Keisuke Okuda (奥田啓介 Okuda Keisuke, born June 5, 1991, in Tsu, Mie, Japan) is a Japanese professional wrestler and mixed martial artist, currently working as a freelancer.
Before starting his professional wrestling career, Okuda competed in mixed martial arts at Inoki Genome Federation (IGF) lightweight division. Okuda transitioned is mixed martial arts career to a professional wrestling career continuing to work on IGF and later in its sub-brand NEW in 2017, where he was supposed to become one of the aces of the promotion. However, after three months, the promotion closed due to ongoing disputes and Okuda quit the promotion. He would start working as a freelancer most notably in DDT Pro-Wrestling (DDT) before beginning to work full-time for Dragon Gate in 2019. He would work for the promotion for three years, holding the Open The Brave Gate Championship, before leaving the promotion in 2022.
Early life[]
Okuda started to watch wrestling during elementary school and also practiced karate. At junior high school, Okuda alongside his friend Akira Jo were recruited by Inoki Genome Federation and later made his professional wrestling debut in a sparring match against Jo for just ten minutes. After graduating Okuda practiced wrestling, but mixed martial artist Genki Sudo convinced him on persuing a mixed martial artist. He would work in a pharmaceutical company after graduating but quit the job after one month and later worked for a restaurant before quitting to pursue his professional wrestling career.
Professional wrestling career[]
Inoki Genome Federation and NEW (2009–2013)[]
Okuda began working for Inoki Genome Federation in 2009, making a sparring match against Akira Jo on November 3, 2019, which ended in a time limit draw after ten minutes. After finishing his mixed martial arts career, Okuda started his training to become a professional wrestler making his official debut on December 31, 2013, in a rematch against Akira Jo, which ended in a time limit draw for a second time. Okuda worked regularly for the promotion mostly in tag team and six-man tag team matches. In 2017, Okuda began working for IGF's sub-brand New Exciting Wrestling (NEW). Okuda returned to the promotion on April 20 facing Shinya Aoki in a time limit draw. The two faced each other in a rematch on April 30, which Aoki won. Later that year, Okuda was part of the feud between Kazunari Murakami and NEW, in which Okuda was supposed to be pushed as one of the aces of the promotion. However, after three months, the promotion closed due to ongoing disputes Antonio Inoki and Simon Inoki, leading Okuda, Akira Jo, Mitsuyoshi Nakai, and Shinya Aoki to leave the promotion.
DDT Pro-Wrestling and DDT New Attitude (2017–2019)[]
On September 7, 2017, Okuda made his debut in DDT Pro-Wrestling sub-brand, DDT New Attitude (DNA) teaming with Mizuki Watase in a winning effort Kouki Iwasaki and Nobuhiro Shimatani, with Okuda pinning Iwasaki. After the match, Okuda and Iwasaki started to attack each other, with Okuda later started to berating DNA wrestlers. Watase and Shimatani challenged him to a match, leading on October 12 Okuda and Akira Jo defeating Watase and Shimatani. After the match, in a backstage interview, Okuda complained about DNA wrestlers being weak. Shimatani would challenge Okuda to a rematch on November 9, which Okuda won. Later that night, Okuda and Jo attacked Kota Umeda and MAO, and aligned themselves with Naomi Yoshimura and Kengo, claiming that this was his plan from the beginning. On December 13, Okuda along with Yoshimura and Jo attacked Iwasaki, MAO, and Umeda, afterwards the two teams faced each other in a match, which Iwasaki, MAO, and Umeda won. Okuda, Yoshimura, and Jo faced Iwasaki, MAO, and Umeda in a rematch on January 21, 2018, which Okuda, Yoshimura, and Jo won. Afterwards, Iwasaki challenged Okuda to a match, which Okuda accepted. Three days later, Okuda, Yoshimura, Jo and Kengo formed a stable named Naomi Kingdom. On February 14, Okuda lost to Iwasaki. In March, Okuda and Kengo took part of the DNA Super Tag Tournament, losing to Yuki Ueno and Koju Takeda in the quarter-finals, after Okuda attacked the referee. In June, Naomi Kingdom ended their feud with DNA after Yoshimura lost to Kota Umeda. On August 10, Naomi Kingdom faced each other for the last time, with Okuda teaming with Jo in a losing effort against Kengo and Yoshimura. Afterwards, Yoshimura disbanded the Naomi Kingdom, after DNA ended was suspended and stopped promoting shows.
On September 23, Okuda announced that he had signed with DDT for a full-time deal. In February 2018, Okuda started a short feud with HARASHIMA, after Okuda started to provoke him, the two would start to attack each other, leading Tetsuya Koda to book a match between them on February 10 at the 20th episode of DDT Live! Maji Manji. At the episode on February 10, Okuda lost to HARASHIMA. In November Okuda started another feud this time with Yuki Iino after defeating him in their match. In January 2019, Okuda and Shinya Aoki were involved in a Twitter feud, leading the two to agree to a Falls Count Anywhere match on January 23, which Aoki won. Okuda remained with the promotion until April. On April 28 at Max Bump, Okuda teamed with Yuki Ueno and Naomi Yoshimura in his Farewell match defeating Kota Umeda, Mizuki Watase, and Yuki Iino. The following day, Okuda made his last match for the promotion teaming with Makoto Oishi in a winning effort against Mizuki Watase and Yuki Iino.
