Who Is Katsuyori Shibata? Age, Biography, and Wiki
Katsuyori Shibata, born on November 17, 1980, is a prominent Japanese professional wrestler and trainer. With a career spanning over two decades, Shibata has made a name for himself in the wrestling world, particularly in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he has held multiple titles and earned a reputation for his technical wrestling skills. As of 2025, Shibata is 44 years old. Known for his intense training style and dedication to the craft, he transitioned from being a wrestler to also focusing on training the next generation of talent in the industry.
| Occupation | Martial Artist |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | |
| Age | 46 Years |
| Birth Place | N/A |
| Horoscope | |
| Country |
Popularity
Katsuyori Shibata's Popularity over time
Height, Weight & Measurements
Katsuyori Shibata stands tall at an impressive height of 5 feet 11 inches (180 cm). He maintains a well-built physique, weighing approximately 225 lbs (102 kg). His rigorous training regime ensures he remains in peak physical condition, exhibiting a muscular stature characteristic of top-tier professional wrestlers.
Shibata debuted in mixed martial arts on May 15, 2004, at JF Jungle Fights 2 where he defeated Webster Dauphiney by an arm triangle choke in Round 1.
Shibata returned to MMA in 2007 where he joined the Fighting and Entertainment Group (FEG) promoted K-1 Hero's, in his K-1 Hero's debut on March 12, 2007, at Hero's 8, he defeated Yoshihisa Yamamoto by TKO in 9 seconds. After two victories, Shibata went on a five fight losing streak.
He lost to Ralek Gracie at K-1 Hero's: Middleweight Tournament Opening Round by submitting to an armbar. Shibata then lost to Kazushi Sakuraba at K-1 Hero's Tournament Final once again submitting to an armbar. Shibata fought his last K-1 Hero's fight at K-1 Olympia Hero'S 2007 in Korea on October 28, 2007, against Heo Min Seok.
Shibata lost the fight by TKO in the 2nd round.
Family, Dating & Relationship Status
As of 2025, Katsuyori Shibata keeps his personal life relatively private. While there have been speculations regarding his relationship status, he has not publicly confirmed any details about a boyfriend or girlfriend. Shibata appears to prioritize his career and professional development, often putting wrestling and training ahead of personal relationships.
He has a close bond with his family, particularly his father, who greatly influenced his decision to pursue wrestling as a career. His familial support has played a significant role in his journey and achievements within the wrestling world.
On January 4, 2016, at Wrestle Kingdom 10, Shibata won his first singles title in NJPW, when he defeated Tomohiro Ishii for the NEVER Openweight Championship. He made his first successful title defense on February 11 at The New Beginning in Osaka in a rematch against Ishii.
On March 3, NJPW announced that Shibata had signed a one-year deal with the promotion, ending his 11-year run as a freelancer. Shibata made his next title defenses against NJPW veterans, defeating Satoshi Kojima on March 19 and Hiroyoshi Tenzan on April 10.
On May 3 at Wrestling Dontaku 2016, Shibata lost the title to Yuji Nagata in his fourth defense. Shibata regained the title from Nagata on June 19 at Dominion 6.19 in Osaka-jo Hall. He made his first successful title defense on July 3 against Tomoaki Honma.
From July 22 to August 13, Shibata took part in the 2016 G1 Climax, where he finished with a record of five wins and four losses. Shibata failed to advance to the finals due to losing to Evil on the final day.
Through NJPW's relationship with Ring of Honor (ROH), Shibata made his debut for the American promotion on August 19 at Death Before Dishonor XIV, where he defeated Silas Young. The following day, Shibata unsuccessfully challenged Bobby Fish for the ROH World Television Championship.
This led to a match on September 17 at Destruction in Tokyo, where Shibata successfully defended the NEVER Openweight Championship against Fish. The following month at King of Pro-Wrestling, Shibata also successfully defended the title against Fish's tag team partner Kyle O'Reilly.
After this, he made a brief return to Pro Wrestling Noah as part of their working relationship with New Japan Pro Wrestling, teaming with Juice Robinson in a victory against Go Shiozaki and Mayback Taniguchi on October 22 at Autumn Navigation 2016 Day 6, and defeating Go Shiozaki in a singles match on October 23, at Great Voyage 2016 in Yokohoma Vo
l.
2. On November 5 at Power Struggle, Shibata lost the title to Evil. On November 15, Shibata regained the NEVER Openweight Championship from Evil on NJPW's Wrestling World 2016 event in Singapore. He lost the title to Hirooki Goto on January 4, 2017, at Wrestle Kingdom 11 in Tokyo Dome.
Net Worth and Salary
Katsuyori Shibata's net worth as of 2025 is estimated to be around $3 million. This wealth comes from his extensive wrestling career, training endeavors, and various appearances in media and promotions. His salary fluctuates based on his commitments with NJPW and additional ventures within the wrestling business. Shibata’s dedication to wrestling and his brand has enabled him to secure lucrative contracts, contributing to his overall financial success.
