is a Japanese

professional wrestler Professional wrestling, often shortened to either pro wrestling or wrestling,The term "wrestling" is most often widely used to specifically refer to modern scripted professional wrestling, though it is also used to refer to real-life wrest ...

and former

mixed martial artist Mixed martial arts (MMA) is a full-contact fighting sport based on striking and grappling; incorporating techniques from various combat sports from around the world. In the early 20th century, various inter-stylistic contests took place t ...

best known for his work in

DDT Pro-Wrestling is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion based in Shinjuku, Tokyo, Shinjuku, Tokyo. Its name is an initialism of Dramatic Dream Team, which was the promotion's original name from 1997 to 2004. Founded in March 1997 by Shintaro Muto, the p ...

(DDT). Irie has also competed for

All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW/AJP) or simply All Japan is a Puroresu, Japanese professional wrestling Professional wrestling promotion, promotion founded on October 21, 1972, by Giant Baba after he left the Japanese Wrestling Association to create his own promotion. Ma ...

(AJPW), Big Japan Pro Wrestling (BJW), and a number of North American independent promotions in the past.

Early life

Irie was born in Osaka. He began his initial pro wrestling training in 2002 at the age of 15, training alongside Atsushi Kotoge with

Osaka Pro Wrestling is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion based in Osaka. The promotion was founded by Super Delfin on March 4, 1999 following his departure from Michinoku Pro Wrestling, and has been operated by Zeus (Japanese wrestler), Zeus since July 20 ...

(OPW). Irie eventually decided to pursue MMA, competing in a number of amateur fights, including some in

Pancrase is a Japanese mixed martial arts (MMA) promoter (entertainment), promotion company based in Tokyo. It was founded in 1993 by professional wrestlers Masakatsu Funaki and Minoru Suzuki. The name was based on pankration, a fighting sport in the An ...

. Irie resumed training in 2007 with Dera Pro Wrestling in Nagoya and made his debut in April 2008 against Shota Takanashi.

Professional wrestling career

DDT Pro Wrestling (2008–2018)

Beginning in May 2008, Irie began sporadically appearing for

(DDT), primarily teaming with other rookies against established wrestlers. In August 2010, Irie defeated

Soma Takao is a Japan, Japanese professional wrestler, working for the Japanese professional wrestling promotion DDT Pro-Wrestling (DDT). Takao has taken part in every edition of DDT's flagship annual event, DDT Peter Pan, Peter Pan, where he had a series ...

to win a special one day tournament. DDT owner

Sanshiro Takagi , better known by his ring name , is a Japanese professional wrestler and promoter who works for the Japanese wrestling promotion CyberFight, where he serves as executive vice president. He is one of the founding members and current chairman of ...

became a fan of Irie after watching him compete and offered him more regular bookings with DDT as a result. Representing DDT, Irie debuted for

New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) is a Puroresu, Japanese professional-wrestling Professional wrestling promotion, promotion founded on January 13, 1972, by Antonio Inoki, and based in Nakano, Tokyo. It is currently majority owned by card-game company Bushiroad, with TV As ...

(NJPW) in 2011, teaming with fellow DDT rookie Keisuke Ishii in a loss to NJPW's

Tomoaki Honma is a Japanese people, Japanese professional wrestler primarily working for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). In NJPW, he is a former List of IWGP Tag Team Champions, one-time IWGP Tag Team Championship, IWGP Tag Team Champion and a two-time G1 Ta ...

and freelancer Tsuyoshi Kikuchi. Irie began to achieve more success in 2011, beginning on May 21 when he defeated established DDT veteran Kota Ibushi, eliminating him from the 2011 King of DDT tournament. The next month, Irie formed a tag team with Munenori Sawa, and the duo defeated Gentaro and Yasu Urano to win the KO-D Tag Team Championship, but lost the titles just days later to

Kenny Omega Tyson Smith (born October 16, 1983), better known by the ring name , is a Canadian-born professional wrestler. He is signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW), where he is the current AEW International Champion in his first reign. He also works as an ...

and Michael Nakazawa. Irie participated in a falls count anywhere match the following month, teaming up with Takagi and SeXXXy Eddy in a loss to Omega, Ibushi and Nakazawa. On October 10, Irie captured the KO-D Tag Team Championship once again, this time teaming with Keisuke Ishii to defeat

