Togi Makabe

For the rugby union player, see Shinya Makabe (rugby union).
Togi Makabe
Makabe in February 2017
Birth nameShinya Makabe
Born (1972-09-29) September 29, 1972 (age 52)[1]
Sagamihara, Kanagawa[1]
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s)Shinya Makabe
Togi Makabe
SweetGorilla Maruyama[2]
Billed height1.81 m (5 ft 11 in)[1]
Billed weight110 kg (243 lb)[1]
Trained byJoe Daigo[3]
NJPW Dojo[4]
Shinjiro Otani[5]
DebutFebruary 15, 1997[1]

Shinya Makabe (真壁 伸也, Makabe Shin'ya, born September 29, 1972),[1] better known by his ring name Togi Makabe (真壁 刀義, Makabe Tōgi) is a Japanese professional wrestler, trained by and performing for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he is a former one-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion, two-time IWGP Tag Team Champion, two-time NEVER Openweight Champion and one-time NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Champion.

Debuting in 1997, Makabe originally wrestled under his birthname as a junior heavyweight (100 kilograms (220 lb), before gaining several kilograms during a global excursion in 2001 and 2002.[4] He changed his given name to "Togi" during the 2004 G1 Climax tournament.[6] His status in New Japan rose significantly in 2007, making it to the finals of the New Japan Cup and the semifinals of the G1 Climax, and challenging Yuji Nagata for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship. After a number of unsuccessful challenges at the title, Makabe finally won the IWGP Heavyweight Championship on May 3, 2010, by defeating Shinsuke Nakamura.

Makabe's wrestling style and character is heavily influenced by the late Bruiser Brody. Known as the "Unchained Gorilla", Makabe is known for his violent, bloody style of wrestling, often illegally employing steel chairs and chains into his offense, including a lariat with a chain wrapped around his arm (like Brody). He also uses Brody's All Japan Pro Wrestling theme "Immigrant Song" (albeit a cover made by Tomoyasu Hotei) as his own.

  1. ^ a b c d e f 真壁 刀義. New Japan Pro-Wrestling (in Japanese). Retrieved 2017-08-30.
  2. ^ "2019.01.21 CMLL FANTASTICA MANIA 2019 Night8 | NEW JAPAN PRO-WRESTLING".
  3. ^ 元新日本プロレス北米支部長の大剛鉄之助さん死去 ７５歳 天山広吉の名付け親. Daily Sports Online (in Japanese). Kobe Shimbun. 2017-11-06. Retrieved 2017-11-06.
  4. ^ a b "Togi Makabe profile". Strong Style Spirit. Archived from the original on 2008-05-24. Retrieved 2010-05-12.
  5. ^ NJPW. "Ace's HIGH #66: On a knee and a prayer | NEW JAPAN PRO-WRESTLING". NJPW. Retrieved 2021-07-26.
  6. ^ "NJPW G1 Climax 2004 tour results". Strong Style Spirit. Archived from the original on 2007-08-19. Retrieved 2007-08-20.