Ultimo Dragon Points Out Distinction He Shares With Two Japanese Legends

There are various ways pro wrestlers can make a lasting impact on the industry – whether it's becoming an inaugural winner of something, competing in an original match stipulation and setting the precedent for what's to come, or, in rare cases, having a maneuver named after you. Pro wrestling dates back over 100 years, so coming up with an original move and implementing it in your repertoire doesn't come easy. But for a legend like The Ultimo Dragon (Yoshihiro Asai), that's exactly what happened when he began performing a moonsault while springboarding off the ring ropes.

"I remember when it was named the Asai Moonsault when I was in WCW," Ultimo told Sports Illustrated. "I am very honored because there are only three moves named after Japanese wrestlers—[Antonio] Inoki's enzuigiri, the [Yoshiaki] Fujiwara armbar, and the Asai Moonsault." Another Japanese wrestler comes to mind when considering stars whose names were incorporated into their finishing move: Taka Michinoku. However, the michinoku driver he made famous and christened as his own actually originated from his trainer, The Great Sasuke, who allowed Michinoku to adopt it.

Ultimo, 55, is a longtime veteran of the industry, first training at the New Japan Dojo in 1987 before moving on to Mexico, where he established the luchador style he is well-known for. He arrived in America in 1996, debuting with WCW and going on to become a 2-time Cruiserweight and Television Champion during his run with the company. He only spent one year with WWE before returning to International touring but was featured in some significant matches for the cruiserweight division, like the Cruiserweight Open match at WrestleMania XX in Madison Square Garden.