13 Wrestlers Who Were Better In NJPW Than They Were In TNA
3. The Great Sanada
No Japanese talent has had it better in TNA than The Great Sanada. After showing promise working for AJPW, he would leave the company to join the promotion headed up by Japanese wrestling legend, Keiji Mutoh, which formed a working relationship with TNA. He would become a constant presence in the X-division scene. With Mutoh serving as both an on-screen and real life mentor, Sanada was set to be the shining star of the fledgling Wrestle-1 promotion, and TNA's greatest import. Seiya Sanada would hold the X-division title for over 100 days, winning it from Austin Aries in the historic Ryogoku Sumo Hall. He would also win the Global Impact Tournament as a part of Team International.
Still though, Impact had a glass ceiling for its foreign talent, and not even the second coming of The Great Muta would be able shatter it.
Once Sanada was free, he emphatically announced his arrival to NJPW, helping Naito win the IWGP heavyweight title, and becoming a star in NJPW's tournaments like the G1 and the New Japan Cup. He's quietly become one of Los Ingobernables de Japon's best workers, always able to put on stunning matches against Okada, Ibushi, and Jay White. Most notably though, SANADA has been a force in the World Tag League, dominating the competition with his partner, EVIL, winning the tournament and holding onto the IWGP Heavyweight Tag Titles two times.