Tomohiro Ishii

[7.0] "I like his style. He's stiff and I'm a fan of that. But his character lacks depth. His character is basically he's a tough guy and that's it. So it's hard for me to agree with the overall score here. If pro wrestling were simply what happens between the ropes he'd be a 9 or 10. Pro wrestling, as an art form, is much more than that though."

[9.0] "I love Tomohiro Ishii, he's one of my all-time favorite wrestlers because I love his in-ring fighting style. As soon as I discovered New Japan Pro Wrestling, he was one of my favorites. I think it's such a shame that he never had the opportunity to be IWGP Champion."

[5.0] "I don't like ishii but to be fair he's really good at this Njpw formula lmao, he really works with their style and their identity and direction. He's matches all the same things there's a barely noticeable difference in them, he's really overrated, but not bad at all and actually he can be really good when they used him well. Like in his match with shibata g1 (? ) (? ) (? ) (? ) , idk but I think so really, he's still overrated and can be extremely boring in a lot of time."

[10.0] "My favorite midcarder of all time, ishii has put on one phenomenal match after another for decades while never being pushed as a world champ or top guy. This was probably due to his height which he has always made up for by being a stocky built beast that just hits the hell out of people. Over the decades Ishii has proved he is capable of putting on solid matches with anyone and anywhere on the card even in other promotions. Even at 49 it does not look like he is slowing down at all and is still exceptional in the ring."

[10.0] "He's such a beast. I'm so happy he's been getting his flowers in multiple countries and still putting on great matches nearing 50. Some people say he doesn't look like a star, but when I tell people about this 5'7" pitbull with no neck that everyone barks at, they love him before they even see his amazing brawling. Should have got a short IWGP Heavyweight run at some point, but he's had a great career regardless."

[9.0] "Ishii is a really fun presence in the ring. Despite his lack of height his body is built like a power lifter and he can lift guys much bigger than him, he's offense always looks great. He has a unique style that sometimes seems overdone, especially with the long striking exchanges but I personally enjoy everything he does. He's also very good at making his opponent look strong. I also don't mind his no-selling because he actually does it right."

[10.0] "Without a doubt he is going down as one of the greatest in ring performers of all time. He is someone that is incapable of having a bad match. At 49 years of age he still carries over this quality. The fact is that he's been better in his late 40s than a lot of wrestlers in their prime."

"legit one of my favourite wrestlers. i love wrestlers who arent build like a bodybuilder and who i could recognize purely by shilouette."

[10.0] "The fact that Ishii is as good as he is still at 49 is ridiculous. It's so tragic for him that he hit his peak during the era of the most stacked main event scene in wrestling history. A true all time great and a legit greatest of all time contender"

[10.0] "Despite being nearly in his 50s, Ishii remains one of the most consistently entertaining wrestlers in the world and one of my personal favourites of all time. You can have him go out there with basically anyone, and he will always produce something solid. His match structure, despite remaining pretty much the same for over a decade at this point still doesn't get old or repetitive because Ishii has a formula that he's pretty much perfected that works so well in getting a crowd invested in his matches. His selling and facial expressions are always so on point that it makes the moments when he powers through and no sells feel so much more cathartic. I really just can't say enough good things about Ishii, he's been one of the best for at least 20+ years now and he's been one of my favourites ever since I found out about him. A genuinely perfect wrestler."

[10.0] "Tomohiro Ishii could've been word champion in almost any company he stepped foot into. He has the charisma, the energy, the look, the moveset etc. If there something you want from him, he will deliver. He still puts on entertaining matches at the age of 48. Any time he stepped foot into the ring with a major player, he either matched them or over beat them when it came to enjoyment. Truly a one of a kind wrestler we will never see replicated."

[9.0] "Damn, I really miss peak Tomohiro Ishii, as on his day, this guy could've been a serious contender for best wrestler in the world. Tomohiro Ishii is probably the best example of a guy who could've worked well with pretty much anyone, given hoe even a lot of NJPW's worst wrestlers looked at least credible when they were working with him. It is sad to think that his best days are behind him and that he's more of a AEW wrestler now, as I simply don't like how Tony Khan has booked him as a cheap prop to show hardcore fans that he knows what they want, and I also don't like how the guy almost constantly loses. Nonetheless, it still amazes me how this guy still can give us amazing matches coming up to 50, and his legendary matches against the likes of Masato Tanaka, Katsuyori Shibata, Hiroshi Tanahashi and Kota Ibushi will never be forgotten. I could deadass use the whole of cage matches 6, 000 character limit listing everyone he's had a banger with, seriously."

