Yuji Nagata

Yuji Nagata
Nagata in 2011
Born (1968-04-24) April 24, 1968 (age 56)[1]
Togane, Chiba, Japan[1]
Spouse(s)Chieko Yuji (m. 2002)
Children1
FamilyKatsuhiko Nagata (brother)
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s)Maybach Blue Justice[2]
Super Strong Machine Justice
Yuji Nagata
Billed height1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)[1]
Billed weight108 kg (238 lb)[1]
Trained byNJPW Dojo
Kazuo Yamazaki
DebutSeptember 14, 1992[1]

Yuji Nagata (Japanese: 永田 裕志, Nagata Yūji, born April 24, 1968)[1] 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.[3] 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.

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

  1. ^ a b c d e f "永田 裕志". New Japan Pro-Wrestling (in Japanese). Retrieved August 19, 2015.
  2. ^ "鈴木軍がGHC王座戦で4連勝! 永田裕志が"マイバッハ・ブルージャスティス"として登場!【5月10日(日)ノア横浜大会・試合結果】". New Japan Pro-Wrestling (in Japanese). May 11, 2015. Retrieved May 10, 2015.
  3. ^ "Yuji Nagata (first reign as IWGP Heavyweight Champion - 10 defenses". Puroresufan.com. Retrieved May 12, 2016.

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