Opinion

Top 5: Japanese Wrestling Stars In America

Published

7 years ago

January 1, 2018

This week features arguably the second-biggest wrestling show of the year: New Japan Pro Wrestling’s WrestleKingdom 12 in the Tokyo Dome. Okada vs. Naito & Alpha vs. Omega have the wrestling world buzzing with anticipation. It should be a big time event.

Now, for every American wrestling fan that’s pumped over this show, there are many others that have no real idea what’s going on in the Land of the Rising Sun. Not all of us are likely to hop on NJPW’s streaming site or turn on AXS TV when the show airs in installments on that channel. Many American fans’ only exposure to Japanese wrestlers has come through WWE, or the Big 3 promotions back in the day.

Andrew Balaz recently looked at Japan’s top non-New Japan stars of today. This week, I thought it would be fun to look at the Top 5 Japanese Wrestling Stars In America.

Honorable Mention: Mr. Fuji

While Fuji is Hawaiian-born, he is Japanese-American. He was the Orient’s top representative in the WWF for parts of three decades. Whether as a wrestler or as a manager, the devious one was always up to no good.

5. The Great Kabuki

Though billed from Singapore, the Japanese-born Great Kabuki was responsible for most of the tricks & tactics that other folks on this list would use later on to become huge stars in America. Kabuki was the first to use the mist. He was an early practitioner of the superkick. He was one of the first to wrestle while wearing face paint. Kabuki debuted his gimmick in World Class in 1981 & was managed by the man that came up with it, Gary Hart.

4. Kaientai

TAKA Michinoku & Sho Funaki had a lengthy run in the WWF, part of which took place during the Attitude Era. They had two main runs people fondly remember them for. One was when they helped Mr. Yamaguchi-San try to chop chop Val Venis’s pee-pee. The other was when TAKA would lipsynch over Bruce Prichard’s Japanese movie villain voice talking about how eeeeeeevil he & his tag team partner were while Funaki would punctuate the promo at the end with an “Indeeeeeeeed.” Funaki stayed with WWE for years after TAKA’s departure & eventually came back as part of the Japanese announce team. It only made sense, as soon after TAKA left he became a backstage interviewer & billed himself as Smackdown’s #1 announcer.

3. Tajiri

The Japanese Buzzsaw was a sensation upon his arrival in Extreme Championship Wrestling in 1999. His matches with Super Crazy wowed ECW fans. He transformed from a quiet young Japanese boy into a more Kabukiesque performer that used the Asian mist. He was most known for his lethal kicks, which were amplified by his slapping his thigh. He’s the first guy I remember doing that, and a generation of wrestlers followed in his footsteps. Tajiri went to the WWF after ECW’s demise & had a successful run during much of the 2000s using his ECW persona.

2. The Great Muta

Muta was the first Japanese wrestler to be pushed as a legitimate main event threat in America. He took WCW by storm in the late 1980s & immediately got over with fans as a big deal. Had he been in America more often, he would have gotten a run as WCW World Champion at some point. Muta often wrestled under his given name of Keiji Mutoh in his home country. He always appeared as Muta in WCW, including during a run as a member of NWO Japan.

Honorable Mention: Asuka

The Empress of Tomorrow will make the top five of this list someday. Once she claims singles gold & runs roughshod over the main roster, and has a lengthy run on top of WWE’s women’s division, she’ll rate very highly. Right now, she’s on the verge.

Honorable Mention: Shinsuke Nakamura

Nakamura is in the same spot Asuka is. He has the ability to make his name resonate the same way others on this list do years after their American runs. He isn’t there yet.

1. Jushin Thunder Liger

If you ask a hardcore American wrestling fan that’s never really gotten into wrestling from other countries to name one New Japan Pro Wrestling star from over the years, they would name Liger. He revolutionized junior heavyweight wrestling in Japan in the late 80s & early 90s, then appeared off and on in WCW throughout the 90s. His matches with Brian Pillman made American fans take notice that wrestlers didn’t have to be 6’4 & 300 pounds to deserve their attention.

Without Liger paving the way, WCW probably doesn’t create a cruiserweight division. Guys like Chris Jericho, Dean Malenko, Eddie Guerrero, Rey Mysterio & countless others don’t get a chance to showcase their talents on a major stage & revolutionize in-ring workrate in American mainstream wrestling. WCW doesn’t have something new & different on the undercards to help take attention away from the WWF & create a legitimate wrestling war.

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Opinion

Chairshot Staff Picks: Money In The Bank

Extra, extra read all about it… Chairshot Staff picks are in!!!

Published

2 weeks ago

June 6, 2025

PC Tunney

Sing it with me… money money money money moneeeeeeeeeyeeeeee… everybody’s got a price! MONEY IN THE BANK is here!!! How money will our staff picks be?!?

