10 Brutal Times Wrestlers Worked Stiff

You can't talk about some of the stiffest workers ever to grace the professional wrasslin' industry without shining a light on the all-out ferocity routinely showcased in NJPW. And the often barbaric battle between Katsuyori Shibata and Tomohiro Ishii in 2013 sits as perhaps one of the most vicious entries the promotion has ever produced, so it more than earns its spot on this list.

Erupting out of the gates at break-neck speed, Shibata and Ishii wasted little time slapping the hell out of one another during their 2013 G1 climax slugfest, whipping the crowd up into an instant frenzy as they traded rapid, but still disturbingly stiff elbows.

Everything, from sudden boots to their downed rival to chilling chops to the chest, was laced with unsettling venom. And the pair even took the time to respectfully welcome their rival's best shots during an exchange which saw both Ishii and Shibata take a knee as they prepared for the oncoming onslaught.

Unrelenting from start to finish, despite Ishii managing to pick up the win post-brainbuster, it appeared the two could still go another ten minutes. But for the sake of their healths, we're sort of glad they didn't.