10 Best Wrestlers In NJPW (Right Now)

Seeing the evolution of Will Ospreay is like seeing your bratty kid brother mature into a man. When the Aerial Assassin first gained traction, he certainly had a huge fanbase, but also his detractors. The height of anti-Ospreay sentiment came after his ultra-athletic encounter with Ricochet at the 2016 Best of the Super Juniors tournament, which turned both men into viral sensations. Ospreay was decried by the grumpy old men of wrestling (and their sycophants) as being just a flippy spot monkey whose body would get shot within a few years.

Come this year, it's clear that Ospreay is so much more than a spot monkey. He's one of the best in the world. After winning the Jr. Heavyweight Title at Wrestle Kingdom, Ospreay went on an absolute tear, putting on incredible title defenses against Takahashi, Kushida, and longtime rival Marty Scurll, with whom he got an illustrious 5 star rating. It's not just the star ratings that earn Ospreay his high ranking, but the fact that during his time as champ, he truly carried himself as the ace of the division. He made the Jr. Heavyweight belt nearly as important as Okada's world title. The emotion, storytelling, and weight he put into his title matches made their athleticism all the more impressive.

Should Ospreay be allowed to move up as a heavyweight and fight the likes of Omega, Okada, and Ibushi, his status as one of New Japan's best will be even greater.