10 Best WWE Stars To Compete In A Wrestling World Cup
4. Japan Ultimo Dragon
There have been many legendary performers from the small island nation of Japan, itself a hotbed of wrestling. However, many of them have never competed inside a WWE ring and so did not meet the selection criteria. Names like Jushin Thunder Liger and The Great Muta wrestled in the United States for WCW, but never WWE. Despite being in the WWE Hall of Fame, Antonio Inoki never wrestled in a WWE ring either. Mr Fuji, stalwart of the WWE as both a wrestler and a manager, was born in Hawaii. Hakushi had a brief run in the WWE with a number of great matches, especially against Bret Hart, but didnt make the global impact of the man I have chosen. Although his run in the WWE was not considered to be a huge success, Ultimo Dragons influence in junior heavyweight style wrestling across the world is enormous. To have a major Japanese promotion set up and named after you is pretty good. To have a wrestling move used all across the world named after you, because you invented it is just taking the biscuit. Yoshihiro Asai trained with New Japan Pro Wrestling but then moved to Mexico to learn the Lucha Libre style. Donning a mask and calling himself Ultimo Dragon (the last dragon), his gimmick was that he was the last student of the late great Bruce Lee. He continued to wrestle for numerous promotions in Mexico, also returning to his homeland of Japan during the 90s, with his unique fusion of Japanese style wrestling and Lucha Libre, picking up numerous championships along the way. He first came to prominence in the US when he signed with WCW in 1996. In that same year, he also unified eight junior heavyweight championships from Britain, Mexico, America and Japan, called the J-Crown.. He then made history by holding (albeit for just one week) ten different championship belts, a feat which has never been matched. He initially retired in 1997 following injury and set up his own training school and promotion called Toryumon. The promotion was later renamed Dragon Gate in his honour. Dragon himself has since departed but the promotion continues to be one of the most exciting companies in the world, with sister promotions in the US and UK. In 2003, he returned to the ring and signed for the WWE, to realise two lifelong ambitons: to perform at Madison Square Garden and to participate in a WrestleMania. He achieved both. His tenure in the WWE was relatively low profile, as the WWEs record with Japanese talents is consistently poor. However, Dragons global influence is undeniable and his legend lives on to this day.
Dean Ayass is a well known name to British wrestling fans. A commentator, manager, booker and ring announcer who has been involved in the business since 1993, Dean's insight into the business is second to none.
