KENTA

Profile

KENTA

Name KENTA Real name Kenta Kobayashi Nicknames KENTA Name history Kenta Kobayashi (debut - 07/01), KENTA (07/01 - present) Family Maestro(s) Birth date, location March 12, 1981 - [[ Soka, Saitama], [Japan]] Obituary date Debut, location May 24, 2000 Lost mask to Height 5'8" Weight 176lbs Signature moves Busaiku Knee Kick, Go 2 Sleep Titles: GHC Jr. Heavyweight Title, GHC Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Title

Biography

As one of the last graduates of the All Japan Pro Wrestling dojo before the NOAH split, he debuted in pro-wrestling against Naomichi Marufuji on May 24th in 2000. Shortly thereafter he joined Mitsuharu Misawa (alongside all other native AJPW wrestlers except for Toshiaki Kawada and Masanobu Fuchi), to form Pro Wrestling NOAH. After having injury trouble in the early stages of his career, he gained some muscle to avoid that problem. When he returned after an injury in 2001 he changed his name to KENTA. His first success came along with his tag team partner Naomichi Marufuji, when they won the GHC Jr. Tag Team Titles in July 2003 (which they defended in AAA against Juventud & Aguila), which they held until May 2005. Their team also won the NOAH / Zero 1 Differ Cup in 2005.

In 2004 he moved up the ranks as a sinlge wrestler, when he completed a 7 match trial series, mostly against heavyweight wrestlers. After the loss of the tag team titles, he quickly rose to the ace position of the Jr. division, as he won the GHC Jr. Heavyweight title in July 2005.

With his hard kicks, his fighting spirit and his quick moves, he is one of the most popular wrestlers in Pro Wresling NOAH today, and even a threat for the heavyweight division.