Kenta Kobayashi Wrestler
Kenta Kobayashi (小林 健太, Kobayashi Kenta, born March 12, 1981) is a Japanese professional wrestler, best known by his ring name Kenta (stylized in all capital letters). He is signed to the American professional wrestling promotion WWE, where he works in its developmental territory NXT under the ring name Hideo Itami. A former amateur kickboxer, Kobayashi's wrestling style is based upon strong kicks and strikes.He is best known for working for Pro Wrestling Noah, where he is a former one-time Global Honored Crown (GHC) Heavyweight Champion, three-time GHC Junior Heavyweight and one-time GHC Tag Team Champion. He was also the winner of the 2012 Global League and the 2013 Global Tag League tournaments. 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, 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 spells with Roman letters in all capitals.Kobayashi has won several professional wrestling championships in his career: the GHC Junior Heavyweight Championship, which he held on three occasions, as well as being one half of the GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champions twice; 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.
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Wrestler
| debut | May 24, 2000 |
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