Boss Rock

Kento Miyahara Can be a bit formulaic and inconsistent when it comes to limb selling, but there are few if any who are more consistent in big match settings than Kento Miyahara. Fantastic offensive wrestler who can make any match, regardless of opponent, exciting because of just how good he is. Can play a great babyface against monsters like Shuji Ishikawa and Suwama or a cocky, hotshot heel who drives Wada mad. Has carried AJPW on his back for the last 5 years at least and has been one of the best in the world while doing so. Kento Miyahara vs. Suwama (AJPW 10/9/2017) Kento Miyahara vs. Zeus (AJPW 10/21/2018) Kento Miyahara vs. Jake Lee (AJPW 4/29/2019)

That makes sense.

Matt Jackson Controversial but arguably one half of the best tag team of the 2010's and honestly becoming one of the best tag teams of all-time. Thrives as a heel but is an underrated face in peril and seller. His injured back arc in 2018 led to great matches against Roppongi 3k, Guerrillas of Destiny (who usually suck), and Golden Lovers. Nick Jackson The hot tag of the team. Terrific offensive wrestler and high-flier. Also thrives as a heel but his exciting offense is easy to root for. Part of some of the greatest spotfests ever. Young Bucks vs. Future Shock vs. Super Smash Bros (PWG Threenendous III 7/21/2012) Young Bucks vs. Golden Lovers (NJPW Strong Style Evolved 3/25/2018) Young Bucks vs. Kenny Omega and Hangman Adam Page (AEW Revolution 2/29/2020)

I need to revisit his pre-86 stuff because I really didn't care for it. But '86-92 is like an all-timer run for me. The 80's tags with Tenryu against Choshu and Yatsu, the Olympians against Tenryu, the singles feud with Tenryu, and then making Misawa and having killer trios matches in the 90's. If he was grumpy Jumbo his entire career he'd be top 10 instead of top 20. When exactly did he flip the switch to grumpy Jumbo?

3.5 years later and Misawa is still a top 2-3 candidate for me, but I don't think I see him as number 1 anymore. I agree with Jmare007 in that I think he has less longevity of the 4 and may have the least variety in terms of singles matches (except maybe Taue, I think his best is mostly in tag matches). Some of that is based on the fact that as the ace, he wasn't going to have singles matches with just anyone on the roster (not to mention clipped and/or lack of footage from Champion Carnivals). But even against a guy like Shinzaki or Fuyuki, he wasn't exactly having 4 star matches. He seemed to stick a bit too much to formula while Kawada would try something different or Kobashi would elevate the match with his offense and charisma alone. But at his best...he looked like the greatest to ever do it and no one will reach the heights he did. And while lots of those matches were because his dance partner was just as or almost as excellent, he just had a knack of making epic matches feel all the more epic. Terrific offense and terrific seller (even if he could never stop hiking up his tights). And while he may have had less variety in great singles matches, it's not like he didn't have really good to great matches against Williams, Gordy, Vader, or Takayama. But Kobashi had better and that's why he'll probably be 1 and Misawa will probably be 2 or 3.

I don't care for the Inoki series and there's a match in Japan with Backlund that's mostly mat work. But he and Backlund also had some really good matches in the Fed. And I've always thought the Misawa series was super underrated. The 1990, 1992, and 1993 Triple Crown matches and the 1993 Champion Carnival are all really good. And honestly, I don't think the Jumbo matches are bad either.

There's still a decent amount of his 80's work I haven't seen, but he's likely a top 10 contender.

I imagine the Bucks-DT did a lot to bring in viewers, but that's still an insane number for a show that wasn't particularly star-studded.

His AEW stuff is mostly better than when he was in WWE and his NJPW matches have been largely good to great, but still not someone I'd consider for this list. His strengths are still as a promo and character.

The Ronda match might actually be my favorite Charlotte match, but I do think it helps she's wrestling Ronda's type of match.

Doesn't have the peaks Nomura does but still very good. Another "wait and see" candidate.

Abe is great and has some terrific tags (the Choshu Hall match in particular) and singles matches to his name, but he's more of a "wait and see" candidate for me right now.

Unless she really turns it around in the next five years, no chance. To be fair, she's had some great matches. The whole Sasha feud is obviously terrific and the Asuka Mania 34 and Ronda Survivor Series matches are also great (the latter perhaps being the best Fed match of 2018). I liked the Evolution match against Becky well enough, but that felt like a typical WWE plunder match as opposed to the classic it was heralded as. Besides those matches, she's usually mediocre to actively bad. Frequent timing issues and being out of place, terrible seller, and really bad execution. Her corkscrew moonsault looks great and that's it. She's athletic but very awkward and rigid. Sasha should've gotten her push.

I can't see him falling outside my top 6. Best brawler ever and one of my favorite sellers. I'm amazed by how he knew when to walk through an opponent's offense like a believable monster and when to cower and sell like he was getting his ass handed to him. And I am firmly in the "elite match" camp with him. I also just love him as a squash match worker. I never tire of him wrecking fools. If there's one criticism I can find, it's that I've never been a fan of the few times he went to the mat with guys like Inoki or Backlund. I want to see the Stan Hansen who stomps the shit out of prople.

Thanks Case!

I haven't watched NXT full-time since the Ciampa feud, but I'm also largely in the camp of thinking Gargano was fantastic for 2 years and then fell into really bad habits. But I am interested in checking out his more recent Takeover matches to see how they hold up.

I love Shingo from his 2018 Champion Carnival run onwards, but am also a bit in the dark on his best Dragon Gate/ROH stuff apart from the 2015 Mochizuki match. I've seen bits and pieces but feel like his jump to New Japan is when he reached a new level.

I think he's been in MLW. Very curious to see how he's doing.

Bobby's someone I want to see a case made for. He finished 28 in 2016 which is incredibly high, and yet I've never gotten got that impression watching him. By no means was he a bad wrestler, on the contrary. He seemed like the perfect utility player whether it be a 5-10 TV match or as a tag wrestler. He also had really good execution. And yet the only Eaton match I've ever really loved is the tag against the Southern Boys. He's been solid if unspectacular in a lot of singles matches I've seen him in and while the Midnight-Rn'R series has plenty of good matches, I've never walked away thinking it was the greatest tag feud ever. I get the Cesaro comparisons, but I honestly like Cesaro a lot more.

The 9/19/2015 match with Suzuki is probably the best I've seen of him. And as long as the 12/6/2020 match with Go was, it was still really great.

He may very well be the greatest tag worker ever. Kings of Wrestling, Real Americans, Brass Ring Club, and the Bar. All really good tag teams with four very different partners. And while he may not have a ton MOTYC's or classics on his resume, his consistency as a utility player and TV match worker is almost unmatched. Seems like a pretty easy lock even if I'm not sure I'd put him in the top 50. But that could change depending on how his indie run holds up and if he can continue to deliver.

Thankee.

What are his best matches that aren't against MS-1, Perro, or Satanico? His punching and selling alone will most likely be enough and I understand there's a lack of footage, but would really like to see more.

Need to do a deeper dive but his most highly acclaimed stuff (Satanioc feud, three-way with Casas and Santito) is fantastic. Great grappler and brawler.

That's where I was coming from too. He has matches from the mid to late 2000's that I like but his output from at least the 2015 Suzuki match-onwwards is what I've enjoyed the most.