is a Japanese
professional wrestler
Professional wrestling is a form of theater that revolves around staged wrestling matches. The mock combat is performed in a ring similar to the kind used in boxing, and the dramatic aspects of pro wrestling may be performed both in the ring or ...
currently signed to
New Japan Pro-Wrestling
(NJPW) is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion based in Nakano, Tokyo. Founded on January 13, 1972, by Antonio Inoki, the promotion was sold to Yuke's, who later sold it to Bushiroad in 2012. TV Asahi and Amuse, Inc. own minority share ...
(NJPW). He also makes additional appearances for
All Elite Wrestling
All Elite Wrestling (AEW) is an American professional wrestling promotion based in Jacksonville, Florida. It is considered the second largest wrestling promotion in the United States behind WWE.
AEW is owned by Shahid Khan and his son Tony, ...
(AEW). He is also known for his work with the
independent
Independent or Independents may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups
* Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in the New Hope, Pennsylvania, area of the United States during the early 1930s
* Independe ...
Fighting World of Japan Pro Wrestling (Riki Pro) promotion, where he worked backstage as the
chairman.
[
Though pushed for most of his career as an undercarder without any major championship wins, Ishii gathered a ]cult following
A cult following refers to a group of fans who are highly dedicated to some person, idea, object, movement, or work, often an artist, in particular a performing artist, or an artwork in some medium. The lattermost is often called a cult classic ...
,[ and in February 2013 was called "probably ne of themost underrated guys in the business" by ]Dave Meltzer
David Allen Meltzer (born October 24, 1959) is an American journalist who reports on professional wrestling and mixed martial arts.
Since 1983, he has been the publisher and editor of the ''Wrestling Observer Newsletter'' (''WON''). He has als ...
of the ''Wrestling Observer Newsletter
The ''Wrestling Observer Newsletter'' (''WON'') is a newsletter that covers professional wrestling and mixed martial arts.
Founded in print in 1982 by Dave Meltzer, the ''Wrestling Observer'' website merged with Bryan Alvarez's ''Figure Four W ...
''. Ishii's status in NJPW finally began rising in early 2013, culminating in him winning his first title in the promotion, the NEVER Openweight Championship
The is a professional wrestling championship owned by the New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) promotion. NEVER is an acronym of the terms "New Blood", "Evolution", "Valiantly", "Eternal", and "Radical" and was an NJPW-promoted series of events, wh ...
, in February 2014, a title he would later win a record six times. He went on to capture the IWGP Tag Team Championship on one occasion and the NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Championship twice.
Through NJPW's working relationship with the American Ring of Honor
Ring of Honor (ROH) is an American professional wrestling promotion based in Jacksonville, Florida. The promotion was founded by Rob Feinstein on February 23, 2002, and was operated by Cary Silkin from 2004 until 2011, when the promotion was s ...
(ROH) and the British Revolution Pro Wrestling (RPW) promotions, he has also won the ROH World Television Championship once and is a two-time Undisputed British Heavyweight Champion.
Professional wrestling career
Early career (1996–2005)
Ishii made his professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a form of theater that revolves around staged wrestling matches. The mock combat is performed in a ring similar to the kind used in boxing, and the dramatic aspects of pro wrestling may be performed both in the ring or ...
debut at the age of twenty on November 2, 1996, facing Choden Senshi Battle Ranger Z at an event held by Genichiro Tenryu
, better known as is a retired Japanese professional wrestler and professional wrestling promoter. At age 13, he entered sumo wrestling and stayed there for 13 years, after which he turned to Western-style professional wrestling. "Tenryu" was h ...
's Wrestle Association "R" (WAR) promotion in Kushiro, Hokkaido. For the next years, Ishii remained affiliated with WAR, winning his first title on October 12, 1997, when he and Yuji Yasuraoka
Yuji Yasuraoka (安良岡裕二 ''Yasuraoka Yuji'') (born January 28, 1971) is a retired Japanese professional wrestler. He is best known for his work in Wrestle Association R, where he became a one-time International Junior Heavyweight Champion ...
defeated Gokuaku Umibouzu and Masashi Aoyagi for the WAR International Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship.[ Ishii and Yasuraoka won the title once more on March 1, 1999, eventually becoming the final champions in the title's initial history due to Yasuraoka's retirement in June 1999 and WAR going out of business in 2000.][ Being forced to become a freelancer, Ishii went on to work for several promotions during the following years, including Toruymon Japan, World Entertainment Wrestling (WEW), and Fighting World of Japan Pro Wrestling (Riki Pro), which he entered as the promotion's founder ]Riki Choshu
, better known by his ring name , is a Japanese retired professional wrestler who is best known for his longtime work in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) as both a wrestler and a booker. He is considered one of Japan’s most influential wrestlers ...
's apprentice, later being appointed the chairman of the promotion.[ In 2003, Ishii won Riki Pro's Young Magma Tournament.][ In 2004, Ishii also made appearances for Pro Wrestling Zero1-Max, where he and ]Tatsuhito Takaiwa
(born Go Yong-Il (Hangul: 고 용일), July 5, 1972) is a Zainichi-Korean professional wrestler. Takaiwa is one of the more well-traveled junior heavyweights in Japan, having wrestled for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), and Pro Wrestling Zero1 ...
won the NWA International Lightweight Tag Team Championship.[ Due to his short stature, Ishii had started his career as a ]junior heavyweight Junior heavyweight is an alternate name for cruiserweight used in multiple combat sports:
*Cruiserweight (boxing), a weight class in boxing between light heavyweight and heavyweight. The current weight limit for the division is 200lbs (14st 4lbs/90 ...
, but in 2005 Choshu recognized his strength and approved his transition into the heavyweight division.
New Japan Pro-Wrestling
Debut and various tag teams (2004–2010)
Ishii made sporadic appearances for New Japan Pro-Wrestling
(NJPW) is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion based in Nakano, Tokyo. Founded on January 13, 1972, by Antonio Inoki, the promotion was sold to Yuke's, who later sold it to Bushiroad in 2012. TV Asahi and Amuse, Inc. own minority share ...
