"brother" YASSHI

YASSHI in 2018

###

Uji-shi, Kyoto, Japan

**Yasushi Tsujimoto** (辻本 恭史, *Tsujimoto Yasushi*), better known by his ring name **"brother" YASSHI**, is a Japanese professional wrestler, known for his appearances in El Dorado Wrestling, Dragon Gate, All Japan Pro Wrestling and Pro Wrestling Zero1. He was an amateur wrestler before becoming a pro wrestler. He returned to Dragon Gate early in 2016.

## Career

### Toryumon - Japan

Tsujimoto debuted in Toryumon Japan as part of the T2P class as Stevie "brother" Tsujimoto. He was ranked second, roughly tied with Masato Yoshino, but far behind Milano Collection AT. Both he and Yoshino would join Milano's faction **The Italian Connection**, renaming to YASSINI and YOSSINO respectively. Tsujimoto did not like his new name, and after arguing with Milano, settled on "brother YASSINI".

The Italian Connection began showing a divide, as Milano and YOSSINO were face oriented, whereas YASSINI and fellow ItaCon stablemates Condotti Shuji, Bakery Yagi and Berlinetta Boxer were all heels. YASSINI and Shuji would split from the ItaCon when they attacked Milano and YOSSINO with blue boxes. They renamed to brother YASSHI and Shuji Kondo respectively, and as of 2008 have remained together. Kondo and YASSHI brought Toru Owashi and Shogo Takagi (the unmasked Berlinetta Boxer) into their group, and renamed to Hagure Gundam.

### Dragon Gate - Aagan Iisou

Veteran Dragon Gate wrestler Masaaki Mochizuki joined Hagure Gundam as the leader. The stable renamed to Aagan Iisou, which means roughly *Villains all wear the same colors*. They added Takuya Sugawara into the mix shortly after. Kondo, YASSHI and Sugawara formed a regular three man tag team. Kondo and Mochizuki began to argue over who was the ace of the stable, and Aagan sided with Kondo, kicking Mochi out of the group.

All five members of Aagan Iisou - Kondo, YASSHI, Sugawara, Owashi and Takagi - were fired from Dragon Gate on December 31, 2004, for controversial and mostly unexplained reasons.

### All Japan Pro Wrestling

After Kondo and YASSHI were fired from Dragon Gate, they surfaced in AJPW as part of DG alumni TARU's stable Voodoo Murders. On June 19, 2005 YASSHI and Kondo defeated Katsuhiko Nakajima and Tomoaki Honma in a tournament finals to win the vacated All Asia Tag Team Championship. On July 27 YASSHI unsuccessfully challenged Taka Michinoku for the World Junior Heavyweight Championship. After one successful title defense YASSHI and Kondo lost the titles to Katsuhiko Nakajima and Kensuke Sasaki. On November 20 to December 5 YASSHI and Kondo participated at the 2005 World's Strongest Tag Determination League but they finished the tournament losing every match finishing with 0 points. On January 1, 2006 YASSHI won the January 3 Korakuen Hall Junior Heavyweight Battle Royal. On February 25 to March 10 YASSHI and Kondo participated AJPW Junior Tag League and they finished the tournament with a clean record of four wins and zero losses, advancing to the finals. On March 10 YASSHI and Kondo lost at the finals to Tokyo Gurentai (MAZADA and Nosawa Rongai). On June 25 to July 3 YASSHI participated at the AJPW Junior League at block A. Losing all three of his matches in the tournament, he finished last in block A. On January 1, 2007 YASSHI won the January 3 Korakuen Hall Junior Heavyweight Battle Royal for the second time. YASSHI started a feud with Katsuhiko Nakajima and it started when YASSHI faced Nakajima in a 1 contender match for the World Junior Heavyweight Championship but the match ended in DQ and the match was restarted but it ended in DQ and Nakajima get shot. After Nakajima won the World Junior Heavyweight title YASSHI challenged him to a rematch. On April 30 YASSHI unsuccessfully challenged Nakajima for the World Junior Heavyweight Championship. On May 29 Six Man Tag Team Samurai! TV Cup Triple Arrow Tournament were YASSHI, Kondo and TARU advanced to the finals but lost to Katsuhiko Nakajima, Kensuke Sasaki and Seiya Sanada. On June 24 to July 1 YASSHI participated at the 2007 AJPW Junior League at block B. YASSHI finished the tournament with 2 only at this time defeating only AKIRA. On January 2 YASSHI and HATE participated in a tournament for the vacated All Asia Tag Team Championship YASSHI and HATE lost at the first round to GURENTAI (Minoru Suzuki and NOSAWA Rongai). On the next day YASSHI won the January 3 Korakuen Hall Junior Heavyweight Battle Royal for the third time. In February 2009, "brother" YASSHI left All Japan and the Voodoo Murders after the EXCITE SERIES 2009 Tour.

