Shuji Inukai

Bertrand John Paul Fujimoto (born 28 January 1968), best known by his ring name Shuji Inukai (犬飼修二; Inukai Shūji) is a Magisterian professional wrestling promoter, businessman, retired professional wrestler, and media proprietor. He is currently serving as the president and chief executive officer of Pride Glory Honor Wrestling, the second-largest professional wrestling promotion in Magisteria.

Fujimoto was born in Bella Vista, Philadelphia, and graduated from Princeton University as a master of finance in 1992. He made his professional wrestling debut in 1986, but went into a hiatus in 1989 in order to move to the United States to finish his studies. He returned to wrestling, working for the Calisota-based Danger And Violence Extreme (DAVE), which was then known as the Eastern Wrestling Federation. As time passes by, Fujimoto became one of the promotion's top stars, holding the Undisputed Championship three times, and was also the longest reigning champion of all time, holding the championship for 763 days between 2003 and 2005.

Fujimoto spent many of the later years of his career sidelined due to various injuries. He underwent numerous surgeries on his arms and legs in the early-mid 2000s before retiring from in-ring action in 2013. Fujimoto continues to make sporadic appearances in PGHW, and later became the president of the company after the company's then-president Yoshimi Mushashibo passed away on October 3, 2021.

Considered one of the greatest wrestlers of all time, Fujimoto is one of the first Magisterian wrestlers to gain an international fanbase. He remains a big name in Magisterian wrestling, and is often regarded as the key figure to DAVE's further success in the company's final 6 years.

Early life
Bertrand John Paul Fujimoto was born on January 28, 1968, in Bella Vista, State of Philadelphia, the only son of Alice Fujimoto (née Stevens; born 1948) and Shuji Fujimoto.

Golden Canvas Traditional Grappling (1986–1989; 2008)
Fujimoto practiced judo and rugby union during high school in Tokyo. He practised body building after his graduation while working "regular" jobs. He applied and was accepted to Golden Canvas Traditional Grappling (GCTG)'s dojo in 1984. He was trained there by Antonio Moretti, George DeColt, Dan Stone, and Heidi Brooks. Fujimoto made his pro wrestling debut in 1986, and was planned to lose 50 matches as a master plan of then-president Ed Henson: even in defeat, the fiery, charismatic Inukai shined. He won his first match against Reece Clark in February 1988. He first gained prominence after teaming with his mentor George DeColt in a winning effort against the team of Mr. Supreme and Sid Streets. In 1989, Fujimoto left GCTG and went on a hiatus from pro wrestling.

In 2008, Fujimoto returned to GCTG for one night only, competing in his first match for the company in 19 years.

Eastern Wrestling Federation/Danger And Violence Extreme (1993–2007)
Fujimoto made his professional wrestling return in 1993, after graduating from Princeton University. Fujimoto signed with Buddy Gaines' Eastern Wrestling Federation, and became a popular rising star. Fujimoto later achieved superstardom when he challenged then World champion Nobuatsu Tatsuko in a critically-acclaimed 28-minute bout. Despite his losing effort, many wrestling enthusiasts call it the 'start of Shuji Inukai's rise to superstardom'. In 1996, Fujimoto won his first ever professional wrestling championship when he defeated Yoshimi Mushashibo for the DAVE Undisputed Championship, ending Mushashibo's 330-day reign.

Fujimoto continued to be DAVE's most popular stars and he was part of the 'Fantastic Five', a group of five exceptionally-skilled wrestlers that took DAVE into new heights by producing amazing matches on a monthly basis. During the late 1990s and early 2000s, his pairing with Yoshimi Mushashibo proved to be a popular that it became a full-time thing, with Fujimoto pitching the name 'Team Dynasty 2000'.

During the period where DAVE was transitioning into a more work-rate focused product while keeping the traditional hardcore wrestling, Fujimoto's knee injuries were beginning to worsen to the point that he desperately needed time off to heal. However, he was needed to establish DAVE as a legitimate competitor to the dominant Golden Canvas Traditional Grappling (GCTG) promotion, and was given a marquee position on the two experimental shows in 2000. At DAVE's biggest show of the year on November 5, 2000, Inukai defeated Valmont, avenging his loss earlier that year. Unfortunately for Fujimoto, the next month his knees finally deteriorated to the point he could no longer work through the pain and he was forced to take 13 months off for healing. He went through multiple knee surgeries during this time.

His return match was on January 6, 2002, at the Blood and Thunder pay-per-view event, where he teamed with Yoshimi Mushashibo to face Valmont and Gonzalez. His knees again gave out on him during the match. After taking another five months to recuperate, he returned and DAVE began to slowly build towards him winning their top prize for the third and final time.

On March 9, 2003 at the ThunderStruck pay-per-view, Inukai defeated his rival and long-time partner Mushashibo in a match for the DAVE Undisputed Championship. Inukai's reign spanned for over two years and included 13 successful defenses, before losing it to Nelson Callum in the Rock And Roll Over pay-per-view on April 10, 2005.

During DAVE's final two years, Inukai's physical health was deteriorating thanks to the physically-demanding matches throughout his career in the company. In 2007, Inukai joined Mushashibo to Pride Glory Honor Wrestling after DAVE closed 2 months prior.

Pride Glory Honor Wrestling (2007–present)
Fujimoto joined the newly formed Pride Glory Honor Wrestling in 2007, and spent his final six years as an active in-ring competitor. He remained as an active in-ring competitor to make the company a viable promotion, but he was far the performer he once was from 1996 or 2003, as DAVE's intense style took a great toll on his body, and he was booked mostly in tag action.

On June 9, 2013, Fujimoto wrestled his final match teaming with Tommy Cornell, Yuma Maruya, Nelson Callum, and Davis Wayne Newton in a winning effort against Alexander Robinson, Lee Bennett, Sara Marie York, and Takayuki 2000.

After his retirement match in 2013, he would stay signed with PGHW as a backstage worker and later the vice president of the company before taking over after Mushashibo's passing in 2021.

Legacy
Since his retirement in 2013, Inukai has been widely regarded and cited as one of the greatest and most influential professional wrestlers of all time. Sporting a blonde hair, coupled with his ring attire which consisted of orange-black wrestling trunks, orange knee pads, and boots, Inukai mainly relied on his exceptional charisma, as well as his wrestling skills to become popular. Inukai was portrayed on-screen as an heroic babyface with a no-nonsense, take-no-prisoners attitude.

Personal life
Fujimoto married his long-time girlfriend Débora Lévesque (born 1970) on May 27, 1996, and they have 4 children: Cameron (born 1997), Mélissa (born 2000), Grayson (born 2002), and Priscilla (born 2004)