(NJPW) in 2004 and 2005, but only began working regularly for the promotion in 2006, while still representing Riki Pro. In June of that year, Ishii formed the "Heisei no Gokudo Combi" tag team with Toru Yano and together the two took part in the 2006 G1 Tag League.[ On October 16, Ishii and Yano joined ]Hiroyoshi Tenzan
is a Japanese professional wrestler who currently works for New Japan Pro-Wrestling, and is better known by his ring name . With Satoshi Kojima, in 2008, they won the World's Strongest Tag Determination League in All Japan Pro Wrestling and th ...
and Togi Makabe
, better known by his ring name is a Japanese professional wrestler, trained by and currently performing for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he is a former one-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion, two-time IWGP Tag Team Champion, two-time ...
as the newest members of the villainous Great Bash Heel
, often abbreviated to G・B・H, is a professional wrestling stable turned tag team in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW).
Originally formed by Hiroyoshi Tenzan in October 2006, G・B・H was the top villainous group in NJPW until April 2009, when ...
(G.B.H.) stable. From 2006 onwards, several G.B.H. members, including Ishii, Makabe and Yano, also made sporadic appearances for the Apache Pro-Wrestling Army promotion, where Ishii won the WEW Heavyweight Championship on July 12, 2008.[ Back in NJPW, Ishii worked as one of the lowest-ranked members of G.B.H. until April 2009, when he, along with Yano, ]Gedo
Gedo ( so, Gedo, Maay: ''Gethy'', ar, جيذو, it, Ghedo or ''Ghedu'') is an administrative region ('' gobol'') in Jubaland, southern Somalia. Its regional capital is Garbahaarreey. It was created in 1974 and is bordered by the Ogaden in ...
, Giant Bernard, Jado
(born September 28, 1968) is a Japanese professional wrestler, better known by the ring name . He is best known for his work in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) as part of a tag team with his partner Gedo. Jado and Gedo's careers have largely par ...
, Karl Anderson
Chad Allegra (born January 20, 1980), better known by the ring name Karl Anderson, is an American Professional wrestling, professional wrestler currently signed to WWE where he performs on the Raw (WWE brand), Raw WWE brand extension, brand. He ...
and Takashi Iizuka turned on then-G.B.H. leader Togi Makabe and Tomoaki Honma
is a Japanese professional wrestler currently working for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). In NJPW, he is a former one-time IWGP Tag Team Champion and a two-time World Tag League winner with Togi Makabe.
Professional wrestling career
Big ...
and went on to form the new Chaos stable under the leadership of Shinsuke Nakamura
is a Japanese Professional wrestling, professional wrestler currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the SmackDown (WWE brand), SmackDown WWE brand extension, brand.
Nakamura is known for his time in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where ...
.[ While Chaos as a unit was involved in a storyline rivalry with Makabe, Honma and Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Ishii mainly remained outside of the top matches in the rivalry, continuing to work undercard matches, starting his own rivalry with ]Wataru Inoue
is a Japanese retired professional wrestler currently working for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW).
Professional wrestling career
Inoue made his debut on New Japan Pro-Wrestling in 1999. He aligned himself with New Japan Junior Seikigun, a face s ...
. In October 2009, Ishii received some exposure in North America, when he was featured in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
Impact Wrestling (stylized as ''IMPACT! Wrestling''), is an American professional wrestling promotion based in Nashville, Tennessee. It is a subsidiary of Anthem Sports & Entertainment.
Founded by Jeff and Jerry Jarrett in 2002, the promot ...
's (TNA) '' Global Impact 2'' program on Spike TV
Paramount Network is an American basic cable television channel owned by the MTV Entertainment Group unit of Paramount Media Networks. The network's headquarters are located at the Paramount Pictures studio lot in Los Angeles.
The channel was ...
, working in an eight-man tag team main event, where he, Giant Bernard, Karl Anderson and Takashi Iizuka were defeated by Kevin Nash
Kevin Scott Nash (born July 9, 1959) is an American actor and retired professional wrestler, currently signed to WWE under a legends contract. He is best known for his tenure with World Championship Wrestling (WCW) where he performed under his ...
, Kurt Angle
Kurt Steven Angle (born December 9, 1968) is an American retired professional wrestler, Olympic gold medalist in American freestyle wrestling, and former collegiate wrestler. He is best known for his tenures in WWE and Total Nonstop Actio ...
, Masahiro Chono
is an American-born Japanese-American retired professional wrestler and actor best known for his 26 year stint with New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). As the leader of nWo Japan, Team 2000 and Black New Japan, he was the promotion's top heel for ...
and Riki Choshu. The match had been taped during NJPW's Wrestle Kingdom III
was a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event produced by the New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) promotion, which took place at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan on January 4, 2009. It was the 18th January 4 Tokyo Dome Show and the third hel ...
show the previous January. On January 4, 2010, Ishii was involved in another big eight-man tag team match at Wrestle Kingdom IV
was a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event produced by the New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) promotion, which took place at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan on January 4, 2010. It was the 19th January 4 Tokyo Dome Show and the fourth held ...
, where he, Takashi Iizuka, Toru Yano and Abdullah the Butcher
Lawrence Robert Shreve (born January 11, 1941), better known by the ring name Abdullah the Butcher, is a Canadian retired professional wrestler. He has a reputation for being involved in some of the most violent and bloody hardcore wrestling mat ...
were defeated by Manabu Nakanishi
is a Japanese retired professional wrestler and former amateur wrestler, who was primarily associated with New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). He is a one-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion, one-time G1 Climax winner and three-time IWGP Tag Team Ch ...
, Masahiro Chono, Riki Choshu and Terry Funk
Terrence Funk (born June 30, 1944) is an American retired professional wrestler, rapper, disc jockey and actor. Funk is known for the longevity of his career – which spanned more than 50 years and included multiple short-lived retirements – a ...
.
Feud with Tiger Mask (2010–2011)
In late 2010, Ishii started a storyline rivalry with masked wrestler Tiger Mask, going after his mask on several occasions. This built to a match during the first ''Fantastica Mania
''Fantastica Mania'', sometimes spelled as ''Fantasticamania'', is a series of annual professional wrestling major show co-promoted by Mexico, Mexican professional wrestling promotion Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL) and Japanese New Japan P ...