### Dragondoor/El Dorado

YASSHI and Kondo reprised their alliance in the short lived Dragondoor promotion, as well as their three-man tag team with Takuya Sugawara. Although Toru Owashi and Shogo Takagi were both in the promotion, a full reunion of Aagan Iisou never happened.

In El Dorado, YASSHI split from Kondo for the first time since their early days in the Italian Connection. YASSHI returned to the wrestling and Llave style he used in the early days of his career, and formed a stable of his own called the **Nanking Fucking Wrestling Team** alongside high school wrestling teammates Masaki Okimoto and Yuji Hino. It did not last long as he made few attempts to expand it, and after losing a match to Kondo in which the loser disbanded his faction, YASSHI reformed his alliance with Kondo. YASSHI retired in February 2009.

### Diamond Ring

On December 9, 2012, YASSHI made a special appearance in Kensuke Sasaki's Diamond Ring. On February 11, 2013, he, TARU, Kazunari Murakami, Kengo Nishimura, Kento Miyahara and Taishi Takizawa reformed the Voodoo Murders, with YASSHI positioned as the leader of the group.

### Return to Dragon Gate

On February 4, 2016, YASSHI returned to Dragon Gate, 11 years after his controversial firing, and reunited with his former Italian Connection stablemate, Masato Yoshino. On May 11, YASSHI returned once again turning on Yoshino and Shachihoko BOY and joined VerserK where he was introduced by Naruki Doi as the newest member of VerserK and YAMATO's replacement. On April 24 YASSHI and Doi unsuccessfully challenged Jimmyz (Jimmy Kagetora and Jimmy Susumu) for the Open The Twin Gate Championship. After that YASSHI and Doi participated at the 2016 Summe Adventure Tag League at block A. They finished the tournament with a clean record of five wins and zero losses 10 points, advancing to the semifinals. During the Summe Adventure Tag League YASSHI started a feud with Eita when YASSHI and Naruki Doi defeated Takehiro Yamamura and Kaito Ishida after the match YASSHI attacked Yamamura and Ishida and Eita superkicked YASSHI and shoved him back and YASSHI challenged Eita for his Open The Brave Gate Championship. On September 9 YASSHI and Doi defeated Osaka06 (CIMA and Gamma) to advance to the finals. At the finals, YASSHI and Doi lost to Over Generation (Dragon Kid and Eita) with Eita submitting him before their match. On September 22 YASSHI unsuccessfully challenged for the Open The Brave Gate Championship. On October 5, YASSHI made his last appearance on Dragon Gate, where he Shingo Takagi, Takashi Yoshida, T-Hawk, El Lindaman and Punch Tominaga defeated Jimmyz (Jimmy Susumu, Jimmy Kagetora, Jimmy K-ness J.K.S., Ryo "Jimmy" Saito and Jimmy Kanda) when Kanda turned on Jimmyz and joining VerserK. After disbanding of VerserK on January 13, 2018, the remaining members of VerserK formed ANTIAS. YASSHI was left out of the stable, leading him to return on March 6 siding with Kzy, Tominaga, Genki Horiguchi, and Susumu Yokosuka, who was feuding with ANTIAS. This would lead them to form a new unit on May 3 named Natural Vibes.

In October 2019, YASSHI began helping his mentor Último Drágon in his feud with R.E.D, leading him to join his mentor in December to form the Toryumon stable, after Natural VIbes was suspended by Kzy, as part of a "Generation War" against Dragon Gate and R.E.D. On December 20, at Final Gate, Toryumon was forced to disband, after losing to R.E.D in No Disqualification Losing Unit Disbands match. On July 9, the trio of Aagan Iisou made up of YASSHI, Shuji Kondo and Toru Owashi challenged Masquerade (Dragon Dia, Jason Lee and La Estrella) to a title match for the Open The Triangle Gate Champions at the Speed Star Final. On August 1, at Speed Star Final, the newly returned Aagan Iisou unsuccessfully challenged Dia, Lee and La Estrella for the Open The Triangle Gate Championships. Afterwards YASSHI's Dragon Gate profile was quietly removed from the Dragon Gate roster page, signalling his departure from the promotion.