AJ – Roxanne Perez
Andrew – Stephanie Vaquer – *Bubba Sparxxx Impression* I don’t tell stories, I let them tell theyself.
Dave – Guilia – A stacked field but I just like her here.
DJ – Naomi
DPP – Roxanne Perez
Jason – Alexa Bliss
Patrick – Roxanne Perez
Rey – Naomi – If Naomi loses, we riot!
Rob – Naomi
Greg – Alexa Bliss – Bliss has had huge reactions since returning and is moving a ton of merch. While I can see them wanting to build Roxanne Perez, Giulia, or Stephanie Vaquer, I think Alexa Bliss.

Tunney’s Take: Rhea Ripley – I’ll make my case short and sweet… Mami in the Bank! You can’t leave that money on the table.

Chairshot Pick – Tie – Naomi 3 & Roxanne Perez 3 (Alexa Bliss 2, Giulia 1, Rhea Ripley 1, Stephanie Vaquer 1)

AJ – LA Knight
Andrew – El Grande Americano – Feels correct given his push and the fact he’s over.
Dave – Seth Rollins – Got to push that new faction.
DJ – LA Knight
DPP – El Grande Americano
Jason – LA Knight
Patrick – Solo Sikoa
Rey – LA Knight – Looks like another push, and he does have history with Cena.
Rob – Solo Sikoa
Greg – Seth Rollins – This company is extremely high in the El Grande Americano gimmick, but this match comes down to Seth Rollins or LA Knight. Given the Rollins storyline, it’s his briefcase to win.

Tunney’s Take: El Grande Americano – Picture this: Chad Gable wins the AAA Mega Championship and El Grande Americano wins MITB! WHAT A SATURDAY in LA!!!

Chairshot Pick – LA Knight 4 (El Grande Americano 3, Seth Rollins 2, Solo Sikoa 2)

AJ – Becky Lynch – Sadly
Andrew – Becky Lynch – I still don’t care about Lyra.
Dave – Lyra Valkyria – Starting to warm up to her and Becky has a lot to do with that.
DJ – Lyra Valkyria
DPP – Becky Lynch
Jason – Becky Lynch
Patrick – Lyra Valkyria
Rey – Becky Lynch – Put some fire on the Irish Beef.
Rob – Becky Lynch
Greg – Becky Lynch – I don’t think you do a rematch here just to have Becky lose again. Unless Bayley shows up to help Lyra.

Tunney’s Take: Becky Lynch – A big part of me feels that winning this title checks off a major box for Becks in her HOF career.

Chairshot Pick – Becky Lynch 8-3

AJ – Cena & Paul
Andrew – Rhodes & Uso – Easy way for Cena to lose without eating the pinfall.
Dave – Rhodes & Uso – Get the QB back on the winning track.
DJ – Rhodes & Uso
DPP – Rhodes & Uso
Jason – Cena & Paul
Patrick – Cena & Paul
Rey – Rhodes & Uso – Heels usually lose these kinds of matches. Logan takes the pin.
Rob – Cena & Paul
Greg – Rhodes & Uso – I hope Jey isn’t an afterthought here like Cody was last fall when he was paired up with Roman. I think Cody pins Cena to set up Cody-Cena 2 at SummerSlam.

Tunney’s Take: Cena & Paul – I don’t think Cena is involved in another loss until he loses the WWE Championship. I also think Logan Paul is NOT done trying to capture Jey Uso’s World Heavyweight Championship. …Travis Scott in the house?

Chairshot Pick – 6-5 Rhodes & Uso

In closing I want to thank everyone on the panel for participating with their picks! You can follow each prognosticator/podcaster on X @ the handles below. We all enjoy Pro Wrestling so remember three things… be respectful of others, comparison is the thief of joy and HAVE FUN!

AJ – @PhenomenalAJB
Andrew – @IWCWarChief
Dave – @AttitudeAgg
DJ – @TheMindlessPod
DPP – @itsmeDPP
Jason – @JediFett
Patrick – @WrestlngRealist
Rey – @itsreycash
Rob – @rbonne1
Greg – @gregdemarco44
PC – @PCTunney
TheChairshot.com – @ChairshotMedia

prowrestlingtees.com/TheChairshot – a PLETHORA of GREAT designs…MAKES A GREAT GIFT!

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About Chairshot Radio Network

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CHAIRSHOT RADIO NETWORK PODCAST SPECIALS

Attitude Of Aggression Podcast & The Big Five Project (chronologically exploring WWE's PPV/PLE history)

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Opinion

Chairshot Staff Picks: Backlash St. Louis

Chairshot Staff picks!!!

