10 Wrestlers Who NEED A Huge 2024
9. Shingo Takagi
There’s an element of grading on a curve here, of course, as by any reasonable metric, Shingo Takagi isn’t exactly in a bad place. His 2023 saw exceptional matches against Aaron Henare and Will Ospreay, as well as another run with the NEVER Openweight Championship.
Not exactly thin gruel, then - but compared to where it looked like Takagi was headed three years ago, it’d be fair to say he’s off the pace. In March 2021, he became the IWGP World Heavyweight Champion for the first time, beating company ace Kazuchika Okada for the vacant belt. A lengthy reign of over 200 days was eventually ended by… Kazuchika Okada.
NJPW’s main event scene has felt a little stale for a while now, but Takagi hasn’t been utilised back in that top slot in the years hence. He has lost repeatedly to Okada since and had poor showings in the New Japan Cup and G1 Climax. Bafflingly he was restricted to Forbidden Door’s pre-show this time around.
Takagi’s highlights reel can’t be denied, to say less of his talent, but it’s hard not to feel he should be doing more than he has been since that run on top.