Yoshihiro Takayama, Japanese wrestler and mixed martial artist
Yoshihiro Takayama (高山 善廣, Takayama Yoshihiro, born September 19, 1966) is a former Japanese professional wrestler and mixed martial artist. Debuting for UWF International (UWFI) in the 1990s, Takayama joined All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW) in 1997 after UWF-i folded. In 2000, he joined Pro Wrestling Noah (Noah), and later became a mainstay in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) where he arguably achieved his greatest success, holding the IWGP Heavyweight Championship and NWF Heavyweight Championship simultaneously in 2003. He is one of only three men to hold all three of puroresus major heavyweight titles (New Japan Pro-Wrestling's IWGP Heavyweight Championship, All Japan Pro Wrestling's Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship, and Pro Wrestling Noah's GHC Heavyweight Championship), the other being Kensuke Sasaki and Keiji Muto.
Takayama is well known for his ability to endure massive amounts of punishment, and is regarded as one of the toughest professional wrestlers of all time. Takayama first became widely known for his toughness after he began competing in mixed martial arts, when he took part in one of the most famous fights in Pride FC history at PRIDE 21 against Don Frye. He has suffered numerous career threatening injuries, including a stroke after a match against Kensuke Sasaki in 2004. Takayama's career ended with a spinal cord injury in May 2017, which left him paralyzed from the shoulders down.