10 Wrestlers WWE Could Poach From NJPW Next

7. Tomohiri Ishii

tomohiro ishii
NJPW

Less likely, this one - Ishii after all made his name in those incredible, anything-you-can-do-I-can-do-better battles with Shibata in 2013, which saw the two warriors taking turns to belt one another in an oddly polite yet utterly transfixing and brutal manner.

Short and stout, Ishii does not possess the typical look we are convinced WWE still holds in the highest regard; with his pug-faced features and ability to absorb extraordinary punishment, he is nevertheless an inherently likeable talent who WWE could position as an underdog in the Daniel Bryan/Sami Zayn vein.

Then again, Eric Young looks to have sewn up the position vacated by Zayn's main roster promotion. NJPW fans love rooting for him, and his cult appeal is such that WWE could really enforce their burgeoning smark-friendly perception with his left-field signature.

Vince McMahon is also known to be a fan of wrestlers who look like they can inflict some serious damage - he is rumoured to have criticised John Morrison for "not looking like an a**-kicker" - a problem certainly not shared by the hard-as-nails CHAOS stable member.

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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!