1. Overview
エル・リンダマンEru RindamanJapanese (born 林悠河Hayashi YūgaJapanese on February 12, 1995) is a prominent Japanese professional wrestler. He is widely recognized for his high-flying and impactful in-ring style, characterized by a blend of powerful suplexes and agile maneuvers. Debuting in Dragon Gate in 2014, his early career was marked by a significant jaw injury and a subsequent transformation, including adopting his current ring name and evolving through various stable affiliations like Millennials, Over Generation, and VerserK. He later transitioned to Oriental Wrestling Entertainment (OWE), where he co-founded the influential stable Strong Hearts, making appearances in major promotions such as All Elite Wrestling (AEW). Since joining GLEAT in 2021, Lindaman has established himself as a top star, becoming the inaugural G-Rex Champion and showcasing his abilities in New Japan Pro-Wrestling's prestigious Best of the Super Juniors tournament. His career is also notable for numerous championships across various Japanese promotions, including All Japan Pro Wrestling, DDT Pro-Wrestling, and Pro Wrestling Zero1, alongside critical acclaim for his in-ring technique and mic work.
2. Personal Life and Background
Yuga Hayashi was born on February 12, 1995, in Nakano Ward, Tokyo, Japan. His blood type is B. He attended Adachi Gakuen Junior and Senior High School, where he was a junior to fellow professional wrestler Mochizuki Masaaki. A notable anecdote from his personal life involves an incident during his early wrestling career where he accidentally caused a serious injury to a childhood friend. Despite this, their friendship endured, and his friend continues to attend his matches.
3. Professional Wrestling Career
El Lindaman's professional wrestling career spans several major promotions in Japan and international appearances, marked by significant character evolutions, stable affiliations, and championship reigns.
3.1. Dragon Gate (2014-2018)
El Lindaman's tenure in Dragon Gate was foundational, seeing him debut, overcome early setbacks, and evolve his persona and in-ring style through various alliances before his departure.
3.1.1. Early Career and Ring Name Change
Hayashi made his professional wrestling debut on April 4, 2014, in a dark match for Dragon Gate NEX, facing Shachihoko Boy. On April 13, during a match against Eita, he suffered a broken jaw, which significantly impacted his early career and sidelined him for several months. Upon his return, Hayashi, typical for young Japanese wrestlers, lost the majority of his matches. His main roster debut occurred on August 5, 2014, at a Korakuen Hall event. On December 16, 2014, selected by Naruki Doi's "Doi Darts" (a fan-voted selection process), he participated in his first main event match as part of a six-man tag, securing his first victory in his career by defeating Jimmy Kanda with a German suplex. In recognition of his promising debut year, he received the Rookie of the Year award in the Weekly Pro-Wrestling magazine's Professional Wrestling Grand Prix, receiving 672 votes, a significant margin over the second-place finisher, Naoya Nomura.
On January 10, 2015, Hayashi entered the Open the Brave Gate Championship decision tournament, where he defeated Punch Tominaga in just 46 seconds using a Locomotion-style German suplex. His last match under his birth name was on January 16, 2015, teaming with Super Shisa and Kotoka in a loss to The Jimmyz. Two days later, on January 18, Hayashi debuted his new ring name, El Lindaman, inspired by the song "Linda Linda" by the band The Blue Hearts. He initially aimed to join the Osaka06 stable alongside CIMA and Gamma, but after CIMA aligned with Mad Blankey, Lindaman chose to join the Millennials. He adapted his ring attire to match the Millennials' color scheme and dyed his hair pink. His first match as El Lindaman, teaming with Kotoka, resulted in a loss to Jimmy Kanda and Jimmy Susumu. The Millennials stable was dissolved on August 6, 2015.
3.1.2. Stable Affiliations and Character Evolution
On October 8, 2015, El Lindaman joined CIMA's new stable, Over Generation, alongside Eita, Gamma, Punch Tominaga, Kaito Ishida, and Takehiro Yamamura. Following this, he again updated his ring attire. In November, he competed in the Open the Triangle Gate Tournament, teaming with Eita and Punch Tominaga, but their trio was eliminated in the first round by VerserK (Yamato, Shingo Takagi, and Naruki Doi). Lindaman also participated in the 2016 King of Gate tournament, finishing last in his block with a single point.
In 2016, Lindaman formed a tag team with Yosuke Santa Maria, leading to a kayfabe romance storyline where Lindaman expressed his desire to "fight with and protect her." The duo was officially named The Marilyns. Shortly after, Lindaman left Over Generation and sought to join Maria's Tribe Vanguard stable, led by Yamato. Yamato stipulated that Lindaman's inclusion would depend on his performance with Santa Maria in the 2016 Summer Adventure Tag League. The Marilyns tied for last in their block with two points, leading Yamato to deny Lindaman's request. Following this, Santa Maria slapped Lindaman, officially ending The Marilyns.
