Naomichi Marufuji

Marufuji in February 2023

###

Kōnosu, Saitama, Japan

**Naomichi Marufuji** (丸藤正道, *Marufuji Naomichi*) (born September 26, 1979) is a Japanese professional wrestler who competes for Pro Wrestling NOAH (NOAH), where he is a former four-time GHC Heavyweight Champion and a former eight-time GHC Tag Team Champion, one-time GHC JUnior Heavyweight Champion, two-time GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champion and a one-time GHC Openweight Hardcore Champion. In 2009, he was appointed to the position of Vice President of Pro Wrestling Noah, and has retained the position since, being reappointed in September 2011.

Through NOAH's working agreements with New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) and All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW), Marufuji is a IWGP, GHC and World Junior Heavyweight Champion being the only man to win Junior Heavyweight Championships in all three major Japanese promotions. He has also won NOAH's and AJPW's premier tournaments, the Global League, on one occasions in 2015 and the 2018 Champion Carnival.

He also made occasional appearances in other professional wrestling promotions including Dramatic Dream Team (DDT), Global Force Wrestling (GFW) and Ring of Honor (ROH). Marufuji in DDT is a former one time KO-D Tag Team Champion with HARASHIMA.

## Professional wrestling career

### All Japan Pro Wrestling (1998–2000)

Marufuji pursued amateur wrestling and basketball during his high school days before joining All Japan Pro Wrestling, and trained in Satoru Sayama's Super Tiger Gym. His debut match came on August 28, 1998 against Yoshinobu Kanemaru. For the first two years of his career, under Giant Baba and Mitsuharu Misawa's isolationist policy, he was a jobber; one of the few rare interpromotional matches he worked was in Michinoku Pro Wrestling in 1999, a lucha libre six-man tag match, gave him a chance to shine.

### Pro Wrestling Noah (2000–Present)

After the NOAH secession, he joined the upstart promotion and became an integral part of its Junior Heavyweight division, impressing many with his high-flying style and charisma. He would go on to form a successful tag team with KENTA, as well as win the 2004 Super J-Cup. Marufuji even won the GHC Junior Heavyweight Championship. In mid 2005 Minoru Suzuki taught Marufuji some of what he knew and they clicked, winning the GHC Tag Team Championship from 2 Cold Scorpio and Doug Williams on June 18, 2005. Marufuji and Suzuki would retain the titles until October making two title defenses until they lost the titles to Takeshi Morishima and Muhammad Yone.

On March 5, 2006, Marufuji pinned former Triple Crown Heavyweight Champion and former GHC Heavyweight Champion Akira Taue. On September 9, 2006, Naomichi defeated Jun Akiyama for the GHC Heavyweight Championship at the Budokan Hall, utilizing the Perfect Inside Cradle. In doing so, he became the first wrestler to win all five GHC titles in NOAH and became the lightest GHC Heavyweight Champion of all time. A little over a month later, Marufuji's successfully defended the title against his tag team partner KENTA on October 29, 2006. The match received critical acclaim and Tokyo Sports named the match "Best Bout of 2006". On December 10, 2006, Marufuji lost the GHC Heavyweight Championship to Mitsuharu Misawa in his third defense. Then on the end of 2007 Marufuji formed a team with Takashi Sugiura dubbing themselves as Team Ikko. The two on October 27 Marufuji and Sugiura defeated RO&D's D'Lo Brown and Buchanan to win the GHC Tag Team Championship. The duo champions would retain the titles until May 2008 losing the titles to Akitoshi Saito and Bison Smith. On July 5, 2009, Marufuji was appointed to the position of Noah's Vice President alongside Kenta Kobashi by NOAH's President Akira Taue in the wake of Misawa's death. Then in 2010 Marufuji would return to the junior heavyweight division. On December 24 Marufuji and NJPW's representatives Koji Kanemoto and Tiger Mask to win GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship. The two would later vacate the titles on April 29 due to Marufuji suffering an injury.

Marufuji would then return to the heavyweight division. His return match took place on November 27 at the Great Voyage 2011 In Tokyo Vol. 4 when he was against his former Team Ikko partner Takashi Sugiura in a losing effort. Afterwards the two would reform their team. Later Marufuji and Sugiura would form a stable named BRAVE with Katsuhiko Nakajima, Taiji Ishimori, Atsushi Kotoge, Takeshi Morishima and Ricky Marvin. Marufuji and Yone went on to win the 2012 version of the Global Tag League, defeating Morishima and Nakajima in the finals. The two would then unsucessfully challenge Akitoshi Saito and Jun Akiyama for the GHC Tag Team Championship on May 25. Marufuji would then make a one time only return to the junior heavyweight division when he and BRAVE stablemate Taiji Ishimori unsucessfully challenged Atsushi Aoki and Kotaro Suzuki for the GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship. Then Marufuji would take part of the 2012 Global League Tournament. Marufuji finished the tournament with three wins and two losses, falling to advance to the finals. At the end of the year, in December Marufuji and Sugiura managed to win the GHC Tag Team Championship defeating Akitoshi Saito and Go Shiozaki. On February 2013, Marufuji and Sugiura entered in a feud with CHAOS's Takashi Iizuka and Toru Yano after Yano stoled the GHC Tag Team Championship belts from Marufuji and Sugiura. This led on March 10 at the Great Voyage 2013 In Yokohama Marufuji and Sugiura losing the titles to Iizuka and Yano. Following this Marufuji and Sugiura took part of the 2013 Global Tag League. However Marufuji was sidelined with a knee injury on April 14 after his their first match against BJW's representatives Shinya Ishikawa and Yoshihito Sasaki. Marufuji's BRAVE stablemate Atsushi Kotoge replaced Marufuji during the league. His return match was on May 11 hen he and former tag team partner Minoru Suzuki lost to Takao Omori and Yoshihiro Takayama. On July 7 Marufuji unsucessfully challenged KENTA for the GHC Heavyweight Championship. On October until November Marufuji took part of the 2013 Global League Tournament. Marufuji finished the tournament with four wins and two losses, same as block winner Yuji Nagata, but failed to advance to the finals due to losing to Nagata in their head-to-head match. Then on December 7 Marufuji and his BRAVE stablemate Katsuhiko Nakajima unsucessfully challenged Mikey Nicholls and Shane Haste for the GHC Tag Team Championship. Marufuji and Nakajima then took part of the 2014 Global Tag League. They would finish the tournament with four wins and two losses, advancing to the finals. At the finals they would lose to Masato Tanaka and Takashi Sugiura at the finals.

