[10.0] "My favourite wrestler, ever since I first saw him I was blown away by his speed and toughness. He just doesn't give up, quick on his feet and hits like a train. He sells like no one else, makes his opponent look fantastic. Makes you believe he can win every fight and you'll cheer him on every time. For a man as stoic as the stone pitbull, he has a lot of charisma"
[10.0] ""The Stone Pitbull" is easily among the best brawlers in professional wrestling history, up there with the likes of Steve Austin, Terry Funk, Mick Foley, etc. a man who is an outstanding performer in the ring and has had tons of amazing matches with the best that New Japan has to offer, an incredible storyteller who can convey so many emotions, the definition of a workhorse, has one of the best brainbusters ever, still competing to this day and not showing signs of slowing down, looks big for a guy who's 5'7" and can look believable as a threat to anyone, I could go on."
[10.0] "The Stone Pitbull. Amazing wrestler, great brawler, fantastic in ring work. His brainbuster is one of the best in this business. The master of round robin tournament, best workhorse in njpw history."
[10.0] "At 48 years of age, Tomohiro Ishii is STILL wrestling at an elite level and putting on excellent matches. He is on my Mount Rushmore of Japanese wrestlers without question, a true workhorse in every sense of the word and never afraid to put younger talent over. Even his presentation is so simplistic yet fantastic, the way he struts out to the ring looking like an indestructible brick wall gets me hyped for every single one of his matches. I cant sing his praises enough. Despite his age, its still not too late to give him the IWGP World title run hes always deserved because hes still *THAT* good."
[10.0] "I'm still suprised Ishii is still so good at the ripe old age of 45. His style is formulaic, however it's a formula that fuckin works. He's cool, he's stoic, he's fun to watch, He is Ishii. one of my favourites."
[10.0] "the GOAT. Every match of his is must-see TV. I've never seen someone take such a simple formula and make it so captivating time after time. He wrestles with an intensity most can't even dream of replicating. Fucking awesome"
[10.0] "One of my favourite wrestlers ever. I mean I genuinely can't say enough good things about Ishii, he's just so great and his matches are so fucking fun to watch, even if they do get a bit brutal at times. All of his matches are structured in pretty much the same way, but every single time they fucking bang insanely hard because they are filled with some of the most wild wrestling you will ever see. He doesn't win often, but he always stands out in every match he's in. He's an unbelievably good wrestler, and it is a crime that he hasn't won a world title or a G1 while in New Japan. Still a GOAT though."
[10.0] "Entweder hier ist der alte Kommentar wieder weg oder ich habe den Stone Pitbull noch nicht bewertet. Da braucht man auch nix großes erwähnen. Er ist nicht nur stark er ist auch brandgefährlich."
[10.0] "Incredible wrestler, massively underrated and not pushed properly for several times in his career. It took a long time to NJPW realize what they had in Ishii, they were very resistant but after a huge public acclaim the Stone Pitbull received more respect. I think his matches format are one of the most enjoyable that ever existed, his character work and executions are perfect. He's a hard-hitter and fits well with any opponent."
[10.0] "One of The best brawler in professional wrestling history. Just like Takagi, he is an outstanding performer capable of having a great match with anybody. Although he has never won the G1, he has been one of the most outstanding performers in the G1's history."
[10.0] "It seems that the Stone Pitbull's best days may finally lie behind him now, but what days those have been! Tomohiro Ishii will go down as one of the best wrestlers of New Japan's best era, delivering banger match after banger match. One underrated aspect of Ishii's in-ring work is his selling. He will no-sell a move to his opponent's face and then sell to the crowd and/or the camera once his opponent isn't looking. Genius bit of character work, but only one small aspect of his captivating persona. If you haven't already, check out his matchguide and watch some of his top matches, you will not be disappointed."
[8.0] "Ishii has had a magnificent fall from grace over the last few years. For quite while, from at least 2012 to say 2018/19, he was the loveable and endearing 'forever underdog' mid-carder who always had fantastic matches and occasionally got big upsets to maintain strong fan support without ever feeling like a "loser" who was never worth cheering. His match style was basic: just lots of strikes and power moves, but he'd show so much genuine passion in his displays of fighting spirit that he made every movement larger than life, and his real-time selling was (and probably still is) some of the best I've ever seen. He genuinely felt like one of the best in the world AND of all time. The issue that holds Ishii back now -- and which is why I can no longer consider him the 10/10 I rated him back in 2017 -- is because he's simply far too obsessed with copy-and-pasting literally the exact same performances week after week, year after year, to the point that he's now genuinely one of the most uncreative wrestlers in all of Japan. I first noticed this back in 2018, when people were giving him rave reviews for having basically the exact same matches he'd already been having for years, just with very slight variations to account for some fresher opponents. I still thought his performances around that time were great, but the lack of that 'unique' feeling meant that I couldn't consider those matches as truly special as some of his best. And now, in 2023, the guy is just a robot that wrestles the exact same matches and gives the exact same performances no matter where in the world he goes or who he faces. Even in his prime years, his match style and character were always both quite basic, never exactly reflecting the depth of emotions that true all-timers would show, so that's become even more of a negative with him these days, since that provides even *less* opportunities for his current performances/matches to stand out and feel worthwhile. Does he really show any different approach or attitude towards, say, a NJPW main-eventer compared to an AEW mid-carder? No, not at all. And that's what has made all his 'big' matches of the last few years progressively more and more boring. I'm now no longer remotely excited to see an Ishii match, since I know exactly what I'm getting minute by minute, and I know he's never going to try do anything outside his usual, completely done-to-death "fighting spirit" and "strong-style" spots and sequences. He even makes whatever wrestler he's facing work done to his level, which likewise makes his opponents far less interesting because they're only allowed to work the same way as every other Ishii-opponent, regardless of whether that fits them or not. As negative as I've been, I still can't consider Ishii any less than "great" because, in his prime, he really *was* incredible, producing heaps of great, amazing, and even all-timer matches against a variety of opponents. Overexposure/popularity really was the worts thing to happen to Ishii, since he became far too complacent after he smartly realised he could just coast by on the exact same matches each time with 0 creativity or uniqueness. Maybe a re-watch of his matches in a few years will lead me to re-evaluate Ishii as more deserving of a 9 or even back to a 10, because he really did feel like an all-timer for a few years, but the last few years have pretty strongly soured me on him, so I'm not too sure of that."
[10.0] "I do not think that we have seen a wrestler as consistent as Ishii is. He has had MOTYC every year for seven years now, I think that he may be the best wrestler in the world even at 44. He is super charismatic. A fan favourite for hardcore and casual NJPW fans and, when G1 Climax is around, get ready to see the best version of the Stone Pitbull. Basically, an unbelievable wrestler that will stun you day in and day out with incredible matches."
