AMAKUSA

AMAKUSA in January 2023

###

Kumamoto, Japan

**Yuki Sato** (佐藤悠己, *Satō Yūki*) is a Japanese professional wrestler currently working for Pro Wrestling Noah (Noah) as **AMAKUSA** (stylized in all capital letters), where he is a former GHC Junior Heayweight Champion.

Sato began his career in 2005, being mostly known for his time in Kaientai Dojo (K-Dojo). During his time with the promotion, Sato became a two-time UWA World Middleweight Champion, a three-time Strongest-K Tag Team Champion, one-time Chiba Six Man Tag Team Champion, and a one-time Kitakami 6-Man Tag Team Champion, while also being the winner of the 2015 Bo-so Golden Tag and K-Survivor Tournaments. Sato would leave the promotion in December 2019, after the promotion became Active Advance Pro Wrestling. Since 2006, Sato began also working for Michinoku Pro Wrestling (MPW), where he also became known under the ring name **Kenbai** (剣舞, *Kenbai*), a reference to a traditional *onikenbai* dancer, during which he held the Tohoku Junior Heavyweight and Tohoku Tag Team Championships.

Since 2019, Sato began working for Pro Wrestling Noah (Noah) under the ring name **Haoh** (覇王, *Haō*) until June 2022, where he was forced to leave the promotion, before returning as **AMAKUSA** in October, subsquently winning the GHC Junior Heavyweight Championship.

Sato also frequently worked for promotions in the Japanese independent circuit such as El Dorado, Dramatic Dream Team, Guts World Pro Wrestling and Ice Ribbon. In the Japanese independent circuit, Sato is a former four-time Ironman Heavymetalweight Champion, one-time GWC Six-Man Tag Team Championship and a one-time International Ribbon Tag Team Champion.

## Early Life

When Sato was in junior high school, he became interested in professional wrestling after reading the "Super Radical Gag Family" manga. He related to the main character, Kotetsu Osawaki, who also aspired to become a professional wrestler.

## Professional wrestling career

### Early career (2005–2011)

After training with Dick Togo and debuting in one of his Super Crew events, Sato started working as an independent wrestler and wandered around Big Japan Pro Wrestling, Dramatic Dream Team, El Dorado, Dragon Gate, and Pro Wrestling Zero1, in all of them wrestling under his true name.

### Michinoku Pro Wrestling (2007–2019)

In March 2007, Sato began working for Michinoku Pro Wrestling, mostly on the undercard as is customary for most professional wrestlers, Sato spent most of his matches losing to other, more experienced wrestlers, which would help put over other wrestlers while at the same time give him some in-ring experience.

In March 2009, Sato was repackaged under the name of "Kenbai" (剣舞, *Kenbai*, Sword Dance), a reference to a traditional *onikenbai* dancer, usually entering the ring with a katana, while also performing a ritual ceremony before his matches. Kenbai soon became part of Michinoku Pro's feud with heel stable Kowloon, leading him to make his debut against Ken45° in a losing effort on March 14. Afterwards, Michinoku Pro's sekigun faced Kowloon as part of a seven match series, with Kenbai losing to Maguro Ooma, as part of a losing series against Kowloon. In August, Kenbai took part in the *2009 Iron Man League*, losing The Great Sasuke, Shinjitsu Nohashi, Kinya Oyanagi, Takeshi Minamino, Rui Hiugaji, Ken45°, and Rasse. In October 2010, Kenbai teamed with The Great Sasuke to take part in the 2010 Nippon TV Cup Junior Heavyweight Tag League, finishing the tournament with a record of one win and three losses, failling to advance to the semifinals of the tournament. In the following year, Kenbai and Kenoh were sent to compete in Pro Wrestling Noah's 2011 NTV G+ Cup Junior Heavyweight Tag League, where they got a big victory over heavy favourite team No Mercy (KENTA and Yoshinobu Kanemaru). On October 9, Kenbai and Kenoh took part in the 2011 Futaritabi Tag Team Tournament losing in the first round to Kowloon's (Fujita Hayato and Rui Hiugaji). Later that month, on October 29, Kenbai and Kenoh returned to Pro Wrestling Noah unsucessfully challenging ANMU (Atsushi Aoki and Kotaro Suzuki) for the GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship.

