Thomas Joseph Lawlor (born May 15, 1983) is an American professional professional wrestler currently working for New Japan Pro-Wrestling's American sub-brand New Japan Pro-Wrestling of America (NJoA), performing under the ring name Tom Lawlor, where he is the inaugural Strong Openweight Champion and the winner of the 2021 New Japan Cup USA.
Early life[]
Lawlor was born in Fall River, Massachusetts before moving to Swansea, Massachusetts, and then finally to Fort Myers, Florida. He attended Estero High School in Florida and was on the wrestling team, then continued his wrestling career at the University of Central Florida where he won three NCWA national championships in the 235 lb weight class in 2003, 2004, 2005 and as a freshman placed third. He began Brazilian jiu-jitsu in his home town of Fall River. Lawlor had a sister who died in a car accident in 2001.
Professional wrestling career[]
New Japan Pro Wrestling (2020–present)[]
Lawlor made his debut in NJPW's sub-brand New Japan Pro-Wrestling of America at NJoA's television program Lion's Break Collision on July 3, 2020, being spotted by NJPW's color commentator Kevin Kelly watching the match between Jeff Cobb and Rocky Romero and JR Kratos and Rust Taylor. Before Lawlor's match with Fred Rosser, it was confirmed that he had aligned himself with Kratos and Taylor to form NJoA's version of Team Filthy.
Following signs of disension within Team Filthy Lawlor began feuding with Team Filthy stablemate Chris Dickinson. Lawlor reminded Dickinson's loss to Ren Narita on February 26 at The New Beginning in USA. During this time, at Ring of Honor's 19th Anniversary Show, Kratos and Lawlor were unaware that Dickinson had aligned himself with Brody King. During the Road to New Japan Cup USA 2021, Lawlor order Dickinson to break Sterling Riegel's arm, which he refused, leading Kratos to breat it instead. In April, Lawlor took part in the 2021 New Japan Cup. On April 23, Lawlor defeated Brody King in the finals to win the tournament, becoming the inaugural Strong Openweight Champion. Following the match, Lawlor demanded a challenger for his title, but when none emerged, Dickinson surprisingly challenged Lawlor to a title match, which he accepted. On May 14, Team Filthy turned on Dickinson, kicking him out of the stable. At the title match on May 28, Lawlor defeated Dickinson to retain the Strong Openweight Championship.
After Lawlor retained the Strong Openweight Championship against Satoshi Kojima, Fred Rosser began challeging Lawlor for his title, with Rosser affirming that he nedded to defeat Minoru Suzuki in order to challenge Lawlor. However, Suzuki defeated Rosser. Rosser, along with Karl Fredericks, Ren Narita, Rocky Romero and The DKC faced Lawlor and the rest of Team Filthy. After the match, both teams brawled, with Lawlor then berating the other team and Rosser. In a backstage promo, Lawlor then called Rosser by his former WWE name, "Darren" and threatned him, with Lawlor stating that he was not "man enough" from him. On November 14, Rosser along with Rocky Romero faced Lawlor and Danny Limelight in a winning effort after Rosser directly pinned Lawlor. After the match, Lawlor who was not satisfied with the result, attacked Rosser along with the rest of Team Filthy, Lawlor then grabbed a pair of scissors that was in a toolbox under the ring and began cutting Rosser's hair to humiliate him. To further humiliate him, Lawlor picked and chewed some of the hair that was cut from Rosser. On December 18, Lawlor defeated Rosser to retain the Strong Openweight Championship.
Since then Rosser began boucing back from his lost, asking for a rematch with Lawlor refusing to give it to Rosser. On May 8, 2022, Lawlor gave an ultimatum to Rosser, where if Rosser could defeat both members of West Coast Wrecking Crew, he would get a chance. On May 14, at Mutiny, Rosser lost to the West Coast Wrecking Crew. After the match, in order to get another chance, Lawlor forced Rosser to shave his head in order to get a chance from Lawlor, with the ultimatum being if Rosser lost, he would have to leave NJPW Strong. On June 25, 2022, Lawlor lost the Strong Openweight Championship to Rosser.
