10 Wrestlers Who Remained Great Past 45
2. Minoru Suzuki
New Japan’s resident sadist is still rocking the house at 51 as evidenced by his ferocious brawl with Jon Moxley at the New Beginning in Osaka in February. A legendary figure in puroresu and in MMA, Suzuki and his Suzuki-gun faction are a popular fixture of the New Japan upper midcard.
Despite years of brutal injuries sustained thanks to his gruelling years as a fighter, Suzuki can still put together technically sound wars with anyone thrown his way. Suzuki’s attention to detail when it comes to selling and consistency is second to none and his submissions look agonising.
Furious at his omission from the G1 Climax last year, Suzuki acquired a shot at the IWGP Heavyweight Championship the next month and fell to Kazuchika Okada. An instant classic bout between the two long running rivals, Suzuki was monumentally over with the UK crowd.
Suzuki brought much of his MMA notoriety to wrestling when he returned to the squared circle. It is a testament to Suzuki’s charisma and skill that he remains as menacing and believable in the ring now as he did upon returning in 2003.