Ranking Who Was Really The Man In Wrestling Every Year 1990-2020

5. 2016 - Tetsuya Naito

Austin Jericho
NJPW

A year so transcendent many of his fans can't let it go, even in the face of mounting, grim evidence, Tetsuya Naito revealed a character at least equal to his prodigious in-ring technique. It was shocking - Naito had struggled to connect with crowds - and yet he filled a vacuum with a tranquilo persona perfect in its capturing of the jaded millennial zeitgeist. His was the perfect contrast to Hiroshi Tanahashi's earnest and Kazuchika Okada's relentless quest to stay on top.

His matches were unhinged but incredibly well-worked spectacles that, as it transpired, did have no right to be as awesome as they were.

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!