Hideki Suzuki

Suzuki in December 2020

###

Hokkaido, Japan

**Hideki Suzuki** (鈴木 秀樹, *Suzuki Hideki*, born February 18, 1980) is a Japanese professional wrestler, currently working for Pro Wrestling NOAH (NOAH), where he is a former two-time GHC Tag Team Champion, as part of Sugiura-gun.

Trained by Billy Robinson, Suzuki started his career with the Inoki Genome Federation (IGF) promotion in 2008. In 2014, he left IGF to become a freelancer, starting to work for promotions such as Big Japan Pro Wrestling (BJW), Pro Wrestling Zero1 and Wrestle-1. He is a former BJW World Strong Heavyweight Champion, Zero1 World Heavyweight, NWA United National Heavyweight, Wrestle-1 Champion and NWA Intercontinental Tag Team Champion. In 2017, Samurai TV named Suzuki the MVP in Japanese independent wrestling. In 2018 Suzuki would become the first male wrestler to win the Ice Ribbon's Triangle Ribbon Championship.

## Professional wrestling career

### Inoki Genome Federation (2008–2014)

With a background in judo and soccer, Suzuki was trained in professional wrestling at the U.W.F. Snake Pit Japan dojo. After four years of training under British wrestler Billy Robinson, he made his debut for the Inoki Genome Federation (IGF) promotion on November 24, 2008, losing to Hiromitsu Kanehara. For the next three years, Suzuki worked undercards of IGF events. His status finally began to rise in 2012 following a match with Peter Aerts. On May 26, 2013, Suzuki won the second Inoki Genome tournament, defeating Akira Joh in the finals. As a result, he received his first shot at the IGF Championship on October 26, but was defeated by the defending champion, Kazuyuki Fujita. The following March, Suzuki left IGF to become a freelancer.

### Independent circuit (2014–2021)

Suzuki then began working regularly for Pro Wrestling Zero1, while also making appearances for promotions such as All Japan Pro Wrestling, DDT Pro-Wrestling, and Pro Wrestling Noah. Suzuki quickly received a shot at Zero1's World Heavyweight Championship, though losing to defending champion, Kohei Sato, on May 6. On August 3, 2014, Suzuki finally won his first professional wrestling championship in Zero1, defeating Tama Williams for the NWA United National Heavyweight Championship. In November, Suzuki took part in special week, where Zero1 co-produced three events with the Wrestle-1 promotion.

Through the continued relationship between Zero1 and Wrestle-1, Suzuki began also making appearances for the latter promotion, where he found himself a rival in KAI. On March 8, 2015, after KAI had captured the Wrestle-1 Championship, Suzuki immediately confronted the new champion and challenged him to a title match. The match took place on April 1 and saw Suzuki defeat KAI in just seven minutes to become the new Wrestle-1 Champion. On May 5, Suzuki put both of his championships on the line at separate Zero1 and Wrestle-1 shows, losing the NWA United National Heavyweight Championship to KAMIKAZE and retaining the Wrestle-1 Championship against Ryota Hama. On June 27, Suzuki returned to IGF for the first time since his departure from the promotion, first defeating Wang Bin in the opening round and then Daichi Hashimoto in the finals to win the Genome-1 2015 Nagoya tournament. Following the win, Suzuki formed an "anti-IGF" stable with foreigners Erik Hammer, Kevin Kross and Knux. On July 12, Suzuki lost the Wrestle-1 Championship back to Kai in his third defense.

On November 1, Suzuki defeated Kohei Sato to win Pro Wrestling Zero1's World Heavyweight Championship. On February 26, 2016, Suzuki returned to IGF, when he was appointed the leader of a new stable named Hagure IGF Gundan ("Rogue IGF Corps"), which also included Kazuyuki Fujita, Kendo Kashin and Shogun Okamoto. On March 27, Suzuki lost the World Heavyweight Championship to Kohei Sato. On March 5, 2017, Suzuki challenged Daisuke Sekimoto for the Big Japan Pro Wrestling (BJW) World Strong Heavyweight Championship. After wrestling to a thirty-minute time limit draw, Suzuki and Sekimoto agreed to a rematch on March 30. Suzuki went on to win the rematch to become the new World Strong Heavyweight Champion. On May 15 Suzuki, Yoshihisa Uto and Takuya Nomura defeated Abdullah Kobayashi, Masaya Takahashi and Takayuki Ueki for the Yokohama Shopping Street 6-Man Tag Team Championship, becoming a double crown champion in the process. On June 3 Suzuki, Uto and Nomura lost the Yokohama Shopping Street 6-Man Tag Team Champions to Ryota Hama, Yasufumi Nakanoue, Shogun Okamoto. On September 14, Suzuki and Kohei Sato defeated Yutaka Yoshie and Shogun Okamoto to win the vacant NWA Intercontinental Tag Team Championship. After five successful title defenses, Suzuki lost the BJW World Strong Heavyweight Championship to Daichi Hashimoto on December 17. Suzuki claimed that losing the title cost him most of his bookings and that he was facing unemployment heading into 2018. On January 1, 2018, Suzuki and Sato lost the NWA Intercontinental Tag Team Championship to Masayuki Okamoto and Yutaka Yoshie. On February 24, 2018 Suzuki defeated Tsukasa Fujimoto and Miyako Matsumoto to become the new Ice Ribbon's Triangle Ribbon Championship, being the first male wrestler to win the title. From March 8 to April 15 Suzuki took part of BJW's Ikkitousen ~ Strong Climb ~, finishing the tournament with a record of four wins and one loss, advancing to the semifinals. On April 14 after Suzuki defeated Yasufumi Nakanoue to advance to the finals, Suzuki challenged finalist and reigning BJW World Strong Heavyweight Champion Daichi Hashimoto into a title match, which he accepted. The title match was later made official in the finals. The following day, Suzuki defeated Hashimoto to win the tournament and to become the new BJW World Strong Heavyweight Champion. On July 8, Suzuki lost the Triangle Ribbon Championship to Akane Fujita. On November 11, Suzuki also lost the BJW World Strng Heavyweight Championship to Daisuke Sekimoto.