Makoto Oishi is a Japanese professional wrestler working for Dramatic Dream Team (DDT). Oishi started his career in Kaientai Dojo, where he became a Strongest-K Tag Team, Independent World Junior Heavyweight and UWA World Middleweight Champion, at one ti ...

and Danshoku Dino. They dropped the championship to Urano and

Yuji Hino , better known by the ring name , is a Japanese professional wrestler Professional wrestling, often shortened to either pro wrestling or wrestling,The term "wrestling" is most often widely used to specifically refer to modern scripted p ...

on December 31 and unsuccessfully challenged them in a rematch on February 11. On April 1, 2012, Irie unsuccessfully challenged

(AJPW) competitor Kenny Omega for the World Junior Heavyweight Championship. On May 4 at a Union Pro Wrestling event, Irie teamed up with Shuji Ishikawa to capture the BJW Tag Team Championship, defeating Shinobu and Yoshihito Sasaki. They dropped the titles to Shinobu and

Yuji Okabayashi is a Japanese people, Japanese Retirement, semi-retired Professional wrestling, professional wrestler. He is currently signed to Big Japan Pro Wrestling (BJW) in the Strong BJ division, but is on an indefinite absence. Known as "The Golem", he h ...

on July 15. Irie and Ishii teamed up with Soma Takao as Team Dream Futures to enter the tournament for the vacant KO-D 6 Man Tag Team Championship and captured the titles by defeating Oishi, Akito and Takagi in the final on January 12. The trio lost the championship to Monster Army (Yuji Hino, Antonio Honda and Daisuke Sasaki) on January 27. Irie won the right to challenge for the KO-D Openweight Championship on February 24 and defeated Kenny Omega on March 20 to win the championship for the first time. He lost the championship to Harashima on August 18. On January 26, 2014, Irie unsuccessfully challenged Harashima in a rematch for the championship. Irie, Ishii and Soma Takao successfully captured the KO-D 6 Man Championship once again in February 2014, defeating Aja Kong, Danshoku Dino and Makoto Oishi, but dropped them to Ibushi, Omega and Sasaki in April. Im August 2014, Irie, Ishii and Takao captured the KO-D 6 Man Tag Team Championship once again, defeating Shuten-dōji ( Yukio Sakaguchi, Masa Takanashi and Kudo). They dropped the championship to T2Hii (Takagi,

Toru Owashi is a Japanese professional wrestler, better known by his ring name . He is best known for his work in DDT Pro-Wrestling, where he is a former KO-D Openweight Champion and two-time KO-D Tag Team Champion. Sumo career Initially aspiring to b ...

and Kazuki Hirata) on September 28. On March 1, 2015, Irie, Ishii and Takao defeated Shuten-dōji to once again become KO-D 6 Man Champions, but dropped the championship back to them in their first defence. Team Dream Futures defeated Shuten-dōji on April 11 to regain the championship and successfully defended them until September when they lost to #OhkaTeikoku ( Ken Ohka, Danshoku Dino and Super Sasadango Machine). Team Dream Futures once again captured the KO-D 6 Man Championship in May, defeating Kazusada Higuchi, Kouki Iwasaki and Shunma Katsumata. In his farewell match, Irie teamed with Yukio Sakaguchi to defeat Harashima and Keisuke Ishii. In April 2018, Irie defeated

Konosuke Takeshita is a Japanese professional wrestler. He is signed to American Wrestling promotion, promotion All Elite Wrestling (AEW), where he is a member of the Don Callis Family and one-half of the tag team Protoshita with Kyle Fletcher. He is a former AEW ...

to once again become KO-D Openweight Champion. Irie would lose the championship to

Sami Callihan Samuel Alton Johnston (born September 1, 1987), better known by the ring name Sami Callihan, is an American Professional wrestling, professional wrestler and promoter. He is signed to Major League Wrestling (MLW) and Total Nonstop Action Wrestlin ...

on August 1, 2018. On September 25, 2018, Irie announced his departure from DDT.

International promotions (2016present)

Irie debuted in the United States on July 24 for GALLI Lucha Libre (GALLI), unsuccessfully challenging Marshe Rockett for the GALLI Junior Heavyweight Championship. Irie again competed for GALLI on July 29, teaming with Gringo Loco and Skayde Jr. to defeat Zema Ion, GPA and Matt Knicks. Irie debuted for

Independent Wrestling Association Mid-South Independent Wrestling Association (IWA) Mid-South (also known as IWA Mid-South, IWA-MS, and IWA Mid South Wrestling) was an American Independent circuit, independent professional wrestling professional wrestling promotion, promotion based in J ...

