is a Japanese

professional wrestler Professional wrestling, often shortened to either pro wrestling or wrestling,The term "wrestling" is most often widely used to specifically refer to modern scripted professional wrestling, though it is also used to refer to real-life wrest ...

, working for the Japanese

professional wrestling promotion A professional wrestling promotion is a company or business that regularly performs shows involving professional wrestling. "Promotion" also describes a role which entails management, advertising and logistics of running a wrestling event. Within ...

DDT Pro-Wrestling is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion based in Shinjuku, Tokyo, Shinjuku, Tokyo. Its name is an initialism of Dramatic Dream Team, which was the promotion's original name from 1997 to 2004. Founded in March 1997 by Shintaro Muto, the p ...

(DDT). He is a former KO-D 8-Man Tag Team Champion and co-holder of the

Ironman Heavymetalweight Championship The is a professional wrestling championship created and promoted by the Japanese promotion CyberFight in its DDT Pro-Wrestling (DDT) brand. Open to anyone, regardless of gender or DDT employment status, the championship is defended "24/7", as in ...

. Hailing from a

sumo is a form of competitive full-contact wrestling where a ''rikishi'' (wrestler) attempts to force his opponent out of a circular ring (''dohyō'') or into touching the ground with any body part other than the soles of his feet (usually by th ...

family, he is the son of former ''

sekiwake , or , is the top division of the six divisions of professional sumo. Its size is fixed at 42 wrestlers ('' rikishi''), ordered into five ranks according to their ability as defined by their performance in previous tournaments. This is the o ...

'' Takatōriki and grandson of the 48th ''

yokozuna , or , is the top division of the six divisions of professional sumo. Its size is fixed at 42 wrestlers ('' rikishi''), ordered into five ranks according to their ability as defined by their performance in previous tournaments. This is the o ...

'' Taihō. He has three younger brothers, Takamori, Konosuke and Kosei, who all compete in sumo under the respective ''

shikona A is a sumo wrestler's ring name. The tradition of ring names in sumo dates back to the Muromachi period and established itself during the Edo period, where they were used as a means to hide the identities of the . Given by the master to his di ...

'' Naya, Ōhō and Mudōhō.

Professional wrestling career

Early career

Real Japan Pro Wrestling (2017–2019)

Naya made his

professional wrestling Professional wrestling, often shortened to either pro wrestling or wrestling,The term "wrestling" is most often widely used to specifically refer to modern scripted professional wrestling, though it is also used to refer to Real life, real- ...

debut in

Real Japan Pro Wrestling (SSPW) is a Japanese professional wrestling and martial arts promotion founded in 2005 by Satoru Sayama as (RJPW), before being renamed in 2019. The promotion runs shows every two or three months, and features both professional wrestling matche ...

on September 14, 2017, at Legend of the Gold VIII, scoring a victory against Raijin Yaguchi. He then appeared in a few tag matches, mainly teaming with

Masayuki Kono is a Japanese professional wrestler and former mixed martial artist. He is working as a freelancer. He is best known for his time in Wrestle-1, where he is a former two-time Wrestle-1 Champion. Career All Japan Pro Wrestling (2003–2005) Kon ...

. On March 15, 2019, at Dynamite Kid Memorial Performance, an event celebrating the life of

Dynamite Kid Thomas Wilton Billington (5 December 1958 – 5 December 2018), best known by the ring name the Dynamite Kid, was a British professional wrestler. Trained by former wrestler "Dr Death" Ted Betley, he competed in the World Wrestling Federatio ...

, Naya teamed up with

Yuji Okabayashi is a Japanese people, Japanese Retirement, semi-retired Professional wrestling, professional wrestler. He is currently signed to Big Japan Pro Wrestling (BJW) in the Strong BJ division, but is on an indefinite absence. Known as "The Golem", he h ...

and

Alexander Otsuka , better known by his ring name Alexander Otsuka and Otoko Sakari, is a retired Japanese mixed martial artist and professional wrestler. Having competed for multiple pro wrestling organizations in his career, most recently with Antonio Inoki's In ...

to defeat Hideki Suzuki, Hideyoshi Kamitani and

Ryoji Sai (born Choi Young-ii June 3, 1980) is a Korean professional wrestler, mixed martial artist and promoter who currently owns and operates Pro Wrestling Land's End, where he is a former All Asia Heavyweight Champion. He is best known for working fo ...

in his last match with the company.

Wrestle-1 (2019)

From September to October 2019, Naya toured with

Wrestle-1 was a Japanese ''puroresu'' or professional wrestling Professional wrestling promotion, promotion, founded in July 2013 by Keiji Mutoh following his resignation from All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW). The core of the promotion's roster was formed b ...

alongside Masayuki Kono to take part in the 2018 Wrestle-1 Tag League. Together, they scored two points and failed to advance to the finals.