### Pro Wrestling NOAH (2019–2021, 2022–Present)

On April 17, after Nosawa Rongai founded the Sugiura-gun stable, Suzuki was introduced as the stable's newest member. In December, Suzuki became part of Sugiura-gun's feud with KONGOH, most notably being attacked by them at Sugiura-gun own event on December 27. On January 4, 2020, at New Sunrise, Suzuki and Kinya Okada faced KONGOH's duo of Kenoh and Yoshiki Inamura in a losing effort. Afterwards, Suzuki attacked Kenoh. On January 25, 2021, Japanese newspapper *Tokyo Sports* reported that Suzuki would be leaving Japan to sign with WWE as a coach in their Performance Center, indicating his departure from the stable.

On February 23, after being released from WWE as part of budget cuts relating to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Suzuki returned to NOAH in a pre-taped vignette, announcing his return to Sugiura-gun to take part in a tournament for the vacant GHC Tag Team Championship at Great Voyage in Yokohama. At the event, on March 13, Suzuki and Sugiura defeated KONGOH's (Kenoh and Masakatsu Funaki) and then Daiki Inaba and Kaito Kiyomiya, in the semifinals and finals, respectively, to win the vacant titles. They lost the titles to Sugiura-gun stablemates El Hijo de Dr. Wagner Jr. and Rene Dupree) on May 4. On July 16, at Destination, Suzuki and Sugiura-gun stablemate Timothy Thatcher defeated Masa Kitamiya and Yoshiki Inamura to win the vacant GHC Tag Team Championship. In August, Suzuki took part in the 2022 N-1 Victory, where he won his block with a record of five wins, one draw and one loss, advancing to finals of the tournament. On September 3, Suzuki was defeated in the finals by Kaito Kiyomiya. On September 25 at Grand Ship In Nagoya, Suzuki and Thatcher lost the GHC Tag Team Championship to Takashi Sugiura and Satoshi Kojima.

On April 16, 2023, at Green Journey in Sendai, Suzuki on the behalf of Saxon Huxley and Timothy Thatcher challenged Shuhei Taniguchi and Takashi Sugiura to a title match for the GHC Tag Team Championship. Shortly after, Suzuki said that Sugiura-gun wasn't working and was over, disbanding the stable.

## Personal life

Suzuki supports Italian soccer team, Juventus FC.

## Other media

Suzuki's first book, entitled *Biru Robinson Den Kyatchi Azu Kyatchi Kyan Nyūmon* (ビル・ロビンソン伝　キャッチ　アズ　キャッチ　キャン入門, "Billy Robinson: Catch as Catch Can Primer"), was released on January 19, 2017. The book is about wrestling techniques taught to Suzuki by Billy Robinson.

## In wrestling

* **Finishing moves**
	+ Double arm suplex – adopted from Billy Robinson
	+ Running Punt Kick
	+ Belly-To-Back Backbreaker
	+ Royal Strech
* **Signature moves**
	+ Ankle hold
	+ Cradle tombstone piledriver
	+ Bridging German suplex
	+ Butterfly suplex
	+ Snap suplex
* **Nicknames**
	+ "Nidaime Ningen Kazaguruma" (Japanese for "Second Generation Human Windmill")
	+ "Billy Robinson Saigo no Deshi" (Japanese for "Billy Robinson's Last Disciple")
* **Entrance themes**
	+ "Rock Is Dead" by Marilyn Manson
	+ "Welcome to the Jungle" by Guns N' Roses