Shortly after the breakup, Lindaman adopted a more aggressive character, attacking opponents and even partners before and after matches, signaling a heel turn. He challenged Eita for the Open the Brave Gate Championship, but Punch Tominaga intervened, leading to a number one contenders match on September 29, which Lindaman won. After the match, he solidified his heel turn by attacking Tominaga and accepting VerserK's invitation to join their stable. His transformation included dyeing his hair red, changing his attire to match VerserK's colors, and carrying a large rope around his neck as a prop. Representing VerserK, Lindaman unsuccessfully challenged Eita for the Brave Gate Championship on October 12. On December 25, at Final Gate, Lindaman teamed with fellow VerserK members Cyber Kong and Mondai Ryu in a triple threat match for the vacant Open the Triangle Gate Championship against Ben-K, Kotoka, and Masato Yoshino, and The Jimmyz (Jimmy Kanda, Jimmy Susumu, and Ryo Jimmy Saito); The Jimmyz won the title. On January 18, 2017, Lindaman, alongside VerserK leader Shingo Takagi and T-Hawk, won the One Night 6 Man Tag Tournament. On July 1, Lindaman, Shingo Takagi, and Takashi Yoshida (formerly Cyber Kong) defeated MaxiMuM to win the Open the Triangle Gate Championship, marking Lindaman's first championship in Dragon Gate.
3.2. Oriental Wrestling Entertainment (OWE) and Strong Hearts (2018-2021)
In early 2018, CIMA announced his departure from Dragon Gate after 21 years and the formation of a new promotion, Oriental Wrestling Entertainment (OWE), primarily based in China. El Lindaman, T-Hawk, and Takehiro Yamamura also left Dragon Gate to join OWE. OWE's inaugural event was held on May 7, 2018. On June 22, representing OWE, Lindaman debuted in Wrestle-1. The rest of the OWE roster soon followed, forming the stable "Strong Hearts", which later recruited Dezmond Xavier and Zachary Wentz. Strong Hearts also debuted for DDT Pro-Wrestling in September 2018, defeating All Out (Konosuke Takeshita, Akito, Shunma Katsumata, and Yuki Iino). Representing OWE, Strong Hearts debuted in All Elite Wrestling (AEW) at Double or Nothing on May 25, 2019, where they lost to SoCal Uncensored.
3.3. GLEAT (2021-present)
El Lindaman's career in GLEAT has been highly successful, marked by his establishment as a top champion and his continued participation in significant tournaments.
On March 12, 2021, El Lindaman, along with CIMA and the rest of #STRONGHEARTS, announced their official signing with GLEAT. This move was solidified the following day at a formal joining press conference. On September 7, 2021, due to a dispute regarding Hayato Tamura's transfer to GLEAT, Pro Wrestling Zero1 announced its "insulation" from GLEAT, resulting in El Lindaman being stripped of his International Junior Heavyweight and NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championships, which he held from Zero1.
On February 22, 2022, at a Korakuen Hall event, GLEAT held the semi-finals and finals of the "G-REX Tournament" to determine the inaugural G-Rex champion. Lindaman defeated Hayato Tamura in the final match, becoming the first-ever G-Rex Champion. He also holds the inaugural G-Rush Championship, which he won in 2025 (presumably a future event as of current data). He also won the G-REX Title First Champion Decision Tournament (2022) and the G-Rush Tournament (2025).
3.4. New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) Appearances
El Lindaman has made several notable guest appearances in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), showcasing his skills on a larger stage.
On January 5, 2022, Lindaman made a surprise appearance at NJPW's Wrestle Kingdom 16 at Tokyo Dome, serving as CIMA's second. Following a match, El Desperado, the then IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion, named Lindaman as an opponent he wished to face. Lindaman officially debuted in NJPW on March 1, 2022, at the NJPW 50th Anniversary Show held at Nippon Budokan. He teamed with CIMA and T-Hawk to defeat Suzuki-gun members El Desperado, Yoshinobu Kanemaru, and Douki in a six-man tag team match. After the match, El Desperado once again expressed his desire for a singles match against Lindaman.
The trio of Lindaman, CIMA, and T-Hawk continued to team during CIMA's New Japan Cup campaign in 2022. On May 1, 2022, Lindaman was announced as a participant in the 29th annual Best of the Super Juniors tournament, representing GLEAT in the B-Block. He finished the tournament with a record of 4 wins and 5 losses, accumulating 8 points, which was not enough to advance to the finals. However, he notably secured a victory over El Desperado on May 24 at Korakuen Hall, leaving a strong impact. During the tournament series, on May 18, Lindaman successfully defended his G-REX Championship against Shigehiro Irie. On the final day of the Best of the Super Juniors tournament, Lindaman teamed with Wheeler Yuta, Ace Austin, and Alex Zayne to defeat Robbie Eagles, YOH, Titán, and Clark Connors in a tag team match. On March 1, 2023, Lindaman participated in the "Junior Dream Festival ~ALL STAR Jr. FESTIVAL 2023~", competing in a tag team match.
