KENTA

Thumb

Image Source: Unknown report

User Rating

(0 users)
Data Complete 80%

15%

Born
1981 (44 years old)
Shiny National flag

Sōka, Saitama, Japan

Position
Wrestler

Status
Active

Ethnicity
Asian

Team Number

Height
1.74 m (5 ft 9 in)

Weight
82.5 kg (182 lb)

Outfitter

Kit
Wage Year

Player Cutout
No Cutout thumb

Archive

Full Body Render

Sport

Fighting

Team
New Japan Mens

League
NJPW

Creative Commons Artwork
No

Description

Kenta Kobayashi (小林健太 Kobayashi Kenta, born March 12, 1981), is a Japanese professional wrestler, better known by the ring name Hideo Itami. He is currently signed to the American professional wrestling promotion WWE, where he performs on the Raw brand in the cruiserweight division. A former amateur kickboxer, Kobayashi's wrestling style is based upon strong kicks and strikes.

Kobayashi is also known for his time in Pro Wrestling Noah under the ring name Kenta (stylized in all capital letters), but he started his career in All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW), before moving to Pro Wrestling Noah; through Noah's involvement in the Global Professional Wrestling Alliance (GPWA), a global organization of cooperative promotions that allow their competitors to travel abroad to other companies, he has wrestled extensively in American promotion Ring of Honor (ROH). He initially wrestled under his real name, but due to potential confusion with his mentor Kenta Kobashi (in both English and Japanese), he dropped his surname and began only using his given name, which he spelled with Roman letters in all capitals.

Kobayashi has won several professional wrestling championships in his career: he is a former one-time Global Honored Crown (GHC) Heavyweight Champion, three-time GHC Junior Heavyweight Champion, three-time GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champion, and one-time GHC Tag Team Champion; once was the inaugural reign with longtime partner and rival, Naomichi Marufuji, which saw the two hold the title for almost two years, as well as a reign with protégé Taiji Ishimori. He was also the winner of the 2012 Global League and the 2013 Global Tag League tournaments.

Trophies