10 Wrestlers With Surprisingly Successful Japanese Careers

Most modern day wrestling fans are familiar with Japanese professional wrestling. Japanese wrestling is rightfully associated with great in ring storytelling, a hard hitting strong style and having an extremely high work rate.

Gaijin ('foreign') wrestlers who come to North America after competing in Japan often go on to have lengthy WWE careers. Examples of stars with impressive Japanese backgrounds range from current stars like WWE Champion AJ Styles and Finn Balor, to former acclaimed world champions Chris Jericho, Chris Benoit and Eddie Guerrero, to legends like Cactus Jack, Stan Hansen, Vader and Terry Funk.

In almost all cases these well-regarded stars had impressive careers in Japan before making it in the WWE or North America.

With all the success stories of Gaijin wrestlers finding main stream success after performing in Japan one might think all decorated Gaijin's have become a success on the other side of the pond. However, this list will show that this is not always the case, focusing on wrestlers whom had largely underwhelming careers with the exception of their Japanese runs.

Second Generation superstars typically fare pretty well in WWE. Especially ones with ties to legendary wrestling families like Harry Smith better known as Davey Boy Smith, Jr. Smith began wrestling at the unbelievably young age of 11 in Calgary, trained by the Hart family, growing up with Tyson Kidd, Teddy Hart and Jack Evans. He then shifted focus to training in Japan before signing a WWE developmental deal at the age of 21.

With a ton of experience and name recognition Smith found his way on the WWE main roster a year later at the age of 22. While spending four years on the main roster Smith did have some success forming a tag team with Tyson Kidd as the Hart Dynasty his WWE run ended with him acting as an enhancement talent wrestling on Superstars, finally leaving the company in 2011 after months of inactivity.

For a young man who was given every opportunity at a very young age, Smith left WWE broken, and struggled to find himself while wrestling on the North American independent scene. That was until he made his return to Japan in 2012. Upon arriving in Japan Smith joined the talented Suzuki-Gun stable and found instant success tagging with Lance Archer as part of the Killer Elite Squad. Winning the IWGP, Pro Wrestling NOAH and NWA Alliance tag team championships.

Since then Smith has continued in success in Japan while getting trademark rights to the 'British Bulldog'. As Smith is still in his prime at age 31 there is a chance he could return to the WWE or continue to build his career in Japan. But for now, Smith's reputation and success overseas far outweighs the limited success he had in WWE.