[10.0] "This rating is for how I perceive him as far has career in its entirety goes (or at least since the 2010s decade). He's legit one of the greatest underdog wrestlers of all time, (like its completely believable for him to beat the odds and defeat an unstoppable champion...and its just as believable for him to lose to an undercarder- I mean how rare is that? ! ? ), one of the greatest brawlers of all time (his matches are generally peak-BIGMEATYMENSLAPPINGMEAT material), and hes been part of some of my absolute favorite matches ever. For that, he will always be a high 9 to a 10 for me. Nowadays tho, its seems like his age has caught up to him :("
[7.0] "Ishii is a bit of a mixed bag for me in that he can either have one of the best matches of all time, or one I think is insanely boring. He definitely has more good matches than bad, that being said they get formulaic. He's put on some of my favorite matches period so it's hard for me to to rate him, but I think he at the very least has a lot of psychology with most of his opponents."
[7.0] "Extrem guter Wrestler, der allerdings nur wenig Charisma hat. Aus diesem Grund ist er bei NJ niemals Heavyweight Champion oder Main Eventer im Tokyo Dome geworden, geschweige denn auch nur ernsthaft in die Nähe gekommen. Und damit sollte man sich auch mittlerweile arrangiert haben. Ja, er ist über Jahre einer der besten Wrestler bei NJ, das reicht aber nicht, um ein Main Eventer oder Topstar zu sein. Das war schon immer so und wird auch immer so bleiben."
[9.0] "It's a shame New Japan has never and will never see this guy as a main eventer but Ishii is hands down one of the best ever. He can pull out a 5-star match with a broomstick. He doesn't need flips or fancy moves either, he can get you involved in the match with just forearms and chops. He is that good."
[8.0] "A great worker for a very long time now. Lacks height and charisma that would have elevated him to the top of the card but has fantastic brawling skills and has put on many great matches over the years with a variety of opponents. Incredibly consistent and an underrated seller."
[5.0] "Nothing has changed about him since the first time I laid my eyes upon him about ten years ago. He is just a charisma-less short dude with no arm definition that stiffs people and has the same serviceable match every single time he steps into the ring. I liked him enough in the past but he is probably the stalest dude in wrestling right now."
[10.0] "I wish I knew more about his promos and character work, but for sheer consistency in matches and high caliber matches and working non stop for years I think he has to get a 10 because I cant give him a 9.5."
[10.0] "Ishii is in the realm of legends & mythical wrestlers now. He can still go. You get your money's worth when the spotlight is on. Coming off a great TV tournament match with Ren Narita. Ishii comes in and puts in a dime on TV with Jericho."
[10.0] "Possibly the most underrated wrestler ever, he has performed so well for so long and it was sad seeing that this year was possibly his last G1."
[10.0] "One of the greatest workers ever. Don't listen to those who think he's too formulaic. He has had incredible matches against a wide variety of opponents. And if you go back in time and watch his work in WAR and Michinoki Pro, he was always a great wrestler."
[8.0] "Ishii is very talented at what he does, but in recent years, his wrestling style has become much more formulaic. Maybe that's come with age, but I don't think Ishii is one of the best in the world. He might be a touch overrated but he is a good wrestler with an excellent catalog of matches. Ishii has been a wrestler for a LONG long time before settling in NJPW in the mid-2000s. Perhaps in modern NJPW, nobody encapsulates fighting spirit more than Ishii. 141"
[10.0] "The Anyman and Everyman of Puroresu. Noone looks more ordinary & is yet more extraordinary. An exceptional brawler whose reliability, dedication to craft, array of exceptional contests and ability to get his opponent over is unrivaled. Any claims that NJPW is a pro-wrestling organization that fairly honors excellence is seriously questioned when this all-time great has never won the IWGP or IC singles belts, has never won or been a finalist at G1 or the NJPW Cup, and yet has had a great match with anyone the NJPW office puts in-front-of-him. The notion that he's one-dimensional should be tossed-aside as, notwithstanding the consistent excellence of his performances, NJPW did not alter his character to reconcile with the substantial number of crucial momentum-killing defeats (ie Makabe in '15) he has suffered t/out the years. The criticism that Ishii too-relies on a singular formula holds little weight as his matches against people like Shibata/Goto are very different than his work with Naito, Tanahashi, Taichi, ZSJ, big-men like Fale/Lee, etc. The attack that Ishii is not a draw can be disputed by certain facts, such as, his Main Event with Takagi in Yokohama in '19 drew more people than all previous pro-wrestling events at the Bunka during the '10's, including Okada/Suzuki in '17, etc. To conclude, if Ishii indeed retires without any of the aforementioned championships, etc desserts, this loyal, longstanding NJPW gaikokojin customer-attendee of over 50 NJPW events, will feel a strong sense of injustice."
[10.0] "Should have been IWGP Champ by now but what are you gonna do. Ishii is THE fucking man when it comes to hard hitting matches. Built like a fridge and with a penchant for murder, Ishii is always a fun guy to watch. He also manages to pull of the no sell style really well. Knowing exactly when to power through, completely ignore, and when to crumble instead."
[7.0] "I've seen this guy take some intense blows. I'm also impressed with his move set for how big of a guy he is. Loved his matches in his road shows, and especially the one with Katsuyori Shibata."
[10.0] "Que lutador incrível, um wrestler que sempre apresenta lutas extremamente interessantes, super regular em suas performaces, um dos melhores brawlers do mundo com dezenas de clássicos ao longo de sua carreira, conseguindo ser uma estrela sempre que aparece em qualquer empresa, participante de algumas das melhores matches de todos os tempos, diversas 5+ stars matches, um carisma e resiliencia únicos, com certeza uma verdadeira lenda do esporte e que merece um dia ser coroado como campeão mundial na NJPW!"
[8.0] "An absolute intimidating force in the ring. I wouldn't normally find his no-selling style exciting, but there's something just brutal and intense, and yet sympathetic about him I find engaging. A brawler that often feels like the underdog when paired with higher profile foes, and you want him to win."
[9.0] "Ishii is possibly the most consistent wrestler of all time. No one, besides maybe Ric Flair, has a match-quality floor quite as high as Ishii, and so it's no wonder why he's the highlight of every G1. In some ways, the consistency that makes him so special is a detriment. He has a clearly defined style and match structure that can occasionally feel stale, and because he has such a straightforward, stoic character his matches tend not to have the same emotional arc that can raise the ceiling of a match beyond what the in-ring work itself can provide. Despite this, Ishii's intensity, selling, and stiffness allow him to brute-force his way into greatness in almost every singles match he has. Easily in the conversation for the greatest worker of the past decade."
[8.0] "Ishii is the guy that most of the time gives you a very good match. If you loved the old school hard hitting Japanese style than Ishii is the guy for you."
