Every Wrestling Rookie Of The Year: Where Are They Now?

18. 2005: Shingo Takagi

Essa Rios Lita
NJPW

Is there a wrestler on the planet better than exploding off the ropes than Shingo Takagi?

He opened the eyes of international wrestling fans with his supernatural power and dynamism, and then simply never slowed down. Over the years, he developed a near unparalleled level of craft - the intricacy and escalation of his tactical battles with Will Ospreay is as thoughtful as any lengthy, rave-reviewed series ever - and for a man as colossal as he is, as he proved against Aaron Henare in a MOTYC earlier this year, he can sell as well as anybody past or present.

The man who made prestigious, of all things, the King of Pro Wrestling trophy, should have featured far more at Forbidden Door this year. He is an all-time great.

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!