Top 5 WWE Superstars who have won major championships in Japan

#3 Brock Lesnar (WWE, 2000-2004, 2012-2020)

In the month of April, WRESTLER WEEKLY will be celebrating great gaijins! These are wrestlers from across the globe who have had success in Japan. Day 24 is Brock Lesnar! Stay tuned for a bonus gaijin today! #SuplexCity #NJPW #IWGP #WWE pic.twitter.com/xUznUlUtnO

— Wrestler Weekly (@wrestlerweekly) April 24, 2018

Brock Lesnar was a dominant WWE Superstar, but he failed to find success in the NFL. Eventually, Lesnar made his way to Japan to join NJPW. He won the IWGP Heavyweight Championship in his very first match with the promotion. Lesnar emerged victorious in a three-way clash against Kazuyuki Fujita and Masahiro Chono. Unfortunately, fans weren't very responsive to Lesnar's NJPW run.

At the time, Lesnar was also embroiled in a lawsuit, as WWE had filed a restraining order against him. Plus, NJPW legend and current WWE Superstar Shinsuke Nakamura was highly critical of Lesnar's work in Japan. He said that "The Beast Incarnate" wasn't passionate about wrestling, so he didn't genuinely try to have good matches. Other stars have echoed this criticism.

Brock Lesnar Vs Kurt Angle for the IWGP Championship happened in 2007 in Japan. Outside NJPW. pic.twitter.com/oQu0Q70O76

— Wrestling Stats (@WrestlingsFacts) June 27, 2019

NJPW stripped Lesnar of the title, as visa issues prevented him from defending it in Japan. But in 2007, Lesnar made his return to the company. He dropped the title to Kurt Angle, and this match marked the official end of his tumultuous association with NJPW.