[9.0] "A beloved veteran who can still go as well as anyone in New Japan, Ishii simply had to find his role this year, and that was mainly in the CHAOS Six-Man Champion team. Still maintained a frighteningly consistent form in singles though, matches vs SANADA (NJ Cup), Jay White (Castle Attack), Shingo and ZSJ (G1). Can comfortably handle whatever role he needs to hold, but hopefully he'll be a functioning NEVER Champion for 2022."
[10.0] "Tomohiro Ishii is arguably the greatest in-ring worker to ever live. There has probably never been a better brawler, there may have never been a better seller, and there may have only been a few who were better at pacing and timing. The only other wrestlers I can think of who would give everything they had, night in and night out, no matter where on the card they were or how big the audience, are Manami Toyota, Kenta Kobashi, Will Ospreay, and Ric Flair. Ishii is unique in that, unlike those four, he will never be a world champion. But also unlike those four, it doesn't feel like he ever needs to be. Titles and fame are all superfluous to him. He is not a champion, a mainstream star, or an all-time draw: he is Van Gogh, and the mat is his canvas."
[10.0] "Ishii is New Japan's most dependable wrestler. While guys like Okada and Ospreay seem to take the foot off the gas at times during multi-man tags or lesser singles bouts, the same cannot be said about the Stone Pitbull. When I think about the cornerstones of New Japan, Ishii is one of the first guys I think of."
[10.0] "It's a travesty this man has not held the world title with how consistent he's been over such a long time. It's not to late either, he's still as great as ever."
[9.0] "One of the best brawlers of all time, who has used his unusual/not very star-like look to his advantage with his character, the "Stone Pitbull" who never backs down no matter how outmatched he is. Whenever he has a singles match on a card he is always the highlight for me, which is why it is a shame he seems to be getting less and less, but during the G1 he really gets to strut his stuff and show how amazing he is. The only criticisms I have of him are his look (which he mostly rectified by masterfully becoming the Stone Pitbull, but is probably the main reason why he isn't pushed as a Main Eventer) and he does do the chopping back and forth thing in every single match, while it does fit him, it can sometimes be a little eyerolling. Overall he is definitely in my top 5 brawlers of all time, and is a treat to watch."
[10.0] "One of the best wrestlers to never win a world title. Ishii is one of the backbones of New Japan, putting on great matches year after year. Most wrestlers wish they had just one in-ring year the quality of which Ishii has had every year since 2013."
[10.0] "It is a crime that Ishii is not world champion. Despite being around so long and never winning the big one he has not cooled off in terms of audience appreciation or ring quality. I'll always root for him to be champ."
[9.0] "Ishii is crazy in his matches, for his age in the mid 40s he somehow risks everything to put on a classic. I'd definitely watch all of his best matches since they are COMPLETELY worth it. Ishii will retire not just as a legend but as one of the best to have never won the World Championship."
[7.0] "Extremely overrated, follows his overdone formula without fail in every match he is in. Once you get done watching all the classics he has, just stop watching his matches as they tend to be lesser than his greatest accomplishments as a wrestler (some wrestlers do it better) who has to meet the flawed quotas that his fans project onto him like an animal in heat that has to be given what it wants. However, I will give him props that he is a solid wrestler but I will not kid myself by bestowing a sacred title such as "Greatest Wrestler of All Time"."
[10.0] "One of the greatest storytellers and brawlers in the history of professional wrestling. Every time I think I'm going to find it redundant, I see the depth of the stories that Tomohiro Ishii is telling. Plus, you can put him in the ring with literally anyone and he can find a way to make them look better than they are. That counts for a lot. More than a handful of my favorite matches ever feature Ishii and he's often the primary reason why. More than anything, no one brings the emotion out of me during a match quite like Ishii. I've literally cried watching his matches and that's the ultimate mark of a great wrestler, IMO."
[10.0] "(15/10) If Cagematch have a "Custom" rating system, This is what i would give ishii. He is the most "Underated" wrestler EVER. There is no wrestler that i have watched that can touch my heart naturally. not Kobashi, not misawa, not Kawada, not Kenny, and not Ibushi or even Tanahashi. 141 is the only person who can never have a bad match even if you book him against an ashtray. there is one thing i love about ishii is that i want him to win against all the booking odds or his opponent odd, or even his own odds. He is probably the ONLY wrestler that i will shed a tear if he ever win a championship."
[10.0] "Sein größtes Problem ist das NJPW-Booking. Ishii bringt so viel mit und verkörpert sein Stone Pitbull-Gimmick wirklich perfekt. In fast jedem G1 der letzten Jahre war er der MVP und die Garantie für gehobene Matchqualität. Gutes Selling, intensive Action und wenn er zum Strike-Austausch im Match einlädt, dann wirkt das real und nicht fake wie bei anderen Wrestler. Sein Charisam ist sicherlich etwas einseitig, sein Look nicht perfekt, seine Mic-Skills kann ich nicht beurteilen, aber wer mich so konstant im Ring unterhält, hat die Höchstnote verdient."
[10.0] "One of the most intense wrestlers on the planet, Tomohiro Ishii can weave a story of perseverance and fighting spirit throughout his matches. Whether he's the underdog or in control, Ishii successfully draws reactions out of even the most jaded of wrestling fans. His selling is on point too, with his masterful use of facial expression and jelly legs Ishii makes you invest into him like no one else. And when he fights back his wide array of strikes will get the crowd roaring his name. Ishii, for my money, is the best Strong Style wrestler in the world today."
[8.0] "I like Ishii quite a bit, but his super high rating is a bit surprising. He has a good & unique look. He's not afraid to brawl with the best of 'em. At the same time, he's always lacked something to get him to the text level where the likes of Okada, Naito, & Tanahashi are."
[10.0] "He's always been one of the best wrestlers in the world, maybe even at times THE best, and he does it all without any of the big titles. It's incredible to see how good he is even as he grows older. He could easily be booked to win the world title and it would not be questioned."
[9.0] "An absolute delight to watch and perhaps the most consistently good performer in all of wrestling. It's such a shame he's never been and probably now never will reach the pinnacle of NJPW but he fills his role perfectly and is a pleasure to watch."
[9.0] "Is getting on in his later years but Ishii is just amazing as the big gatekeeper of NJPW. He's a one track wrestler with a singular way of doing things but the way he can elevate anyone he goes up against with smooth chemistry, as well as that versatility is almost unheard of. He can go in with stiff strikers, high flyers, hardcore brawlers ultimate heels, comedy guys, aces, underrated faces, technical masters, the list just goes on and on. Guy wasn't always perfect but if you study the early WAR days, you can see the pieces come together, even if it took a while. What I also love about Ishii is that he's the ultimate gatekeeper: if you lose to him, it's not a big loss because he's tough as nails and you survived the beating at least. If he loses, then that's a big accomplishment considering he's tough as nails and you managed to get past his onslaught. The concept of "jobbing" doesn't exist for him. Watching his matches has the same aura as watching pre NOAH Kobashi because you legit don't know if he's gonna win or not, because he doesn't have the aura of protection that the main eventers have, there's just unrivalled tension in everything that he does because the result isn't really known. Of course, his zero charisma or mic work will always be a downside (and will probably mean he'll never be a main title holder, as well as his height) but he's a undeniable talent that every company would kill to have because he's a next to perfect workrate guy."
