Guts Ishijima

Guts Ishijima
Ishijima in 2023
Birth nameKenji Ishijima
Born (1981-01-03) January 3, 1981 (age 44)[1]
Kasukabe, Saitama
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s)Guts Snake Island
Guts Ishijima
Guts Jajima
Yellow Badi
Ken-chan
Billed height176 cm (5 ft 9 in)[2]
Billed weight120 kg (265 lb)
Debut2004

Kenji Ishijima (石島健至, Ishijima Kenji, born January 3, 1981) is a Japanese professional wrestler better known under the ring name Guts Ishijima (ガッツ石島, Gattsu Ishijima). He is currently working as a freelancer and is best known for having founded the Japanese promotions Guts World Pro-Wrestling and Total Triumph Team Pro-Wrestling (TTT).

Professional wrestling career

Independent circuit (2004–present)

Ishijima took part of a 74-man tag team match at New Years Eve Pro-Wrestling, an event promoted by the Japanese independent scene on December 31, 2011 where he teamed up with notable partners such as Abdullah Kobayashi, Harashima, Natsuki Taiyo, Shuji Ishikawa and Daisuke Sekimoto to defeat the likes of Atsushi Kotoge, Kaori Yoneyama, Kazuhiro Tamura, Taka Michinoku, Mio Shirai, Yuji Okabayashi and many others.[3] At Gatoh Move Japan Tour #50 ~ Summer Vacation Approaching!, an event promoted by Gatoh Move Pro Wrestling on July 15, 2013, Ishijima teamed up with Sayaka Obihiro in a losing effort to Emi Sakura and Kaori Yoneyama.[4] At 666 Vol. 90/Shinjuku 2-Chome Shinobu Debut 15th Anniversary Memorial, an event promoted by the 666 Promotion on June 6, 2020, Ishijima competed in a three-way tag team match in which he teamed up with Banana Senga, Hiroaki Taniguchi and Yanagawa to defeat the teams of Fuminori Abe, Koju Takeda, Konaka, Taro Yamada, Akkun Ohashi, Jun Kasai, Masashi Takeda and Nene Dai, Onryo, Shinobu and Yuko Miyamoto.[5]

Guts World Pro-Wrestling (2004–2018)

Ishijima was the owner of Guts World Pro-Wrestling, a promotion which he founded and led since 2004 after he graduated in amateur wrestling at SWS Gakusei Pro Wrestling while he was studying at Teikyo University.[6] The promotion held its first show titled Guts World Vol. 1 on December 4, 2004 at the Shin-Kiba 1st Ring arena, during which he teamed with Ryan Upin is a losing effort to Daisuke and Mineo Fujita.[7] At the Guts World The Final ~ Bukotsu Shuen event, the promotion's final show which took place on April 15, 2018, Ishijima defended the GWC Singles Championship one last time successfully against Masked Mystery. The show also portraited the retirement match of Mr. Gannosuke who teamed up with Michio Kageyama in a losing effort to Tatsumi Fujinami and Hiro Saito.[8][9]

Pro-Wrestling Heat-Up (2018–2019)

On April 20, 2018, Ishijima announced he would join Pro-Wrestling Heat-Up where he would be leading a new brand named Going-Up.[10] The first Going-Up show was held on May 27. In the main event, Ishijima teamed with Buffalo to defeat Daisuke Kanehira and Joji Ootani.[11][12]

Real Guts Army (2019–present)

Ishijima left Heat-Up on February 3, 2019 to form an independent group called Real Guts Army (Japanese: 真GUTS軍) alongside Masked Mystery. Together, they produced a handful of shows between May and December 2019.[13]

Total Triumph Team Pro-Wrestling (2020–present)

On December 7, 2019, at the Guts Ishijima's Debut 15th Anniversary show, Ishijima announced he would create a new promotion with Masked Mystery, Toru and Shunsuke Sayama. The promotion, named Total Triumph Team (TTT), launched on January 25, 2020. On June 13, 2021, at TTT Big Match 2021, Ishijima and Speed Of Sounds (Banana Senga and Tsutomu Oosugi) won the GWC 6-Man Tag Team Championship (a trios title originally defended in Guts World before it temporarily moved to DDT Pro-Wrestling's sub-brand Ganbare☆Pro-Wrestling in 2018) to bring the title back to TTT.[14]

