10 Best NJPW Wrestlers In WWE

9. Karl Anderson

AJ Styles IWGP Heavyweight Champion
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The former 'Machine Gun' has spent the entirety of his WWE run attached to Luke Gallows' hip, but we can't include his longtime tag partner here, as he was with the company as Festus and a Straight Edge Society member prior to his New Japan run.

Nonetheless, this is Karl Anderson's first WWE spell, and he's doing fine. Him and Gallows haven't been booked particularly strongly, and their characters extend no further than being mates with Finn Bálor and screaming "NEEEERRRRDDD!" at anyone who crosses their path, but they're on TV most weeks and have a Raw Tag Team Title reign to the reign. They're a middling team, and they're in a middling spot.

As a singles act, however, Anderson is wasted in WWE. NJPW fans know from his spotlight one-on-one bouts with the likes of Hiroshi Tanahashi and Kazuchika Okada that Karl is more than capable of shining in big match situations. He hasn't had those opportunities in WWE, and it's unlikely that he ever will, but Anderson certainly wouldn't let the company down if thrown into the singles ranks.

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Andy has been with WhatCulture for six years and is currently WhatCulture's Senior Wrestling Reporter. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.