On June 3, 2012, Kenbai and Rasse defeated The Brahman Brothers (Brahman Kei and Brahman Shu) in a hardcore match to win the Tohoku Tag Team Championship. On August 31, Kenbai took part in the 2012 Fukumen World League, losing in the first round to his partner Rasse. On December 13, Kenbai and Rasse lost the Tohoku Tag Team Championship to Kesen Numajiro and Último Drágon. Knebai and Rasse recieved a rematch on March 17, 2013, unsuccessfully challenging Drágon and Numajiro for the titles. As part of a working relationship between Michinoku Pro and 4 Front Wrestling, Kenbai began defending the 4FW Junior Heavyweight Championship in Michinoku Pro, leading him to lose the title to Ken45° on January 13, 2014. In March, Kenbai took part in a tournament to crown the new Tohoku Junior Heavyweight Champion, losing in the quarterfinals to Manjimaru. In October, Kenbai and Rasse took part in the 2014 Futaritabi Tag Team Tournament losing in the first round to Kameshi and Kesen Numajiro. On October 3, 2015, Kenbai teamed with Kesen Numajiro to take part in the Ink Ray Bull Tag Tournament losing in the first round to Ayumu Gunji and Brahman Kei. In September 2016, Kenbai 2016 Fukumen World Tournament losing to Revolucion in the semifinals on September 9. The following month, Kenbai and Rui Hiugaji took part in the 2016 Futaritabi Tag Team Tournament losing in the semifinals to GAINA and Taro Nohashi. On November 6, Kenbai unusuccessfully challenged Manjimaru for the Tohoku Junior Heavyweight Championship. In June 2017, Kenbai alongside Yapper Man 1 and Yapper Man 2 participated in the Michinoku Trios Tournament losing in the finals to Bad Boy (Ken45, Kengo and Manjimaru).

In October 2018, Kenbai and Rasse took part in the 2018 Futaritabi Tag Team Tournament losing in the semifinals to Koji Kawamura and Yasutaka Oosera. In the following months, Kenbai started feuding with Rui Hiugaji. The rivalry culminated on November 23, where Kenbai defeated Rui Hiugaji in a *Mask vs. Hair Lucha de Apuestas Deathmatch*. As per stipulation, Hiugaji was forced to shave his hair. Afterwards, Kenbai began put his place in the Tohoku Junior Heavyweight Championship picture, leading him to defeat Taro Nohashi on January 12 to win the title. He lost the title to MUSASHI on May 6. In October, Kenbai and Rasse reached the finals of the 2019 Futaritabi Tag Team Tournament losing to Yapper Man 1 and Yapper Man 2 on October 14. On December 13, Kenbai made his last match for the promotion facing MUSASHI in a losing effort.

### Kaientai Dojo (2011–2019)

Since 2011, Sato began working regularly for Kaientai Dojo, leading him to form the Little Galaxy stable with Makoto Oishi, Hiro Tonai and Shiori Asahi. In January, Sato and Asahi took part in the 2011 Kaientai Dojo Tag League, finishing the tournament with a record of one win and two losses, failling to advance to the finals of the tournament. On February 13, Sato joined the promotion full-time, ending his days as a freelancer. On March 30, Sato, Asahi and Tonai defeated Kaji Tomato, Marines Mask, and Taishi Takizawa to win the vacant Chiba Six Man Tag Team Championship, before losing them to Bambi, Ricky Fuji, and Yuji Hino on September 17. The following month, Sato was nominated alongside Tonai, Ryuichi Sekine and Kaji Tomato to take part in a four-man tournament to decide the 1º contender for the Champion of Strongest-K, leading him to be defeated by Sekine in the semifinals on October 8. On December 16, Sato and Tonai defeated Ryuichi Sekine and Saburo Inematsu to win the STRONGEST-K Tag Team Championship, before losing them to Kengo Mashimo, and Taka Michinoku on Jaunary 3, 2012. On November 4, Sato defeated Hiro Tonai and Daigoro Kashiwa in a three-way match to win the UWA World Middleweight Championship. He lost the title to Taka Michinoku on April 14, 2013 at K-Dojo 11th Anniversary show. On May 20, 2014, Little Galaxy made their last match as stable with Sato and Tonai facing Asahi and Oishi in a losing effort to disband the stable.

