10 Wrestlers Who Can HONESTLY Be Labelled A Genius

6. Kenta Kobashi

Kenta Kobashi chop rush Kensuke Sasaki
Pro Wrestling NOAH

In superb, dramatic contrast to eternal rival Mitsuharu Misawa, Kenta Kobashi was the embodiment of emotion.

The meaning of wins and losses is one of the most exhausting narratives in the modern conversation; even now, Kenny Omega's win/loss record in All Elite Wrestling is debated as a key reason behind the failure to immediately sell out Full Gear. Has the show failed to shift tickets because Omega feels less of a star in the wake of his shocking All Out defeat to PAC? That show had sold out within half an hour on the strength of Omega Vs. Jon Moxley. This discourse is rightly cited as a key reason behind WWE's dire popularity woes in 2019.

No other performer ever got over in defeat like Kenta Kobashi.

An absolutely incredible big match performer, Kobashi inspired genuine devotion in his fans through a spirit he put over as superhuman. His famous chops-to-the-corner spot was the best illustration of this; a visibly impossible thing to do, Kobashi did it, encouraged by the deafening, graduating roar of a crowd that adored him.

Sympathetic to the plight of the defeated, Kobashi was reciprocal: his Burning Hammer was framed as such a deathblow that losing to him, in his belated Ace years, was considered a sign of immense respect.

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Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!