 Romero in 2025 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | John Raymond Rivera (1982-10-28)October 28, 1982 (age 43)[1] Havana, Cuba |
| Professional wrestling career | |
| Ring name(s) | Azteko Black Emperor Black Tiger (IV) Chico El Luchador Grey Shadow Havana Brother I El Mono Negro Rocky Romero |
| Billed height | 173 cm (5 ft 8 in)[1] |
| Billed weight | 80 kg (176 lb)[1] |
| Billed from | Havana, Cuba Roppongi, Japan Los Angeles, California[1] |
| Trained by | Kevin Quinn Jesse Hernandez Bill Anderson Antonio Inoki Shinya Makabe Negro Casas |
| Debut | September 13, 1997 |
John Raymond Rivera (born October 28, 1982), better known by hisring nameRocky Romero (ロッキー・ロメロ,Rokkī Romero), is aCuban-Americanprofessional wrestler. He is signed toNew Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) andAll Elite Wrestling (AEW), where he is a member of theDon Callis Family and one-half ofRoppongi Vice withTrent Beretta. Nicknamed "Azúcar" (Spanish: sugar), he is best known for his accomplishments as a tag team wrestler, and was one-half of theHavana Pitbulls,Forever Hooligans and Roppongi Vice, as well as a member of theChaos stable until their disbandment in 2025. His tenure as the fourth incarnation ofBlack Tiger was also met with praise and recognition.
Rivera made his in-ring debut on September 13, 1997, and, over the years, he portrayed several different characters includingluchadorenmascarados (masked professional wrestlers) and has wrestled extensively in Mexico for bothConsejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL) andLucha Libre AAA World Wide (AAA). In the United States, he is known for his work withRing of Honor (ROH) as a member ofNo Remorse Corps, and was one of the featured wrestlers forLucha Libre USA.
As a singles wrestler, Romero won theCMLL World Super Lightweight Championship on three occasions, theNWA World Historic Welterweight Championship, theMLW World Middleweight Championship, theIWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship (as Black Tiger) and theNWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship. In the tag team division, he is a former three-timeROH World Tag Team Champion and a record eight-timeIWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champion. Romero's wrestling style incorporates stiff shoot-style kicks and multiple arm-lock variations resemblingmixed martial arts, competing inlucha libre style events in Mexico early in his career.
In addition to his work in the ring, behind the scenes Romero is considered one of the most influential figures in professional wrestling, working as a liaison between AEW, CMLL and NJPW, amongst many other behind-the-scenes duties. Through his work, Romero has helped forge strong ties between the three international promotions.
Rivera made his wrestling debut in 1997, using thering name Rocky Romero. He was trained byAntonio Inoki at the NJPW Dojo inLos Angeles. His career has taken him through promotions in theSouthern California region to Mexico, where he competed successfully forConsejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL), the world's oldest wrestling promotion, and inJapan where he has worked most notably inNew Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he was chosen to become the fourth incarnation ofBlack Tiger, the villainousgaijin opponent ofTiger Mask (in this caseTiger Mask IV).[2] On October 8, 2005, Romero, as Black Tiger, defeated Tiger Mask for theIWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship.[3] After a four-month reign, Tiger Mask regained the title from his nemesis.[4] Romero made his debut inPro Wrestling Noah on March 4, 2007, againstMushiking Terry, casting into doubt the future of the Black Tiger persona. Romero would then tour with Noah and teamed withAtsushi Aoki in theNippon TV Cup Jr. Heavyweight Tag League. He also made his debut for Inoki's new promotion, theInoki Genome Federation (IGF), defeatingEl Blazer.
