Fighting Club G-EGGS
Encyclopedia
Fighting Club G-EGGS was a professional wrestling
stable that competed in New Japan Pro Wrestling
. Led by Yuji Nagata
, it consisted of wrestlers with sporting backgrounds.
(Nagata's Tag Team Championship partner), Yutaka Yoshie
, up and comer: Masakazu Fukuda, & former UFC fighter: Brian Johnston. One month into the groups formation, Tragedy struck when on April 14, Fukuda (competing in the 2000 Young Lions Cup tournament) would collapse following his match with Katsuyori Shibata
after taking a flying elbow smash. He would be rushed to the hospital but died on April 19 due to bleeding of the brain, he was 27 years old. Following the loss of Fukuda, G-EGGS continued on as a group and rebounded at Wrestling Dontaku 2000 where Yoshie defeated Satoshi Kojima
while Nagata and Nakanishi successfully defended the IWGP Tag Team Championship against Naoya Ogawa
and Kazunari Murakami
.
On July 20, 2000, Nagata and Nakanishi lost the IWGP Tag Titles to Ten-Koji
(Tenzan and Satoshi Kojima
). Following the title loss, all four G-EGGS members entered the 2000 G1 Climax
. In the end, only Nagata and Nakanishi made it past the round robin portion with both winning their block. In the end, both would lose to eventual winner Kensuke Sasaki
(Nagata in the semis and Nakanishi in the finals). In the fall of 2000, G-EGGS began a rivalry with Masahiro Chono
and his Team 2000 stable. The feud would see the two factions battle in 19 singles and tag matches throughout the October 2000 tour with the winning team getting matchmaking rights at Battle Final 2000. G-EGGS began the series well but with Team 2000 having 10 wrestlers to G-EGGS 4 proved to be the deciding factor as Team 2000 made a comeback and eventually won the series 11-8.
The following tour, G-EGGS entered the 2000 G1 tag league with Nakanishi and Yoshie forming a team while Nagata team with New Japan Army member: Takashi Iizuka. In the end, Nagata and Iizuka would emerge victorious by defeating Ten-Koji in the finals. At Battle Final 2000, G-EGGS would be forced to wrestle an opening six man tag before the young lions as humiliation by Team 2000. Despite this G-EGGS (Nagata, Nakanishi, and Yoshie) won defeating Junji Hirata
, Takashi Iizuka, and Kenzo Suzuki
.
At Wrestling World 2001, Nagata entered the tournament for the vacated IWGP Heavyweight Championship but would lose in the first round to Hiroyoshi Tenzan
. After Wrestling World, G-EGGS would do little for the next few months, finally on June 16, 2001, Nagata broke up G-EGGS and the members went they're own way.
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
stable that competed in New Japan Pro Wrestling
New Japan Pro Wrestling
is a major professional wrestling promotion in Japan, founded by Antonio Inoki in June 1972 and owned by Yuke's since 2005, when Inoki sold the promotion. Naoki Sugabayashi is the current President of the promotion and has held that position from 2007. Owing to its TV program aired on TV Asahi, it...
. Led by Yuji Nagata
Yuji Nagata
is a Japanese professional wrestler. He was known for his perennial tweener status, currently a solid fan favorite, and his stiff, shoot style wrestling technique....
, it consisted of wrestlers with sporting backgrounds.
History
G-EGGS originally formed in March 2000 and it featured Nagata, Manabu NakanishiManabu Nakanishi
is a Japanese professional wrestler and former amateur wrestler who competed in the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain. He currently works for New Japan Pro Wrestling. He is a former IWGP Heavyweight Champion.-Amateur wrestling career:...
(Nagata's Tag Team Championship partner), Yutaka Yoshie
Yutaka Yoshie
, is a Japanese professional wrestler, currently working as a freelancer in Japan, performing for promotions such as All Japan Pro Wrestling, New Japan Pro Wrestling, Pro Wrestling Noah and Pro Wrestling Zero1...
, up and comer: Masakazu Fukuda, & former UFC fighter: Brian Johnston. One month into the groups formation, Tragedy struck when on April 14, Fukuda (competing in the 2000 Young Lions Cup tournament) would collapse following his match with Katsuyori Shibata
Katsuyori Shibata
is a Japanese professional wrestler and mixed martial artist. In professional wrestling, he is known for his hard hitting offense and his realistic bouts.-New Japan Pro Wrestling :...
after taking a flying elbow smash. He would be rushed to the hospital but died on April 19 due to bleeding of the brain, he was 27 years old. Following the loss of Fukuda, G-EGGS continued on as a group and rebounded at Wrestling Dontaku 2000 where Yoshie defeated Satoshi Kojima
Satoshi Kojima
is a Japanese professional wrestler, currently signed to New Japan Pro Wrestling. As a singles wrestler, he was the first wrestler to hold NJPW's IWGP Heavyweight Championship and All Japan Pro Wrestling's Triple Crown Championship simultaneously...
while Nagata and Nakanishi successfully defended the IWGP Tag Team Championship against Naoya Ogawa
Naoya Ogawa
Naoya Ogawa is a Japanese former world judo champion, Olympic silver medalist, professional wrestler and mixed martial artist...
and Kazunari Murakami
Kazunari Murakami
is a Japanesefreelance professional wrestler and a retired mixed martial artist, best known for his appearances in Pro Wrestling ZERO1-MAX and Big Mouth LOUD, of which he was a founding member...
