Katsuya Kitamura
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was a Japanese professional wrestler, bodybuilder and an amateur wrestler trained by
New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) is a Puroresu, Japanese professional-wrestling Professional wrestling promotion, promotion founded on January 13, 1972, by Antonio Inoki, and based in Nakano, Tokyo. It is currently majority owned by card-game company Bushiroad, with TV As ...
(NJPW), where he was the winner of the 2017 Young Lion Cup.


Amateur wrestling career

Prior to becoming a
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 ...
, Kitamura was a highly accomplished
amateur wrestler Amateur wrestling is a variant of wrestling practiced at Olympic, collegiate, scholastic, and other levels. There are two international wrestling styles performed at the Olympic Games The modern Olympic Games (Olympics; ) are the worl ...
, known for being one of the largest wrestlers in all of Japan. Because of his size and physique, he earned the nickname "Wrestling Monster". He attended Senshu University, where he was a part of their wrestling team. In 2006, he won the All Japan Wrestling Championship in the 120 kg category, and later on in the same year represented Japan in the World Championships. Throughout his amateur career, Kitamura would go on to win three national championships and represent Japan on a global level twice. As well as amateur wrestling, Kitamura took part in the 2015 Ganryū-jima fighting tournament, where he defeated a
Mongolia Mongolia is a landlocked country in East Asia, bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south and southeast. It covers an area of , with a population of 3.5 million, making it the world's List of countries and dependencies by po ...
n
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 ...
wrestler.


Steroids and ban

On June 13, 2011, Kitamura was banned from amateur wrestling for two years after testing positive for
anabolic steroids Anabolic steroids, also known as anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS), are a class of drugs that are structurally related to testosterone, the main male sex hormone, and produce effects by binding to the androgen receptor (AR). Anabolic steroids ...
, specifically, the illegal muscle building drug drostanolone. Kitamura was being tipped as a possible member of Japan's Olympic wrestling team for the 2012 London Olympic Games, but the ban ruled him out of participation. He did not appeal against the ban, but said that he ''"took them by accident after buying some supplements from abroad"''.


Professional wrestling career

Kitamura began training in the New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) dojo in 2015. His first match in NJPW was not a traditional professional wrestling match, but rather a
dark Darkness is the condition resulting from a lack of illumination, or an absence of visible light. Human vision is unable to distinguish colors in conditions of very low luminance because the hue-sensitive photoreceptor cells on the retina are ...
amateur wrestling Amateur wrestling is a variant of wrestling practiced at Olympic Games, Olympic, Collegiate wrestling, collegiate, Scholastic wrestling, scholastic, and other levels. There are two international wrestling styles performed at the Olympic Games, fr ...
exhibition at
Lion's Gate Project 1 Lion's Gate is the Farm team#Professional wrestling, developmental branch of professional wrestling promotion New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), which holds events under the banner of Lion's Gate Project. The branch was officially announced on July ...
, where he wrestled fellow trainee Tomoyuki Oka to a time limit draw. After undergoing further training, Kitamura wrestled his first ever professional match on September 1, 2016, at
Lion's Gate Project 3 Lion's Gate is the Farm team#Professional wrestling, developmental branch of professional wrestling promotion New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), which holds events under the banner of Lion's Gate Project. The branch was officially announced on July ...
, another dark match where he and Oka once again wrestled to a draw. On March 13, 2017, he made his televised debut, teaming with Oka in a loss to the Guerrillas of Destiny ( Tama Tonga and Tanga Loa). The following day, Kitamura teamed with
Katsuyori Shibata } is a Japanese professional wrestler, trainer, and former mixed martial artist. He is signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW), where he is a member of The Opps and is one-third of the AEW World Trios Champions with Samoa Joe and Powerhouse Hobbs. ...
and
Yuji Nagata is a Japanese Professional wrestling, professional wrestler, and former mixed martial arts, mixed martial artist and amateur wrestling, amateur wrestler signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). Considered one of the greatest Japanese wrestlers ...
in a loss to TenCozy (
Satoshi Kojima is a Japanese professional wrestler. He is signed to both New Japan Pro-Wrestling and Major League Wrestling (MLW), where he is a former two-time MLW World Heavyweight Championship, MLW World Heavyweight Champion and former one half of the MLW W ...
and
Hiroyoshi Tenzan is a Japanese professional wrestler who is signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling, and is better known by his ring name . With Satoshi Kojima, in 2008, they won the World's Strongest Tag Determination League in All Japan Pro Wrestling and the G1 Tag L ...
) and
Juice Robinson Joseph Ryan Robinson (born April 10, 1989), better known by his ring name Juice Robinson, is an American professional wrestler. He is signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW), where he is a member of the Bang Bang Gang stable. He also wrestles in Ne ...
. The day after that, he once again lost to Tonga and Loa, this time teaming with Nagata. On June 24, 2017, three months after his debut, Kitamura won the first match in his career when he teamed with Tomoyuki Oka to defeat
Manabu Nakanishi is a Japanese retired Professional wrestling, professional wrestler and former amateur wrestler, who was primarily associated with New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). He is a one-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion, one-time G1 Climax winner and three-t ...
and Tetsuhiro Yagi in a tag match. Kitamura and Oka continued teaming regularly, eventually dubbing their team "Monster Rage". At the end of 2017, Kitamura took part in two tournaments held by NJPW; the 2017 World Tag League and the 2017 Young Lion Cup. In the World Tag League, Kitamura and fellow young lion David Finlay finished last in their block after losing all seven of their matches. Meanwhile, in the Young Lion Cup, Kitamura emerged victorious after winning all five of his matches. On January 5 at New Year's Dash, Katsuya began a Seven Trial series of matches where he would face seven different wrestlers. He lost his first of seven matches to
Jay White Jamie White (born 9 October 1992), better known by the ring name Jay White, is a New Zealand professional wrestler. He is signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW), where he is the leader of the Bullet Club sub-group Bang Bang Gang. White is a former ...
at New Year Dash. At the New Beginning in Sapporo he lost his second match of seven to
Michael Elgin Aaron Michael Frobel (born December 13, 1986) is a Canadian professional wrestler and promoter, better known by his ring name Michael Elgin. He is known for his work with New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he was a List of IWGP Intercontinent ...
and his third the following day to
Juice Robinson Joseph Ryan Robinson (born April 10, 1989), better known by his ring name Juice Robinson, is an American professional wrestler. He is signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW), where he is a member of the Bang Bang Gang stable. He also wrestles in Ne ...
. At the Road to The New Beginning event from
Korakuen Hall is a sports arena in Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan, which has hosted boxing, professional wrestling, kickboxing, mixed martial arts and Lethwei matches. History On April 16, 1962, the Korakuen Hall was officially opened with a capacity of approximat ...
he lost his fourth match against
Hiroyoshi Tenzan is a Japanese professional wrestler who is signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling, and is better known by his ring name . With Satoshi Kojima, in 2008, they won the World's Strongest Tag Determination League in All Japan Pro Wrestling and the G1 Tag L ...
, and the fifth against
Manabu Nakanishi is a Japanese retired Professional wrestling, professional wrestler and former amateur wrestler, who was primarily associated with New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). He is a one-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion, one-time G1 Climax winner and three-t ...
. At The New Beginning in Osaka on February 10, he lost match #6 against
Yuji Nagata is a Japanese Professional wrestling, professional wrestler, and former mixed martial arts, mixed martial artist and amateur wrestling, amateur wrestler signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). Considered one of the greatest Japanese wrestlers ...
. At The New Beginning in Hiroshima he was scheduled to face Manabu Nakanishi, but he suffered a cerebral concussion and was unable to compete. It was reported that the severity of the injury may force him to retire. He later injured his leg in a scooter accident. After almost a year with little news or updates on his condition, Kitamura left NJPW on January 31, 2019.


