Wrestler Profile

Hirooki Goto

Hirooki Goto is New Japan's great nearly-man made good — a samurai-styled bruiser who spent 15 years as the promotion's most reliable big-match loser before authoring one of its best redemption stories. His ushigoroshi and GTR have ended hundreds of nights; heartbreak in IWGP title matches defined a career's worth of others.

A multiple-time NEVER Openweight Champion and New Japan Cup winner, Goto's Bishamon tag team with Yoshi-Hashi became one of the world's best, collecting tag championships and critical acclaim. Then, in 2025, the impossible: Goto won the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship at last, and Korakuen Hall wept with him.

Twenty years of loyalty, finally paid in gold. WrestleRanks voters rank Goto with the affection reserved for wrestling's most patient men — proof that persistence is its own main event.

Promotions

Hirooki Goto is associated with NJPW (2024–2026).

Championship history

• IWGP Intercontinental Championship (NJPW) — Former champion · 2 reigns
• NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Championship (NJPW) — Former champion · 1 reign · with Boltin Oleg & YOSHI-HASHI (Bishamon) · Former champions; lost the titles to United Empire at Wrestling Dontaku.

Hirooki Goto in the WrestleRanks rankings

Hirooki Goto is tracked as a respected veteran on WrestleRanks. Rankings are decided one week at a time, based on who had the strongest individual week across matches, promos, momentum and championship activity. Learn more about how our rankings work, or see the live, interactive profile with weekly rank history and voting on the Hirooki Goto ranking page.

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