View source for Naruki Doi

{{short description|Japanese professional wrestler}}
{{Infobox professional wrestler
|name        = Naruki Doi
|image       = 20230717doi.jpg
|caption     = Doi in July 2023
|birth_date  = {{birth date and age|1980|10|4}}<ref name=Cage/>
|birth_place = [[Ikoma, Nara|Ikoma]], [[Nara Prefecture|Nara]], Japan<ref name=Cage/>
|resides     =
|names       = '''Naruki Doi'''<ref name=Cage/><br />Second Doi<ref name=Cage/><br>"Mr. Saito"
|height      = {{height|m=1.73|precision=0}}<!-- In Japan they measure height in meters so that should be first --><ref name=Cage/>
|weight      = {{convert|82|kg|lb|abbr=on}}<!--In Japan they measure weight in kilograms so that should be first --><ref name=Cage/>
|billed      =
|trainer     = [[Último Dragón]]<ref name=Cage/><br />[[Skayde]]<ref name=Cage/>
|debut       = May 13, 2000<ref name=Cage/>
|retired     =
}}
{{nihongo|'''Naruki Doi'''|土井 成樹|Doi Naruki|born October 4, 1980}}<ref name=Cage>{{cite web|url=http://cagematch.de/?id=2&nr=3269|title=Cagematch profile|access-date=2009-12-31|publisher=Cagematch}}</ref> is a Japanese [[professional wrestler]]  currently performing for [[Dragongate|Dragon Gate]], [[DDT Pro-Wrestling]] and [[All Japan Pro-Wrestling]] as a freelancer. He also wrestled for [[Ring of Honor]] (ROH) and [[Impact Wrestling|Total Nonstop Action Wrestling]] (TNA); in the former promotion, he was a one-time  [[ROH World Tag Team Championship|World Tag Team Champion]] with [[Shingo Takagi]].

==Career==

===Toryumon===
Doi debuted in Toryumon Japan as part of the T2P. As one of his family members was a player for the Japanese baseball team the [[Yomiuri Giants]], he was given a baseball gimmick and the name of Second Doi.

Doi was originally groomed as the top face for T2P, but injuries forced him to debut in Japan late and his growth was slightly stunted. He joined the Toryumon Japan roster, and Shin M2K as T2P ended its run, later joining Final M2K.

===Dragon Gate===
Doi continued on in Final M2K.  At the end of 2004, he abruptly dropped the baseball gimmick and started competing under his real name.

In January 2005, Doi turned heel and joined [[Nobuhiko Oshima|CIMA]]'s new faction Blood Generation. He gained more rank then, and rose to be something of a second-in-command for the stable. He also became the first [[Dragon Gate Open the Brave Gate Championship|Open the Brave Gate]] Champion on March 13, and would hold it until November 13, when he lost it to [[Dragon Kid]].

On April 12, 2006, when [[Yoshito Sugamoto|Gamma]] was kicked out of Blood Generation due to constant clashes with CIMA, Doi left with Gamma, along with [[Masato Yoshino]] and [[Naoki Tanizaki]]. It was unclear whether Doi or Gamma was the leader of the splinter faction. After Doi and Gamma won the rights to the Blood Generation name in a tag match against CIMA and [[Don Fujii]] eleven days later, Doi's faction renounced it, renaming themselves the [[Muscle Outlaw'z]]. The MO'z ranks would grow when [[Magnitude Kishiwada]] joined them after returning from a stint of injury, as well as referee [[Kinta Tamaoka]]. The group would lose Tanisaki later that year, but shortly after recruited [[Genki Horiguchi]]. MO'z would also host any heel wrestlers visiting Dragon Gate.

