Yota Tsuji

Tsuji in June 2023

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Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan

**Yota Tsuji** (辻 陽太, *Tsuji Yōta*, born September 8th, 1993) is a Japanese professional wrestler currently signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). He made his debut for NJPW on April 10, 2017, and worked as a "Young Lion" over the following four years.

In September 2021, Tsuji was sent to the British Revolution Pro Wrestling (RPW) promotion to further his wrestling training and gain international experience, a tradition with NJPW "Young Lions", through NJPW's international partnerships. After leaving RPW he worked for the Mexican-based Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL) until May 2023.

He returned to NJPW later that month, repackaged complete with a new look and a new persona known as the "Gene Blast" (ジーン・ブラスト, *Jīn Burasuto*). His quick ascension through the ranks of NJPW, led him to form the "Reiwa Three Musketeers" alongside Ren Narita and Shota Umino.

## Early Life

Before wrestling, Tsuji had played baseball, American football and had done Taekwondo. In March 2012, he graduated from Yokohama Tateno high-school. Four years later, Tsuji graduated from Nippon Sport Science University.

## Professional wrestling career

### New Japan Pro Wrestling (2017–2021)

In April 2017, Tsuji was signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling under the promotion's "young lion" system. The following April, at Lion's Gate Project 11, on April 10, Tsuji made his professional wrestling debut losing to fellow young lion Tomoyuki Oka. As is customary for most professional wrestlers and various young lions, Tsuji spent most of his matches losing to other, more experienced wrestlers, which would help put over other wrestlers while at the same time give Tsuji some in-ring, televised, experience. On September 5, Tsuji got his first professional wrestling victory teaming with Ren Narita facing fellow young lions Shota Umino and Yuya Uemura in a winning effort. After losing most of his matches throughout 2019, Tsuji was granted a chance to enter in the 2019 Young Lion Cup in September during the *Road to Destruction* tour, following a heated rivalry between the young lions of the Japan and L.A. dojos, that was build up during the 2019 G1 Climax and Super J-Cup tours. Tsuji would finish the tournament with a record of two win and five losses, failing to win the tournament. In June 2020, Tsuji took part in the 2020 New Japan Cup, being eliminated from the tournament by Togi Makabe in the first round on June 16. In the following years tournament, Tsuji was defeated by Yuji Nagata on March 9, 2021. In June to July 2021 Tsuji would wrestled series of matches against members of the NJPW roster that ended in him losing all of his matches. NJPW often sends their "Young Lions" on a learning excursion outside Japan, be it the United States of America, Europe, or Mexico, and in July 2021 it was Tsuji's turn, after it was announced on July 26, that Tsuji would begin his excursion in early August, after taking part in New Japan's Summer Struggle events. In his send-off match, he lost to Tetsuya Naito.

### Revolution Pro Wrestling (2021-2022)

Like all young lions, Tsuji then traveled to England to work with NJPW's partner promotion, Revolution Pro Wrestling (RPW) for an extended stay, being given a new wrestling persona. On September 4, Tsuji wrestled his first match overseas in a losing effort against Kyle Fletcher. In November, Tsuji began being recruited by Gideon Grey to join his stable The Legion. Tsuji was conflicted between being part of The Legion or alligning himself with fellow young lion Shota Umino. Tsuji's conflict, resulted in Grey and his stablemate Lucian Phillips attacking Umino during a backstage interview, with Grey setting up match between Tsuji and Umino to decide which side Tsuji would allign. On January 29, at High Stakes, Tsuji was defeated by Umino. Despite losing the match, Umino was accepted to The Legion as both began teaming more frequently. From May 29 until July 3, Tsuji and Umino took part in the 2022 Great British Tag League. They finished the tournament with a record of one win and two losses, failing to advance from their block. In March 2023, Tsuji competed in the Revolution Rumble Entry Tournament, making into the finals of the tournament, where he was defeated by Joshua James.

### Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (2022-2023)

In November 2022, Tsuji began working traveled to Mexico to work with NJPW's partner promotion, Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL) for an brief stay. During his stay in Mexico he dropped his surname and began only using his given name, as he was designated a new wrestling persona, as a "heel" or *rudo* character. Much like various young lions before him, Yota was teamed up with CMLL's resident Japanese worker Okumura and primarily worked on the lower half of the show and often in six-man tag team matches.

### Return to NJPW (2023–present)

On May 3, 2023, at Wrestling Dontaku, Tsuji, once again working under his real name, returned to NJPW as the mysterious wrestler, who had been teased for the past several months, making a surprise appearance after SANADA had defeated Hiromu Takahashi to regain the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship, attacking all members of Just 5 Guys, including SANADA, before singalling his intentions to join *Los Ingobernables de Japón*. The following day, title match was made official for Dominion 6.4 in Osaka-jo Hall. On June 3 at a press conference, Tsuji was officially accepted into *Los Ingobernables de Japon*. The next day, at Dominion, Tsuji unsuccessfully challenged SANADA for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship. His quick ascension through the ranks of NJPW, led to the promotion announcing the formation of the Reiwa Three Musketeers, on June 30, composing of Tsuji, Ren Narita and Shota Umino, with the distinction going back to 1988, when Masahiro Chono, Shinya Hashimoto and Keiji Mutoh were named the original Three Musketeers during an excursion together in Puerto Rico and later in 2004 to Hiroshi Tanahashi, Shinsuke Nakamura and Katsuyori Shibata as the New Three Musketeers, with each becoming indelible figures in NJPW's history. However, Umino was not amused by the announcement, deeming it disrespectful to the original Three Musketeers. However, Tsuji was not amused by the announcement, claiming that NJPW's President Takami Obari claiming that NJPW was clinging to its past. The following month, Tsuji was granted entry into the 2023 G1 Climax, his first G1 Climax tournament. On August 5, he finished the tournament with a record of three wins, one draw and three losses, failing to advance to the quarterfinals of the tournament. On August 13, Tsuji pinned reigning IWGP United Kingdom Heavyweight Champion Will Ospreay in a eight-man tag team match, leading Tsuji to held the IWGP United Kingdom Championship over the fallen Ospreay, setting up at title match at Destruction in Kobe on September 24, which Tsuji failed to win. From November 25 until December 6, Tsuji and CMLL's Zandokan Jr. took part in the 2023 World Tag League, finishing the tournament with a record of three wins, and four losses, failing to advance to the semifinals of the tournament. On December 22, following a match between Just 5 Guys and *Los Ingobernables de Japón*, Tsuji was challenged by career rival Yuya Uemura to a match at Wrestle Kingdom 18, which he accepted. Afterwards, Uemura referenced a promise Tsuji had previously for a singles match between the two. At the event, Tsuji was defeated by Uemura.

## In wrestling

* **Finishing moves**
	+ *Gene Blaster* (Spear)
* **Signature moves**
	+ Arm drag
	+ Back-to-back double underhook piledriver
	+ Boston crab
	+ *Campana* (Boston Crab transitioned into a reverse rocking horse slam)
	+ Camel clutch
	+ Curb Stomp
	+ Deadlift full nelson slam
	+ *Falcon Arrow* (Sitout suplex slam)
	+ Fireman's carry double knee gutbuster
	+ Forearm smash
	+ Headbutt
	+ Lariat
	+ Multiple kick variations
		- Big boot
		- Dropkick
		- Knee strike
		- Jumping bicycle knee strike
		- Superkick
	+ Moonsault
	+ Shooting star press
	+ *Spanish Fly* (Moonsault side slam)
	+ Spinning side slam
	+ STO backreaker followed by a reverse STO followed by a curb stomp
	+ *Quebradora con Giro* (Tilt-a-whirl backbreaker)
	+ *Vuelo de Aguila / Fosbury Flop* (Over the top rope moonsault plancha)
* **Nicknames**
	+ **"Gene Blast"**

## External links

* Yota Tsuji's New Japan Pro-Wrestling profile