Dragon Gate (2018, 2019–2022)[]
Since 2018, Okuda began making sporadic appearances in Dragon Gate teaming with his friend Ben-K on two occasions, while also being aligned with R.E.D due to his friendship with Ben-K. In May 2019, Okuda began making more appearances for the promotion, but this time he was not aligned with R.E.D. In June, Okuda started feuding with Masaaki Mochizuki, with Mochizuki challenging him to a match on July 4, which he accepted. Leading to the match, Mochizuki mocked Okuda for taking a long time for his first win. Meanwhile, Okuda tried to break Hyou Watanabe's arm. At the event on July 4, Mochizuki defeated Okuda. Afterwards, Mochizuki offered him to join the Mochizuki Dojo. Initially, Okuda was reluctant, but ended he accepting, becoming the newest member of the stable. Despite joining the stable, there were some tensions between Okuda and Watanabe, and on September 11, after Okuda accidentally attacked Watanabe, which cost him his match against Kaito Ishida, the two were involved in a heated confrontation until Mochizuki proposed a match between the two, which Ishida later asked to part of it, leading Mochizuki to accept. At the match, on October 8, Watanabe turned on Okuda and joined R.E.D. In December, after Mochizuki Dojo was temporarily suspended, he entered the Dragon Gate stable in order to unite all Dragon Gate generation of wrestlers against Toryumon and R.E.D in a "Generation War". From May 16 until May 23, Okuda took part in the 2020 King of Gate, losing in the second round to Kaito Ishida, eliminating him from the tournament.
Over the past several events, Kaito Ishida tried to conciliate with Okuda and get him to join R.E.D on multiple occasions, but was turned down each time. On August 12, R.E.D began teasing a new member, with his identity being kept in secret under the disguise of Dr. Muscle, known as the Yellow Masked Demon, respectively. On September 9, Ben-K accused Okuda of being the Yellow Masked Demon, witth Okuda refuting the accusations, R.E.D revealed that they were going to reveal the identity of the Yellow Masked Demon on October 7. At the October 7 event, Dragon Gate (Ben-K, Kota Minoura, Kzy and YAMATO) faced R.E.D (BxB Hulk, Eita, KAI and Kaito Ishida). Okuda interfered during the match, revealing himself to be Yellow Masked Demon. Afterwards, Kaito Ishida urged Okuda to attack Ben-K, leading Okuda to turn on Ishida instead, causing Dragon Gate to win the match. Following the match, Okuda revealed to be on Dragon Gate's side and challenged Ishida to a match for the Open The Brave Gate Championship. On November 3, at Gate of Destiny, Okuda defeated Kaito Ishida to win the Open The Brave Gate Championship. On December 27, after R.E.D forced Toryumon to disband, YAMATO decided to disband the Dragon Gate Generation stable, ending the "Generation War".
Following the disbanding of Dragon Gate, in January, Okuda began a short feud with former Dragon Gate stablemate Punch Tominaga, after Okuda had defeated him in less than three minutes. After being defeated by Okuda in a rematch on January 13, Tominaga challenged Okuda to another rematch, which culminated in Okuda defeating Tominaga on January 31 in a two out of three falls match. On February 5, Okuda formed a stable with Ben-K, Dragon Kid, and YAMATO, with the name of the stable being revealed on March 4. At the event, the new stable was named High-End. In May, Okuda took part in the 2021 King of Gate, finishing the tournament with a record of two wins, one draw and one loss, failling to advance to the semifinals of the tournament.
On June 12, at Genki Horiguchi's homeshow, Horiguchi and Okuda faced each other in a six-man tag team match, which Horiguchi's team won, after Horiguchi pinned Okuda. Afterwards, Horiguchi challenged Okuda to a title match for the Open The Brave Gate Championship, with the match being set up at Kobe Pro-Wrestling Festival. On July 11, Okuda teamed with his High-End stablemate Kagetora to face Horiguchi and his Natural Vibes stablemate Susumu Yokosuka in a winning effort, with Kagetora pinning Horiguchi. Afterwards, Kagetora also announced his intentions to challenge for the Open The Brave Gate Championship, leading Dragon Gate to announce that the winner of the first night would face Kagetora in the second night of Kobe Pro-Wrestling Festival. On July 31 at Kobe Pro-Wrestling Festival, Okuda lost the Open The Brave Gate Championship to Genki Horiguchi in his sixth title defense, ending his reign at 270 days. In May 2022, Okuda took part in the 2022 King of Gate, being eliminated in the second round to Kaito Ishida. Afterwards, Okuda's Dragon Gate profile was quietly removed from the Dragon Gate roster page, following a real life dispute with real-life friend Ben-K, signalling his departure from the promotion.
Personal life[]
He is the nephew of professional wrestling and lucha libre legend Último Dragón. He was also a friend of Futa Nakamura who works for Dragon Gate under the ring name Ben-K, before their friendship turned sour, which led to Okuda leaving Dragon Gate.
In wrestling[]
- Finishing moves
- Cross armbreaker
- DANGERZONE (Hurricanrana transitioned into a triangle choke)
- Doujime Sleeper (Choke sleeper)
- GOOD NIGHT (Running knee lift)
- Lights Out (Fireman's carry dropped into a knee lift to the opponents' stomach)
- Space Tornado Okuda (STO)
- Signature moves
- Backdrop
- Bridging German suplex
- Dosamaki (Swinging neckbreaker)
- Dropkick
- Fireman's carry dropped into a roundhouse kick
- Gutwrench sitout powerbomb
- Octopus hold
- PK – Penalty Kick (Soccer kick to the chest of a seated opponent)
- Roundhouse kick
- Sleeper hold
- Nicknames
- "Mr. Danger Zone"
- Entrance themes
- "Neva Enuff" by ZEEBRA feat. AKTION (DDT/DNA)
- "Mr. DANGERZONE" by SHINPEI [BREAKERZ] (DG)
Championships and Accomplishments[]
- Apache Pro-Wrestling Army
- WEW Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Tomohiko Hashimoto
- Dragon Gate
- Open The Brave Gate Championship (1 time)