'' weekend on January 23, 2011, where Tiger Mask defeated Ishii in a ''Lucha de Apuestas'' Mask vs. Hair match; as a result, Ishii was forced to have his head shaved. After the shaving, Ishii once again attacked his rival and unmasked him. During the next NJPW event three days later, Ishii continued his rivalry with Tiger Mask, but was now wearing the mask of Black Tiger, a longtime nemesis of the various Tiger Masks that have appeared in NJPW throughout the years. The rivalry culminated on February 20 at The New Beginning, where Tiger Mask defeated Ishii in a Mask vs. Mask match, taking away his mask and ending the rivalry. Though Ishii worked the entire rivalry under his real name, he was officially recognized by NJPW as the sixth generation Black Tiger, when Kazushige Nosawa
, better known by his ring names Nosawa and , (born December 17, 1976) is a Japanese freelance professional wrestler, best known for his appearances in All Japan Pro Wrestling and various independent promotions.
Career Early career (19952004)
Nos ...
debuted in 2012, billed as the seventh generation Black Tiger. In June 2011, Ishii took part in the J Sports Crown Openweight 6 Man Tag Tournament, where he and Chaos stablemates Takashi Iizuka and Toru Yano made it to the semifinals, before losing to Giant Bernard, Jyushin Thunder Liger
, better known as and later , is a Japanese retired professional wrestler and mixed martial artist, currently signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). He is the longest-tenured member of the NJPW roster, having wrestled for the company since ...
and Karl Anderson.
NEVER Openweight Champion and critical acclaim (2012–2016)
After having worked for NJPW for eight years, Ishii received his first title shot in the promotion on May 20, 2012, when he unsuccessfully challenged Hirooki Goto
is a Japanese professional wrestler. Since his debut, he has wrestled primarily for New Japan Pro-Wrestling. He is also known for being the longest reigning NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Champion with his Chaos stablemates, Tomohiro Ishi ...
for the IWGP Intercontinental Championship in the main event of a show in Osaka
is a designated city in the Kansai region of Honshu in Japan. It is the capital of and most populous city in Osaka Prefecture, and the third most populous city in Japan, following Special wards of Tokyo and Yokohama. With a population of ...
. The following November, Ishii took part in a tournament to determine the inaugural NEVER Openweight Champion. After wins over Daisuke Sasaki
is a Japanese professional wrestler. He is signed to DDT Pro-Wrestling (DDT), where is a former two-time DDT Universal Champion. In addition to that, in DDT, he is also a former three-time KO-D Openweight Champion, one-time DDT Extreme Champ ...
and Yoshi-Hashi, Ishii was defeated in the semifinals of the tournament by Chaos stablemate Masato Tanaka, who went on to win the entire tournament. The following month, Ishii teamed with Chaos leader Shinsuke Nakamura in the 2012 World Tag League
__NOTOC__
The is a professional wrestling round-robin tag team tournament held by New Japan Pro-Wrestling as a spin-off of the popular singles tournament, the G1 Climax. It was created in 1991 as the Super Grade Tag League, as a continuation of ...
, where they picked up three wins out of their six matches, failing to advance from their round-robin block. In January 2013, Ishii took part in the third ''Fantastica Mania
''Fantastica Mania'', sometimes spelled as ''Fantasticamania'', is a series of annual professional wrestling major show co-promoted by Mexico, Mexican professional wrestling promotion Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL) and Japanese New Japan P ...
'' weekend, winning a twelve-man ''torneo cibernetico
A ''torneo cibernetico'' is a multi-man professional wrestling elimination match that was created and primarily used in Mexican ''lucha libre'' professional wrestling promotions, especially in Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL). The match forma ...
'' on January 20. Following the win, Ishii challenged Masato Tanaka to a rematch for the NEVER Openweight Championship.[ The rematch between the two stablemates took place on February 3 in a main event at ]Korakuen Hall
is a famous sports arena in Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan, which has hosted many notable boxing, professional wrestling, kickboxing, mixed martial arts and Lethwei matches.
History
On April 16, 1962, the Korakuen Hall was officially opened with a ...
. Despite having the audience noticeably behind him, Ishii was again defeated by Tanaka, who, as a result, retained his title. The match was later praised by sports journalist Dave Meltzer
David Allen Meltzer (born October 24, 1959) is an American journalist who reports on professional wrestling and mixed martial arts.
Since 1983, he has been the publisher and editor of the ''Wrestling Observer Newsletter'' (''WON''). He has als ...
, though he also expressed concern for the healths of both Ishii and Tanaka following the hard-hitting match. For his fan following, Ishii earned himself the nickname "New Mr. Korakuen". On March 11, Ishii picked up his biggest singles win in his NJPW career, when he defeated multi-time IWGP Heavyweight and IWGP Tag Team Champion Satoshi Kojima
is a Japanese professional wrestler signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling, but makes appearances for Pro Wrestling Noah. Considered to be one of the greatest Japanese professional wrestlers of the 21st century and of all-time, he was the first wre ...
in the first round of the 2013 New Japan Cup __NOTOC__
The New Japan Cup (NJC) is an annual single-elimination professional wrestling tournament held by New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) since 2005. It is considered the second most prominent heavyweight tournament in NJPW, after the G1 Climax wh ...
. Six days later, Ishii was defeated in his second round match in the tournament by Hirooki Goto. In early 2013, Ishii also became involved in Chaos' rivalry with Suzuki-gun, NJPW's other major villainous stable, leading to Chaos and Ishii being positioned in a more sympathetic role than usual. On March 23, Ishii teamed with Jado and Shinsuke Nakamura to defeat Suzuki-gun representatives Minoru Suzuki
(born June 17, 1968) is a Japanese professional wrestler and former mixed martial artist, currently working for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) as a freelancer. In NJPW, Suzuki has held the IWGP Intercontinental Championship as well as twice hol ...
, Lance Archer and Taka Michinoku
(born October 26, 1973), better known by his ring name (with his first name usually stylized in all capital letters), is a Japanese professional wrestler and former mixed martial artist. Michinoku is known in North America for his work for t ...
in a six-man tag team match by pinning Michinoku for the win. After the match, Nakamura challenged Archer and his Killer Elite Squad
Killer Elite Squad, often abbreviated to K.E.S., was the professional wrestling tag team of Davey Boy Smith Jr. and Lance Archer. The team made its debut in the New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) promotion in September 2012 and have since work ...
