10 Most Improved Wrestlers Of 2023

4. Yota Tsuji

Julia Hart most improved
NJPW

The improvement in Yota Tsuji isn't just one that can be measured across this past year, but one that dates back to the start of his NJPW excursion in 2021. The Tsuji who left New Japan that summer, compared to the Tsuji who made his grand return to the promotion at Wrestling Dontaku in May, are two entirely different beasts.

Having started as a Young Lion back in 2018, that excursion saw Tsuji head to England to compete for RevPro, take in Mexico with CMLL, and even work a couple of dates for wXw out in Germany. And what a difference that experience has made for the 30-year-old.

As part of that return, Tsuji unsuccessfully challenged SANADA for the IWGP World Heavyweight Title in a banger of a match, went on to have a fantastic outing in this year's G1 Climax, and put on an absolute stunner with Will Ospreay for the IWGP United Kingdom Championship at Destruction in Kobe.

In the months since that return to NJPW, Gene Blast has cemented himself as one of the most electric talents in the company, and the handling of the nowadays Los Ingobernables de Japón man has him earmarked for genuine superstardom.

Senior Writer
Senior Writer

Once described as the Swiss Army Knife of WhatCulture, Andrew can usually be found writing, editing, or presenting on a wide range of topics. As a lifelong wrestling fan, horror obsessive, and comic book nerd, he's been covering those topics professionally as far back as 2010. In addition to his current WhatCulture role of Senior Content Producer, Andrew previously spent nearly a decade as Online Editor and Lead Writer for the world's longest-running genre publication, Starburst Magazine, and his work has also been featured on BBC, TechRadar, Tom's Guide, WhatToWatch, Sportkskeeda, and various other outlets, in addition to being a Rotten Tomatoes-approved film critic. Between his main dayjob, his role as the lead panel host of Wales Comic Con, and his gig as a pre-match host for Wrexham AFC games, Andrew has also carried out a hugely varied amount of interviews, from the likes of Robert Englund, Kane Hodder, Adrienne Barbeau, Rob Zombie, Katharine Isabelle, Leigh Whannell, Bruce Campbell, and Tony Todd, to Kevin Smith, Ron Perlman, Elijah Wood, Giancarlo Esposito, Simon Pegg, Charlie Cox, the Russo Brothers, and Brian Blessed, to Kevin Conroy, Paul Dini, Tara Strong, Will Friedle, Burt Ward, Andrea Romano, Frank Miller, and Rob Liefeld, to Bret Hart, Sting, Mick Foley, Ricky Starks, Jamie Hayer, Britt Baker, Eric Bischoff, and William Regal, to Mickey Thomas, Joey Jones, Phil Parkinson, Brian Flynn, Denis Smith, Gary Bennett, Karl Connolly, and Bryan Robson - and that's just the tip of an ever-expanding iceberg.