10 Wrestlers Who Broke Dave Meltzer's Rating System In 2017
2. Kazuchika Okada
The champ is here.
Since 2012, Kazuchika Okada has proved time and time again why he is the prodigy of the wrestling world. Holding the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship for the entire year, the Rainmaker made 2017 one of his very best, racking up four matches that achieved 5 stars or higher.
One of which, of course, was his brutal encounter with Katsuyori Shibata. The other three, however, were his already-legendary series with Kenny Omega. Meltzer and others compared it to Ric Flair and Ricky Steamboat's 5 star trilogy in 1989, but it's arguable that the sheer athleticism and impact of these 2017 encounters have surpassed the work of 'The Nature Boy' and 'The Dragon'.
While Omega has received the lion's share of credit for the groundbreaking trilogy, it cannot be understated how much of a wrestling god Okada truly is. Like a true champion, the man makes all of his opponents look like credible superstars. From Omega to Shibata and even Naito (a man he didn't wrestle at all in the year), he has made all of them bigger stars through his ringwork and presence. He is the Rainmaker, and will make it rain in gold and 5 star matches for years to come.