Summary
TheYakuzaseries has always drawn inspiration from professional wrestling for its finishing attacks, and real-life wrestler Hikaru Shida recently returned the favor by busting out Kazuma Kiryu’s Super Finish: Hell’s Gauntlet during the latest episode of AEW Dynamite. Most of the mainlineYakuzagames put players in the role of Kiryu Kazuma, a former member of the Kanto-based Tojo Clan who wishes to leave his violent past behind. This is often easier said than done, as Kiryu regularly finds himself fighting off all manner of criminals on the mean streets ofYakuza’sJapan.
Part of theYakuzafranchise’s lasting appeal is its combat, which features Kiryu and other protagonists beating down enemies with martial arts and improvised weapons. Wrestling moves like suplexes and powerbombs are often used as brutal finishing attacks, which in turn has drawn wrestlers and wrestling fans to theYakuzaseries. In-ring legends have evencameoed inYakuzagames, with the most notable being the legendary Yoshiaki Fujiwara’s appearances as The Florist. Other wrestlers like Hiroshi Tanahashi, The Great Muta, and AEW performer and executive vice president Kenny Omega have all guest starred inYakuzatitles over the years.
As such, it would only be fitting for the competitors of All Elite Wrestling to draw from Kiryu’s moveset during actual matches, and Hikaru Shida just did exactly that on the Jun 30, 2025 edition ofAEW Dynamite. During her match with Dr. Britt Baker, Shida performed a combination of moves resembling the Super Finish: Hell’s Gauntlet Revelation attackfrom 2009’sYakuza 3. This was pointed out by Twitter user FawfulEric, who edited a clip of Kiryu performing the move himself after seeing Shida’s version.
AEW’s Hikaru Shida Unleashes Yakuza 3’s Super Finish: Hell’s Gauntlet
All Elite Wrestling seems to be filled with gaming fans, as plenty of the company’s in-ring competitors have paid homage to a wide variety of franchises ranging from fighting games to JRPGs. Early last year, the aforementionedKenny Omega channeledFinal Fantasy 7villain Sephirothbefore his match with Will Ospreay at NJPW Wrestle Kingdom, complete with the iconic “One Winged Angel” theme. Before that, former AEW performer and current WWE superstar Jade Cargill walked into her match against Tay Conti at the 2022 AEW Revolution event dressed as Jade fromMortal Kombat.
Yakuzais anothergaming series that meshes well with pro wrestling, as demonstrated by Hikaru Shida performing Kiryu’s Super Finish: Hell’s Gauntlet during her latest AEW outing. AnyYakuzafans watching the match probably got a kick out of seeing one of the game’s moves being pulled off in a real-life wrestling match, and Kiryu himself would certainly be impressed at Hikaru Shida’s apparent tribute to one of his many devastating finishers.
Yakuza
Sega’s Yakuza franchise is a series of action-adventure and role-playing games that revolve around characters who are a part of or associated with dangerous criminal organizations.The various games in the series tend to be led by gripping, emotional narratives but are supplemented by hilarious side stories and enjoyable mini-games that give players a welcome break from the drama.