On July 5, 2014, Marufuji won the GHC Heavyweight Championship for the second time, defeating Yuji Nagata. That same month he defended the championship against BRAVE stablemate Katsuhiko Nakajima on July 21. He then defeated Takeshi Morishima on August 24 in his second title defense at Korakuen Hall. That same night, Maybach Taniguchi won a number one contenders match over Nakajima and the two men squared off on September 23 at the 'Great Voyage in Niigata' show where Marufuji successfully retained his championship. Shortly after, he retained the championship for a fourth time by defeating Daisuke Sekimoto of Big Japan Pro Wrestling at the Great Voyage in Yokohama on October 23. Marufuji then, still as champion, took part in the 2014 Global League Tournament. Marufuji finished with eight points and a four win, three loss record, including losses to Nakajima, Morishima, and Satoshi Kojima. Marufuji defeated the Global League winner Takashi Sugiura on December 6 at the 'Great Voyage in Tokyo vol.3' show. Following Marufuji's appearance on Wrestle Kingdom 9, the New Japan stable Suzuki-gun made their debut in Noah invading the company and on March 15, 2015, Marufuji lost his title to the stable's leader Minoru Suzuki.

Marufuji took part in the 2015 Global Tag League with Katsuhiko Nakajima as his partner. The pair finished with six points and a disappointing fourth place finish in the six-team block. However, at 'Great Voyage in Yokohama' on May 10, Marufuji received a rematch with Suzuki for the championship. Marufuji, however, ultimately came up short in his attempt to dethrone the Suzuki-gun leader. Marufuji continued the year outside of the title picture taking part in tag team matches squaring off with Suzuki-gun foes, however at the September 19 'Great Voyage in Osaka' show Marufuji defeated BRAVE stablemate Atsushi Kotoge. Marufuji then took part in the 2015 Global League. Marufuji began the tournament with four straight victories, however a loss to Masato Tanaka on October 29 and a subsequent loss to Satoshi Kojima at the next show on November 3 put Marufuji in a four-way tie on points at the top of his block. On the final group stage day, paired with a loss by Tanaka, Marufuji beat fellow co-first place contender Chris Hero to win the block and advance to the final on November 8. In the final, Marufuji defeated fellow Suzuki-gun member Shelton Benjamin who had finished his block without a single loss to go on and receive a championship opportunity. Marufuji received his title match at the Destiny 2015 and he regained the title from Suzuki on December 23, 2015. However, immediately following the match as his Noah roster members celebrated with him, Takashi Sugiura turned on Marufuji to join forces with Suzuki-gun.

On January 31, 2016, Marufuji faltered in his first defense of his newly won championship as he lost the title to Takashi Sugiura. The next month, on February 19, Marufuji took part in a ten-man tag team match that pitted Suzuki-gun members against Noah roster members. Marufuji was the second to last person eliminated being pinned by Sugiura. On March 19, 2016, Marufuji continued to battle against the Suzuki-gun stable that had invaded Noah as he alongside Muhammad Yone and Mitsuhiro Kitamiya defeated Shelton Benjamin, Takashi Iizuka, and Suzuki himself in a six-man tag team match the 2016 'Great Voyage In Korakuen' event.

From April 21 to May 4, Marufuji took part in the 2016 Global Tag League with Toru Yano, who took part despite being mainly a competitor in New Japan Pro Wrestling. The pair got eight points, good enough for second in the block, and ultimately avenged a loss by defeating Killer Elite Squad in the finals. As a result of winning the tag league, the duo won a shot at the GHC Tag Team Championships held by Killer Elite Squad. On May 28 at the 2016 'Great Voyage In Osaka' event, the pair defeated Killer Elite Squad and became the new GHC Tag Team Champions. The pair's first match as champions was an immediate title defense over the former champions at Emerald Spirits In Korakuen on June 12. The pair defended their championships twice more before Marufuji went to New Japan to take part in the 2016 G1 Climax. They defeated Suzuki and Iizuka on July 5 followed by a defense over Katsuhiko Nakajima and Kitamiya on July 16.

