Tomohiro Ishii

Biography:

Tomohiro Ishii (石井 智宏 Ishii Tomohiro) is a Japanese professional wrestler, currently signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling, where he is a record five-time and current NEVER Openweight Champion. He is also known for his work with the independent Fighting World of Japan Pro Wrestling (Riki Pro) promotion, where he also 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, and in February 2013 was called "probably most underrated guys in the business" by Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. 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, in February 2014. Ishii won the title three more times, before capturing the IWGP Tag Team Championship for the first time in January 2017 and the NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Champions in January 2018. Through NJPW's working relationship with the American Ring of Honor (ROH) and the British Revolution Pro Wrestling (RPW) promotions, he has also won the ROH World Television Championship once. He is a former RPW British Heavyweight Champion having had two reigns, the most recent of which ended at the hands of Zack Sabre Jr at Wrestle Kingdom 13.