10 Best Non-WWE Wrestlers Of 2017

9. Shuji Ishikawa

Kazuchika Okada Kenny Omega
Puroresu Spirit

From a pure workrate perspective, Shuji Ishikawa is the best 'big man' in wrestling today.

At 6'5", 300lbs, the 'Indie Wrestling Big Dog' is a sight to behold, with his power, presence, and mastery of high-level wrestling psychology making him the greatest non-NJPW heavyweight in Japan. He's a giant with genuine five-star match potential, and his talent is as rare as it is special.

Ishikawa is coming off the most successful year of his career. He won AJPW's historic Champion Carnival in April, then went on to face company ace Kento Miyahara for the promotion's Triple Crown Championship on 21 May, upsetting the long-time champ in an instant classic. Presented as something of a new era Jumbo Tsuruta, Shuji's reign lasted just three months, but it was a well deserved acknowledgment for a man entering his 15th year as a professional wrestler, and fans lapped it up accordingly.

His rematch with Miyahara was on par with almost anything NJPW have produced in 2017, and Ishikawa has also recorded outstanding wars with the likes of Suwama, Joe Doering, and an overmatched Jake Lee. He is the Japanese indie scene's MVP, and he deserves your attention.

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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.