[10.0] "At the moment, I really consider Ishii as the best in-ring performer of the world. He is the best brawler in the world and there's a big gap between him and anyone else, his selling comes from an other world (when he doesn't just get up and scream at his opponent's face), and it has been going for some years now. I know he isn't the most charismatic guy ever, and that he might be suited for midcard, but Gedo please give this man his IWGP heavyweight title reign, or even IC if it still exists, even if it's only for 2 months."
[10.0] "move for move, Tomohiro Ishii may be the greatest wrestler in the world today. the things he does are so simplistic, but he can put it together in such a way that every match he has is a highlight. obviously stylistically he isn't gonna be everyones cup of tea, and his brand of charisma may not suck some people in, and for that reason he probably wont ever get the big belt in New Japan. But he has created his own niche as a must watch performer who can appear anywhere on a card. Even in his mid 40s he continues to crank out numerous potential match of the year contenders. The textbook definition of a late bloomer, Ishii is an amazing watch whether he's challenging for the heavyweight belt, or tagging with Yano as the straight man to Yano's comedy nonsense."
[9.0] "Harder than splitting an atom is to find Tomohiro's bad match. His in ring performances are always great. He does well in tag teams but his true talent shows in singles. I think he is the MVP of G1 Climax 2020. There is only one thing bothering me when it comes to giving him rating. I cannot give him 10, because for me he lacks charisma and mic skills. He never talks, wears the same gear, doesn't work with crowd. He gets inside the ring, he does his job better than anyone else and then he leaves. Either way, I'm sure there will never be another guy like Tomohiro. This man is one in a million, or even one in a lifetime..."
[10.0] "The ultimate workhorse of NJPW, the level of Ishii's consistency is mindblowing, he had literally 1 match below 4 stars at g1 30 and that was match against Yujiro, at g1 29 he also had only one match below 4 stars against Yano. And these weren't event bad matches, they were just mediocre. Even more impressive is fact that he's doing it at 44 years old. And it's not just good brawling, Tom is great storyteller as well, his match against White proofs that. The number of his great matches could be exeeded only by number of times I heard "Ishii is so underrated". He suppose to be the most underrated wrestler of this decade. Roses are red, Violets are blue, Ishii should've been IWGP WH champion, And it's true, it's damn true."
[10.0] "Ishii zu bewerten ist gar nicht so einfach. Im Ring ist er einer der besten Wrestler weltweit, und zwar wirklich Top 5 Material. Es ist unglaublich, er kann so gut wie kein schlechtes Match haben. Jedes mal gibt er 100% Prozent und das bei einem so harten Stil, weshalb er besonders bei Turnieren immer unglaublich gute Runs hat. Was das Charisma bzw. den Look angeht, kann man sich streiten. Er hat nicht den großen Superstar Look, was ihn wohl auch immer daran hindern wird den World Title zu gewinnen, aber diesen Look hatte z. B. ein Misawa auch nicht und er hat als Champion super funktioniert. Und bei solch einem unglaublichen In Ring Niveau ist das auch für die Bewertung kaum mehr ausschlaggebend. Seine Karriere ist dennoch spannend, denn Jahrelang war er ziemlich unbedeutend und das auch lange Zeit über als er dann bei NJPW war. Er wurde aber gefühlt mit den Jahren immer besser und erst seit den 2010er Jahren ist er auf diesem absluten Top Nivea angekommen, weil er seitdem aber auch die großen Matches bekommt, in denen er das zeigen kann. Und das zieht er jetzt schon seit fast 10 Jahren durch und es ist kein Ende in Sicht. Fast jeder Wrestler in NJPW hat eines seiner besten Matches mit Ishii, doch leider wird er wohl trotzdem niamals den Titel gewinnen. Aber braucht Ishii diesen überhaupt, wenn trotzdem bessere Matches als der Main Event abliefert?"
[10.0] "The man has to win the IWGP Championship in the near future, he's that good. One of my favorites and his explosive styles is always fun, I love his short but physical matches as it never gets too long and the pace is usually fast."
[9.0] "Tomohiro Ishii was a guy destined to work the whole of his career in the midcard but through hard work and awesome matches gained a following and became a star in his own right. Ishii ealry years was spent working for the WAR promotion with Ishii wrestling for the company right up until it's closure. For the next few years Ishii was a freelancer working for many promotions, the most noticeable thing about this time in his career was a story line where Ishii was chosen as the protege of the legendary Riki Choshu. Ishii joined NJPW during the mid-2000s which was a pretty bad time for the promotion. Even still Ishii spent years in the undercard. In 2013 NJPW started to give Ishii a slight push and Ishii started to gain a following, Ishii that year competed in the G1 Climax tournament where in the second night defeated the Ace of the promotion Hiroshi Tanahashi which solidified Ishii spot on the NJPW roster. Since then Ishii has focused his time on the NEVER Openweight Championship. Ishii holds the record for the belt winning it 5 times."
[9.0] "probably the best powerhouse in NJPW with Shingo and Goto, not so much to say about him but whenever it's a tag or single match he always prove to be the toughest guy in the ring"
[9.0] "Tomohiro Ishii is the very definition of an amazing wrestler who only missed the final 1% to be considered an all time great. These days he's pretty limited due to age and past injuries but his matches until 2016 or so were completely insane. You had this crazy stubby bald man who wrestled matches like he was in the golden age of AJPW and NOAH, especially when pitted against equally crazy people like Tomoaki Honma and Kazuyori Shibata: his insane match quality alone was what ultimately propelled him through the ranks as people started to cheer for him and NJPW was more or less forced to push him. When his body started to finally give way he still managed to wriggle the very most out of his now limited moveset by playing on his "tough and hard" image. I don't think his look was what ultimately held him back but his personality. Outside the ring Ishii is more or less Dr Jekyll to his in-ring Mr Hyde and he's probably the worst promo man this side of Ahmed Johnson: he hasn't got the rockstar image and charisma of Tanahashi nor the star qualities of Okada. But I'll be damned if this chaparro didn't put out some of the craziest matches of the past decade."
[9.0] "very good pro wrestler but some of his matches r a bit too similar imo. i rly enjoy his classic hard htting matches and his G1 matches are always great"
[8.0] "Ishii on paper is one of the absolute finest wrestlers of the last 10-something years. He's a FANTASTIC seller -- the best in New Japan, and overall he is one helluva badass babyface. What is preventing him from getting a higher rating from me is the fact that he is so formulaic. He has a few matches he does, and that seems to be it. I can't hate on it, because that's what gets him hype & love, but sometimes I do wish he changed it up a bit. Still an absolute stud, the Stone Pitbull is."
