10 Japanese Wrestlers Who Were Totally Wasted In America

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.