10 Most Controversial Wrestlers Of 2017
5. Katsuyori Shibata
For:
Contested one of the most amazing, dramatic and brutal wrestling matches of the decade - at least - at NJPW Sakura Genesis opposite Kazuchika Okada. This was an absolute masterclass of psychology, storytelling, and brutal content. It was a lesson in getting a performer over without putting them over, enhanced by the immensely patient waiting game Gedo played to bring us to that searing point.
Against:
In that match, the impossibly badass Shibata took Strong Style too seriously; deviating from the hidden, relatively cushy impact zones once too often, the headbutt with which he blasted Okada was struck with such force that he split his own skull open. He hasn't wrestled since suffering that subdural haematoma, and likely will never again. It felt less like an unfortunate accident, and more like a literally crushing inevitability; it was far from the first time he disregarded the very essence of pro wrestling to put himself over.
Author Verdict:
Katsuyori Shibata was such a cool, credible and superb pro wrestler - almost conveying Lesnar-level danger and the ability to wrestle the sort of epic, content-stuffed masterpieces synonymous with the very best of modern pro wrestling. But what does all that matter, ultimately? His fans were complicit in his enforced retirement. What we loved about Shibata is what led to his downfall - and thus, he will live on as a cautionary tale of critical importance.