20 Absolute Best Wrestlers In The World Right Now
19. Yuji Okabayashi
Undone by a severe shoulder injury in October 2017, Yuji Okabayashi was, for the second time in his career, staring down the barrel of up to a year away from the squared circle. That he recovered to enter so many god-tier performances across a whopping 157 matches in 2019 speaks volumes of both his character and pro-wrestling excellence.
A man almost as wide as he is tall, the 264lb 'Stone Golem' shines through simple charisma. What looks like a straightforward Japanese heavyweight ring style (all Lariats, chops, and head drops) is taken to the next level through sheer emotion. Okabayashi is a hulking, grunting brute of a man, sure, but an inherently likeable one, as fighting spirit and fire underpin his every movement, not unlike a more kinetic, less grumpy Tomohiro Ishii.
See his November performance alongside Yuji Hino against Daisuke Sekimoto and WALTER for a recent example of his brilliance. He out-generalled 'Der Ring General,' treating the European dominator like a pathetic, unwanted invader as WALTER walked into Japan for the first time in seven years. Meanwhile, a July BJW Strong World Heavyweight Title defence against hot prospect Takuya Nomura shone brighter than any Japanese indie match all year.