Ranking Who Was Really The Man In Wrestling Every Year 1990-2020
5. 2016 - Tetsuya Naito
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.