### Wrestle-1

In the beginning of 2016 YASSHI made his Wrestle-1 debut on starting to appeal Masuyuki Kono to join TriggeR. On March 27 Ashino, Murase and Masayuki Kono were against Kaz Hayashi, Minoru Tanaka, Tajiri for the UWA World Trios Championship but they lost, after the match Kondo accepted YASSHI as the fifth and the new member of TriggeR. On June 8 YASSHI, Kono and Murase failed to win the UWA World Trios Championship by losing to Kaz Hayashi, Minoru Tanaka, Tajiri. On August 11, 2016 at the Wrestle-1 special event Pro Wrestling Love in Yokohama YASSHI teamed with his old-time Aagan Iisou's partner Toru Owashi and Kondo in six man tag team match which they lost to the Michinoku Pro Wrestling originals Kaz Hayashi, Dick Togo and The Great Sasuke. After that, on September 18 YASSHI and Kondo faced Hayashi and Kotaro Suzuki for the vacant Wrestle-1 Tag Team Championship which they lost. On October 8, YASSHI made his Wrestle-1 return where he, Masayuki Kono and Koji Hujinaga defeated Jun Tonsho, Dyna Mido and Idea.

## In wrestling

* **Finishing moves**
	+ *Flying Big Head* (Diving headbutt)
	+ *Kingston* (Kneeling reverse piledriver)
	+ *Nice Jamaica* (Bridging German suplex, sometimes while rolling) - 2003-present; parodied from Don Fujii
	+ *Postore de la Noche* (Rolling crucifix neck crank) - 2000-2003
* **Signature moves**
	+ *69* (Spinning kneeling belly to belly piledriver)
	+ *Bad Boy* (Somersault neckbreaker, sometimes from the top rope)
	+ *Bronx Buster* (Slingshot seated senton to an opponent sitting in the corner)
	+ Falling powerbomb
	+ *Flying Worm* (Slingshot 450° splash)
	+ *Genoa Clutch* (Grounded crucifix necklock transitioned into a crucifix pin)
	+ Inverted Gory special flipped into a sitout wheelbarrow facebuster
	+ Testicular claw
	+ *Turntable* (Rolling grounded arm trap necklock)
	+ *YASSHI Lift* (Pumphandle suplex, with theatrics)
* **With Shuji Kondo**
	+ *Big Boy* (Powerbomb (Kondo) / *Bad Boy* (YASSHI) combination)
	+ *Big Head Train* (Aided headbutt)
	+ *Babylon* (Aided somersault senton)
* **Nicknames**
	+ **"Kazu Yarō"** (Japanese for "Crass Bastard")
* **Entrance themes**
	+ "Brother" by Ayumi Nakamura (used as Stevie "brother" Tsujimoto)
	+ "Platinum Date" by ZEEBRA
	+ **"WARNING"** by 2Backka

## Championships and accomplishments

* **All Japan Pro Wrestling**
	+ All Asia Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Shuji Kondo
	+ January 3 Korakuen Hall Junior Heavyweight Battle Royal (2006, 2007, 2009)
* **Dove Pro Wrestling**
	+ Dove Pro Tag Team Championship #1 Contendership Tournament (2015) - with Yasu Kubota
	+ Dove Pro Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Tida Heat
* **DragonDoor**
	+ Aquamarine Cup Tag Tournament (2005) - with Shuji Kondo
* **Pro Wrestling FREEDOMS**
	+ UWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
* **Pro Wrestling Zero1**
	+ NWA International Lightweight Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Takuya Sugawara
* **Tokyo Sports**
	+ Tag Team of the Year (2006) - with TARU, Suwama, & Shuji Kondo
* **Toryumon Japan**
	+ UWA World Trios Championship (2 times) - with Milano Collection AT and YOSSINO (1), and Condotti Shuji and Toru Owashi (1)

## Footnotes

1. ↑ The UWA Closed in 1995, since then various UWA titles have been used by promotions in Mexico and Japan, this title was promoted by Toryumon Japan at the time YASSHI won it.

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 Profile at Puroresu Central . Puroresu Central. Retrieved on 2013-11-25.
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Chatra, Mo (March 2005). "Toryumon Uncovered". *Power Slam Magazine*. Lancaster, Lancashire, England: SW Publishing LTD. pp. 34–35. 116.
3. ↑ "The history of Puroresu". *Fighting Spirit Magazine*. England: Uncooked Media. November 2006. pp. 38–46. Issue 8.
4. ↑ PWI Staff. "Mid-Year Report: the top 50 stories of the half year (21) Suwama wins Triple Crown Title". *Pro Wrestling Illustrated*. Kappa Publications. p. 80. September 2008 Edition.
5. ↑ 健介が126日ぶりの復帰戦で勝彦から勝利！宮原と滝澤がまさかのVM入りし、TARUは新リーダーにYASSHIを指名！  (in Japanese). *Battle News* (2013-02-11). Retrieved on 2013-02-11.
6. ↑ http://www.purolove.com/ajpw/results/09nyshiningseries.php
7. ↑ http://www.100megsfree4.com/wiawrestling/pages/alljap/ajtourn.htm
8. ↑ http://www.puroresu.com/awards/2000s.html
9. ↑ Universal Wrestling Association World Trios Title . Wrestling-titles.com (2010-01-24). Retrieved on 2010-04-18.