On December 28, Sato turned heel after joining the Magatsuki stable. On January 25, 2015, Sato defeated Kaji Tomato to win the UWA World Middleweight Championship for the second time, following the help from Magatsuki. From February 28 until March 8, Sato and his Magatsuki stablemate Tank Nagai took part in the 2015 Bo-So Golden Tag Tournament, defeating Bozz Rengo (Saburo Inematsu and Ryuichi Sekine) in the finals to win the tournament. As a result of the tournament, Sato and Nagai received an oppurtunity for the Strongest-K Tag Team Championship unsucessfully challenging SFU (Kaji Tomato and Shiori Asahi) for the titles on April 12. On August 9, Sato took part in the Kaioh Tournament, losing to his Magatsuki stablemate Tank Nagai in the finals. On September 6, Sato and his Magatsuki stablemate Kengo Mashimo defeated Men's Teioh and Taka Michinoku to win the Strongest-K Tag Team Championship following the interference from their Magatsuki stablemate Yuma. On September 27, Sato lost the UWA World Middleweight Championship back to Kaji Tomato in his fourth title defense. On December 27, Magatsuki took part in the 2015 K-Survivor tournament, leading Sato and his stablemates Kengo Mashimo, Tank Nagai, and Yuma to defeat Sekitoba (Hiro Tonai, Kotaro Yoshino, Taishi Takizawa, and Yoshihiro Horaguchi) in the finals to win the tournament. On April 17, 2016, Sato and Mashimo lost the Strongest-K Tag Team Championship to Sekitoba's Kotaro Yoshino and Taishi Takizawa in their fifth title defense, ending their reign at 224 days. On May 22, Sato and his Magatsuki stablemates Kengo Mashimo, and Tank Nagai defeated SFU (Ayumu Honda, Kaji Tomato and Shiori Asahi) to become the inaugural Kitakami 6-Man Tag Team Champions. However the titles would later became inactive after Kaientai Dojo stopped holding charity shows in Iwate, Japan, with the titles being created to promote the shows. In January 2017, Sato and his Magatsuki stablemate Tank Nagai took part in the 2017 Bo-So Golden Tag League, finishing the tournament with a record of one win and two losses, failing to advance to the finals of the tournament. On February 26, Sato and Nagai defeated NEX4 (Ayato Yoshida and Kyu Mogami to win the Strongest-K Tag Team Championship, before losing the titles to Kaji Tomato and Taishi Takizawa on April 23. This led to a short feud between Sato and Nagai, after both started blaming each other for losing the Strongest-K Tag Team Championship, leaing both to agreed to a match, where the loser would be forced to apologize to the other. On May 28, Sato was defeated by Nagai, leading him to be forced to apologize Nagai for losing the titles. On July 15, it was announced that Sato would be undergoing knee surgery and would be out of action for an undisclosed amount of time.

In April, Magatsuki began having a rift, with the stable being divided in Mashimo's side and Nagai's side. This led to on May 27, Sato make his return from injury teaming with Mashimo and Kunio Toshima against Ayumu Honda, Isami Kodaka, and Tank Nagai. The match ended with Honda assulting the referee and Kodaka and Nagai being kicked out of the group, with Sato and Mashimo taking over the leadership of Magatsuki. On July 29, Sato and his Magatsuki stablemates Ayumu Honda and Kyu Mogami defeated Dinosaur Takuma, Kotaro Yoshino and Yuma to win the Chiba Six Man Tag Team Championship, before losing them to Chojin Yusha G Valion, Dinosaur Takuma and Kotaro Yoshino on December 24. On June 20, 2019, Sato was kicked out of Magatsuki after Taishi Takizawa joined the group to replace Sato. On October 12, Sato announced that he would be leaving the promotion on December 11. At the event, Sato was defeated by Kaji Tomato in his last match for the promotion.

