10 Best Wrestlers Under 30 In The World Today

5. Jungle Boy

MJF AEW
AEW

In 2019, Jungle Boy was positioned as a spirited rookie upstart who absorbed countless losses but showed more resolve and experience each time.

This is a lofty comparison, and the execution obviously isn't anywhere near as seminal, but this was AEW's attempt at the Kenta Kobashi push.

In 2020, Jungle Boy mostly ticked along. The time to proceed with the push was when fans returned. The reasoning behind this revealed itself to be very intelligent.

In 2021, ahead of fans returning, AEW fans were encouraged to get behind Jungle Boy when Tony Khan licensed Tarzan Boy by Baltimora as his entrance theme. Throughout the year, Jungle Boy, whose heart, fire and athleticism won over those fans, grew in influence. He scored wins over the Young Bucks, developed a caustic personality under Christian Cage's tutelage, and, by 2022, won the World Tag Team Title alongside Luchasaurus.

Mostly, Jurassic Express have defended those titles on Rampage, which is taped deep into Wednesday nights in front of increasingly quiet crowds. And they still go nuts for Jungle Boy's emotional 2.99 kick-outs.

The man saved for crowds gets even the knackered ones to react. That's how great a babyface he is at just 24.

 
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Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!