Upon Marufuji's return, he and Yano defended their belts against the team of Muhammad Yone and Quiet Storm, known as 50 Funky Powers, on September 23 and, as a continuation of his feud based in New Japan with Kazuchika Okada, Marufuji and Yano retained their championships over Okada and CHAOS stablemate Yoshi-Hashi on October 8. The pair defended their belts yet again on October 23 at Great Voyage 2016 In Yokohama Vol. 2 where they defeated Great Bash Heel (Togi Makabe and Tomoaki Honma) From November 3 to November 22 Marufuji took part in the 2016 Global League and was placed in the B block. Marufuji, with eight points, faced off with Masa Kitamiya on the final day's main event and a spot in the tournament final on the line, however, Marufuji ultimately lost and Kitamiya finished first in the B block. The next day, the day of the Global League Final, Marufuji and Yano lost their championships to Killer Elite Squad, the team they defeated for the belts six months prior and thus marking the end of the team. The final tour of 2016 went poorly for Marufuji as he and his various partners were unable to beat the team of Alejandro Saez and Takashi Sugiura the entire tour and, on the final show of 2016, Marufuji was defeated in a singles match by Sugiura.

On the first show of 2017 on January 7, Marufuji and partner Atsushi Kotoge failed to dethrone GHC Tag Team Champions Go Shiozaki and Maybach Taniguchi in a championship opportunity. At the 2017 Great Voyage In Yokohama on March 12, Marufuji teamed with Japanese wrestling legend Keiji Mutoh to defeat debuting Impact Wrestling star Moose and Kazma Sakamoto. Marufuji formed a new team with former rival Maybach Taniguchi and, on the April 14 Countdown to GTL, the new pairing defeated Takashi Sugiura and Kenoh for the GHC Tag Team Championships shortly before the start of the 2017 Global Tag League's beginning. The team took part in the tag league finishing at the top of the block with ten points and ultimately won the final as well by defeating Shiozaki and Kotoge. The champion duo was then promptly challenged by a team they lost to in the tournament, Cody Hall and Randy Reign, and on June 4 Marufuji and Taniguchi defeated them in a championship title defense. Their second title defense took place on July 20 defeating Katsuhiko Nakajima and Masa Kitamiya. After the match, the duo was attacked by Kotoge and Shiozaki who made a challenge for the belts. On August 26 Marufuji and Taniguchi lost the titles to Kotoge and Shiozaki. On December 22 Taniguchi turned on Marufuji to align himself with Mitsuya Nagai, effectively ending Maketa Ra Owari. On July 28, 2018, Marufuji and Akitoshi Saito defeated The Aggression (Katsuhiko Nakajima and Masa Kitamiya) to win the GHC Tag Team Championship. On September 1, Marufuji celebrated his 20th anniversary of his professional wrestling career, producing his own show at the Ryōgoku Kokugikan, where it drew 6,285 and he defeated his rival Hideo Itami in the main event. In November, Marufuji took part in the 2018 Global League, where he won his block with a record of with five wins and two losses, advancing to the finals. However, after injuring his left shoulder in his final round-robin match on November 23, Marufuji was forced to pull out of the finals. Marufuji would later be forced to relinquish the GHC Tag Team Championship due to the shoulder injury. On February 1, 2019, Marufuji made his return to Noah challenging Kaito Kiyomiya for the GHC Heavyweight Championship. On March 10 at Great Voyage in Yokohama, Marufuji unsuccessfully challenged Kiyomiya for the GHC Heavyweight Championship.

On January 5, 2020 at Pro Wrestling Noah's Reboot, Marufuji and Masaaki Mochizuki, defeated AXIZ (Go Shiozaki and Katsuhiko Nakajima to win the GHC Tag Team Championship. In April, Marufuji and Mochizuki took part in the 2020 Global Tag League, finishing the tournament with a record of one win and two losses, failing to advance to the finals of the tournament, due to losing to El Hijo de Dr. Wagner Jr. and Rene Dupree in their final block match. They lost the titles to Dupree and Wagner on April 19. On June 20, Marufuji announced the formation of a new stable dubbed "M's Alliance", consisting of the letter M of each member of the stable, with Marufuji also teasing a new member of the stable, which was later revealed to be Yuko Miyamoto. From September 18 and October 11, Marufuji took part in the 2020 N-1 Victory, finishing the tournament with a record of two wins, two losses and one draw, failling to advance to the finals of the tournament. On June 6, 2021 at CyberFight Festival, Marufuji defeated his fellow M's Alliance stablemate Keiji Mutoh to win the GHC Heavyweight Championship for the fourth time, becoming the third wrestler after Go Shiozaki and Takashi Sugiura to held the title on four different occasions. He lost the title to Katsuhiko Nakajima on October 10. On November 13, Marufuji and Keiji Mutoh defeated Masa Kitamiya and Kaito Kiyomiya to win the GHC Tag Team Championship. On February 8, 2022, Marufuji and Mutoh announced that were going to vacate the GHC Tag Team Championship after Mutoh injured his left hip lip joint. On March 13, Marufuji decided to disband M's Alliance.

On November 23 at Noah the Best, Marufuji and Takashi Sugiura faced off in a six-man tag team match, where Marufuji teamed with Masato Tanaka and Masaaki Mochizuki and Sugiura teamed with his Sugiura-gun stablemates Kazuyuki Fujita and Timothy Thatcher. Marufuji won the match for his team by scoring a direct pinfall over Sugiura and afterwards challenged him and Satoshi Kojima to a title match at NOAH The New Year on January 1, 2023, with his partner being KENTA, leading Sugiura to accept the title match. Marufuji later revealed he had not asked KENTA to team with him, but he wanted to do something interesting for the event. At the event, Marufuji and KENTA unsuccessfully challenged Sugiura and Kojima for the GHC Tag Team Championship.