On August 12, 2012, Shibata, alongside Kazushi Sakuraba, returned to NJPW. Shibata and Sakuraba wrestled their return match on September 23 at Destruction, defeating Hiromu Takahashi and Wataru Inoue in a tag team match.
Shibata and Sakuraba, collectively dubbed Laughter7, continued their winning ways at the following two pay-per-views, King of Pro-Wrestling on October 8 and Power Struggle on November 11, both times defeating the team of Togi Makabe and Wataru Inoue.
On January 4, 2013, at Wrestle Kingdom 7 in Tokyo Dome, Shibata suffered his first defeat since his return to professional wrestling, when he was defeated by Togi Makabe in a singles grudge match. On January 27, Shibata returned to Pro Wrestling Noah, once again affiliating himself with Kenta.
Shibata and Sakuraba returned to their winning ways at the following New Japan pay-per-view, The New Beginning on February 10, where they defeated Hirooki Goto and Wataru Inoue in a tag team match.
On April 7 at Invasion Attack, Shibata and Sakuraba suffered their first tag team loss, when they were defeated by Hirooki Goto and Yuji Nagata via referee stoppage, when Sakuraba was injured and unable to continue the match. Shibata and Goto faced off in a singles match on May 3 at Wrestling Dontaku 2013, which ended in a draw.
A rematch between the two took place on June 22 at Dominion 6.22, where Shibata was victorious. A third match between the two on July 20 ended in another draw.
From August 1 to 11, Shibata took part in the 2013 G1 Climax, where he finished with a record of five wins and four losses, with a loss against Hiroshi Tanahashi on the final day costing him a spot in the finals.
On September 8, Shibata and Sakuraba took part in the Wrestle-1 promotion's inaugural event, defeating Masakatsu Funaki and Masayuki Kono in a tag team match. On December 7, Shibata made his in-ring return to Noah, defeating Maybach Taniguchi in a singles match.
Career, Business, and Investments
Shibata started his wrestling career in 1999 and quickly gained recognition for his in-ring prowess. He has competed against some of the biggest names in professional wrestling and held various titles in NJPW. Post-retirement, due to a severe injury, Shibata has focused on training up-and-coming wrestlers at the NJPW Dojo, sharing his expertise and techniques.
Beyond wrestling, Shibata has engaged in initiatives aimed at promoting the sport in Japan and has invested in personal projects related to fitness and training. His entrepreneurial spirit is evident as he explores ways to enhance his brand and further establish himself in the wrestling world.
Katsuyori Shibata (柴田勝頼) is a Japanese professional wrestler, trainer, and former mixed martial artist. He is signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW), where he is a member of The Opps and is one-third of the AEW World Trios Champions with Samoa Joe and Powerhouse Hobbs.
He also makes appearances for AEW's sister promotion Ring of Honor (ROH), where he is a former ROH Pure Champion. In professional wrestling, he is known for his hard hitting offense. He spent most of his career with New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) as both a wrestler and trainer.
In NJPW, he is a former three-time NEVER Openweight Champion, a one-time IWGP Tag Team Champion (with Hirooki Goto), and the winner of the 2017 New Japan Cup. He is also a former holder of Revolution Pro Wrestling's RPW British Heavyweight Championship. From March 2018 to July 2023, Shibata served as the head coach of NJPW's dojo in Los Angeles.
Social Network
Katsuyori Shibata is active on various social media platforms, including Twitter and Instagram, where he shares insights into his life, training, and professional milestones. His social media presence allows him to connect with fans and promote his contributions to wrestling, providing a glimpse into his philosophy and approach to both life and sport.
- Twitter: @KatsuyoriShibata
- Instagram: @katsuyori_shibata
On June 26, 2022, Shibata appeared at AEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door to save Orange Cassidy from a post-match beatdown from United Empire.
Later, on the November 2 episode of Dynamite, Shibata once again saved Cassidy from an attack by Pac, and signed for a match against Cassidy for the AEW All Atlantic Championship, on the November 4 edition of Rampage. In his AEW in-ring debut, Shibata was defeated by Cassidy, the duo shook hands and posed after the match.
Education
Katsuyori Shibata attended a local high school in Japan, where his interest in sports developed, alongside a keen interest in martial arts. He later pursued a career in professional wrestling, attending the NJPW Dojo, where he honed his skills. His education in the dojo laid the groundwork for his successful wrestling career and deep understanding of the sport.
Shibata attended Kuwana Kogyo High School in Kuwana, Mie, where he was classmates with fellow future professional wrestler Hirooki Goto. The son of former Japan Pro Wrestling Alliance and New Japan Pro-Wrestling competitor Katsuhisa Shibata, Katsuyori was an amateur wrestler during his school days and was competing at national level in 1997.