3.5. Other Promotions
El Lindaman has also achieved success and made significant appearances in other Japanese promotions.
In Pro Wrestling Zero1, he competed in the Tenkaichi Jr. tournament on July 5, 2020, reaching the finals but ultimately losing to Akatsuki Kitamura. On September 4, 2020, he challenged and defeated Akatsuki Kitamura to win both the International Junior Heavyweight Championship and the NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship, marking his first singles championships.
In All Japan Pro Wrestling, on September 7, 2021, he teamed with T-Hawk to defeat Zeus and Izanagi for the All Asia Tag Team Championship, becoming the 111th champions and securing his first major title. On July 2, 2023, at a Korakuen Hall event, he defeated Atsuki Aoyagi to capture the World Junior Heavyweight Championship.
He has also held the KO-D 6-Man Tag Team Championship once in DDT Pro-Wrestling with Tetsuya Endo and T-Hawk.
4. Professional Wrestling Style and Signature Moves
El Lindaman is known for his compact, powerful, and acrobatic professional wrestling style, often incorporating elements of Judo. His main finishing move is the Locomotion-style Tiger Suplex Hold, typically executed after two consecutive German suplexes. He is also proficient in standard German suplex holds and various Judo techniques. Another notable maneuver is the Kumagoroshi, a sit-down version of a Seoi nage (shoulder throw) that drops the opponent forward; this move's name was revealed by commentators during a match. Lindaman also frequently utilizes the Tope Con Hilo, sometimes performing it with no-touch momentum over the ropes.
5. Championships and Accomplishments
All Japan Pro Wrestling
- All Asia Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with T-Hawk
- World Junior Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
DDT Pro-Wrestling
- KO-D 6-Man Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Tetsuya Endo & T-Hawk
Dragon Gate
- New Year's Unit 6-Man Tag 1 Day Tournament (2017) - with Shingo Takagi & Takashi Yoshida
- Open the Triangle Gate Championship (1 time) - with Shingo Takagi & Takashi Yoshida
Gleat
- G-Rex Championship (1 time, inaugural)
- G-Rex Title First Champion Decision Tournament (2022)
- G-Rush Championship (1 time, inaugural, current)
- G-Rush Tournament (2025)
Pro Wrestling Zero1
- International Junior Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
Awards and Honors
- Pro Wrestling Illustrated
- Ranked No. 119 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2023
- Tokyo Sports
- Technique Award (2022)
- Weekly Pro-Wrestling
- Rookie of the Year (2014)
6. Notable Anecdotes and Public Image
El Lindaman's career is marked by unique circumstances and a distinctive public persona, including his outspokenness and certain in-ring antics that have generated strong reactions.
6.1. Career Highlights and Personal Stories
He was the sole wrestler to debut in Dragon Gate in 2014, making his entry into the promotion a unique event for that year. Lindaman is a graduate of Adachi Gakuen Junior and Senior High School, a detail that connects him to veteran wrestler Mochizuki Masaaki, who is an alumnus of the same school. A personal story includes an incident early in his career where he caused a serious injury to a childhood friend during a match, yet their friendship has remained strong, with the friend even attending his matches.
6.2. Mic Work and Character Assessment
El Lindaman is recognized for his strong mic skills, a talent even praised by CIMA. On January 16, 2015, during a Korakuen Hall event, Lindaman, then a rookie, engaged in a verbal confrontation with CIMA, successfully outmatching the veteran on the microphone, prompting CIMA to commend his ability. Following a rivalry with CIMA over the Twin Gate Championship, Lindaman developed a controversial in-ring habit of trying to force his opponents to lick his boots. However, these attempts were usually thwarted by interference or the opponent biting his foot. After winning the World Junior Heavyweight Championship in All Japan Pro Wrestling, Lindaman's actions, such as using the championship belt as a cushion during post-match interviews, were seen as highly insulting to the promotion. This behavior even provoked a rare display of anger from fellow wrestler Rising HAYATO, who publicly stated, "I just generally dislike Lindaman. I probably don't get along with him as a person."
7. Entrance Theme
El Lindaman's current entrance theme is titled "Double RL Ansemic". The music was composed by Masato Kuromiya of the Rachen Brothers, with arrangement by Ryoma from MAKEOWNLIFE & Yoin.