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Yoshihiro Asai (born December 12, 1966 in Nagoya, Aichi), better known as Último Dragón, is a Japanese professional wrestler. In addition to having trained in Japan, Asai learned to wrestle in the lucha libre style while working in Mexico. Asai is credited with popularizing the "Asai Moonsault", although, contrary to popular belief, he did not invent the move.

Career

Asai debuted in New Japan Pro Wrestling in 1987, but left the promotion along with his mentor, Gran Hamada, to help form Hamada's Universal Lucha Libre promotion. When the ULL went into decline, he moved to WAR.

Asai made his American debut in 1996 as Ultimate Dragon (a mistranslation of his Último Dragón ring name, which properly translates as "The Last Dragon") for the now defunct World Championship Wrestling promotion. He suffered an arm injury in 1999 that required surgery. The operation was botched, causing nerve damage. It was thought that this would force an end of his career and he announced his retirement.

In 1997, Asai founded a training school in Mexico called the Ultimo Dragon Gym, where he trained three classes of students, "Toryumon Japan", "Toryumon 2000 Project" (T2P) and "Toryumon X". His first class of students worked for WCW early in their career. In 1999 a promotion named Toryumon opened, with the vast majority of the roster having been trained by Asai. Toryumon was later renamed Dragon Gate, with Asai parting ways with the promotion. He continued to train students at his gym.

In 2002, Asai underwent another surgery to repair the damage done to his arm and returned to wrestling. In the spring of 2003, he signed with World Wrestling Entertainment as the Último Dragón, seeking to realize his two lifelong goals of competing in Madison Square Garden and performing at WrestleMania. Asai debuted on WWE television in Madison Square Garden in a match with Shannon Moore, and wrestled there again at WrestleMania XX. His contract expired in 2004, with Asai leaving on good terms. He has indicated that he may return maskless for another run in the WWE.

Since leaving the WWE, Asai has occasionally wrestled for the Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre. In September 2005, he was reported to be in talks with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling about signing a contract. But the contract was never signed because Asai wanted a written contract, not a Pay-Per-Appearance-contract.

Finisher and Signature Moves

Championships and accomplishments

  • 5-time UWA World Middleweight Champion
  • 1-time UWA World Welterweight Champion

  • PWI ranked him # 61 of the 500 best singles wrestlers of the PWI Years in 2003

Championship Succession

IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship Preceded by:
El Samurai First Followed by:
Jushin Liger Preceded by:
Great Sasuke Second Followed by:
Jushin Liger

1966 births | Living people | People from Aichi Prefecture | Japanese professional wrestlers | 浅井嘉浩 | Yoshihiro Asai

 

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the "Yoshihiro Asai".

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