DDT Pro-Wrestling (2019–present)

Naya made his

debut on February 17, 2019, at Judgement 2019: DDT 22nd Anniversary where he teamed up with

Go Shiozaki is a Japanese professional wrestler currently signed to Pro Wrestling Noah. He is a record-holding five time former GHC Heavyweight Champion. He made his debut for the Pro Wrestling Noah in July 2004 and initially remained with Pro Wrestling No ...

and Kazusada Higuchi to defeat

Daisuke Sekimoto (born February 9, 1981) is a Japanese professional wrestler, currently signed to Big Japan Pro Wrestling (BJW) in the Strong BJ division. He is also known for his appearances in Pro Wrestling Zero1-Max. He is a three-time BJW World Strong Hea ...

Toru Owashi is a Japanese professional wrestler, better known by his ring name . He is best known for his work in DDT Pro-Wrestling, where he is a former KO-D Openweight Champion and two-time KO-D Tag Team Champion. Sumo career Initially aspiring to b ...

and Yuki Iino. On July 15, at Wrestle Peter Pan 2019, he faced Hideki Suzuki in a losing effort. On January 11, 2020, at the Handmade In Japan FES 2020, he teamed up with

Makoto Oishi is a Japanese professional wrestler working for Dramatic Dream Team (DDT). Oishi started his career in Kaientai Dojo, where he became a Strongest-K Tag Team, Independent World Junior Heavyweight and UWA World Middleweight Champion, at one ti ...

and fell short to Nautilus (

Naomi Yoshimura is a Japan, Japanese professional wrestler, working for the Japanese professional wrestling promotion Dramatic Dream Team (DDT). Professional wrestling career Independent circuit (2016-present) Yoshimura is known for his matches from the Profess ...

and

Yuki Ueno is a Japanese professional wrestler working for the Japanese professional wrestling promotion DDT Pro-Wrestling (DDT), he is the former KO-D Openweight Champion (one reign) and former three-time DDT Universal Champion. Professional wrestling ...

), All Out (

Shunma Katsumata is a Japanese professional wrestler working for the Japanese professional wrestling promotion DDT Pro-Wrestling (DDT). Professional wrestling career Independent circuit (2014–present) Katsumata is known for tenures with various Japanese profe ...

and Yuki Iino) and

Keigo Nakamura is a Japanese people, Japanese Professional wrestling, professional wrestler working for the Japanese professional wrestling promotion, promotion DDT Pro-Wrestling where he is a former KO-D 8-Man Tag Team Championship, KO-D 8-Man Tag Team Champio ...

and Mao in a

four-way tag team match Much like the singles match, tag team professional wrestling matches can and have taken many forms. Just about any singles or melee match type can be adapted to tag teams; for example, hardcore tag team matches are commonplace. Tag team ladder m ...

. Naya formed a brief team with Cody Hall, with whom he teamed up at Valentine Itabashi Series 2020 on February 1, where they defeated Danshoku Dino and

Hiroshi Yamato , better known by his ring name , is a Japanese professional wrestler who works as a freelancer. Trained by the All Japan Pro Wrestling promotion, he started his career in February 2007 working in Mexico for the International Wrestling Revolution ...

. On February 23, at Into The Fight 2020, he fell short to

Mad Paulie is a Japanese professional wrestler primarily working for DDT Pro-Wrestling (DDT), where he competes as part of the Damnation T.A unit under the ring name . He was previously known under the name . Professional wrestling career Style-E, IGF an ...

and Keigo Nakamura in a

three-way match Many types of wrestling matches, sometimes called "gimmick matches" in the jargon of the business, are performed in professional wrestling. Some gimmick matches are more common than others and are often used to advance or conclude a storyline. ...

. Naya won the

alongside Mizuki Watase,

Antonio Honda is a Japanese professional wrestler, better known by his ring name . He is working for the Japanese professional wrestling promotion DDT Pro-Wrestling (DDT). He is the son of actor Tetsu Watanabe. Professional wrestling career Independent circu ...

and Danshoku Dino at Judgement 2020: DDT 23rd Anniversary, on March 20, after they simultaneously pinned Masahiro Takanashi to become co-champions. On June 7, at the second night of Wrestle Peter Pan 2020, Naya unsuccessfully challenged

Shinya Aoki is a Japanese mixed martial artist, professional wrestler and grappler competing in ONE Championship's Welterweight division. He also competes in DDT Pro-Wrestling where he is a former three-time DDT Extreme Champion. A professional competit ...

in a No Countout match for the DDT Extreme Division Championship. After having been eliminated from the 2020 King of DDT Tournament by

