:Katsuya Kitamura

Prior to becoming a professional wrestler, Kitamura was a highly accomplished amateur wrestler, known for being one of the largest wrestlers in all of Japan. Because of his size and physique, he earned the nickname "Wrestling Monster".{{cite web|url=https://www.njpw1972.com/4464|title=NJPW's powerful Young Lion Katsuya Kitamura debuts tonight! Tagging with Oka, he faces the deadly G.O.D.!|date=March 13, 2017|accessdate=May 25, 2017}} He attended Senshu University, where he was a part of their wrestling team. In 2006, he won the All Japan Wrestling Championship in the 120 kg category, and later on in the same year represented Japan in the World Championships. Throughout his amateur career, Kitamura would go on to win three national championships and represent Japan on a global level twice. As well as amateur wrestling, Kitamura took part in the 2015 Ganryū-jima fighting tournament, where he defeated a Mongolian Sumo wrestler.

On June 13, 2011, Kitamura was banned from amateur wrestling for two years after testing positive for anabolic steroids, specifically, the illegal muscle building drug drostanolone. Kitamura was being tipped as a possible member of Japan's Olympic wrestling team for the 2012 London Olympic Games, but the ban ruled him out of participation. He did not appeal against the ban, but said that he "took them by accident after buying some supplements from abroad".{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/doping-wrestling-japan-idUSL3E7HD1Z920110613|title=Doping-Japanese wrestler banned for steroid use|date=June 13, 2017|accessdate=May 11, 2017|newspaper=Reuters}}

Kitamura began training in the New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) dojo in 2015. His first match in NJPW was not a traditional professional wrestling match, but rather a dark amateur wrestling exhibition at Lion's Gate Project 1, where he wrestled fellow trainee Tomoyuki Oka to a time limit draw.{{cite web|url=https://www.cagematch.net/?id=1&nr=145830|title=NJPW Lion's Gate Project1 « Events Database « Cagematch – The Internet Wrestling Database|first=Philip|last=Kreikenbohm|accessdate=April 22, 2017}}

After undergoing further training, Kitamura wrestled his first ever professional match on September 1, 2016, at Lion's Gate Project 3, another dark match where he and Oka once again wrestled to a draw.{{cite web|url=https://www.cagematch.net/?id=1&nr=159894|title=NJPW Lion's Gate Project3 « Events Database « Cagematch – The Internet Wrestling Database|first=Philip|last=Kreikenbohm|accessdate=April 22, 2017}} On March 13, 2017, he made his televised debut, teaming with Oka in a loss to the Guerrillas of Destiny (Tama Tonga and Tanga Loa). The following day, Kitamura teamed with Katsuyori Shibata and Yuji Nagata in a loss to TenCozy (Satoshi Kojima and Hiroyoshi Tenzan) and Juice Robinson.{{cite web|url=https://www.cagematch.net/?id=1&nr=170722|title=NJPW New Japan Cup 2017 – Tag 4 « Events Database « Cagematch – The Internet Wrestling Database|first=Philip|last=Kreikenbohm|accessdate=April 22, 2017}} The day after that, he once again lost to Tonga and Loa, this time teaming with Nagata.{{cite web|url=https://www.cagematch.net/?id=1&nr=170812|title=NJPW New Japan Cup 2017 – Tag 5 « Events Database « Cagematch – The Internet Wrestling Database|first=Philip|last=Kreikenbohm|accessdate=April 22, 2017}}