(K.E.S.) tag team partner Davey Boy Smith Jr. to a match for the IWGP Tag Team Championship, nominating Ishii as his partner for the match. Ishii and Nakamura received their title shot on April 5, but were defeated by K.E.S. Ishii then got involved in a heated rivalry with Suzuki-gun leader Minoru Suzuki, which built to a singles match between the two on July 20 at the Kizuna Road 2013 pay-per-view
Pay-per-view (PPV) is a type of pay television or webcast service that enables a viewer to pay to watch individual events via private telecast.
Events can be purchased through a multichannel television platform using their electronic program g ...
, where Suzuki was victorious.
As a sign of his rising status in NJPW, on August 1, Ishii entered the 2013 G1 Climax
The is a professional wrestling tournament held each August by the New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) promotion. Though it has sometimes been held as a single-elimination tournament, it is usually (and currently) held as a round-robin, with winners ...
, his first ever entry into the promotion's premier tournament. Ishii main evented the second night of the tournament in Korakuen Hall, where he picked up a major win over six-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion Hiroshi Tanahashi. On the fourth night of the tournament, Ishii defeated Katsuyori Shibata in a match that received widespread acclaim, including a five-star rating from Dave Meltzer. Ishii's only other win in the tournament came via forfeit over the injured Hirooki Goto, a result that left him at the bottom of block A. Following the tournament, NJPW announced that Ishii would embark on his first tour with Mexican promotion Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre
Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre Co., Ltd. (CMLL; , "World Wrestling Council") is a ''lucha libre'' professional wrestling promotion based in Mexico City. The promotion was previously known as ''Empresa Mexicana de Lucha Libre'' (''EMLL'') (''Mexi ...
(CMLL) starting September 8. Ishii made his CMLL debut on September 13 at the 80th Anniversary Show in Mexico City
Mexico City ( es, link=no, Ciudad de México, ; abbr.: CDMX; Nahuatl: ''Altepetl Mexico'') is the capital and largest city of Mexico, and the most populous city in North America. One of the world's alpha cities, it is located in the Valley of ...
, teaming with compatriots Namajague
is a Japanese professional wrestling, professional wrestler currently working under the ring name . He is signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he is a former two time IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship, IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champi ...
and Okumura to defeat Fuego, Rey Cometa and Stuka Jr. in a six-man tag team match. Ishii remained in CMLL until October 1, working undercard six-man tag team matches. Ishii wrestled his NJPW return match on October 14 at King of Pro-Wrestling, when he was defeated by Katsuyori Shibata in a rematch of their highly acclaimed G1 Climax match. From November 23 to December 7, Ishii and Shinsuke Nakamura took part in the 2013 World Tag League, where they finished with a record of three wins and three losses, with a loss against Togi Makabe and Tomoaki Honma on the final day costing them a spot in the semifinals.
On January 5, 2014, Ishii started a new storyline rivalry with Tetsuya Naito
is a Japanese professional wrestler signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he is the leader of the '' Los Ingobernables de Japón'' faction.
Tetsuya Naito began training for a professional wrestling career in 2000, initially under Ani ...
, announcing his intention of becoming the next NEVER Openweight Champion. The title match between the two took place on February 11 at The New Beginning in Osaka
The New Beginning is an annual professional wrestling event promoted by New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). The event has been held since 2011 as a pay-per-view (PPV). From 2013 to 2014, the event also aired outside Japan as an internet pay-per-view ...
and saw Ishii become the third NEVER Openweight Champion, winning his first title in NJPW. After Naito eliminated Ishii from the 2014 New Japan Cup __NOTOC__
The New Japan Cup (NJC) is an annual single-elimination professional wrestling tournament held by New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) since 2005. It is considered the second most prominent heavyweight tournament in NJPW, after the G1 Climax wh ...
in their first round match, a rematch for the NEVER Openweight Championship between the two was set for the April 6 Invasion Attack 2014
Invasion Attack 2014 was a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event promoted by New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). The event took place on April 6, 2014, in Tokyo at Ryōgoku Kokugikan. The event featured nine matches, five of which were cont ...
event, where Ishii made his first successful title defense. Ishii's second successful title defense took place just six days later during NJPW's trip to Taiwan
Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the northe ...
, when he defeated Kushida. On May 3 at Wrestling Dontaku 2014, Ishii made his third successful title defense against Tomoaki Honma and was afterwards challenged by IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion Kota Ibushi, with whom he had had sporadic heated encounters since the past year's G1 Climax. The match between the two took place on May 25 at Back to the Yokohama Arena and saw Ishii make his fourth successful title defense. After the match, Ishii was pulled into the rivalry between Chaos and Bullet Club
(stylised as BULLET CLUB), sometimes shortened to BC, is a professional wrestling stable primarily appearing in the Japanese promotion New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). In the United States, the group currently appears on NJPW events run by the ...
, when he was attacked by former stablemate Yujiro Takahashi
, is a Japanese professional wrestler. He is currently signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he is a member of Bullet Club and its sub-group House of Torture.
Takahashi entered New Japan in November 2003 with an extensive amateur back ...
, who appointed himself as his next challenger. On June 29, Ishii lost the NEVER Openweight Championship to Takahashi in his fifth defense, following outside interference from Bullet Club. From July 21 to August 8, Ishii took part in the 2014 G1 Climax
The is a professional wrestling tournament held each August by the New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) promotion. Though it has sometimes been held as a single-elimination tournament, it is usually (and currently) held as a round-robin, with winners ...
, where he finished tied fifth in his block with a record of five wins and five losses, working his two final matches with a separated shoulder. Ishii's performance in the tournament was praised, with Mike Sempervive of ''Wrestling Observer Newsletter'' stating that the quality of his matches, his fortitude, popularity and charisma secured him as a "legitimate New Japan star".[
On October 13 at King of Pro-Wrestling, Ishii regained the NEVER Openweight Championship from Yujiro Takahashi, becoming the first two-time holder of the title.] Ishii made his first successful title defense on November 8 at Power Struggle
In political science and political history, the term power vacuum, also known as a power void, is an analogy between a physical vacuum to the political condition "when someone in a place of power, has lost control of something and no one has repla ...
against Hirooki Goto. From November 23 to December 5, Ishii took part in the 2014 World Tag League, alongside Shinsuke Nakamura. The team finished second in their block with a record of four wins and three losses, narrowly missing the finals of the tournament due to losing to Hirooki Goto and Katsuyori Shibata on the final day. On January 4, 2015, at Wrestle Kingdom, Ishii lost the NEVER Openweight Championship to Togi Makabe in his second defense. On February 14 at The New Beginning in Sendai, Ishii defeated Tomoaki Honma, a late replacement for an ill Togi Makabe, to win the now vacant
Within the context of building construction and building codes, "occupancy" refers to the use, or intended use, of a building, or portion of a building, for the shelter or support of persons, animals or property. A closely related meaning is th ...
