Openweight Champion in addition to having won the New Japan Cup in 2007 and 2011, the G1 Tag League in 2000 and 2010, and the G1 Climax in 2001.

Outside of New Japan Pro-Wrestling, he has held the World Heavyweight Championship in Zero1, the Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship in All Japan Pro Wrestling and the GHC Heavyweight Championship in Pro Wrestling Noah, making him a five-time world champion in major professional wrestling promotions.

Nagata joined New Japan Pro-Wrestling in April 1992 and trained in the NJPW Dojo.

He debuted on September 14 of that year, facing Hiroyoshi Yamamoto.

Competing in the Greco-Roman style, Nagata represented Japan in the Asian Championships twice, placing fifth in 1993 and placing fourth in 1994, in one World Cup at the Espoir level in 1988, and in the 1991 World Championships, placing twenty-first.

Nagata increased in stature during the 1995 inter-promotional angle pitting NJPW loyalists against UWF International wrestlers.

Taught the shoot-style by Kazuo Yamazaki, who had returned to NJPW after leaving UWFI, Nagata learned the style that has been his trademark ever since.

Nagata joined the American World Championship Wrestling promotion in February 1997 as an arrogant villain.

He was managed by Sonny Onoo, who also acted as his translator.

He began feuding with Último Dragón, with Nagata repeatedly injuring Dragon's shoulder.

The two rivals faced one another at Halloween Havoc on October 26, with Nagata forcing his smaller opponent to submit with an arm submission hold.

They faced one another in a rematch at World War 3 on November 23, with the added stipulation that, should Dragon win, he would receive five minutes alone in the ring with the interfering Onoo.

Nagata was able to pin Dragon following a distraction by Onoo, thus ending their feud.

In 1998, Nagata teamed with Kensuke Sasaki and entered a tournament for the number one contendership for the WCW World Tag Team Championship.

Nagata and Sasaki won the tournament, but were unable to win the titles in their subsequent title match.

Nagata left WCW in August 1998 and returned to New Japan.

Upon his return, Nagata began challenging for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship.

On September 23, 1998, Nagata fought Scott Norton for the vacant title (the previous champion, Masahiro Chono, had suffered a neck injury) in Yokohama, but was defeated.

On August 28, 1999, in Tokyo, Nagata and Manabu Nakanishi defeated Tatsutoshi Goto and Michiyoshi Ohara for the IWGP Tag Team Championship.

They held the title until July 20, 2000, when they lost to Satoshi Kojima and Hiroyoshi Tenzan in Sapporo, Hokkaido.

Nagata and Nakanishi feuded with Kojima and Tenzan for several months, but were unable to regain the title.

On January 4, 2000, his mentor Kazuo Yamazaki retired and Nagata served as his final opponent, winning the match.

In March 2000, Nagata formed an ill-fated stable known as Fighting Club G-EGGS, with all the stable member having legitimate sporting backgrounds.

The stable included Manabu Nakanishi, Nagata's tag team partner and co-IWGP Tag Team Champion at the time, Masakazu Fukuda, Yutaka Yoshie and Brian Johnston.

Fukuda died in April 2000 from a brain hemorrhage suffered during a match with rookie Katsuyori Shibata, and was honored with a ten-bell salute and a tribute show in September of that year.

He is the only wrestler to have won Japanese professional wrestling's three biggest singles tournaments; New Japan Pro-Wrestling's G1 Climax (in 2001), All Japan Pro Wrestling's Champion Carnival (in 2011) and Pro Wrestling Noah's Global League (in 2013).

In addition, he is the only man to have held all four major heavyweight championships in Japanese professional wrestling, the IWGP, World, GHC and Triple Crown heavyweight championships, making him the only "Grand Slam" champion.

Johnston's participation in the group was largely limited after he suffered a stroke, and Nagata eventually disbanded G-EGGS on June 16, 2001.

In August 2001, Nagata won the eleventh annual G1 Climax tournament, defeating Keiji Mutoh in the finals by submission.

Nagata had entered the tournament twice before, but was eliminated in semi-final matches on both instances.

Nagata challenged for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship once again after it was vacated by the injured Kazuyuki Fujita on January 4, 2002, but lost to Tadao Yasuda on February 16, 2002, in a tournament final.

Nagata defeated Yasuda for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship on April 5, 2002, in the Nippon Budokan.

Immediately following his victory, Nagata was attacked by Pro Wrestling Noah mainstay Yoshihiro Takayama.

He held the title for thirteen months (setting a record for most successful title defenses in the process) before losing to Takayama on May 2, 2003, in the Tokyo Dome.

He was inducted into the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame in 2018.

Before turning professional, Nagata was a successful amateur wrestler.

Nagata met future professional wrestling rival Minoru Suzuki in the amateur wrestling circles.