NJPW: 3 dream matches for Jon Moxley in New Japan

3. Toru Yano

This should be a dream match on the list of anybody coming to New Japan, honestly. While it may be easy to write Toru Yano off as a comedy act and nothing more, one needs only to look just below the surface to see just how expansive Yano’s skill set truly is. He’s a bit like Ryusuke Taguchi in that way – their comedy and silly antics often mask (and make you forget) how solid they are in the ring.

Yano’s bread and butter is comedy, of course. He has his own way of weaving fun spots into his matches whether he’s in the opening bout or in a hotly contested New Japan Cup match. What makes Yano so unique is that he can flip the switch at any moment to bounce between DVD and Curry Salesman and Technical Pro Wrestler.

Jon Moxley has the ability to dance a similar line.

It’s been no secret that, while in WWE, Moxley reportedly “hated hokey s—” as part of the Dean Ambrose character. Who can blame him? Whether it was being foiled by a ghost inside of a TV monitor (or something) or spraying ketchup and mustard on his rivals, there was no end to the number of ways WWE made Ambrose look like a goofball.

What’s also no secret, though, is that Moxley has an odd and dark sense of humor that can, and should, be tapped into every now and then.

Looking back at his career previous to WWE you can find examples of Moxley balancing comedy and seriousness. From drunkenly singing “Sweet Caroline” to extolling the virtues of fanny packs and his ability to make them work, Moxley knows how to poke fun at himself and the sport without coming off poorly.

With that same mindset, Moxley and Yano could turn out an all-time classic in a New Japan ring.

Yano, who had a notable victory over Moxley’s AEW contemporary Kenny Omega in last year’s G1 Climax, could introduce Moxley to an entirely new world in NJPW. At the same time, someone with such a steely demeanor could throw YTR completely off his game and make for some incredible interactions.

We’ve seen Yano turn it on and outsmart the wrestler’s wrestlers when in the ring with Zack Sabre Jr, SANADA, and Davey Boy Smith Jr to name a few. With a relative unknown to New Japan like Jon Moxley, would Yano’s techniques confuse Moxley to the point of victory for the trickster or lead to a Moxley breaking point?

If Moxley is unleashed on Yano at full force we could see the rise of a tormentor second only to Minoru Suzuki. And, speaking of Suzuki…