Doi continued to gain rank in 2007, and formed a regular tag team with Masato Yoshino, known as Speed Muscle, an amalgamation of their respective nicknames "Speed Star" and "Bosou Muscle".  Doi and Yoshino declared themselves the first [[Dragon Gate Open the Twin Gate Championship|Open the Twin Gate]] Champions after winning the inaugural [[Summer Adventure Tag League]] Tournament in June, and later defeated [[Taku Iwasa]] and [[Kenichiro Arai]] for the [[Dragon Gate I-J Heavyweight Tag Team Championship|I-J Heavyweight Tag Team Championship]] to unify the two belts. In November, Doi and Yoshino added the [[GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship]] to their collection. Doi and Yoshino would drop the GHC titles to [[Shingo Takagi]] and [[BxB Hulk]] of [[New Hazard]] in January 2008, and then the Open the Twin Gate titles to Iwasa and Arai the month after, and opted to stop teaming with each other. Doi briefly teamed with Horiguchi while Yoshino pursued CIMA and the Open the Dream Gate championship. Yoshino put forward an impressive performance, and despite losing, was congratulated by both CIMA and Doi. Their team reconciled.

Doi and Yoshino's increasing popularity began to cause a split in the Muscle Outlaw'z, as Yoshino began to feud with stablemate [[Yasushi Kanda]]. The MO'z eventually split, with the heel faction of Kanda, Horiguchi, Gamma and YAMATO joining up with Shingo Takagi and Cyber Kong to form Real Hazard. Doi and Yoshino formed their own new stable, World-1, that also included BxB Hulk, Naoki Tanizaki, and [[m.c. KZ]].

In August, he and Yoshino won the Summer Adventure Tag League Tournament for the second year in a row, and then a month later, on September 26, they captured the Open the Twin Gate Titles for a second time from [[Ryo Saito (wrestler)|Ryo Saito]] and [[Susumu Yokosuka]]. Their second reign was very short, for they lost the titles nine days later to [[Masato Onodera|YAMATO]] and [[Cyber Kong]]. However, Doi would go on to become the ace of the promotion by year's end: He won the [[King of Gate]] Tournament on December 19, and then nine days later he defeated Shingo Takagi to become the Open the Dream Gate Champion.