(IWA Mid-South) on August 4, losing to Reed Bentley. Two days later he debuted for Hoosier Pro Wrestling (HPW), defeating JKO. He wrestled his final match before returning to Japan on September 6 for IWA Mid-South, losing to Chris Hero in a triple threat match also featuring Kongo Kong. Irie has also competed in various other American indy promotions including WCWO, AAW, Pro Wrestling Blitz, Freelance Wrestling, Resistance Pro Wrestling, MIAW, UPW, AIW, Global Force Wrestling, AWS, and Championship Wrestling from Hollywood. Irie defeated Silas Young to become the new MIAW Heavyweight Champion on September 6 in Milwaukee. Irie also won the WCWO Young Guns Tournament featuring the top 12 prospects of the mid-west area held on October 5, 2016 in Indianapolis. Irie returned to the west on January 10, debuting for Canada-based Canadian Wrestling's Elite (CWE) defeating Jacob Creed. Irie made his UK debut for

Progress Progress is movement towards a perceived refined, improved, or otherwise desired state. It is central to the philosophy of progressivism, which interprets progress as the set of advancements in technology, science, and social organization effic ...

, challenging

Walter Walter may refer to: People and fictional characters * Walter (name), including a list of people and fictional and mythical characters with the given name or surname * Little Walter, American blues harmonica player Marion Walter Jacobs (1930–19 ...

at Chapter 81 for the Progress World Championship. In 2019, he also challenged

Zack Sabre Jr Lucas James Uggles Eatwell (born 24 July 1987), known by his ring name and its abbreviated form ZSJ, is an English-born Professional wrestling, professional wrestler. He is signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). In NJPW, he is the second an ...

for the British Heavyweight championship in

Revolution Pro Wrestling Revolution Pro Wrestling (RevPro/RPW) is a British professional wrestling Professional wrestling promotion, promotion founded on 26 August 2012 by Andy Quildan after separating from International Pro Wrestling: United Kingdom. Revolution Pro Wre ...

, and Lionheart for the ICW World Heavyweight championship in Insane Championship Wrestling. Irie won UK's SOUTHSIDE WRESTLING's World Heavyweight Championship from Rob Lynch on 3 March 2019 in St. Neots. Irie participated in wXw promotion's "Ambition 10" tournament in Oberhausen, Germany on 9 March. Irie defeated Laurance Roman in 1st round, Chris Ridgeway in semi-final, then Rico Bushido in the final. Irie has appeared in 5 shows during 2019 Mania Week in NY. In 2023, at WXW 16 CARAT GOLD finals, Irie defeated

Axel Tischer Axel Tischer (born 5 November 1986) is a German professional wrestler currently performing for German Wrestling Federation (GWF), Westside Xtreme Wrestling (wXw) and Progress Wrestling, where he is the current Progress Wrestling Atlas Championshi ...

, to become wXw Unified World Wrestling Champion.

Championships and accomplishments

Active Advance Pro Wrestling Active Advance Pro Wrestling (2AW) is a Professional wrestling in Japan, Japanese professional wrestling promotion and training facility originally owned and promoted by Taka Michinoku. The promotion places emphasis on a style of Professional wre ...

:* 2AW Openweight Championship ( 1 time) :* 2AW Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with The Andrew Takuma *

:* Gaora TV Championship (1 time) :*

All Asia Tag Team Championship The is a professional wrestling tag team title in Japanese promotion All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW). Originally, it was the top tag team title in the JWA, but its status became secondary once the NWA International Tag Team Championship was brou ...

(1 time) – with Keisuke Ishii :*Six-Man Tag Team Tournament (2022) – with Issei Onitsuka and T-Hawk * Big Japan Pro Wrestling :* BJW Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Shuji Ishikawa :* Saikyo Tag League (

2019 This was the year in which the first known human case of COVID-19 was documented, preceding COVID-19 pandemic, the pandemic which was declared by the World Health Organization the following year. Up to that point, 2019 had been described as ...