On June 24, 2017, three months after his debut, Kitamura won the first match in his career when he teamed with Tomoyuki Oka to defeat Manabu Nakanishi and Tetsuhiro Yagi in a tag match. Kitamura and Oka continued teaming regularly, eventually dubbing their team "Monster Rage".{{cite web|url=http://www.njpw.co.jp/card_result/105277|title=ローソンチケット Presents G1 Climax 27|work=New Japan Pro-Wrestling|accessdate=September 24, 2017|language=ja}} At the end of 2017, Kitamura took part in two tournaments held by NJPW; the 2017 World Tag League and the 2017 Young Lion Cup. In the World Tag League, Kitamura and fellow young lion David Finlay finished last in their block after losing all seven of their matches.{{cite web | url = http://www.njpw.co.jp/tornament/111996?showResult=1 | title = 鉄拳Presents World Tag League 2017 | accessdate=December 27, 2017 | work=New Japan Pro-Wrestling | language=ja}} Meanwhile, in the Young Lion Cup, Kitamura emerged victorious after winning all five of his matches.{{cite web | url = http://www.njpw.co.jp/tornament/116499?showResult=1 | title = Lion's Gate Project10 | accessdate=December 21, 2017 | work=New Japan Pro-Wrestling | language=ja}} On January 5 at New Year's Dash, Katsuya began a Seven Trial series of matches where he would face seven different wrestlers. He lost his first of seven matches to Jay White at New Year Dash. At the New Beginning in Sapporo he lost his second match of seven to Michael Elgin and his third the following day to Juice Robinson. At the Road to The New Beginning event from Korakuen Hall he lost his fourth match against Hiroyoshi Tenzan, and the fifth against Manabu Nakanishi. At The New Beginning in Osaka on February 10, he lost match #6 against Yuji Nagata. At The New Beginning in Hiroshima he was scheduled to face Manabu Nakanishi, but he suffered a cerebral concussion and was unable to compete. It was reported that the severity of the injury may force him to retire.{{Cite web|url=https://solowrestling.mundodeportivo.com/new/74561-katsuya-kitamura-podria-no-volver-a-luchar-tras-una-importante-lesion|title=Katsuya Kitamura podría no volver a luchar tras una importante lesión|date=September 20, 2018|website=solowrestling.mundodeportivo.com}} He later injured his leg in a scooter accident.{{Cite web |last=Pollock |first=John |date=2022-10-14 |title=Katsuya Kitamura, former NJPW Young Lion Cup winner, dies at 36 |url=https://www.postwrestling.com/2022/10/14/katsuya-kitamura-former-njpw-young-lion-cup-winner-dies-at-36/ |access-date=2022-10-18 |website=POST Wrestling |language=en-US}} After almost a year with little news or updates on his condition, Kitamura left NJPW on January 31, 2019.{{cite web|url=https://www.instagram.com/p/BtgEHrpBVBa/|title=katsuya kitamura on Instagram: "私、北村克哉は2019/1/31をもちまして新日本プロレスを退団いたしました。 昨年3月の欠場以来、北村の復帰を願い待っていて下さったファンの皆様には本当に申し訳ない気持ちでいっぱいです。 復帰に向けて自分なりに必死にトレーニングに取り組んで来ました。…"|website=Instagram|accessdate=February 6, 2019}}{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=1868396716603201&id=100002986728539|title=北村克哉|website=www.facebook.com|accessdate=February 6, 2019}}{{cite web|url=https://www.solowrestling.com/new/78236-katsuya-kitamura-abandona-njpw|title=Katsuya Kitamura abandona NJPW|last=Solowrestling|date=February 5, 2019|website=www.solowrestling.com|accessdate=February 6, 2019}}

Kitamura made his mixed martial arts debut against Bobby Ologun at Rizin 32 on November 20, 2021, He lost the bout via rear-naked choke in the second round.{{Cite web|last=Cruz|first=Guilherme|date=November 20, 2021|title=RIZIN 32 videos, results: Rena Kubota stops Miyuu Yamamoto with vicious knee in main event|url=https://www.mmafighting.com/2021/11/20/22792886/rizin-32-videos-results-rena-kubota-miyuu-yamamoto-vicious-knee-main-event|access-date=November 20, 2021|website=MMA Fighting|language=en}}

Kitamura died on October 12, 2022, at age 36; reportedly, he felt unwell and called an ambulance to take him to a hospital, where his condition rapidly deteriorated.{{cite news |title=元新日本プロレスの北村克哉さんが３６歳で急死 退団後はＲＩＺＩＮでボビー・オロゴンとも対戦 |url=https://www.tokyo-sports.co.jp/articles/-/241911 |access-date=October 14, 2022 |publisher=Tokyo Sports |date=October 14, 2022}} The cause of death was not released publicly.

• Japan Wrestling Federation
• All Japan Wrestling Championship in the 120 kg category

• New Japan Pro-Wrestling
• Young Lion Cup (2017)
• Wrestling Observer Newsletter
• Rookie of the Year (2017){{cite web|url=https://www.f4wonline.com/wrestling-observer-radio/wor-2017-wrestling-observer-newsletter-awards-discussion-and-more-253601|title=WOR: 2017 WRESTLING OBSERVER NEWSLETTER AWARDS DISCUSSION AND MORE!|last=Alvarez|first=Bryan|author-link=Bryan Alvarez|date=March 15, 2018|accessdate=March 15, 2018|work=Wrestling Observer Newsletter}}

{{MMArecordbox

|ko-wins=

|ko-losses=

|sub-wins=

|sub-losses=1

|dec-wins=

|dec-losses=

}}

{{MMA record start}}

|-

|{{no2}}Loss

|align=center|0–1

|Bobby Ologun

|Submission (rear-naked choke)

|Rizin 32

|{{dts|2021|November|20|format=mdy}}

|align=center|2

|align=center|2:34

|Okinawa, Japan

|

|-

{{end}}

{{reflist}}

• [http://sp.njpw.jp/profile/660 Katsuya Kitamura on NJPW's official Japanese website]
• [https://www.njpw1972.com/profile/1160 Katsuya Kitamura on NJPW's official English website]
• [https://www.cagematch.net/?id=2&nr=18197&name=Katsuya+Kitamura Katsuya Kitamura on cagematch]

{{Young Lion Cup}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kitamura, Katsuya}}

Category:1985 births

Category:2022 deaths

Category:People from Suginami

Category:Japanese male sport wrestlers

Category:Japanese male professional wrestlers

Category:Japanese male mixed martial artists

Category:Mixed martial artists utilizing freestyle wrestling

Category:Mixed martial artists utilizing Greco-Roman wrestling

Category:Wrestlers at the 2010 Asian Games

Category:Asian Games competitors for Japan

Category:Senshu University alumni

Category:Young Lion Cup winners