[[File:Naruki Doi 2009 (cropped).jpg|thumb|right|180px|Doi in 2009]]
On May 5, he made a notable defense of the title against the former sumo champion-turned-wrestler [[Akebono Tarō|Akebono]]. Despite the huge size difference, he was able to defeat Akebono and retain the title, after hitting him with five consecutive Bakatare Sliding Kicks. On July 19, he got his biggest victory ever when he defeated Open the Brave Gate Champion CIMA in a Title vs. Title Match, claiming the Brave Gate for a second time and really cementing his status as the unquestioned ace of the promotion. He vacated the Brave Gate immediately afterwards. On August 24, 2010, Doi and Masato Yoshino won their third Summer Adventure Tag League by defeating Genki Horiguchi and Ryo Saito in the finals.<ref name=SummerAdventureTag2010>{{cite web|url=http://wrestleview.com/viewnews.php?id=1283192682|title=Viva La Raza! Lucha Weekly|date=2010-08-30|last=Boutwell|first=Josh|access-date=2010-08-30|work=WrestleView|url-status = dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100901211928/http://www.wrestleview.com/viewnews.php?id=1283192682|archive-date=2010-09-01}}</ref> On October 13, 2010, Doi turned on Yoshino and joined the former Deep Drunkers and [[Takuya Sugawara]] to form a new heel stable.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://wrestleview.com/viewnews.php?id=1287180298|title=Viva La Raza! Lucha Weekly|date=2010-10-15|last=Boutwell|first=Josh|access-date=2010-10-16|work=WrestleView|url-status = dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101216164710/http://www.wrestleview.com/viewnews.php?id=1287180298|archive-date=2010-12-16}}</ref> On November 23, 2010, Doi and Gamma defeated [[Makoto Saito (wrestler)|K-ness]] and Susumu Yokosuka to win the Open the Twin Gate Championship.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wrestleview.com/viewnews.php?id=1290753672|title=Viva La Raza! Lucha Weekly|date=2010-11-26|last=Boutwell|first=Josh|access-date=2010-11-26|work=WrestleView}}</ref> At the final Dragon Gate show of 2010, ''Final Gate 2010'' on December 26, Doi unsuccessfully challenged his former partner Masato Yoshino for the Open the Dream Gate Championship.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.purolove.com/dragongate/results/results10.php|title=2010 Dragon Gate results|access-date=2010-12-27|work=Purolove}}</ref> On January 10, 2011, Doi and Gamma lost the Open the Twin Gate Championship to Don Fujii and [[Masaaki Mochizuki]]. On January 14, 2011, Team Doi aligned themselves with CIMA's Warriors stable, who turned heel in the process.<ref name=VivaLaRaza20110121>{{cite web|url=http://www.wrestleview.com/viewnews.php?id=1295648558|title=Viva La Raza! Lucha Weekly|last=Boutwell|first=Josh|date=2011-01-21|access-date=2011-01-22|work=WrestleView}}</ref> On January 18 the new group was named Blood Warriors.<ref name=VivaLaRaza20110121/> On September 2, Doi, Kzy and Naoki Tanizaki defeated Gamma, Masato Yoshino and YAMATO to win the [[Dragon Gate Open the Triangle Gate Championship]]. They were stripped of the title on January 19, 2012, after Tanizaki was sidelined for six months with a shoulder injury. After being kicked out of Blood Warriors by new leader [[Akira Tozawa]], Doi reunited with Masato Yoshino to form World-1 International. On May 6, Doi, Yoshino and [[Pac (wrestler)|Pac]] won the Open the Triangle Gate Championship.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://iheartdg.com/index.php?subaction=showfull&id=1336287214&archive=&start_from=&ucat=&|title=5/6 Dead or Alive 2012 - 05 May 2012|date=2012-05-06|access-date=2012-05-06|work=iHeartDG|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120715232715/http://iheartdg.com/index.php?subaction=showfull&id=1336287214&archive=&start_from=&ucat=&|archive-date=15 July 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> On September 12, 2013, Doi again turned on Yoshino and jumped to [[Mad Blankey]], signalling the end of World-1 International.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://battle-news.com/battle/2013/09/001955.php|title=意地を見せた斎了を下したYamatoに、土井から裏切られた吉野が挑戦表明！ジミーズを下したミレニアルズはベテラン軍を指名！|date=2013-09-13|access-date=2013-09-13|work=Battle News|language=ja}}</ref> On August 5, 2014, Doi became the interim Open the Dream Gate Champion, when he defeated BxB Hulk in a four-on-one handicap match.<ref name=DG080514>{{cite web|url=http://battle-news.com/fight/index.php?QBlog-20140806-1|title=【Dragon Gate】ハルクvs土井、サイバー、Kzy、問題龍のドリームゲート戦|date=2014-08-06|access-date=2014-08-06|work=Battle News|language=ja}}</ref> He failed to become the official champion, losing to Hulk in a one-on-one match on August 17. On June 13, Doi and YAMATO would defeat Masato Yoshino and Sachihoko Boy to become Open the Twin Gate champions. On August 16, 2015, Mad Blankey was forced to disband after losing to Jimmyz in a five-on-five elimination tag team match, after being betrayed by K-ness.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tokyo-sports.co.jp/prores/mens_prores/436339/|title=【ドラゲー】サバイバル戦敗退でマッドブランキー軍解散|date=2015-08-17|access-date=2015-08-17|work=[[Tokyo Sports]]|language=ja}}</ref> On September 23, Doi formed a new stable named VerserK with Cyber Kong, Kotoka, Mondai Ryu, Shingo Takagi and Yamato.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.iheartdg.com/1294-2/|title=09/23 Summer Adventure Tag League|date=2015-09-23|access-date=2015-09-24|work=iHeartDG|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170528121702/http://www.iheartdg.com/1294-2/|archive-date=2017-05-28|url-status=dead}}</ref> Doi and Yamato would hold the Open the Twin Gate championships until losing the titles to T-Hawk and Big R Shimizu on March 6, 2016. They'd break Mochizuki and Fujii's most defences record with 9 defenses before losing the belts. On October 12, 2016, VerserK turned on Doi after disbanding Monster Express and kicked him out of the unit. Doi subsequently became a [[tweener (professional wrestling)|tweener]], and once again began teaming with longtime partner Masato Yoshino. Doi unsuccessfully challenged YAMATO for the [[Open the Dream Gate Championship]] at Final Gate on December 25.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.iheartdg.com/1225-final-gate-2016/ |title=12/25 the Final Gate 2016 - iHeartDG |access-date=2016-12-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161225131809/http://www.iheartdg.com/1225-final-gate-2016/ |archive-date=2016-12-25 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Doi refused a handshake from YAMATO after the match, and was helped to the back by two men wearing pink hoods over their heads. On January 18, 2017, Doi saved Masato Yoshino, Kotoka, and Ben-K from an attack by VerserK. A match between the two sides was then set for February 2. On May 4, Naruki Doi reunited with Masato Yoshino and formed a new unit called MaxiMuM with Big R Shimizu, Ben-K, and Kotoka.