### Pro Wrestling Noah (2019–present)

On December 14, Sato made his debut for Pro Wrestling Noah, on KONGOH's self produced, under the ring name "Haoh" (覇王, *Haō*, High King) alongside Hi69, who renamed himself to Nioh, as part of their addition to KONGOH. Haoh and Nioh defeated Junta Miyawaki and Seiya Morohashi in their debut match. Afterwards, Haoh and Nioh challenged Stinger (Atsushi Kotoge and Kotaro Suzuki) to a match for the GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship. On January 4, 2020, at New Sunrise, Haoh and Nioh unsucessfully challenged Kotoge and Suzuki for the GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship. In March, Haoh took part in the 2020 Global Junior League, finishing the tournament with a record of one win and two losses, failling to advance to the finals of the tournament. On July 24, KONGOH produced its second event, *Diamond 2* at Korakuen Hall, with Haoh facing KONGOH's leader Kenoh in losing effort at the main event.

On August 30, after Kotaro Suzuki succesfully defended the GHC Junior Heavyweight Championship against Seiki Yoshioka, Haoh alongside his KONGOH stablemates Nioh and Tadasuke attacked Suzuki with Haoh challenging Suzuki to a title match. However, Suzuki refused it, due to not being beaten by Haoh in a match. On September 13, Haoh pinned Suzuki in a match between KONGOH and Stinger, leading Haoh to challenge him for a second time, which was set for October 11. On September 22, Suzuki returned him the favor in a rematch between KONGOH and Stinger with Suzuki forcing the referee to stop the match, after submitting Haoh. Afterwards, Suzuki labelled him as the "weakest challenger" he ever faced, leading Haoh to attack him four days later. On October 11, Haoh unsucessfully challenged Kotaro Suzuki for the GHC Junior Heavyweight Championship.

On January 16, 2022, following a loss in a six-man tag team match, Haoh began distancing him from the other members of KONGOH. Later that night, Haoh quit the stable and deffected to the NOAH juniors, after being conviced by Daisuke Harada. This led to a feud between him and his former KONGOH stablemates Nioh and Tadasuke, who sought to punish Haoh for leaving KONGOH. His feud with Nioh escalated to a *Lucha de Apuestas*, hair and name vs. hair and name match, on April 29 at Majestic, where Haoh defeated Nioh, forcing his previous stablemate to lose his hair and revert to his previous ring name. Shortly after, Haoh began feuding with former KONGOH stablemate Tadasuke, after he challenged Haoh, where the loser would be forced to leave NOAH. On June 23, Haoh was defeated by Tadasuke, forcing him to leave NOAH.

On October 30, a masked wrestler saved Atsushi Kotoge and Seiki Yoshioka from a post-match attack from Tadasuke and Hi69, before revealing himself to be the returning Haoh, who renamed himself to "Amakusa" *(天草,* Amakusa) (stylized in all capital letters), a reference to the leader of the Shimabara Rebellion. On December 23, AMAKUSA defeated Dante Leon to win the GHC Junior Heavyweight Championship. On January 21 at Wrestle Kingdom 17 in Yokohama Arena, AMAKUSA challenged e IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion Hiromu Takahashi to a match, in a post-match interview, which Takahashi quickly accepted, eager to prove the superiority of NJPW’s junior heavyweights. Initially announced the following day as a potential title match, the match could had instead become a "special singles match", had not Takahashi successfully defended the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship against Yoh on February 5 at The New Beginning in Sapporo. On February 21, at Keiji Mutoh Grand Final Pro-Wrestling "Last-Love", AMAKUSA was defeated by Takahashi in a Champion vs. Champion match. On April 16 at Green Journey in Sendai, AMAKUSA lost the GHC Heavyweight Championship to HAYATA in his fourth title defense. On June 22, after pinning El Hijo de Dr. Wagner Jr. in a six-man tag team match, AMAKUSA challenged him to a title match for the GHC National Championship, which he failed to win on July 9.

## Personal life

On April 18, 2021, Sato's KONGOH stablemate Kenoh tested positive for COVID-19 amid its pandemic in Japan after having a fever warning one day prior to the test. As a result of having been in close contact with him prior to the fever, Sato, along with his fellow KONGOH stablemates Tadasuke and Manabu Soya, were quarantined and removed the from shows for the same length of time.

