Kenta Kobayashi

Acting

Born: 1981-03-12 in Sōka, Saitama, Japan

Biography

Kenta Kobayashi (born March 12, 1981), better known by his ring name KENTA, is a Japanese professional wrestler and former mixed martial artist. He is currently signed to Pro Wrestling NOAH, where he original debuted in 2000 and is a former two-time GHC Heavyweight Champion, three-time GHC Junior Heavyweight Champion, one-time GHC Tag Team Champion and three-time GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champion. Between 2014 and 2019, he worked for American promotion WWE under the name Hideo Itami. After leaving WWE, he signed with New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), becoming a one-time NEVER Openweight Champion, two-time IWGP Tag Team Champion and one-time IWGP United States Heavyweight Champion, before returning to NOAH in 2025.

Kenta Kobayashi

Biography

Known For

Raw

All Elite Wrestling: Dynamite

WWE NXT

WWE NXT

WWE NXT

New Japan Pro Wrestling

New Japan Pro Wrestling

WWE Main Event

WWE 205 Live

WWE 205 Live

Ring of Honor Wrestling

Pro Wrestling NOAH

NJPW STRONG

NJPW Dominion 6.9 In Osaka-Jo Hall ~ Best of the Super Junior 31 Final ~ 2024

NJPW New Japan Cup 2021 - Day 6

WWE WrestleMania 31

NOAH N-1 Victory 2026 ~ Day 3

NOAH N-1 Victory 2026 ~ Day 2

NJPW New Japan Cup 2021 - Day 13 (Final)

NJPW Fighting Spirit Unleashed 2024

NOAH N-1 Victory 2026 ~ Day 1

NOAH Legacy Rise 2026

NJPW Battle Autumn 2022 - Day 16

NJPW G1 Climax 30: Day 12

NOAH Lethal Odyssey Tour 2026

NOAH Neo Global Tag League 2026 ~ Day 6

NOAH Neo Global Tag League 2026 ~ Day 12

NJPW G1 Climax 32: Day 8

JCW Strangle-Mania: Viva Las Violence 2026

NOAH Neo Global Tag League 2026 ~ Day 3

NJPW G1 Climax 32: Day 4

NJPW G1 Climax 32: Day 16

NOAH Legacy Rise 2026

ROH: Year Four

NOAH Apex Conquest 2026 in Yokohama

NOAH Legacy Rise 2026

Mark Hitchcock Memorial Wrestlecon Supershow 2023

WWE Royal Rumble 2019 Kickoff

NJPW Burning Spirit 2022 - Day 14

NJPW G1 Climax 29: Day 9