is a Japanese retired

professional wrestler Professional wrestling is a form of theater that revolves around staged wrestling matches. The mock combat is performed in a ring similar to the kind used in boxing, and the dramatic aspects of pro wrestling may be performed both in the ring o ...

, wrestling instructor and commentator who is known for his work in

New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion based in Nakano, Tokyo. Founded on January 13, 1972, by Antonio Inoki, the promotion was sold to Yuke's, who later sold it to Bushiroad in 2012. TV Asahi and Amuse, Inc. own minority sha ...

(NJPW), and shoot-style promotions Universal Wrestling Federation (UWF) and UWF International (UWFi). He currently works as a commentator for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW).

Professional wrestling career

New Japan Pro-Wrestling (1982–1984)

amateur wrestler Amateur wrestling is a variant of wrestling practiced in collegiate, school, or other amateur level competitions. There are two international wrestling styles performed in the Olympic Games: freestyle and Greco-Roman. Both styles are under the ...

and high school

judoka is an unarmed modern Japanese martial art, Olympic sport (since 1964), and the most prominent form of jacket wrestling competed internationally.『日本大百科全書』電子版【柔道】(CD-ROM version of Encyclopedia Nipponica, "Judo"). ...

in his youth, Yamazaki's professional wrestling career began in May 1982 in

. He wrestled his debut match on May 6 against Kuroneko. During this time, he was also a student of

Satoru Sayama (born November 27, 1957) is a Japanese professional wrestler, mixed martial artist, MMA and wrestling promoter and writer, best known as the original Tiger Mask. He has wrestled under his real name as well as the names Sammy Lee, and masked ...

, better known as Tiger Mask, who trained Yamazaki in

shoot wrestling Shoot wrestling is a combat sport that originated in Japan's professional wrestling circuit of the 1970s. Professional wrestlers of that era attempted to use more realistic or even "full contact" moves in their matches to increase their exciteme ...

and

kickboxing Kickboxing is a combat sport focused on kicking and punching. The combat takes place in a boxing ring, normally with boxing gloves, mouthguards, shorts, and bare feet to favour the use of kicks. Kickboxing is practiced for self-defense, general ...

. Whenever Kuniaki Kobayashi stripped Sayama of his mask, Yamazaki was always the first to help remask him.

Universal Wrestling Federation (1984–1985)

In 1984, Yamazaki joined the shoot style promotion Japanese UWF, an early precursor to modern

mixed martial arts Mixed martial arts (MMA), sometimes referred to as cage fighting, no holds barred (NHB), and ultimate fighting, and originally referred to as Vale Tudo is a full-contact combat sport based on striking, grappling and ground fighting, incor ...

. However, differences between his mentor Satoru Sayama and

Akira Maeda (born Go Il-myeong ( Hangul: 고일명, Hanja: 高日明), January 24, 1959) is a Japanese mixed martial arts promoter, writer and retired professional wrestler and mixed martial artist of Korean descent. Maeda was also known by the ring ...

over direction caused the promotion to fail.

Return To NJPW (1985–1988)

He rejoined New Japan in 1985 as a junior heavyweight. Despite this, he found more success in tag teams in 1987, winning the IWGP Tag Team Championship with one of his mentors,

Yoshiaki Fujiwara is a Japanese Professional Wrestler and trainer. He is famous for his long career in wrestling, having worked in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), Pro Wrestling ZERO-ONE (ZERO-ONE), and the two incarnations of shoot style promotion Universal Wr ...

Newborn UWF (1988–1990)

In 1988, however, the UWF was reconstituted as Newborn UWF and Yamazaki joined it, and stayed there until it folded in December 1990.

UWF International (1991–1995)

In May 1991, Yamazaki joined UWF International. In UWF International, he supported Nobuhiko Takada, but after being overlooked several times for shots at Takada's UWFI World Heavyweight championship, he decided to quit and return to New Japan on his own in July 1995.

Return To NJPW (1995–2000)

During the New Japan vs. UWFI feud in 1995-1996, Yamazaki participated on New Japan's side, but mostly as a behind-the-scenes supporter, training

Yuji Nagata is a Japanese professional wrestler currently signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). A two-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion, World Heavyweight Champion and a GHC Heavyweight Champion, making him a four-time world champion in major professio ...

and Tokimitsu Ishizawa ( Kendo Ka Shin) in the use of the shoot-style. He won two more IWGP Tag Team Championships, first with Takashi Iizuka in June 1996 and with Kensuke Sasaki in August 1997. In 1998, he participated in the G1 Climax tournament, defeating

Tatsumi Fujinami (born December 28, 1953) is a Japanese professional wrestler currently signed to WWE on a legend's contract. Fujinami is most well known for his long tenure with New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he was a six-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion. ...

, Kensuke Sasaki, and

Masahiro Chono is an American-born Japanese-American retired professional wrestler and actor best known for his 26 year stint with New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). As the leader of nWo Japan, Team 2000 and Black New Japan, he was the promotion's top heel for ...

, before losing to Shinya Hashimoto in the finals. Yamazaki retired from in-ring competition on January 4, 2000, losing to his student Yuji Nagata as his final opponent.

Retirement

Kazuo Yamazaki now works as a wrestling instructor at the NJPW Dojo and sometimes acts as color commentator for the NJPW program on

TV Asahi JOEX-DTV (channel 5), branded as (also known as EX and and stylized as TV asahi), is a television station that is owned and operated by the subsidiary of certified broadcasting holding company , itself controlled by The Asahi Shimbun Comp ...

. He also works as a seitaishi in Ayase, Kanagawa.

Championships and accomplishments

** IWGP Tag Team Championship ( 3 times) – with

(1), Takashi Iizuka (1), and Kensuke Sasaki (1) **G1 Climax Special Tag Team Tournament (1997) – with Kensuke Sasaki *

Pro Wrestling Illustrated ''Pro Wrestling Illustrated'' (''PWI'') is an American internationally sold professional wrestling magazine that was founded in 1979 by publisher Stanley Weston. ''PWI'' is headquartered in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, and published by Kappa Publi ...

**PWI ranked him #92 of the 500 best singles wrestlers of the year in the PWI 500 in 1997 **PWI ranked him #310 of the Top 500 Singles Wrestlers of the "PWI Years" in 2003 * Universal Wrestling Federation **Kakuto Nettai Road "B" League Tournament (1985)

Notes

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Yamazaki, Kazuo 1962 births 20th-century professional wrestlers Japanese male professional wrestlers Professional wrestling trainers Japanese catch wrestlers Living people Sportspeople from Tokyo People from Ayase, Kanagawa Sportspeople from Kanagawa Prefecture IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Champions