Championships and accomplishments

  • GPS Promotion
  • WBC Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Masked Mystery[16]
  • Guts World Pro-Wrestling
  • GWC Singles Championship (3 times)
  • GWC Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Michio Kageyama
  • GWC 6-Man Tag Team Championship (8 times) – with Gami and Minami (1), Bungee Takada and Tatsuhiko Yoshino (1), Masked Mystery and Leonardo Takatsu (1), Devil Invader and Toshihiro Sueyoshi (1), Amigo Suzuki and Chango (1), Daisuke and Tatsuhiko Yoshino (1) and Chango and Michio Kageyama (1)[17]
    • Akuma Domei Saiykou Decision Tournament A-1 Climax (2012)
  • Pro-Wrestling Heat-Up
  • CCW Canadian Heavyweight Championship (1 time)[18]
  • Real Guts Army
  • CCW Canadian Heavyweight Championship (1 time)[19]
  • Total Triumph Team Pro-Wrestling

References

  1. ^ Saalbach, Axel. "Guts Ishijima • General Information". wrestlingdata.com. Retrieved August 12, 2021.
  2. ^ Kreikenbohm, Philip. "Guts Ishijima/Career Data". cagematch.de (in German). Retrieved August 12, 2021.
  3. ^ Rehbronn, Robin (January 5, 2012). "Occupation of the Indies Presents "NEW YEARS EVE PRO-WRESTLING 2011" Ergebnisse vom 31.12.2011". wrestling-infos.de. Retrieved August 12, 2021.
  4. ^ Kreikenbohm, Philip (July 15, 2013). "Gatoh Move Japan Tour #50 ~ Summer Vacation Approaching!". cagematch.net (in German). Retrieved August 13, 2021.
  5. ^ Kreikenbohm, Philip (June 6, 2020). "666 Vol. 90/Shinjuku 2-Chome Shinobu Debut 15th Anniversary Memorial". cagematch.net (in German). Retrieved August 13, 2021.
  6. ^ Deep Dive Japan (April 15, 2018). "Guts World's last show". deep-dive.jp. Retrieved August 12, 2021.
  7. ^ ガッツワールドvol.1試合結果 (in Japanese). Guts World Pro-Wrestling. December 4, 2004. Retrieved August 12, 2021.
  8. ^ Dark angel (April 18, 2018). "Guts World: »Guts World the Final» Mr. Gannosuke and company say goodbye". superluchas.com. Retrieved August 12, 2021.
  9. ^ ガッツワールドが13年4ヶ月の歴史に幕! 「プロレスオタクが創った団体がガッツワールドだった」. Battle News (in Japanese). April 16, 2018. Retrieved August 12, 2021.
  10. ^ HEAT-UPにガッツ石島＆マスクドミステリー＆大谷譲二＆室田渓人が入団！ガッツワールドの“Gの魂”を受け継ぐ新団体『GOING-UP』の旗揚げを宣言！. Battle News (in Japanese). April 20, 2018. Retrieved August 12, 2021.
  11. ^ 【試合結果】5･27 GOING-UP北沢タウンホール大会 ガッツ石島＆バッファローvs兼平大介＆大谷譲二 越中詩郎＆近藤”ド根性”洋史vsマスクドミステリー＆渡辺宏志 藤原秀旺with 秀・オブ・ザ・イルミナティvs影山道雄. Battle News (in Japanese). May 30, 2018. Retrieved August 12, 2021.
  12. ^ 新団体『GOING-UP』が旗揚げ！ガッツワールドの意志を継ぎ“中高年に元気を与える”と燃える！. Battle News (in Japanese). May 30, 2018. Retrieved August 12, 2021.
  13. ^ Kreikenbohm, Philip. "Real GUTS Army". cagematch.net. Retrieved August 12, 2021.
  14. ^ THE HALFEEが夜の新宿で『星空のディスタンス』を生ライブもガッツ石島＆ツトム・オースギ＆バナナ千賀に敗れGWC6人タッグ王座から陥落！. Yahoo! Japan (in Japanese). June 15, 2021. Retrieved June 18, 2021.
  15. ^ Wrestling Titles (July 25, 2021). "Ironman Heavymetalweight Title". wrestling-titles.com. Retrieved August 12, 2021.
  16. ^ "GPS Growth6". wrestlingdata.com. Retrieved August 12, 2021.
  17. ^ "GWC 6-Man Tag Team Championship recent history". yu39.net. Retrieved August 12, 2021.
  18. ^ "GOING UP Shin-kiba Competition". wrestlingdata.com. Retrieved August 12, 2021.
  19. ^ "Real GUTS Army GUTS Ishijima Debut 15th Anniversary Show". wrestlingdata.com. Retrieved August 12, 2021.