Current: Jonathan Gresham
Replying to questions on Twitter about his height, Jonathan Gresham replied, “I was born this way. [smiling face emoji].”
Although the current Ring Of Honor World champion, the 5’4 star has wrestled all across the world in various promotions within the last few years. This includes in ROH against Jay Lethal at ROH Final Battle 2021, in GCW against Lee Moriarty in October 2020, versus Chris Sabin in Impact in January 2022, Alex Shelley in PWG, and Dalton Castle in AEW, as well as everywhere in between.
Gresham uses speed and submissions in order to get a win, using his size as an advantage in his wrestling style. Gresham, despite not being in what may count as a major wrestling organization, is regularly ranked favorably in awards such as those by Pro Wrestling Insider, such as ranking in the top 20 of the 2021 PWI 500 and year-on-year ranking third on the best technical wrestler award.
A wrestler that would have likely failed at any other time, Gresham has overcome unjust prejudice with his in-ring work. Such has allowed him to flourish, as he should.
Past: Yoshihiro Tajiri
Although still active at 51, it seems fair to say “The Japanese Buzzsaw” career is largely behind him.
The Japanese native’s best days were in ECW. Here, he most famously had feuds with Super Crazy and Little Guido (Nunzio). A green mist-spitting, stiff-striking, and untrustworthy deviant – Tajiri was presented with legitimacy as a contender for any title, challenging for every ECW title. In both Cyrus The Virus’s (Don Callis’s) Network and The Sinister Minister’s (Father James Mitchell’s) Unholy Alliance, Tajiri was one of the promotion’s top and future stars just when the company folded.
Notably, Tajiri was also in the WWE. Whilst a comedy gimmick would normally kill legitimacy, Tajiri played it off well. The tarantula maneuver, unfriendly alliance with William Regal, and accidentally misting Jonathan Coachman all played to his more playful side.
Taking aspects from Japanese wrestlers of the past, Tajiri crafted a strong character that has led to title wins in ECW, WWF/E, AJPW, CZW, and MLW.
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