NEVER Openweight Championship for the third time. Ishii once again lost the title to Makabe in his first defense on April 29 at ''Wrestling Hinokuni is a professional wrestling event promoted by New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW).
The event was established in 2015 and took place in late April between the larger Invasion Attack and Wrestling Dontaku events. The event was held in Mashiki, Kum ...
''. The two faced off in another title match on July 5 at Dominion 7.5 in Osaka-jo Hall, where Makabe was once again victorious. From July 23 to August 15, Ishii took part in the 2015 G1 Climax
The is a professional wrestling tournament held each August by the New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) promotion. Though it has sometimes been held as a single-elimination tournament, it is usually (and currently) held as a round-robin, with winners ...
, where he finished in the middle of his block with a record of five wins and four losses. On October 12 at King of Pro-Wrestling, Ishii defeated Makabe to win the NEVER Openweight Championship for the fourth time. Ishii made his first successful title defense on November 7 at Power Struggle
In political science and political history, the term power vacuum, also known as a power void, is an analogy between a physical vacuum to the political condition "when someone in a place of power, has lost control of something and no one has repla ...
against Tomoaki Honma. Ishii's reign ended in his next defense, when he was defeated by Katsuyori Shibata on January 4, 2016, at Wrestle Kingdom. Ishii received a rematch for the title on February 11 at The New Beginning in Osaka
The New Beginning is an annual professional wrestling event promoted by New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). The event has been held since 2011 as a pay-per-view (PPV). From 2013 to 2014, the event also aired outside Japan as an internet pay-per-view ...
, but was again defeated by Shibata.
Championship reigns (2016–present)
On February 19, Ishii took part in the NJPW and Ring of Honor
Ring of Honor (ROH) is an American professional wrestling promotion based in Jacksonville, Florida. The promotion was founded by Rob Feinstein on February 23, 2002, and was operated by Cary Silkin from 2004 until 2011, when the promotion was s ...
(ROH) co-produced Honor Rising: Japan 2016 event, defeating Roderick Strong for the ROH World Television Championship in the main event. A week later, Ishii made his debut for ROH at their 14th Anniversary Show, successfully defending his title in a three-way match against Strong and Bobby Fish. At the following day's '' Ring of Honor Wrestling'' tapings, Ishii successfully defended the title against Cedric Alexander to return to Japan as the reigning champion.
In early 2016, Chaos entered a rivalry with the '' Los Ingobernables de Japón'' (L.I.J.) stable. During March's New Japan Cup, Ishii faced two L.I.J. members, defeating Evil
Evil, in a general sense, is defined as the opposite or absence of good. It can be an extremely broad concept, although in everyday usage it is often more narrowly used to talk about profound wickedness and against common good. It is general ...
in the first round and then losing to the stable's leader Tetsuya Naito in the quarterfinals, after which he was attacked by Evil. This led to a match on March 20, where Ishii made his third successful defense of the ROH World Television Championship against Evil. When Naito, after winning the 2016 New Japan Cup, defeated Ishii's Chaos stablemate Kazuchika Okada to win the IWGP Heavyweight Championship, Ishii confronted the new champion, which led to NJPW granting him his first-ever shot at the promotion's top title. Ishii received his title shot on May 3 at Wrestling Dontaku 2016
Wrestling Dontaku 2016 was a professional wrestling event promoted by New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). The event took place on May 3, 2016, in Fukuoka, Fukuoka at Fukuoka Kokusai Center and featured ten matches, six of which were contested for cham ...
, but was defeated by Naito. Five days later, Ishii lost the ROH World Television Championship to Bobby Fish at the NJPW and ROH co-produced Global Wars show. From July 18 to August 12, Ishii took part in the 2016 G1 Climax, where he finished with a record of four wins and five losses. One of Ishii's wins was over Chaos stablemate and reigning IWGP Heavyweight Champion Kazuchika Okada.[ At the end of the year, Ishii took part in the 2016 World Tag League, teaming with Chaos stablemate ]Hirooki Goto
is a Japanese professional wrestler. Since his debut, he has wrestled primarily for New Japan Pro-Wrestling. He is also known for being the longest reigning NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Champion with his Chaos stablemates, Tomohiro Ishi ...
. The two finished the tournament with a record of four wins and three losses, failing to advance to the finals due to losing to block winners Great Bash Heel
, often abbreviated to G・B・H, is a professional wrestling stable turned tag team in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW).
Originally formed by Hiroyoshi Tenzan in October 2006, G・B・H was the top villainous group in NJPW until April 2009, when ...
(Togi Makabe
, better known by his ring name is a Japanese professional wrestler, trained by and currently performing for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he is a former one-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion, two-time IWGP Tag Team Champion, two-time ...
and Tomoaki Honma
is a Japanese professional wrestler currently working for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). In NJPW, he is a former one-time IWGP Tag Team Champion and a two-time World Tag League winner with Togi Makabe.
Professional wrestling career
Big ...
) in their final round-robin match.
On January 4, 2017, at Wrestle Kingdom 11
Wrestle Kingdom 11 in Tokyo Dome was a professional wrestling event promoted by New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). The event took place on January 4, 2017, at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan. It was the 26th January 4 Tokyo Dome Show, which is NJPW's ...
, Ishii and Toru Yano defeated G.B.H. and Guerrillas of Destiny ( Tama Tonga and Tanga Loa) in a three-way match to become the new IWGP Tag Team Champions. Ishii and Yano made their first successful title defense on February 5 at The New Beginning in Sapporo in a three-way match against G.B.H. and K.E.S. Six days later at The New Beginning in Osaka
The New Beginning is an annual professional wrestling event promoted by New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). The event has been held since 2011 as a pay-per-view (PPV). From 2013 to 2014, the event also aired outside Japan as an internet pay-per-view ...