[10.0] "Tomohiro is one of the most subtly entertaining talents in the world. Every single movement, every expression, every attack is executed with precision and commands the exact emotion from the crowd he intends. He is a master of long term storytelling and the perfect example of how to stay relevant and captivating with nearly no changes to his character, values, and demeanor of his career."

"Absolutely love this guy, one of the most underrated wrestlers in general, hope he can keep wrestling for as long as he can with his age."

[10.0] "Absolutely insane to me that Ishii never won the iwgp world heavyweight champion ship. An amazing worker who put on so many spectacular matches. Never suffered from being in the midcard for his career either hes been amazing the whole time"

[8.0] "Ishii is a really good hand to play in the midcard, not believable ever as a top level talent that could carry a promotion as its top guy; however, you need guys like Ishii to fill out a card. he's a really good brawler despite his size, and is one of those guys who is much better in a live audience than he is on TV. He's a real spectacle to watch because of his body type and his ability to absorb genuine impact with apparent ease. Rarely, if ever, does he put out a stinker of a match or have zero chemistry with someone, and has a really good ability to read a live crowd and adjust as necessary."

[10.0] "For the guy below my rating that gave him a 4/10. Watch his match against Katsuyori Shibata from the NJPW G1 Climax 23 tournament (2013). If you dont like or appreciate that for everything that it is, you are likely never going to be a fan. And in that case, may God have mercy on you."

[4.0] "Seriously, what is people's fascination with this guy. His move set is basically limited to chops and headbutts. He looks like he works unsafe. He no sells everything and has no decreeable character other than being a stoney faced biggish guy. There are no nuances to his gimmick and moreover it has been basically the same act that he has been doing his whole in-ring career. Ive never seen a match of his that was not lacking in something and Ive never seen an opponent of his that has come off significantly better for being in the ring with him."

[10.0] "One of the best to ever do it. Certainly amongst the most consistent wrestlers in recent history. His hit rate is incredible."

[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] "Tomohiro Ishii is an amazing pro wrestler who even with his age, can still keep up and even out wrestle the younger competitors. I'm a big fan of his work and I wish that NJPW put the IWGP World Championship on him, however that never happened. Still he's an overall great wrestler that I really enjoy."

"Just the best to ever do it. He looks like a statue who Is wrestling but is always endlessly entertaining. I am sad we dont have him in G1 34 but getting him for a Summer in AEW is a great consolation."

[8.0] "(Sorry english is not my firtst language) This is one of the wrestlers who is more traditional but he still catch up with the modern wrestlers"

[7.0] "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. Edit 2024: the lack of creativity in the last two years has vastly decreased my enjoyment of an Ishii match. Feels like the same chop spamming no selling copy paste over and over."

[10.0] "He is just one of the best wrestlers in roster right now. And it's a shame that Tomohiro - san is not getting IWGP World Heavyweight Championship. He can do amazing matches with literally anyone (except Evil and HoT)."

[9.0] "The Stone Pitbull is one of the greatest brawler in modern wrestling. He has so many ways to get to what he does well that it makes it more believable to me. He has an aura around him and even now as he nears 50 he is still putting on great matches."

[9.0] "Tomohiro Ishii is probably the best mid-carder of all time, this man almost wasn't treated like a main eventer in his entire career, but still managed to achieve greatness and gain the recognition and respect of everybody. If you need a guy to work a great match and make a crowd cheer in the middle of an event, call Ishii, because he's the man for the job. He's the definition of underrated, always was, and still is a lot of times, it took a long time for NJPW to realize what they had in Ishii, they were very resistant but after a huge public acclaim, the Stone Pitbull received more opportunities, even with an advanced age, it look a long time to Ishii start receiving some respect, he's a late bloomer. The structure of his matches are repetitive but work pretty well, when worked right, it's one of the most enjoyable formats there is, even if sometimes some of his stuff bothers me a little, there are things that I personally don't like, but he's a talented hard-hitter and a puroresu legend."

[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. Honestly, should've been Intercontinental champion before they merged the IWGP titles."

"One of my favorite wrestlers. Such an overachiever. We're probably past the point now that there'd be any hope of him getting an IWGP World championship win, but it'd make me so happy if he did."

[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 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."

[9.0] "Best powerhouse wrestler in Japan right now. The only ting missing from this man's mantle is the world title!"

[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."

[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."

[9.0] "The dude really does look like a Stone Pitbull. He looks like he eats punches for lunch. A true badass style of wrestler."

[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."