Último Dragón: More Belt Than Man

Último Dragón is arguably one of the greatest cruiserweights in wrestling history, but he is not as well remembered as he perhaps should be, often being overlooked in favour of some of his very talented contemporaries, such as Rey Mysterio, Chris Jericho, and Eddie Guerrero. All of these names are familiar to even the most casual of wrestling fans, perhaps because all three went on to have very successful careers in the WWE, whilst Último ended up being completely wasted by the company.

This is truly a shame, as Último Dragón was very much the equal of these greats. He was an incredibly innovative wrestler, blending Japanese, Mexican, and American wresting styles to produce some truly stunning matches that still look amazing today. He even invented the Asai Moonsault, variants of which are a staple of cruiserweight wrestling today, but it was a truly innovative move when Último first introduced it back in the 1990s.

Último Dragón is also notable for his considerable championship success over the years, capturing numerous prestigious titles throughout his career. He even set a world record in this respect, when for a brief period in 1996-1997 he held and defended ten different championship belts at the same time, a feat that has yet to be equalled.

This December not only marks twenty years since he achieved this, but also fifty years since he was born. Despite being half-a-century old, Último is still an active wrestler today and shows no signs of slowing down. So what better way to commemorate these two milestones than by taking a brief look at the remarkable career of one of wrestling's greatest cruiserweights?

Último Dragón, or Yoshihiro Asai to his parents, was born on 12th December 1966 in Nagoya, Japan. Contemplating the idea of being a wrestler from a young age, he graduated from the New Japan Pro Wrestling dojo in 1987, but like Jushin Liger before him, he was considered 'too small' by the company to ever be a major star (It isn't just a problem in the WWE it seems). However, Asai was not content to linger on the lower cards as an enhancement talent, instead deciding to try his luck in Mexico, where smaller wrestlers were usually received more favourably.

It was in Mexico whilst wrestling for CMLL in 1991 that he would adopt his now legendary 'Último Dragón' moniker, which translates into English as 'Last Dragon'. This name stemmed from a gimmick he was developing at the time, where he claimed to be the last student taught by famous martial arts hero 'The Dragon', Bruce Lee. The gimmick was eventually forgotten, but the name lived on.

The gamble paid off, with Último proving himself in Mexico and winning several titles in the process, the momentum even helped him back in his native Japan, where he managed to capture the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship on two occasions. In addition to this, he also managed to win the NWA World Middleweight Championship on 8 November 1994 at a live event in Tokyo. In hindsight, winning this title was the start of something big for Último.