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Katsuyori Shibata
Katsuyori Shibata (柴田勝頼, Shibata Katsuyori; born November 17, 1979) is a Japanese professional wrestler, trainer, and former mixed martial artist. He is signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW), where he is one-third of the AEW World Trios Champions as a member of The Opps alongside Samoa Joe and Powerhouse Hobbs. He also makes appearances for AEW's sister promotion Ring of Honor (ROH), where he is a former ROH Pure Champion.
Known for his stiff offense, Shibata spent most of his career with New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) as both a wrestler and trainer. In NJPW, he became a three-time NEVER Openweight Champion, one-time IWGP Tag Team Champion (with Hirooki Goto), and one-time winner of the New Japan Cup (in 2017). He is also a former holder of Revolution Pro Wrestling's RPW British Heavyweight Championship. From 2018 to 2023, he served as the head coach of NJPW's dojo in Los Angeles.
Shibata was born in Kuwana, Mie, on November 17, 1979, the son of professional wrestler Katsuhisa Shibata. He attended Kuwana Kogyo High School in Kuwana, where his classmates included future professional wrestler Hirooki Goto. He was an amateur wrestler during his school days and competed at national level in 1997.
Shibata made his professional wrestling debut on October 10, 1999, facing close friend Wataru Inoue at a New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) event. Alongside fellow rookies Hiroshi Tanahashi and Shinsuke Nakamura, Shibata became known as one of the "new Three Musketeers". In 2000, Shibata took part in the 2000 Young Lion Cup, eventually finishing in third place with six points. During the tournament he was involved in a serious incident when he hit Masakazu Fukuda with an elbow drop during a match. Fukuda was in a coma and died four days later in hospital.
Shibata and Wataru worked their way up the junior ranks together, though Shibata was a slight step ahead of Inoue throughout their joint rise, and subsequently challenged for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship first against Kendo Kashin on October 28, 2001, but lost. Shibata and Inoue also challenged for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship on two occasions both against Jado & Gedo, but lost both times.
By 2003, Shibata graduated to the heavyweight division and joined the Makai Club wrestling as himself and as Makai #4. From there, he continued to rise in the ranks. In July 2003, Shibata challenged for both the IWGP Tag Team Championship and the IWGP U-30 Openweight Championship but failed to win either title. Shibata then entered the 2003 G1 Climax, where he placed 3rd in his block with 5 points. Shibata continued to grow in 2004. On July 19, 2004, he received his first shot at the IWGP Heavyweight Championship against Kazuyuki Fujita but lost by knockout. One month later, he entered the 2004 G1 Climax and won his block scoring eight points and defeated several former IWGP Champions including Masahiro Chono, Shinsuke Nakamura, and Genichiro Tenryu but would lose in the semi-finals to eventual winner: Hiroyoshi Tenzan. Following the G1, Shibata joined Masahiro Chono's new stable, Black New Japan, where he remained until eventually leaving New Japan in January 2005.
In 2005, Shibata left New Japan, becoming a freelancer and has most notably fought for Big Mouth Loud and Pro Wrestling Noah. One of his more famous matches during his freelancing years was a heated confrontation with former amateur wrestler Jun Akiyama. In Big Mouth Loud, Shibata took on several big names including Satoshi Kojima, Kensuke Sasaki, & Taru. In Noah, Shibata teamed with Kenta on several occasions including challenging for the GHC Tag Team Championship and defeating Go Shiozaki and Mitsuharu Misawa where Shibata pinned the future heavyweight champion: Shiozaki. On January 4, 2006, Shibata returned to New Japan at Toukon Shidou Chapter 1, where he defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi. Shibata's final match for nearly six years took place on December 31, 2006, when he defeated Kazuhiro Hamanaka. By January 2007, Shibata left wrestling to focus on mixed martial arts.
On December 31, 2011, Shibata returned to professional wrestling to compete on the Inoki Genome Federation's (IGF) Fight For Japan: Genki Desu Ka Omisoka 2011 year end event. At the event, Shibata teamed with fellow pro wrestler-turned-mixed martial artist Kazushi Sakuraba to defeat the team of Shinichi Suzukawa and Atsushi Sawada.