On April 16, 2023, at Green Journey in Sendai, after Jake Lee successfully defended the GHC Heavyweight Championship against Katsuhiko Nakajima, as Lee was closing off the show, Marufuji came to the ring, and challenged him to a title match, as part of the 25th anniversary of his wrestling career, which Lee accepted. On May 4 at Majestic, Marufuji unsuccessfully challenged Lee for the GHC Heavyweight Championship. Shortly after, Marufuji announced that he would not take part in the 2023 N-1 Victory held in August. On November 2 at Noah the Best, Marufuji was challenged by Kota Ibushi to a match at NOAH The New Year. Marufuji accepted, stating that he was "waiting for him in the ring at Ariake Arena", before both shaking hands, with the match being billed as "Destiny". Afterwards, NOAH announced that the match would be the main event of NOAH The New Year. Leading to the event, Marufuji worked on a new finishing maneveur for the event, the *Kami Ko-oh* (God Tiger King), a modified version of Ibushi's *Kamigoye* to use against him. Shortly after, NOAH announced Marufuji and Ibushi's match for the main event of the show, relegating the GHC Heavyweight Championship match, for the second last match of the show, for the second consecutive year. Afterwards, the annoucement for the main event mixed reactions among fans, including criticism, mainly on social media, leading NOAH's Executive Officer Narihiro Takeda to reveal that he attributed them the main event, more from Marufuji's, due to the popularity of both wrestlers over the GHC Heavyweight Championship match. Marufuji himself addresed the criticism stating that he was looking forward for the GHC Heavyweight Championship match. He also revealed his plan to retire in the next five years. Ibushi also addresed the situation in a interview on December 9, stating that he was not concerned about the order of the matches, but instead, he wanted their match to be a success. On January 2, 2024 at NOAH The New Year, Marufuji was defeated by Ibushi.

### New Japan Pro Wrestling (2003–2016)

On June 10, 2003, Marufuji made his debut for New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW), teaming with Kotaro Suzuki to unsuccessfully challenge Jushin Thunder Liger and Koji Kanemoto for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship. Marufuji returned to the company on December 9, failing in his attempt to win the IWGP U-30 Openweight Championship from Hiroshi Tanahashi. On May 3, 2004, Marufuji would make his final appearance for NJPW in over five years in a six-man tag team match, where he, Heat and Tiger Mask were defeated by the American Dragon, Koji Kanemoto, and Último Dragón.

On December 22, 2009, Marufuji made his return to NJPW, defeating Jushin Thunder Liger in the first round of the 2009 Super J-Cup. The following day he defeated Tigers Mask, Ryusuke Taguchi, and finally Prince Devitt in the finals, to win the Super J-Cup and earn a match for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship. On January 4, 2010, Marufuji represented Noah in the New Japan vs. Noah match series at Wrestle Kingdom IV in Tokyo Dome, where he defeated Tiger Mask to win the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship. With his victory Marufuji became the first person to hold the three major Junior Heavyweight Titles in Japan (All Japan, Noah, and NJPW). On June 19 at Dominion 6.19, Marufuji lost the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship to Prince Devitt.

Marufuji's next appearance for NJPW was on January 4, 2012, at Wrestle Kingdom VI in Tokyo Dome, where he and Go Shiozaki defeated CHAOS Top Team (Shinsuke Nakamura and Toru Yano) in a tag team match. Marufuji returned to NJPW that August to take part in the 2012 G1 Climax tournament. After a slow start, which saw Marufuji lose two of his first three matches, he bounced back by defeating reigning IWGP Heavyweight Champion Hiroshi Tanahashi on August 5 and afterward made a challenge for his title. After four wins and three losses, Marufuji was eliminated from the tournament on August 12, after losing to Toru Yano in his final round-robin match. Following the tournament, Marufuji was named the number one contender to the IWGP Heavyweight Championship. On September 23 at Destruction, Marufuji unsuccessfully challenged Tanahashi for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship.

On September 29, 2013, Marufuji returned to New Japan, challenging Shinsuke Nakamura to a match for the IWGP Intercontinental Championship. Marufuji failed in his title challenge on October 14 at King of Pro-Wrestling. Marufuji returned to New Japan on December 20, 2014, when he, along with fellow Noah wrestlers TMDK (Mikey Nicholls and Shane Haste), was revealed as one of Toru Yano's tag team partners at Wrestle Kingdom 9 in Tokyo Dome on January 4, 2015. At the event, the four defeated Suzuki-gun (Davey Boy Smith Jr., Lance Archer, Shelton X Benjamin and Takashi Iizuka) in an eight-man tag team match.

Marufuji returned to NJPW on July 18, 2016, by entering the 2016 G1 Climax tournament and defeating reigning IWGP Heavyweight Champion Kazuchika Okada in his opening match. On August 12, Marufuji finished his tournament with a record of five wins and four losses with a loss against Hirooki Goto on the final day eliminating him from the finals. Marufuji's win over Okada earned him a shot at the IWGP Heavyweight Championship on October 10 at King of Pro-Wrestling, where Okada retained the title.