[9.0] "Ishii is a one-note wrestler. For the longest time I was trying to understand what made Ishii so great. He is the best wrestler of a style that I don't like very much but I can watch his matches all day long. What I realized is he makes the other guys he facing better wrestlers in whole by facing him by molding the toughness part of their characters. Look at what he did for Taichi for example. Also, his style created the identity for the NEVER championship and he has been able to have title success in both England and America. While you don't necessary want him to have your top belt, if he is in your promotion you need him to challenge for the belt as a way to continue to develop your champion during his run."
[10.0] "Mir gefällt Ishii sehr und ich bin auch mit seiner Rolle zufrieden. Zum Heavyweight Champion fehlt im etwas, aber für sehr gut Matches ist er immer zuhaben."
[4.0] "He's fine but extremely overrated. He's been having basically the exact same lifeless match for years now and is usually less impressive than his opponent. When it comes to his supposed forte of "strong style" there are better, stiffer workers in NJPW and if you look to NOAH then he gets completely blown away. A 4 because he does have some upside but for the short time he was relevant and the repetitive matches he's far from a 9"
[7.0] "He put on a lot of great matches. Not really surprisingly for a brawler he has a less versatile repertoire with some powerhouse moves in addition to that. But ironically he can be very variable depending on his opponents, because he knows how to get the most out of it. Good wrestler, but yet I didn't see much more in him."
[7.0] "Why people think he is awesome . I watched a lot of his match and he is not good enough to 9. 52 I prefer nearly everyone who is facing currently Tomohiro"
[10.0] "Ishii is the most consistent wrestler in the world and deserves at least one run with the IWGP Heavyweight or Intercontinental championships. He physically can not have a bad match with anyone and has many wrestlers' best match. He is an amazing brawler and seller and knows when to no sell is opponent's offense."
[10.0] "The best wrestler of NJPW and one of the best of the world. My god, he can get a 6 stars match from a trash of garbage. Also one of the men that has more figths per year in New Japan. Very underrated in my opinion"
[10.0] "Tomohiro Ishii is a very reliable workhorse, whose simple style belies his versatility. He plays a great underdog against giants and main eventers, but he's also able to work on top against young lions, juniors, scrappy guys like Honma, etc. He's probably the best in the business at no-selling, knowing exactly when and how to do so. Great facial expressions here, whether he's shrugging off minor strikes or hulking up through the pain late in a match. Yet Ishii's actual selling is top notch as well, often looking like he's legitimately injured. He'll do little things like checking his arm after getting spiked on his (nonexistent) neck, making it seem like he has nerve damage. Many wrestlers can learn from studying the Stone Pitbull. Convincingly conveying pain or anger can garner the same crowd reaction as weapons or crazy dives. As an example, look at the rope break spot in his 2017 Long Beach match against Zack Sabre Jr. In terms of moveset, Ishii uses a small array of basic maneuvers. That means when he pulls out a frankensteiner or piledriver, it actually seems like a big deal (this is the opposite of wrestlers with 150 moves who pull insane stunts every bout). Ishii also isn't a massive guy, yet the way he carries himself evokes a strong presence. His charisma is underrated in this regard, mostly because he doesn't say much, but I like that. He's the strong silent type, which contrasts nicely against the other roster members' crazy hair styles, flashy outfits, and catchphrases. A hopeful part of me wishes Ishii can one day win the IWGP title, like Makabe or even Nakanishi once did. Whatever the case, people claim Ishii isn't underrated anymore, but I beg to differ when looking at how he's booked like just another guy. The only knock on Ishii that people can muster is that he has a match formula that he sticks to, but so does Okada and fans call him the best in the world. I'd rather a wrestler do that than have no identity like a typical indy worker."
[10.0] "Man, Ishii is truly a beast. This guy does not even know how to have a bad match. Even in his 40's he is one of the greatest in world. There hasn't been a more consistent performer in pro wrestling than the stone pitbull himself."
[10.0] "Singing Ishii's praises has sort of become the smart wrestling fan's favourite pastime but you really cannot overstate how great Ishii is at making any opponent look as great as they can. His run in this year's G1 is honestly making a case for him as the best active wrestler in the world."
[10.0] "There's nothing quite like watching Ishii come in, do his thing, and leave just as awesome as he came in regardless of how the match goes. Simply amazing."
[9.0] "Delivers consistently good to great matches. He found his style wich can maybe get repetitive at times but he is just so good at what he does it's hard to not get excited. Great striker with an underrated grappling game. Perfect in his role of underdog who will never hold a major title but can still have some wins over the top stars. He is where he is needed."
[9.0] "I love Ishii, he comes, he kick ass and he leaves and i like it every time. Whether he lose or he win, he always leaves head up and without losing his charisma. Tomohiro Ishii is one of the best fighters in Pro-Wrestling's history"
[10.0] "One of the greatest, if not the greatest, underdogs in wrestling nowadays (especially with his real-life story background, being considered too small to enter in the dojo, working through the indies to reach the top and not getting pushed until he was in his mid to late thirties) I find his matches really exciting, especially with his no selling moments which sometimes seem almost unnatural, his ability to carry around a pretty limited but effective moveset and his great psichology in the ring."
[9.0] "Ishii wrestles a very simple style. You want to hit him, he'll hit you back even harder. In trying to not sound as pretentious as possible, Ishii's style get's very old. Objectively I would argue Ishii doesn't have bad matches, but at the same time once you've seen one of his matches, you've seen most of them. Maybe some will never get over his style, but as for someone like me who's seen countless matches of different guys doing the same style, it's hard to find Ishii unique anymore unfortunately. Personally I think his best matches are when he's against someone who decides to hit harder or even better, work smarter."
[10.0] "Every time Tomohiro Ishii enters the arena, I go like: "HELL YEAH! CINDER BLOCK TOM IS IN THE HOUSE, FUCKERS! SHOW SOME RESPECT OR YOU'RE ABOUT TO GET 141 BIT! ". He never does a bad singles match, I always root for him, even if is against Okada or Tanahashi, I hope NJPW gives him a "thank you" run with the IWGP Heavyweight Title."
[10.0] "At the age of 43 Ishii has only shown to improve with age insanely enough. The perfect modern example of improving with age. As to this day, if given a singles match you can expect it to be at least the 2nd best match of the night and be right every time. He plays off his gimmick perfectly. The exemplification of strong style, complimented by his stone wall demeanor with a deadly silent mystique around him. Makes for very interesting character banter, especially when paired against arrogant charisma talents like Naito. He's incredbily reliable and a total workhorse, as elevating many of the top talent when they are chasing for the top titles. He excels at nearly every level you'd want from a professional wrestler. Wrestling & character work are top notch with a kick ass theme song and a pure underdog spirit."
