Yoji Anjo (安生 洋二 Anjō Yōji) (born December 31, 1969) is a retired Japanese professional wrestler and mixed martial artist.
Professional wrestling career[]
Universal Wrestling Federation and New Japan Pro Wrestling (1985–1988)[]
A former practitioner of judo, sumo and muay thai, Anjo tried professional wrestling after meeting Nobuhiko Takada. He passed the original Universal Wrestling Federation's entrance tests and had his debut on July 6, 1985 against Osamu Hoshina. He only wrestled a handful of matches for the company, as it collapsed later in the year and its roster moved back to New Japan Pro Wrestling, where Anjo debuted as a low-ranking member of the UWF "invading" army. Often teaming with fellow shooter Tatsuo Nakano, he feuded with names like Akira Nogami, Osamu Matsuda and Masakatsu Funaki as part of the NJPW junior heavyweight division. He eventually left the company in 1988 following Takada, Akira Maeda and the rest of his crew to form the second incarnation of UWF.
UWF Newborn (1988–1990)[]
In 1988, already in UWF Newborn, Anjo climbed up the card and adopted a more eccentric image for himself, wearing zebra tights and bondage gear and using heelish sneaky tactics in the ring. He participated in a different style fight a the U-COSMOS event against Changpuek Kiatsongrit, and also wrestled Holland exponent Dick Vrij. Just before the promotion disgregated in several companies, Anjo got a high level victory against Minoru Suzuki.
Union of Wrestling Forces International (1991–1996)[]
In 1991 he joined UWF International, following his mentor Takada, and had success as the top native heel. He feuded with Takada and Kazuo Yamazaki, and had also a match with The Iron Sheik.
In December 1994, Anjo was involved in a famous incident with Brazilian jiu-jitsu master Rickson Gracie. After Gracie declined to work with UWF International, Yoji travelled to California along with executive Shinji Sasazaki and a huge Japanese press contingent to challenge him in the latter's own dojo. However, he lost the subsequent fight, with Rickson dominating him with brutal ground and pound and choking him out after the Japanese refused to give up.
With the UWFi's formerly fearsome reputation in tatters, the bookers had the idea of co-promoting events with NJPW in 1995, and Yoji earned a victory over Masahiro Chono in an interpromotional match. He and young wrestlers Yoshihiro Takayama and Kenichi Yamamoto formed a stable called the "Golden Cups" to feud in tag team and six-man matches against Super Strong Machine as the masked "200% Machines". They also forayed into WAR to feud with Genichiro Tenryu and others.
Despite the effort, UWF's attendance numbers swiftly decreased, with the federation closing its doors once and for all in December 1996. In their final show it was Kazushi Sakuraba who at long last headlined, defeating Anjo by submission. Following UWFI's collapse he joined Kingdom but then wandered into independent promotions and also began competing in MMA matches.
All Japan Pro Wrestling (2000–2003)[]
In 2000 Anjo returned to professional wrestling to help out All Japan Pro Wrestling's rebuilding. He appaared as a partner to old foe Genichiro Tenryu, winning the World Tag Team Championship from Johnny Smith and Taiyo Kea. They retained the titles for a long times, including a double title match with All Asia Tag Team Champions Arashi and Koki Kitahara, against the teams of George Hines and Johnny Smith and Toshiaki Kawada and Nobutaka Araya, coming victorious after Anjo pinned Araya with a knee strike. After some weeks, Tenryu and Anjo finally lost the title to Keiji Mutoh and Taiyo Kea, dissolving the team.
After some single ventures and a failed team with Mitsuya Nagai, he quit All Japan and wandered again, joining Fighting World of Japan Pro Wrestling. He fought again alongside Tenryu, feuding with Takao Omori, and also teamed up with Ichiro Yaguchi to take part in the WMG Tag Team Championship tournament, but they were eliminated by Jinsei Shinzaki and Shiro Koshinaka.
Hustle (2004–2009)[]
After many months of inactivity, Anjo resurfaced in the sports entertainment promotion Hustle run by old comrade Takada. He debuted as Commander An Jo, Generalissimo Takada's right hand, wearing military costumes and ornamented masks.
On March 19, 2015, Anjo retired from professional wrestling, putting on a small interpromotional card where he reformed his "Golden Cups" stable with Takayama and Yamamoto, to take on former UWF and New Japan foes Masakatsu Funaki, Minoru Suzuki and Sanae Kikuta in a best-of-three-falls six-man match. Anjo was forced to submit by Funaki in two straight falls, but Anjo demanded the match go to a third fall and was pinned by Suzuki.
In wrestling[]
- Finishing moves
- Cross armbar
- Ground Cross 200% (Modified figure four leglock)
- High-speed roundhouse kick to the opponent's head
- Signature moves
- Boston crab
- Cross kneelock
- Fujiwara armbar
- Knee lift
- Spinebuster
- Upper 200% (Discus open-handed uppercut)
- Victory roll
- Nicknames
- "Mr. 200%"
- Entrance themes
- "Overhead Kick" by T-Square (UWF Newborn)
- "Affair Of The Heart" by Rick Springfield (UWF Newborn/UWF-i)
- "James Brown Is Dead" by L.A. Style (UWF-i)
- "Promenade; Tableaux d'une Exposition" by Modest Mussorgsky (HUSTLE)
Championships and accomplishments[]
- All Japan Pro Wrestling
- World Tag Team Championship (1 time) with Genichiro Tenryu
- Wrestling Association R
- WAR World Six-Man Tag Team Championship (2 times) with Yoshihiro Takayama and Kenichi Yamamoto; with Hiromichi Fuyuki and Bam Bam Bigelow
- Tokyo Pro Wrestling
- TWA Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Original Tiger Mask