Photo of Tetsuya Naito
Acting

Tetsuya Naito

Profession
Acting
Born
June 22, 1982 · Adachi, Tokyo Prefecture, Japan

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.

Known for

All Elite Wrestling: Collision poster
All Elite Wrestling: Collision
Series · 2023 · ★ 7.7
My Dad Is a Heel Wrestler poster
My Dad Is a Heel Wrestler
Film · 2018 · ★ 6.5
AEW x NJPW Present Forbidden Door 2023 poster
AEW x NJPW Present Forbidden Door 2023
Film · 2023
AEW x NJPW Present Forbidden Door 2024 poster
AEW x NJPW Present Forbidden Door 2024
Film · 2024
NJPW G1 Climax 33: Day 16 poster
NJPW G1 Climax 33: Day 16
Film · 2023
NJPW G1 Climax 33: Day 17 poster
NJPW G1 Climax 33: Day 17
Film · 2023
NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 12 poster
NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 12
Film · 2018
NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 13 poster
NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 13
Film · 2019
New Japan Pro Wrestling poster
New Japan Pro Wrestling
Series · 1972
World Wonder Ring Stardom poster
World Wonder Ring Stardom
Series · 2011
NJPW Dominion 6.11 in Osaka-jo Hall 2017 poster
NJPW Dominion 6.11 in Osaka-jo Hall 2017
Film · 2017
NJPW G1 Climax 29: Day 5 poster
NJPW G1 Climax 29: Day 5
Film · 2019

Filmography