### Foreign excursion (2005)

In early and mid-2005, Marufuji toured through Germany and Austria, competing for world Xtreme wrestling and Rings of Europe. Along with Minoru Suzuki, they were the first talent-delegation which was sent over that began the Noah/European Talent Trade Partnership.

#### Ring of Honor (2006–2008)

As part of his foreign excursion to the United States, along with Kenta Kobashi and KENTA, Marufuji challenged Bryan Danielson for the ROH World Championship on December 17, 2005, in Edison, New Jersey. Danielson retained his title, but the crowd gave Marufuji a loud ovation after the match.

Marufuji returned to the United States to wrestle for Ring of Honor on the main event of the "Best in the World" show on March 25, 2006 show in New York City, teaming with Kenta for the first time in the United States against the team of Samoa Joe and Bryan Danielson; the team of Marufuji and Kenta won after Kenta pinned Danielson, but after Marufuji tried and failed to lift Joe.

Marufuji returned to Ring of Honor for a third tour, along with Kenta. Both started off the tour with a win, teaming up to defeat the Briscoe Brothers at *Glory By Honor V: Night 1*. The following night at *Glory By Honor V: Night 2*, he successfully defended the GHC Heavyweight Championship against Nigel McGuinness. Marufuji also appeared at Ring of Honor's first pay-per-view, Respect Is Earned, where he defeated Rocky Romero.

Marufuji was scheduled to return to ROH in May 2013 for the Border Wars 2013 pay-per-view as well as a *Ring of Honor Wrestling* television taping, but was forced to pull out of the events after suffering a knee injury the previous month.

### Return to AJPW (2008, 2018)

On September 28, 2008, ten years after his original debut in All Japan Pro Wrestling, Marufuji returned to AJPW and won the World Junior Heavyweight Championship from Ryuji Hijikata. He would go on to successfully defend the title against Shuji Kondo in a match that won the Tokyo Sports Best Bout of 2008 award and Takashi Okita before losing it to Kaz Hayashi.

In April 2018, Marufuji returned to AJPW, taking part of their premier tournament the Champion Carnival. He finished the tournament, with a record of five wins and two losses, advancing to the finals. In the finals, Marufuji defeated Triple Crown Heavyweight Champion Kento Miyahara to win the tournament. Marufuji received his championship title match on May 24 unsuccessfully challenging Miyahara in a rematch.

### Dramatic Dream Team (2017–2018, 2019–Present)

On July 23, 2017 HARASHIMA challenged YaroZ (Kazusada Higuchi and Shigehiro Irie) into a title match for YaroZ's KO-D Tag Team Championship. Afterwards HARASHIMA announced that his partner would be Naomichi Marufuji. On August 20 at the Ryogoku Peter Pan Marufuji made his debut in a DDT ring, when he and HARASHIMA defeated Higuchi and Irie to win the KO-D Tag Team Cahmpionship. After five successfull title defenses Marufuji and HARASHIMA lost the titles to Higuchi and Daisuke Sekimoto on March 25, 2018 at Judgment.

On January 3, 2020, Marufuji was revealed as the newest member of HARASHIMA's Disaster Box stable.

### Global Force Wrestling (2017)

On July 2, 2017, Marufuji made his debut for Global Force Wrestling (GFW), teaming with Taiji Ishimori to unsuccessfully challenge LAX (Ortiz and Santana) also involving Drago and El Hijo del Fantasma for the Impact Wrestling World and GFW Tag Team Championships. On July 4 Marufuji unsuccesfuly challenged Moose for the Impact Grand Championship due to EC3's interference hitting with ring bell. This would lead to a six man tag team match teaming with Eddie Edwards and Moose losing to EC3, Eli Drake and Chris Adonis and this would be his last GFW apperance.

## In wrestling

* **Finishing moves**
	+ Cobra clutch with neckscissors – 2008
	+ *Emerald Flowsion* (Sitout side powerslam)
	+ *Kami Ko-oh/God Tiger King* (Modified double wrist-clutch bicycle knee strike to a kneeling opponent's face) – 2023–present
	+ *Perfect Facelock* (Single underhook inverted facelock) – 2013–present
	+ *Perfect Keylock* (Rolling inverted keylock)
	+ *Pole Shift Flowsion* (Fisherman suplex lifted and dropped into a sitout side powerslam)
	+ *Shin Tora-oh/True Tiger King* (Armtrap hammerlock transitioned into a bicycle knee lift)– 2020–present
	+ *Shiranui* – Innovated
	+ *Shiranui Kai* (Moonsault slam)
	+ *Tiger Flowsion* (Double underhook sitout side powerslam) – Innovated; 2009–present
	+ *Tiger King Zero* (Head-clutch bicycle high knee) – 2020–present
	+ *Twist Donut* (Bridging swinging fisherman suplex) – 2012
* **Signature moves**
	+ *Curb Stomp* (Running jumping stomp to the back of a bent over opponent's head) - Innovated
	+ Frog splash
	+ *Hurricane Mixer* (Front flip snapmare driver)
	+ Multiple kick variations
		- Corner-to-corner drop
		- Drop
		- Front missile drop
		- *Marufuji Kick Combination* (Roundhouse into a thrust into an openhand palm strike into a spinning back roundhouse)
		- Spinning back roundhouse
		- Super
		- Thrust from behind the opponent or transitioned from a feint suplex
	+ Multiple *Ko-oh* variations
		- *Enzu* *Ko-oh (Ko-oh* to the back of a kneeling opponent's head)
		- *Ko-oh* (Bicycle knee strike)
		- *Ripcord Ko-oh* (Rear wristlock transitioned into a shortarm *Ko-oh*)
		- Suplex lift into a *Ko-oh*
	+ Multiple suplex variations
		- *Australian Suplex* (Low-angle tiger)
		- Capture
		- Cut-throat leg hook belly-to-back
		- Fisherman
		- Snap
	+ Neckbreaker slam
	+ *Perfect Inside Cradle* (Wrist-clutch inside cradle)
	+ *Pole Shift* (Fisherman driver)
	+ Shooting star press – 2000–2004
	+ Springboard moonsault press
	+ Suicide dive
	+ Tombstone piledriver (Kneeling reverse piledriver, sometimes while trapping the opponent's leg)
* **Entrance themes**
	+ **"Hysteric"** (Noah; 2001–present)

