Katsuyori Shibata Katsuyori Shibata ( November 17 , 1979 ) is a Japan ese professional wrestler and mixed martial artist . In professional wrestling , he is known for his hard hitting offense and his realistic bouts . Katsuyori is the son of the late wrestler / referee Katsuhisa Shibata . He is currently working as a freelancer for New Japan Pro Wrestling , where he is a former IWGP Tag Team Champion . Early life . Shibata attended Kuwana Kogyo High School in Kuwana , Mie , where he was classmates with Hirooki Goto . The son of former Japan Pro Wrestling Alliance and New Japan Pro Wrestling mid - carder Katsuhisa Shibata , Katsuyori was an amateur wrestler during his school days and was competing at national level in 1997 . Pro wrestling career . New Japan Pro Wrestling ( 1999 – 2004 ) . Shibata made his professional wrestling debut on October 10 , 1999 facing close friend Wataru Inoue at a New Japan Pro Wrestling event . In 2000 , Shibata took part in the 2000 Young Lion Cup , eventually finishing 3rd place with 6 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 4 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 The World Class Tag Team 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 . On 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 G - 1 , Shibata joined Masahiro Chono ' s new stable : Black New Japan , where he remained until eventually leaving New Japan in January 2005 . Freelance ( 2005 – 2006 ) . In 2005 , Shibata left New Japan , becoming a free lancer and has most notably fought for Big Mouth LOUD and Pro Wrestling Noah . One of his more famous matches was a heated confrontation with former amateur wrestler Jun Akiyama . In 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 most recent match was on December 31 , 2006 , where he defeated Kazuhiro Hamanaka . By January 2007 , Shibata left wrestling to focus on mixed martial arts . Return to NJPW ( 2012 – present ) . On August 12 , 2012 , Shibata , alongside Kazushi Sakuraba , returned to New Japan Pro Wrestling . [ 15 ] Shibata and Sakuraba wrestled their return match on September 23 at Destruction , defeating Hiromu Takahashi and Wataru Inoue in a tag team match . Shibata and Sakuraba , collectively dubbed Laughter7 , continued their winning ways at the following two pay - per - views , King of Pro - Wrestling on October 8 and Power Struggle on November 11 , both times defeating the team of Togi Makabe and Wataru Inoue . On January 4 , 2013 , at Wrestle Kingdom 7 in Tokyo Dome , Shibata suffered his first defeat since his return to professional wrestling , when he was defeated by Togi Makabe in a singles grudge match . On January 27 , Shibata returned to Pro Wrestling Noah , once again affiliating himself with Kenta . Shibata and Sakuraba returned to their winning ways at the following New Japan pay - per - view , The New Beginning on February 10 , where they defeated Hirooki Goto and Wataru Inoue in a tag team match . On April 7 at Invasion Attack , Shibata and Sakuraba suffered their first tag team loss , when they were defeated by Hirooki Goto and Yuji Nagata via referee stoppage , when Sakuraba was injured and unable to continue the match . Shibata and Goto faced off in a singles match on May 3 at Wrestling Dontaku 2013 , which ended in a draw . A rematch between the two took place on June 22 at Dominion 6 . 22 , where Shibata was victorious . A third match between the two on July 20 ended in another draw . [ 26 ] From August 1 to 11 , Shibata took part in the 2013 G1 Climax , where he finished with a record of five wins and four losses , with a loss against Hiroshi Tanahashi on the final day costing him a spot in the finals . On September 8 , Shibata and Sakuraba took part in the Wrestle - 1 promotion ' s inaugural event , defeating Masakatsu Funaki and Masayuki Kono in a tag team match . On December 7 , Shibata made his in - ring return to Noah , defeating Maybach Taniguchi in a singles match . On January 4 , 2014 , at Wrestle Kingdom 8 in Tokyo Dome , Shibata was defeated by Hirooki Goto , who was returning from an injury , which had kept him sidelined for the past five months . [ 31 ] The match ended the rivalry between Shibata and Goto and led to the two forming a tag team . The two quickly entered the IWGP Tag Team Championship picture , defeating the reigning champions , Bullet Club ( Doc Gallows and Karl Anderson ) , in a non - title match at New Japan ' s 42nd anniversary event on March 6 . Shibata