Yukihide Matsuno

is a Japanese professional wrestler, better known by his ring name , who works for the Japanese professional wrestling promotion DDT Pro-Wrestling (DDT).

Professional wrestling career

Independent circuit (2001–present) Matsuno is a comedy wrestler known for an exaggerated old-man gimmick performed for comedic effect. He made his professional wrestling debut in 2001 at the age of 39.

His first documented match took place the following year at the 8th anniversary show of the International Wrestling Association of Japan on October 10, 2002. Teaming with Yuji Kito and Tiger Jeet Singh, he competed in a six-man tag team match against Tatsukuni Asano, Ryo Miyake, and The Great Kabuki.

Over the following decade, Matsuno worked for various Japanese wrestling promotions, including Dragon Gate. More than ten years after his debut, he appeared at the Dragon Gate/DDT Dramatic Dream Gate Returns crossover event on May 6, 2012, teaming with Rich Swann and Ryo Jimmy Saito in a losing effort against Don Fujii, Antonio Honda, and Danshoku Dino.

Nearly two decades into his career, Matsuno competed in Michinoku Pro Wrestling's 2019 Futaritabi Tag Tournament alongside Jinsei Shinzaki. The pair reached the semi-finals before losing to Tsutomu Oosugi and Tatsuhito Senga on October 14, 2019.

Dramatic Dream Team (2003–present) At DDT 8th Anniversary: Judgement 9 on March 27, 2005, Matsuno teamed up with Danshoku Dino and Muscle Sakai to defeat Akeomi Nitta, Shuji Ishikawa and Jun Inomata in a six-man tag team match. Matsuno is a former O-40 Champion, which he got the title at Who's Gonna Top? 2019 on September 29 after defeating Sanshiro Takagi. He eventually lost it 406 days later at DDT TV Show! #11 from November 8, 2020, to Toru Owashi. Matsuno also won the KO-D 6-Man Tag Team Championship alongside Brahman Kei and Brahman Shu at God Bless DDT 2014 on November 30 after defeating T2Hii (Kazuki Hirata, Sanshiro Takagi and Toru Owashi). Matsuno is a former multiple time Ironman Heavymetalweight Champion. He competed in a falls count anywhere four-way tag team match to promote the protection of the elderly people from COVID-19 in which he teamed up with Gabai Ji-chan to defeat Konosuke Takeshita and Shunma Katsumata, Chris Brookes and Mike Bailey, and Shinya Aoki and Makoto Oishi on March 30, 2020. He also works in singles matches as a sole wrestler, one of these matches being at DDT TV Show! #12 on November 14, 2020, where he fell short to Danshoku Dino.

Personal life On November 3, 2008, Matsuno collapsed in the toilet of a bar in Fukushima, found unconscious by his partner, Junko. Matsuno was rushed to hospital and deemed to have had cardiac arrest, in addition to suffering from acute liver failure; the cause of which was deemed to be mixing alcohol with his anti-depressant medication. Matsuno was medically diagnosed with depression. Matsuno was given CPR and a tracheotomy to save his life, and was able to eventually make a full recovery and return to professional wrestling three years later in 2011 at DDT's Max Bump event in Korakuen Hall.

Matsuno was a collateral victim of the East Japan Earthquake and he stated that his home was briefly affected by the natural disaster back in 2011.

Championships and accomplishments Dramatic Dream Team/DDT Pro Wrestling KO-D 6-Man Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Brahman Kei and Brahman Shu O-40 Championship (1 time) Ironman Heavymetalweight Championship (18 times) Best Body Japan Pro Wrestling BBW Tag Team Championship (2 time) – with Kazuhiko Yoshida (1) and Tetsuya Endo (1)