## In wrestling

* **Finishing moves**
	+ **As Yuki Sato**
		- 450º splash
		- Bridging German suplex
		- Diving double foot stomp
	+ **As Kenbai**
		- Diving double foot stomp
		- *Ganki* (Running leaping double knee drop to a standing opponent's shoulders into a pin)
		- *Oniyanagi* (Diving forearm smash)
	+ **As Haoh/AMAKUSA**
		- *Firebird Splash* (450º splash)
		- *Jumping Cradle* (Arm wrench inside cradle)

* **Signature moves**
	+ Cross kneelock
	+ DDT
	+ Fisherman suplex
	+ *Gesshoku* (Handstand hurricanrana victory roll)
	+ Hurricanrana
	+ Leg trap sunset flip powerbomb
	+ Multiple dropkick variations
		- Missile
		- Standing
	+ Over the top rope suicide somersault senton
	+ Rope-hung Boston crab
	+ Running knee strike
	+ Snap suplex
	+ Suicide dive
	+ Tiger feint kick
	+ Tilt-a-whirl headscissors transitioned into a spinning takedown or DDT
	+ Wheelbarrow bodyscissors bulldog
* **Entrance themes**
	+ "HA-OH" by Takahiro "Anija" Nakamura
	+ **"advent"** by Takahiro "Anija" Nakamura

## Championships and accomplishments

* **4 Front Wrestling**
	+ 4FW Junior Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
* **Dramatic Dream Team**
	+ Ironman Heavymetalweight Championship (4 times)
* **Ice Ribbon**
	+ International Ribbon Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Riho
* **Guts World Pro-Wrestling**
	+ GWC Six-Man Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Dick Togo and Ryan Upin
* **Kaientai Dojo**
	+ Chiba Six Man Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Hiro Tonai & Shiori Asahi (1) and Ayumu Honda and Kyu Mogami (1)
	+ Kitakami 6-Man Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Kengo Mashimo and Tank Nagai
	+ Strongest-K Tag Team Championship (3 times) – with Hiro Tonai (1), Kengo Mashimo (1) and Tank Nagai (1)
	+ UWA World Middleweight Championship (2 times)
	+ Bo-so Golden Tag Tournament (2015) – with Tank Nagai
	+ K-Survivor Tournament (2015) – with Kengo Mashimo, Tank Nagai and Yuma
	+ Tag Team Match of the Year (2015) with Kengo Mashimo vs. Kotaro Yoshino and Taishi Takizawa
* **Michinoku Pro Wrestling**
	+ Tohoku Junior Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
	+ Tohoku Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Rasse
	+ Bar Mimosa Cup (2007)
	+ Michinoku Fairy Tale Cup (2009)
* **Pro Wrestling Noah**
	+ GHC Junior Heavyweight Championship (1 time)

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Profile at Puroresu Central . Puroresu Central. Retrieved on 2013-03-11.
2. ↑ Kaientai Dojo Results: 2013  (in German). PuroLove.com. Retrieved on 2013-04-04.
3. ↑ Kaientai Dojo Results: 2011  (in German). PuroLove.com. Retrieved on 2013-04-04.
4. ↑ Michinoku Pro Wrestling Results: 2012  (in German). PuroLove.com. Retrieved on 2013-04-04.
5. ↑ Michinoku Pro Wrestling Results: 2009  (in German). PuroLove.com. Retrieved on 2013-04-04.
6. ↑ Michinoku Pro Wrestling - "Let's Hold Out, Tohoku! Tohoku Earthquake Revival Charity Rally  (in German). PuroLove.com. Retrieved on 2013-04-04.
7. ↑ Club-K Tour in Kitakami 〜復興支援チャリティー大会〜  (in Japanese). *Kaientai Dojo*. Retrieved on 2016-05-23.
8. ↑ K-Special 〜年内最終興行〜  (in Japanese). *Kaientai Dojo*. Retrieved on 2015-12-28.
9. ↑ K-Award 2015 受賞結果  (in Japanese). *Kaientai Dojo*. Retrieved on 2015-12-28.

## External Links

* Profile at Kaientai Dojo official website