tournament, defeating Wataru Inoue in the final. In August, he took part in the G1 Climax, finishing with 2 wins and 4 points. In November, he teamed with Hirooki Goto as R.I.S.E in the G1 Tag League, making it to the semi-finals where they were eliminated by Hiroshi Tanahashi and Koji Kanemoto. On January 18, 2010, Sawafuji announced his retirement from professional wrestling because of inferior oblique muscle palsy, brought on by an excessively strong thrust kick to the eye by Gedo. A retirement ceremony was held on February 14. Sawafuji remains with New Japan as a member of the IWGP Championship Committee and a color commentator. Championships and accomplishments Chikara ICW/ICWA Tex-Arkana Television Championship (1 time) Dragon Gate Open the Triangle Gate Championship (1 time) – with Anthony W. Mori and YOSSINO NWA Florida Jeff Peterson Memorial Cup (2006) New Japan Pro-Wrestling Best of the Super Juniors (2007) Pro Wrestling Illustrated PWI ranked him #61 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2007 Texas Wrestling Entertainment TWE Television Championship (1 time) Toryumon NWA International Light Heavyweight Championship (1 time) UWA World Trios Championship (2 times) – with Brother YASSINI and YOSSINO (1), and YOSSINO and Condotti Shuji (1) T2P Strongest League (2002) Young Dragons Cup (2000) References External links Puroresu Central profile Japanese male professional wrestlers Living people 1976 births People from Morioka, Iwate Sportspeople from Iwate Prefecture Professional wrestling announcers 20th-century professional wrestlers 21st-century professional wrestlers UWA World Trios Champions Open the Triangle Gate Champions