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New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) is home to some of the best pro wrestlers in the world. It is the second biggest wrestling promotion in the world and, in recent times, is catching up with the undisputed leader, WWE. Some of the recent matches in the promotion is a testament to this fact.
At this moment, NJPW is a well-oiled machine that keeps churning out 5-star matches. There is rarely a dull moment in its pay-per-views and the storytelling is far more believable and gripping than WWE.
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Crossover matches, like Jericho vs Omega, and the upcoming Jericho vs Naito, involving WWE superstars, suggest that Vince McMahon surely knows what is 'Best for Business'. This just goes to show how bright the future of NJPW is.
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If you want any further proof, check out the ongoing 'Best of Super Juniors' (BOSJ) tournament (for the junior heavyweight division) and the upcoming 'G1 Climax' (for the heavyweight division)
And while the casual fans are still content with what WWE has to offer, NJPW appeals more to the wrestling fans, consistently giving us stellar performances.
Here are five of the best NJPW pro wrestlers that are taking the wrestling world by storm:
#5 Kushida
A former MMA wrestler, Kushida is part of the junior heavyweight division at NJPW, having won the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship five times. He has also won the 'BOSJ' tournament twice (2015 & 2017), and currently has a win-loss record of 2-2 in this year’s tournament.
In a title-laden career, Kushida has defeated veterans like Prince Devitt (now Finn Balor), Kenny Omega and Thunder Liger among others. He is also a one-time ROH television champion.
Best Matches:
Kushida vs Will Ospreay, June 3rd, 2017
Kushida vs Takahashi, June 11th,2017 (for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight title)
Kushida vs Takahashi vs Will Ospreay vs Marty Scrull, Jan 4th, 2018 (for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight title)
Kushida vs Will Ospreay, May 4th, 2018 (for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight title)
#4 Tetsuya Naito
The two time and current IWGP Intercontinental Champion is the first ever triple crown champion in NJPW history having won the IWGP Intercontinental, IWGP heavyweight and NEVER Openweight championship.
He has won the 'G1 Climax' twice,(2013 & 2017). Naito has also been named wrestler of the year by Tokyo Sports (A Japanese newspaper) for the last two years.
Having started his career in 2005, Naito did not taste singles success until 2011 when he progressed to the finals of the 'G1 Climax', defeating then IWGP Heavyweight Champion, Hiroshi Tanahashi in the process. He was eventually defeated in the finals by Shinsuke Nakamura.
In next year's 'G1 Climax', Naito again managed to defeat the IWGP Heavyweight Champion, this time Okada but failed to qualify for the finals. 2013 however, was Naito's year, when he finally won the prestigious 'G1 Climax' and a shot at the IWGP Heavyweight Championship.
Best Matches:
Tetsuya Naito vs Tomohiro Ishii, Oct 9th, 2017
Tetsuya Naito vs Kenny Omega, Aug 13th, 2017 (G1 Climax Final)
Tetsuya Naito vs Tanahashi, Aug 11th, 2017(G1 Climax)
Tetsuya Naito vs Michael Elgin, Feb 11th, 2017 (for the IWGP Intercontinental Championship)
#3 Hiroshi Tanahashi
A record 7-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion, Tanahashi has held the title for a total of 1358 days, the most by any NJPW wrestler. Like Naito, he has also won the ‘G1 climax’ on 2 occasions (2007 & 2015). Tanahashi has wrestled all over the world, even appearing on TNA, where he fought AJ Styles.
Dave Meltzer, of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, once famously stated, "you could make a strong case for him as the best in-ring performer in the business today" while inducting him into the 2013 Wrestling Observer Hall of Fame.
He credited Tanahashi with bringing NJPW from “being in a terrible shape” to “being the No. 2 pro-wrestling company in the world". Tanahashi’s multiple 5-star matches just go on to show why he has been at the helm of NJPW for 15 years.
Best Matches:
Tanahashi vs Okada, May 4th,2018 (for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship)
Tanahashi vs Tetsuya Naito, Aug 11th, 2017 (G1 Climax, 2017)
Tanahashi vs Okada, Jan 4th, 2016 (for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship)
Tanahashi vs Shinsuke Nakamura, Aug 16th, 2015 (G1 Climax final, 2015)
#2 Kazuchika Okada
Okada is the longest reigning IWGP Heavyweight Champion, having won the title back in June, 2016 (his 4th reign). He is also the most successful champion with 12 successful title defences, the latest coming against Tanahashi at NJPW's Dontaku event. Okada is the first wrestler from Japan to feature atop Pro Wrestling Illustrator's 'list of the top 500 wrestlers of the world'
He has had two legendary feuds in his career so far, one with Tanahashi and the other with Kenny Omega, with the latter featuring three matches with each of them getting an unprecedented 6-star rating from Dave Meltzer. Okada is all set to drop the belt to the #1 entry on this list, in my opinion, and that match might also end up getting a 6-star rating.
Best Matches:
Kazuchika Okada vs Tanahashi, May 4th, 2018 (for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship)
Kazuchika Okada vs Kenny Omega trilogy (All three of those encounters are nithing short of epic)
Kazuchika Okada vs Katsuyori Shibata, Apr 9th, 2017 (for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship)
#1 Kenny Omega
Okay, hold your horses before you begin your rant on why Kenny Omega should be second best to Okada on this list. Omega is arguably the biggest superstar NJPW has right now. The Canadian wrestler has been able to move numerous eyeballs from the western promotions towards the east, more specifically NJPW.
He put the NJPW on the world map, a journey that was started by Prince Devitt and then AJ Styles. Add to that his immaculate wrestling style between the ropes, you've got a recipe for a superstar.
He has numerous accolades to his name, having won almost every title in the junior heavyweight division before moving on to the heavyweight division where he became the inaugural United States Heavyweight Champion.
On June 9th, 2018 at the Dominion show of NJPW, he is all set to challenge for the one title that has evaded him all his career, the IWGP World Heavyweight Champion. This will be the fourth match in the legendary Omega vs Okada feud, with all the previous three matches earning at least 6 stars each.
Another huge reason for his place on this list is the 'Bullet Club', of which he was the leader till April 7th this year. Bullet Club is one of the most powerful factions in wrestling today, and Omega became its leader when he turned on AJ Styles at the Wrestle Kingdom in 2016. Together with the Young Bucks, Kenny Omega was part of a sub-faction within Bullet Club, 'The Elite'. At this moment, Kenny Omega is like a five-star match machine.
Best Matches:
Kenny Omega & Kota Ibushi (The Golden Lovers) vs Matt & Nick Jackson (The Young Bucks), Mar 25th, 2018 (the only tag team match to make the list; an example of brilliant storytelling)
Kenny Omega vs Chris Jericho, Jan 4th, 2018 (for the United States Heavyweight Champion)
Kenny Omega vs Tetsuya Naito, Aug 13th, 2017 (G1 Climax Final)
Kenny Omega vs Kazuchika Okada trilogy (Again, go and watch all the three matches and you will fall in love with wrestling all over again).
What do you think of our list? Do you have anyone to add to the list? Do let us know in the comments section. You can also send us news tips at [email protected]