Romero, however, did compete as Black Tiger in August 2007 inChikara to compete for theNWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship against championMike Quackenbush. At NJPW's Resolution '09 on April 5, Romero lost in a mask vs. title match against Tiger Mask, thus ending his role as Black Tiger.[5]
In late-2003, Romero began working forConsejo Mundial de Lucha Libre in Mexico, using the name "Havana Brother I", where he would team up withHavana Brother II and Havana Brother III to form a three-man team known asLos Havana Brothers. A few months later,Los Havana Brothers began working as Rocky Romero, Pinoy Boy and Bobby Quance respectively. On September 12, Romero became CMLL's first-everWorld Super Lightweight Champion after defeatingVolador Jr. in a tournament final.[6] On November 14,Virus defeated Romero to win the championship, signaling the exit ofLos Havana Brothers for the time being.[6] In late 2004, Romero made a surprise return to CMLL and defeated Virus to regain the championship.[7] After the title win, he left CMLL again, occasionally defending the championship in Southern California.[8] In 2005, local wrestler Tommy Williams won the Super Lightweight Championship, but Romero regained it in January 2006.[9] At that point the championship became inactive, with no mention of it.[9]
In early 2008, Romero returned to CMLL and began working under the name "Grey Shadow", amasked gimmick, without CMLL openly acknowledging that it was Romero under the mask.[10] No official references were given to his past with CMLL, nor any mention of the fact that Romero was a CMLL World Super Lightweight Champion.[11]
Romero's main exposure in the United States came while he was one-half of theHavana Pitbulls tag team, with partnerRicky Reyes, inRing of Honor where he and Reyes set a record for the longest reign asROH Tag Team Champions at 196 days,[12] a record they held until 2005 when it was eclipsed by the team ofAustin Aries andRoderick Strong.[12] While in ROH, he and Reyes were also members ofHomicide's stable,The Rottweilers. He left the company at the end of 2005 to focus on working in Japan.
He returned on January 26, 2007 by defeatingDavey Richards. The following evening, Romero walked out on his longtime partner Reyes in the midst of a match against theBriscoe Brothers. On March 31, Romero was introduced as the newest member of theNo Remorse Corps. Romero and new stablemate Richards lost toJack Evans andNaruki Doi.
On January 26, 2008, Romero teamed with Richards and defeated the teams ofThe Age of the Fall (Tyler Black andJimmy Jacobs), Austin Aries andBryan Danielson, andBrent Albright andB. J. Whitmer in an Ultimate Endurance match to capture the World Tag Team Championship.[12] Romero and Richards later lost the titles to the Briscoe Brothers,[12] and Romero later left ROH in mid-2008 to once again compete in Mexico. He returned atFinal Battle 2009, where he won a match against rivalAlex Koslov.[13] They had a rematch on March 26, 2010, in Arizona duringWrestleMania weekend, which Koslov won.[14]
On October 5, 2008, Romero jumped from CMLL to rival promotionLucha Libre AAA World Wide (AAA).[10] He made his surprise debut at the promotion's television taping inPuebla, Puebla and was announced as a member ofSean Waltman's D-Generation MEX stable at the show.[10] On July 4, 2010, Romero turnedrudo and joinedLa Legión Extranjera instead. However, just four days later, it was reported that Romero had left AAA, after the company had asked him to take a pay cut.[15]
On October 12, 2010, New Japan Pro-Wrestling announced that Romero would return to the promotion in November, teaming withDavey Richards in the Super J Tag League, as a member of the promotion's top heel stable,Shinsuke Nakamura'sChaos.[16] The five-day-long tournament ended on November 13, with Romero and Richards winning their block and advancing to the finals, where they were defeated by their Chaos team matesJado andGedo.[17] On May 3, 2011, Romero and Richards unsuccessfully challengedPrince Devitt andRyusuke Taguchi for theIWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship.[18]
On October 10, atDestruction '11, Romero and Richards defeated Devitt and Taguchi in a rematch to win the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship for the first time.[19] Romero and Richards made their first successful title defense on November 12 atPower Struggle, defeating the team ofKushida andTiger Mask.[20] On December 23, Romero unsuccessfully challenged Devitt for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship.[21] On January 4, 2012, atWrestle Kingdom VI, Romero and Richards lost the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship back to Devitt and Taguchi.[22]No Remorse Corps regained the title fromApollo 55 on February 12 atThe New Beginning.[23] On May 2, Romero and Richards were stripped of the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship, after travel issues forced Richards to miss the following day'sWrestling Dontaku 2012 event, where the two were scheduled to defend the title againstJyushin Thunder Liger and Tiger Mask.[24]