===Foreign excursion===
Doi became one half of the [[ROH World Tag Team Championship|ROH World Tag Team Champions]] on March 3, 2007, with [[Shingo Takagi|Shingo]], beating [[The Briscoe Brothers]] in [[Liverpool]], [[England]].<ref name="ROHtag"/> The two would lose the title back to the Briscoes at ''All Star Extravaganza III'' on March 30.<ref name="ROHtag"/> In June 2008, he and Masato Yoshino joined [[Milano Collection A.T.]] and [[T. J. Perkins|Puma]] to form [[Team Japan]] in that year's [[TNA 2008 World X Cup Tournament|TNA World X Cup Tournament]] and together they had matches against members of the other teams, losing each match. At [[Victory Road (2008)|Victory Road]], Doi competed in the [[Ultimate X match]] but came up short.

Doi has also appeared for the Hawaii-based Action Zone Wrestling, debuting with tag team partner [[Masato Yoshino]] on January 7, 2008 in a four-way tag team match. He later returned for singles action at AZW's third anniversary show Anniversary Annihilation on June 2, 2008 in a triple threat match against Akua and Sabaki.

==Championships and accomplishments==
*'''[[All Japan Pro Wrestling]]'''
**[[World Junior Heavyweight Championship (AJPW)|World Junior Heavyweight Championship]] ([[World Junior Heavyweight Championship (AJPW)#Title history|2 times]])<ref name=ExciteSeries2023>{{cite web|url=https://www.cagematch.net/?id=1&nr=361909|title=AJPW Excite Series 2023 - Tag 2: Pro-Wrestling Day MANIAx|work=cagematch.net|first=Philip|last=Kreikenbohm|date=February 19, 2023|access-date=February 19, 2023}}</ref>
*'''[[DDT Pro-Wrestling]]'''
**[[DDT Universal Championship]] ([[DDT Universal Championship#Reigns|1 time]])<ref name=ExtremeParty>{{cite web|url=http://extremeparty.heteml.net/title.html#universal|script-title=ja:DDT UNIVERSAL選手権|work=Extreme Party|access-date=January 12, 2023|language=ja}}</ref>
**[[KO-D 6-Man Tag Team Championship]] ([[KO-D 6-Man Tag Team Championship#Reigns|1 time]]) &ndash; with [[Toru Owashi]] and [[Kazuki Hirata]]
**[[Ironman Heavymetalweight Championship]] ([[List of Ironman Heavymetalweight Champions#Title history|2 times]])<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.wrestling-titles.com/japan/ddt/ironman-hm.html|title=Ironman Heavymetalweight Title (Japan)|author=Wrestling Titles|work=wrestling-titles.com|date=March 14, 2021|access-date=March 15, 2021}}</ref>
*'''[[Dragon Gate (wrestling)|Dragon Gate]]'''
**[[Dragon Gate I-J Heavyweight Tag Team Championship]] ([[Dragon Gate I-J Heavyweight Tag Team Championship#Title history|1 time]]) – with [[Masato Yoshino]]<ref name=CageTitles>{{cite web|url=http://cagematch.de/?id=2&nr=3269&view=erfolge#erfolge|title=Cagematch title history|access-date=2009-12-31|publisher=Cagematch}}</ref>
**[[Open the Brave Gate Championship]] ([[Dragon Gate Open the Brave Gate Championship#Title history|2 times]])<ref name=CageTitles/>
**[[Open the Dream Gate Championship]] ([[Dragon Gate Open the Dream Gate Championship#Title history|2 times]])<ref name=CageTitles/>
**[[Open the Triangle Gate Championship]] ([[Dragon Gate Open the Triangle Gate Championship#Title history|15 times]]) – with [[Nobuhiko