10 WWE Superstars You Didn't Know Wrestled In New Japan

By Scott Fried /

3. Daniel Bryan

Daniel Bryan came into WWE with a reputation as one of the best wrestlers on the planet, and it was a reputation he forged with tireless work in Ring of Honor, Full Impact Pro, Pro Wrestling Guerilla, and several British outfits. By the time he did sign with WWE, it was considered a long time coming, and he quickly took the company by storm. Like most talents of his caliber, Bryan gained experience in Japan, competing in New Japan Pro Wrestling prior to ROH's talent agreement with NOAH. Using the name American Dragon, he achieved some more of his trademark success, reaching the semifinals of the 2004 Best of the Super Juniors tournament and capturing the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Titles with Curry Man (Christopher Daniels). Wrestling's best-kept secret had been exposed to a whole new group of fans.