Ranking The Top 20 Best Characters, Gimmicks In Wrestling

4. Tetsuya Naito: NJPW

The man throws his title around, because he doesn’t care. Tetsuya Naito is the coolest person in wrestling today, and his feud with Kazuchika Okada has been years in the making. Naito will take on Okada at Wrestle Kingdom 12, and he’s fully expected to end the longest-running IWGP Heavyweight Championship reign to complete one of the most wonderfully executed story archs in the history of professional wrestling.

Naito was supposed to be NJPW’s biggest star, winning the G1 climax in 2013. But the fans preferred the Intercontinental Championship feud between Hiroshi Tanahashi and Shinsuke Nakamura over Naito’s feud with Okada.

Branded a bust, Naito went to North America and formed one of the greatest stables in pro wrestling today, Los Ingobernables de Japon. He and La Sombra, who is current NXT Champion Andrade “Cien” Almas, formed a team, and Naito learned the “Tranquilo” lifestyle. He learned to relax. He learned to stop caring. He learned to be the personification of a bad-ass.

And now, Naito is a massive star who changed his move-set to fit his new “ungovernable” ways. Tokyo Sports named him the wrestler of the year in 2016, and Naito has only furthered his star in 2017 (winning the award again). Few characters are able to resonate as the “cool bad guy” better than Naito, who is admired around the world. He won the G1 again this year, overcoming Kenny Omega to stake his claim for Okada’s title.

Naito drips charisma, and few wrestlers are as in tune with playing to the crowd as he is. He took a racist gesture and turned it into a taunt where he grabs his eye with one hand. The subtle genius of Naito’s character has made both him and LIJ hot commodities, and the entire wrestling world can’t wait for the incredible match that will take place at WK12.