) – with

:* KO-D Openweight Championship (3 times) :* Ironman Heavymetalweight Championship ( 2 times) :* KO-D 6-Man Tag Team Championship (6 times) – with Keisuke Ishii and

(6) :* KO-D Tag Team Championship (3 times) – with Munenori Sawa (1), Keisuke Ishii (1) and Kazusada Higuchi (1) :*Hardcore Mixed Tag 1 Day Tournament (2022) – with Itsuki Aoki *Pro Wrestling TEAM DERA :*TEAM DERA Drazeger Championship (1 time, current) *

Gleat Gleat (stylized as GLEAT and pronounced as "great") is a Japanese professional wrestling and mixed martial arts promotion founded in 2020 by former Pro Wrestling Noah parent company Lidet Entertainment after the acquisition of Noah and DDT Pr ...

:*Interim G-Infinity Championship (1 time) – with T-Hawk * Ganbare☆Pro-Wrestling :* Spirit of Ganbare World Tag Team Championship ( 1 time, current) – with Mizuki Watase *Midwest Independent Association of Wrestling :*MIAW Heavyweight Championship (2 times) * Michinoku Pro Wrestling :*PWLL Championship (2 time) *

** OPW Tag Team Championship ( 1 time) – with Quiet Storm * Oriental Wrestling Entertainment :* OWE Openweight Championship ( 1 time) *PUZZLE :*Top Of PUZZLE Championship (1 time, current) *''

Pro Wrestling Illustrated ''Pro Wrestling Illustrated'' (''PWI'') is an American professional wrestling magazine that was founded in 1979 by publisher Stanley Weston. ''PWI'' is headquartered in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, and published by Kappa Publishing Group. The maga ...

'' **Ranked No. 200 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the ''

PWI 500 ''Pro Wrestling Illustrated'' (''PWI'') is an American professional wrestling magazine that was founded in 1979 by publisher Stanley Weston. ''PWI'' is headquartered in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, and published by Kappa Publishing Group. The maga ...

'' in 2024 *Ryukyu Dragon Pro Wrestling :*Sou Ryuo Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Kazuaki Mihara *Sportiva Entertainment :*Sportiva Tag League (2010) – with Mammoth Handa *Southside Wrestling Entertainment :* SWE World Heavyweight Championship (1 time) * Tenryu Project ** Tenryu Project World 6-Man Tag Team Championship ( 1 time) – with Kouki Iwasaki and Koji Iwamoto *VKF Pro Wrestling :*VKF King Of Wrestle Naniwa Championship (1 time) *

Wrestle-1 was a Japanese ''puroresu'' or professional wrestling Professional wrestling promotion, promotion, founded in July 2013 by Keiji Mutoh following his resignation from All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW). The core of the promotion's roster was formed b ...

Wrestle-1 Tag League The Wrestle-1 Tag League was a professional wrestling round-robin tag team tournament held by Wrestle-1. It was created in 2014. Originally known as the Tag League Greatest in 2014. The tournament was given its current name in June 2017. The inau ...

(

) – with T-Hawk *Wild Championship Wrestling Outlaws :*WCWO Young Guns Tournament (2016) *

World Series Wrestling World Series Wrestling (WSW) is an Australian professional wrestling promotion. Originally founded in 2005, the promotion was in business for two years before going on hiatus, resuming operations in 2017. The company is founded, promoted and owne ...

:*WSW Australian Championship (1 time) *

Westside Xtreme Wrestling Westside Xtreme Wrestling, commonly shortened to wXw, is a German professional wrestling promotion based in Gelsenkirchen, North Rhine-Westphalia. wXw has been one of the leading professional wrestling promotions in Germany, and most of its event ...

:* wXw Unified World Wrestling Championship ( 1 time) :* 16 Carat Gold Tournament (2023) :*Ambition 10 (2019)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Irie, Shigehiro 1988 births Living people 21st-century male professional wrestlers 21st-century Japanese professional wrestlers Japanese male professional wrestlers 2AW Openweight Champions 2AW Tag Team Champions All Asia Tag Team Champions Gaora TV Champions Ironman Heavymetalweight Champions KO-D 6-Man Tag Team Champions KO-D Tag Team Champions KO-D Openweight Champions BJW Tag Team Champions WXw Unified World Wrestling Champions Spirit of Ganbare World Tag Team Champions Tenryu Project World 6-Man Tag Team Champions Professional wrestlers who competed in MMA WXw 16 Carat Gold Tournament winners Osaka Tag Team Champions