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Katsuyori Shibata
Katsuyori Shibata (柴田勝頼, Shibata Katsuyori; born November 17, 1979) is a Japanese professional wrestler, trainer, and former mixed martial artist. He is signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW), where he is one-third of the AEW World Trios Champions as a member of The Opps alongside Samoa Joe and Powerhouse Hobbs. He also makes appearances for AEW's sister promotion Ring of Honor (ROH), where he is a former ROH Pure Champion.
Known for his stiff offense, Shibata spent most of his career with New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) as both a wrestler and trainer. In NJPW, he became a three-time NEVER Openweight Champion, one-time IWGP Tag Team Champion (with Hirooki Goto), and one-time winner of the New Japan Cup (in 2017). He is also a former holder of Revolution Pro Wrestling's RPW British Heavyweight Championship. From 2018 to 2023, he served as the head coach of NJPW's dojo in Los Angeles.
Shibata was born in Kuwana, Mie, on November 17, 1979, the son of professional wrestler Katsuhisa Shibata. He attended Kuwana Kogyo High School in Kuwana, where his classmates included future professional wrestler Hirooki Goto. He was an amateur wrestler during his school days and competed at national level in 1997.
Shibata made his professional wrestling debut on October 10, 1999, facing close friend Wataru Inoue at a New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) event. Alongside fellow rookies Hiroshi Tanahashi and Shinsuke Nakamura, Shibata became known as one of the "new Three Musketeers". In 2000, Shibata took part in the 2000 Young Lion Cup, eventually finishing in third place with six points. During the tournament he was involved in a serious incident when he hit Masakazu Fukuda with an elbow drop during a match. Fukuda was in a coma and died four days later in hospital.
Shibata and Wataru worked their way up the junior ranks together, though Shibata was a slight step ahead of Inoue throughout their joint rise, and subsequently challenged for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship first against Kendo Kashin on October 28, 2001, but lost. Shibata and Inoue also challenged for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship on two occasions both against Jado & Gedo, but lost both times.
By 2003, Shibata graduated to the heavyweight division and joined the Makai Club wrestling as himself and as Makai #4. From there, he continued to rise in the ranks. In July 2003, Shibata challenged for both the IWGP Tag Team Championship and the IWGP U-30 Openweight Championship but failed to win either title. Shibata then entered the 2003 G1 Climax, where he placed 3rd in his block with 5 points. Shibata continued to grow in 2004. On July 19, 2004, he received his first shot at the IWGP Heavyweight Championship against Kazuyuki Fujita but lost by knockout. One month later, he entered the 2004 G1 Climax and won his block scoring eight points and defeated several former IWGP Champions including Masahiro Chono, Shinsuke Nakamura, and Genichiro Tenryu but would lose in the semi-finals to eventual winner: Hiroyoshi Tenzan. Following the G1, Shibata joined Masahiro Chono's new stable, Black New Japan, where he remained until eventually leaving New Japan in January 2005.
In 2005, Shibata left New Japan, becoming a freelancer and has most notably fought for Big Mouth Loud and Pro Wrestling Noah. One of his more famous matches during his freelancing years was a heated confrontation with former amateur wrestler Jun Akiyama. In Big Mouth Loud, Shibata took on several big names including Satoshi Kojima, Kensuke Sasaki, & Taru. In Noah, Shibata teamed with Kenta on several occasions including challenging for the GHC Tag Team Championship and defeating Go Shiozaki and Mitsuharu Misawa where Shibata pinned the future heavyweight champion: Shiozaki. On January 4, 2006, Shibata returned to New Japan at Toukon Shidou Chapter 1, where he defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi. Shibata's final match for nearly six years took place on December 31, 2006, when he defeated Kazuhiro Hamanaka. By January 2007, Shibata left wrestling to focus on mixed martial arts.
On December 31, 2011, Shibata returned to professional wrestling to compete on the Inoki Genome Federation's (IGF) Fight For Japan: Genki Desu Ka Omisoka 2011 year end event. At the event, Shibata teamed with fellow pro wrestler-turned-mixed martial artist Kazushi Sakuraba to defeat the team of Shinichi Suzukawa and Atsushi Sawada.