is a Japanese retired professional wrestler and former amateur wrestler, who was primarily associated with New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). He is a one-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion, one-time G1 Climax winner and three-time IWGP Tag Team Champion. Nakanishi has always stayed based in Japan, but has wrestled for various other promotions including World Championship Wrestling, All Japan Pro Wrestling, Pro Wrestling Noah and Pro Wrestling Zero1. Nakanishi's career slowly declined after a spinal injury in 2011, but he continued to wrestle for a further nine years, before retiring on February 22, 2020. In 1992, Nakanishi won bronze in freestyle wrestling at the Asian Championships. Later that year, he competed in the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain, and placed eleventh. Amateur wrestling career Manabu Nakanishi began his amateur wrestling career in 1986, competing freestyle in the 220 lbs. division. In July 1986, Nakanishi competed in his very first tournament, the World Cup in St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada, where he placed fifth. In October 1987, he participated in the Asian Championship in Bombay, India, where he placed fifth. In June 1989, he participated in another Asian Championship in Ōarai, Ibaraki, Japan, and this time moved up to fourth place. In September 1990, Nakanishi took part in two tournaments: On September 6, he participated in the World Championship in Tokyo, where he was placed tenth. Over three weeks later, on September 30, he participated in the Asian Games in Beijing, China, where he placed fourth. In October 1991, he took part in his second World Championship in Varna, Bulgaria, where he was placed eleventh. In April 1992, he took part in his third Asian Championship in Tehran, Iran, and was in third place, earning a bronze medal. In his biggest tournament, Nakanishi participated in the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain, where he was placed eleventh. Professional wrestling career New Japan Pro-Wrestling (1992–1995) Nakanishi debuted for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) in October 1992, already taking part on NJPW's Super Grade Tag League, teaming up with Tatsumi Fujinami. The team lost all but one match, this one where they beat the combination of Jim Neidhart and Z-Man, during the whole tournament. He wrestled tag matches for the rest of his first year. Nakanishi's first single match came in February 1993, when he lost to Takayuki Iizuka. His in-ring style was very basic early in his career, as is standard for their trainees. After winning