## Championships and accomplishments

* **All Japan Pro Wrestling**
	+ World Junior Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
	+ Champion Carnival (2018)
* **DDT Pro-Wrestling**
	+ KO-D Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with HARASHIMA
* **New Japan Pro Wrestling**
	+ IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
	+ Super J-Cup (2004, 2009)
	+ Tag Team Best Bout (2003) with Kotaro Suzuki vs. Jushin Thunder Liger and Koji Kanemoto on June 10
* ***Pro Wrestling Illustrated***
	+ PWI ranked him #**209** of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2001
	+ PWI ranked him #**57** and **361** of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2006
	+ PWI ranked him #**27** of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2007
	+ PWI ranked him #**90** of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2008
	+ PWI ranked him #**91** of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2009
	+ PWI ranked him #**52** of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2010
	+ PWI ranked him #**70** of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2011
	+ PWI ranked him #**132** of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2012
	+ PWI ranked him #**119** of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2013
	+ PWI ranked him #**130** of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2014
	+ PWI ranked him #**48** of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2015
	+ PWI ranked him #**80** of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2016
	+ PWI ranked him #**160** of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2017
* **Pro Wrestling NOAH**
	+ GHC Heavyweight Championship (4 times)
	+ GHC Junior Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
	+ GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with KENTA (1) and Atsushi Aoki (1)
	+ GHC Openweight Hardcore Championship (1 time)
	+ GHC Tag Team Championship (8 times) – with Minoru Suzuki (1), Takashi Sugiura (2), Toru Yano (1), Maybach Taniguchi (1), Akitoshi Saito (1) , Masaaki Mochizuki (1) and Keiji Mutoh (1)
	+ Differ Cup (2005)
	+ Global League (2015)
	+ Global Tag League (2012) – with Muhammad Yone
	+ Global Tag League (2016) – with Toru Yano
	+ Global Tag League (2017) – with Maybach Taniguchi
	+ First Grand Slam Champion
	+ One Night Six Man Tag Team Tournament (2007) – with Go Shiozaki and Ippei Ota
	+ Two Day Tag Team Tournament (2004) – with Takeshi Rikio
	+ GHC Heavyweight Title Shot Tournament (2007)
	+ Global League Tournament Technique Award (2013)
	+ Global Tag League Outstanding Performance Award (2014) – with Katsuhiko Nakajima
	+ MVP Award (2014)
	+ Best AdmIssion Song Award (2019)
* ***Tokyo Sports***
	+ Rookie Of The Year (1999)
	+ Best Bout Award (2006) vs. KENTA (October 29, 2006)
	+ Best Bout Award (2008) vs. Shuji Kondo (November 3, 2008)
	+ Best Tag Team Award (2003) with KENTA
	+ Outstanding Performance Award (2006, 2018)
* **World Entertainment Wrestling**
	+ WEW Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Tamon Honda
* ***Wrestling Observer Newsletter***
	+ Tag Team of the Year (2003, 2004) with KENTA