Oshima|Cima]] and [[Shingo Takagi]] (1), Cima and [[Tatsuki Fujii|Don Fujii]] (1), [[Yoshito Sugamoto|Gamma]] and Masato Yoshino (3), Gamma and [[Magnitude Kishiwada]] (1) Magnitude Kishiwada and Masato Yoshino (1), [[Pac (wrestler)|Pac]] and [[Naoki Tanizaki]] (1), [[M.c.KZ|Kzy]] and Naoki Tanizaki (1), Masato Yoshino and Pac (1), Masato Yoshino and [[Shachihoko Boy]] (1), [[Rich Swann]] and Shachihoko Boy (1), [[Cyber Kong]] and Kzy (1), [[Big R Shimizu]] and [[Ben-K]] (1), Masato Yoshino and Jason Lee (1), [[Kota Minoura]] and [[Minorita (wrestler)|Minorita]] (1)<ref name=CageTitles/>
**[[Open the Twin Gate Championship]] ([[Dragon Gate Open the Twin Gate Championship#History|8 times]]) – with Masato Yoshino (2), Gamma (1), [[Ricochet (wrestler)|Ricochet]] (1), [[Masato Onodera|Yamato]] (2), Takashi Yoshida (1) and [[Dragon Kid]] (1 time, current)<ref name=CageTitles/>
**Interim Open the Dream Gate Championship (1 time)<ref name=DG080514/>
**[[King of Gate]] ([[King of Gate#2008|2008]])
**[[Summer Adventure Tag League]] (2007, 2008, 2010) – with Masato Yoshino<ref name=SummerAdventureTag2010/><ref name=PuroCentral>{{cite web|url=http://www.puroresucentral.com/doi.html|title=Puroresu Central profile|access-date=2009-12-31|publisher=Puroresu Central}}</ref>
**[[Triple Crown (professional wrestling)#List of Dragon Gate Triple Crown Champions|First]] [[Triple Crown (professional wrestling)|Triple Crown Champion]]
**[[Grand Slam (professional wrestling)#Dragon Gate|Third]] [[Grand Slam (professional wrestling)|Grand Slam Champion]]
*'''''[[Pro Wrestling Illustrated]]'''''
**Ranked No. 66 of the top 500 wrestlers in the [[Pro Wrestling Illustrated#PWI 500|PWI 500]] in 2020<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://heelbynature.com/all-elite-wrestling/jon-moxley-tops-2020-pwi-500-list/|title = Jon Moxley Tops 2020 PWI 500 List, Top 100 Revealed •}}</ref>
*'''[[Pro Wrestling Noah]]'''
**[[GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship]] ([[GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship#Title history|1 time]]) – with [[Masato Yoshino]]<ref name=CageTitles/>
*'''[[Ring of Honor]]'''
**[[ROH World Tag Team Championship]] ([[List of ROH World Tag Team Champions|1 time]]) – with [[Shingo Takagi|Shingo]]<ref name="ROHtag">{{cite web|url=http://www.rohwrestling.com/rohworldtagteamtitles.php|title=Ring Of Honor Tag Team Championship|access-date=2010-04-05|publisher=[[Ring of Honor]]|url-status = dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100412035856/http://www.rohwrestling.com/rohworldtagteamtitles.php|archive-date=2010-04-12}}</ref>
*'''[[Toryumon (Último Dragón)|Toryumon Japan]]'''
**[[UWA World Trios Championship]] ([[UWA World Trios Championship#Title history|1 time]]) – with Dragon Kid and Kenichiro Arai<ref name=CageTitles/>
*'''''[[Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards|Wrestling Observer Newsletter]]'''''
**[[List of Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards#Match of the Year|Match of the Year]] (2006) <small>with Masato Yoshino and Cima vs. Dragon Kid, Genki Horiguchi and Ryo Saito (ROH – ''Supercard of Honor'' – March 31)</small>

