Yuya Susumu

Susumu in May 2022

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Kasaoka, Okayama, Japan

**Yuya Susumu** (進祐哉, *Susumu Yūya*, born January 14, 1984) is a Japanese professional wrestler, who recently worked for Pro Wrestling Noah, where he is a former two-time GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champion. As part of a working relationship between NOAH and Dragon Gate (DG), he is a former one-time Open The Triangle Gate Champion.

He began his career in Wrestle Gate, before starting to work for various promotions in the Japanese indenpedent circuit most notably Pro Wrestling KAGEKI, Pro Wrestling Freedoms and Tenryu Project. During this time, Susumu held the King Of Freedom Tag Team Championship two-times, the UWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship three-times and the Hakata Tag Team Championship, before starting to work for Noah in November 2020.

## Professional wrestling career

### Early Career (2006–2012)

Susumu began working for Wrestle Gate in December 2003, under the ring name **Susumu** (stylized in all capital letters), starting to work for various promotions across the Japanese independent circuit such as Dove Pro Wresting, DDT Pro Wrestling, Pro Wrestling Kageki, and STYLE-E Pro Wrestling. During his time in Kageki, SUSUMU formed a team with Seiki Yoshioka named "Scramble Time, holding the Hakata Tag Team Championship for 161 days, before losing them to HANZO and Victory Shanghai on May 6, 2012.

### Tenryu Project (2012–2015)

In September 2012, Susumu began working for Tenryu Project, under the ring name "Dragon JOKER" wearing a mask. On December 29, JOKER took part in the Koryo Tournament, losing in the semifinal to Kotaro Nasu. Shortly after, JOKER underwent a undefeated streak, before being defeated by Hiroki on May 7, 2013. In August, JOKER and Genichiro Tenryu took part in the Hidden Genius R League, finishing the tournament with a record of one and two losses, failling to win the tournament. On March 3, 2014, JOKER was defeated by Kengo in a match to crown the new UWA World Junior Heavyweight Champion. Despite losing, JOKER received a rematch for the title, failling to defeat Kengo for a second time on May 31. JOKER became one of the wrestlers to feud with the villanous Voodoo Murders stable. In Spetember, JOKER took part in the Mizuchi R Tag Team League teaming with various partner, before teaming with Shinjiro Otani in a losing effort against Ryuichi Kawakami and Yoshihiro Takayama in the finals. On November 15, Tenryu Project closed its doors, leading JOKER to make his last match for the promotion, teaming with Gurukun Mask, Jushin Thunder Liger, Ryota Chikuzen and Shigeno Shima in a losing effort against FUJITA, Kuuga, Onryo, TARU and Yasu Kubota. Following the match, JOKER unmasked himself revealing to be Yuya Susumu, before retiring the Dragon JOKER gimmick.

### Pro Wrestling Freedoms (2012–2020)

In January 2012, SUSUMU began working for Pro Wrestling Freedoms, making his debut for the promotion on Janury 9, teaming with GENTARO in a winning effort against Kengo Mashimo and Ryuichi Sekine. On May 2, 2013, SUSUMU joined the promotion full-time. On August 1, SUSUMU took part in the Deathmatch Tournament#2013Deathmatch Tournament, losing in the first round to Kenji Fukimoto. In January 2014, SUSUMU took part in a tournament to crown the new King of Freedom Tag Team Championship teaming with Kamui, finishing the tournament with a record one win, one loss and one draw, advancing to the semifinals of the tournament. On March 13, SUSUMU and Kamui were defeated by The Great Kojika and The Winger in the semifinals. On March 23, 2015, SUSUMU and Buffalo defeated GENTARO and Kenichiro Arai to win the King of Freedom Tag Team Championship, before losing them to Kamui and Mammoth Sasaki on May 1. During this time, SUSUMU changed his ring name to his real name "Yuya Susumu". On July 12, Susumu defeated Kneji Fukimoto in a tournament final to become the #1 contender to the King of Freedom World Championship. This led on July 26, Susumu unsuccessfully challenging Masashi Takeda for the King of Freedom World Championship. On September 15, 2016, Susumu and HAYATA defeated GENTARO and The Winger to win the King of Freedom Tag Team Championship, before losing the titles to The Brahman Brothers (Brahman Shu and Brahman Kei) on February 19. On May 2, Susumu defeated GENTARO to win the UWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship, holding it for one year, before losing the title to "brother" YASSHI. He regained the title from YASSHI on September 17, before losing to Kenichiro Arai on January 3, 2019. He regained the title from Arai on October 1, only to lose it to Kamui on August 31, 2020. On December 12, Susumu made his last match for the promotion teaming with Kengo in a winning effort against GENTARO and
Tatsuhito Takaiwa.