In July, Lawlor made his debut in Japan, taking part in the 2022 G1 Climax from July 26 to August 16. He finished the tournament with a record of three wins and three losses, failing to advance to the semifinals. After the G1, Lawlor would feud with would add Homicide to their list of enemies. After Homicide defeated Limelight at Detonation 2022, he was attacked by Bobby Fish. Established as Lawlor's friend and wrestling trainer, Fish would be official brought into the rank of Team Filthy. At the 2023 Battle in the Valley, Lawlor would be victorious in his Filthy Rules Fight against Homicide.
Team Filthy started to feel frustrated with lack of opportunities and touring in New Japan. After Lonestar Shootout, a frustrated West Coast Wrecking Crew, fresh off their Strong Openweight Tag Title loss to El Phantasmo and Hikuleo, confronted Lawlor. They took issue with Lawlor's loss to rival, Fred Rosser, and that he shook his hand afterwards. When Team Filthy lost at the 2024 Battle in the Valley against Rosser, Shota Umino, and Jacob Fatu, Nelson and Isaacs were incensed that Lawlor once again shook Rosser's hand after the match. They left Lawlor to "Figure it out" and decide to be with them or Rosser. On April 12, at Windy City Riot, Lawlor and Rosser unsuccessfully challenged for the Strong Openweight Tag Team Championships in a in a four corners tag team after a highly miscommunication and heavy flow insults After the match, a bitter and frustrated Nelson and Isaacs attacked Rosser and Lawlor, cutting part of Lawlor's hair and feding it to Rosser, thus disbanding Team Filthy. This led to a match at Capital Collision, which Lawlor and Rosser won. Afterwards, in a post-match interview, West Coast Wrecking Crew and Lawlor and Rosser challenged them to one more match to settle the score. On October 18, West Coast Wrecking Crew appeared in the NJPW Academy attacking a young lion and thrashing Rosser's locker, challenging them to a two-out-of-three falls match, with the first fall being a tables match, the second a submission match and the third a tag team last man standing strap match. On October 24, NJPW announced the two-out-of-three falls match, between both teams. At Fighting Spirit Unleashed, Lawlor and Rosser lost to the West Coast Wrecking Crew in a 2 Out of 3 Falls match to end their feud,
Other media[]
In May 2015, Figure Four Online launched the Filthy Tom Lawlor Show (later renamed Filthy Four Daily), a weekly podcast featuring Lawlor discussing MMA and professional wrestling with host Bryan Alvarez. In September 2016, it was announced he would be making monthly appearances on The Bryan and Vinny Show to discuss SmackDown Live pay per views. He has also made appearances on Wrestling Observer Radio
He is the co-host of the FRB Show with Front Row Brian.
Personal life[]
Lawlor currently resides in Las Vegas, Nevada.
In wrestling[]
- Finishing moves
- Kamigoye (Double wrist-clutch knee strike to a kneeling opponent's face) – adopted from Kota Ibushi
- NKOTB – Nasty Knee on the Brain (Straightjacket knee strike to the back of a kneeling opponent's head)
- PK – Penalty Kick (Soccer kick to the chest of a seated opponent)
- Rear Naked Choke (Bridging sleeper hold)
- Strangle Knee (Running knee strike to the back of the opponent's head)
- Signature moves
- Armbar
- Boston crab
- Chinlock
- Chickenwing armlock
- Crossface
- D'arce choke
- Front Neck-Chancery (Guillotine choke, while applying a double underhook)
- Fujiwara armbar
- Guillotine choke
- Kneebar
- Multiple suplex variations
- Belly to back
- Front Neck-Chancery Drop (High-angle double underhook)
- German
- Sleeper
- Super
- Vertical
- Multiple strike variations
- Backhand chop
- Back elbow
- Running elbow
- Multiple kick variations
- Back
- Drop
- High
- Low
- Middle
- Soccer, sometimes to the head of a kneeling opponent
- Swinging Death Valley bomb
- Nicknames
- "Filthy"
- Entrance Themes
- "Team Filthy" by [Q]Brick