{|class="wikitable sortable" width=100%
|-
!width=5%|Wager
!width=20%|Winner(s)
!width=20%|Loser(s)
!width=20%|Location
!width=15%|Date
!width=20%|Notes
|----- align="center"
|Hair || [[Terumasa Ishihara|BxB Hulk]] ([[Takashi Yoshida|Cyber Kong]])  || Naruki Doi ([[M.c.KZ|Kzy]])|| Aichi, Japan || {{dts|2014|05|05}}  || <small>This was a six-way [[Professional wrestling match types#Cages|steel cage match]], also involving [[Cima (wrestler)|Cima]] ([[Dragon Kid]]), [[Jimmy Kanda]] ([[Susumu Mochizuki|Jimmy Susumu]]), [[Masato Yoshino]] (Shachihoko Boy) and [[Naoki Tanizaki|Mr. Kyu Kyu Naoki Tanizaki Toyonaka Dolphin]] ([[Genki Horiguchi|Genki Horiguchi H.A.Gee.Mee!!]]).</small>
|}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
*[http://dgusa.tv/roster/doi.htm Dragon Gate USA profile]
*{{Professional wrestling profiles}}

{{Navboxes|
|list1=
{{Ironman Heavymetalweight Championship}}
{{GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship}}
{{Dragon Gate employees}}
{{King of Gate}}
{{Open the Dream Gate Championship}}
{{Open the Brave Gate Championship}}
{{Open the Twin Gate Championship}}
{{Open the Triangle Gate Championship}}
{{Rey de Parejas winners}}
{{UWA World Trios Championship}}
{{World Junior Heavyweight Championship (AJPW)}}
{{KO-D 6-Man Tag Team Championship}}
{{DDT Universal Championship}}
{{International Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship}}
{{ROH World Tag Team Championship}}
}}
{{Authority control}}
{{Portal bar|Biography|Japan}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Doi, Naruki}}
[[Category:1980 births]]
[[Category:Japanese male professional wrestlers]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Nara Prefecture]]
[[Category:20th-century male professional wrestlers]]
[[Category:20th-century Japanese professional wrestlers]]
[[Category:21st-century male professional wrestlers]]
[[Category:21st-century Japanese professional wrestlers]]
[[Category:ROH World Tag Team Champions]]
[[Category:GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champions]]
[[Category:UWA World Trios Champions]]
[[Category:Open the Dream Gate Champions]]
[[Category:Open the Brave Gate Champions]]
[[Category:Open the Twin Gate Champions]]
[[Category:Open the Triangle Gate Champions]]
[[Category:World Junior Heavyweight Champions (AJPW)]]
[[Category:Ironman Heavymetalweight Champions]]
[[Category:King of Gate winners]]