Awards and Recognition

Tokyo Sports Grand Prix:
Fighting Spirit Award (1999)
Best Tag Team (2010)

Pro Wrestling Illustrated:
Highest Rank - #29 Wrestler in the World in 2000

Puroresu Central Awards:
None

Wrestling Observer Awards:
None

Notable Matches

May 3rd, 1997 with Kojima vs. Choshu and Sasaki
August 15th, 1999 vs. Keiji Mutoh
June 2nd, 2000 vs. Kensuke Sasaki
March 9th, 2003 vs. Yuji Nagata
June 24th, 2006 with Omori vs. Kohei Sato and Ryouji Sai
May 6th, 2009 vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi

Other Pictures

Career Recap:

2005 Recap:
A strong upper mid-carder, Nakanishi is rarely left off a major card and has a lot of fans due to his large size and agility.  He participated on all the major shows, and was 2-2 on Tokyo Dome Shows (he had two matches on 1/4 as part of the Ultimate Royal).  In the G-1 Climax, he came in third in this block, only one point away from making the semi-finals.  In 2005 he formed a team with Kendo Kashin, and also wrestled with Scott Norton.  Towards the end of 2005, he teamed with fellow amateur wrestling star Yuji Nagata and they are considered one of the strongest teams in New Japan.

2006 Recap:
Nakanishi would lose to Giant Bernard to start off the year at the Tokyo Dome but for the rest of the year his popularity grew astronomically. In the New Japan Cup, he defeated Iizuka in the first round before losing to Giant Bernard again in the second round. In the summer Nakanishi won two titles, one in Zero-One and one in New Japan. On July 17th, he teamed with Omori to win the Provisional IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championship, defeating Koshinaka and Makabe. In September he and Omori were recognized as the official IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Champions after Chono and Tenzan were stripped of the titles. At the 2006 G1 Climax, Nakanishi came in last place in his bracket. In the G1 Tag League he teamed with Yamamoto with the pair only picking up one win, which was against Tomko and Giant Bernard.

2007 Recap:
After holding the tag titles for January and February, March would prove to be the downfall of Wild Child. On March 8th, they would lose the NWA Intercontinental Tag Team Championship to Takayama and Sato, and then on March 11th they would lose the IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championship to Giant Bernard and Tomko. Soon after the team would split and they would go their separate ways. Nakanishi was in the midst of a feud with Shiro Koshinaka as well, who had defeated him on February 18th, and their feud continued when they met in the first round of the New Japan Cup. Nakanishi would win this time, but he would fall in the 2nd round to Giant Bernard. In the G1 Climax, Nakanishi would lose to Koshinaka again, and he only received four points as he defeated Milano and Tanahashi. On September 24th he would get a chance to regain the IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championship (this time teaming with Nagata), but they came up short as Giant Bernard pinned Nagata. In the G1 Tag League Nakanishi teamed with Nagata, but the pair would come in 7th place.

2008 Recap:
Nakanishi had a quieter year in 2008 as his main focus was on battling Zero-1 MAX. At the Tokyo Dome, Nakanishi took down Abyss from TNA, starting the year on a positive note. In the New Japan Cup he faced off against Rhino from TNA in the first round, but Rhino would score the upset with the Gore. Nakanishi had a number of matches in Zero-1 MAX during the spring and summer, including battles against his old friend Omori. He took part in the Zero-1 Fire Festival, but would lose in the Finalist Decision Match in his block to Masato Tanaka. In the G1 Climax, Nakanishi did well with wins over Tanahashi, Giant Bernard, and Togi Makabe but he failed to reach the finals. In the G1 Tag League, Nakanishi teamed with old friend Yutaka Yoshie but they barely missed the semi-finals. Nakanishi teamed with Yoshie to challenge for the IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championship in December against Yano and Makabe, but they would come up short.

2009 Recap:
In 2009, Nakanishi finally won the ultimate prize for the first time in his career as he won the IWGP Heavyweight Championship. The year started with Nakanishi taking on NOAH's Jun Akiyama at the Tokyo Dome, with Akiyama winning the match. Nakanishi took part in the New Japan Cup, but he lost to Yutaka Yoshie in the first round. The year didn't seem to be going well for Nakanishi, but on May 6th he got a shot at the IWGP Heavyweight Championship against Hiroshi Tanahashi. Tanahashi had just had a challenge a few days prior, and perhaps this helped Nakanishi pull off the upset and bring home the title for the first time. His title reign would be short lived however as on June 20th he lost the title back to Tanahashi. In the G1 Climax, Nakanishi had a win over Nagata but failed to make the semi finals. In the G1 Tag League, Nakanishi teamed with his old friend Takao Omori and they made the semi finals before losing to the eventual winners Giant Bernard and Karl Anderson.

2010 Recap:
While Nakanishi did not win any titles in 2010, he still acted as a solid gatekeeper and continued having even matches against the top stars in New Japan. Nakanishi started the year getting a shot at the IWGP Heavyweight Championship in February against Nakamura, but the champion would hold onto his title. He took part in the New Japan Cup, but for the third straight year he lost in the first round, this time to Masato Tanaka. Nakanishi had a great showing in the G1 Climax and was set to make the Finals, but he was upset by Tetsuya Naito on the last day which knocked him back down to 2nd place in his bracket. In the G1 Tag League, Nakanishi did very well as he and Strong Man tied for first place in their Block, but they lost to Yujiro Takahashi and Tetsuya Naito in the Semi Finals. Towards the end of the year he slumped out of the main event scene as he opened the show on Destruction and didn't have any other big singles matches, but with his popularity and standing in the promotion he will no doubt still be a force in upcoming years.