## Championships and accomplishments

* **Big Japan Pro Wrestling**
	+ BJW World Strong Heavyweight Championship (2 times)
	+ Yokohama Shopping Street 6-Man Tag Team Championship (3 times)  – with Takuya Nomura and Yoshihisa Uto (1) and Abdullah Kobayashi and Yoshihisa Uto (2)
	+ Ikkitousen ~ Strong Climb ~ (2018)
* **Ice Ribbon**
	+ Triangle Ribbon Championship (1 time)
* **Inoki Genome Federation**
	+ 2nd Inoki Genome Tournament (2013)
	+ Genome-1 2015 Nagoya
* ***Pro Wrestling Illustrated***
	+ PWI ranked him #**181** of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2015
	+ PWI ranked him #**212** of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2017
* **Japan Indie Awards**
	+ MVP Award (2017)
* **Pro Wrestling BASARA**
	+ Shinjuku Strongest Ground Budokai Tournament (2017)
* **Pro Wrestling Noah**
	+ GHC Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Takashi Sugiura (1) and Timothy Thatcher (1)
* **Pro Wrestling Zero1**
	+ World Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
	+ NWA Intercontinental Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Kohei Sato
	+ NWA United National Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
* ***Tokyo Sports***
	+ Technique Award (2017)
* **Toshikoshi Puroresu**
	+ New Year's Eve Shuffle Tag Tournament (2017) – with Konosuke Takeshita
* **Wrestle-1**
	+ Wrestle-1 Championship (1 time)