, Ishii and Yano successfully defended the title in another three-way match against G.B.H. and the team of Davey Boy Smith Jr. and Takashi Iizuka. They lost the title to Tencozy (Hiroyoshi Tenzan
is a Japanese professional wrestler who currently works for New Japan Pro-Wrestling, and is better known by his ring name . With Satoshi Kojima, in 2008, they won the World's Strongest Tag Determination League in All Japan Pro Wrestling and th ...
and Satoshi Kojima
is a Japanese professional wrestler signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling, but makes appearances for Pro Wrestling Noah. Considered to be one of the greatest Japanese professional wrestlers of the 21st century and of all-time, he was the first wre ...
) on March 6 at NJPW's 45th anniversary event. Later that month, Ishii made it to the semifinals of the 2017 New Japan Cup __NOTOC__
The New Japan Cup (NJC) is an annual single-elimination professional wrestling tournament held by New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) since 2005. It is considered the second most prominent heavyweight tournament in NJPW, after the G1 Climax wh ...
, before losing to Katsuyori Shibata. Over the weekend of July 1 and 2 at G1 Special in USA, Ishii took part in an eight-man tournament to crown the inaugural IWGP United States Heavyweight Champion, making it to the finals, before losing to Kenny Omega. Later that month, Ishii entered the 2017 G1 Climax
The is a professional wrestling tournament held each August by the New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) promotion. Though it has sometimes been held as a single-elimination tournament, it is usually (and currently) held as a round-robin, with winners ...
, where he finished with a record of four wins and five losses. Following the conclusion of the G1 Climax, the tournament's winner Tetsuya Naito nominated Ishii as his first challenger for his contract for an IWGP Heavyweight Championship match at Wrestle Kingdom 12
Wrestle Kingdom 12 in Tokyo Dome was a professional wrestling event promoted by New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). The event took place on January 4, 2018, at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan. It was the 27th January 4 Tokyo Dome Show, which is NJPW's ...
due to Ishii's wins over him during both the United States Heavyweight Championship tournament and the G1 Climax. On October 9 at King of Pro-Wrestling, Ishii unsuccessfully challenged Naito for his contract.
On January 4, 2018, at Wrestle Kingdom 12, Ishii, Beretta
Fabbrica d'Armi Pietro Beretta (; "Pietro Beretta Weapon Factory") is a privately held Italian firearms manufacturing company operating in several countries. Its firearms are used worldwide for a variety of civilian, law enforcement, and milita ...
and Toru Yano won a five-team gauntlet match to become the new NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Champions. In March, Ishii participated in the New Japan Cup, but was defeated by Michael Elgin in the first round. On April 6, 2018, at WrestleCon, Ishii defeated Zack Sabre Jr. to win the RevPro British Heavyweight Championship. On July 1, 2018, during the Strong Style Evolved UK tour, he would lose the title to Minoru Suzuki
(born June 17, 1968) is a Japanese professional wrestler and former mixed martial artist, currently working for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) as a freelancer. In NJPW, Suzuki has held the IWGP Intercontinental Championship as well as twice hol ...
. Later that July, Ishii entered the 2018 G1 Climax
The is a professional wrestling tournament held each August by the New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) promotion. Though it has sometimes been held as a single-elimination tournament, it is usually (and currently) held as a round-robin, with winn ...
, where he was sorted into the B block. Ishii placed fifth in the block, with a record of five wins and four losses, and scored victories over NEVER Openweight Champion Hirooki Goto, IWGP United States Champion Juice Robinson, and IWGP Heavyweight Champion Kenny Omega. The last of these victories set up Ishii to challenge Omega for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship at Destruction in Hiroshima in September, which Ishii lost. On October 14, Ishii won back the RPW British Heavyweight Championship in a rematch with Suzuki. Ishii also won a rematch with Suzuki the following month at Power Struggle
In political science and political history, the term power vacuum, also known as a power void, is an analogy between a physical vacuum to the political condition "when someone in a place of power, has lost control of something and no one has repla ...
. For the 2018 World Tag League, Ishii teamed with Yano for the second straight year, and they tied for third place with nine wins and four losses.
On January 4, 2019, at Wrestle Kingdom 13, Ishii lost the British Heavyweight Championship to Zack Sabre Jr. In March, Ishii once again entered the New Japan Cup and made it to the semifinals before losing to eventual tournament winner Kazuchika Okada. At the G1 Supercard
G1 Supercard was a professional wrestling supershow co-produced by the American Ring of Honor (ROH) and Japanese New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) promotions. It was the 13th annual Supercard of Honor event and took place on April 6, 2019, at Madis ...
the following month, Ishii entered the pre-show Honor Rumble, a 30-man battle royale for a ROH World Championship
The ROH World Championship is a professional wrestling world championship created and promoted by Ring of Honor (ROH). It is considered the most prestigious title in the promotion. The current champion is Claudio Castagnoli, who is in his second ...
title match, which was ultimately won by Kenny King. On the second night of Wrestling Dontaku 2019, Ishii defeated Evil in a headlining singles match. After the victory, Taichi, who had won the NEVER Openweight Championship the previous night, handpicked Ishii as his first challenger for the title. On June 9, at Dominion 6.9 in Osaka-jo Hall
Dominion 6.9 in Osaka-jo Hall was a professional wrestling event promoted by New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). The event took place on June 9, 2018 at the Osaka-jō Hall, in Osaka. It is the tenth event under the Dominion name and the fourth in ...
, Ishii defeated Taichi to win the NEVER Openweight Championship for a record fifth time. In the 2019 G1 Climax
The is a professional wrestling tournament held each August by the New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) promotion. Though it has sometimes been held as a single-elimination tournament, it is usually (and currently) held as a round-robin, with winn ...
, Ishii competed in the B block, where he finished with a record of eight points (four wins and five losses). On August 31, at Royal Quest
''Royal Quest'' is fantasy themed massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) developed by Katauri Interactive and 1C Online Games. Players are able to play in both player versus environment and player versus player
Player vers ...
, Ishii lost the NEVER Openweight Championship to Kenta. A month later, at Destruction in Beppu, Ishii teamed with fellow Chaos stablemate Yoshi-Hashi to unsuccessfully face the Guerrillas of Destiny for the IWGP Tag Team Championship. In the 2019 World Tag League, Ishii and Yoshi-Hashi finished with twenty-two points in the block, behind Guerrillas of Destiny (who they defeated on the final day), ''Los Ingobernables de Japón'' (Evil and Sanada) and FinJuice ( David Finlay and Juice Robinson).