[9.0] "Despite beign 43 Ishii is better than he has ever been. He is an great example of someone who got better with age. Its amazing how an guy this little can feel so big and terrifying. Absolute brutal with his kicks and punches."
[10.0] "Tomohiro Ishii, der Mann wegen dem ich eigentlich angefangen habe NJPW zu schauen da er mich damals in seinem Match gegen Okada beim G1 so überzeugt hat. Der Mann ist einfach nur Großartig! Für seinen Körperbau sehr agil und eines der besten powerhouses der Welt. Hervorzuheben muss man hier noch sein selling bzw noSelling das teilweise so unerwartet kommt. Bei jedem Move von ihm gibt es Impact und sieht krass aus, Leider ist sein Moveset nicht so vielseitig was aber zu verkraften ist. Ishii ist mein persönlicher Favorite von NJPW und wünsche keinem vom momentanen Roster mehr einen Run als World Champ."
[9.0] "Ishii is a pure underdog. He's been an underdog his whole career. A phenomenal in-ring worker with the look of a, as he calls it, "stone pitbull" Ishii may one day have a run with the IWGP Heavyweight Championship."
[9.0] "So brutal, Ishii looks like he can't feel pain somehow, and yet it always amazes me! His look is also perfect for an underdog, impossible to not love him with his stocky neckless body, he doesn't look intimidating but when he's in the ring he looks like he could legit kill anyone, and NJPW understood that by finally pushing him in 2013, the NEVER belt was all about him and now that he's not involved in it anymore it almost lost its meaning, he really looked credible when he challenged Naito for the IWGP Title."
[10.0] "When it comes to having hard hitting, physical matches that are built on brawling or combine brawling with some incredible highspots and drama, Tomohiro Ishii is the best in the business."
[9.0] "Ishii is a wrestler people should study. He doesn't have a great look but he has become a legend through hard work and dedication. The way he carries himself in ring and the treamondus heart he shows deeply connects with wrestling fans across the world. He's all heart and toughness but people love heart and toughness so they love Ishii."
[10.0] "Egal ob Best Brawler, Most Underrated oder einfach trocken ''Härtester Hund (pun intended) des gesamten Sports'', Fakt ist: Tomohiro Ishii gehört ganz klar zur gegenwärtigen Weltspitze des Wrestlings! Im Ring einfach nur absolut großartig: Unfassbar stiffer Brawl, gepaart mit Technik, dem vielleicht besten (sportlichen) Selling der Welt und einer Härte, die ihresgleichen sucht! Dazu in seiner Rolle als der ''Stone Pitbull'' unglaublich charismatisch und dadurch Charakter-Work vom allerfeinsten! Wenn du die Sirenen hörst, weißt du genau: Jetzt wird hier GEKÄMPFT! Ishii kriegt mit nahezu jedem ein mindestens gutes Match hin und ist für mich sogar DIE Match-Maschine schlechthin im Wrestling aktuell, seine epischen Schlachten gegen Honma, Goto, Omega und natürlich Shibata sprechen Bände! Bitte, gebt diesem Mann endlich (wieder) einen Singles-Titel, er hat es sich einfach so sehr ERARBEITET! 10 Punkten, alles andere wäre Irrsinn!"
[10.0] "Possibly my favourite wrestler in the world. Capable of having a great match with virtually anyone. If you can't have a good match with Ishii then maybe wrestling isn't for you. His selling is outstanding, he knows exactly when to sell and when to fire up. I love his recurring gimmick of interrupting his opponent's taunts, the best example being his legendary G1 match with Okada."
[10.0] "Einer der besten Brawler heutzutage. Ishii hat eine unglaubliche Entwicklung genommen und jährlich einen großen Sprung nach vorne gemacht. Er ist mittlerweile problemlos dazu in der Lage, im Handumdrehen ein gutes Match auf die Beine zu stellen. Die Höchstwertung ist Pflicht bei diesem qualitativen Aufstieg."
[10.0] "At least top 5 wrestlers in the world today. He is simply amazing. He can adapt any styles and has great matches with anyone. His psychology is awesome, so is his selling. Anytime he steps into the ring, you can expect at least a very good match. His character is cool. Stone pitbull, badass motherfucker who doesn't give a fuck. He can both work on top and work as an underdog. One of my joys to watch wrestling nowadays. Well deserved 10."
[10.0] "Ishii hat sich die Aufwertung mehr als verdient. Er ist mittlerweile in der Lage, mit fast jedem Worker ein gutes bis großartiges Match auf die Beine zu stellen und ist dabei einfach verdammt over."
[9.0] "Though & Hard. Passt wie die Faust auf's Auge. Kein einzig schwaches Match beim G1 2017. Sellt Superplexe und Suplexe sehr gut, und führt eben jene sehr gut aus. Kann auch gut Matwrestling verkaufen (siehe G1 Match gegen Sabre) oder gegen Powerhouses (siehe gegen Fale). Einfach 'ne Fighting Machine. Wer meint, er könne nur stumpf auf die Fresse - hat einfach keine Ahnung ;) Soll sich mal Matches gegen Omega, Okada, Naito oder Elgin anschauen, statt Goto oder Shibata. Aber selbst die waren auf ihre Art sehr gut."
[10.0] "Ishii is one of the best damn wrestlers on the planet right now & has been for many years. I dont even know how it's possible for him to have a ****+ match every single time, it amazes me, he steals the show every time whether its against guys like Okada or Yujiro. I'm really sad though that he has never been IWGP Heavyweight Champion because he absolutely deserves it, even if its a short one. Also I love how he beat Okada in G1 last year & got rewarded with absolutely nothing, thats a real shame. Anyway when this man retires, it will be a sad day, but he will also go down as one of the best wrestlers to have ever step foot in a ring & is hall of fame worthy for sure."
[9.0] "How can you not love Ishii? He's incredibly unique in that very few people can pull off what he does. Brings unparalleled intensity to his matches, and can work as a tough, never-say-die underdog, or can put a vicious beatdown on a babyface looking for sympathy. The best example of why moves aren't everything in wrestling."
[4.0] "Ishii, kann nur eins, stumpf auf die Fresse, das ist ja alles schön und gut aber nicht jedes verdammte mal, währe mal schön wenn er mir zeigt, dass er mehr kann als nur rumgestiffe! Chaos' knuddel bär würde mir in der Tag Scene mit Goto allerdings sehr gefallen, da er im Team rumstiffen kann und dan abwechslung mit Goto reinbringen kann"
[10.0] "Wenn man jemanden mit dem Körperbau von Ishii sieht, denkt man nicht was der wirklich im Ring kann. Aktuell höchstwahrscheinlich der Beste Seller im Ganzen Business. Sehr gut in allen Belangen, tolle Strikes, Headbutts, aber auch Sachen wie Frankensteiner sind für ihn kein Problem. Stellt dazu natürlich auch immer sehr gute Matches auf. Für mich eindeutig 10 Punkte."
