10 Japanese Wrestlers Who Were Totally Wasted In America
Go West, where the skies are blue. Perhaps.
Despite the high quality of wrestling coming out of the UK, Japan, and countless other countries around the globe, it's hard to argue against the centre of the wrestling world still being good old America. It's the home of WWE, GFW and most of the larger indie promotions; if you want to be a true superstar in the eyes of the wrestling elite, you need to crack the USA.
Something which is easier said than done. Despite how far we have come, American companies still have a bit of a problem booking foreign talent. That's never clearer than when you look back over the history of Japanese wrestlers in America. Japan is a hotbed for wrestling and puts on more great shows and fantastic matches than nearly anywhere else. However, few of their stars have ever truly stepped into the American mainstream.
That might be beginning to change now. Shinsuke Nakamura seems to have impressed those behind the scenes in WWE, while GFW's relationship with NOAH should lead to a healthy talent exchange. However, none of that alters the fact that history is littered with examples of Japanese wrestlers being wasted once they cross the Pacific.
10. Hirooki Goto
Hirooki Goto is New Japan’s Mr. Reliable. He’s never going to be 'the guy' and is, in fact, often on the losing end of big matches. However, you can guarantee that if you put him in the ring with a decent opponent, it will be a good to great match. He’s the kind of wrestler than every company needs.
Apart from TNA.
In 2006, Goto did what many Japanese stars do and headed out on an excursion. Due to New Japan’s relationship with TNA at the time, this saw him rocking up in Orlando. Upon arrival, he was thrown into the World X Cup Tournament where he did, well, not much to be honest. Team Japan would come last and none of their members were allowed to shine.
Wrestlers have been treated worse on journeys over to America than Hirooki Goto, but it’s hard not to look at his time in TNA as a waste. In a company which set out to be an alternative to WWE, a fantastic Japanese worker like him could have done something special. Instead, he’s hardly remembered at all.