On January 5, 2020, during the second night of Wrestle Kingdom 14, Ishii unsuccessfully competed in a four-team gauntlet match for the NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Championship with Yoshi-Hashi and Robbie Eagles
Robbie Eagles (ロビー・イーグルス ''Robī Īgurusu'', born 13 February 1990) is an Australian Professional wrestling, professional wrestler, who currently works for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he is a member of Chaos (prof ...
. In June 2020, Ishii competed in the 2020 New Japan Cup, but was eliminated by Hiromu Takahashi
(born December 4, 1989) is a Japanese professional wrestler currently signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) where he is a member of the ''Los Ingobernables de Japón'' stable.
Takahashi made his debut for NJPW on August 28, 2010, and worked ...
in the quarter-finals. On August 9, on the Summer Struggle tour, Ishii, Goto and Yoshi-Hashi won a tournament for the vacant NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Championship over Kazuchika Okada, Sho and Toru Yano in the finals, marking Ishii's second reign with the championship. On September 11, during the New Japan Road tour, their first defense of the title came in a rematch between both Chaos teams, with Ishii hitting the finish on Sho. In the long-delayed 2020 G1 Climax, Ishii competed in the A block, where he finished with a record of eight points (four wins and five losses). In the 2020 World Tag League, Ishii was partnered with Toru Yano, where they finished with ten points in the block, failing to advance to the finals.
On January 6, 2021, at New Year Dash!!, Chaos defeated Bullet Club in a six-man tag team match, with Ishii pinning Jay White, who had failed to win the IWGP Heavyweight Championship
The was a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship owned by the New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) promotion. "IWGP" is the acronym of NJPW's governing body, the . The title was introduced on June 12, 1987, in the final of an ...
and IWGP Intercontinental Championship the previous night. On the Road to the New Beginning tour, Chaos and Bullet Club would be involved in six-man tag team matches, and on February 1, White returned to the company, attacking Ishii. The next day, Bullet Club defeated Chaos in a ten-man elimination match, resulting in White and the Guerrillas of Destiny challenging Ishii, Goto and Yoshi-Hashi for the NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Championship. On February 10, at The New Beginning in Hiroshima, Ishii, Goto and Yoshi-Hashi retained the title over White and the Guerrillas of Destiny. However, the feud between Ishii and White continued, and culminated at Castle Attack, with White defeating Ishii. In March, Ishii participated in the New Japan Cup, but was defeated by Sanada in the first round. Afterwards, Ishii returned to the six-man title picture during the spring and summer tours, where Chaos retained over trios representing Bullet Club, ''Los Ingobernables de Japón'' and Suzuki-gun, as well as the veteran pairing of Tencozy and Yuji Nagata. In the 2021 G1 Climax, Ishii competed in the A block for the second successive year, and finished with a record of ten points (four wins and four losses). On October 21, at the G1 Climax finals, Ishii, Goto and Yoshi-Hashi were defeated in a trios match by Bullet Club sub-group House of Torture (which also included former Chaos member Sho). On November 6, at Power Struggle
In political science and political history, the term power vacuum, also known as a power void, is an analogy between a physical vacuum to the political condition "when someone in a place of power, has lost control of something and no one has repla ...
, Evil, Sho and Yujiro Takahashi defeated Ishii, Goto and Yoshi-Hashi, ending their reign at 454 days. On November 13, at Battle in the Valley, Ishii defeated White for the NEVER Openweight Championship, with the stipulation being that if Ishii lost he would be unable to challenge for the title.
On January 4, 2022, during the first night of Wrestle Kingdom 16, Ishii was defeated by Evil, ending his reign at 52 days. On February 13, during the New Years Golden Series tour, he was defeated by Evil in the rematch for the NEVER Openweight Championship, with members of Chaos and House of Torture acting as lumberjacks
Lumberjacks are mostly North American workers in the logging industry who perform the initial harvesting and transport of trees for ultimate processing into forest products. The term usually refers to loggers in the era (before 1945 in the Unit ...
. In March, Ishii participated in the New Japan Cup, but was defeated by Shingo Takagi
, known by his ring name Shingo Takagi (鷹木信悟, ''Takagi Shingo''), is a Japanese professional wrestler and former bodybuilder, currently signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he is the provisional KOPW 2022 champion in his first ...
in the first round. Ishii was announced as a part of the NJPW bracket to qualify for a chance to advance to AEWxNJPW: Forbidden Door to compete in a four-way match for the inaugural AEW All-Atlantic Championship. He defeated Yoshinobu Kanemaru in the first qualifier and Clark Connors in the final qualifier, to qualify for the match at the PPV. However, it was later reported that Ishii had suffered a left knee injury and was not medically cleared to compete at Forbidden Door, therefore Connors took his place in the four-way match, but failed to win.
On June 12th during Dominion 6.12 in Osaka-jo Hall, Ishii was announced as a participant in the G1 Climax 32 tournament starting in July, as apart of the B block. Ishii finished the tournament with 4 points and failed to advance to the semi-finals.
All Elite Wrestling (2021–Present)
On November 13, 2021, at Full Gear, it was announced that Ishii would make a guest appearance on the following week's '' Dynamite'', therefore making his All Elite Wrestling
All Elite Wrestling (AEW) is an American professional wrestling promotion based in Jacksonville, Florida. It is considered the second largest wrestling promotion in the United States behind WWE.
AEW is owned by Shahid Khan and his son Tony, ...
debut. On the November 17 episode of ''Dynamite'', Ishii teamed with his new Chaos stablemate Orange Cassidy
James Cipperly (born May 4, 1984), better known by his ring name Orange Cassidy, is an American professional wrestler and wrestling trainer. He is currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW), where he is the current AEW All-Atlantic Champi ...
, defeating The Butcher and the Blade.
Ishii returned to AEW programming on the April 22 episode of ''Rampage
Rampage may refer to:
Places
* Rampage Mountain, a mountain in Montana
People
* Quinton Jackson (born 1978; nicknamed "Rampage"), American mixed martial artist and actor
* Randy Rampage (1960-2018), Canadian musician
* Rampage (rapper) (born 1 ...
'' in an Owen Hart Cup qualifying match against Adam Cole, which he lost.
