AXIZ is a professional wrestling tag team consisting of Go Shiozaki and Katsuhiko Nakajima, currently signed to Pro Wrestling Noah (NOAH), where they are a former three-times GHC Tag Team Champions.
The team was formed by Go Shiozaki and Katsuhiko Nakajima in December 2018 and the duo subsequently won the GHC Tag Team Championship, before losing the titles later that month. Shortly after, Shiozaki and Nakajima named their team AXIZ and quickly regained the GHC Tag Team Championship in February 2019, defeating the 50 Funky Powers. During their three-month reign, AXIZ reached the finals of the 2019 Global Tag League losing to Sugiura-gun (Takashi Sugiura and Kazma Sakamoto), leading AXIZ to lose their titles to Sugiura-gun in June. Later that month, AXIZ regained the GHC Tag Team Championship for the third time, breaking the record for most reigns as the GHC Tag Team Champions. After holding the titles for five months, AXIZ lost the GHC Tag Team Championship in January 2020.
History
Background
Go Shiozaki and Katsuhiko Nakajima were initially rivals, in which Shiozaki was trained by Kenta Kobashi, while Nakajima was trained by Kensuke Sasaki and the two stood as seconds during a match between their mentors on July 18, 2005. Afterwards, Shiozaki and Nakajima went on their separate ways. Afterwards, both Nakajima and Shiozaki would achieve individual success in All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW) and Pro Wrestling Noah (Noah), before Shiozaki returned to Noah in 2015. Shiozaki and Nakajima would face each other March 12, 2017 at Great Voyage in Yokohama for the GHC Heavyweight Championship, which Nakajima won the match.
Formation and first reign as GHC Tag Team Champions (2018)
In December 2018, Shiozaki and Nakajima formed a team, and the duo took part in a tournament for the vacant GHC Tag Team Championship. On December 7, Shiozaki and Nakajima defeated Kenoh and Masa Kitamiya in a tournament final to win the vacant GHC Tag Team Championship. Afterwards, Shiozaki and Nakajima were challenged by Hooligans (Maybach Taniguchi and Yuji Hino) to a match for their titles. On December 16 at The Great Voyage 2018 in Yokohama vol.2, Shiozaki and Nakajima lost the GHC Tag Team Championship to Hooligans. On January 6, 2019, Shiozaki and Nakajima received their rematch for GHC Tag Team Championship losing to Taniguchi and Hino, after their Hooligans stablemates interfered in the match.
Second and record breaking third reign as GHC Tag Team Champions (2019–2020)
Later in January, Shiozaki and Nakajima named their team "AXIZ". Afterwards, on February 12, AXIZ faced GHC Tag Team Champions 50 Funky Powers Muhammad Yone and Quiet Storm in a non-title match. Nakajima would scored the victory for AXIZ, after Nakajima pinned Storm. After Atsushi Kotoge and Eddie Edwards couldn't challenge for the GHC Tag Team Championship, due to Kotoge's shoulder injury, Noah announced AXIZ as the next challengers to the GHC Tag Team Championship. On February 24, 2019, AXIZ defeated 50 Funky Powers Muhammad Yone and Quiet Storm to win the GHC Tag Team Championship for the second time. In March, after Eddie Edwards returned to Pro Wrestling Noah, Edwards and Masa Kitamiya became AXIZ first challengers, leading AXIZ to make their first successful title defense against Edwards and Kitamiya on March 10. From April 7 until April 30, AXIZ took part in the 2019 Global Tag League, finishing the tournament with a record of
On June 13, AXIZ lost the titles to Takashi Sugiura and Kazma Sakamoto. They would win the titles back on June 27. On January 4, 2020 at New Sunrise, Shiozaki defeated Kaito Kiyomiya to win the GHC Heavyweight Championship. The following day at Reboot, AXIZ lost the GHC Tag Team Championship to Masaaki Mochizuki and Naomichi Marufuji.
In wrestling
- Nakajima's finishing moves
- Vertical Spike (Brainbuster)
- Shiozaki's finishing moves
- Go Flasher (Vertical suplex lifted and dropped into a headlock elbow drop)
- Gowan Lariat (Lariat)
- Limit Break (Wrist-clutch inverted scoop brainbuster)
Championships and accomplishments
- Pro Wrestling NOAH
- GHC Heavyweight Championship (1 time, current) – Shiozaki
- GHC Tag Team Championship (3 times)
- Best Tag Team Award (2019)