Romero soon reunited with his former AAA partnerAlex Koslov.[25] On July 22, the team, dubbed "Forever Hooligans",[26] defeatedJyushin Thunder Liger andTiger Mask to win the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship.[27] Romero and Koslov made their first successful title defense on August 26 at a Sacramento Wrestling Federation (SWF) event inGridley, California, defeating the team of A.J. Kirsch andAlex Shelley.[28][29] Forever Hooligans made their second successful title defense on October 8 atKing of Pro-Wrestling, defeating theTime Splitters (Alex Shelley andKushida).[30] On October 21, Forever Hooligans entered the2012 Super Jr. Tag Tournament, defeating Liger and Tiger Mask in their first round match.[31] On November 2, Romero and Koslov were eliminated from the tournament in the semifinals by Apollo 55.[32] On November 11 atPower Struggle, Forever Hooligans lost the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship to the winners of the Super Jr. Tag Tournament, the Time Splitters, ending their reign at 112 days.[33][34] On May 3, 2013, atWrestling Dontaku 2013, Romero and Koslov regained the title from the Time Splitters.[35] They lost the title toSuzuki-gun (Taichi andTaka Michinoku) on October 14 atKing of Pro-Wrestling.[36]
On July 27, Romero and Koslov, returned to ROH, through NJPW's close working relationship, and defeatedreDRagon (Bobby Fish andKyle O'Reilly) to become the new ROH World Tag Team Champions.[37] They lost the title toThe American Wolves (Davey Richards andEddie Edwards) in their first defense on August 3.[38] On September 20 atDeath Before Dishonor XI, the Forever Hooligans defeated the American Wolves in a rematch to retain the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship.[39]
For the first half of 2014, Forever Hooligans received several new shots at the NJPW Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship, held byThe Young Bucks (Matt Jackson and Nick Jackson), but were defeated each time,[40][41] including in a three-way match, also involving the Time Splitters, on May 10 atGlobal Wars, a special event co-produced by NJPW and ROH inToronto.[42]
Forever Hooligans broke up in January 2015, when Koslov announced he was taking an indefinite break from professional wrestling.[43] On March 1, Romero revealed he andTrent Baretta were forming a new tag team namedRoppongi Vice.[44] On April 5 atInvasion Attack 2015, the team captured the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship from The Young Bucks.[45][46] They lost the title back to The Young Bucks on May 3 atWrestling Dontaku 2015.[47]
In early 2016, it was reported thatWWE was interested in signing Romero as both a trainer and a wrestler. However, on January 9, Romero announced he had instead signed a new two-year deal with NJPW.[48] On March 14 at an ROH television taping, Roppongi Vice won a seven tag team gauntlet match to determine the #1 contenders for ROH World Tag Team Championships by defeating The Young Bucks after entering the match as the seventh team.[49] On April 10 atInvasion Attack 2016, Roppongi Vice defeatedMatt Sydal andRicochet to win the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship for the second time.[50] They lost the title back to Sydal and Ricochet on May 3 atWrestling Dontaku 2016.[51] On November 5 atPower Struggle, Roppongi Vice defeatedACH andTaiji Ishimori in the finals to win the2016 Super Jr. Tag Tournament.[52] On January 4, 2017, atWrestle Kingdom 11 in Tokyo Dome, Roppongi Vice defeated The Young Bucks to win the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship for their third time together.[53] Individually, Romero set a new record by winning the title for the seventh time.[54] They lost the title to Suzuki-gun (Taichi andYoshinobu Kanemaru) at NJPW's 45th anniversary show on March 6,[55] before regaining it on April 27.[56] They lost the title to The Young Bucks on June 11 atDominion 6.11 in Osaka-jo Hall.[57] On July 2 atG1 Special in USA, Roppongi Vice unsuccessfully challenged The Young Bucks for the title in a rematch. Afterwards, Romero brought up a five-year plan he and Beretta had made three years earlier, which included them winning the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship and the Super Jr. Tag Tournament, both of which they had already done, as well as Beretta's eventual transition into the heavyweight division. Having failed to regain the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship, Romero gave Beretta his blessing to move to the heavyweight division, effectively disbanding Roppongi Vice.[58] Roppongi Vice's farewell match took place on September 16 atDestruction in Hiroshima, where they defeatedBullet Club'sChase Owens andYujiro Takahashi.[59]
Later that same day, Romero announced he was transitioning into the role of a manager and bringing in a new tag team named "Roppongi 3K" to take on the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champions Ricochet and Ryusuke Taguchi.[59] On October 9 atKing of Pro-Wrestling, Romero revealed his new team asSho andYoh, who defeated Ricochet and Taguchi to become the new IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champions.[60] Over the subsequent years, Romero managed Roppongi 3K to a second reign with the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship,[61] as well as Sho and Yoh winning the2018 Super Junior Tag Tournament.[62][63] Romero also teamed up with Roppongi 3K for various multi-man matches while representing Chaos, for tours such as the CMLL/NJPWFantastica Mania 2018 tour.[64][65]
