10 Best Wrestlers Of 2021

8. Tam Nakano

Though rostermates Utami Hayashishita and Syuri have drawn wider critical acclaim in 2021, Tam Nakano is the most complete wrestler in Stardom and has been a constant highlight in an excellent in-ring year for the promotion.

Only 33 years old herself but a grizzled veteran compared to a Stardom roster populated by ultra-talented early-twentysomethings, Nakano has in-ring chops on par with anyone working the joshi scene at the moment. She is an adaptable wrestler with great range, whose best matches (vs. Giulia in a hair vs. hair bout, vs. Takumi Iroha in the 5STAR Grand Prix, and vs. Hayashishita in the same tournament) all feel distinct from one another. Even the greatest wrestlers become formulaic from time to time, but not Tam. Her series with company ace Mayu Iwatani scarcely resembled April's disrespectful clash with Natsupoi.

But what sets Nakano apart, particularly in 2021, are the non-athletic components of her wrestling performances. Tam is a tremendous actress. Her facial expressions and selling are elite tier, few do as good a job as making each match feel as intense and personal, and she emerges from every battle looking like she has marched through hell to get there. Doing all of this without coming across as melodramatic is no mean feat. Tam, in 2021, is close to mastering that balancing act.