Mixed martial arts career

Kitamura made his mixed martial arts debut against
Bobby Ologun is a Nigerian-born television personality and mixed martial artist with Japanese citizenship. In Japan, he is known simply as . He speaks English, Yoruba and Japanese. He lives in Saitama, Saitama Prefecture. On July 26, 2007, he announced o ...
at Rizin 32 on November 20, 2021, He lost the bout via rear-naked choke in the second round.


Death

Kitamura died on October 12, 2022, at age 36; reportedly, he felt unwell and called an ambulance to take him to a hospital, where his condition rapidly deteriorated. The cause of death was not released publicly.


Championships and accomplishments


Amateur wrestling

*Japan Wrestling Federation **All Japan Wrestling Championship in the 120 kg category


Professional wrestling

*
New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) is a Puroresu, Japanese professional-wrestling Professional wrestling promotion, promotion founded on January 13, 1972, by Antonio Inoki, and based in Nakano, Tokyo. It is currently majority owned by card-game company Bushiroad, with TV As ...
** Young Lion Cup (
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) *''
Wrestling Observer Newsletter The ''Wrestling Observer Newsletter'' (''WON'') is a newsletter that covers professional wrestling and mixed martial arts. Founded in print in 1982 by Dave Meltzer, the ''Wrestling Observer'' website merged with Bryan Alvarez's ''Figure Four Wee ...
'' ** Rookie of the Year (2017)


Mixed martial arts record

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Bobby Ologun is a Nigerian-born television personality and mixed martial artist with Japanese citizenship. In Japan, he is known simply as . He speaks English, Yoruba and Japanese. He lives in Saitama, Saitama Prefecture. On July 26, 2007, he announced o ...
, Submission (rear-naked choke) , Rizin 32 , , align=center, 2 , align=center, 2:34 ,
Okinawa most commonly refers to: * Okinawa Prefecture, Japan's southernmost prefecture * Okinawa Island, the largest island of Okinawa Prefecture * Okinawa Islands, an island group including Okinawa itself * Okinawa (city), the second largest city in th ...
, Japan , , -


References


External links


Katsuya Kitamura on NJPW's official Japanese website

Katsuya Kitamura on NJPW's official English website

Katsuya Kitamura on cagematch
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kitamura, Katsuya 1985 births 2022 deaths People from Suginami Japanese male sport wrestlers Japanese male professional wrestlers Japanese male mixed martial artists Mixed martial artists utilizing freestyle wrestling Mixed martial artists utilizing Greco-Roman wrestling Wrestlers at the 2010 Asian Games Asian Games competitors for Japan Senshu University alumni Young Lion Cup winners