On February 10, 2019, Romero wrestledJeff Cobb for theROH Television Championship as part of ROH'sBound By Honor PPV, but was defeated.[66]
On the May 24, 2021 episode ofDark: Elevation, as part of the on-going relationship betweenAll Elite Wrestling (AEW) andNew Japan Pro-Wrestling, Romero made his debut for the promotion defeating JD Drake. After the match, Romero briefly reunited with his former Roppongi Vice partnerTrent Beretta, as he saved Romero from an attack byRyan Nemeth,Peter Avalon andCezar Bononi, before their theme music played and they embraced in the ring.[67] Romero also wrestled a singles match againstBryan Danielson on the November 10, 2021 episode ofDynamite.[68]
On the February 12, 2024 edition ofWrestling Observer Live, journalistDave Meltzer reported that, Romero joined AEW's front office. However, the exact official role was not stated.[69] AtGrand Slam on September 25, Romero was officially inducted as a member ofThe Conglomeration.[70] On the April 17, 2025 at theSpring BreakThru episode ofCollision, Romero turned heel after betraying stablemateTomohiro Ishii in a tag match and participated in attacking Ishii with the rest of theDon Callis Family, joining the group and reunitingRoppongi Vice withTrent Beretta.[71]
On October 23, 2021, atBound for Glory, Romero made an unannounced appearance as a participant in theCall Your Shot Gauntlet match, which he failed to win as he was eliminated byRohit Raju.[72] On the October 28 episode ofImpact!, Romero failed to win theImpact X Division Championship fromTrey Miguel.[73][74] In 2022, Romero returned for a match againstEddie Edwards, which he failed to win.[75]
On March 30, 2023, atMultiverse United, Romero took on Miguel,Clark Connors,Frankie Kazarian,Kevin Knight andRich Swann in a six-wayScramble match for the Impact X Division Championship, which saw Miguel retain the title.[76]
In addition to his in-ring career, Rocky Romero has played a key behind-the-scenes role in several major wrestling promotions, includingNew Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW),All Elite Wrestling (AEW) andConsejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL).
At NJPW, Romero has been involved in talent recruitment, contract negotiations, and expanding the promotion's presence in the United States. He has played a part in the development ofNJPW Strong, the American wing of NJPW, where he has helped bring in talent and has worked towards securing broader distribution for the show, with hopes to extend its reach to cable television and additional streaming services.[77] During theCOVID-19 pandemic, he oversaw the creation of New Japan USA contracts, designed for U.S.-based wrestlers who were prominently featured on NJPW Strong, offering them a structured pathway into the NJPW system.[78] Romero has also served as a liaison and booker for NJPW Strong, coordinating logistics and collaborating with wrestlers for potential collaborations on NJPW platforms.[79] He has expressed plans to gradually shift away from in-ring competition in favor of administrative and developmental roles within NJPW, focusing on building partnerships and expanding the promotion's footprint in the United States.
In AEW, Romero has taken on an executive role, contributing to talent booking, contract negotiations, and strategic planning.[80] He has coordinated production details and helped shape inter-promotional events, with a focus on blending talent from multiple promotions. Romero's efforts have strengthened AEW's connections with other wrestling organizations and broadened the company's reach.[81]
Romero has also played an important role behind the scenes with CMLL, where he has acted as an intermediary between the American and Mexican wrestling markets.[81] He has facilitated communication between AEW PresidentTony Khan and CMLL head Salvador Lutteroth III, helping to overcome cultural and business challenges.[82] Romero's work has contributed to the inclusion of CMLL performers in inter-promotional events, enhancing their visibility in the United States.[82]
Romero's father is a native ofRincón, Puerto Rico, while his mother isNuyorican.[83] He was introduced to wrestling by his grandmother, who would watch wrestling with him on the weekends while his parents worked.[84]
| Winner (wager) | Loser (wager) | Location | Event | Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tiger Mask (IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship) | Black Tiger (mask) | Tokyo, Japan | Resolution '09 | April 5, 2009 | [5] |
| Res. | Record | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Round | Time | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | 0-1 |  Masahito Kakihara | Submission (kneebar) | JF 3 - Jungle Fight 3 | October 23, 2004 | 1 | 0:20 | Manaus,Brazil | [98] |
,Internet Wrestling Database
