Predicting The 10 Best Wrestlers In The World Five Years From Now
1. Kazuchika Okada
Kazuchika Okada will turn just 32 years of age in November of this year.
The prodigy is now a genius.
His formula, somehow, actually divides some fans, who find the first five minutes of matches aimless, but think of it like a Tool epic. That astonishing surge of Parabola wouldn't slap without the suspense built gradually over Parabol; Okada's approach to the in-ring craft follows a similar pacing structure, in that his complete, patient dominance puts him over as something insurmountable. When his challengers rise to meet the challenge, they tower, and the match erupts into a just unreal level of drama that somehow transcends the old World Championship epic.
And Okada has proven himself capable of deviating from that formula to awesome effect. Over the last year, with a potent minimalism not unlike the Ace he replaced, Hiroshi Tanahashi, Okada has elevated the humble backslide pin into a destructive weapon. Per Kenny Omega, that was Okada's idea to settle the first fall of their Dominion 2018 masterpiece. He defeated Chris Jericho with it at this year's event, marking it as a bespoke, special occasion move. He is so exceptional at pro wrestling that he can build sub-mythologies around his own legend.
His 'broken' persona from last year's G1 run also proved that he can rethink his character with creative, logical progression. He is the greatest wrestler alive in 2019; in 2024, it's likely his artistic legacy will equal his storyline achievements.