## References

1. ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 Marufuji Naomichi (profile)  (in Japanese). *Pro Wrestling Noah*. Retrieved on 2012-02-03.
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 丸藤 正道  (in Japanese). *New Japan Pro Wrestling*. Retrieved on 2016-07-06.
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 "Pro Wrestling Illustrated 500 – 2010: 52 Naomichi Marafuji". *Pro Wrestling Illustrated*. Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, United States: Sports and Entertainment publications LLC. September 23, 2010. p. 35. October 2010.
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 新役員人事について (Appointment of New Directors)  (in Japanese). Pro Wrestling NOAH (2011-10-06). Retrieved on 2012-02-03.
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 Naomichi Marufuji . Online World of Wrestling.
6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 "Pro Wrestling llustrated 500 – 2004 :55 Naomichi Marufuji". *Pro Wrestling Illustrated*. Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, United States: Sports and Entertainment publications LLC. October 2004. p. 25. December 2004.
7. ↑ Cite error: Invalid `<ref>` tag; no text was provided for refs named `GTL2012`
8. ↑ 「Great Voyage 2014 in Tokyo vol.2」方舟進章～有明夏の陣～  (in Japanese). *Pro Wrestling Noah*. Retrieved on 2014-07-05.
9. ↑ プロレスリング・ノア公式サイト | PRO-WRESTLING NOAH OFFICIAL SITE  (in ja).
10. ↑ プロレスリング・ノア公式サイト | PRO-WRESTLING NOAH OFFICIAL SITE  (in ja).
11. ↑ プロレスリング・ノア公式サイト | PRO-WRESTLING NOAH OFFICIAL SITE  (in ja).
12. ↑ プロレスリング・ノア公式サイト | PRO-WRESTLING NOAH OFFICIAL SITE  (in ja).
13. ↑ プロレスリング・ノア公式サイト | PRO-WRESTLING NOAH OFFICIAL SITE  (in ja).
14. ↑ Great Voyage 2015 in Tokyo  (in Japanese). *Pro Wrestling Noah*. Retrieved on 2015-03-15.
15. ↑ プロレスリング・ノア公式サイト | PRO-WRESTLING NOAH OFFICIAL SITE  (in ja).
16. ↑ プロレスリング・ノア公式サイト | PRO-WRESTLING NOAH OFFICIAL SITE  (in ja).
17. ↑ プロレスリング・ノア公式サイト | PRO-WRESTLING NOAH OFFICIAL SITE  (in ja).
18. ↑ プロレスリング・ノア公式サイト | PRO-WRESTLING NOAH OFFICIAL SITE  (in ja).
19. ↑ Destiny 2015  (in Japanese). *Pro Wrestling Noah*. Retrieved on 2015-12-23.
20. ↑ *ja:【試合結果速報致します】「Great Voyage 2016 in Yokohama」1月31日(日)横浜文化体育館大会* (in Japanese). *Pro Wrestling Noah* (2016-01-31). Retrieved on 2016-01-31.
21. ↑ Kreikenbohm, Philip. NOAH The Second Navigation 2016 - Tag 8 « Events Database « CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database .
22. ↑ Kreikenbohm, Philip. NOAH Great Voyage 2016 In Korakuen « Events Database « CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database .
23. ↑ Kreikenbohm, Philip. NOAH Global Tag League 2016 - Tag 9 « Events Database « CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database .
24. ↑ Kreikenbohm, Philip. NOAH Great Voyage 2016 In Osaka « Events Database « CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database .
25. ↑ Kreikenbohm, Philip. NOAH Emerald Spirits In Korakuen « Events Database « CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database .
26. ↑ Kreikenbohm, Philip. NOAH Navigation With Emerald Spirit 2016 - Tag 11 « Events Database « CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database .
27. ↑ Kreikenbohm, Philip. NOAH NTV G+ Cup Junior Heavyweight Tag League 2016 - Tag 1 « Events Database « CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database .
28. ↑ Kreikenbohm, Philip. NOAH Shiny Navigation 2016 - Tag 8 « Events Database « CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database .
29. ↑ Kreikenbohm, Philip. NOAH Autumn Navigation 2016 - Tag 1 « Events Database « CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database .
30. ↑ Kreikenbohm, Philip. NOAH Great Voyage 2016 In Yokohama Vol. 2 « Events Database « CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database .
31. ↑ Kreikenbohm, Philip. NOAH Global League 2016 - Tag 12 « Events Database « CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database .
32. ↑ Kreikenbohm, Philip. NOAH Global League 2016 - Tag 13 « Events Database « CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database .
33. ↑ Kreikenbohm, Philip. NOAH Winter Navigation 2016 - Tag 10 « Events Database « CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database .
34. ↑ Kreikenbohm, Philip. NOAH The First Navigation 2017 - Tag 1 « Events Database « CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database .
35. ↑ Kreikenbohm, Philip. NOAH The Great Voyage 2017 In Yokohama « Events Database « CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database .
36. ↑ Kreikenbohm, Philip. NOAH Countdown To GTL 2017 - Tag 2 « Events Database « CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database .
37. ↑ Kreikenbohm, Philip. NOAH Global Tag League 2017 - Tag 8 « Events Database « CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database .
38. ↑ Kreikenbohm, Philip. NOAH Navigation with Breeze 2017 - Tag 9 « Events Database « CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database .
