10 Best Kept Secrets In Wrestling Today
8. Akira Tozawa
The most neglected wrestler on WWE's most neglected brand, Akira Tozawa is underutilised as a Cruiserweight spot-filler.
Tozawa has only flirted with success since joining WWE. A 2017 Cruiserweight Title run ended after just six days, as Akira and fellow Dragon Gate alumnus Neville traded the belt twice in a week. He has since been shoved back into the shadows, competing mostly in forgettable clashes with grapplef*ckers Jack Gallagher and Drew Gulak, never threatening to break into the upper echelon.
Seemingly a casualty of WWE's inability (or refusal) to push Japanese wrestlers, Tozawa is rotting. He's a fierce, fiery babyface on his day, and a man of palpable physical charisma. These qualities are complemented by immense in-ring skill. Far from a spot monkey, he's smooth, fluid, fast, and impactful. Sadly, he rarely gets to showcase these traits on WWE television - or even house shows, with 205 Live's non-existant touring schedule meaning Tozawa only ever wrestles once or twice a month.
As engaging as anyone not named Buddy Murphy and less broken than countryman Hideo Itami, Tozawa's only barrier is his lack of spoken English. That this should hold a wrestler back on a workrate-centric brand in 2018 is ridiculous.