Discuss here.

shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh !!!!! Mongolian chop.

No shot. I don't think I have ever seen him wrestle a one on one classic... or even close. Maybe he had some good matches in the early 2000s.

I loved the G1 final vs. Akiyama. Crazy crowd, great build and finishing stretch. But this list is not for him.

When watching stuff for Ditch's 2000s project I found myself wondering if Tenzan or Kojima was the better half of their team. Then I realized that was like determining which turd was shinier.

Tenzan is a terrible wrestler. He even sucks in those Akiyama matches. Awful mongolian chops and headbutts, he's like the world's worst Killer Khan.

Kojima is by far the better half of TenKoji. Love the G1 Final with Akiyama and I think the 1/4/2001 match with Kawada is a lot of fun, but he wouldn't finish in my Top 200.

*points at Grahm Crackers' post*

 

That. I did like their one tag in the 2000s project but seriously. How many opportunities did both get to do something worthwhile and not take advantage of? I would take NOAH Kobashi on his most overbearingly bad day over both.

I loved him in the 2003 G-1 Climax, but I think I'm with a lot of people now who have realized that really was him getting carried to his best matches. No shot.

I love Tenzan. If my list was based on hairstyles, entrance themes, outfits and sounds one makes before mongolian chops he'd be a top ten candidate. He doesn't really have a case for being a top 100 wrestler ever, though he has produced plenty of memorable stuff against superior workers (trilogy vs. Kawada, two G1 matches vs. Akiyama, the G1 match against Shibata, IWGP match vs. Tenryu, 1997 G1 match vs. Hashimoto etc.).

The reason Tenzan has been surprising people once or twice per year with a great match or two that they weren't expecting is because he isn't very good.

 

He has a charming charisma about him and ended up being a pretty big star, but he won't be within 1,000 miles of my list.

Honestly, I feel like even Nakanishi has more dynamic performances than Tenzan does and got over the "big powerhouse" style way better than Tenzan did. People love the guy and he has his bright spots, but if you can ONLY get a "it's alright, I guess" quality from working with the God-King of carry-jobs Osamu Nishimura, you are not a very good wrestler. I appreciate more his tag stuff but there's honestly not a lot there worth really checking out. His singles stuff is even more barren but he tends to work best in short bursts of action where he can get all of his stiff shots without tiring out or gassing up. Those matches are executed rarely super well but there's some strong work when he's paired off with great talent that can take the reins. Top 100? Very doubtful. Even a NJPW only list would be somewhat debatable.