[9.0] "One of my all time favorites. Ishii hits hard and fast (Especially during G1). The nickname 'Stone Pitbull' is an apt one given his size and tenacity. The only problem is he might be a little too intense for his own good sometimes, kind of like Chris Benoit. I really do wish the bookers would commit to giving Ishii at least one good run with the IWGP Heavyweight Championship. Its true that he doesn't need it, but it would be a well deserved feather in his cap. That being said the man is in his forty's and if they haven't trusted him with the title by now I have my doubts that they ever will."
[10.0] "Probably the best Japanese wrestler modernity. Ishii has made huge progress, and has become much better than it was before. From just a good and promising fighter up to the level of world wrestling, creating masterpieces almost every time out in the ring. Let him already 41 years, but I believe he will achieve much more, and be sure to go to the big leagues, where he received a coveted main championship."
[9.0] "This guy is an absolute beast in the ring. I absolutely love watching him beat the piss out of his opponents and just paces his matches quite well too. I haven't seen one bad match from this guy and has had countless classics over the past few years as well."
[10.0] "The Stone Pitbull! The Human Refrigerator! The Man With No Neck! Ralph! Throat-Chop Man! Japanese Headbutt Man! Big Sexy! Tomohiro Ishii, FUCK YEAH~!"
[9.0] "Ishii is damn good. He may be doesn't physically fit to the mold of a true wrestler, but his in ring style is something that cannot be misjudged. Hard-hitting yet sometimes able to do some unthinkable powerful moves. He proves time and time again that he can hang with anyone with his G1 Climax performances as few examples."
[9.0] "A true warrior and the best brawler in prowrestling today. What really surprise me, is the consistency of his matches: Okada, Shibata, Honma, Makabe... everyone he faces, he brings the best out of them. His chops, his forearms and his lariats (my god, those lariats) are out of this world and it's incredible how he can impose his will being only 5 ft 7 in / 170 cm. Every match he does is a war and a really captivating one. I really hope he wins a major title in NJPW one day, he deserves it - and the crowd loves him."
[10.0] "Tomohiro Ishii is one of the best wrestlers I have ever seen, capable of having 5 five star matches in 5 straight days(he has not done that yet) Ishii is one of the best parts of watching NJPW."
[10.0] "It's sad to know this man is 40 years old and is just now becoming a big contender for a spot at the top of the NJPW roster. Ishii, along with Shibata, are heavy contenders for my favourite wrestlers in NJPW, but i feel if any of the two deserved the IWGP championship, it'd be Ishii and if we get to see that, then i will forever be happy."
[9.0] "Gladly he became a star in NJPW after years of being treated as a jobber. One of the most intense brawlers in wrestling today, and a guy that doesn't need a wide moveset to do great matches."
[8.0] "Würde ich Ishii rein nach persönlichen Vorlieben (dh. stiff & strong Style) bewerten, wäre er eine glatte 10. Nur leider heisst Wrestling auch, dass man nicht ständig wie ein Vorschlaghammer auf den Gegner einprügelt. Technisch durchaus versiert, aber leider zeigt er das zu selten. Aber eine Geschichte im Ring erzählen kann er & dies stellt er immer wieder unter Beweis.... vorausgesetzt, er hat den richtigen Gegner. Einen weiteren Punkt muss ich für seinen Stil abziehen - stellenweise hat man wirklich Angst um die Gesundheit dieses Mannes."
[10.0] "MR. MATCH OF THE YEAR! That's what the Stone Pitbull Tomohiro Ishii really is, a Beast which every match he has is a MOTY Contender, the man can take a Beating and GIVE a Beating, STIFF AF (Which is my favourite Wrestling Style)"
[10.0] "Watch his matches vs Shibata, Nakamura, Naito, Honma etc. He is perhaps the best brawler/striker in the world right now, alongside Shibata. Very underrated."
[9.0] "Tomohiro Ishii is one of the best wrestlers in the world right now. This guy is a fucking beast, he can have 15-20 +**** matches every year. He has a great sense of psychology and is always really entertaining in the ring."
[9.0] "Einer der härtesten Wrestler überhaupt. Dieser kleine Mann geht wirklich über die Schmerzgrenze hinaus. Ich liebe einfach seine Matches, es braucht nicht immer 30 Flips oder immer neue innovative Wege, den Gegner in irgendwelchen Submissions zu verknoten. Das beweist dieser Mann eindrucksvoll. Ich kenne keinen, der ein Match nur durch großartiges Matchpacing mit gefühlt 4 Moves interessant gestalten kann und dabei nicht nur sich sondern auch seinen Gegner wie den gemeinsten Hund überhaupt darstellen lassen kann. Jedes seiner Matches gleicht einer epischen Schlacht. Durch seine stiffe Gangart ist er glaubwürdig wie kaum ein anderer, und kann durch seine Fähigkeiten auch mit weniger versierten Technikern großartige Matches zeigen, ich glaube fast niemand könnte aus Makabe und Honma die Leistungen rausholen, Wie Ishii das geschafft hat. Man kann ihm ankreiden, dass ihm zwar wirklich die Flexibilität in seiner Matchführung fehlt, die die absoluten Top Stars haben (Was aber noch lange nicht eine miese Wertung wie vom Dragon Gate Fanboy rechtfertigt), aber dieser Mann steht einfach für stiffen Strong Style wie kaum ein anderer, und bekommt deswegen eine ganz starke 9. Ich hoffe einfach, dass er im Herbst seiner Karriere nochmal einen großen Run als IC Champ oder so bekommt, verdient hätte er es allemal!"
[9.0] "Ist der gut, er ist wirklich ein harter Hund, das verkauft der in seinen Matches sehr gut, ist immer für ein gutes Match zu gebrauchen, respekt für ihn das er trotz Verletzung einfach weitermacht. Ishii ist einer für die Zukunft Japans, vielleicht sogar späteres Heavyweight Material, na gut zumindest IC Title. ^^ abwarten und Ishiis Matches genießen. :D"
[10.0] "Nakamura mag zwar der KING des Strongstyles sein, aber dieser Mann ist auch ein absoluter vertreter des Strong Styles! Für mich einer der besten bei NJPW und ein Mann der durchaus in der Lage ist grandiose Matches zu zeigen. Man muss bei jedem Match von ihm angst haben das er sich nicht schwer Verletzt oder nicht noch schlimmeres passiert da seine Matches einfach brutal sind."
[8.0] "One tough ass mother fucker. What he lacks in height he more than makes up for with strongman physique. Has the look and the moves of a legit beast in the ring."
