Togi Makabe Wrestler
Shinya Makabe (真壁 伸也, Makabe Shin'ya, born September 29, 1972), better known by his ring name Togi Makabe (真壁 刀義, Makabe Togi) is a Japanese professional wrestler, trained by and currently performing for New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW), where he is the reigning NEVER Openweight Champion and a former IWGP Heavyweight and IWGP Tag Team Champion.Debuting in 1997, Makabe originally wrestled under his birthname as a junior heavyweight (100 kilograms (220 lb)), before gaining several kilograms during a global excursion in 2001 and 2002. He changed his given name to "Togi" during the 2004 G1 Climax tournament. His status in New Japan rose significantly in 2007, making it to the finals of the New Japan Cup and the semifinals of the G1 Climax, and challenging Yuji Nagata for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship. After a number of unsuccessful challenges at the title, Makabe finally won the IWGP Heavyweight Championship on May 3, 2010, by defeating Shinsuke Nakamura.Makabe's wrestling style and character is heavily influenced by the late Bruiser Brody. Known as the "Unchained Gorilla", Makabe is known for his violent, bloody style, often illegally employing steel chairs and chains into his offense, including a lariat with a chain wrapped around his arm (like Brody). He also uses Brody's All Japan Pro Wrestling theme "Immigrant Song" (albeit a cover made by Tomoyasu Hotei) as his own.