El Lindaman , better known by his ring name , is a Japanese professional wrestler. He is currently working for Gleat, where he was the inaugural G-Rex Champion. He also makes appearances for American Promotions All Elite Wrestling, DEFY Wrestling and Japanes ...

in the first round, Naya participated in a 13-man battle royal for a chance to re-enter the tournament, where he competed against the eventual winner Tetsuya Endo, Antonio Honda,

Kazuki Hirata is a Japanese professional wrestler working for the Japanese professional wrestling promotion DDT Pro-Wrestling (DDT). Professional wrestling career DDT Pro-Wrestling (2010–present) Hirata's first known match as a professional wrestler was a ...

and

Yukio Sakaguchi is a Japanese former professional mixed martial artist, professional wrestler, actor and judoka. In professional wrestling, he is primarily known for his tenure with DDT Pro-Wrestling, but has fought and competed for All Japan Pro Wrestling, Wor ...

amongst others. On February 20, 2021, at This Will Be Our Ninth Narimasu Event, Naya teamed up with

Chris Brookes Chris Brookes (born 24 August 1991) is an English professional wrestler signed to DDT Pro-Wrestling, where he is the current KO-D Openweight Champion, in his second reign. He has also been a two-time DDT Universal Champion. Career Progres ...

and Toy Kojima in a losing effort to

Gota Ihashi , better known by his ring name , is a Japanese professional wrestler working for the Japanese professional wrestling promotion DDT Pro-Wrestling (DDT). Professional wrestling career Independent circuit (2006–present) Ihashi had been sporad ...

, Toru Owashi and Antonio Honda. At Into The Fight 2021 on February 28, Naya teamed up with Disaster Box (

Harashima Harashima (stylised in all capital letters) (born July 6, 1974) is a Japanese professional wrestler. He is currently working in DDT Pro-Wrestling (formally Dramatic Dream Team), where he is a ten-time KO-D Openweight Champion and a former eleve ...

and Toru Owashi) to defeat

Damnation Damnation (from Latin '' damnatio'') is the concept of divine punishment after death for sins that were committed, or in some cases, good actions not done, on Earth. In Ancient Egyptian religious tradition, it was believed that citizens woul ...

(

Daisuke Sasaki is a Japanese professional wrestler. He is signed to DDT Pro-Wrestling (DDT), where is a former two-time DDT Universal Champion. In addition to that, in DDT, he is also a former three-time KO-D Openweight Champion, one-time DDT Extreme Champi ...

, Mad Paulie) and Nobuhiro Shimatani. At Judgement 2021: DDT 24th Anniversary on March 28, he teamed up with

Sanshiro Takagi , better known by his ring name , is a Japanese professional wrestler and promoter who works for the Japanese wrestling promotion CyberFight, where he serves as executive vice president. He is one of the founding members and current chairman of ...

, Chikara and Yakan Nabe to defeat Shinya Aoki, Super Sasadango Machine, Antonio Honda and Kazuki Hirata for the KO-D 8-Man Tag Team Championship. On January 3, 2024, Naya defeated Tetsuya Endo to win the D-Oh Grand Prix 2023 tournament.

Championships and accomplishments

( 1 time) – with

, Danshoku Dino and Mizuki Watase :* KO-D 8-Man Tag Team Championship ( 1 time) – with

, Chikara and Yakan Nabe :*Bakuha Koshien Spring Tag Tournament (2021)– with

Atsushi Onita is a Japanese actor, politician, and semi-retired professional wrestler. He is best known for his work in Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling (FMW) and is credited with introducing the hardcore wrestling, deathmatch style of professional wrestling t ...

and

Yumehito Imanari is a Japanese people, Japanese Professional wrestling, professional wrestler currently working for CyberFight. He appears on the Ganbare☆Pro-Wrestling (GanPro) brand under his real name, and on the DDT Pro-Wrestling brand as part of the Pheromo ...

D-Oh Grand Prix The is an annual professional wrestling tournament hosted by the DDT Pro-Wrestling is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion based in Shinjuku, Tokyo, Shinjuku, Tokyo. Its name is an initialism of Dramatic Dream Team, which was the prom ...

(

2023 Catastrophic natural disasters in 2023 included the Lists of 21st-century earthquakes, 5th-deadliest earthquake of the 21st century 2023 Turkey–Syria earthquakes, striking Turkey and Syria, leaving up to 62,000 people dead; Cyclone Freddy ...

)

References

External links

Yukio Naya
s

profile * {{DEFAULTSORT:Naya, Yukio 1994 births Living people Japanese male professional wrestlers Japanese people of Ukrainian descent Naya family 21st-century male professional wrestlers 21st-century Japanese professional wrestlers Ironman Heavymetalweight Champions KO-D 8-Man/10-Man Tag Team Champions Professional wrestlers from Tokyo