39. ↑ Best of the Super Jr. X (5/23/03 to 6/11/03) . Strong Style Spirit. Retrieved on 2010-05-08.
40. ↑ Battle Final 2003 (11/24/03 to 12/14/03) . Strong Style Spirit. Retrieved on 2010-05-08.
41. ↑ New Japan Pro Wrestling results for 2004 . Strong Style Spirit. Retrieved on 2010-05-08.
42. ↑ Results New Japan "Super J-Cup 5th Stage", 12/22/09 . Strong Style Spirit (2009-12-22). Retrieved on 2010-01-09.
43. ↑ 43.0 43.1 Results New Japan "SUPER J-CUP 5TH STAGE", 12/23/09 . Strong Style Spirit (2009-12-23). Retrieved on 2010-01-09.
44. ↑ January 4 New Japan Tokyo Dome report – legends, promotional wars . Wrestling Observer (2010-01-04). Retrieved on 2010-01-04.
45. ↑ (Results) New Japan "Dominion 6.19", 6/19 . Strong Style Spirit (2010-06-19). Retrieved on 2010-06-19.
46. ↑ NJPW 40th anniversary Tour. レッスルキングダムⅥ in 東京ドーム  (in Japanese). New Japan Pro Wrestling. Retrieved on 2012-01-04.
47. ↑ カードファイト!! ヴァンガード Presents NJPW 40th anniversary Tour G1 Climax 22 ～The One And Only～  (in Japanese). New Japan Pro Wrestling (2012-08-01). Retrieved on 2012-08-05.
48. ↑ カードファイト!! ヴァンガード Presents NJPW 40th anniversary Tour G1 Climax 22 ～The One And Only～  (in Japanese). New Japan Pro Wrestling (2012-08-05). Retrieved on 2012-08-05.
49. ↑ カードファイト!! ヴァンガード Presents NJPW 40th anniversary Tour G1 Climax 22 ～The One And Only～  (in Japanese). New Japan Pro Wrestling (2012-08-12). Retrieved on 2012-08-12.
50. ↑ 9.23神戸で棚橋vs丸藤が決定! 9.7後楽園で飯伏vsKushida! 次期S、主要カード発表!!  (in Japanese). New Japan Pro Wrestling (2012-08-13). Retrieved on 2012-08-13.
51. ↑ NJPW 40th anniversary Destruction  (in Japanese). New Japan Pro Wrestling. Retrieved on 2012-09-23.
52. ↑ Caldwell, James 2012-09-24. Japan results – Nash & Muta, IWGP Title defense, Low Ki, more . Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved on 2012-09-24.
53. ↑ Destruction  (in Japanese). New Japan Pro Wrestling. Retrieved on 2012-09-29.
54. ↑ King of Pro-Wrestling  (in Japanese). New Japan Pro Wrestling. Retrieved on 2013-10-14.
55. ↑ Road to Tokyo Dome  (in Japanese). *New Japan Pro Wrestling*. Retrieved on 2014-12-20.
56. ↑ Wrestle Kingdom 9 in 東京ドーム  (in Japanese). *New Japan Pro Wrestling*. Retrieved on 2015-01-04.
57. ↑ 2016 New Japan G1 Climax Results . *Pro Wrestling Torch*. Retrieved on 2016-08-12.
58. ↑ Rose, Bryan 2016-10-09. NJPW King of Pro Wrestling live results: Kazuchika Okada vs. Naomichi Marufuji . *Wrestling Observer Newsletter*. Retrieved on 2016-10-10.
59. ↑ Caldwell, James 2013-04-17. ROH News: Japanese star pulled from "Border Wars" tour . Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved on 2013-04-18.
60. ↑ 60.0 60.1 60.2 60.3 Puroresu Central profile . Puroresu Central. Retrieved on 2010-01-12.
61. ↑ Results & Schedules . *Purolove*. Retrieved on 2013-10-11.
62. ↑ http://www.purolove.com/noah/results/results14.php
63. ↑ カードファイト!! ヴァンガード Presents NJPW 40th anniversary Tour G1 Climax 22 ～The One And Only～  (in Japanese). New Japan Pro Wrestling (2012-08-08). Retrieved on 2012-08-11.
64. ↑ Berenstein, Ari 2009-12-31. Column of Honor: 12.31.09: Final Column 2009 Part Five – Top 100 ROH Matches of 2009 # 100–31 . 411Mania. Retrieved on 2010-01-12.
65. ↑ New Japan Pro-Wrestlings (SUPER J-CUP 5th STAGE) Results . Pro Wrestling Noah USA. Retrieved on 2010-01-12.
66. ↑ AJPW World Junior Heavyweight Championship history .
67. ↑ *ja:両国ピーターパン2017～ピーターパン　二十歳になっても　ピーターパン～* (in Japanese). *DDT Pro-Wrestling*. Retrieved on 2017-08-20.
68. ↑ IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship history . Puroresu Dojo. Retrieved on 2010-01-09.
69. ↑ 2003 New Japan Awards . Strong Style Spirit. Retrieved on 2011-04-28.
70. ↑ Pro Wrestling Illustrated (PWI) 500 for 2007 . *The Internet Wrestling Database*. Retrieved on 2015-10-05.
71. ↑ GHC Heavyweight Championship history .
72. ↑ GHC Junior Heavyweight Championship history .
73. ↑ GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship history .
74. ↑ GHC Openweight Hardcore Championship history .
75. ↑ GHC Tag Team Championship history .
76. ↑ Differ Cuo 2005 results .
77. ↑ *ja:グローバル・リーグ戦2015* (in Japanese). *Pro Wrestling Noah*. Retrieved on 2015-11-08.
78. ↑ *ja:グローバル・タッグリーグ戦2016* (in Japanese). *Pro Wrestling Noah*. Retrieved on 2016-05-04.
79. ↑ Cite error: Invalid `<ref>` tag; no text was provided for refs named `Noah050417`
80. ↑ 80.0 80.1 NOAH profile .
81. ↑ http://www.cagematch.net/?id=26&nr=1273
82. ↑ *ja:「グローバル・リーグ戦2013」各賞発表* (in Japanese). *Pro Wrestling Noah* (2013-11-10). Retrieved on 2013-11-10.
83. ↑ *ja:「グローバル・タッグリーグ戦2014」各賞発表* (in Japanese). *Pro Wrestling Noah* (2014-04-28). Retrieved on 2014-04-28.
84. ↑ *ja:「Year End in Korakuen」12月27日(土)後楽園ホール大会 調印式＆試合後コメント＆心に残るプロレス発表* (in Japanese). *Pro Wrestling Noah* (2014-12-28). Retrieved on 2014-12-28.
85. ↑ 85.0 85.1 85.2 85.3 *ja:東京スポーツ　プロレス大賞* (in Japanese). *Tokyo Sports*. Retrieved on 2014-01-20.
86. ↑ WEW Tag Team Championship history .