Katsuyori Shibata

Katsuyori Shibata
Shibata in March 2015
Birth name	Katsuyori Shibata
Born	(1979-11-17) November 17, 1979 (age 37) Kuwana, Mie, Japan
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s)	Katsuyori Shibata Makai #4
Billed height	1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Billed weight	95 kg (209 lb)
Billed from	Kuwana, Mie, Japan
Trained by	NJPW Dojo
Debut	October 10, 1999

Katsuyori Shibata (柴田勝頼, Shibata Katsuyori^?, born November 17, 1979 in Kuwana, Mie) is a Japanese professional wrestler and mixed martial artist. In professional wrestling, he is known for his hard hitting offense. He is currently working for New Japan Pro-Wrestling, where he is a former three-time NEVER Openweight Champion and a one-time IWGP Tag Team Champion. He is also a former holder of Revolution Pro Wrestling's British Heavyweight Championship.

Shibata attended Kuwana Kogyo High School in Kuwana, Mie, where he was classmates with Hirooki Goto. The son of former Japan Pro Wrestling Alliance and New Japan Pro Wrestling mid-carder Katsuhisa Shibata, Katsuyori was an amateur wrestler during his school days and was competing at national level in 1997.

Shibata made his professional wrestling debut on October 10, 1999, facing close friend Wataru Inoue at a New Japan Pro Wrestling event. Alongside fellow rookies Hiroshi Tanahashi and Shinsuke Nakamura, Shibata became known as one of the "new Three Musketeers". In 2000, Shibata took part in the 2000 Young Lion Cup, eventually finishing 3rd place with 6 points. During the tournament he was involved in a serious incident when he hit Masakazu Fukuda with an elbow drop during a match. Fukuda was in a coma and died 4 days later in hospital. Shibata and Wataru worked their way up the junior ranks together, though Shibata was a slight step ahead of Inoue throughout their joint rise, and subsequently challenged for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship first against Kendo Kashin on October 28, 2001 but lost. Shibata and Inoue also challenged for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship on two occasions both against The World Class Tag Team but lost both times. By 2003, Shibata graduated to the heavyweight division and joined the Makai Club wrestling as himself and as Makai #4. From there, he continued to rise in the ranks. In July 2003, Shibata challenged for both the IWGP Tag Team Championship and the IWGP U-30 Openweight Championship but failed to win either title. Shibata then entered the 2003 G1 Climax, where he placed 3rd in his block with 5 points. Shibata continued to grow in 2004. On July 19, 2004, he received his first shot at the IWGP Heavyweight Championship against Kazuyuki Fujita but lost by knockout. One month later, he entered the 2004 G1 Climax and won his block scoring eight points and defeated several former IWGP Champions including Masahiro Chono, Shinsuke Nakamura, and Genichiro Tenryu but would lose in the semi-finals to eventual winner: Hiroyoshi Tenzan. Following the G1, Shibata joined Masahiro Chono's new stable: Black New Japan, where he remained until eventually leaving New Japan in January 2005.