10 Wrestlers With The Most Breakout Star Potential Right Now

4. Konosuke Takeshita

Paige VanZant
AEW

The puro landscape has shifted in recent years. Collaboration is key to it now.

That's not to state that this is a lasting change - the Japanese scene mirrors all of wrestling, in that it is cyclical - but before the borders are re-erected, Konosuke Takeshita will have established himself as a performer so undeniable that he will follow Shingo Takagi's route to stardom. Shingo was so unbelievable as a propulsive warlord with the unreal ability to sustain his stamina levels over the course of outstanding, detailed main event epics that NJPW broke from long, established tradition to push an outsider all the way to the main event A tier.

Takeshita is his natural successor: a colossal unit somehow capable of hurtling his massive from one side of the ring to the other quicker than a blink. He's a super-worker with a godly power game, and while he could be more accurately described as a hybrid worker, that might suggest he's a 7.5 in every department when in fact he's sensational at most everything.

Check out that cheeky strut on Rampage as well - there's a showman under that visually impressive exterior, too.

Contributor
Contributor

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!