also expressed interest in challenging for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship , but was told by the reigning champion , Kazuchika Okada , to earn his title shot at the 2014 New Japan Cup . In order to win the tournament , Shibata announced he was bringing back his old finishing move , the octopus hold . Shibata , however , failed in his attempt to win the tournament , losing to Shelton X Benjamin in his second round match on March 22 . On April 6 at Invasion Attack 2014 , Shibata and Goto received a shot at the IWGP Tag Team Championship , but were defeated by Gallows and Anderson . From July 21 to August 8 , Shibata took part in the 2014 G1 Climax , where he finished fourth in his block with a record of six wins and four losses . During the tournament final event on August 10 , Shibata and Goto faced off in another singles match , where Shibata was victorious . After entering a rivalry with Shinsuke Nakamura and becoming the number one contender to his IWGP Intercontinental Championship , it was announced that Shibata would be working the full October to November " Road to Power Struggle " tour , his first full tour with New Japan since his return . Shibata received his title shot on November 8 at Power Struggle , but was defeated by Nakamura . Later in the month , Shibata and Goto entered the 2014 World Tag League , where they opened with a three match losing streak , only to come back and win their four remaining matches , winning their block and advancing to the finals . On December 7 , Shibata and Goto defeated Doc Gallows and Karl Anderson in the finals to win the 2014 World Tag League . This led to a rematch between the two teams on January 4 , 2015 , at Wrestle Kingdom 9 in Tokyo Dome , where Shibata and Goto defeated Anderson and Gallows to become the new IWGP Tag Team Champions . Shibata and Goto ' s reign ended in their first defense on February 11 at The New Beginning in Osaka , where they were defeated by Anderson and Gallows . On March 8 , Shibata and Goto once again faced off in the second round of the 2015 New Japan Cup in a match , where Goto was victorious . On April 5 , a rivalry ignited between Shibata and Kazushi Sakuraba , after Sakuraba submitted Shibata in a tag team match at Invasion Attack 2015 . The two faced off on July 5 at Dominion 7 . 5 in Osaka - jo Hall in a match , where Shibata was victorious . [ 55 ] From July 20 to August 14 , Shibata took part in the 2015 G1 Climax , where he finished in the middle of his block with a record of four wins and five losses . Mixed martial arts career . Shibata debuted in mixed martial arts on May 15 , 2004 at JF Jungle Fights 2 where he defeated Webster Dauphiney by an arm triangle choke in Round 1 . Shibata returned to MMA in 2007 where he joined Fighting and Entertainment Group ' s K - 1 Hero ' s , In his K - 1 Hero ' s debut on March 12 , 2007 at Hero ' s 8 , he defeated Yoshihisa Yamamoto by TKO in 9 seconds . After two victories , Shibata went on a five fight losing streak . He lost to Ralek Gracie at K - 1 Hero ' s : Middleweight Tournament Opening Round by submitting to an armbar . Shibata then lost to Kazushi Sakuraba at K - 1 Hero ' s Tournament Final once again submitting to an armbar . Shibata fought his last K - 1 Hero ' s fight at K - 1 Olympia Hero ' S 2007 in Korea on October 28 , 2007 against Heo Min Seok . Shibata lost the fight by TKO in the 2nd round . In 2008 , Shibata began fighting for FEG ' s new organization : Dream . His first fight at Dream was a loss to Jason " Mayhem " Miller at Dream 3 by TKO . His next fight was against Yoshihiro Akiyama losing to him by Submission . Shibata then fought at Deep where he drew with Yasuhito Namekawa at Deep : 38 Impact . He then lost to Hayato Sakurai by TKO at Dynamite ! ! 2008 . After going winless for 2 years , Shibata would score his biggest victory to date at Dream 8 when he defeated Ikuhisa Minowa by Unanimous Decision . Later that year at Dream 12 , he defeated fellow New Japan Pro Wrestling alumni : Tokimitsu Ishizawa by TKO . At Dynamite ! ! 2009 , Shibata lost to Hiroshi Izumi by unanimous decision . Shibata returned to Deep for two appearances in 2010 . On June 6 , 2010 he lost to Young Choi by unanimous decision . On October 24 , he then faced Deep Light Heavyweight Champion Yoshiyuki Nakanishi at Deep : 50th Impact which he lost by TKO . His most recent fight was a defeat to Satoshi Ishii at K - 1 World Max 2010 on November 8 , 2010 .