[7.0] "Its not the size of the dog, but the size of the dog in the fight. The Stone Pit Bull is the epitome of that quote. He's only 5-6 but fights like he's 7 feet tall, He looks more like sushi chef (albeit a mean looking one) than a main eventer but the fans love him because of his tough guy attitude, willingness to absorb punishment and sheer courage. He's got a bunch of great matches under his belt and in the twilight of his prime, has finally been given a singles push over the last year, winning the NEVER championship and being Nakamura's trusted tag partner and a signature member of CHAOS. His short and blunt promos are well liked as well."
[8.0] "Einer der Wenigen, bei dem ich den typisch-japanischen Strong Style, der auch hier so gefeiert wird, wirklich schätze, weil er in der Lage ist, die Aktionen nicht endlos wie ein Mitsuharu Misawa oder ein Kenta Kobashi zu wiederholen und ein Match so auf unnütze Weise in die Länge zu ziehen. Seine Matches sind schön flüssig."
[6.0] "Ishii mag ja ein gemeiner Hund sein, sehr glaubwürdig im Ring und einer, der sauber austeilen kann. All das schätze ich an ihm - aber als Gesamtpaket ist er für mich trotzdem nicht mehr als ein solider Midcard-Wrestler. Ishii hatte seine Ausbrüche und er hat bewiesen, dass er selten auch mal einen richtig guten Kampf zustande bringen kann. Dafür braucht er aber den richtigen Gegner, der Ishiis viele Schwächen kaschieren kann und einen Sahnetag."
[8.0] "Stiffer, typisch japanischer Wrestler. Steckt gut was weg und teilt glaubwürdig aus. Großartiges Match gegen Kota Ibushi bei Back To Yokohama 2014!"
[10.0] "As far as I'm concerned, Ishii is the total package as far as puro goes. His G1 tournament performances were at WORST watchably decent to, at best, some matches of the highest calibre of the year against the likes of Tanahashi, Makabe and Shibata - with styles as varied as it gets, from NJPW main event to wild brawler to stiff technician. His match at New Beginning Pt 2 saved the night from mediocrity, turning in an absolute stunner against Naito to win his first major singles title. Watch that match from beginning to end. In 23 minutes in doesn't leave the ring, there is no filler brawling, everything is carefully structured to allow Naito to look as good as possible in defence. His gifts are really simple but priceless. He makes the opponents' offensive moves look good. His timing is rarely ever off. He carries himself incredibly convincingly and has such a great degree of intensity that his matches become elevated by his demeanour when he steps into the ring. He has a small-to-medium sized moveset, though it never seems to limit him in the way it does others. Maybe he doesn't talk much, but by Japanese standards that's not a huge complaint: his bodily charisma is what defines him and makes the crowds in Osaka and the Korakuen take to him so well."
[8.0] "Eine böse Schlägertype, der sowohl der brachiale Heel sein kann oder der verbissene Underdog. Unterstrichen wird das ganz auch noch durch seine Figur und Statur die irgendwo zwischen "Yakauza-Problemlöser" und Sportlehrer liegt, ich meine einerseits gefährlich und auf der anderen Seite "knuffig" im sportlichen Sinne natürlich. Hatte ein verdammt starkes Jahr und hat sich mit jedem großen Namen bei NJPW duelliert, wo er grandios auftrumpft. Dabei kann man sogar vergessen das es fast immer die selbe Formel war in seinen Matches und das der Hype um ihn gerade im Westen bei einigen Fans schon fanatisch Züge angenommen hat. Dafür kann er ja nun nichts und es ist toll wenn Wrestler aus der zweiten oder dritten Reihe auch mal vermehrt Spotlight abbekommen."
[9.0] "when PWI gave out the award for most improved wrestler of 2013, it went to Roman Reigns. But without a doubt, Ishii would have won it otherwise. Because throughout 2013, this low mid carder and tag team wrestler who held few titles and received little acclaim or reward for over 15 years, had all of a sudden started putting on match of the year candidates with the top stars of New Japan Pro Wrestling. His G1 Climax Day 4 match against Katsuyori Shibata became 1 of 3 matches that received 5-stars that year (the others from the amazing feud between Tanahashi and Okada), and therefore cementing his place in the history books of quality pro wrestling. The Shibata match proved that he can tell an excellent story in the ring, with great in-ring psychology and timing. His move arsenal is classic puroresu, which includes many usual staples such as using the Brainbuster and Lariat as finishers as well as the power bomb, headbutt and enzuigiri. He then started using a move that hadn't been seen in Japan in years; the Steiner Screwdriver. Since he was trained by Choshu and Tenryu, it seems only right for him to incorporate their styles into his. I'm giving him a 9, because even though his improvement in the ring is phenomenal, I would like to see if he can keep it up for another few years and possibly be among the top tier, even if he's in his late 30s now."
[8.0] "Wertung vom Oktober 2010: Guter Mann und in kleinen Dosen durchaus unterhaltsam, im Ring quasi eine Mischung und Tribut an die Herren "Masa Choshu" und "Riki Saito" und stets bemüht, finde ich gut, quasi die heutige Ausgabe eines Hiro Saito. Update: Hat sich die zwei Punkte Aufwertung alleine durch seine Leistungen im aktuellen Jahr 2013 absolut verdient. Everybody's Favorite Underdog!"
[8.0] "Wenn ich mir hier mal einen ganz schrägen Vergleich leisten darf: Ishii ist der Mark Henry New Japan's. Ein Mann, der die harte Powerhouse-Schiene fährt und meistens unauffällig in der midcard rumgurkt, dabei aber grundsolide ist. Bis dann irgendwann sowohl die promotion selbst als auch die smarks merken, wie gut der worker eigentlich ist wenn er die Gelegenheit hat, es zu zeigen. Also hoff ich mal, dass es in Zukunft weiterhin solche Gelegenheiten gibt wie in letzter Zeit öfters und trete dem Ishii-Fanclub bei."
[8.0] "Langezeit passte meine Wertung "Unauffälliger Arbeiter im Seilgeviert, der aber immer für mehr als solide Leistungen zu haben ist", doch spätestens seit Anfang 2013 ist Tomohiro Ishii aus der Rolle des Midcarders, der in Multi-Man Matches steht und Young Lions misshandelt, ausgebrochen. Seine schon immer vorhandenen Fähigkeiten weiß er immer besser in Szene zu setzen und hat es deshalb auch trotz seiner geringen Größe zu einem respektierten Star innerhalb New Japans geschafft."
[6.0] "Tomohiro Ishii ist weder richtig gut, noch schlecht... aber er ist stiff und das gefällt mir. Zwar wird er nicht wirklich was reißen können, aber solide ist er allemal."
[8.0] "Ishii die stiffe Sau. In Sachen Selling zumeist keine Offenbarung, aber wenn der Mann in der Offensive ist, kracht es gewaltig. Guter Worker, der eigentlich nie enttäuscht."
