Yuta Tanaka (勇太田中 Tanaka Yūta?, born September 23, 1993) is a Japanese professional wrestler, better known by the ring name U-T (ユー-ティー) who works currently for Dragon Gate. He was trained by the Dragon Gate Dojo and he was going to debut in Dragon Gate but he was then sent on a excursion to Mexico with Eita and Tomahawk to further his wrestling training and gain international experience, a tradition with rookies in Japan. He spent his career in Mexico competing on Desastre Total Ultraviolento (DTU) promotion. It was in DTU that Tanaka made his in-ring debut under the his first name Yuta (勇太).
Tanaka returned to Dragon Gate in mid 2013 this time renaming himself to U-T and formed a stable with Eita and T-Hawk named Millennials.[1] U-T won his first his first professional wrestling championship, the following year the Open The Triangle Gate Championship with Eita and T-Hawk. After the disbanding of Millennials in 2015 U-T rarely competed in matches and spent the most of the years of 2015, 2016 and mid 2017 inactive being sidelined with a arm injury. He return to the ring on July 2017.
Early life
Yuta Tanaka was born on September 23, 1993 his parents dreamed that Yuta one day would joined Toryumon Japan (later Dragon Gate) and he watched Dragon Gate since he was a kid and he was a big fan of Dragon Gate. At High school, he studied to be a council president and he also had a background on baseball.
Professional Wrestling Carrer
Dragon Gate (2013-Present)
Debut and Excursion (2013)
On March 21, 2013 Yuta debuted at Dragon Gate when Mondai Ryu was provocating the audience and he made his debut but he was attacked by Mondai Ryu. Later it was announced that Yuta would on excursion to Mexico with Eita and Tomahawk and it would began in April 12. On Mexico he made his debut on April 13 in a DTU event and it was a Four Way also including Jhonky and Articus and Hellboy were Jhonky was the winner and he would work on Mexico on the name of Yuta while in Mexico to gain experience with more styles of wrestling, something not uncommon for young Japanese wrestlers.[2] He would work on Mexico on the undercard until July 6 where it was his last match on Mexico, where he won a Torneo Cibernetico match also including Angel del Misterio and Articus and Atomic Star and Jhonky and Jorge Kebrada and Kalibuz and Kiuby and Miedo Xtremo and Osiris and Senky and he returned to Japan.
Return and Millennials (2013-2015)
On July 21, 2013 Yuta renamed himself to U-T and alonside Eita and T-Hawk he formed a new stable named Millennials, announced their impending return to Dragon Gate.[3] The stable made its debut appearance on August 23 at The Gate of Generation.[4][5] On August 7 U-T made his singles debut losing to Mondai Ryu.[6] On September 29 U-T participated in the tournament for the Open the Brave Gate Championship, but he lost at the first round to CIBA. [7] On March 3, 2014 U-T had his first singles victory on 2014 when he defeated Kotoka.[8] On March 16, U-T, Eita and T-Hawk defeated the Jimmyz (Jimmy Kanda, Jimmy Susumu and Mr. Kyu Kyu Naoki Tanizaki Toyonaka Dolphin) to win the Open the Triangle Gate Championship.[9]On May 5 U-T, Eita and T-Hawk made their first sucecessfu title defense defeating We Are Team Veteran (Dragon Kid, K-ness and Super Shisa).[10] Six days later the trio made their second successful title defense against Mad Blankey (Cyber Kong, Kzy and YAMATO). They lost the title to Mad Blankey (Cyber Kong, Kzy and Naruki Doi) on June 14. U-T was the pinned by Cyber Kong after some interference by his Mad Blankey stablemates. The match also included We Are Team Veteran (Don Fujii, Dragon Kid and Masaaki Mochizuki). On August 8 U-T, Eita and T-Hawk participated in a tournament the #1 Contendership to the Open the Triangle Gate Champions. They lost at the semifinals to BxB Hulk, Dragon Kid and Masaaki Mochizuki. On May 5 U-T, Kotoka and Flamita had an opportunity for the Open the Triangle Championship in a losing effort. On August 6, 2015, Millennials lost a three-way match and were forced to disband due to the result.[11][12]
Unaffiliated (2015-present)
Since the disbanding of Millennials U-T continued to work on the mid-card and he changed his attire with black hair and green trunks and he choose to stay unaffiliated with a stable. On November 25 U-T, Yosuke Santa Maria and Don Fujii participated at the tournament for the vacated Open the Triangle Gate Champions and they lost at the first round to Dia.HEARTS (Dragon Kid, Kzy & Masaaki Mochizuki). On 2016 U-T continued to work on the mid-card and U-T had finally a victory on 2016 when he defeated Kaito Ishida after the match U-T celebrated the victory.[13] He would spend most of the year inactive and also until mid-2017.
