Ryohei Oiwa (大岩 陵平 Oiwa Ryohei, born November 7, 1998 in Aichi, Japan) is a Japanese professional wrestler who was trained by and is currently wrestling for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). He made his debut for NJPW on August 24, 2021, and worked as a "Young Lion" over the following two years.
In August 2023, Oiwa was sent to the Japanese Pro Wrestling NOAH (NOAH) promotion at the invitation of Kaito Kiyomiya to further his wrestling training and gain international experience, a tradition with NJPW "Young Lions", through NJPW's international partnerships, before returning to NJPW in September 2024, repackaged complete with a new look and a new persona, as part of the TMDK stable.
Early life[]
Oiwa was born in Kōnan, Aichi, Japan on November 7, 1998. He began amateur wrestling at Zen Total Wrestling Club in his third year of junior high school, and won the bronze medal in the 86 kg freestyle division at the 2018 JOC Junior Olympic Cup.
Professional wrestling career[]
New Japan Pro Wrestling (2021–2023)[]
In December 2020, Oiwa earned a training spot in the New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) dojo, after the passing an introductory test. He entered the dojo in April 2021, after graduating from Hosei University's Faculty of Law. Following four months of training in the dojo, Oiwa made his professional wrestling debut on August 24, facing fellow young lion Kosei Fujita in a match, which ended in a draw. On April 18, 2022, Oiwa defeated Fujita for his first professional victory. As is customary for most professional wrestlers and various young lions, Oiwa spent most of his matches losing to other, more experienced wrestlers, which would help put over other wrestlers while at the same time give Oiwa some in-ring, televised, experience.
On November 5, 2022, Oiwa helped Zack Sabre Jr. to defeat EVIL during the semifinals of the NJPW World Television Championship tournament, after he disguised himself as Sabre to serve as decoy to distract EVIL to allow Sabre to win. Kosei Fujita repeated the same trick before on EVIL before to win his block match during the 2022 G1 Climax. On August 13, 2023, Kaito Kiyomiya invited Oiwa to take part on a learning excursion in Pro Wrestling Noah, which he accepted. Unlike various young lions that NJPW often send on a learning excursion outside Japan, be it the United States of America, Europe or Mexico, Oiwa was the first young lion to have his learning excursion in Japan.
Pro Wrestling NOAH (2023–2024)[]
Oiwa made his debut for NOAH on September 3, teaming with Kiyomiya in a winning effort against Yoshinari Ogawa and Zack Sabre Jr. Upon joining the promotion, Oiwa was taken under Kiyomiya's wing, as he became his mentor, before setting the goal of holding the GHC Tag Team Championship alongside him. He made his last match for NJPW on September 8, accompanied by Kiyomiya, unsucessfully challenging Sabre for the NJPW World Television Championship. On September 18, Oiwa had his first win in his first professional wrestling career, facing Junta Miyawaki in a winning effort. On October 14, Oiwa and Kiyomiya defeated one half of reigning the GHC Tag Team Champions Anthony Greene and LJ Cleary. Kiyomiya scored the pinfall victory over Greene and afterwards announced that him and Oiwa wanted to challenge Greene and Jack Morris to a title match for the GHC Tag Team Championship, setting up the title match at Demolition Stage in Fukuoka, which they failed to win.
From November 25 until December 6, Oiwa and Kiyomiya returned to NJPW taking part in the 2023 World Tag League, were they finished the tournament with a record of two wins, and six losses, failing to advance to the semifinals of the tournament. On December 10, Oiwa and Kiyomiya were attacked by House of Torture, only to be saved by Shota Umino. Afterwards, Oiwa and Kiyomiya challenged EVIL and Yujiro Takahashi to a match, after previously defeating them in the 2023 World Tag League. After House of Torture made an appearance in NOAH attacking Kiyomiya, this would lead to a match, on January 2, 2024 at The New Year, where Oiwa, Kiyomiya, Umino, Daiki Inaba, Junta Miyawaki, and Shuji Kondo faced House of Torture in a winning effort, ending their feud.
From February 24 to March 10, Oiwa and Kiyomiya took part in the 2024 Victory Challenge Tag League, finishing the tournament with a record of four wins, two losses and a draw advancing to the finals of the tournament. On March 10, Oiwa and Kiyomiya defeated Real (Saxon Huxley and Timothy Thatcher) in the finals to win the tournament and following the win, they called out reigning champions, Good Looking Guys (Jack Morris and Anthony Greene), and challenged them to a title match, which they accepted. On March 17, it was announced that Kiyomiya, was forced to withdraw from the match due to a spinal cord concussion sustained during training, leading Huxley and Thatcher, who finished as the Victory Challenge Tag League runners-up to replace them in the title match. They would receive their rematch on April 7, failing to win the GHC Tag Team Championship.
Shortly after, Oiwa ended his partnership with Kiyomiya, after he formed a team with Kenoh. With the status of their team being uncleared, on May 21, Oiwa, Ulka Sasaki, Shuji Kondo and Eita faced All Rebellion in a winning effort. After the match, just as it seemed that Oiwa accepted to join All Rebellion, he suddenly attacked Kiyomiya and Kenoh, thus refusing to join All Rebellion, stating that it wasnt over between him and Kiyomiya. Afterwards, Jake Lee invited Oiwa to join Good Looking Guys (GLG), but he refused. On June 1, following a match between Oiwa and Kiyomiya, Oiwa went to attack him again, leading Kioymiya to challenge him to a match. Shortly after, Oiwa aimed to win the 2024 N-1 Victory held in August to face Kiyomiya in a match. He would finish the tournament with a record of three wins, three losses and a draw, failing his plan to win the tournament. On September 1, it was announced that Oiwa's last match in NOAH would take place on September 14, where he would face Kiyomiya. At the event, Oiwa was defeated by his rival Kiyomiya.
Return to NJPW (2024–Present)[]
On September 29 at Destruction in Kobe, Oiwa made his returned to NJPW, as the mysterious member of TMDK, who had been teased by Zack Sabre Jr.. In his NJPW return match, Oiwa teamed with fellow stablemates Sabre and Kosei Fujita in a six-man tag team match, where they defeated Just 5 Guys (SANADA, Taichi and Taka Michinoku), with him pinning Michinoku for the win. Later that night, he challenged Shingo Takagi, who had recently regain the NEVER Openweight Championship, to a title match. On October 14 at King of Pro-Wrestling, Oiwa unsucessfully challenged Takagi for the NEVER Openweight Championship.
In wrestling[]
- Finishing moves
- Ark Hold (Grounded Top-Wrist Lock)
- Doctor Bomb (Gutwrench sitout powerbomb)
- German suplex
- Gutwrench suplex
- The Grip (Discus lariat) - 2024-present
- Signature moves
- Backdrop suplex
- Body slam
- Boston crab
- Dragon screw
- Dragon-style Harite (Left-handed open-palm face slap)
- Multiple chop variations
- Double hand chop
- Knife edge chop
- Multiple dropkick variations
- Corner
- Standing
- Dropkick
- Forearm smash
- Figure four-leglock
- Hip toss transitioned to a suplex
- Running standing body splash
- Pull-over foot stomp
- Shoulder tackle
- Sleeper hold
- Spinning double leg takedown
- Nicknames
- "The Mullet"
- "The Grip"
- Entrance themes
- "Big Hope" (NOAH)
- "The Grip" by Yonosuke Kitamura (NJPW)