Published

1 month ago

May 9, 2025

PC Tunney

May is upon us and with that, so is Backlash from St. Louis! What does the first PLE after WrestleMania have in store for the WWE Universe? Let’s see if the Chairshot Staff can properly interpret the crystal ball of rasslin’ future.

AJ – Pat MacAfee – Gunther has to start losing control and who better than an announcer.
Andrew – Pat MacAfee – Goldberg getting involved does seem correct here.
Dave – Gunther – He’s not losing to a broadcaster.
DJ – Gunther – Pat is sent to the shadow realm until football season is over.
DPP – Gunther – Post match beat down leads to Pat time off.
Jason – Gunther – One massive spot and or bump from Pat.
Patrick – Gunther
Rey – Gunther – RIP MacAfee, t’was a good life.
Rob – Gunther
Greg – Pat MacAfee – Why? Goooooldbeeerrrrrgggggg!

Tunney’s Take: Gunther – Seems like the right pick here. Pat may be getting some time off and Gunther needs more heat.

Chairshot Pick – GUNTHER 8-3

AJ – Lyra Valkyria – Becky’s hopefully putting her over, still mad about Dakota.
Andrew – Becky Lynch – I have no real interest in Lyra currently.
Dave – Becky Lynch – Lyra is boring AF!
DJ – Lyra Valkyria – Bayley interferes.
DPP – Becky Lynch – Becky cheats and steals the title.
Jason – Lyra Valkyria – Bayley costs Becks.
Patrick – Becky Lynch
Rey – Becky Lynch – Story needs to jump up a bit, Becky Charlotte’s Lyra.
Rob – Lyra Valkyria
Greg – Becky Lynch – It’s been fun, Lyra. (It kinda hasn’t)

Tunney’s Take: Lyra Valkyria – Bayley’s interference should set up some type of program with Becky as we head towards Summer(Slam).

Chairshot Pick – BECKY LYNCH 6-5

AJ – Jacob Fatu – Great way to put him over w/ two former WHCs and LA Knight.
Andrew – Jacob Fatu – He’s Jacob Fatu!
Dave – Jacob Fatu – Too soon to pull the belt off him.
DJ – Jacob Fatu – Priest and LA can’t decide who’s is bigger.
DPP – Jacob Fatu – Your hardcore match, tables and chairs involved.
Jason – Jacob Fatu – The Champ retains due to or in spite of Solo.
Patrick – Jacob Fatu
Rey – Jacob Fatu – All gas. No brakes. Ain’t losing.
Rob – Jacob Fatu
Greg – Jacob Fatu – Someone from The Samoan Dynasty ain’t winning a title just to drop it.

Tunney’s Take: Jacob Fatu – Uncle Mo is on Fatu’s side and other than Knight, I don’t see Drew or Priest holding the US title in the current circumstances of this title’s landscape.

Chairshot Pick – JACOB FATU 11-0

AJ – Dominic Mysterio – Judgement Day shenanigans just leading up to Finn turning on Dom later.
Andrew – Penta – Dom’s fine having a short reign, could also work for pushing AAA.
Dave – Dominic Mysterio – He’s probably more over than Penta.
DJ – Dominic Mysterio – Dirty Dom takes home the gold and the girl.
DPP – Dominic Mysterio – Big Head helps Dom pull out the win.
Jason – Dominic Mysterio – By hook and crook.
Patrick – Dominic Mysterio
Rey – Dominic Mysterio – Latino Heat keeps burning. Finn gets closer to the edge.
Rob – Dominic Mysterio
Greg – Dominic Mysterio – Someone from The Guerrero Dynasty ain’t winning a title just to drop it.

Tunney’s Take: Dominic Mysterio – That belt looks good with the king of chicken tendys. I can see Penta and Rey reforming as a tag team sooner than later.

Chairshot Pick – DOMINIC MYSTERIO 10-1

AJ – John Cena – Why? Cena wins, lol.
Andrew – John Cena – Shenanigans ensue so it’s not a clean win.
Dave – John Cena – The last time is now.
DJ – John Cena – Randy hears voices telling him he needs an Attitude Adjustment.
DPP – John Cena – Cena tries to cheat but the ref doesn’t call for a DQ.
Jason – John Cena – Nefarious means, Randy not ready for Evil John Cena.
Patrick – John Cena
Rey – John Cena – Cena just counting down the dates. Should be fun though.
Rob – John Cena
Greg – John Cena – You know they want Cody to be the hero in the end.

Tunney’s Take: Randy Orton – Once upon a time Randy got himself intentionally disqualified and it cost John. Saturday, history repeats itself with a 180-degree twist. Cena retains via Orton DQ victory. This time, Travis Scott’s appearance takes care of that task.

Chairshot Pick – JOHN CENA 10-1