### Pro Wrestling Noah (2020–2022)

In November 2020, Kotaro Suzuki began a feud with HAYATA and Yoshinari Ogawa, leading on November 21 at NOAH The Chronicle Vol. 4, Suzuki was joined by a new partner "Salvaje de Oriente". Later that night, after Ogawa and HAYATA defeated Momo no Seishun (Atsushi Kotoge and Daisuke Harada) to win the GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship, Oriente and Suzuki challenged Ogawa and HAYATA to a title match. On December 1, Oriente and Suzuki faced HAYATA and Ogawa faced in a six-man tag team match, with Suzuki getting the win for his team. Afterwards, Stinger attacked Oriente and Suzuki. Nosawa Rongai came to the ring with a mystery partner to form an alliance with Stinger and Oriente and Suzuki, leading both sides to reject them. On December 6 at Noah the Best, Oriente and Suzuki faced Ogawa and HAYATA for the GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship. During the match, Oriente turned on Suzuki, revealing himself to be Yuya Susumu, joining Stinger in the process.

On May 2, Susumu challenged Atsushi Kotoge to a title match for the GHC Junior Heavyweight Championship. Kotoge accepted the title match under the condition that Susumu's Stinger stablemates HAYATA and Yoshinari Ogawa defended the GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship against Daisuke Harada and Hajime Ohara. On August 1, Susumu and Stinger's newest member Seiki Yoshioka defeated Daisuke Harada and Hajime Ohara to win the GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship. On September 12, Susumu and Yoshioka lost the GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championships to Atsushi Kotoge and Hajime Ohara.

On January 10, 2022, Susumu and Yoshioka faced Atsushi Kotoge and Hajime Ohara in a time-limit draw. Afterwards, Susumu challenged Kotoge and Harada to a rematch, where the winners would become the #1 contenders to the the GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championships. However on January 19, announced that the winners of their match would be crowned the new GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champions, after Yoshinari Ogawa tested positive for COVID-19. On January 22, Susumu and Yoshioka defeated Atsushi Kotoge and Hajime Ohara to win the titles. The titles were vacated on February 11, after Yoshioka was sidelined with an heel injury. On May 4, Susumu and Yoshioka attacked Ogawa and Ridgeway, before challenging them to a title match for the GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship, with HAYATA siding with them due to a previously shared background. Afterwards, Ogawa and Ridgeway attacked HAYATA, Susumu and Yoshioka, during a post-match interview. This led to a match on May 21 at Dream On Final, for the GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship where the losing team would be forced to leave Stinger. The match ended in a no contest, following the interference from Los Perros del Mal de Japón, which in turn led the stable to reconcile. On June 7, Susumu, Yoshioka and Ogawa defeated *Los Perros del Mal de Japón'*s Eita, Kotaro Suzuki and Nosawa Rongai to win the Open The Triangle Gate Championship. The following day, Susumu, Yoshioka and Ogawa lost the titles to Atsushi Kotoge, Daisuke Harada and YO-HEY. Afterwards, Yoshioka decided to leave Stinger, which led to Susumu warn that he would not be forgiven, disbanding Scramble Time. Susumu then began trying to convince Yoshioka to reconcile, leading to a match between on June 23, which Susumu faced Yoshioka in a losing effort.

## In wrestling

* **Finishing moves**
	+ Arm trap crossface
	+ *Front Crash/Oriental Crash* (Double underhook lifted into a double knee gutbuster)
* **Signature moves**
	+ *CA clutch*
	+ Rope-hung DDT
	+ Spin-out powerbomb
	+ Springboard splash
	+ *Sanmarol*
* **Nicknames**
	+ "Noble Prince of the Attack"
* **Entrance themes**
	+ "1sec." by 10-FEET
	+ "Stompbox" by The Qemists
	+ **"JOKER"** (NOAH)

## Championships and accomplishments

* **Dragon Gate**
	+ Open The Triangle Gate Championship (1 time) – with Seiki Yoshioka and Yoshinari Ogawa
* **Pro Wrestling KAGEKI**
	+ Hakata Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with SEIKI
* **Pro Wrestling FREEDOMS**
	+ King of FREEDOM Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Buffalo (1) and HAYATA (1)
	+ UWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship (3 times)
	+ King of FREEDOM World Championship #1 Contendership One Day tournament (2015)
* **Pro Wrestling Noah**
	+ GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Seiki Yoshioka
* **Wrestle Gate**
	+ 10 Minutes Battle tournament (2011)