Tetsuya Naito
1982-06-22
The Biography
Tetsuya Naito is a Japanese professional wrestler. He is signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he is the current IWGP World Heavyweight Champion in his record-tying second reign and is the leader of the Los Ingobernables de JapΓ³n stable. Naito began training for a professional wrestling career in 2000, initially under Animal Hamaguchi before joining NJPW in 2004, where he underwent further training. He is a former NEVER Openweight Champion, and a former IWGP Tag Team and IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champion with former No Limit partner Yujiro Takahashi. He also had a short reign as IWGP Tag Team Champion with Sanada. In addition, Naito is the winner of the 2013, 2017 and 2023 editions of the G1 Climax, NJPW's premier singles tournament, and of the 2016 New Japan Cup. Regarded as one of the most popular and greatest wrestlers in NJPW history, Tokyo Sports awarded Naito with the MVP Award, the publication's highest honor, in 2016, 2017, 2020, and 2023. In 2020, Naito became the first person to hold both the IWGP Heavyweight and Intercontinental Championships at the same time, accomplishing that feat twice, becoming a three-time IWGP Heavyweight and record six-time IWGP Intercontinental Champion. In addition, he is the only person to win back the double gold, doing so at Summer Struggle in Jingu.