On November 23rd 2022 edition of ''Dynamite'', Ishii faced Chris Jericho
Christopher Keith Irvine (born November 9, 1970), better known by the ring name Chris Jericho, is an American-Canadian professional wrestler and singer. He is currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW), where he is the leader of the Jeri ...
, for the ROH World Championship
The ROH World Championship is a professional wrestling world championship created and promoted by Ring of Honor (ROH). It is considered the most prestigious title in the promotion. The current champion is Claudio Castagnoli, who is in his second ...
, but was defeated.
Other media
In 2016, Ishii starred in the music video
A music video is a video of variable duration, that integrates a music song or a music album with imagery that is produced for promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a music marketing devi ...
for "Darling" by May's, the same artist that produced his ring theme song, "Stone Pitbull".
Championships and accomplishments
* Apache Pro-Wrestling Army
** WEW Heavyweight Championship ( 1 time)
* Fighting World of Japan Pro Wrestling
**Young Magma Tournament (2003)[
*]New Japan Pro-Wrestling
(NJPW) is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion based in Nakano, Tokyo. Founded on January 13, 1972, by Antonio Inoki, the promotion was sold to Yuke's, who later sold it to Bushiroad in 2012. TV Asahi and Amuse, Inc. own minority share ...
** IWGP Tag Team Championship ( 1 time) – with Toru Yano[
**]NEVER Openweight Championship
The is a professional wrestling championship owned by the New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) promotion. NEVER is an acronym of the terms "New Blood", "Evolution", "Valiantly", "Eternal", and "Radical" and was an NJPW-promoted series of events, wh ...
( 6 times)
** NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Championship (2 times
"2 Times" is a song co-written and recorded by British Italian-based singer Ann Lee. It was released in 1999 as the lead single from her debut album, ''Dreams'' (1999). The single entered and peaked at number two on the UK Singles Chart. Outsid ...
) – with Beretta
Fabbrica d'Armi Pietro Beretta (; "Pietro Beretta Weapon Factory") is a privately held Italian firearms manufacturing company operating in several countries. Its firearms are used worldwide for a variety of civilian, law enforcement, and milita ...
and Toru Yano (1), Hirooki Goto
is a Japanese professional wrestler. Since his debut, he has wrestled primarily for New Japan Pro-Wrestling. He is also known for being the longest reigning NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Champion with his Chaos stablemates, Tomohiro Ishi ...
and Yoshi-Hashi (1)[
*'']Pro Wrestling Illustrated
''Pro Wrestling Illustrated'' (''PWI'') is an American internationally sold professional wrestling magazine that was founded in 1979 by publisher Stanley Weston. ''PWI'' is headquartered in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, and published by Kappa Publi ...
''
**Ranked No. 37 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the '' PWI 500'' in 2016
* Pro Wrestling Zero1-Max
** NWA International Lightweight Tag Team Championship ( 1 time) – with Tatsuhito Takaiwa
(born Go Yong-Il (Hangul: 고 용일), July 5, 1972) is a Zainichi-Korean professional wrestler. Takaiwa is one of the more well-traveled junior heavyweights in Japan, having wrestled for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), and Pro Wrestling Zero1 ...
[
* Revolution Pro Wrestling
**]British Heavyweight Championship
The British Heavyweight Championship is a top British wrestling championship found throughout the country's circuit. The championship was recognised and defended on matches screened by UK national television network ITV as part of the professi ...
(2 times
"2 Times" is a song co-written and recorded by British Italian-based singer Ann Lee. It was released in 1999 as the lead single from her debut album, ''Dreams'' (1999). The single entered and peaked at number two on the UK Singles Chart. Outsid ...
)
*Ring of Honor
Ring of Honor (ROH) is an American professional wrestling promotion based in Jacksonville, Florida. The promotion was founded by Rob Feinstein on February 23, 2002, and was operated by Cary Silkin from 2004 until 2011, when the promotion was s ...
** ROH World Television Championship ( 1 time)[
*''SoCal Uncensored''
**Match of the Year (2017)
* Tenryu Project
** Tenryu Project Six-Man Tag Team Championship (]2 times
"2 Times" is a song co-written and recorded by British Italian-based singer Ann Lee. It was released in 1999 as the lead single from her debut album, ''Dreams'' (1999). The single entered and peaked at number two on the UK Singles Chart. Outsid ...
) – with Arashi
is a Japanese boy band consisting of five members formed under the Johnny & Associates talent agency. The members are Satoshi Ohno, Sho Sakurai, Masaki Aiba, Kazunari Ninomiya, and Jun Matsumoto. Arashi officially formed on September 15 ...
and Suwama (1), and Arashi and Genichiro Tenryu
, better known as is a retired Japanese professional wrestler and professional wrestling promoter. At age 13, he entered sumo wrestling and stayed there for 13 years, after which he turned to Western-style professional wrestling. "Tenryu" was h ...
(1)
*''Tokyo Sports
is a Japanese daily sports newspaper
A newspaper is a periodical publication containing written information about current events and is often typed in black ink with a white or gray background.
Newspapers can cover a wide variety of ...
''
** Outstanding Performance Award (2014)
* Wrestle Association "R"
** WAR International Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship (2 times
"2 Times" is a song co-written and recorded by British Italian-based singer Ann Lee. It was released in 1999 as the lead single from her debut album, ''Dreams'' (1999). The single entered and peaked at number two on the UK Singles Chart. Outsid ...
) – with Yuji Yasuraoka[
*'']Wrestling Observer Newsletter
The ''Wrestling Observer Newsletter'' (''WON'') is a newsletter that covers professional wrestling and mixed martial arts.
Founded in print in 1982 by Dave Meltzer, the ''Wrestling Observer'' website merged with Bryan Alvarez's ''Figure Four W ...
''
** Best Brawler (2014–2019)
** Best Brawler of the Decade (2010s)
''Luchas de Apuestas'' record
References
External links
*
Official blog
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ishii, Tomohiro
1975 births
Chaos (professional wrestling) members
Living people
Japanese male professional wrestlers
Masked wrestlers
NEVER Openweight champions
People from Kawasaki, Kanagawa
Professional wrestling executives
ROH World Television Champions
Sportspeople from Kanagawa Prefecture
NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Champions
International Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champions
Undisputed British Heavyweight Champions
WEW Heavyweight Champions
20th-century professional wrestlers
21st-century professional wrestlers