U-T would return to Dragon Gate on July 10, 2017 announcing that he would return in action on July 21 in a NEX show. U-T's return match took place on the Dragon Gate NEX Sanctuary.156 losing to Flamita. On October 29 U-T stated that he wanted to join a unit. Later that night, U-T was invited to join Over Generation and Tribe Vanguard. During that time U-T developed a winning streak always tapping out his opponents with his new finisher the Pasion. However his winning streak came to an end after he was pinned by his former Millennials stablemate T-Hawk in a six-man Tag Team match o November 3 at the Gate of Destiny.
Factions
- Millennials (2013-2015)
In wrestling
- Finishing moves
- Rotación (Front flip piledriver)
- Viernes (Over-the-shoulder armbreaker)
- Pasion (Cross-legged Ankle lock)
- Signature moves
- Flying Headbutt
- Perfolal (Ankle lock)
- Hierro
- Skayde
- Nicknames
- "Millennial Star"
- Entrance themes
- "1993 feat." by Yoshiyushi
Championships and Accomplishments
- Dragon Gate
- Open The Triangle Gate Championship (1 time) – with Eita and T-Hawk
See also
References
- ↑ Millennials coming soon...!? (in Japanese). Dragon Gate. YouTube (2013-07-24). Retrieved on 2013-07-26.
- ↑ Madigan, Dan (2007). "Okay... what is Lucha Libre?", Mondo Lucha Libre: the bizarre & honorable world of wild Mexican wrestling. HarperColins Publisher, 29–40. ISBN 978-0-06-085583-3.
- ↑ Millennials coming soon...!? (in Japanese). Dragon Gate. YouTube (2013-07-24). Retrieved on 2013-07-26.
- ↑ 8/23 Gate of Generation . iHeartDG (2013-08-23). Retrieved on 2013-08-23.
- ↑ 新時代の扉を開いたはずの鷹木が、Yamatoに痛恨の敗戦でDG王座から陥落！ミレニアルズが凱旋帰国！傷心の鷹木は戸澤と合体！ (in Japanese). Battle News (2013-08-23). Retrieved on 2013-08-24.
- ↑ U-T 2013 (in Japanese). Battle News (2013-08-07). Retrieved on 2013-08-08.
- ↑ U-T 2013 (in Japanese). Battle News (2013-09-30). Retrieved on 2013-08-08.
- ↑ U-T 2014 (in Japanese). Battle News (2014-03-03). Retrieved on 2014-03-03.
- ↑ Memorial Gate 2014 in 和歌山 (in Japanese). Dragon Gate. Gaora. Retrieved on 2014-03-16.
- ↑ U-T 2014 (in Japanese). Battle News (2014-05-05). Retrieved on 2014-05-06.
- ↑ Scandal Gate in Tokyo (in Japanese). Dragon Gate. Gaora. Retrieved on 2015-08-07.
- ↑ ja:ドラゴンゲート8.6後楽園大会 ミレニアルズvs.ジミーズvs.MBの敗戦ユニット解散サバイバルイリミネーション6人タッグ3Wayマッチ (in Japanese). Battle News (2015-08-06). Retrieved on 2015-08-07.
- ↑ U-T 2016 (in Japanese). Battle News (2016-05-29). Retrieved on 2016-05-29.