## References

1. ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 ja:鈴木 秀樹 (in Japanese). *Wrestle-1*. Archived from the original on 2015-02-18. Retrieved on 2015-06-18.
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 2.9 *ja:鈴木 秀樹* (in Japanese). *Inoki Genome Federation*. Retrieved on 2015-06-18.
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 *ja:鈴木 秀樹* (in Japanese). *U.W.F. Snake Pit Japan*. Retrieved on 2015-06-18.
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 *ja:ＩＧＦからフリーに 鈴木秀樹「年間１００試合」目標* (in Japanese). *Tokyo Sports* (2014-03-19). Retrieved on 2015-06-18.
5. ↑ Genome26  (in Japanese). *Inoki Genome Federation*. Retrieved on 2015-06-18.
6. ↑ Genome29  (in Japanese). *Inoki Genome Federation*. Retrieved on 2015-06-18.
7. ↑ *ja:鈴木が電撃登場！４月ゼロワン参戦へ* (in Japanese). *Daily Sports Online*. Kobe Shimbun (2014-03-31). Retrieved on 2015-06-18.
8. ↑ *ja:鈴木秀樹がＷ―１とゼロワン「王座統一」プラン激白* (in Japanese). *Tokyo Sports* (2015-03-03). Retrieved on 2015-06-18.
9. ↑ *ja:カシンが「ダーク・キングダム」入りの鈴木秀樹を断罪* (in Japanese). *Tokyo Sports* (2014-06-11). Retrieved on 2015-06-18.
10. ↑ *ja:ハードヒット〜G-generation〜* (in Japanese). *DDT Pro-Wrestling*. Retrieved on 2015-06-18.
11. ↑ *ja:Great Voyage 2014 in Niigata ～大航海×大花火～* (in Japanese). *Pro Wrestling Noah*. Retrieved on 2015-06-18.
12. ↑ Takagi, Hiromi 2014-05-06. *ja:Ｖ１王者・佐藤耕平がＷ−１を「叩き潰す」 弾丸ヤンキースがタッグ王座２冠へ王手* (in Japanese). *Sports Navi*. Yahoo!. Retrieved on 2015-06-18.
13. ↑ *ja:ＩＧＦ離脱から４か月…鈴木がＮＷＡ・ＵＮ王座奪取* (in Japanese). *Tokyo Sports* (2014-08-04). Retrieved on 2015-06-18.
14. ↑ *ja:「Kassen ～合戦 Zero1vsW-1全面対抗戦～」11/5～11/7新宿大会全対戦カード決定のお知らせ* (in Japanese). *Wrestle-1* (2014-10-10). Retrieved on 2015-06-18.
15. ↑ *ja:４・１Ｗ－１王座挑戦 鈴木秀樹「Kaiは王者失格」* (in Japanese). *Tokyo Sports* (2015-03-13). Retrieved on 2015-06-18.
16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 *ja:鈴木秀樹がＷ－１王座奪取* (in Japanese). *Tokyo Sports* (2015-04-02). Retrieved on 2015-06-18.
17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 Takagi, Hiromi 2015-04-01. *ja:Ｗ−１新王者・鈴木秀樹が武藤戦を熱望 「みんなも見たいでしょ」と自信満々* (in Japanese). *Sports Navi*. Yahoo!. Retrieved on 2015-06-18.
18. ↑ *ja:Zero1 5.5後楽園大会　弾丸ヤンキースvs.大谷＆耕平のインターコンチタッグ戦、稔vs.日高のJr2冠戦* (in Japanese). *Battle News* (2015-05-05). Retrieved on 2015-06-18.
19. ↑ *ja:鈴木がＷ—１チャンピオンシップ初防衛* (in Japanese). *Tokyo Sports* (2015-05-06). Retrieved on 2015-06-18.
20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 Genome34  (in Japanese). *Inoki Genome Federation*. Retrieved on 2015-07-02.
21. ↑ *ja:圧倒Ｖの鈴木秀樹がＩＧＦリングでやりたい放題* (in Japanese). *Tokyo Sports* (2015-06-29). Retrieved on 2015-06-29.
22. ↑ Wrestle-1 Tour 2015 Symbol  (in Japanese). *Wrestle-1* (2015-07-12). Retrieved on 2015-07-12.
23. ↑ *ja:W-1 7.12後楽園大会　鈴木vs.KaiのW-1チャンピオンシップ、246vs.new Wild orderのタッグ王座戦、稔vs.吉岡のクルーザー級王座戦* (in Japanese). *Battle News* (2015-07-12). Retrieved on 2015-07-12.
24. ↑ *ja:Kai王座奪取もブーイング…武藤がトーナメント開催提案* (in Japanese). *Tokyo Sports* (2015-07-13). Retrieved on 2015-07-13.
25. ↑ 25.0 25.1 *ja:11/1新木場1stリング大会試合結果* (in Japanese). *Pro Wrestling Zero1* (2015-11-01). Retrieved on 2015-11-01.
26. ↑ *ja:「はぐれＩＧＦ軍団」のリーダーに鈴木秀樹* (in Japanese). *Tokyo Sports* (2016-03-01). Retrieved on 2016-03-01.
27. ↑ *ja:【ゼロワン靖国】佐藤耕平が世界ヘビー級王座奪還* (in Japanese). *Tokyo Sports* (2016-03-27). Retrieved on 2016-03-27.
28. ↑ *ja:大日本・関本が鈴木と大熱戦ドロー防衛、３・３０後楽園で再戦約束* (in Japanese). *Daily Sports Online*. Kobe Shimbun (2017-03-05). Retrieved on 2017-03-05.
29. ↑ *ja:【大日本】関本Ｖ２ 鈴木との再戦まで生きがいのウエートトレ封印* (in Japanese). *Tokyo Sports* (2017-03-06). Retrieved on 2017-03-06.
30. ↑ *ja:鈴木が“引き分け再試合”で関本下してストロング王座奪取* (in Japanese). *Daily Sports Online*. Kobe Shimbun (2017-03-31). Retrieved on 2017-03-31.
31. ↑ *ja:【大日本】ストロング王座奪取　鈴木秀樹が次期挑戦者を面接？* (in Japanese). *Tokyo Sports* (2017-03-31). Retrieved on 2017-03-31.
32. ↑ *ja:『Zero１　ドリームシリーズ　』* (in Japanese). *Pro Wrestling Zero1*. Retrieved on 2017-09-14.
33. ↑ *ja:故橋本真也さんの長男橋本大地が初ベルト　大日本* (in Japanese). *Nikkan Sports* (2017-12-17). Retrieved on 2017-12-17.
34. ↑ *ja:鈴木秀樹「技能賞」受賞後ろくなことなし！？　ベルト失いオファー激減* (in Japanese). *Tokyo Sports* (2017-12-30). Retrieved on 2017-12-30.
35. ↑ *ja:Zero1「謹賀新年」* (in Japanese). *Pro Wrestling Zero1*. Retrieved on 2018-01-01.
36. ↑ Hideki Suzuki [@Hideki55Suzuki] 2022-05-22. 😢 .
37. ↑ *ja:鈴木秀樹やっと宣言 はぐれＩＧＦ軍団“放牧”* (in Japanese). *Tokyo Sports* (2017-01-17). Retrieved on 2017-01-17.
38. ↑ *ja:鈴木秀樹がみのると“リアル鈴木軍”結成？Kenso、鼓太郎も“候補”* (in Japanese). *Tokyo Sports* (2014-07-02). Retrieved on 2015-06-18.
39. ↑ *ja:★BJW認定世界ストロングヘビー級王座★* (in Japanese). *Big Japan Pro Wrestling*. Retrieved on 2017-03-31.
40. ↑ Pro Wrestling Illustrated (PWI) 500 for 2015 . *The Internet Wrestling Database*. Retrieved on 2015-10-05.
41. ↑ *ja:内藤哲也が２年連続プロレス大賞…オカダＶＳオメガがベストバウト* (in Japanese). *Yahoo! Japan* (2017-12-14). Retrieved on 2017-12-14.