Tetsuya Naito
Adachi, Tokyo Prefecture, Japan
Gender
Birthday
Popularity
Biography
Tetsuya Naito is a Japanese professional wrestler best known for his 21-year run in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) from 2004 to 2025, where he led Los Ingobernables de Japón and is widely seen as one of the greatest and most popular wrestlers in the company’s history. He now works as a freelancer, primarily appearing for Westside Xtreme Wrestling (wXw) and Pro Wrestling NOAH (NOAH) alongside BUSHI, where the pair are one-time GHC Tag Team Champions. He started training in 2000 under Animal Hamaguchi and joined NJPW in 2004 as a Young Lion in the company’s dojo. In NJPW, he built a decorated career as a five-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion and eight-time IWGP Intercontinental Champion, while also holding the NEVER Openweight Championship. As part of No Limit with Yujiro Takahashi, he held the IWGP Tag Team Championship and the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship. He later added two more IWGP Tag Team Championship reigns with SANADA and Hiromu Takahashi. In tournament competition, he won the G1 Climax three times (2013, 2017, 2023), the New Japan Cup in 2016, and later the World Tag League in 2023 with Hiromu Takahashi. Over time, Naito grew into one of NJPW's most accomplished and decorated figures, earning Tokyo Sports MVP honors (2016, 2017, 2020, 2023), the Technique Award (2018), the Best Bout Award in 2020 for his match against Kazuchika Okada on January 5 at Wrestle Kingdom 14, and Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards for Best Gimmick (2017) with Los Ingobernables de Japón, Most Charismatic (2017, 2018), and Japan MVP (2020). He was inducted into the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame in 2022 and was ranked No. 5 in the PWI 500 in both 2020 and 2024.
Movie Credits
NJPW Wrestle Grand Slam in MetLife Dome: Night 2
NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 17: Night 2 in Yokohama Arena
NJPW The New Beginning In Sapporo 2023 - Day 1
NJPW The New Beginning In Sapporo 2023 - Day 2
NJPW 51st Anniversary Event & New Japan Cup 2023: Day 2
NJPW The New Beginning In Sapporo 2024 - Day 1
NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 17: Night 1 in Tokyo Dome
NJPW Presents CMLL Fantastica Mania 2015 - Day 6
NJPW The New Beginning In Sapporo 2024 - Day 2
NOAH: Keiji Muto Grand Final Pro-Wrestling "Last" Love ～Hold Out～
NOAH: Star Navigation 2024 - One Night Dream 2
NJPW Dominion 6.9 In Osaka-Jo Hall ~ Best of the Super Junior 31 Final ~ 2024
NJPW Best of the Super Junior 23 - Day 14 (Final)
NJPW Power Struggle ~ Super Junior Tag League 2019
NJPW Power Struggle ~ Super Junior Tag League 2023
NJPW The New Beginning In Sapporo 2018 - Day 1
NJPW 52nd Anniversary Event & New Japan Cup 2024 - Day 1
NJPW Shingo Takagi's 20th Debut Anniversary Event
NJPW Power Struggle 2018 ~ Super Junior Tag League 2018 Final
NJPW Best of the Super Junior 26 - Day 15 (Final)
NJPW The New Beginning In Sapporo 2020 - Day 2
NJPW The New Beginning In Sapporo 2020 - Day 1
NJPW Presents CMLL Fantastica Mania 2011 - Day 1
NJPW Presents CMLL Fantastica Mania 2011 - Day 2
NJPW & AJPW 40th Anniversary: We Are Pro-Wrestling Love
NJPW The New Beginning in Hiroshima 2021 - Night 1
NJPW The New Beginning in Hiroshima 2021 - Night 2
NJPW Wrestling Life 40th Anniversary Yuji Nagata Produce Blue Justice XIV
NJPW Power Struggle ~ Super Junior Tag League 2024
NJPW x AEW x CMLL x ROH x STARDOM: Wrestle Dynasty
NJPW Blue Justice XV - Wrestling Life 40th Anniversary Yuji Nagata
NJPW The New Beginning In Sapporo 2019 - Day 1
NJPW The New Beginning In Sapporo 2019 - Day 2
NJPW The New Beginning In Sapporo 2018 - Day 2
ROH & NJPW & RPW & CMLL: War of the Worlds UK - Day 1
ROH & NJPW & RPW & CMLL: War of the Worlds UK - Day 2
ROH & NJPW & RPW & CMLL: War of the Worlds UK - Day 3
NOAH Lethal Odyssey Tour 2026 ~Noto Peninsula Earthquake Recovery Charity Event~