.
On July 20, 2000, Nagata and Nakanishi lost the IWGP Tag Titles to Ten-Koji
Ten-Koji
Ten-Koji is a professional wrestling tag team that has competed in New Japan Pro Wrestling and All Japan Pro Wrestling. In their history, Ten-Koji currently hold the second longest IWGP Tag Team Championship reign and are currently the first and only team to have won both the G1 tag league and...
(Tenzan and Satoshi Kojima
Satoshi Kojima
is a Japanese professional wrestler, currently signed to New Japan Pro Wrestling. As a singles wrestler, he was the first wrestler to hold NJPW's IWGP Heavyweight Championship and All Japan Pro Wrestling's Triple Crown Championship simultaneously...
). Following the title loss, all four G-EGGS members entered the 2000 G1 Climax
G1 Climax
The G1 Climax professional wrestling tournament is a weeklong event held each August by the New Japan Pro Wrestling promotion. The G1 draws standing room only crowds each night, record receipt gates and generates front-page coverage on the sports sections of several of the daily newspapers in Tokyo...
. In the end, only Nagata and Nakanishi made it past the round robin portion with both winning their block. In the end, both would lose to eventual winner Kensuke Sasaki
Kensuke Sasaki
is a Japanese professional wrestler who currently wrestles for various promotions through his own agency, Kensuke Office. He is the first of two men ever to hold all 3 of puroresu's major heavyweight titles , the other being Yoshihiro Takayama.-Early years :Kensuke Sasaki...
(Nagata in the semis and Nakanishi in the finals). In the fall of 2000, G-EGGS began a rivalry with Masahiro Chono
Masahiro Chono
, is a Japanese professional wrestler. He primarily wrestles for New Japan Pro Wrestling , but has also made appearances for the now defunct World Championship Wrestling, as a member of the New World Order. Chono was also known as Mister Black Jack when he first started as a villain. He is a...
and his Team 2000 stable. The feud would see the two factions battle in 19 singles and tag matches throughout the October 2000 tour with the winning team getting matchmaking rights at Battle Final 2000. G-EGGS began the series well but with Team 2000 having 10 wrestlers to G-EGGS 4 proved to be the deciding factor as Team 2000 made a comeback and eventually won the series 11-8.
The following tour, G-EGGS entered the 2000 G1 tag league with Nakanishi and Yoshie forming a team while Nagata team with New Japan Army member: Takashi Iizuka. In the end, Nagata and Iizuka would emerge victorious by defeating Ten-Koji in the finals. At Battle Final 2000, G-EGGS would be forced to wrestle an opening six man tag before the young lions as humiliation by Team 2000. Despite this G-EGGS (Nagata, Nakanishi, and Yoshie) won defeating Junji Hirata
Junji Hirata
is a Japanese professional wrestler who wrestles for the New Japan Pro Wrestling promotion, and currently uses the ring name .-Career:Hirata made his debut in New Japan on August 26, 1978 against Yoshiaki Fujiwara...
, Takashi Iizuka, and Kenzo Suzuki
Kenzo Suzuki
Kenzo Suzuki is a Japanese professional wrestler. He is perhaps best known for his appearances with New Japan Pro Wrestling and in the United States with World Wrestling Entertainment...
.
At Wrestling World 2001, Nagata entered the tournament for the vacated IWGP Heavyweight Championship but would lose in the first round to Hiroyoshi Tenzan
Hiroyoshi Tenzan
is a Japanese professional wrestler who currently works for New Japan Pro Wrestling, and is better known by his ring name . With Satoshi Kojima, in 2008, they won the Real World Tag League in All Japan Pro Wrestling and the G1 Climax Tag League in NJPW becoming in the only tag team which has done...
. After Wrestling World, G-EGGS would do little for the next few months, finally on June 16, 2001, Nagata broke up G-EGGS and the members went they're own way.
Championships and Accomplishments
- New Japan Pro WrestlingNew Japan Pro Wrestlingis a major professional wrestling promotion in Japan, founded by Antonio Inoki in June 1972 and owned by Yuke's since 2005, when Inoki sold the promotion. Naoki Sugabayashi is the current President of the promotion and has held that position from 2007. Owing to its TV program aired on TV Asahi, it...
- IWGP Tag Team Championship (1 Time)- Nagata and Nakanishi
- G1 Tag League (2000)- Nagata (with Iizuka)